so shine bright tonight.

[america]

Who: steve rogers (starspangle), peggy carter (revlon) and some of peggy's closest friends (u kno who u are)
What: peggy's birthday is on the 9th, but they're celebrating on the 8th with an intimate dinner
When: april 8th
Where: at the rogers-carter residence
Warning(s): possible cavities from the sheer sweetness of this entire event tbh

❚❚❚❚❚ i. ARRIVAL [ It's the weekend and it's just a couple of days before Peggy's birthday. Steve Rogers has never hosted a party before, let alone a party for his partner, but life is all about trying new things and being the best boyfriend (hard to think of himself as such, still, even after all of these years, but he likes the feeling) he can be, and Steve takes both of those things very seriously. So he sends out invitations and makes plans - nothing fancy, nothing big, because everyone's just survived one of the worst events since crash-landing on this planet, and also because he knows Peggy isn't the kind of woman who relishes in big, flashy parties. He certainly isn't. A quiet dinner with her closest friends feels right. The small, cozy apartment is well-lit and tidy. When you enter, you come up a small set of steps to enter the main space - a kind of living-dining room combined. It's cute and comfortable and somehow reminds you of an older time without actually being dated. There are a couple of poetry books stacked on a side-table by the couch, and leaning against it is the possibly familiar, but very much noticeable circular star-spangled shield. Around the room you'll find drawings on the wall - sketches, meticulous and detailed but with a loose, free spirit - of the New York City skyline, Brooklyn, the Empire State Building. There's a delicious scent coming from the kitchen area. If you brought a gift, or some wine, you can leave it at the table with the single bottle placed there already and make yourself at home. Chat it up with the host, or with other party guests until the guest of honour arrives. ] ❚❚❚❚❚ ii. DINNER [ Considering the smallness of the space, it makes a little more sense for guests to grab food from the 'buffet-style' arrangement set out on the dining table and find any place to settle and eat. Soft music plays in the background, something jazzy and a little big band-y. There are enough plates and cutlery to go around (thank God), and there's more than enough food and drink too. Most of the ingredients are very similar to Earth's, but still manage to have a ... strangeness to them that feels uncanny. It's the alien-ness of this place. Thankfully it doesn't affect the taste. Steve's made some assortment of meat, stew, rice, and salad - not combined, don't worry. It's very vaguely Japanese-ish, if only because his culinary sensei happens to be You Watanabe, but he's picked up a couple of tips from some of the locals too. He's no Gordon Ramsay, but he's a good student and the food should taste pretty decent. Cake (bought at a local Olympian bakery) will be served at the end. ] ❚❚❚❚❚ iii. A LITTLE WINE, A LITTLE COFFEE [ After dinner, guests are welcome to mingle and stay for however long they'd like. Music continues to play, and everyone should feel happy and full. It's a pleasant night and the company is delightful too. At one point, Steve will offer guests coffee or maybe some of that wine from earlier - he's not entirely sure where it came from but it seems all right, and while Steve can't get drunk from it, it tastes fine enough. ] ❚❚❚❚❚ iv. CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE [ more of an ooc note, but! please feel free to leave your own top-levels and mingle amongst each other! these prompts are really, really general and are mostly meant to set the tone of the party. pick a prompt and play with it, take some cues and make your own, etc etc.! if you have any questions, absolutely feel free to hit me up! pls have fun and wish our best girl a happy birthday! ]

Comments

[phykios]

[ WOWOWOW CLAIRE, that's incredibly mean payback js. ]

So that's a no on the waterfall picture?

[nineteenfortyfive]

If you're not back within two days, I will go to Wyver and drag you back by your ear.

[Said ear gets a yank from that hand on his shoulder. Dangerous, being in close proximity like that.]

[phykios]

[ he swats at her hand half-heartedly, but he's nowhere close and clearly not trying to be. ]

Geez. Okay, okay, two days. [ wait for it. ] Give or take.

open!

