Kitty's birthday : Mingle!

[passingthrough]

Who: Kitty's friends, anyone Pinkie or Winn would have invited, people who would be on the ship anyway, party crashers, etc. They probably tried to keep it small and then failed hard. Feel free to assume you heard about it.
Broadcast: N/A
Action: The Tourist
When: August 15

[Kitty was not expecting a surprise birthday party because while it is the date of her birth, her last birthday was about seven months ago because abductions that can happen from any time make things weird. And then there's also the part where Winn got attacked by Sascha and she and Winn had their first significant fight and things have been on the rough side. Of course, with people like Winn and Pinkie Pie in her life she really should have known better.

So, here we are on The Tourist with dancing in the cargo hold. Winn's phone is playing mustic amplified by Cisco's speakers. There are snacks, beverages, and cake in the kitchen. With Pinkie Pie helping out and some of the stores of food they built up from the time on the hand holding planet you can expect better-than-spacefood quality. And if you need more privacy, Winn opened his room up, but he did include a sign that says no making out complete with a disappointed frowny face, so you would never! Probably.

Enjoy the party! Kitty is turning 20 years and 7 months today? Yeah, there may be another birthday party for her coming up. She's probably doomed to have two per year. Of course you have to get gifts for both!]

Comments

OTA

[winn]

a. #embarrassingboyfriend

[ winn has been planning for this ever since kitty first told him of her birthday but at the last second, for all the aforementioned reasons, plus a 2 week coma messing up his schedule, his plans went to crap.

since he couldn't prepare her a flash mob in that short a timespan, and even if he could he couldn't get away from her to practice it because he hasn't been able to leave the tourist since the attack, he decided to go for an easier surprise to manage.

standing on a chair, he clears his throat. ]

Excuse me - hi! Hello! For those of you who don't know me, I'm Winn, hi - I'm the guy you're soon gonna wonder why she's dating. [ he chuckles nervously. he's not really ready for this shindig, but he's going to power through it with a smile all the same. ] Thank you all for coming to help us celebrate - happy birthday Kitty! You love me - remember that.

[ hitting play on the karaoke machine, he sings along. ]

I like your toothy smile,
it never fails to beguile.
Whichever way the wind is blowing
I like the way this is going.

I like the color of your hair,
I think we make a handsome pair.
I can only see my love growing
I like the way this is going

I like to watch TV with you, [ he adds quickly in a speaking voice ] (not that I got to yet but what's not to like?)
there's really nothing [ speaking again ] (maybe a couple things) I would rather do.
Then maybe we can go to bed,
get up and do it all again.

I like the way your pants fit,
how you stand and how you sit,
whatever seeds that you're sowing,
I like the way this is going.

I don't care about the past,
none of it was made to last,
it's not what who you've known,
but who you're knowing,

I like the way this is going
I like the way this is going.

[ at least his voice is pleasant, as is his pitch. smiling and bowing, he jumps off the chair and turns the regular music back on. ]

b. party wildcard

[ he'll be dancing with kitty, but when she's with the rest of her friends, he'll either be sitting watching her, eating a little bit, or ducking out for some breathing space in his room, if he's feeling too close to a panic attack. he's well dressed and smiling, but he can't hide the giant bags under his eyes. ]

a

[passingthrough]

[Heading up to give him a kiss if only to stop the singing! Okay, kidding. She really does think he has a beautiful voice, but it's so hard to process him doing all this for her. But what else is new? Other than him doing it while traumatized that is.]

Are you sure you're real?

[winn]

No, but when I think too hard about that theory I get a killer migraine.

[ scrunching his nose before breaking into a smile and kissing her. he lets go of her but only for a moment - to lean down and pick up a small package (blue wrapping paper, of course) and hand it to her. ]

Happy birthday. That's just -- part one. Part two's after the party.

[ and no, he doesn't mean that, get your head out of the gutter, gosh! he watches eagerly, waiting to see her reaction when she unwraps her brand new cubs jersey, an almost exact replica of what he saw in her memory on the planet, with 2 obvious differences: on the back he stitched 'pryde' over the number 21. ]

[passingthrough]

No thinking too hard. [She is smiling at him and then suddenly holding a gift and looking at it as if confused. How has she not learned how this works yet?] Shouldn't the party be the gift? Winn, you didn't have to do all this. [It's sweet and touching, but wow, everything that's happened and his nightmares and just...she's worried too, okay? But she doesn't want to mess up what he's doing here by treating him like he can't handle a party so she starts with the unwrapping.

And ends with her eyes looking glassy as she pulls out the jersey.] Winn... [She loved the Cubs and they give her all kinds of "when things were better" feels with her Dad in Chicago. But it's also just that he picked up on it and managed this near-impossible creation that her fingers are passing over reverently now.]

