| Stark Industries Holiday Party 2015 | |||||
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| What: After much planning and anticipation from all ends, the night of the Stark Holiday Party is here! And this year with a decidedly vintage twist.. | |||||
It's the Sunday before Christmas, and the day that the Stark Industries' Holiday Party is scheduled. The lobby is completely decked out and ready, the perimeter of the giant open space made to look like the brownstone-style buildings lining a small wintry street in 1940s New York. It's a clever combination of holographic images and physical props, and even somehow manages to incorporate the physical doorways in the lobby so they don't seem out of place.
The main central area of the lobby around the fountain that's always there has been reworked to resemble a town square of sorts, simple white-on-greenery decorations on lamp posts and strung from all around toward a post set into the top of the fountain. In one corner is a group of traditional carolers, and in another corner is a not-overly-large tree, also decorated all in white. Along the back wall of the lobby approaching the banks of elevators (hidden behind a holographic brick wall and doorway), the caterers have arranged surprisingly simple-looking fare for visitors: freshly roasted almonds and chestnuts, pies of every imaginable variety, cookies, cakes, and even a section where a turkey is being carved to go with all the proper fixings for anyone who wants something more substantial to eat.
The only real visible extravagance in the whole lobby is actually the ceiling. Through more clever holographic trickery and likely a LOT of work on JARVIS' part, the ceiling currently resembles the late afternoon sky over Manhattan, with the added allure of a gently falling snow that never actually reaches the floor.
In a side conference room hidden from the lobby by a door, Pepper gets a last few preparations done. She uses a mirror to make sure her earrings are just so, then hikes up her floor-length skirt just enough to make sure her shoes are exactly right as well. She'll need to go outside in just another few seconds, but it just feels strange, doing all of this with Tony out of town. That's how she's keeping it in her mind. He's out of town.
A small red drone flies towards Stark tower, and lands on the designated landing area. And then she changes to her human appearance. Considering, she asks JARVIS to show her a female Santa outfit - and finding out, changes into it. Smiling, she enters the elevator and heads down towards the floor of the party. She hopes she'll have fun here.
Jean is in the Tower's med-lab today having decided to visit the Avengers. She is in the medlab doing an inventory of Stark's medical supplies to make sure he is properly stocked for the Avenger's needs. She is singing "Silver Bells." As she stands by the door of the lab, the various items floating around by her as she writes them down on a clip board.
Standing next to Pepper, Peggy is mostly done, though she keeps fooling with some of the curls that the hair guy had already artfully arranged at least twice. "...How in the world does it stay put? Magic..." She mutters, trying to sound stiff and disbelieving, but she mainly sounds nervous. She has yet to pull on her gloves or even consider walking out the front door as she stares at herself in the mirror. She swallows her heart back down her throat, looking over to Pepper. "You look....amazing. Perfect. They're all going to be stunned."
Following the drone closely is a woman in green armor, who dispels the armor as she lands and enters the elevator also. She's not really wearing anything festive, though. Holidays are something new to Sola.
Steve Rogers adjusts his tie up in the HQ rooms. Okay. He looks, well. He looks fine. He didn't get much chance to dress up like this when this style of suit was originally in fashion, there being a war on and all. "Okay. That will do." And no sense being nervous about the holiday party... He heads down to the lobby, glancing at himself again in the mirror in the elevator.
Bucky Barnes is waiting outside when Steve finishes fiddling with his tie. Looks like he was pretty quick about getting changed, seeming all in all pretty at home in his sharp blue suit. "There you are. Was worried you got lost. Jeez, they weren't kidding about these suits, though, were they? Not quite sure how I feel about wearing something that probably costs more than everything I've ever worn before combined, but..it's nice." on the way down in the elevator he muses, "..Feels kinda strange, doesn't it? I don't think I've put on an outfit to wear just for fun in... don't actually know."
Tynan has been slightly dreading this. Mostly cause of her dress. She takes a moment adjust the dress so that it fits better. The tailors got everything right, save Tynan hates dresses. At least she has slippers though. THe woman is wearing a red festive one piece dress with short sleeves. The skirt seems to have a little bit of flair, though Ty did request that there be a leg long cut on the side. The tailor wasn't happy about it, but accomidated her request. The woman looks at Guardian a moment, and snuck a couple of slices of turkey up to her office, and gives it to the kitten. She lightly pets the kitten, watching as the kitten finishes her turkey. The kitten purrs and curls up into a ball as Tynan pets her. She picks up the kitten, and puts her into a small carrier that has a Kitten sized cat bed in it, and locks the door. Hopefully the kitten will sleep through the party.
Pepper Potts smiles at Peggy. "It might as well be magic. Now don't question it, just enjoy it." She offers Peggy a pair of cream-colored opera length evening gloves. "And, no, you're going to be the show-stopper out there, not me. Ready? I really don't want to show up late, considering I'm the host."
"I don't have that much opportunity for it either," Steve admits, then the doors open, and he steps out into the lobby. JARVIS has done a great job on those of the decorations that are holographic, Pepper as usual, an amazing job on the rest.
Minoke Zavia enters in her Mrs. Claus outfit. "Ummmm... am I in the right outfit?" she asks as she sees all the old-timey outfits as she beeps curiously, looking down. "I wasn't sure what '40s Manhattan meant so I went with something Christmasy." She ponders as she looks around.
"You...You should go. I'll be out in a minute. I promise. Promise promise." Peggy offers her with that oddly nervous smile, accepting the gloves and beginning to pull them on a bit awkwardly, but she's at least learned not to protest when Pepper gives her things to wear now. It's a losing battle. "Save me a dance. We'll make all the boys jealous." She tosses the woman a warm wink, then shoos her to go before turning back to the mirror.
"Ms. Grey....the guests are arriving. Perhaps you would like to change into your costume." JARVIS says softly in the lab to Jean. She jumps slightly and looks up, "I hate when you do that Jarvis. Yes...perhaps your right." She finishes the inventory and moves to the table where her flapper dress. (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-87LllXoA0F4/Tn0d2-vTmtI/AAAAAAAAAuE/QROiQ6x-YXo/s1600/flapper.jpg) She runs a hand down the red silk and moves to the mirror to see how she looks.
A low whistle comes from Bucky stepping into the lobby. He'd seen the rough tests on a prior visit, but that was with neither the decorations, nor the practical effects. "Get a load of this? Wouldn't even know where we were if we hadn't come in though the front door. It's crazy.." he bumps his arm into Steve's. "For stuff like this, I think I could learn to make opportunities."
Sola blinks and looks at Minoke. "You didn't tell me this gathering had a theme." She's dressed in her normal civilian outfit, which, while conservative, is far too modern to pass for something from the 1940s. Namely, she's showing too much skin up top, being in a sleeveless top.
Tynan takes a deep breath, and then looks at her compact mirror once more. She adds a little blush, and some chapstick. She doesn't really know much more about makeup then that. What good is such stuff on a battlefield? She takes a final breath, and walks out. She uses some back stairs to get to the lobby, and stops at the door leading out. She checks her hair again, her normal ponytail moved so that the hair comes down over one of her eyes, showing her neck. There's a simple necklace there. SHe opens the door, and walks out, counting her steps before she makes a wide instep to flair the dress a little bit. Then its tightrope walking time now. While she'll never learn a ladylike walk, she learned how to move a bit to make clients spend a little time looking at her versus looking at that final price when they sign. Hey! She was the only female in the Fiana!
Pepper looks at Peggy for a long moment, then smiles and nods. "Okay. But don't leave Steve out there waiting for too long, all right?" And then she steps through the door into the lobby proper. Due to the holograms, it looks like she's just stepped out of an unlabelled store front. She hesitates for a moment, tugging on the hems of her sleeves before moving briskly toward the center of the room. Flowy skirt is flowy, and it takes practice to not tangle up in a skirt like this.
-]------------------------------<Peggy Carter>------------------------------[-
Tonight, Peggy Carter barely looks like herself. The only thing which matches her common appearance is her red velvet lipstick, of which she's so often fond of wearing. Her dark hair has been drawn up into a soft mess of brunette curls elegantly crowning the back of her head, only a few escaping free to frame her heart shaped face. A few silver and blue gems have been artfully pinned into her dark hair among the curls. It leaves her elegant throat bare and a generous amount of decolletage. Her shoulders are bare in the back, exposing those two old bullet scars and delicate shoulder blades. Her make up is subtle and delicate other than her lips, a faint silver shimmer across her eyes and gentle warmth on her cheeks.
The dress is what may be so distracting about Margaret Carter tonight. A classic late 40s Dior piece named Junon, it looks like something out of a fairy tale. The top is a fitted bodice of cream satin flecked with subtle, shimmering silver gems along the chest. It spills down into a tiny waist before the elaborate, layered skirt spills out, enhancing her hourglass shape. The shirt is made of increasingly larger petals of off white satin that are covered in gems that start silver at the top before delicately transitioning to pale then dark blue at the curved end of each petal. A pair of off white, matching satin gloves climb up to her mid-bicep. Occasionally a satin slipper can be seen peeking out from beneath that generous skirt. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/images/hb/hb_C.I.53.40.5a-e.jpg
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Size: 5'7", 148 lbs Hair: Brunette waves to her shoulder Eyes: Brown Skin: Pale beige
DESC-URL: http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/PeggyCarter_Cap1.jpg
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"Pepper always does something exceptional for the holiday party." He glances around. He doesn't see Peggy yet, but he does have a genuine smile for Pepper. No Natasha yet, either. But Tynan... And then two very out-of-theme robots. Of course. Well, *he* isn't going to say anything. He's waiting for Pepper to see them.
As she makes her way to the party, Jean adjusts the jewelery in her hair and takes a deep breath. She steps into the room and allows her eyes a moment to adjust before she begins to scan to see who is present. She folds her clutch purse into the crook of her arm and begins to slowly make her way into the party.
"So this happens every year?" Bucky turns to look over Steve's suit. "They have a tradition of dolling you up every year too? One suit's nice, but I'd hate to think of a rack full'a those doomed to moulder in your closet."
Bucky spots Tynan and Pepper as they come out and waves. He'd wave to Minoke, but she might just take that as a buffet invitation.
"We don't always do a theme. Last year it was just...you know...open." He grins. "I'll find some excuse not to have this one moulder." Steve seems quite relaxed. He has a quick wave for Jean, too, as she arrives.
Pepper Potts pauses, then spots Bucky and Steve and approaches them with a smile. "Hello. I'm glad you could both make it. And... I told you that Tony's tailor was worth the trip, didn't I?" And she can't help it. Long-ingrained habit. She reaches up to straighten Bucky's tie, then brushes off Steve's shoulders.
Minoke Zavia steps into the party with Sola, smiling softly as she looks around. "Ms. Potts - hi. I made it," she states as she walks towards her. "I didn't know what '40s Manhattan went, so I just garbed myself in a Christmas dress. If you could find me a picture of a suitable dress though... I can change really quick-like. You've met my sister Sola, right?"
Nerves or not, Peggy couldn't hide in the back room the entire night. Besides, she wasn't one to normally hide from something that frightens her, but normally that fear wasn't about wearing a dream dress surrounded by too many people she cares about more than she can mention. It almost seemed too good to be true. Another deep breath and she finishes adjusting those gloves before stepping back from the mirror. "...Oh, come on, Peg. If you were murdering someone in this dress, you'd have finished the job already." She mutters to the mirror.
