[OPEN] apple pie is officially banned from this party, aka Steve Rogers' birthday

[anotheroldsoldier]

who: ANYONE
what: 616 Bucky, Peggy, and 616 Tony throw a birthday party for Steve.
when: July 4th, afternoon into the evening
where: A nice park
warnings: Birthday fun. :v


Steve Rogers, former (and still) Captain America, was born on the Fourth. It was pretty much fated. That said, he deserves a party that has nothing to do with Independence Day, and that's what Bucky, Tony, and Peggy set out to do. They rented a nice little park with some good open, grassy space perfect for a pick-up game of football (American, of course). On one end of the park, in the relative shade of a couple of large trees, they've set up two long tables - one for food, and one to deposit presents for the birthday boy on. The picnic tables already in the park have nice blue tablecloths to eat on. A banner hung between the trees proclaims, "Happy Birthday, Steve!", in blue letters on white.

The decor tries to stay away from Fourth of July colors - there isn't a speck of red, just shades of blue and white, and it's all very put-together and classy looking (thank you, Peggy and Tony). It's the sort of party they thought Steve would want, outdoorsy and casual, just a gathering of friends and whoever else wants to come by to wish the birthday boy a happy one.

Invites
Invitations have mostly been word of mouth and texts sent to people Steve is friends with, nothing too fancy. They just say to drop by and wish Steve a happy birthday, have some food, and spend some time hanging out; Rogers wouldn't want anything fancy anyway. That said, they won't turn anybody away from the barbecue if someone decides to just crash the party, as long the behavior stays respectful.

Food
The food is mostly standard American barbecue fare. Two large grills have been set up near the tables and someone (often Bucky) is usually cooking on them - an array of burgers, hot dogs, steaks, even some ribs and chicken. Side dishes are laid out on the food table, the usual simple things. Here and around the picnic tables are a good place to mingle; there's plenty of food for everyone, and metal tubs full of ice and bottled soft drinks. There isn't much alcohol present at this party, though, just one of the tubs set aside with beers in it.

There's also a massive cake for Steve, with close to a hundred candles dotting its layers - Bucky's idea, payback for the time he couldn't see his own cake for all the candles.

Tossin' the Old Pigskin
They're all (mostly) adults here, so there aren't 'party games' necessarily, but there are a couple of footballs and some frisbees in the grass for anyone who wants to play a game in the lush field. Just be careful if the heavy hitters decide to arrange a game, it could get pretty out of hand.

Comments

ULTIMATE FRISBEE; SUPERHERO STYLE

[amelioraate]

[ in the spirit of being as traditionally non-traditional as possible, Tony has decided that in order to play something both fun and potentially not deadly, they should also have ultimate Frisbee.

the kind with no holds barred and a reinforced Frisbee that might be painted like a certain shield. maybe. (still, be gentle with it Bucky, be gentle).

Tony has set up a second of grass (larger than you would anticipate but--) and has thrown about some red and blue pinnies to denote teams. the most interesting bit about all of this is that Tony is clearly wearing his armour.

look, he knows that even in a game like this against competitive super soldiers there is a good likelihood of him needing it, so.... superhero ultimate Frisbee.

when everything is set up, he grins over to Steve and Bucky.]

Regular rules but no barring abilities then?

popcorn.gif: the thread | OTA

[aeturnus]

[ See, Cain doesn't have superpowers but he does love to observe basically anything involving powers and magic and whatever else Riverview Quarantine has to offer, so he's definitely on the sidelines here and going to watch the match. Anyone else is free to join him while the big boys and girls go out to play with their supernatural enhancements.

While he figures it's probably not safe to stand right near the clearing, he's still pretty close (pshaw, danger? who cares?) and eventually that haphazardness comes back to bite him when the frisbee goes wild in an unfortunate turn of events. When the overly-reinforced frisbee comes hurtling toward him, there isn't time to dodge, but he brings one hand up curled in front of him and the other outstretched as if he could possibly catch it. That's not quite what he's doing, however, and a disc of vertical pink energy appears in time for the frisbee to bounce off before it fizzes out just as quick.