I see you trying to prematurely age me. [Trying for a joke to hide some of the emotion before moving in for a tight hug.]

[winn]

I wanted to.

[ he's wanted to give her the perfect birthday since she told him the date, and he wants to prove that he's okay even though he's not. as if somehow by...ignoring what happened and doing more or less what he would've done if it hadn't...it could actually stop mattering. it doesn't, of course it doesn't, that's not how life works, but he's not going to let his mental state ruin her birthday.

he returns the hug warmly, rubbing her back. ]

Fractions and decimals don't look so great on a jersey. [ he jokes right back. ] I love you.

[passingthrough]

[Squeezing him tighter.] I love you too. So much.

[She doesn't care that there is a room full of friends. She is going to hug him a little bit longer. Maybe his pain will magically go away this time if her arms in just the right spot and he can feel her heart beating. Okay, probably not, but she has to try until it does get better for him.]

Part two is sex, right? [More jokes. Except she'd be okay if that was part two.]

[winn]

[ the hug doesn't fix him, but it helps a little. it helps keep his panic at bay for just a moment longer. he buries his head in her neck, just breathing her in and trying to ignore the rest of their company. it's impossible, but not because he feels self conscious for a change. he does -- but he's more afraid.

he pretends to be offended. ]

Wow, that all I am to you? [ and ruins it by chuckling, and whispering in her ear. ] Part three is sex.

[passingthrough]

[That whisper gets a smile.] That's not all you are to me. You're one part sex and two parts other stuff. [She pulls back to let him see the smile.]

You're really incredible, you know that? Also, if you're not feeling up to it then we kick all these people out, okay? I need to rebuild my rep for being tough anyway.

[winn]

I've had my suspicions, but I've been waiting for more data.

[ nodding with fake seriousness before shaking his head. ]

I'm fine, build your rep somewhere else - today, rebuild your rep for having fun.

[ he's far from fine but he's committed to this party, committed to not ruin kitty's birthday. ]

[passingthrough]

Rebuild? Has someone been smearing my name in the fun-having communities? What have you been telling people?

[She's still going to worry. At least until the first couple of drinks erase away some of the worry.]

[winn]

Me? What makes you think I'm responsible, Kitty, I'm hurt!

[ he's joking, and the smile's there to prove it, but deep down it does touch a part of him that wonders why, in joking and in reality, her first instinct is to accuse him. is there ever proving himself to someone that deeply traumatized? ]

[passingthrough]

Because everyone listens to you. You are deeply beloved. Fan favorite. [She has no idea she's even messing things up here. She thinks they are on the mend with him throwing this party for her. She leans in for a kiss.] Definitely my favorite.

[winn]

Mmmhm - I better be.

[ he kisses back, and the term does make him smile. margaery called him her favorite too. being a fan favorite, though...maybe he's not going through so much crap because of his research. maybe he's going through so much crap because people enjoy watching him.

that's a disturbing thought. when they pull apart she may notice he lost a shade of color. ]

Re: OTA

[tallasaking]

[Tyrion is going to wonder why Kitty is seeing someone who sings that - but he is grinning so it's not too far of a guess why. Honestly, Winn. Stop being the sweetest man in the damned galaxy.

... also, stop looking like death warmed over.

Mis-match eyes narrow on him, but Tyrion waits until Winn steps out to follow him. He's got a drink in hand, and he hands it over to the other man, as soon as he turns around.]

Thought you needed that. And ... someone to talk to about whatever in the name of Seven Hells is happening.

[winn]

[ sensing that he's being followed gets his heart racing, his palms start to sweat, and then everything else he considers calling out for kara - yeah, there's a party going but she has super hearing and after what he's been through she has to be looking out for him.

but that would ruin the party. he'll call out, kara will come flying, kitty will follow, and she won't leave his side again for the rest of it, she may even send everyone home. he's trying not to ruin her birthday, not singlehandedly ruin it, he sees how that could have mixed up there -

so he takes a breath, trying to convince himself it's just a coincidence, just a party guest, and turns around -- to see tyrion. breathing a sigh of relief, he takes that drink and downs it in one gulp. ]

Thanks - party planning's really stressful. [ always open with a joke when you're caught nearly jumping out of your skin for being followed to be spoken to at a party you're hosting. ]

[tallasaking]

I have only ever heard of one party that one should find themselves looking out to see whether or not one should be carrying a weapon. [Is Tyrion's drawled response, as he folds his arms over his chest, looking up at the other man.]

We call it the Red Wedding. Ask Margaery about it, some time. Just not any of the Starks - they'll probably gut you. [Mis-matched eyes narrow.] Something happened to you.

[winn]

That...doesn't sound like anything I should be bringing up with Margaery, either.