-]------------------------------<Steve Rogers>------------------------------[-
Standing six foot two, this man has a solid frame that carries perhaps more than its fair share of muscle. Although not excessively heavy or bulky, he's definitely well built, with an athlete's grace to his movements and enough solid strength to make many think twice before entering into a fight with him. Dusty blonde hair, neatly cropped, frames a light-skinned face with blue-grey eyes and clear complexion. He is currently wearing a quite dashing three-piece suit in an older style, invoking the 1940s. The suit is a grey beige with lighter, warmer checking on it, with all three pieces made in the same fabric. The waistcoat is perfectly tailored. Under it, he is wearing a white shirt and a darker brown tie with cream pin-stripes. The suit has clearly been made to fit his form, meaning he doesn't look quite as large and out of place as he otherwise might. On his feet are well polished, brown dress shoes.
His voice is surprisingly quiet, a lighter baritone than one might expect from his appearance, and marked with a Brooklyn accent.
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Size: 6'2", 240 lb Hair: Covered by mask Eyes: Blue Skin: Caucasian
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Bucky Barnes grins back. "Better not! Be a helluva waste with--" he turns as Pepper walks over, and laughs. "Yeah, yeah, you win. You weren't kidding, I was just telling Steve so..." he blinks as she straightens his tie, but puts up with it with a long suffering chuckle. "Your work is now complete?" he teases. "..And it sure looks like you've been doing a lot of it, Pepper. This place looks almost as good as you do."
As her eyes fall on Steve, she smiles softly giving him a wave. Jean's eyes move to Bucky and she cocks an eyebrow. The apples in her cheeks blushing slightly as she thinks, <<Wow he is handsome.>> She shakes off those thoughts and her eyes find Pepper. She must greet her fellow red head in person as she walk towards the woman.
-]------------------------------<Bucky Barnes>------------------------------[-
He's come a long way from the vacant weapon he was a year ago. The tall man standing here now is still notably well built with a grace of moment. But rather than coming off as harshly functional and imposing, there's an energy about him now that's eager and playfully smooth-- this is a man who is very much alive.
Which is exactly what he looks like he's doing right now; tonight, he's dressed to the nines. He's clothed in a snappily cut vintage three piece suit, impeccably tailored and of a deep rich blue. The style is classically sharp, and there's little question it was made specifically to fit him-- a job it's doing very emphatically well. His silk tie is an eye-catching brighter blue that sets off his eyes, and against the crisp black shirt worn underneath, it almost seems to glow.
His face is cleanly shaven and bright, his mess of dark brown hair is combed. Tonight he's even made an effort to neatly pull it back, though it's not quite long enough that some still doesn't spill down at the sides of his face in front. He hardly seems to mind though; if anything he seems to rather enjoy the slightly disheveled touch it gives to the otherwise immaculate suit.
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Size: 5'11" Hair: Brown Eyes: Blue Skin: Caucasian
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Steve Rogers shakes his head a bit as Pepper brushes him off. "Pepper, never change," he says to her with a slight smile. Now Jean's coming over...and still no sign of Peggy?
Sola glances sideways at Minoke as she follows. "Lucky you, I get to feel out of place," she says in a slightly flat manner, before nodding in Pepper's direction.
Tynan spots Bucky waving at her. She does a small wave, borderline girlish wave as she starts to move into the room. She looks around. Is it a major event? Please don't let there be a ton of people here. Especially since it was invite only. That means a ton of Avengers, and a few SHIELD people. Really awkward! Then she thinks about Guardian upstairs. She can play with Guardian until the kitten passes out, and naps on her lap tonight. That freshens her up a little bit, and adds a small smile to her face.
Another breath and Peggy quits the delaying. She turns on a ball of her foot and stalks away from the mirror before it can pull her back. A heartbeat later, she's exiting from the same store front that Pepper came from a few minutes earlier. Peggy might almost not be *recognizable*, her hair up in a spill of curls, shoulders bare, hourglass frame covered in a dress out of a Dior fairy tale. The skirt is long and full enough that her feet cannot even be seen as she walks. She takes a few steps into the room, dark eyes surveying Pepper's work and the crowd that has begun to gather. A moment later, she remembers to breathe again.
Janet van Dyne sweeps into the central room, looking very much in her element in a sleek black dress and gloves past her elbows, a broad-brimmed hat shading her until she removes it to hang on a convenient hat-rack. She looks around at the gathering with a broad smile. Oh, it's good to be with friends.
Pepper Potts chuckles softly and steps back from the two men. "Sorry. Habit." She turns to look as Bucky waves to someone, and smiles and waves hello as well, stepping toward Jean to greet her with a light hug. "Jean, hello. I'm so glad you could make it. You look fantastic." She moves on promptly, though, as she's got an increasing number of people to greet. And, she sees Peggy's finally stepped out and she flashes the brunette a smile. And then she's catching Tynan by an elbow. "Deep breath, you'll be fine. Go say hi to Steve and Bucky." She's sending the kid to distract the men just a few moments longer so Peggy can truly sneak up on them.
Then moving on to Minoke and Sola, Pepper offers them a smile. "Hi. And don't worry about it. If you want to change to suit the theme, go through that door over there," the one Peggy just came from, "and JARVIS can help you find a dress you like. And there are a couple of spare outfits in there if you want." That last was mostly for Sola.
As she smiles to Pepper, Jean leans in to give the elegant woman a kiss, "Thank you for inviting me." She leans in an whispers to Pepper, "Who is that good looking man with Steve?" She leans away looking back at Bucky before looking away quickly. Jean and her weakness for bad boys. She looks around to make sure Logan isn't around as she looks back at Pepper adding, "You have out done yourself as always. Tony does not pay you enough."
Bucky Barnes spots Peggy, and he nudges Steve to get his attention with wide eyes. "Woah.." Pepper looking elegant in a stunning dress is something that is at least foreseeable, but somehow Bucky had assumed Peggy would be wearing something...well. Not -that-.
Bruce Banner hasn't been around for the past month either here or home really. Now was time to come back and let everyone know he has returned. Stepping inside in a grey suit with a bowler on his head to match, in his hand is a wrapped gift. Removing the hat once inside his hair is smoothed back and he hangs up his hat.
"...I can't believe ya talked me inta wearin' this... deathtrap," Dum-Dum Dugan mutters as he walks up behind Peggy, wearing a tuxedo straight out of his 'hometown' era and tugging at the collar. He initially has his back to her, scouting the area, but stops dead in his tracks when he spots her.
"Oh. Uh, par'n me, ma'am - thought ya were someone else..." He blinks. "Erm, Peg?"
Tynan gets pulled by the elbow, and squeaks a bit before she nods her head. She moves over to Steve and Bucky. "Hello.", she tells. The woman looks at Bucky for a second before 'accidentally' stomping on his foot to make him jump back a little bit. "Captain. Its nice to see you here.", she says, trying to get Cap's attention focused on her.
-]-----------------------------<Janet van Dyne>-----------------------------[-
Today, Janet is looking extra classy. Her short auburn hair is carefully styled for a glossy look, laying almost flat, and makeup brings out her distinctively smooth facial features and gives her lips a cherry-red hue.
She is wearing a strapless dress, glossy black satin with a narrow skirt that flares near the bottom. Matte-black gloves cover her arms all the way up past her elbows, a couple rings over the top of the fabric on her fingers and the two gold bracelets she is never without on her wrists. A few delicate gold accents on the dress and a pair of small gold dangly earrings keep them from looking out of place. A faux-fur stole covers her shoulders. Unusually for her, the back of the dress isn't scooped, though a careful look will still show the upper tips of her hidden wings peeking above the hem.
All she needs is a cigarette holder and she'd look like she had just stepped out of an old photo of a movie star.
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Size: 5'4"/110 lbs (varies) Hair: Auburn
Eyes: Brown Skin: Caucasian
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Pepper Potts is clearly amused by Jean's whispered question, and before she can even answer her mind supplies all the details for Jean, including a flash of a mental image of Bucky sitting on the floor of Tony's workshop tossing a tennis ball for the bots to chase. She's moved on again, having spotted Bruce and Janet and moving to greet them both. "Jan, you made it. And, WOW. Joan Crawford, step aside." She's moving on, then, to catch Bruce. "Dr. Banner, welcome back." She smiles at the physicist fondly.
Minoke Zavia, still dressed as Mrs. Claus, is mingling through the party. "How goes, Jean? Oh, hi Tynan..." She then hears 'Dr. Banner', and turns. With a loud BEEP, she moves quickly towards him and gives him a crushing hug. "DADDDDDDDDDDDY! I've MISSED YOU SO MUCH!" she exclaims, probably loud enough to draw a lot of attention.
Hearing Dugan's voice behind her, Peggy mutters across her bare shoulder, "Better I than Pepper. She'd have sent you to a tailor and then you'd never escape. You think I'm fearsome? Wait until you meet the woman." That is a *high* compliment coming from Peggy, indeed. And then he's backing off as if she wasn't who he expected and Peggy blinks, confusion smattering across her face.
A heartbeat later, she laughs and gives his shoulder a little smack with a satin gloved hand, "Yes! It's me, you bloody idiot! I DO know how to dress like a woman on *occasion*, after all." Her redlipped smile goes a bit wry, "...marks are far more susceptible to being downed or taken in easily when they are thinking with their nethers instead of their brains." And then, she mutters a quiet addition. "...and Pepper helped. A lot."
Steve Rogers smiles at Tynan, then his eyes fall on Peggy. Then his eyes fall on. "What the..." And with a murmured, "Excuse me," he's starting to head towards the vision in white satin...and the figure standing behind her.
A smirk begins to cross Jean's lips at Pepper's image. She sends the woman a soft, <<Your amazing.>> into her mind before she sees Bruce. While Peggy is getting fawned over by the men. She decides to visit with her favor gentle 'giant'. She begins to walk over to the small man and smiles, "It is nice to see you again Dr. Banner. How are you this evening."
Janet van Dyne doesn't let Pepper go without at least a hug. "Thanks for the invite, Pepper - I wouldn't miss a get together like this for the world!" She goes to greet the rest of the party - and her eyebrows climb when she sees Peggy along with everyone else, mouth partly open with surprise. She -knows- that dress! And Peggy looks fantastic in it!
Sola nods to Pepper and disappears to go take advantage of the chance to change outfits.
Dugan turns about, partly to give Carter a proper look over - it is one hell of a dress - and partly to look in the direction of Minoke's voice. Spying 'Mrs. Claus', he lifts a hand to his head to itch underneath his signature bowler cap (the one with the sergeant stripes on it) and lets out a light snort.
"Ain' quite like the parties I used ta - "
He stops talking mid-sentence, eyes going wide, jaw falling open.
"Cap'n?" he breathes dubiously, staring at Steve Rogers as the latter fellow approaches. "Wrap me in a flag 'n call me Betsy! Cap'n!!" Without meaning to, Dugan pushes past Peggy and those to whom she is speaking - likely knocking elbows and spilling drinks - to make his way to Rogers, arms wide.
"Wahoo!"
Bruce Banner is about to respond to Pepper before Minoke squeezes him tightly. "Hello Miss Potts, Doctor.." he greets Oeooer and Jean offering Pepper a small gift before now looking at Minoke, "Hey, princess."
