[Joint EP] January 7 - Happy birthday, Clint

[theycallmecap]

The minute Steve receives the e-mail - he's at least become pretty good at reading his messages, even if his typing is still horrible - he knows what he has to do. The first step is, of course, to get a birthday cake of some sort, and since there are candles in the kitchen, that is where he is currently trying his luck with a replicator.

"A birthday cake," he tells it, hopefully. "And if you have any idea what Clint likes best, that would be perfect."

He has no idea if Clint even has a sweet tooth, but it's the thought that counts. A minute later, he's gotten a Yule log, something which he thinks is Christmas pudding, a box of Christmas crackers, some stollen, and a king cake.

"Not a holiday cake," he's telling the replicator, very patiently. "A birthday cake. Please."

This time, he gets a pie, with homemade crust and apple filling.

Clint isn't exactly the type to celebrate birthdays loud and proud and he had hoped the message sent out by the ship would be buried by someone else's announcement. By midday, it isn't, and he decides to sneak out to the kitchen and risk being congratulated.

"Uh, hey Steve. Nice pie you've got there."

From the smell, Steve thinks it's... "Apple pie. Do you like it?"

It's worth asking, because the replicator is being particularly contrary today.

"My favorite," Clint confirms. "As much as anything is a favorite of mine. It's got pretty good taste today."

Apple pie reminds him of the Midwest and wholesome things that he's left behind or, possibly more accurate: never had to begin with. It's something that he doesn't have easy access to on the station.

Steve shoots the replicator a look that seems to say, 'Well done, you,' before he turns back to Clint, and holds the pie out with a small, but a hundred percent genuine smile. "Happy birthday, Clint."

Comments

BOTH!

[ohsnikt]

Yes. It's just coincidence that Logan wanders into the kitchen as Yankee Doodle is handing an apple pie over to Barton. Also that Logan's got a bottle in his hands.

But her does some quick math, and decides it's a good enough reason for a party. Sometimes it's just more fun to drink with other people.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BUB!" He proclaims and holds out the bottle to Barton first. He can find his own glass or just man up. Simultaneously he fixes Rogers with a look that says: This just became a party whether you like it or not.

Re: BOTH!

[inhisnest]

Clint had been skeptical about the idea of announcing his birthday and having a party like Banner did but drinking, well, he's all right with that. He takes a swig from the bottle and hands it back.

"One year older but I'm pretty sure it's not any wiser. Thanks."

Re: BOTH!

[theycallmecap]

Steve has no issues with holding a birthday party; in fact, he had had every intention to make it one, before he found himself face to face with Clint, and offering him a pie. He's just not sure about the kind of party Logan has in mind.

"You might be right, if you're drinking anything Logan holds out in front of you," Steve agrees, but it's a warm tease rather than a barb. Steve doesn't do the mean kind of mockery. He wouldn't know how to.

[ohsnikt]

Logan gives Rogers an unimpressed look, and swigs from the bottle again.

"Nobody's twisting your arm, Yank."

He gives it a long moment before he holds the bottle out to Steve.

[inhisnest]

"At least it's not a huge party like Banner's was," Clint says, though he wonders if he should have mentioned it aloud. Knowing Steve, that's just an invitation to do more.

"I think this is the first birthday I've celebrated in years. Usually I'm knee-deep in some mess right now and don't care about getting older."

[theycallmecap]

"Don't go and jinx it now," Steve recommends, and shakes his head at Logan, with a small, brief smile that means 'no, thank you.'

He still remembers how horrible he felt the day after his birthday, even if he doesn't remember everything about his birthday. That in itself is one more reason not to repeat the experience.

[ohsnikt]

Killjoy Rogers can do what he likes -Logan's just as happy not to share his booze. Or Rogers germs. Though he's actually pretty squeaky clean.

Logan passes the bottle on to Barton, thinking that a cup might not be a bad idea for continuous drinking...

"What's this one?" He liked to laugh at people turning 30 and 40 thinking they're getting elderly.

[inhisnest]

"39, today," Clint says, taking another swig and offering the bottle to Steve. "C'mon, Rogers, just one? It is my birthday. You probably won't ever see Logan and I in this good a mood again."

Maybe, maybe not, but he feels awkward shooting the shit with Logan if Steve's going to play teetotaler.

[theycallmecap]

"I rarely trust Logan in a good mood," Steve pointed out, but it was Clint's birthday, and his request.

He took the bottle, and a swig from it, frowning at the taste before he handed it back to Logan.

Steve

[withmyshield]

The scene when Sharon walks into the kitchen is pretty priceless. The smell hits her before she lifts her head to see that the room is almost a dozen times its normal compliment of just her, and everyone has a drink in their hand and seems to be talking at once.

The only thing more surprising than walking into the middle of an extra terrestrial keg party is the fact that Steve is right at the center of things, not only grinning like a loon, but with a mostly empty glass in his hand.

Why Captain Rogers as I live and breathe.. Sharon winds through the tangle to his elbow.

"Having fun?"

[theycallmecap]

Steve can't quite believe his luck when Sharon seems to suddenly appear beside him, and his glass is immediately abandoned on a table, because he needs both hands. He needs both hands, because as he happily greets her, "Sharon!", one hand finds her waist, the other cups her jaw, and then he's kissing her the way he would if they were alone, and not in a room full of intoxicated people.

"Hi," he says, once they stop kissing, a few seconds later, and he's smiling at her, a 100% Steve Rogers smile that seems to light up the whole room if you let it.