[ he doesn't want to call any more painful memories to her mind than already do. he looks at tyrion for a moment, weighing his options. tyrion isn't stupid, he's not going to back off without a reason and no non-complicated lie would convince him. besides, his attack isn't exactly a lidded secret, he admitted to it on the public network in sam's post, it can be dug up and who know how many people have seen it already. but it's a party, he doesn't want to ruin it...

he looks to the hall to make sure no one's about to come in (he doesn't close the door because that might encourage tyrion to have a full discussion on the matter, and he's still trying to avoid that, but the urge is there). ]

I dunno if you've heard about what happened with Sascha but, uh, I was one of the attacked. [ 'victim' is not a word he's ready to use. it both implies things about sascha that he's not ready to admit despite all that he's done, and things about himself he doesn't want to admit. ]

[tallasaking]

She will give you a polite answer, if nothing else.

[Tyrion watches his face, watches his reactions. Notes he doesn't go to close the door - not wanting to make this public or not trusting himself with a closed door with anyone.

A frown touches his face, something dark flashing across his gaze.] I had heard what happened to him. I was unaware that he ... had hurt you.

[There's some sort of note of finality there, something that Tyrion apparently was closing off for good, before he looks back at Winn.] You know, I believe it is high time we built you a ... what is it called? A taser.

[winn]

It wasn't his fault.

[ but his words are devoid of the certainty he needed to have in there when it first happened, he's been devoid of it ever since kitty told him sascha had tried to kiss her because...because that hurt him too. and if the sheol's feelings are sascha's feelings then it's the same part that spared winn's life that also betrayed his trust and he can't ever un-know that.

he frowns in thought at tyrion's idea. it's not a bad one...he wants to defend himself in a non-lethal way - that and pepper spray is about as good as it gets. actually, he can probably get hank to help him whip up some sort of teargas too... ]

...that's not a bad idea.

[tallasaking]

Perhaps not. That does not mean he cannot take responsibility for his actions.

[Is Tyrion's cool reply. He himself had owned all his crimes - and they were far, far worse than most. For someone to know what he was, to continue what he was doing despite that? Well.]

Then you come on by, and we will build one together. Or, half a dozen.

[winn]

He has. He turned on himself to let me get away and went into confinement willingly where he sits willingly waiting for this to either pass or for us to figure out some way to make him safe to be around.

[ and it means a lot to winn, it does. it's why he doesn't hate sascha, why he's not furious or repulsed by him. it doesn't help the nightmares, though, and he does have another reason to be angry which is why he is, but it's not one he thinks he should be sharing with tyrion. he only told jim because he needed so desperately to talk to someone and jim is the one person he always talks to. ]

Thanks I'll, I'll do that. [ it'll be a while though. he's not ready to leave the relative safety of the tourist. ]

[tallasaking]

I think it might have been more helpful to mention that, oh yes, I am sometimes hungry and will feast and hunt on myself and others ... but that might just be my interpretation.

[Tyrion is furious - absolutely furious - but his anger has always been the cold, calculated kind. Hit them where it hurts, that has always been the motto of the Lannisters. Well, not really, but it should be.]

Would it be easier, if I came to you? I've been doing it enough lately.

[winn]

He didn't want to hurt me. [ he shakes his head ] He did warn me. [ except, it was after he had already pinned him, and there wasn't all that much he could do about it but still, winn can sense the situation escalating and as frightened and upset as he is with sascha, he doesn't want him hunted. ] It was...instinct, instinct he got cuz the Atroma messed with his head. Every bit of him that's still Sascha is why I'm still alive right now.

[ the truth is, winn's a lot more hurt than angry, and tired. he's just so tired of everything going wrong all the time. ]

If -- you don't mind, yeah, it would be. [ being an inconvenience is something winn usually avoids with a fiery passion. it goes to show how bad he's really doing, that he would choose to take tyrion up on his offer rather than force himself to deal with the outside world. ]

[tallasaking]

He hurts you and yet you still defend him ... [Tyrion shakes his head in quiet wonderment, before his expression tightened ever so slightly.] His instinct nearly got him killed - and you.

[Both of which was why Tyrion was so angry.]

I shall be happy to. Jim should be used to me stopping by to see you, after all. [He crooked a gentle smile.]

[winn]

The Atroma nearly got us killed, Sascha saved my life.

[ he shakes his head. reminding himself of that is how he can keep himself together. he wasn't betrayed by one of his best friends - well, he was, because those same feelings that told sascha to turn on himself to allow winn to escape also told him to try and kiss kitty - his friend shone through the coercion. he protected him, even when he wasn't himself. that's a hero's choice, right there. ]

We're not responsible for what we do when we malfunction like that, we have no control over it.

[ and it's terrifying to think that one day - it could happen to him. ]

Thanks -- yeah -- Jim's kind of had to accept a lot of foot traffic around here since I moved.

[ he invites people over a lot, oops. ]