Steve Rogers just blinks. He even backpedals half a step, mostly because he was not expecting this. Nope. Nobody warned the Captain. "Dum-Dum?" he manages to squeak out right before he ends up being pulled into a hug. And yeah, guys in the 1940s actually hugged, too, none of this modern "I'm-not-actually-hugging-you-because-no" crap.
Minoke Zavia ponders as she steps back. "Sorry, Daddy," she coooos. "Ohhhhhh, JARVIS found me a dress. I had him search for me on my phone." She concentrates as her whole body shimmers into red goo and reforms in a 40s style dress, red of course. "I like it," she cooos as she swishes her hips to feel the skirt swing.
While showing off the dress was nice, the chance to watch Steve and Tim actually reunite after entirely too long takes all thoughts of Dior off of Peggy's mind. She's still a SHIELD agent, so even if a drink or two is spilling, she quite deftly skirts out of the way with shimmer of cream satin and gems. She steps a bit closer, but doesn't quite intrude on the scene. She lingers against the side of a wall, watching silently, one satin gloved arm crossing over her chest and the other bringing her hand up to her throat, as if she might actually need a bit of physical help keeping some emotions down. Her eyes glimmer with moisture, watching the two, relief and happiness muddling through a whole other range of emotions in her gaze.
"Oh, shit." Bucky says from the side. He'd been there when Dugan was recovered, but he had no idea Steve hadn't been filled in. "No one told you?" he glances to Peggy uneasily, but is reassured by what he sees there. If she's looking like that, it must have turned out alright, creepy Howard-mad-science and all.
Pepper Potts startles at Minoke's reaction to seeing Bruce and then just smiles and accepts the small gift from Bruce before she leaves them be so as to not over-crowd the scientist. She hears another bellow across the way, and sees Peggy's friend Mr. Dugan barrelling straight at Steve. Is this a bad thing? She doesn't know. It's honestly a little concerning, so she beelines toward them again. Just in case.
The 'moustache with a man' wraps his treetrunk-like arms around Rogers, laughter on his lips as he greets his old friend. He literally, audibly 'grrrs!' during the manly embrace, and steps back, clapping Rogers on both shoulders simultaneously.
Half a second later, Dum-Dum stands to attention and snaps off a salute, tears running unashamedly down his rosy cheeks. "Sergeant Dum-Dum Dugan reportin' fer duty, Cap'n!" he exclaims with a gleeful grin on his face. Then he adds, "Yer lookin' good fer a man o', what, 90?" before turning his head around to try and get Carter's - and Bucky's - attention. He points a finger vigorously at Rogers.
"It's the Cap'n!!"
"Peggy...how...how the *heck* did you manage this one?" He's blaming Peggy, because who else could have managed this one. Then Steve's eyes go straight back to Dugan. "I was kind of dead for a lot of it," he admits. It's one way to put it, and...how... It's as if everything and everyone he thought he'd lost was somehow, suddenly reappearing. Somebody take a picture, because he's crying. Just a little. Good job men don't wear makeup.
Sola returns from the changing area and heads back towards Minoke. She's found a hairstyle and dress that looks more in theme ( http://imgur.com/LydBrIR but in dark crimson ) with a small matching hat and short gloves. The only thing out of place, as usual, are her boots. "Hopefully this is more satisfactory..." she mutters as she gets to Minoke.
Tynan starts to hum a little bit as she moves out of everyone's way. She ends up by the turkey, and a waiter standing there. He notices her humming before looking the woman over. "Irish by birth?", he asks. The woman nods her head. "Speak gaelic anyone?", he asks. Ty nods her head a little bit. "Got a few friends in the Scots.", she tells. The man nods his head, and he starts to hum a little bit before the pair start to sing a carol in gaelic. "O thigibh, a chaomh-shluagh, Togarrach is aoibhneach, O thigibh, O thigibh gu Bethlehem. Thigibh is ch sibh An naoidhean, Rgh nan ainglean"
As she smiles softly at Bruce and his daughter, <<She is a sweet heart and loves you quite a bit. I can tell.>> Jean says to Bruce telepathically before she moves to get a glass of wine. Her flapper dress swaying slightly accenting her hips as she sees crab cakes from the across the room. Jean ADORES crab cakes as her eyes fall on one of them. It begins to float into the air high over the crowd and begins to fly towards the woman. A smile on her face, she opens her mouth and it flies into it like a baby airplane. She begins to chew letting out a little muffled squeel.
"It's... uh," Dugan stammers as he struggles for an explanation - so instead he looks to Peggy to give the answers while he busies himself dashing tears from his eyes. Sniffing, he pats down his tuxedo for a handkerchief - but, finding none, he quickly snags a napkin from someone passing by with a tray of drinks.
Fortunately, he does not spill the drinks.
The big, ginger man blows his nose on the napkin - probably unnecessarily given what he actually is - and glances between Peggy, Bucky and Steve as he tries to get his emotions under control. "If only Jezebel were here..." he tells Peg in a voice thick with emotion. "That'd make this moment perfect, yeah?"
Seeing Bucky's uneasy glance, Peggy quietly mouths 'Oops?', clearly not having filed her report prompt enough for anyone who matters to have read it. She takes another slippered step in the direction of the men, laughing softly as Dum-Dum points out the quite obvious about Steve, "Yes, Tim, yes it is..." She mutters, thoroughly amused. Then she's gazing back up to Steve, though her eyes do take a second to drink in his entire frame, suit and all. Her smile softens somewhat, an odd flush coming to her cheeks that probably isn't about the men's reunion. But then Dum-Dum is faltering for words, and she's not going to let a good man flounder. She quickly beings, "Ah...it... It wasn't me, exactly. Bucky was there, Natasha... Howard set the matter up, to be honest. I just discovered his note about it all earlier this week. And following that note, we all discovered Tim again." She reaches a hand out, resting it gently on Dugan's muscled bicep, giving a gentle squeeze of reassurance.
Peggy Carter adds quickly with a roll of her eyes, "Bloody hell, Tim. No wonder Jezebel ran off, you never gave the girl a rest!" Her tone is clearly teasing.
Minoke Zavia walks over to the food table, and looks around. She smiles. "It looks great, Sola," she states as she forms a red hat on her head and adds gloves. Being a shapeshifter is awesome as she gives her sister a hug. "You happy to see Daddy back? I need to ask him - in private some time - where he was."
Steve Rogers glances at Bucky and quips, but brightly, "Et tu, Bucky?" Because *Bucky* could have told him too...and probably didn't because this is MUCH more entertaining. Then he turns back. "Jezebel...oh, right. Maybe...you never know." Nope. He's going to get minor revenge by not mentioning that HE is pretty sure he knows where the rifle ended up. Yet.
Bucky Barnes can't help but smile at Dugan's jubilance, and Steve's joke. He shrugs, seeming to have a hard time feeling too contrite with how it worked out. "Hey Steve; we found Dugan." he says helpfully. He tilts his head when the gun is mentioned, brow furrowing. "Jezebel?" it rings a bell, but.
Janet van Dyne swishes up to the group clustered around the tender reunion. "If I'd known you all were going to upstage me so badly, I wouldn't have put in so much effort on this dress!" He broad grin is at odds with the chastising tone of her voice. "It's always wonderful seeing reunions like this. Dugan and Cap, Minoke and Banner, Peggy and that -amazing- dress... How in the world did you get your hands on that? It's -famous-!"
A moment after Minoke steps toward the food table, a caterer appears with a tray in hand that he offers to her. On the tray is a lidded silver sugar dish that should be familiar to the younger Zavia.
Pepper arrives just in time for the accusations to start, and she looks from Dugan to Steve to Bucky to Peggy questioningly. And then, because it's really the only thing she can do at the moment, she steps into the middle of them to greet Tim. "Hello, Mr. Dugan. I'm Virginina Potts, but please call me Pepper." Jezebel? They almost say that name like Vera.
Diana does what Jean does usually when she is in a room full of people she doesn't know or does not remember and takes a step back and begins to watch them. She sips her wine now and again as she scans the crowd with her eyes and not her mind. However, their emotional state seeping through to her now and again.
"Yeah," Dum-Dum replies in addition to Peggy's response. "Blame ol' Chuckles. It's his fault." He shrugs his shoulders, grinning from ear to ear, and rocks back on his heels with unbridled glee.
"I weren't sure how I felt about it - ya know? - at first, anyhoo... but now... Now I reckon I fancy it a whole lot better." Hearing Bucky's question, the big fellow turns about and explains:
"Aw, ya gotta remember Jezebel, Buck! She only blew th' curlies offa bunch o' Fritzes when Cap here broke us outta the birdcage!" He pauses, stares off into space and lets out a wistful sight.
"I need bourbon."
Sola walks with Minoke, looking a little lost at the concept of mingling. "I guess. I mean, I was concerned, but I don't feel emotions as strongly, especially considering how I'm programmed. If a fight starts, I'll be right at home. Something like this, though? I never did feel comfortable at things like this. More of a thing for the brass, you know?" She glances at the table. Not like she can eat anything there. As she hears Dum-Dum mention bourbon, though, she looks his way. "You and me both."
Tynan starts to relax a little bit as she starts to talk with the Scottish server. She gives an eye over to Pepper. Did that woman plan on having a few internationals here? Nah, Pepper wouldn't do that? Would she? The woman breathes out a little bit, and keeps singing with the man a bit as she seems finally settle down into things. The man looks at the crowd. "Some of those out there are pretty famous faces. Friends?", he asks. "Family, some of them.", she tells. "I see. So you're an?", he starts to asks before Ty shakes her head. "Can't be like them.", she says.
Bucky Barnes's brow is still furrowed. "There was a lady in there?" he glances to Cap and Peggy for a lifeline on this one? He does offer a reassuring smile to Pepper when she hurries over.. Dugan's alright.
Minoke Zavia hmmmmmms softly as she takes the 'candy dish'. "Ah - thank you, Ms. Potts." She moves to sit down near the dining table, opening the sugar dish and fishes out a few pieces of what looks like rough chunks of zinc and pops them into her mouth. She smiles as she sucks on them happily, glancing around at everyone. She is content to just study the interactions right now - especially between Bucky with the delicious arm, Steve, Peggy, and the artificial Dum-Dum.
"Bucky's...had...some issues. It's his *gun*." And Bucky, a sniper, knows how important that might be. "Chuckles...what *did* happen to you?" Attention back on Dum-Dum, now. He looks the same as ever, but...there's something a *little* bit off.
As Pepper comes over and introduces herself, Peggy's eyes go wide, "Oh! Pepper. You...you have no idea how perfect this all is. Pepper Potts, Agent Timothy Aloysius Cadwallader Dugan, better known as Dum-Dum Dugan... one of the other founders of SHIELD. Dum-Dum, this is Pepper, the amazing woman I warned you about." The brunette sweeps in with proper introductions the moment she's reminded by Pepper's presence. And then she's giving Bucky a sideways look and coughs out a bit of a laugh, "NO! No...Bucky. His gun. Jezebel was his damn rifle. He slept with her for at least two months."
"Jezebel is a rifle with a nasty temper - fer all that don't treat her right," Dugan replies to Buck before shifting his attention to Pepper Potts. He grins and tips his bowler hat to her politely.
"Pleasure to make yer acquaintance, Ms. Potts - erm, Pepper. 'N call me Dum-Dum - all my friends do."
He glances around at the event and all the guests, giving Sola and Minoke a smile.
