MINGLE — NYE & Winn's Birthday PARTY!

[passingthrough]

Who: Everyone!
Broadcast: Broadcast — Earlier than now for planning
Action: Hotel Corona — Winn's birthday / NYE party!
When: Action — Dec. 31 / New Year's Eve

[Broadcast (open to everyone but Winn)]
At the risk for earning a reputation as a party planner, I have a thing for everyone to attend again. Don't worry, lots of other people are helping pull it together. It's going to be on New Year's Eve, but the real event is the countdown to Winn's birthday which is also on the first. It's going to be in a club we rented out for this in the red shift district. Starts around seven-ish. Ends when you pass out?

It's kind of a surprise maybe? At least the part where it's for his birthday. And if you don't know Winn but you still want to come that's fine too. You can trade a gift for Winn for a free drink at the bar. Otherwise, bring some money. Cake's on us though.

[Birthday/New Year's Party]
[The space is well decorated and so glittered you can probably tell Wrath was part of the team putting this together. Lots of Winn's friends came out to help whether it was getting decorations up, managing food, music, or chipping in to buy out the space and a drink for anyone bringing a gift. Not to mention drinks for the birthday boy all night.

There's a table for presents and another one with a spread of openly available food though the bar has appetizers you can buy too. There's a big cake at one end because of course there is and some punch that didn't start the night spiked at least. There's space for dancing and a karaoke machine set up on a small raised platform for those who want to try their hand at entertainment.

The night really kicks off when Winn walks in and instead of a balloon drop there's a fluffy blue stuffed bear drop. Feel free to take one of those home. There are a lot.

When midnight comes closer some people will file out to one of the observation areas to get a good view of the nebula for the big countdown. Bring your own person to kiss!

Comments

[reconstitution]

Not much. I'm easy to please.

[ If she wants to talk about it, fine. If not, they can leave it be. He won't bring it up if it's a sore spot. His eyebrow goes up at the suggestion, but he concedes with a tilt of his head. ]

I'm not going to say no if you feel inclined to.

[outstandingbalance]

I have money to burn since I gave Steve and Peggy my apology for putting them through the wringer. I'd say I'm inclined.

[And like she said, she owes him one.]

[reconstitution]

She mentioned that, but didn't say who. [ He gives her a look that says he didn't need to ask to know who was behind it. ] They deserve it, in any case. Even with a nudge in the right direction.

Whatever passes for whiskey is good enough for me. Unless you have a suggestion.

[outstandingbalance]

[Maybe not her subtlest move, but she it was worth it.]

Whiskey it is. [Hard to go wrong with a classic. Though she eyes the ice...] Maybe neat next time, though. Might be healthier for you.

[reconstitution]

Can't say I never tried anything new. [ And then he shrugs his good shoulder. ]

It hasn't killed me, yet. I'm sure it's fine.

[outstandingbalance]

A lot of things haven't killed us yet. [That didn't make it good for them. She won't argue more though. She does order him another of the same.]

Have you tried dancing yet? Or are you as bad as Steve.

[reconstitution]

I'd like to think my streak of not-dying has been pretty damn good. [ Though the circumstances could have been better.

He is personally offended, Natasha. No one is as bad at dancing as Steve is. ]

I'll have you know that I can cut a rug. Don't believe me, ask Peggy.

[outstandingbalance]

[Both brows go up at his comment. She can't really argue that. Especially given his lifestyle, he's done an admirable job of not dying. The fact he's alive and nearly a hundred proves it.]

Oh, really? Cut a rug? [Speaking of being a hundred years old.] I don't know, claims like that... Don't think I can trust them based on hearsay. That's the kind of thing you have to see first hand.

[reconstitution]

[ Wow! Wow!!! How dare you judge him for his word usage. He is a hundred years old he will use all the old-timey words he wants to, dagnabbit! ]

Can't exactly do the Lindy proper the way I am. [ You know, with one arm out of commission and all. ]

[outstandingbalance]

That would make it a challenge. The Lindy...?

