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

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[revlon]

[ Peggy Carter, in all honesty, hadn't been expecting anything for her birthday — it's not that she's forgotten, or hasn't kept track of the days, but she's never been one for much fuss and she's never quite celebrated it since before the war. The last time there was any sort of to-do, it was the spring of 1940, she was being courted by Fred Wells, and her brother was still alive. After? Muddy fields, trenches, masquerading as a civilian in occupied France, maybe a sip of smuggled bourbon shared amongst the Commandos two weeks after the fact. Nothing special.

So it both is and isn't a wonder that Steve manages to surprise her with this. She's a spy, for God's sake! But she hadn't suspected a thing; an invitation to dinner, he'd said, and she'd taken his word for it. She'd come home to their apartment dressed for it in a purple beaded number with a question of Are you ready to go? on her lips — and found their sitting room full of friends. It's a small miracle she doesn't whip her gun out of her handbag, bloody hell. She doesn't jump but she does swear out loud before dissolving into laughter. After the initial shock, it's clear she's immensely touched by all of it, the attention to detail, the intimacy of it all, that Steve had managed to gather some of the people she's held near and dear since arriving on this planet. And after sweeping in to give him a kiss — not quite chaste, but polite enough given present company, thanks — for his troubles, she gladly joins in the festivities. Maybe you approach her right after, while she's still buzzing from the surprise of it all.

Maybe you catch her sitting on the edge of her own coffee table, plate loaded up with food and a glass of wine perched precariously at her side. She is definitely talking with her mouth full — probably about the framed sketches on the walls or the shield in the corner, if you ask nicely. But if you want to play with it, she may just defer to Captain Rogers on that front.

Maybe she's hovering in the kitchen, unearthing the bottle of whiskey she keeps in a cupboard and helping herself to it before sharing with the others. She's more than content to lean against the counter and sip on her glass and be drawn into conversation or just look around the room, a helplessly happy sort of smile on her lips. It's an expression she rarely wears these days, but it speaks volumes to what this means to her.

Or maybe, just maybe, she's switching out the music on their record player for something a little more upbeat like it's an invitation for people to dance in the bit of space they do have. She just might do it herself, swaying absently to the rhythm. It's a slice of normalcy that feels utterly foreign after all the chaos sprung on them — no one in this room has remained unscathed — but this might just be the breath of fresh air they need before diving back in.

And Peggy will personally thank each and every person for coming with the most heartfelt sincerity. ]

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[tailorable]

[ For the entire evening, Eggsy Unwin is on top form. Punctual for once in his life, with a neatly wrapped present in hand. No swearing or innuendo, well-mannered, and most certainly not becoming as spectacularly sloshed as he was at the Gala, thanks. After a wee panic over the dress code (and an emergency consultation with Ms Roxanne Morton), Eggsy settles on smartening up for the occasion. No snapback to disturb his styled hair, with a sharp left-parting as Harry had taught him; navy slacks and a matching blazer, paired with tan Oxfords; Kingsman glasses hooked on his blazer pocket, not recording but there should them all the same. Rox said to wear a button-down, but he opts for a plain white shirt. More modern that way, y'know, and he can't be going completely uptown now, can he? The only proper hitch is the white bandages covering his right hand and snaking up under his sleeve. However, he appears plenty capable of lifting bits and bobs.

Perhaps you find him slipping a book off the shelf, only to see a few others fall after it to fill the space, leading him to finally let an oh, for fuck's sake loose under his breath — or, more cheekily, you see the young lad lifting a certain captain's shield with his left hand. He's ambidextrous, for the record. And, boy, does he ever want to play with this toy.

Otherwise, he seems happy to drink and mingle. Once the music starts, he'll offer his hand to anyone to dance. "On the mend, promise," he says, with a wink, if there's any concern over his apparent injuries. Near the end of the night, he tries his best to sneak off to the kitchen with the dirty dishes to do as many for their hosts as he can before he gets caught. Might as well use his light fingers for good, on this singular occasion. ]

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[sheriffing]

[ Emma hasn't been to a birthday party since before the storm. it's a welcome distraction from everything that's happened lately, maybe even a legitimate excuse to enjoy herself without feeling guilty. after she received Steve's message, she took the time to pick out a gift from a local seller, choosing the talisman for it's hopeful meaning. it's wrapped neatly and set aside when she comes in, and rather than risk injury to any partygoers with her cooking, Emma brings along a bottle of whiskey as her contribution to the gathering.

for the first time since the kidnappings, she's also dressed up, having chosen a fitted black dress with a few delicate lace accents, and a matching pair of heels comfortable enough to spend an evening in. it feels surprisingly normal to go out and celebrate a friend's birthday, and from what she's learned so far, Peggy Carter is a woman worth celebrating.

now that she's in a better mood than she has been, it's easier to take in the warmth of their cozy apartment; everything from the little touches that tend to date them to the paintings that remind her of the city she and Henry lived in for a year. inevitably the shield is what catches her attention, and while Emma knows better than to touch it, she does lean in to get a closer look.]

I was never a big fan of shields, but this one kind of sells me on them.

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[phykios]

[ percy doesn't really have any settings besides casual (aside from questing, which really means exhausted and in desperate need of a shower/actual food), but he makes an effort today. what that really means is he wears a button down shirt instead of a t-shirt on top of jeans, but you know. an effort!! you might catch a glimpse of hand-painted beads or a flash of gold from the brooch he reluctantly pinned onto his camp necklace about the collar. he looks a little awkward when he arrives, a small wrapped box in his hands that he'll leave at the designated table (and when peggy opens it, she'll find a weird abstract glass paper weight; percy has a good feeling she'll recognize the craftsmanship).

he's down to mingle, sort of, so he might stop to say hello to anyone he knows. otherwise you might find him looking around the place, pausing to look at the drawings of new york city with real longing, particularly lingering by the image of the empire state building. this is a party, so he'll try not to draw attention to his bout of homesickness. or maybe you catch him piling an absurd amount of food onto his plate, apparently unperturbed by the alienness of it all. he doesn't have any trouble cleaning his plate either #teenageboys. or maybe you'll notice him eyeing steve's shield critically, because it's.....cool, leave him alone. he'll accept coffee but hang back for the dancing, happier to watch. ]

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[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. ]

for steviepoo

[nineteenfortyfive]

[As the night winds down some, Claire takes the opportunity to chat with Steve alone while the other guests are preoccupied with conversations shared and food comas on the sofa. She's been watching him now and then, concerned, but pleased to see he seems to be all right.

But she pretended to be all right for decades--and the past few weeks, too. So, when she sees him step into the kitchen, she takes her glass of wine and follows.]

Need help with anything?

[She smiles, glancing at the sink. She warned him.]