[withmyshield]

Sharon is struck momentarily dumb with shock, fury, and maybe just a little twitterpation. Steve is way out of line, and she's not a fan of PDA even when the audience isn't a mix of Avengers and near strangers that she can't escape.

But still, the man's a hell of a kisser, even more so when he's not trying.

Since the alternative is to make a scene, she decides to shake it off for the moment.

"How drunk are you?"

[theycallmecap]

"I don't know," Steve tells her, as earnest as ever. He doesn't have a clue; he doesn't have much of a scale for this. "I think it might be as drunk as for my birthday."

His speech certainly seems to hint at 'more than a little drunk.' It's not slurred, exactly, but it's on its way there.

And of course, his hands are still on Sharon, one cupping her face, the other on her waist, because there is no good reason to pull them back. It feels good to hold her.

[withmyshield]

I'm gonna need you to dial it back, mister.

But what he says makes the whole thing click for her. It's Barton's birthday.

"Any chance of a lady getting a drink?"

She moves his hand off of her cheek, as well; she can't actually stand nose to nose with him in front of people, no matter how cute his smile might be. Principles.

[theycallmecap]

"Do you want mine?" Steve asks, turning slightly (without taking his hand off of her waist) to grab his drink. Except it's mostly empty, so he puts it back down. "I'll find something for you," he tells her, turning back to her, and gives her a quick peck on the lips. "Don't go anywhere."

He is pretty sure he wouldn't pass any of these drunk tests where they ask you to stand on one foot - or walk in a straight line - but he manages to grab Sharon a glass of - something - and gets back to her, holding the glass out with an all too affectionate smile. "Here you go."

[withmyshield]

"Thanks."

Mostly Sharon needs the drink to look normal in this crowd, but she's not even thinking about trying to catch up to Steve's level of tipsiness. She's never seen him drunk in all her life, and it's too good to miss a second.

The octopus act is distracting, as is that smile, but she's mostly just fascinated.

"How do you feel?"

[theycallmecap]

"Drunk," Steve answers, in an isn't-it-obvious kind of tone, but less dry than it would be on anybody else. It's more like a joke they're sharing than a joke he's making, and it's certainly not at her expense. "I know I'll regret it tomorrow."

But he doesn't sound like he's regretting it now, and somehow his hand finds its way back to Sharon's hip, because touch seems like a wonderful thing right now, and it's a good thing they're in a room full of people, or he would be kissing her like they were about to die. Not literally, for once.

Clint plz

[acalltoarms]

"I didn't know there was going to be baked goods," Kate sounded amused as she came into the kitchen with two old fashioned glasses in one hand and a bottle of whiskey in the other. "Can the robot cooking box make it just like mama did back home?"

Not her mama, who had not been much of a baker. But a mama, somewhere in the Norman Rockwell America Steve seemed like he came from.

She gave Clint a nod. "I got you a present," she tells him and hands over the glasses. "Guess what it is."

Re: Clint plz

[inhisnest]

"Hopefully it's a firearm or something alcoholic," Clint says, managing a little smile for Kate. He likes her, if only because she doesn't take shit from anyone, and that's always a good quality in his book.

"Have I been a good boy this year?"

Re: Clint plz

[acalltoarms]

"Firearm, no, alcoholic yes." She held the bottle out so he could read the label. Kentucky bourbon aged fifteen years in the barrel. "And I sure hope not. Good boys are overrated."

Clint was one of her favorite people here, even though he didn't know much about him. There was a quietly dangerous presence that she could appreciate. Weirdly enough, it made him easier to relax around.

Pouring a few fingers of whiskey into each glass she takes one back from him. "We can toast to your old age or the fact that I couldn't even get a watergun out of those closets."

Re: Clint plz

[inhisnest]

"I would give my left foot for a bow," Clint admits. "Can't give any of the arms or I wouldn't be able to draw. I think there's something wrong about an archer with no arrows."

It's no secret he dislikes the station but the people are all people he'd want in a firefight. He drinks the glass of bourbon, letting it burn down his throat. "This is actually pretty good. Happy birthday to me."

Re: Clint plz

[acalltoarms]

Bow and arrow was never her weapon of choice, always seemed hard to travel with, but Green Arrow and friends seemed to manage it pretty well. Clint clearly must work it to his advantage. "I can't even get darts. The closest I've gotten to projectile weapons is paper airplanes. It's pathetic."

Smiling, she raised her glass to him before drinking it down. "Happy birthday to you. May the upcoming year contain lots of arrows."

Re: Clint plz

[inhisnest]

"Hopefully not stuck in my head," Clint agrees. Because, really, that could always happen.

"Do you think we'll figure this station out before my birthday comes around again? I'm starting to lose a little faith."

Re: Clint plz

[acalltoarms]

Giving a little laugh, she nodded. "Yeah, no, same for me. No arrows in the head"

Kate was quiet for a moment as she thought that over and poured another drink before answering. Contemplating another year in this place deserved more bourbon. "I think we'll have made progress. I wanna say yes, but look how the past few months have gone. But if we're not out, we'll know more than we do now."

Re: Clint plz

[inhisnest]

"Knowledge is almost never a bad thing, even if it's not the knowledge you want," Clint agrees.

He misses Natasha keenly in moments like this. Of anyone, she'd be the one he'd want to spend his birthday with, but this isn't necessarily bad.

"Maybe someone from your home will show up and bust us all out, right?"