[She shakes her head/]

Once you get that arm fixed, remind me to teach you some new dance steps.

[reconstitution]

I know other dance steps. Maybe not what's current, but it's a step above not being able to dance at all. The classics work just as well.

[ He nods, looking at her. ]

I'd like that. Here's hoping it gets done, soon.

[outstandingbalance]

I don't have a problem with the classics, Barnes. Classics don't get dated.

[Still teasing. She's not sure if his response surprises her or not. Maybe he doesn't quite strike her as a dancer. On the other hand, she'd like to see it.

Either way, this feels somehow more companionable to her than it did before.]

Any ideas who you can get to do the job for you?

[reconstitution]

Then I'm interested in seeing those hidden dance moves.

[ He takes a sip, looking at her over the rim of the glass. ]

Cisco Ramon. He's on the Blameless. He seemed pretty enthusiastic about it. [ Which he's not sure if it's a good or a bad thing. How enthusiastic should a technician be? Cisco definitely can't be repaired to the techs he's encountered before, in any case. ]

[outstandingbalance]

That's a nice change of pace. Steve panicked when I offered to teach him to tango.

[Not that she expected Steve to take her up on the offer. But she thinks Barnes can find the humor in their mutual friend's reaction.]

I've met Cisco. He seems enthusiastic about a lot of things. He approved of my code name.

[reconstitution]

He's always had two left feet. I remember trying to teach him. Ended up with bruised toes.

[ Maybe it's better he refused the offer, Steve might be hopeless unless it's in the arms of Peggy. ]

[ A raised eyebrow and a quirk of his lips. ] Well now you have to share.

[outstandingbalance]

If he managed to step on my feet, then I deserve it.

[She's that confident in her skills—when it comes to dancing? She's good enough for both of them. She confident of that.

As for the other thing... her smile doesn't falter but its tone seems to change, becoming a little more rueful.]

Black Widow. From the sound of it, he hasn't approved of some of the others so much. He doesn't know where it comes from, though. Don't think he considered just how you get a name like that.

[reconstitution]

I'm sure he couldn't understand where names like ours come from. Not when there are people called 'Iron Man' or 'Supergirl'.

[ He loves Kara, he does. Her name is something that is meant to bring hope. Unlike The Winter Soldier or Black Widow whose are meant to strike a completely different chord. ]

[outstandingbalance]

got the impression Iron Man was one of the ones he didn't approve of.

[Who knows why, really. Natasha didn't ask.]

I get the feeling he has a very different relationship with names like that than we do, it's true.

[reconstitution]

I mean, it's not very inventive. I get it, Stark worked with what he had.

[ At least War Machine was way cooler. ]

Maybe he should workshop everyone else's, then.

[outstandingbalance]

Suggest that while he's working on that arm? I'm sure he'd come up with a few things.

[She smiles very faintly.]

I think I'll keep mine as it is. May not mean anything heroic, but I earned it.

[reconstitution]

Oh, I don't want any of that, either. Maybe Steve needs a new alter-ego.

[outstandingbalance]

Between you and me, he could use one. A little rebranding? One more than to modernize.

[reconstitution]

Never was following Captain America, anyway. How about you?

[outstandingbalance]

What makes you think I was following him? [There's amusement in her tone. Maybe she was, but it never seemed that way.]

You know, I asked him who he wanted me to be once. He said a friend. Maybe he should have rethought his answer, because now he's stuck with me.

Whatever he decides to call himself.

[And maybe Natasha was revealing a little more than she'd normally want to saying that, but she suspects if anyone was going to get it, it would probably be Barnes.]

[reconstitution]

He's got that kind of personality, I assumed.

Yeah, sounds a lot like him. It can be frustrating just how determined he is that he's okay with whatever kind of person you happen to be.

[ There's also no getting rid of Steve Rogers once he's latched on, it's a fact. ]