"Swell party!" To Sola, he adds: "Ain'tcha a bit young ta be drinkin' boubon, kid?"
Janet van Dyne makes sure to give some quiet applause to Tynan and her new friend when the singing trails off. She never did cultivate her singing voice - sometimes she regrets that, but it does give her appreciation for anyone who is willing to sing where others can hear.
As she takes a sip of her wine, Jean suddenly wavers slightly where she is standing. She brings a hand to the bridge of her nose and pinches it as she closes her eyes. She looks up and to the left as she frowns and hmmms. She says softly knowing that JARVIS hears all ion this building, "Jarvis. I need to go upstairs and takes a call from the school. There is an issue that the Professor needs me on. I will return shortly if anyone notices my absence." Jean begins to walk towards the elevator as it opens she steps inside and begins to travel back up to the lab.
Then Janet is there and Peggy's smile evens out some, her eyes still a touch damp from watching the renunion, but she's doing her best to put back on her professional face. Even if she's trying to look like a business woman in a fairy gown. "Oh, it's Pepper. It's all Pepper. I told her about how I remembered the gown from the Dior window after the war and... it... I loved it. I'd never forget this gown. It was the night I really realized the war was *over*. Because no one could make a dress like this while a war was on..." Peggy admits softly, the story oddly intimate for her, but the truth. "Once I told Pepper that... then suddenly the gown just appeared. She insisted."
Oh, this wouldn't be a Stark Industries party without a wet bar. No one go crazy, though, okay?
Pepper smiles back to Dum-Dum and after offering Peggy another smile she slips away again, this time to catch a moment by herself at the fountain. She notices Jean leaving via the elevators and makes a mental note of it, but she'll ask JARVIS if the other redhead is gone for too long, and then looks at the little gift in her hands from Bruce. With another fond smile, she starts carefully opening the gift.
Like Minoke, Sola's mostly content to people-watch. Though as Dum-Dum replies, she shrugs slightly. "I'm over 200 years old. I think I'm more than past the legal drinking age," she says to him with a slight hint of sarcasm in her voice. She does soon notice the wet bar, and... proceeds to go overboard with a mixer that's pretty much nothing but liquors. Thankfully, she can't get drunk.
Understanding dawns as his question is answered from three sides at once, and Bucky laughs. "Hey, you gotta treat a good gun right." he quips back to Peggy. He nods with a rueful smile to what Steve says about 'issues.' "Maybe you can fill me in, sometime. I guess we served together even before Steve swept through?" he has read up a fair amount on the blank spots in his memory.
"She also can't get drunk," Steve supplies to Dum-Dum. "Get used to it. There are a lot more...unusual...people than back in our day.
Tynan blushes as she gets an applause. She lowers her head a little bit. The man laughs a little bit as he watches her. "You should relax some. Really lassy.", he laughs. Then the man smiles a bit. "And why think like that? You're young.", he says. Tynan blushes even more as she gets some wine, and sips it. "They have what they need. I don't.", she tells him. The man laughs a bit, and looks at her. "You have it, you just don't know it. Joys of youth.", he says. Tynan blushes horribly as she sips a bit more wine. The woman seems a little girlish now as she watches the man.
Bruce Banner watches everyone and moves towards the bar. He orders a drink and watches as Pepper begins to open up his gift. Taking a cookie from a passing tray he bites into it hoping she likes the teapot and cups from china.
Janet van Dyne finds her hand rising to her mouth involuntarily at Peggy's story. "Oh my.. I'll need to thank Pepper myself when this is all done. If she hadn't done that for you, -I- would have had to figure out a way to pull it off myself." She is all smiles again, placing her hands on Peggy's shoulders. "You look amazing in it, Miss Carter, and I'm glad you had the opportunity to wear it."
Mia Kent shows up, dressed in civilian garb, and goes up and hugs Bruce. She then hugs Minoke and Sola, all more or less members of her family. She says to Bruce, "Would you like to introduce me around?"
Bruce Banner gives his adopted daughter Mia a hug, "Sure sweetie."
Dugan grins at Bucky - only to frown a moment later. "Ya don' remember, Buck?" He gives Rogers a sidelong glance and then shifts his attention back to his other comrade. "Then I guess ya don' remember Yolanda too? Or Jasmina?" He smirks playfully. "Coz I reckon they remembered you fer a long time, huh?"
The big man laughs.
The question of filling him in gets Bucky a brief nod from Peggy and that look of a promise in her eyes. She certainly will. But then Dugan is going on about more than a few names she knows *weren't* guns and she swats him again. "Tim. Don't be lewd!" She chides, though her voice is all teasing and fondness. She rolls her eyes and looks back to Janet, smile softening again, "You are entirely too sweet. But... it... It does feel like a bit of a dream come true." Her dark gaze travels over the boys again, "...All of tonight does. I keep waiting to wake up." She confesses quietly to the woman.
Minoke Zavia smiles as she is chewing on a piece of zinc as she gives Mia a hug. She moves over to Pepper. "Thanks, Ms. Potts, for such a wonderful party," she croons as she gives Pepper a hug, then moves to sit by her father again as she then picks out some copper from the small silver dish and starts chewing on it.
Sola blinks a little as Mia shows up and hugs her. "Huh. Oh, hey," she says as she polishes off her drink. She glances at Bruce briefly. "Don't overdo it..." she says softly as she refills her own drink. "It's a good party, yes," she says toward Pepper. "Though I feel a little out of place, and it's not due to the theme." Siiiip.
Pepper Potts finishes unwrapping the gift and smiles as she studies the tea set. It's not anything exotic or rare, but she knows Bruce picked it out for her and that makes it more valuable than any high end bisque porcelain frippery could ever hope to be. She looks around until she spots Bruce, then offers him a grateful smile. She stands and moves to ask one of the caterers to set it safely out of the way, then goes to talk with the musicians briefly.
The carols peter out and after a few moments they start up again, though this time with the carolers playing instruments as well. A few couples start dancing in the open spaces around the fountain.
Bucky gives Dugan a sidelong look, though Peggy's reaction makes it pretty clear they're not still talking about firearms. He chuckles, though for once it's a little uneasy. "You don't say? Well, guess you'll just have to fill me in on those parts another time." he tries to make a joke out of it anyhow.
Bucky turns to look as the music changes tempo, and his grin settles back to normal. "Besides, plenty of time to make new memories. Like maybe seeing Steve put his money where his mouth is about learning his right foot from his left in the USO?" he teases Steve.
Tynan nods her head a little bit as she gives a shy smile to the waiter. She blushes a bit. "Please excuse me. I do need to make a few rounds.", she says, taking another glass of wine with her. The woman moves a wee bit too fast. She moves towards the group of 'old people'. She pulls out a phone, before appearing behind Peggy. "Yes, Smithsonian. Yeah, I like to report some missing relics. Yeah, Roughly World War II-ish. They seem to still be moving a little bit. Not sure about the men. Miss Carter moves pretty good though.", she teases from behind Peggy.
Steve Rogers laughs a bit. "I can manage that much, and Tynan, I *will* get revenge for that." Of course, it is rather a room full of relics...although Sola has them all beat.
Janet says with a wink, "I wager there's a bit more that could happen to make the night better." Seems she didn't miss how Peggy was looking at Steve. "And it sounds like the music agrees with me." Sneaky Pepper. "Meanwhile, I'm going to raid the snacks before the wallflowers eat all the good stuff." True to her word, she swishes off towards where the hors d'oeuvres are.
Mia says to Sola, softly but not whispering (whispering draws attention), "If we practice together again, you will find me taking your lesson much more seriously. I should have on the first lesson, but I was cocky."
A smirk dances across her lips in Ty's direction as the woman mentions missing relics. She's about to protest, but the young woman quickly saves herself and Peggy's grinning, "Good save, Ty." She winks to the woman, though as the music does slow and change a bit, Peggy's eyes flicker from Janet to the dance floor, "We shall see." She's absolutely *not* looking at Steve now, as they tease him about the USO and dancing. Some of those nerves from earlier have suddenly quite returned. Peggy takes in a short breath, "Perhaps it is time for a drink after all!" She mutters quickly. Cinderella is about this close to fleeing, lovely dress and all.
Sola nods slowly to Mia. "Good to know. I've been learning some new tricks also, so don't think what you've seen last time is indicative of anything you'll see going forward." As she finishes her drink and the music changes, she groans a little. "Excuse me." And then she makes her way to the little girls' room briefly. Partially for obvious reasons, and partially because she's not in the mood to dance.
Bucky Barnes says, "I'll believe it when I see it, Rogers." Bucky's tone is entirely amused as he asks, "You need me to round up volunteers to take a spin with you, or you figure you can pick someone you want to ask all on your lonesome this time?""
Listening to the banter between his friends, Dugan coughs - almost bursting into tears for the second time - and tries to mask it by putting a closed fist to his lips and... extending the cough.
The effect is... less than genuine.
"I, uh, need somethin' ta drink," he tells his friends in general, biting back tears. "Yee-up, a drink. Swell. Bourbon. Tell me they got bourbon here..." and he heads to wherever the drinks are being served.
"Uh...I was...uh..." Steve is trying to retreat towards the snacks table. Maybe when *everyone* is dancing, but he's not going to be one of the first out there, regardless of who might be safe for him to ask.
Janet van Dyne isn't going to let good dancing music go to waste herself - she's already found someone to dance with. Judging from the subtly panicked look on his face, it might be one of the staff.
Tynan blinks a bit as they open up the dance floor. She blinks a few times. Oh crap! She grabs Peggy though, and gently puts her in front of Cap before she starts to sneak away. "Go get'em, Peggy!", she whispers as she creeps off before Bucky can grab her!
Minoke Zavia just watches as dancing starts. She just watches curiously, beeping quietly to herself as she studies the situation.
Doesn't Ty know that Steve's sense's are sharper than most?! Is a whisper even going to help? Peggy blinks, suddenly finding herself quite firmly planted in front of Steve despite her eyes trying to be anywhere but the man. For the woman who rarely shuts up, she finds herself utterly without words, pulse fluttering in her throat as she stands there in that dream gown, all lithe limbs and pale decolletage. She clears her throat quietly after a moment, "...Captain." She greets, entirely too formal.
Mia has Met Steve as Cir on several occasions, and Bucky once...and has met Tynan...many of the rest she has not met. She is waiting for Bruce to do the introductions.
"Uh..." That's about all Steve manages. He's willing Bucky to grab Tynan, or somebody to grab Tynan, because...well... A deep breath. "Do you want to dance?" Hey. He was actually on time THIS time. Sort of.
Tynan is plotting, and plotting great evil! Her thoughts are going through a plan. She pauses a moment. "JARVIS, can you darken the room, and making a spotlight on the dancers, with the snow fall?", she asks the AI...
Pepper Potts watches all of the 'oldtimers' from afar, then snags Tynan by an arm before she can escape, and she sets the young woman directly in front of Bucky while addressing Dum-Dum. "Mr. Dugan, may I impose on you for a dance?" She hasn't let go of Tynan's arm yet.
Those red velvet lips shiver on some sort of excuse for a moment or two, Peggy still being left a bit speechless. But then she forces herself to breathe deep (an action which probably does rather interesting things in that dress), and dark eyes look straight up to Steve. She gives him a smile, a genuine one, and offers him one of her gloves hands. "I would very much love a dance, Steve." With that, she'll let him lead her to the floor.
