Everyone raise your glasses!

[thenormalsquint]

When; Evening of Tuesday, August 13th
Rating; PG-13, at best. Angela's on her best behavior tonight.
Characters; It's Ginny's birthday party and everybody Ginny knows was invited. Let's handwave that and just show up. BTW, IT'S BLACK TIE. PUT ON YOUR SUITS, BOYS.
Summary; There's no legal drinking age in the City, but who says we can't party like there was one anyway?
Log;

This party was four years coming. The restaurant has set aside a large room just for this event and on short notice too. The food is plentiful and of various cuisines, with even a large selection of vegetarian options for those who prefer that. But of course, there is more alcohol than one has ever seen because Angela knows the people she invited and knows quite a few of them have liquor in their veins instead of blood. Rule of thumb: more liquid than solids every time.

Everything's set and ready for the birthday girl to make her appearance, so for the time being, Angela's flitting around the place dressed in more subdued colors than usual, choosing black because no one gets to stand out more than Ginny tonight, and socializing with the few guests that have shown up already.

Sadly, there are no strippers. Ginny nixed that one hard.

Comments

[yourbestguysgun]

[ This is what he used to do every Friday night. The bars and the dance halls were always open and even if he didn't have any money he had his smile and that was enough. ]

It ain't bad. [ His hand is wrapped up in hers and the other is at her waist and he helps her move in time to the music. ] Used t'do this all the time.

[hexuality]

Wait, hang on—

[Yes, she's kicking off her shoes and shoving them under a chair. Yes, that makes her a lot shorter than him but more sure on her feet and she grins, coming back into his arms and into the full swing of the music and the movement, and she falls into it with a bit more ease, face alight with a smile.]

Do your worst, Barnes. Let's go.

[yourbestguysgun]

[ The music picks up into a full swing band song and he grins at her, twirls her around with a hand on his hip and then showing her how to kick out her feet. His instructions mostly get done via hand motions or showing her and then grinning when she follows. ]

[hexuality]

[The kicking hikes up her already short dress but whatever, like she cares, this is exactly what she wanted and this is making her want to learn more, and she's laughing as he guides her through it, through smooth loops and clever little ways to switch up their hands and he even gets her to twirl and he makes her feel more graceful at it than she is and when the song ends, so does the dance with a flourish.

And she's a little sweaty and breathing a bit harder, but she's grinning as she throws her arms around him in a hug.]

[yourbestguysgun]

[ He laughs as he hugs her back, his own breathing a little hitched too. ]

Well, I had to bring a little bit of Brooklyn to the party.

[hexuality]

[She leans up to press a kiss to his cheek and then leads them off the dance floor, dropping into the chair that's got her heels under it. She's still beaming.]

You brought enough Brooklyn for all of us, I think. Did you do that a lot back home? Dancing?

[yourbestguysgun]

Every Friday night.

[ He grins as he leans against the table. ] It used to be the thing. You work hard, you get the dancehall at the weekend.

[hexuality]

Well, we've certainly been working hard. Or, have had a hard time of it. Same thing, in the end.

[She's so glad to see him smiling, the tension easing in her heart. She cares for him a lot, this soldier from New York, and maybe once upon a time she fancied him before she realised it couldn't happen—but he's like a brother to her, now, and it's important that he's happy. That he's okay.]

We could do it every Friday night. My gift to you, how's that? There's got to be a place round here.

[yourbestguysgun]

[ He pulls a chair out and sits, his elbows on his knees and his hands dangling between his knees. ]

Well, if there is, I ain't found it yet. [ He runs a hand through his hair. ] I'm getting too old to keep it up.

[hexuality]

Shut it, git. You're not old.

[Said with a laugh as she reaches out to tousle his hair.]

You're as charming as the day I met you. I'm the one who's old, now. [Then, more thoughtfully,] Never thought I'd turn twenty-one here.

[yourbestguysgun]

I was twenty-four when I got here. I'm twenty-six now. [ A grin. ] If that ain't old I don't know what is.

[hexuality]

Yes, you're positively ancient, then.

[She chuckles, suddenly with her wand in hand and summoning a bottle of beer for him and pushing it over. Then she picks up a flute of champagne and lifts it.]

To being older and still looking spectacular.

[yourbestguysgun]

I can drink to that.

[ He clinks his bottle lightly against her glass and then takes a deep pull of the beer. It'll help settle him at least. ]

[hexuality]

[She smiles, taking a sip of her champagne and leaning back in her chair, one hand raising to toy with the silver paper airplane necklace at her throat. It's all kind of overwhelming and amazing, looking out at the friends she's made here and the too generous gifts they've given her—just by being here, honestly. It's enough, more than enough. She can't stop smiling, really.]

[yourbestguysgun]

You look happy.

[ It's good, she deserves it. ]

[hexuality]

I am.

[She nudges his foot with her bare one.]

Thank you for coming. I mean it. It wouldn't have felt right without you.

[yourbestguysgun]

[ He nudges her back. ]

You should learn to hold a grudge.

[hexuality]

I know how to hold a grudge.

[She glances at him.]

But only with reason. Look at me, Barnes, not a scratch. If anything, I should apologise for bringing my wand up on you. I knew you were cursed.

[yourbestguysgun]

Don't.

[ It's her birthday part but he needs her to promise him something. ] If it ever happens again, you do everything in your power to get away from me. [ Lifting his gaze and securing it on her. ] Even if there ain't a curse, if I've gone and I come back and I'm ... [ A monster. ] If I'm different and I try to hurt you? Then you use whatever you've got and you get the hell out.

You have to promise me.

[hexuality]

[She meets his gaze and thinks that now is the time to tell him she's spoken with his future self. She thinks she can use that to assure him that there's no point in making this promise because, as far as she knows, he'd be different but he wouldn't hurt her. (She met James, not the Winter Soldier. So she can't know.) Ginny takes a breath, about to throw it all in his face, but then - ]

I promise.

[She doesn't want another fight tonight.]

[yourbestguysgun]

[ His shoulders drop like the noose around his neck has snapped free and he smiles. ]

Thank you.

[hexuality]

[She smiles briefly in return, then teases:]

Do I get a prize?

[yourbestguysgun]

I'll think about it.

[hexuality]

[Pouting,]

But it's my birthday.

[yourbestguysgun]

[ A shit eating grin. ]

Then I'll think about it real hard.