apocalypsehowcomm | Log: A March birthday

Who: Steve, Winter, and a small group of friends (he would've invited Yelena, Kate, Cortana, Rue, Martin, and Jaeger)
When: March 10, dinnertime
Where: Winter/Yelena/Kate's apartment
Summary: A birthday dinner!
Warnings: None so far (warnings in any threads)

Steve maybe just kind of assumes Winter knows it's his birthday. So, it's not like he means for this to be a surprise party, exactly, but he does ask a small group of people he either knows are Winter's friends or thinks should be invited to get together for dinner on the 10th in Winter's apartment. And he doesn't bother to tell Winter, other than to somehow subtly make sure he plans to be home that night.

He can't imagine actually jumping out and yelling Surprise! at Winter is ideal. So, when Winter arrives back after work, it's simply to find that his friends are there and dinner is in the oven.

Steve is admittedly no great cook, but he also isn't sure he trusts the local restaurants right now. So he's been working on if not perfecting, at least learning to make a passable chicken casserole (and if anyone in said friend group doesn't eat meat, he'll make a vegetarian version as well). He knows it might be a little awkward for Cortana to sit through dinner with nothing to eat, so he's made up a little bouquet of colorful flowers to go on her plate so it's not just sitting empty.

He has asked people to bring something sweet (preferably chocolate) for dessert if they're able, figuring Winter can't possibly have too many treats. It is his birthday, after all! And Steve's learned to make enough chocolate cupcakes to go around so they can stick a candle on Winter's and sing him Happy Birthday at the end of the meal. Presents in addition to sweets are of course welcome but optional.

He's brought a couple of decks of cards if people want to stick around and play after dinner, but of course that doesn't have to be the only option for entertainment. And he absolutely makes sure everything is cleaned up again and in order before he leaves for the night.

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"Friends are good to have," Winter agrees, and gingerly accepts the box. After a moment of looking between it and Rue, he starts opening it. Slowly. Being careful not to damage the paper. Because that seems important, for some reason.

Popping the top off the box once he's revealed it wins Rue a smile, small and muted like most of his expressions, but still clear. "They look good. Thank you."

Rue will take that smile happily.

"It's nothing at all. I only hope you have a wonderful time with your friends. With a little treat to enjoy later."

"It's been. A good night," he has to admit, a little haltingly, cradling the box against his chest like he wants something to hug but is afraid to crush the box and its yummy contents. "I didn't expect it at all."

That is all that Rue has ever wanted to hear. To know their help in planning this has made it such a perfect event for someone so special. It makes them so immensely happy to know he is enjoying himself.

"Please, you must enjoy this time with your dear friends. I only wanted to give you my congratulations on your day. And to say it has been such a pleasure to meet you finally."

"Yes, it's good. We should probably have met sooner." They all live here, after all, all work for ADI (or, well, most of them), and all fight the entities (again, well, most of them do; if they don't, Winter has no desire to be friends with them). Winter just doesn't leave his lane very often, doesn't vary his routine, and that tends to keep him in something of a rut socially too.

He carefully sets his box of cookies aside. "I am practicing physical contact," he offers. "I could give you a hug if you like hugs. As thanks for coming. And helping Steve plan it."

Also, Rue is a giant bird-bear thing. That is surprisingly less alarming than the idea of hugging a strange human. They actually look really soft.

There's a truth to his words that warms Rue's heart. He's right. Even though they are all strangers drawn in from different realms, they have all been brought here with purpose, a common cause that brings the whole of them together. Why shouldn't they be more than mere colleagues? Why not find friendship in those who know your fight in this place just as intimately as they do?

It's a sweet offer, though Rue can't hide the soft way their big eyes widen in surprise.

"Well, if I can be of help in your exercises, I'd be happy to. I - I am still getting used to physical contact as well. It's almost overwhelming, isn't it?"

Winter nods solemnly. "It really is. But it can be nice, too. In small-ish doses." He looks up at them thoughtfully, and adds, "You don't seem quite so scary as a human-type person, though."

Which might sound very strange, given Rue's a big ole owlbear person, and probably rather scary to some people. Luckily for Winter, all his trauma came from actual humans, not fluffy owl people.

"I agree. It is quite wonderful."

It's strange, being told that they aren't scary seems so silly on a surface level - of course, Rue isn't scary, they are much too gentle to be terrifying in any capacity - but how many times have they been judged solely on their wild shape instead of the content of their character? It's easy to look at them and be afraid - what with their towering height, long talons, and sharp beak - so his words, as someone who has only just met them, are truly appreciated and deeply felt.

"Thank you." And maybe it's a little awkward, they have only just met, but Rue opens their wings for whenever he is ready for a hug.

He steps up into them after a moment of shuffling his feet, and what do you know, they're just as soft as they look. It's not a long hug, but it's warmer than he usually manages, because Rue is so... not-person-shaped. It doesn't feel like being trapped by anything he's ever remembered being trapped by.

Then he steps back with a nod, aware Rue might not be entirely comfortable as well. "That was okay," he says, sounding pleased.

It's nice even for Rue, who is still getting used to the touch of others themself. But their wings are a soft, warm shower of feathers over Winter's back, encasing him in a little protective, feathery dome of safety, before he is pulling away, the owlbear beaming softly in his direction.

"I heartily concur. I enjoyed it."

He might have to do that again.

Later. They're friends now, sort of. He thinks. They came to his birthday, after all, that seems like a friend thing. He's relatively sure if he suggested a hug again later, they'd be okay with it, anyway.

"Thank you," he says solemnly. For the party, for helping Steve, for the cookies, for the hug. It kind of encompasses it all.

Indeed, they are friends now.

"Thank you for being so welcoming to a newcomer into your circle. And again, dear Winter, I hope you have the most wonderful day of birth. You deserve this lovely celebration."

Log: A March birthday

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