[stripebacked]

[ Jamie's always done quite good with parties in the past, but he does feel a little bit out of his element here. More like he's been thrust into Claire's world than the one he knows. Living with the Stark's gives him glimpses of his home, but here it's different. It's not as shocking as the station, but it's like going through the stones to a world his wife is quite familiar with. But he doesn't let it show if he's a little nervous or even inching towards awkward. He may be the only man wearing a kilt here, but that's not too different than being in a room full of the English. They certainly didn't adopt his dress.

Tonight he's doing his best to show those around him he's recovered. He's got a bit of a limp, but everyone can blame Rumlow for that. He can't really give the man a true hard time because he did save him in the end. Something he will be grateful for even if the thought kills him. He's good at small talk, but the sketches draw his attention. Especially the one of the Empire State Building. Castles are something he's quite familiar with, but not buildings like this. His wife explaining the future is one thing, but to visually see it through a talented hand is another.

He's not so much eating as he is picking at his food. Though Jamie may be presenting himself as healthy and alright--his diet says something else. Though he doesn't glue himself to his wife's side he does tend to try to keep her in his sights in the apartment. He doesn't want her to vanish. Wyver was a nice change for them, but it's good to be back in Olympia. Though he's still hesitant about trusting the city once more since the captivity.

One thing that Jamie will likely never be afraid to partake in is the alcohol. Not in the sloppy and drunken way you'd think, but a bit of alcohol does tend to offer him a looser tongue perhaps. A looser tongue and a wider smile. But alcohol or no alcohol no one should be afraid to approach him. ]

[nineteenfortyfive]

[Laughing, he gets the tiniest of shoves against his shoulder. All of it's in good fun and she's not actually upset with him. Just amused.]

You're terrible.

[nineteenfortyfive]

[Claire's noticed his appetite, of course. He's trying.

She's happy to help him try a little harder. So, with a slice of cake on a plate, she sits down beside him and breaks off a bit with her fork to hold to his lips.]

Here. Try this.

[She's not one to usually partake in dessert before the meal is done, but if Jamie keeps eating at this pace he'll never get to the cake. Exceptions can be made.]

[phykios]

At least you like my sense of humor. There was this guy I talked to when the network went haywire, Theon, who kept telling me how dumb it is.

[ he says with a laugh, though, clearly unoffended. ]

[nineteenfortyfive]

[Somehow, they've managed to keep the rhythm throughout all the playing around. The mention of Theon, however, has Claire abruptly stopping, and that would be her stepping on Percy's foot.]

Theon? Theon Greyjoy?

[That's definitely not the joy she expressed at him knowing Sansa. Quite far from it.

And no, she doesn't realize she's on his foot.]

[revlon]

[ Flag-shield. She tries not to choke on her mouthful of stew when she laughs. ]

I don't think he'd mind. [ Peggy dabs at the corner of her mouth with a napkin, somehow managing to keep her lipstick intact as she does so. ] Would you like me to introduce you?

[ She actually doesn't know if they've met or not. Obviously Steve reached out to everyone in this room to invite them, but she isn't sure if their social circles overlap much beyond the Frasers or Emma. It's not a bad thing or intentional by any means; she's glad they're all meeting one another. Moments like this — relationships like these — are important, especially with things on the planet the way they are. ]

[revlon]

[ Peggy's tucked in the corner of her kitchen, content to watch the festivities for a few moments. It's not that she's overwhelmed — at least, not in any bad way; she's immensely touched by all of this — but taking a bit of a pause to let everyone mingle and get to know each other seems reasonable.

Well, that... and she's breaking out the whiskey from its hiding place. And when Jamie passes by, she holds a glass out to him; her own sits on the countertop by her hip. ]

I think this may be more suited to your tastes. [ She certainly prefers it to wine. She lifts her glass in a bit of a toast, smiling as she tries not to think about the last time she saw him (the rescue at the Institute). ] Cheers.

[phykios]

[ well that was abrupt. ]

Ow! Claire, can you move? [ PLEASE....spare his foot....... and also: ] How many Theons do you think there are around here?

[nineteenfortyfive]

Oh! Sorry! [SHE HURT HER BOY. Claire hops back, frowning.]

Sorry, I just didn't expect you to bring him up.