Bucky Barnes smiles a small smile.. and with those words from Steve, he wastes no more time in giving Tynan a repeat performance of that time she was trying to slip away down side streets-- Bucky turns out to be equally good at cornering people at a ball as he is in a back-alley, and as Tynan is plotting her evil little plots, she abruptly finds metal fingers extended her way, their owner smiling far too innocently as he says, "Hey, Irish. Howzabout we keep 'em company?"
Over at the drinks table, Dum-Dum has someone pour him a bourbon - drinks it in a single go - then orders another. Having dabbed at his eyes with a napkin already, he tosses the soaked serviette into a nearby bin and grabs another (just in case). As he turns back to face the dance-floor, the freshly composed ginger-moustached man spies Rogers and Carter heading to the floor for a dance, and he has to steel his jaw against yet another emotional outburst.
Without warning, the big fellow raises his glass of bourbon in one hand, and points toward Peg and Steve with the other. "Ladies 'n Gen'lemen! I raise a toast ta... Romeo 'n Juliet!! -- "
He suddenly hesitates, frowning.
"Wait. They died, didn't they? Fergit it -- ta the Captain an' Miss Union Jack!"
Bruce Banner looks among those gathered noticing a few faces are missing. Looking to Mia, "Looks like everyone is dancing. Perhaps you;d like to dance?"
Sola returns from freshening up and walks back over by Minoke to do more people watching, after making a pit stop at the bar for another beverage that would likely kill any of the humans present. She does smirk some at Dum-Dum's toast. "There's worse fates," she says softly to herself.
Tynan squeaks as she's PepperBuckynapped! She blinks. Karma is a....Well, she can't say it cause Pepper will get her! The woman blushes horribly as she watches Bucky. "I don't get a say in this, do I?", she asks.
Mia says, "I can stand in for Gene this time, but do not forget to dance with her daughters too." She offers Bruce her hand...hoping she knows the dance...
Steve Rogers can hopefully REMEMBER this dance...because...thanks to Dum Dum everyone's now staring at the two of them and Steve's cheeks are rapidly approaching the color of the red parts of his shield. He'll...he'll...make Dum Dum dance with Tynan later. That's the only possible revenge! Although for now, it seems that Tynan has been snagged by a metal arm.
Minoke Zavia offers a bowl of miscellaneous metal fragments to Sola as she sits by her construct sister. "I haven't seen you in a while either... and Daddy's back - this is a wonderful day. Only way this could be better is if someone showed up with a few crates of vibranium for me to eat."
Bucky Barnes notes with raised eyebrows, "After all those times you called me in to test your new moves, I figure I'm allowed to call one in, yeah?" so no. No, she's not getting a choice! "Not gonna chicken out now, are you?"
Janet's dance partner looks even -more- nervous when the lights dim and the dance floor gets some extra illumination. Much more of this and he's likely going to be sweating bullets.
"Pepper took away my red cards this morning, or I would so be throwing you off the pitch.", Tynan says. The woman blushes horribly as she's dragged out to the floor. Of course that means, Bucky is likely going to coach her while having her watch other. Evil Mutant power!
After what seems like entirely too much set up, Peggy easily sinks into Steve's arms on the dance floor. Still a bit formalized, her long arm resting on top of his so her small hand can perch against his shoulder, her other palm hugs against his ribs. She takes a second to look up to his eyes, "You... you look wonderful tonight, Steve." She murmurs, having expected just a bit of privacy for the few stolen moments they may get together. And then she hears Dugan's booming voice behind them. She groans, her head falling forward to rest on Steve's sternum. "...I'm going to strangle him." She mutters under her breath, and then turns her head, though her cheek inches from Steve's chest. "Dugan! I thought I told you: Never speak again!" She calls that back over to him, smirking. Then she's looking back to Steve from that position. "...oh yes. Definitely taller." A throwback to one of the first things he ever said to her as Captain America.
Steve Rogers murmurs, "If Bucky hadn't snagged her, I'd make him dance with Tynan." Instead...hrm. Is Pepper dancing with anyone? But Steve doesn't break off the dance with Peggy. Taller, yes...and he knows how much she appreciates that, and...but this can't go any further. Not now, not yet.
Pepper Potts leaves Tynan to Bucky's tender mercies and steps over toward Dum-Dum, smiling as she sees that Bruce has already asked Mia to dance with him, and that Janet is (unsurprisingly) terrifying some poor man. "Mr. Dugan? Would you care to dance?" She figures he didn't hear him the first time past the siren song of the bourbon.
Actually, it seems Bucky is counting on Tynan's tricks. He takes Tynan's hand and leads her to the floor, but he stands on the sidelines for awhile facing the dancers, grinning in her direction. "How 'bout it? Can you only copy what you see?"
Sola shakes her head at Minoke's offer. "Thanks, but you know I can't eat solid matter. Pretty much stuck with drinking... just as well, my coolant was getting dirty and needed some rotating out." Then she shakes her head in protest at the thought of dancing. "I don't dance."
Dugan remains, for now, by the drinks - downing one bourbon after another. He is already onto his fourth, and - aside from a belch worthy of a certain Hutt - he shows no signs of being affected by the alcohol.
Which is probably why he is trying so hard to get drunk.
Then he notices Pepper, peering at her over the rim of the glass raised to his lips.
He gulps.
Bourbon goes down 'the wrong tube' - so he has to put the glass down, trying not to cough, as any normal human would in the same predicament. "Uh..." he replies to Pepper, using his napkin to dap at his mouth. "Sure. I, uh... yeah, I can dance. I think." He glances a little worriedly in Peggy's direction and murmurs, "Did Howard program me ta dance?"
Nevertheless, the big man squares his shoulders and offers his elbow to Ms. Potts so they can make their way to the floor. "I'd be honoured, Pepper."
Peggy lets Steve lead, even if the dance is simple and slow, sharing it meant enough. As he comments more on Tynan and then she notices that uncomfortable look in his eyes, a bittersweet smile crosses her reddened lips. She gives his shoulder a soft squeeze, "...It's alright, Steve. I know a lot of time has... passed. I know things have changed, even if everyone else doesn't seem to realize. It's just a dance. You can breathe." She reassures him with a game, brave smile, her previous blushing having all but faded. She's practically all business now, as they settle into the music.
Peggy Carter adds quickly over her scarred shoulder in Dugan's direction, "I have not a bloody clue. Good luck. Let Pepper lead."
Mia dances her dance with Bruce, since he is in human form she is careful to let him lead and not to apply any more than the lightest pressure to him. Normal human are so fragile when you are more powerful than a locomotive.
Bucky Barnes gets a little distracted, watching Steve and Peggy. There's something bittersweet, and an old poignancy more felt than entirely remembered in his expression. He remembers himself though, summoning back a smile in Tynan's direction. "Heh.. would you look at that, huh?" he says. "Come on, no fun sticking to the sidelines." and he tugs her along to join in.
Tynan finds herself dragged out to the dance floor with Bucky! She makes a note to make sure any security devices that record this will be systematically destroyed after this. She doesn't want evidence of this getting out where Certain Birds can get a hold of it. She keeps blushing horribly though...
Pepper Potts chuckles and tucks her hand into Dugan's arm and leads him out near where the others have started dancing, laughing when she hears Peggy's suggestion. "I'm sure you'll do fine." Putting one hand on the burly former soldier's shoulder and takes his other hand in hers. "Ready?" Yes, she IS going to lead, but she's going to take a page from Ginger Rogers' book and do so backwards so it looks like Dum-Dum is leading. She's already wearing the high heels.
"I know who you are visiting." That's all that...that stops him, right now. But it's there, between them. So? It's just a dance. Steve doesn't...react...to Bucky's look. But he notices it, and he's not entirely sure what to do about it.
Bucky Barnes 's smile becomes a little gentler. "Aw, don't look like that. It's just a dace, Irish." he winks, taking her right hand and moving her left to his shoulder. "All those styles you pick up, this'll be a piece of cake." he leads her in a basic step, giving her a chance to pick it up before trying anything fancy.
Part of Sola's people watching involves watching the dancing. So not every internet-capable recording device will be able to be destroyed after this, much to Tynan's dismay. She sighs a little as she sips her drink.
"I guess so!" Dugan replies and lets Pepper dictate where the dance is going to go. For someone as nervous as he, the big man does manage the steps with only a little difficulty. Nevertheless, he spends the first few minutes of the dance going:
"One-two-three, one-two-three, one-three-no, two, uh... one-two-three..."
He coughs.
"You really put on a swell party, Pepper," he tells her after a short while. The man beams broadly. "Ya really do. Ya don't know what ya've done, here - bringin' us together like this. I gotta - I gotta..." he sniffs again, tearing up, and decides to forego speaking for the time being.
Except for...
"One-two-three, one-two-three..."
Those weren't exactly the words Peggy expected, but she doesn't look ashamed either as he brings it up. Her smile softens a bit, "...Oh, he got to see the dress first. Night I got it, tried the bloody thing on and went over there so he could see. He...he loved it. Told me he liked it better than the wedding dress." She admits with a soft laugh. "And yes, I see him when I can. He... he's not doing well. I want to be there when..." It's not a phrase she wants to finish, so she slightly shifts her words, "as much as I can." She gives his arm another soft squeeze, shifting into the turn of the waltz. "But... I want to be here too. I'm glad we are. All of us." Dugan and Pepper are given a brief look, then Bucky and Tynan. "...we are... So damned lucky." Peggy whispers, just a rasp of breath, that slight moisture lining her eyes again.
Tynan looks at Bucky. "Ballocks. I still have to learn like everyone else. I just learn faster.", she tells. The woman bites her lip as she starts moving with Bucky. She bites her lip a little bit as she tries to keep from stepping on Bucky's feet as she's trying to figure out just...how to move.
Janet van Dyne has let the poor waiter go now, much to his relief. Instead, she's standing in front of Sola with a gloved hand outstretched and an impish smile. "You look like you want an excuse to enjoy the music. Care to dance a turn or two with me?"
"How did we all...end up back here again. I'm not sure. I *am* awake right?" Steve asks. As if Peggy would know, as if part of him is still clinging to her as an anchor. Too much has happened for that to be really true. Neither of them are the people they were. But her voice, her presence, that *dress*. It means so much.
Sola raises an eyebrow as Janet comes over and offers. While she doesn't really want to dance... it'd be impolite to refuse. Damn the whole "concern for others" part of her software. "Alright," she says, setting her drink down before taking Janet's hand softly. "I'm not that great with it though. I'm a bit too mechanical when I try to dance. Literally."
Dammit, Peggy really was going to cry now. She'd been so good about blinking back those tears and not smudging her eye make up, but it's almost too much now. She blinks against them, a drop on heavy lashes, forcing herself to look away from Bucky and back up to Steve's handsome face. "Yes. You're awake... and I am too... It's real. I keep thinking it... It can't be. But it is. And I thought I wanted to murder Howard so many times but when we found Dugan a few days ago... I just want to hug him again. Once. We never had our chances to be... Happy. Together. James. You. You were both gone and the rest of us were just picking up the pieces after the war... But it was never the same. And now...?" Oh, there it is. A tear escapes, quickly streaking down her cheek.
For his part Bucky is looking at Tynan's face rather than their feet, a spark of amusement in his eye. "There you go. Don't worry, if you step on me, just means I'm not doin' my job well enough." apparently guessing her concern. "Getting the hang of it?"