He's still for a moment before he just stops and turns to look at his hand as if betrayed. He wasn't even in real danger! ]

Now I finally get the hang of it?

[anotheroldsoldier]

[The frisbee's paint job had made Bucky laugh when he saw it. He's trying to avoid patriotic themes at the party today (Steve should just get to be Steve, and to have his birthday stand alone), but anything painted like the shield doesn't count as patriotism. Not really.

And he's all on board for no-holds-barred frisbee. Bucky grins widely.]

How else are you gonna keep up with us, Stark? [He's teasing. He doesn't mean that.] No barred abilities. Everything goes.

Thor, open and mingling

[worldsaway]

[Thor doesn't know this version of Steve quite as well as he'd like, but any Steve is a good Steve in his books. Generally speaking, anyway.

After a little while, he's managed to be affixed with a cone, birthday hat. God knows where it was found, but it sits askew because he doesn't care enough to fix it. His outfit is accompanied by sandals, boardshorts and a hoodie made of thin fabric. With his hair pulled back, he's nailed the surfer-hippy look.

Thor gladly protects Tony from the booze, mostly by drinking it himself. He's floating around with a beer, plated piled high with all sorts of meats and an embarrassingly small amount of salad.

He's perfectly jovial, clapping people on the shoulder when he has a free hand and happily finishing leftovers. He's keen to sit around and chat.

When he's invited to play football, he hangs back while he learns the concept of the game before he throws himself into the fray. He's not too rough, unless he thinks his opponent can handle it.]

[anotheroldsoldier]

[Bucky is not entirely sure where they found the party hat himself, but he's not going to be the one to bring it up. It's a little surreal, seeing Thor the God of Thunder wearing a paper, conical hat with his sandals and shorts. It's also a little funny.

He takes a break from the grills to wander around and spend a little time socializing, even though that isn't his strong suit. He can return to cooking when it gets overwhelming. But for now... He's holding up his phone, grinning a little at Thor.]

Say cheese. I'm documenting the day for Steve.

[hevenly]

[ Of course, the Odinson is enjoying himself. And of course he is eating everything in sight. If his appetite is so voracious, Angela wonders how bad the cannibal Volstagg must be.

Dressed casually, but with the ever present ribbons floating around her neck, she approaches him. ]

What is on your head?

Cain (Jacob Kane) | OTA

[aeturnus]

[ Okay, so Cain didn't intend to come but Tony's still on that I-can-be-a-better-friend-than-you-can kick for whatever challenge that's been posed, and Cain isn't quite above trying to outdo him either. So he shows up when invited because he actually has met Steve once or twice before and it's been pretty pleasant overall.

In lieu of bringing a gift, however, he's got a pretty simple, blank card with him. Takes a few minutes once he gets there to find a picnic table and start drawing on the inside. His finished product doesn't take long but it's the thought, okay? Just an image of a Steve-shaped hole in the ground, arm reaching up to the air and circling bird-monsters much like one might expect the universal tweeting birds of dizzy confusion. Above it says Sorry I didn't catch you! Glad you're here to have a Happy Birthday! -JK and he leaves it with the other presents before going to mingle.

So it turns out most of the actual games and things are pretty dangerous if people are using their powers and this is probably obvious to those closer in the circle than he is. Still, for a game of football where one is less likely to be crushed, Cain can be found tossing one of the balls around in the air and catching it before it lands. Might as well keep the invitation open, right?

Otherwise he's just hanging around. Introducing himself as Jacob if anyone bothers to approach because the focus shouldn't be on him, anyway. He'll put in some time and head home and Tony won't get to say anything. So neener. ]

birdguy | ota

[wingedman]

[Sam is the sort of person who's fundamentally incapable of not bringing food to a social gathering - for one thing, his mother would disown him if she ever found out. Besides, there are super-soldiers and Asgardians and who knows what else to be fed. So he shows up with more food than he can carry - actually, he flies and makes two trips. Two huge bowls of potato salad and macaroni salad are set out on the tables, and since apple pies are banned, he brings a pair of peach pies instead.

