Fic: "Flowers For A Girl" (Joan, Peggy, Don) PG

[yahtzee63]

Title: Flowers For A Girl
Rating: PG
Pairing: technically Don-Peggy gen, but could be shippy if you squint. Joan-Peggy gen.
Summary: For the prompt "cuddling," though this is fulfilled only at a remove. Hope it counts.
Disclaimer: Not mine.

Comments

[alas_agnes]

"I’m sorry that nobody’s ever shown you kindness unless they wanted to sleep with you. But not everyone is that unlucky.”

OH SNAP, ILU PEGGY.

this was absolutely perfect. beautifully written and wonderfully observed. you really captured joan's character, and through that lense, the unique relationship between don and pegs. loved this.

[yahtzee63]

So glad you enjoyed it! This was my first try at MM fic, so it's a relief to hear it felt in-character for you.

[ellamalfoy8]

Incredible. So in character for all of them.

[yahtzee63]

Thank you so much!

[oltha_heri]

This kind of makes up for no Peggy last week.

I thought both of them were wicked in character. Joan's worry and pain pushed aside and compartmentalized is definitely her. And how she stood somewhere between worry and annoyance with Peggy I really like. And Peggy laughing at Joan suggesting the Peggy/Don affair seems appropriate for where Peggy is going as a character. And I love the idea that Don would comfort her.

[yahtzee63]

Joan is so comparmentalized, which is both a strength and a weakness for her; it's allowed her to overcome so much, but it limits both her understanding of herself and others.

I don't think Peggy would turn to Don for comfort in much short of a serious crisis, nor do I give him good odds of coming through in anything less. But in that situation, I think something like this could happen.

[tzikeh]

Wow, this was terrific. I wouldn't have bought Don holding her and comforting her before "The Suitcase," but I am so on board with it happening exactly that way now.

Must quote the same thing alas_agnes did:

"I’m sorry that nobody’s ever shown you kindness unless they wanted to sleep with you. But not everyone is that unlucky."

There's the line that defines them both, really, even though Joan can push it away. If only Joan had stopped at "I'm not preaching at you," Peggy wouldn't have verbally slapped her. She would have given her that look, but.

I don’t know what happened between you and Don. I don’t care. Obviously it’s over....

Oh, Joan. It's just beginning.

[yahtzee63]

I would have wanted to see something like this before "The Suitcase," but been very unsure whether it would play. Now I feel like a moment like this is very possible, under the kind of circumstances that would actually get Peggy to break down.

Yeah, Peggy and Joan are kind of fated to misunderstand each other, unfortunately.

[wildcard_47]

This is beautiful. I love your Joan. Crisp and compartmentalized, but not overly unkind. You've got everyone's voices to a T, though.

Favorite line is either Joan's observation re: Pryce: He alone seemed happy for Pete, and for a moment, Joan almost liked him or Peggy's response in the elevator:I’m sorry that nobody’s ever shown you kindness unless they wanted to sleep with you. But not everyone is that unlucky.” Gorgeous!

(Also, I'm so glad you're writing MM fic, in addition to Alias work. Yay!)

[yahtzee63]

Thank you so much! I really think Joan meant well, and even thinking what she thinks, after being snapped at by Peggy, wild horses would never drag a whisper of it out of her. She just read it wrong, is all. (And thank goodness -- though Joan would never speak of the truth, either, I think it would kill Peggy if Joan knew. If much of anybody besides Don and Pete knew.)

Glad you liked the Pryce line. I'm awfully fond of him.