Janet van Dyne tilts her head curiously at Sola's reply. "I bet we could work on that... if you want to, that is. I've done a decent amount of work with robotics and programming - I might be able to help outline how to smooth out your steps."
"Then, maybe it's time to...enjoy and appreciate the fact that we *are* here." Even against all of the odds, with all that's happened over the intervening years. When he saw her in that stasis pod, he had been so afraid, so afraid it wasn't really her. And it is.
Tynan looks away, blushing horribly. She finds herself in the awkward position of dancing with Bucky. "Isn't this Natasha's job? Dancing with you?", she asks. The woman keeps biting her lip, not sure how she's doing....
Peggy blinks against those tears, her smile full, genuine. They're tears of joy, in earnest. Not something she can ever really remember from back in the day. Even VE day had been filled with so much loss. "I am, Steve. I think we all are. More than we could have ever dreamt..." She whispers. Then, if he permits, she just lets her head sink, resting there against his sternum for a few moments. She'll finish the dance with him pressed closer than is necessarily proper. No kiss needed, no great flourish. Just his scent and warmth, the quiet beat of his heart against her cheek, a solid reassurance they all we're actually alive.
Pepper Potts smiles amusedly but doesn't get after Dugan for counting aloud. Instead, she just rather deftly pulls that napkin Dugan swiped and offers it to him. "I'm glad I was able to do this. Just seeing everyone together and happy makes it more than worth it." Of course, it would have been truly perfect if Tony had been here.
No arguments from Steve, releasing her only reluctantly when the number is over. He murmurs, "Now, maybe, I can escape to the food table." He knows which caterers Pepper chose and he knows they're excellent.
Janet van Dyne is there when the next song picks up, having towed Sola out successfully and proceeding to explain interpolation, branching paths, and variable mechanical resistance while walking her through some simple steps.
Bucky Barnes laughs! "Her job? I told you, it's just a dance. You're supposed to have fun!" with the song winding down, Bucky sneaks in a little spin, leading Tynan around in a circle before giving a little teasing bow. "Bet you would too, if you gave it a fair shot."
Grinning broadly at Pepper, Dum-Dum takes a misstep backwards - and treads on someone's foot. With an LMD's weight behind it, it would likely hurt - but not do any damage. Hopefully. Cringing visibly, the big man stops dancing and stammers an apology, his mouth opening and shutting like a codfish as he tries to regain his composure.
"I swear that never happens ta me," he tells Pepper, all shame-faced and embarrassed. "I think..."
Mia is a bit clumsy, she could quickly correct every mis-step so few people would notice them, but instead simply concentrates on not using any strength higher than human. Being clumsy is OK, she is a teenage girl who does not dance much. Bruce is actually pretty good...
Sola shakes her head at Janet as they reach the floor. "It's not that. Show me a dance, and I can repeat that dance exactly as I see it. Humans' imperfections and flourishes allow them to take that same dance and make it their own. The only time I've found that I can adapt my techniques on the fly is when I'm fighting, as the situation changes around me." As she's being walked through the simple steps, she's showing what she's talking about - repeating the steps exactly as she's being shown, though with small allowances for the differences between leading and following.
As the song does finish. Peggy pulls away gently and gives him a small curtsey because that's simply what is done after a waltz. She reaches one hand up, fortunately having satin gloves on that she's absolutely going to destroy as she dabs at her eyes. "Go. Shoo. Eat. Before the rest of them get some crazy idea and we're stuck there all night. I need a drink." She winks at Steve, the emotional shields firmly back in place now as she turns to walk away, searching out one of those bars. Hopefully they had a halfway decent gin.
Pepper Potts laughs softly. "No harm done." As the song ends she joins several other of the dancers on the floor in applauding for the musicians. Then she sees Peggy possibly fleeing the dance floor. "If you'll excuse me?" She moves to follow.
Janet van Dyne tsks. "Ah, but that's where you're wrong. Dancing -is- a lot like fighting. Or rather, fighting is a lot like dancing. A dance isn't just a series of steps you perform in order - it's a performance that you're creating on the fly, stringing together steps in a fluid way." She demonstrates by shifting from one dance step to another practically mid-stride, watching to see if her partner can follow suit.
Minoke Zavia beeeeeeeeps at Dum-Dum. "Careful," she chirps as she is crunching on some copper, putting the lid on the silver container. She just sits and watches the dancers. She watches Steve and Peggy curiously, wondering if they're in love with each other.
Dum-Dum grins sheepishly at Minoke, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand, and gives a nod of his head to Pepper. "Sorry, Rosebud," he tells Minoke with that same grin on his face. "I'll make it up to ya with a glass o' mercury or somethin', yeah?"
With that, he heads for the drinks table after Peggy and Pepper.
"Gin martini, stirred, a bit dirty, please." Peggy is still just a touch breathless and it's not exactly because they were doing the jitterbug (though she totally could, if someone put one on!) She trusts Pepper's taste in booze that she doesn't bother asking what kind of gin they had. She leans there, waiting for her drink and trying to smooth her face back together as quickly as possible. No, she wasn't crying. Yes, everything was fine. Even if her dark eyes trail after Steve for a moment longer as he moves for the food, meaning she misses Pepper's approach.
Minoke Zavia smiles. "That'd be great," she cooooos softly to Dum-Dum. "You didn't hurt me."
Steve Rogers is claiming a plate and filling it. Food before alcohol, apparently, for the supersoldier. Then again, he doesn't tend to drink that much.
Tynan squeaks a bit as she shakes her head a little bit. "Maybe.", she says. The woman sighs a little bit, after she is spun. After the dance, she runs off towards the bar quickly. "Back after several drinks...", she says over her shoulder. "Double whiskey, beer chaser.", she says. The woman has already had 3 glasses of champagne...
Turns out Sola can actually adapt, though as she does, she's still using moves observed earlier. But she's noticing she's not doing them in order, mixing things up some. "I never thought about it that way," she remarks. "I do incorporate a lot of dance-inspired movements in my fighting styles. I'd never considered the inverse." She's starting to find her own rhythm, using some of what she knows to create new moves. For someone professing to have no creative ability, she's starting to show it now.
After ordering both a bourbon for himself - and, assuming they even stock it, a glass of mercury for Minoke - Dum-Dum heads over to Peggy and extends a hand to put on her shoulder. "Guess ya got that dance after all, huh?" he asks her gently, smiling in a big-brotherly kind of way.
"An' lookit me! A dance an' zero casualties. That's gotta be a first, yeah?" And he downs a mouthful of his drink. After a moment, he looks away - off into the distance - and murmurs aloud to himself: "I can't wait ta visit the old memorial 'n tell the other Howlers all about this..."
Janet grins when she sees Sola pick up the change, and starts throwing more difficult moves in. "You have to make the transitions as smooth as you can as well, so to an outside observer it -looks- like one seamless dance instead of a series of individual steps. That's where the interpolating and branching comes into play. There's different states you can get into as well;" she twirls Sola out so they're only holding one hand - "which means different sets of moves branching from that. You have to be ready for your lead to signal anything, though certain leads will tend to certain strings of moves, meaning you can do some branch prediction and make the transition smoother."
Bucky Barnes leaves the floor with the rest of them, and smiles to Tynan. "Hope so." he says cheerily. He looks over the crowd to find Steve and Peggy, finding them parting ways quickly, with Peggy looking stiff and in control enough that it makes him tilt his head. Is something wrong? He heads after Steve, hungry anyways, and wonders over filling a plate with turkey, "Guess you did pick up a few steps after all."
Mia hugs daddy and then excuses herself, "I have to go home now, I have school in the morning...though it is only the Christmas party and show..."
"I told you. I no longer have two left feet." Steve finishes filling his plate, then just lets out a breath. He doesn't say more to Bucky.
Bucky Barnes nods with a chuckle, "About time." and collects a few other odds and ends while Steve exhales. "...You okay?" he finally asks. He'd been sticking to proper form and focusing on Tynan once the dance got started, so he's not sure just what to make of the stiffness.
Peggy Carter looks back as she hears Tim's voice, her smile returning even if her make up is somewhat less than perfect now. "Maybe Howard refined a few things so you could actually get a date, eventually." Peggy teases him gently, her grin widening even if her voice is still just a bit thready. She accepts the dirty martini she ordered, scented heavily of gin, and takes a deep sip of it. Unlike many of the boys, she can get sauced, and she's apparently decided to at least take a single step in that direction. She makes no comment about the dance with Steve, simply too much there for her to parse it quite yet. His comment about the memorial draws a gentle nod from her. "You should. We went to the East Coast Memorial on Pearl Harbor day. I'd not seen it before, wasn't up when I disappeared. Found the names of a few of the boys. It... it was lovely to see. If you want company, Dum-Dum, you just say the word."
Sola nods some as she spots the intention and twirls back in, letting Janet lead. "I've never danced with a human before... I've practiced alone as part of my training, but never got to put it to use somewhere other than a battlefield. I guess that was what I needed to discover that I could." While she's not having fun in the strictest sense, she is starting to find some enjoyment in something that's not related to combat. It's still a help, as her slightly softening expression indicates.
Tynan tosses the drink, and then the chaser. "Again.", she says. The woman is apparently going to go get sauced! Yeah...Save Tynan is Irish, and a former Merc...Drinking is the same as breathing so this might take a bit....
"Count on it, Peg," Dum-Dum replies with a quiet smile, and he raises his glass in a muted toast to his friend. He drains the glass of all its bourbon - belches, with a fist covering his mouth - and grins. Then he puts the glass down and remarks:
"I... gotta take a moment. Grab a cigar or somethin'. Talk to ya soon, kiddoh," he tells Peg and starts making his way out, humming the Star Spangled Man to himself.
Pepper Potts catches up with Peggy at the bar, accepting the beverage handed to her without her asking and takes a sip of what looks like champagne. "You okay, Peggy?" She looks over at Tynan as well as if including her in the question.
"I'm good." Then, very quietly, "Her husband's still alive." Hence, awkwardness. Hence...everything. And Steve doesn't go into any other confusions.
"Of course, Tim. You know where to find us." Peg calls to the big man, watching his eyes but not chasing after him as he takes his leave. If she recognizes those tears, Peggy is entirely too used to being one of the boys with him (and vice versa) that neither of them really bother to bring it up. Men don't cry! And if they do, they certainly don't point it out. She gives him time for a cigar and it's good timing, as Pepper is right there, looking over her and Tynan. Peggy blinks to the concerned blonde, her smile refreshing, "Oh, god, Pepper, yes! Yes... I..." She laughs, the sound actually a bit embarrassed, "I'm... this all seems quite so impossible, is all. So good, but...impossible. And things are complicated. But when are they not?"
Tynan goes after her second set of drinks. "Again.", she says. The bartender gives her look. Tynan mutters. "Again.", she says, with a slight edge. The woman's face is so red that she's stealing Cap's gimmick! She's never gone dancing with a boy before, let alone somebody like Bucky, which brings up a lot of awkward teenage questions. The Tender is looking at Pepper to see if he should or not...
Bucky Barnes glances aside, leaning against the table. "..Yeah. I know." he agrees. Looks like there's all sorts of things Bucky's not been filling Steve in on lately. It's a habit he's still getting back into. "He sounds like a good guy. Got a feeling he wouldn't mind just one dance." he pauses, picking out a bite of food. "Anything else.. can cross that bridge later. Yeah?" he nudges Steve, and takes a bite of turkey. "Woah, this is damn good..did you try this?"