Once he's done with everything, he leans against a tree and cracks open a cold beer, ambling over to the food table after a little while.]

You know, if hot dogs back home are sketchy, I'd hate to think of what goes into them here. [But he's grinning as he says it, and he's got a couple of hot dogs on his plate. He grew up eating New York street dogs, okay? He's not afraid of anything.]

[anotheroldsoldier]

[Bucky is happily manning the grills, wearing a "Kiss the Cap" apron with his shorts, casual t-shirt, and flannel with the sleeves rolled up. Where did a kid from Virginia learn how to barbecue? Who knows. He's really quite good at it. He's flipping a few burger patties over the flames when he hears Sam, and he points the spatula at him.]

Quit bellyaching and eat your sketchy hot dog. [It's a joke. He's in a good mood, with it being his best friend's birthday.]

[worldsaway]

Giant lizards. [Says Thor, jokingly, taking a moment to consider if he's eating a certain beloved lizard before he shakes it off.]

The manner of beast matters not, the taste is where the value lies.

[advanced]

[He almost didn't come, and he still looks as if he might flee any moment, but against all the odds Bucky is stood next to the grill looking at those same hot dogs. He doesn't look great, a bit greasy-haired, a bit dishevelled, but not as bad as he could be.]

Probably the same shit.

[livingsymbol]

[ Steve doesn't say anything, but at one point during the various festivities, he happens to go by Sam. He has a small plastic bag tied closed with a twist tie like one might find in a lunch bag, and he tosses it to the other man as he goes by him. He smirks, gives him a small salute, and lets the gesture speak for itself.

Inside the bag is a stack of cookies. They are, of course, oatmeal raisin. ]

Buckycap | OTA

[anotheroldsoldier]

[Bucky is fairly pleased with how things came out. This should be a nice enough birthday for Steve, even if he deserves more fanfare. He deserves everything, but what he'd want is this lowkey, casual, friendly sort of gathering with good food and friends and frisbee.

Socializing still isn't the easiest thing for Bucky, but he makes an effort to go out and mingle with people who might be his friends too, or might just be Steve's friends. Steve's always had that magnetic personality. He can easily be caught up to cracking open a beer or trying to make small talk.

When it gets to be too much, he mans the grills. At one point he starts experimenting a little, squishing a chunk of cheese between two burger patties to toss on the flames, and he might shove it at you, saying 'try this'.

He joins in the football and frisbee games easily, though. With so many superhero types, he's not holding back, either - throwing the shield makes throwing a frisbee a cinch, and he's apt to do tricks with it, bouncing it off obstacles and sometimes people if he's sure it won't hurt them.]

[advanced]

[Here's another one who isn't that great at socialising and can be found nearer the grill outside of the crush of people, but at least he's there. He straightens a bit when the other version of himself approaches, but he doesn't try and slip away.]

Lotta people came.

[That's good. Nice. Even in another world, Steve is important enough to so many people to be this celebrated.]

Loki | OTA

[dothelokimotion]

[ This was a terrible idea. Not that he believes that any of the Avengers (and their various counterparts and/or other heroes) will waste time during a birthday event throwing jabs at him or worse. Loki can handle himself during those eventualities. He's well prepared to flee if need be.

But the urge to flee stems from an unknown source, one Loki is trying not to scrutinize. While he is dressed casually, his hair loosely tied back with a silver hair clasp, Loki is clearly out of his element. Certainly he's never been to a "birthday party" of the Midgardian variety and the atmosphere was very different from Bryn's party.

Loki weaves in and out, not striking up conversation as he mostly grabs a beer and watches the festivities with a curious, albeit critical eye. And he might be cheating at frisbee, but you'll have to catch him at it. ]

[hevenly]

[ If Loki looks out of place, then what must Angela look like? She doesn't even know her own universe's versions of half these people. She's dressed in a casual outfit , though she thinks she might feel more comfortable in her armor.

At some point, before the frisbee game, she spies Loki lingering on the edges and goes to talk with him. ]

Hello, brother.

