HAPPY CENTENNIAL, BUCKY BARNES [open to all]

[zymasoldat]

Who: OPEN TO ALL. PARTY LOOOG!
Where: Wayward Pines's roller skating rink/bowling alley.
When: TODAY, MARCH 10th
What: It's Bucky Barnes's 100th-- uh. 31st. Yeah. 31st birthday...
Warnings: Just warn for anything in your headers.
[Open]

[ This wasn't Bucky's idea. If he had his way, his 100th birthday would come and go without any fanfare. But it's not up to him, really; it's up to Natasha. She's pretty good at getting her way. And it's not that she forced his hand, so much as strongly encouraged the party, using very persuasive arguments to get him to go along with it. It'd look suspicious, after all, if Bucky Barnes, friendly, outgoing local-boy mechanic, didn't celebrate his birthday. Right?

Now here he is, at the bowling-alley-slash-roller-skating-rink (complete with a small 'arcade' with pinball and claw machines), with Steve, Natasha, and anyone else who felt like showing up. Of course, it's not a 90s roller skate birthday party without a kick-ass mix full of songs he's never heard before. Food's a mix of whatever the concession stand's got available and some snacks they stocked up on. And-- oh, does that birthday cake actually have one hundred candles? Yeah. If asked about that, they'll just say it's an inside joke. You know, because Bucky's so old at 30...something... ha.

Anyway. Mingle. Skate. Bowl. Have fun. ]

[OOC: OKAY NOW THE PLAYLISTS ARE GETTING MOVED HERE: PLAYLIST 1, PLAYLIST 2, PLAYLIST 3.]

Comments

NATASHA ROMANOFF | OTA

[vdova]

[ Of course it was her idea to have this party. Like she'd do anything less than let Bucky and Steve forget their technical ages; she'd even offered to take care of the cake, although for her that really meant nothing more than getting the candles for it and hoarding them so neither the birthday boy or his best friend could remove about 70 of them. Screw that. They're not taking this away from her.

She's a little ways away from the festivities in the rink, setting up on a table. There's a couple pitchers of beer and soda with red Solo cups nearby, but Natasha's unconcerned with them, too busy perfecting the Funfetti masterpiece at her fingertips.

98, 99...

100. She sticks the last candle on the cake and steps back, folding her arms, satisfied. ] Perfect.

[onteamdyson]

You sure? I think you might have missed one.

[Kenzi is just side-eyeing the cake and the INSANE amount of candles on top, trying not to make a face because she know Nat could kick her ass--

... She knows Nat? Bucky's friend. Of course. Her and Steve. It's vague and it's hazy, but it's there.]

This is just arson waiting to happen.

[vdova]

[ Natasha blinks, and there's that brief moment of 'who are you' crossing across her face before recognition settles in and Natasha smirks a little, turning her attention back to the cake. She leans forward, messes with a couple of the candles. ]

The rink has an extinguisher.

[ She stands back up. ] I double checked.

[onteamdyson]

Oh, awesome, so you're prepared for the building to go up in flames. That's... reassuring.

[The sarcasm is strong with this one.]

Not gonna lie, I'm kinda hoping he singes his eyebrows off because that would actually be hilarious.

[vdova]

I was a girl scout.

[ She has a merit badge in sniper rifles and exsanguination and everything. Natasha turns to Kenzi just a little, arms crossed. ]

What were you two arguing about?

[onteamdyson]

[Kenzi honestly can't remember one way or the other to tell if Nat's making a joke or being serious. The image of a tiny, red-headed girl scout staring people down until they bought her out of cookies is pretty believable considering who she's talking to.

Kenzi shrugs, mimicking Natasha's crossed arms while trying to look casual.]

Cousin stuff. The usual. He's still pissed that I ran off and got hitched without telling anyone. Didn't even come see me when I was in the hospital. He's just a jerk!

[No he's not. Bucky's the sweetest, most amazing family member Kenzi has. Honestly, he's probably the only member of her family that she actually likes!

