[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

[livingsymbol]

[Steve doesn't normally think of anyone as charming, but in that moment, watching the other man enjoy his cake and float like a kid, that is exactly what he thinks. The man is charming.]

Well, it is your birthday. I hear you're supposed to have as much fun as you want.

[One of them should be having that much fun. Steve is happy to know that it's apparently still possible. He chuckles when the other man suggests smiling at Bucky to convince him to allow fireworks. It's like children appealing to a parent.]

He might go for it if we both try it at once. I hear people say we've got a nice smile, although that could have just been them tryin' to be polite. We could always test it.

[stevegrogers]

You mean it is our birthday. That will get some getting used to but I like it. I always wanted an actual brother. [ In his younger years, Bucky filled the brother role, of course, and happened to become his first real friend. The one who never cared about any of it - his fragility pre-serum or the hoopla post-serum. Bucky always saw him and while he had lost that over the years, he hoped the other Steve had it with his Bucky. ]

I mean, we're kinda like brothers, right? [ It had been so long since he had any sort of semblance of family and if they were really alike then other Steve needed it too. ]

[ Said smile tended to get Steve out of trouble, which he never intended to find himself in. It just happened. ] We can always try and see if it works on him. Double the wattage should have some influence. I know it'd work on Sam no problem but he's really soft.

[livingsymbol]

[ Steve smiles at the word brother. His brothers have always been the people he's fought alongside. The men he met during the war, Avengers, other heroes, and of course Bucky. But having someone that knows the experience of changing the way they have and carrying the weight of being the super-soldier is different. He's used to being the one experiment that no one could replicate, and having someone he can relate to on that level is new to him. A different kind of brother. ]

I did wonder what it would be like. Don't suppose you'd be up for a game of catch?

[ If they are brothers, Steve thinks that his double must be the younger one. His bright personality gives Steve a little more light. Is that what he used to be like? He wonders if he can get that back. ]

And you don't take advantage of that at all, I'm sure. Sam seems to worry about people a lot.

[stevegrogers]

[ throughout most of his life, Steve only really had Bucky to depend on and be there for him. upon entering the war, though, his world expanded to include far more people and it happened again when he woke up from the ice. but no one ever really understood what he went through and all the burdens he needed to carry on his shoulders. the sheer desperation to maintain the image and live up to the symbol always resting just out of the corner of his eye.

who better to understand than someone else who lived it? someone who went through it. they had slightly different experiences but the basis remained the same.

they gained plenty and lost just as much. ]

Never really got to play catch as a kid. Let's do it. [ his eyes positively lit up at just the possibility and he found it endearing his double wanted to play catch in the first place. ]

Who me? I'd never dream of it. [ with a wink, he went over to where the frisbees were and other balls, letting his double pick what he wanted to use. ] Do you have a Sam in your world?

[livingsymbol]

[ Steve smiles as the other blond lights up and happily agrees to a game of catch. Sometimes the simple things are the best ones. He picks out a frisbee and tests it by flipping it into the air to feel the weight, deciding that it might not be the same as something bigger, but it's still good. The question gets a nod as he tosses the disk toward his counterpart. ]

We do. Sam's a good friend. I wish he was here sometimes, but I don't want to take more Avengers away from home. Our world needs him.

Don't think yours cares for me too much.

[stevegrogers]

[ the returning smile felt like a victory because he noticed the tension all too well on his double. who would know him better than he would? they weren't exactly the same person but they were close enough. it made him want to lighten the burden in any small way he could accomplish it.

catching the frisbee with ease, he tossed it back with a wider grin. ]

Glad to hear that Sam Wilson is universal among the worlds. Is he the Falcon in your world too? [ he had a few more things to ask but the last statement made him pause instead. ]

Why do you think that? [ not very often had Steve seen Sam not like someone, after all. besides, how could he not like someone similar enough to him? ]

[livingsymbol]

[ Being able to have a calm moment like this, one-on-one with his double tossing a frisbee, Steve feels more at ease talking. It's not as hard as it is to mingle and come up with things to say to people that he's still getting to know. At least some of his friends are here. ]

He is Falcon. Has been for a long time, thankfully. Saved my life more times than I can count.

[ Steve catches the disk, thinks, and throws it back in an arch for fun. ]

We had a difference of opinion a bit ago. He hasn't really talked to me since.

[stevegrogers]

[ With the arch of the frisbee, Steve leapt up in an overly showy way to catch it, deciding to throw his toss backhanded towards his double. If they were going to be showy, he might as well go all the way with it.

Listening, regardless, he nodded his head slowly. ]

Maybe we can all hang out sometime and try to change that.

[ While he wondered about the difference of opinion part, he knew better than to pry. ]

[livingsymbol]

[ Steve grinned at the way the other blond caught the disk, throwing it back with a trick toss that is elegant and quick. He had to work to catch it, which made him even happier. This is what he'd missed. The comfortable exercise and easy friendship that gave him a place. He caught Steve's eye and nodded once, tossing the frisbee to him like he was launching the shield, fast and hard, straight at him. ]

That would be nice. I think I might've put him off. Got a little harsh.

[ He got defensive, really, but Tony was a sensitive spot for Steve and he still defended the man like he would his own blood. ]

[stevegrogers]

[ The next frisbee toss reminded him far too much of the shield he didn't feel as if he deserved to have anymore. Technically, he found himself shieldless since it had been left somewhere back home, but the regret and remorse kept him from mourning the loss too hard. The world deserved better when it all came down to it.

Being without the shield made him feel out of sorts, though, as if he lost a limb somewhere along the way.

Catching the frisbee, he threw it back as he would the shield, a sort of curved and hard way. ]

I think he knows how passionate we can get over things. You guys just need more time to relate to each other is all.

[livingsymbol]

[ The chance to really let loose and toss the frisbee like he was hurling the shield was a nice escape. Steve hadn't touched his shield since he handed it over to Bucky, and while he didn't regret his decision, he did miss the feel of it. There was something about it that the energy version just couldn't replicate. He gave his double a sharp smirk when he had to brace himself to catch the toy in order to stay on his feet and not snap the disk as he stopped it. At that speed and angle even the frisbee would do damage, and Steve liked that. He nodded once and swung it back, this time aiming straight for Steve's chest like he meant to hit him. ]

You think so? Kinda hard to relate if he won't even look at me.

[ And it was mid-sentence that he let the frisbee fly, grunting with effort so that the words hitched. ]

Back home, most of the Avengers already know me. They know how I work and I know what pushes them. Being here is like waking up all over again.

[ A note of regret and frustration bled into his voice and Steve, catching it, looked away momentarily. ]

Sorry. You don't need to hear this.