[phykios]

[ SHE HASN'T EVEN GOTTEN HIM STABBED, on a scale of one to annabeth she's doing fine.

he has to suppress the urge to take a step back himself, frowning instead. ]

What's the big deal? He seemed fine. I mean, not too friendly [ tbh ] but whatever.

[ the mention of grumpy people doesn't usually startle other people, he means. ]

[nineteenfortyfive]

He's just--[A lot.]

Hes just a troubled young man. I wouldn't be surprised if most of his conversations didn't turn into arguments.

[phykios]

[ which explains absolutely nothing. squints!! ]

So, what, you don't like him?

[nineteenfortyfive]

[Quickly, Claire shakes her head.]

No, I do. [Even if she shouldn't.] I care for him very, very much. But I know how he is. How he can be.

[phykios]

Claire, he was fine. We talked about, like, bad jokes and you. [ a beat. ] How we both know you, I mean. Nothing happened.

[ in before things suddenly take a turn in that thread BUTNO. ]

What do you even mean, how he can be? You can't just be talking about arguing with people.

[nineteenfortyfive]

[Bad jokes and her? Well, there's worse common ground. Claire inhales quietly, forcing up a smile as she briefly brushes her thumb over Percy's cheek. An affectionate motion, but not one teenage boys tend to appreciate. A distraction.]

I mean he can be an arse. A big one. I'm not trying to scare you off. He just doesn't have many friends, is all.

[Don't ask about Robb Stark.]

[phykios]

[ claire's distraction works pretty well; he pulls back a little, making a face. ]

Well consider me warned, I guess.

[ He Still Doesn't Get The Big Deal Though! ]

[phykios]

Nah, [ he says, waves her off one-handed, ] we've met before. Well, we've met once during the riots, and talked once or twice after that.

[ about, among other things, thor....... ]

Point is, no introductions necessary.

[sheriffing]

Yeah, all that dumb tourist stuff doesn't seem to dumb anymore.

[ it's the kind of thing she might've liked to hold on to, just to make sure she never loses the memory. that's the hard part of being the only one awake - she wants to remember everything, and sometimes it feels like she's already started to forget.]

When we first moved there, all Henry and I did was tourist stuff. He was all about the pizza.

[sheriffing]

Probably wanted to go right back to New York after that, too.

[ it's a stance her younger self would have been surprised to hear her take. she remembers a time when the idea of a home that was warm and sunny (and near the beach) was all she wanted. then Neal had run and she'd ended up in prison, and even after, life in Tallahassee felt hollow. given the opportunity to live in the warmer weather of Wyver, she'd almost immediately opted out - it was too much like Neverland, and that was one memory she didn't want to drown in when she was trying to start over.]

Does this place feel like home now?

[ Emma looks around, eyes wandering everything from the furniture to the shield leaning over the couch. it's not just Steve that makes her think this might work out for Peggy, but he's a part of it. there's just something so real about this place, more warm and welcoming than anything she's seen here so far.]

Because, I don't know - it sure looks like one to me.

[tailorable]

In fairness, it's been a bit mad.

[ an obvious understatement, seeing as it's probably not a topic ideal for their dear friend's birthday celebrations. he perks up. ]

How'd you meet Peggy, anyway?

[ that ought to be easier. ]

[tailorable]

[ it is still a party, even while they're getting into a rhythm, sorting out the dishes. ]

We ate one of them mood foods, [ that's the technical term. ] and now we compulsively clean. Can't be helped.

[ sorry if you thought he might be helpful instead of silly. today's his evening off from being wily. ]

[tailorable]

[ A pinch of recklessness was necessary for their success, or it seemed that way at the time, at least. Their choices had been strategic, at least, not entirely stupid or emotional — certainly understandable, if nothing else. ]

I forget how retro you are sometimes, Carter. [ said lightly, with an amused lilt. It's part of her distinct charm. ] 'Course I'm definitely glad you got to give jumping a go before we started flying spaceships.

[ hoo boy, now that would be a leap without planes as stepping stones between earth and freefalling in pods from space. ]