"Not yet." Steve does have some, though, and samples it. "As I thought. Pepper knows all of the best caterers."
Bucky Barnes nods, and fuzzles Steve, even though he's the taller of the two. "Yeah, not yet. So don't worry about it for now." he agrees. He grins. "She sure does, I'm kinda noticing a pattern here. Think I saw some pecan pie over there."
Pepper Potts shakes her head no to the bartender, cutting Tynan off. Then she offers Peggy a smile. "Well, the carriage will turn back into a pumpkin at midnight, so enjoy the ball now while you can." She then steps over to explain to Tynan. "I need you clear-headed, just in case. Okay? Once everything's done, I'll let you take your pick from Tony's cellar."
Janet van Dyne finishes twirling around the floor with Sola for a song, and gives her a thousand-watt beaming smile. "You're doing lots better already - I bet with a bit more work you could be making -me- look like a clumsy puppy out on the dance floor!" She pats the girl's shoulder. "I'm sure you know this by now, but I'm Janet van Dyne - and it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
The metaphor isn't lost on Peggy, her smile lingering in response to it, "I am. I absolutely am. I... never thought we'd have a chance to be together, so many of us... like this. It's like a dream, Pepper. But, even dreams are complicated. Steve and I need... Time. As lovely as the dance was." And it was, entirely a part of that dream come true. But reality is far more complicated than dreams and while Peggy isn't going to bring down the party by even mentioning her husband, it's still heavy on her mind. She takes another sip of her martini, not caring to get silly tonight, just to relax. Her waist is also pulled quite so tiny in that dress (she probably has some sort of 'foundational garment' on beneath) that overly drinking or eating was NOT going to happen tonight.
Tynan nods her head a bit. She is technically working tonight as well as being at the party. She does make a small face. "Stark Scotch. You know the one I'm referring to.", she tells. Yes, Tynan just went there. She's going for that personal bottle of scotch! She breathes out a little bit as she's still blushing horribly. At least Nat didn't catch her and Bucky dancing...
"I think I'm going to...I see some champagne." And he can't talk ONLY to Peggy and Bucky, after all. He heads for the drink station.
There's a phrase, 'fashionably late',. It's when, usually, so stuck-up wants everyone to notice them, show they purposefully show up late to draw attention. That's not what Natasha Romanov wanted to do at all. She didn;t mean to be later, either. She just had things to do that she couldn't ignore. So she's here now, quietly slipping in, and asking JARVIS not to announce her presence. She finds a corner to stand in, unobtrusively. She seems somewhat distant, looking all the world like someone watching from outside a window - at least, those who know her can read her expression.
She's wearing this dress: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/57/b2/65/57b26566261db52a56e5cf8e3850bded.jpg
"Maybe so," Sola responds as the dancing wraps up, silently sighing as it ends. "Sola Zavia," she responds. "It's been a pleasure as well. I might have to take you up later on talking shop about more than dancing. I'm sure a peek at my personality code would make your head spin," she says, her emotions being a bit muted, because a slight laugh would have been perfect at the end of that statement.
Bucky Barnes grins as Steve heads for the champagne, letting him be. Bucky used to be entirely gregarious, though lately he doesn't seem to go out of his way to mingle quite as much. Still, isn't that the point of this kind of thing? It's a party, amongst friends, no need to hide or skulk or be on the defensive. That's the idea..and there's still plenty of good music.
Pepper Potts nods to Tynan. "Done." And she lets the younger woman go before turning back to Peggy. "Well, now you have the time. So take as much of it as you need." Her other advice, not knowing about Peggy's husband, would have mentioned something about climbing a tree, so maybe not the best one for this occasion. As she's looking around, she spots Natasha and moves to take a roundabout route to get to the other redhead. She has to meet and greet along the way, after all.
Of course, even a bit muddled and half a martini in, Peggy Carter is sharp as a tack. Others might miss Natasha's entrance to the room, but she'd seen the dress before and the stunning woman wearing it. She smiles a bit wider, now searching around the room for Bucky. It doesn't take her long to find him. She double times over to the metal-armed man and grins, "Bucky. On your 4 o'clock. Look. Now." Because she's a trouble maker and she entirely wants to see the look on his face when he sees Natasha.
"Thank god! I'm saved from embarrassment! Go boy! Get her!", she says. The woman is partially drunk at this point. Not completely, but she's got no hesitation about sicing Bucky on Nat. She grins evilly. "HEHEHEHE!"
Janet says with a grin to Sola, "I'd love to take you up on that offer some time. For now though, I need to make sure that everyone gets a chance to dance with me - it's important, you know!" And with that, she twirls away and proceeds to attempt to drag Tynan out onto the floor. Because mischief.
Steve Rogers claims his champagne, and then spots Nat's entrance. He starts to move to greet her, but now Tynan is trying to set Bucky on Nat. And so's Peggy. Hee.
Sola nods slightly to Janet. "Of course." Then as Janet tries to drag an unwilling Tynan onto the dance floor, she resumes her impossibly heavy drinking. Now that the dance is over, her mind is back to the same place it usually is when she's not in a fight. "I wish this actually did something."
Leaning against the table as he was, Bucky was facing the bar. He's probably not that difficult to spot himself, though he has his hair pulled back, and Pepper seems to have come through on fitting him in an expertly tailored deep blue suit that fits his frame sharply.
Bucky tilts his head when Peggy comes rushing over, even more baffled when Tynan starts shouting his way. At the urging he turns to the right? And blinks.
And while he's seen Pepper dressed up before, and even Peggy once distantly in the foggy past, he's actually never seen Natasha dressed to the nines before, ever. He's more than a little taken aback. "Nattie?"
As the carolers fade into the second half of the night an an actual band, the first piece is a bit more complicated than a holiday waltz. It's faster now, and made for people who have at least a bit of training. A foxtrot. Peggy blinks as she recognizes the piece, something she danced to ages ago. Finishing school, the USO, more than a few other times when dancing was her escape. But to find someone she thought could actually keep up. Of course, the moment her eyes land on Pepper, she has no doubt. Having left Bucky and Natasha to, hopefully, a moment intimate enough they might NEED privacy, Peggy double times over to the blonde in an equally elegant dance. "I need a partner who can keep up. Come on."
Pepper's reaction to Peggy is one of startled confusion. "What? Uh, okay..." She follows Peggy's lead, not at all sure what the woman has in mind. It's a really good thing that is one of those things she's always enjoyed or this would get laughably bad very fast. It also helps that Peggy is a bit taller than her, even with both of them wearing heels.
Natasha Romanov was intending, it seems, to watch everyone dance and be merry. To be an outside observer, as she tended to end up. But her friends seem to have other plans. "J-James...?" She seems just as surprised at his appearance. While he'd always been easy on her eyes, now, all dressed up - she's coloring just a bit. "...Wow. You look..." She smiles, reaching for his hand. "Absolutely handsome."
A foxtrot can start quite simple. Peggy is taking the lead position, clearly, since she asked the woman to dance after all. So she takes those initial two steps forward then the quick step together which is the basic step. The band and song are both warming up two, those initial measures a bit slower as some sort of old fashioned lead in. Peg is polite enough to make certain Pepper knows all the basics, taking her through a few corner turns around others on the dance floor and then a smooth promenade. But the moment that Peggy is certain she's comfortable, the band picks up into the swinging, fast main chorus, they are off like lightning. Long limbs, flowing, full skirts, those high heels traveling with deft speed across the dance floor as Peggy completely trusts the woman to keep up with the swinging, classic steps.
Steve Rogers is not about to attempt this dance with anyone. Wallflower-Steve, for now. Actually, he drifts over to Tynan. "Just wait until I spot somebody *you* would like to dance with."
Minoke Zavia was just watching for a while. She thinks she has the hang of it. She then ponders as she stadns up, adjusting her 40s-style dress, and heads towards Steve. "Hi... could... you teach me how to dance?" she asks him softly as she was still chewing on some chrome. "Oh, sorry, excuse me," she states, spitting the piece of chrome out and sliding it into a pocket.
Bucky Barnes smiles, and for once it's a little bashful. "The one and only." he replies.. "Pepper knows her suits, it turns out." a surprise to anyone? Not so much. But apparently she knows her dresses too, because, "Nattie, you look...great." he says, still a little stunned.
Natasha Romanov smiles again, looking almost embarrassed. "Um... would you..." She looks over at the dancing couples wistfully. "I mean, may I... ask for a dance?" She sounds hopeful.
Tynan looks at Steve a bit. "Good luck.", she tells. The woman leans back. "You'd arrest Quinn before you'd let him near me again. And if you don't, I swear after whatever happens, I'd slug you.", she tells. The woman laughs with a blush. Yeah, Ty is a little drunk now....
Pepper Potts keeps up with Peggy effortlessly, inwardly grateful that they start off with some basic steps. She's not danced a fox trot in ... a decade, easily. And then they're off, and Pepper's faint expression of concentration breaks into a full, gleeful grin. She can already tell, the moment one of them either trips and falls or the music ends, she's going to wind up sitting on the floor laughing so much she won't be able to breathe.
Steve Rogers shrugs. "Well, in that case, maybe if the next dance is something that wouldn't have me tripping over you." Yeah. Tynan's safe to ask to dance, and Dum-Dum disappeared, so he can't trap her into that plan. But revenge will come. Later.
Minoke Zavia nods. "Good idea..." she muses. "I'd hate to accidentally step on your foot and crush it." She leans against the wall next to Steve. She then murmurs, "I must've zoned out a bit - where did Mr. Dugan go?"
Bucky Barnes breaks into a grin like a sun rising at that question. "Would I ever." he answers her first fragmented question, and pushes off the table, leaving the plate behind to take her hand in his. The song's partway through, but it's soon clear he intends to make up for lost time. This time he doesn't start slow and careful like with Tynan; he dives right in, sweeping Natasha along as if they'd done this often.
Sola shrugs Minoke's way as she sets down another glass. A small collection of them is forming behind her. "Probably passed out or got called away," she says to Minoke. "Try her, maybe?" she says, pointing in Janet's direction.
Tynan blinks a few times as she realizes Janet is talking to her. She shakes her head. Maybe is the booze starting to get to her. "....Errrr....I don't really dance. I'm not exactly good, and I have a very awkward ability...", she says. "Its not Foxtrot Dance friendly...", she says.
Natasha Romanov is almost swept off her feet by Bucky's eagerness, but she doesn't mind at all. It's a grin of pure joy that spreads across her face as she falls in step to Bucky's pace, the movements natural, as if she'd danced this song a thousand times before. She laughs, any doubt or hesitation completely gone.
Of course, Peggy won't let Pepper fall. The brunette is actually fairly expert on the dance floor when in comes to things from her time. There was a reason she picked the blonde out of the crowd. She's just a touch breathless as she moves them through a few thrilling turns which show off both their dresses in dazzling fashion, the skirts playing around each other as much as the ladies legs do so. Then she catches sight of Bucky and Natasha out ther and her grin just widens. "...This evening, Pepper, is a dazzling success." She breathes out before spinning Pepper out into a fast promenade down the side of the dance floor. She's taking them a bit more to the edges so Nat and Bucky can have center stage. "And you are an excellent partner."