[alchemyfreak]

[Ed knows a cheater when he sees one, first of all he's very perceptive, and secondly it takes one to know one. Not that he's going to blast what looks to him like harmless fun, cheating at a frisbee game.

The only reason Loki even caught his attention is because while he was crossing through the park - unaware this party was even going on - he noticed something else about him. That he looked particularly out of place, and since it had been awhile since Ed saw anything resembling an innocent birthday party he can kind of relate.]

You don't really look like you want to be here...

[Sure, it was an opening. An opportunity to talk, even if not about that - but Ed was also well aware that he was a perfect stranger and a lot of people in these places had a tendency to want to be left the hell alone. So, he's prepared for a not-so-friendly response, should one happen to come.]

Angela ¤ ota

[hevenly]

[ Why is Angela here? Who thought that would be a good idea? Why, you would have to ask Anthony Stark, of course. The erstwhile Asgardian princess hasn't bright a present, because she doesn't give gifts without the expectation of something in return, but she participates in the sporting events, even if she may not know the rules, and eats her fair share of grilled meats.

She still is terrible at small talk, so if anyone wishes to speak to her, they'll have to be the one to initiate conversation. She'll just be sat at a picnic table, poking at the specially reinforced phone that Stark gave her. ]

[aeturnus]

So, this Steve guy is way more popular than I would have thought.

[ Lots of people he knows showing up here, that's for sure. Here's Cain sitting at the same table nearby with his own food. ]

MCU Tony | OTA

[buildsomething]

[So this is awkward.

Tony has no idea where he stands with half of these people and no idea what to make of the rest. He doesn't even have anything to bring with him, and that just feels weird. He's turned up empty-handed to things before, but that's generally because he was being an ass on purpose.

But. However grudgingly the invitation was offered, it was still and invitation. And here Tony is, making an effort. Slightly uncomfortable or not, it is a bit of familiarity in the middle of an incredibly strange situation. Frankly, he'll take it.

So maybe he's lingering to the outskirts more than he normally might and maybe his smile is a little too camera-ready, but he'll be perfectly sociable if anyone happens to start up a conversation with him. And he's staying as far away from the alcohol as he can get, even if it probably would make things easier.]

[dothelokimotion]

[ Well. He wasn't expecting to see someone less at ease than himself and Loki had a convenient excuse on hand. What excuse was floundering around in Stark's head? ]

Not enough drinks for you?

MCU Steve | OTA.

[stevegrogers]

[ Once, Steve used to look forward to his birthday because it meant he survived another year against all the odds but waking up from the ice changed everything. Now, landing in a new place really changed everything and he had planned to stay away, far away on the day but then other Tony invited him and he knew it would be rude to decline. He didn't want to start off in a new place on such a bad foot.

When he arrived, he wandered over to the food, snatching for the ice cream before he ate anything else. He's an adult, he can have dessert before actual food.

Grabbing for a soda bottle, he managed to mix it and the ice cream into another cup, making an ice cream float. Perfect. ]

Least I don't have to worry about brain freezes. Do you want any?

[anotheroldsoldier]

[Steve is back. The other Steve, not his world's Steve, but this is still his birthday too. Tony did good to invite him. Bucky is taking a break from the grills, letting someone else flip burgers for a while, cooling down a bit before he takes it up again. The weather is July-hot and it's even worse by the flames, so his face is flushed and his hair is sticking damp to his forehead, but he seems at ease, nursing a blue popsicle from one of the coolers. It's already turned his lips a bit purple.

He spots the other Steve, the younger Steve, and he smiles despite himself, glancing from him to the ice cream float.] I'm good for the moment. [He motions with his popsicle, held in the right hand to keep it from dripping into the machinery of his left. The sleeve on that side is rolled up to his shoulder, baring the white star in a blue circle.]

Happy Birthday, Rogers. You got here just in time.

some jerk | ota

[metalmenace]

[How did Doom find out about the party? Who knows, but he's here now and he's hanging out away from everyone else because really, he's not here to mingle, he's here for food and any party involving this mix of heroes is definitely going to have large quantities of food.