Janet van Dyne narrows her eyes and pouts. "That sounds like a flimsy excuse... You aren't good at dancing because you haven't done it enough! C'mon, you weren't so terrible when you were dancing with Bucky."
Steve Rogers laughs as Janet steals Tynan from him. Hrm...who else can he ask. Natasha and Bucky? He glances over at them and then he just...nods.
Tynan looks at Cap with halp me eyes! And then starts to get dragged out. "Honest! I copy people!", she tells. The woman is blushing horribly as she's dragged out there! Kitten wide eyes! Save the girl!
Minoke Zavia smiles. "Well... you can dance iwth me...?" she coooos as she beeps quietly to make sure that Steve notices her again.
Bucky and Natasha are soon sweeping around the floor, spinning and weaving between other couples with an easy, lighthearted kind of grace.
"Not trying a foxtrot, even if I could definitely not hurt *your* feet. Next one?" Steve offers. Bruce's kid, also VERY safe to dance with.
Pepper Potts catches a glimpse of Bucky and Nat as they start out on the dance floor and nods to Peggy. "Okay, now I agree with you. This has been a success." She's starting to struggle to keep up with Peggy, the seriously rapid pace of their dance starting to be more than her serious lack of practice can handle.
Janet van Dyne is totally insensitive to the fact that Tynan is making silent pleas for help and manages to haul her back onto the floor. "Well, if you can copy, then you should be able to pick up just about anything, right..?" She -may- be intentionally misunderstanding what Tynan meant. Janet dives right into teaching Tynan the basic Foxtrot anyways, doing it the 'hard' way and actually showing her the steps.
Natasha Romanov looks more carefree than anyone here has seen her in - well, since she last got to dance a ballroom dance like this. Even though the pace is fast, she never falters, never missing a beat. The weight of the world has been lifted from her. She spins around once, and then takes holds of Bucky;s hands again. "Thank you." she tells him. "I've... missed this."
Minoke Zavia blinks. "JARVIS, something that is suitable for a beginner dancer after this song, please?" she asks, beeping softly. "I don't want to break Steve's foot."
The job of a lead dance partner is to always make their partner look good, no matter what. So, as Peggy feels just a slight sluggishness or misstep from Pepper, she can read the signs. Though the song isn't over, she turns the woman one last time, letting Pepper's dress display itself stunningly, before she pulls the woman back in and sinks her into a finishing dip right at the edge of the dance floor, a smile that is all trouble on Peggy's own red lips. "Thank you, Miss Potts. That was just what I needed." She states smartly to the woman, still holding her in that dip. Then she's spinning her back up to her feet and steps back, giving a little curtsey of her own.
Bucky Barnes spins Natasha in with a flourish, shifting her hand to switch briefly to a closed position so they can talk a little better.. and from his hazy sort of smile he doesn't seem to mind the proximity either. "Been awhile, huh..?" he agrees. "God.. it's nice having more than that small room and that tinny radio to do this."
Tynan is starting to go through the motions, and her mind and power is starting to pick up on things too fast. And with everyone rushing out there to dance, there's a lot more going on. Her movements are stiff and unnatural, yet a perfect mimic of Janet's. And Ty is fighting against it....So...what happens? Ty's body starts to cramp.
Janet van Dyne notices almost immediately and pauses the impromptu lesson. "You okay?" she asks, more than a little concern in her voice. She thought it was more of an embarrassment issue than an actual physical discomfort issue...
Tynan winces a bit. "I'll be fine in a little bit. I was trying to avoid going out on fast dances. My mutant gift is to copy what I see, but my body hasn't actually learned it when it starts mimicking it.", she explains. "Something slow, I'll be fine, but fast...Even in combat, it happens. Ask James about it.", she says.
Pepper Potts curtseys back to Peggy a little shakily, clearly out of breath. "Thank you as well, though I know I'm going to feel that tomorrow." She starts fanning herself -- long sleeves and a tall neckline mean she's now officially overheating. And, it also means she needs to work on her cardio more. Yeesh.
Natasha Romanov doesn't seem to mind the closeness either, that open and honest smile never once leaving her lips. :Yeah - this is better." she says, voice choked with a sudden rush of emotion, those hazy memories now in sharp relief. She laughs suddenly. "At least we aren't running into any tables this time!"
"Oh goodness, Pep. Come on, sit. I'll get you a nice seltzer. You've spent entirely too long waiting on everyone else." Of course, Peggy cannot force her partner to sit, but she'll strongly encourage it as she strides smoothly back to the bar and gets a selzter with a lot of ice and some lime. A brief look is given to Bucky and Nat, she still not quite able to contain her smile. Tynan's distress is slightly noted as well, Peggy giving it a longer gaze as she tries to figure out of she's needed to help.
Bucky stifles a laugh, and then remembers he doesn't have to. "Hey, that was only the once!" he protests, though he's still beaming ear to ear. "Now we got all this space, let's see what we can do with it, huh?" and off they go again, spinning and shifting, Natasha's slinky skirt sent spinning in thick waves as she's sent this way and that, finally ending in a classic dip with the last notes of the music. "..Yeah.." Bucky says, a little breathless. "I could definitely get used to this..."
Janet van Dyne spends a few moments trying to convince Tynan of the virtues of learning without just letting her copy ability do the work for her while carefully leading the other lady off the dance floor. And asking if she needs a banana or something.
Pepper Potts follows Peggy over and promptly claims a place to sit, the skirt thankfully concealing her less than ladylike posture. She continues fanning her face with one hand but accepts the seltzer readily enough when it's handed to her. "Thank you." She looks over at Steve and smiles. "Next time, you get to run all over the dance floor trying to keep up with her."
Tynan shakes her head a bit. "If I could turn it off, I would. And I got some pills upstairs in my office for emergencies. I'll just head up there, and finish up my work for the night.", she tells. The woman winces a bit. She needs some Guardian time anyways.
Natasha Romanov is left rather breathless as well, her face dangerously close to Bucky's as she catches her breath, cheeks flushed. "I wouldn't be adverse to that at all." she agrees, gently releasing one of his hands to brush his hair back behind his ear. She finds herself staring into his eyes. "...I keep getting reminded how much I love your eyes..."
Steve Rogers offers his hand to Minoke as the tricky foxtrot winds up, but he does glance after Tynan. Hopefully she's okay. She looks pretty drunk and while he didn't overhear the conversation, he's also familiar with her occasional power difficulties.
Janet van Dyne gives Tynan an apologetic hug. "I hope you enjoyed the night anyways - and I'll try to be more considerate when someone might have a real excuse for not wanting to do something. See you around?"
A look is give to the side, Minoke a warm smile, "...Good evening, Ruby... Been a while." Peggy tilts her head in greeting to the red skinned, lovely young lady. "And Steve has proper dance card these days, Pepper. Besides, at his age, I may give him a heart attack with that. Good luck, Minoke. Don't let him get fresh." Peggy winks to the metal woman, grinning a bit wider before she looks back to Pepper, still slightly catching her own breath, but she's quite fit for a 90 something woman!
Bucky's expression gets a little rueful as she tucks back his hair-- he did try to tie it back, but it only worked to a point. He tugs her lightly back to her feet with a grin. "You don't say..? They like you pretty well too, as a matter of fact." he confides. One of those eyes winks.
Minoke Zavia smiles. "Hey Peggy. I guess you were too busy dancing with Steve..." She then follows Steve to the dance floor. "Well - if I do step on your foot at least you're tougher than the average joe, right?" she asks as she murmurs, "You'll have to teach me - dancing wasn't really a high priority in my old life."
Bucky's little quip earns him a deeper blush from Natasha, and a playful kiss on the nose. "You charmer." she accuses lightly. The next song comes around - a rich jazz tone, and Natasha grins. "Another dance, my dear James?" she asks, although she doesn't give him a chance to argue. It's a slower song than the previous, and she steps a lazy and smooth.
"I'm not the best myself, so...if we step on each other..." He leads the construct out onto the dance floor. "I doubt anyone here will care if it isn't pretty, at least." Steve seems in a better mood now.
Arguing certainly doesn't seem very high on Bucky's list of things to do at this point. "You got it, Red." After a quick habitual scan of the room to make sure everything seems to still be alright, he's only too happy to sink his attention into a second, more laid back dance. It really has been a good day.
Minoke Zavia nods as she tilts her head as she smiles as she tries to put her hands in the proper position. She beeps curiously. "JARVIS is telling me how to dance right now," she muses. she does keep a Starkphone with a JARVIS app inside her and can apparently communicate at high speed with it - or something.
Peggy isn't rude enough to just dash off, though she will probably be one of the party goers that leaves a bit earlier, but having set Pepper up with selzter and many of the others still out on the dance floor, Peggy does gravitate to a few other areas of the room. There's other small talk to be had and a few other agents she does recognize. She is used to working the floor when she needs to, even if she hasn't been a SHIELD director in 60 years, she remembers that company parties are as much networking as partying! She'll slip out around 11 pm, murmuring gentle excuses about an early morning.
Natasha Romanov lets the slow beat lull her into an entirely too relaxed state, some would say. She never fully relaxed, normally. But, for tonight, she seems at peace. And that's a good thing. "I wish... we could do this more often. Hmm, maybe I'll ask Pepper about it.:
Pepper Potts stays seated for only as long as it takes her to catch her breath and drink about a fourth of the seltzer, then she's off again to check on the caterers, greet more people, all of the things she feels are her duty as a host. And, at least once or twice over the rest of the evening she does stop to just look around and smile. Perhaps a bit wistfully.
"We can dance anytime, you know.." Bucky answers, loose and relaxed as well. "But yeah.. I know what you mean." it's not just about the dancing. It's about the people, and the mood, and the feeling of family. A lot of what the holidays are about, really. To not have to fight, for a day.
Steve Rogers keeps the dance simple, then, given neither of them are that good. But it's good to be able to relax with people he cares about.
Janet van Dyne makes sure to get a dance in with everyone who's available for dancing at least once - and is looking exhausted but awfully happy as the evening winds down. And somehow managed to snag several of the tastier snacks in the meantime. All in all, a really, really good party, in her opinion.
Minoke Zavia smiles. "This is fun - I should try to teach Alex," she coooos as she only managed to step on Steve's foot once. JARVIS is tutoring her and she is improving remarkably as the dance continues.
Natasha Romanov wouldn't mind dancing with Bucky all night long, but she does want to dance with other people. Janet, of course, and she's sure the fashion will make her blush about her dress. But after Jan kidnaps her for a dance or two. she'll shyly ask Steve if he;s still up for a dance, with a very sweet and hesitant, "Would you honor me with a dance, Captain?"
Bucky Barnes , for his part, could think of little better use of the remaining evening than to dance with anyone else who's up for it. He'll happily risk his feet with Minoke, assuming she can hold his hand without trying to eat it, and her sister too if she'd like. He'd love to finally get a dance from Peggy, and that van Dyne lady seems like she knows her steps pretty well too. If Pepper's not too tired, he'd ask her for a slower dance, where he can thank her again for setting all of this up, and yes, he'd probably go over and ask Steve to dance too, because with all the ladies dancing in pairs, why the hell not? Maybe he can show him a few new steps he can use down the line while he's at it.
Steve Rogers will, of course, accept a dance...now he's not as nervous about it...from both Natasha *and* Bucky. Why not? It's the twenty-first century, after all.