...okay, maybe he'll wish Steve a happy birthday if he finds himself near him when nobody is around to see. Because reforming villain or not, Doom has a reputation to uphold and he does not want to ruin it so easily by being actually somewhat friendly.

But barring any Steves alone, Doom is going to be over here with his food and watching everyone else from a distance like some lonely weirdo.]

[anotheroldsoldier]

[He's not sure who invited Doom or why, but this is a public park, and he can't exactly kick him out. Besides, Bucky is making an attempt at being civil for now.

That doesn't mean the wallflowering and watching from a distance is going to endear him. At some point during the day, a spare barbecue spatula (heat-resistant plastic, at least, not metal and not dangerous), comes flying at the back of his head with pinpoint accuracy, no matter how far he is from the rest of the activities. Bucky is flipping burgers and will deny responsibility, but who else but the Winter Soldier can fling a spatula across a park?

If he's going to be here, he might as well interact with other people.]

Teddy / teen not-actually-a-Hulk | open

[notasaviour]

[It's a little weird being invited to a birthday party for someone he's never met yet, but he's not exactly going to turn down the chance when it's Captain America's birthday. After all, how often is that going to happen?

He's a little wary at first, being probably one of the the youngest people there by some amount, but he relaxes more as the afternoon goes on. Partly that's probably helped by the fact that although his plate only ever has a reasonable amount of food, it always seems to have a reasonable amount of food on it. And partly it's just that Teddy is a quiet but naturally friendly person, when he gets over his case of being awestruck.

By the time someone actually suggests playing something, he's happy to join in. He might cheat a little at frisbee, although mostly in subtle ways- his arm is always just long enough to reach- but if football happens he can't really disguise the fact people are more likely to bounce off him than he is to be tackled. He also can't help apologising, if they do. He wouldn't want to leave a bad impression.]

[anotheroldsoldier]

[At some point Bucky leaves someone else to man the grills and keep the food coming (with two super-soldiers, Asgardians, and whoever else, it's definitely being kept coming to make sure everyone gets fed), and he joins in the games. The field is wide and grassy and it's a good day for messing around and having a bit of fun.

At some point, he tosses the football toward Teddy, his aim right on point to where if he doesn't catch it, it'll just bounce off his chest. Apparently he's going to drag the kid into the game.] Heads up!

he's here for sam's cooking | ota

[ikols]

[ There is a cake sitting next to a birthday card from Loki ('AKA The Cute One'), which smells like vanilla and has some interesting icing going on. It's Steve's birthday present, as the card specifies.

Loki mooches around with a plate of nibbles and can be caught anywhere. ]

[wingedman]

[Sam ambles by with a piece of cake and ice cream, lifting a fork in greeting. The cake's halfway gone.]

How long till I keel over?

Billy Kaplan | ota

[noassgardian]

[No way is he missing Captain America's birthday, especially after being invited. Plus, it's nice to be around familiar faces-- even if some of them are versions from different worlds. If he spots Steve, he's going to wish him a happy birthday.

Otherwise, he hangs around the food, picking at some of it, striking up conversation here and there.

He's not big on sports, but he might be talked into frisbee. Maybe football, but be real here, he's a nerdy sorcerer surrounded by a lot of guys with super strength and muscles that put his to shame-- he's not sure he stands a chance.]

[livingsymbol]

[ Steve goes back and forth between spending time with everyone and stepping back to just watch. Despite being one of the men who the party is planned for, Steve is happier to escape the limelight and just relax, so he ends up doing just that, coming to stand by Billy while some of the party continues around them. ]

I didn't expect to be here for this... but I'm glad we are.

616 Steve | ota

[livingsymbol]

[ What Steve enjoys most about the party is how much fun everyone else has. He isn't a fan of being the center of attention, and seeing his friends enjoy themselves makes him feel better. At least there is another, new and shiny Steve to take the attention. He does, however, gladly eat some of all the food that has been made. He even plays his share of Frisbee and football, but a lot of the time he's content to just stand around eating cake and grilled meat and be a part of the scenery.

He grins at the others when he happens to pass by one of his friends or they end up approaching him. ]

Does this cake taste a little like singed wax to you?