... As far as she knows.]

But it's his party, I can't crash it too hard. I mean if It does crash and burn, that last part's on you.

[vdova]

[ Natasha pauses, but it's only for a second. She remembers now, although she doesn't remember who Kenzi's married to — just Bucky's upset at it, and she tsks lightly. Both at herself for believing the memory for even a second and at Kenzi, for both eloping and also accusing her of burning the party to the ground. ]

It'd take a lot more fire than this to burn this place to the ground, [ She says, somewhat seriously. Although if Kenzi asks her to elaborate, she won't. Even without the reminders posted everywhere, it's not a memory Natasha particularly cares for. ] I think it'll be fine. He worries about you, you know. Even if he couldn't find the time to visit.

[onteamdyson]

[Haha.... ha... Nat, you're terrifying when you're serious. Kenzi drops her arms back to her sides and takes a veeeeery subtle step back.

And then she ROLLS HER EYES!]

Well, maybe he should stop worrying. I'm not a kid anymore and I can take care of myself.

[Her slight pout turns to something a little more hopeful when she zeroes in on what Nat said about not finding the time.]

Pleaaaaaaaaaase tell me he's dating someone. How have you not hooked him up yet? OH! Nat, oh my god, we should team up and find him a regulation hottie that's got a weirdly specific thing for scruffy, emo, grease monkeys!

[vdova]

[ Kenzi's movement isn't unnoticed by Natasha, but she doesn't react to it at all outwardly, though she makes a note of it otherwise. Instead, she hums a little, gaze scanning the party before dead stopping on Bucky sitting with a fairly attractive brunette. Her eyebrow raises, and she gently prods Kenzi with her elbow, briefly uncrossing her arms to do so, and she nods towards the pair with a soft smirk. ]

Looks like he's already doing the work for us.

[onteamdyson]

[Kenzi follows Nat's nod to her cousin and the very blurry, but probably incredibly beautiful close up ... girl? He's with? Okay, so Kenzi really needs glasses, but like hell is she going to admit that. Instead, she leans over and determines that, YES! IT IS A GIRL!

Regulation hottie: check.

Weirdly specific thing for scruffy, emo grease monkeys: TBD but it looks promising.

Kenzi grabs Nat's arm, bouncing up and down excitedly while letting out a high pitched,]

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwh! I thought he'd die single, surrounded by stray raccoons in a public park wearing a garbage bag for a poncho!

[That is a... weirdly specific scenario, Kenzi.]

[zymasoldat]

[ Bucky may have been reluctant to agree to this silly little party before, but as it turns out: he's having a surprisingly good time. Not that he'll tell Natasha. She seems to enjoy it a little too much whenever people admit she's right.

Is it bad luck if he sees his cake before the candles are lit? He doesn't know. What he knows, as he approaches Natasha, is that's a suspicious amount of candles. She didn't really...

His eyes scan the cake, doing a quick count of the candles.

She did.

Looking from the cake to Natasha, Bucky deadpans: ] Really?

[paragon]

[ Steve's sort of hovering nearby while continuously taking in the atmosphere of bowling shoe smell and the flashing lights that highlight the skaters in a circuit of varying degrees of grace around the rink, but he overhears the question and steps over to come up alongside Bucky. His mouth opens slightly and then closes to smother the hint of a grin. He knows he's looking at his own future here — he's not sure any degree of complication between him and Natasha could stop her — but as long as Bucky's the one taking the brunt, well— ]

Think you can blow 'em all out at once?

[ He nods unnecessarily to the candles, brow furrowed in his clear sincerity. ]

[vdova]

[ She glances up at Steve as he approaches, but just beacuse it's complicated doesn't mean she has to act like it is. They're still friends, and she'll hold onto that as long as she can. Her eyebrows raise a little at his commentary, and she hums a little in feigned thought, raising her hand to her chin. ]

I don't know, they say your lung capacity diminishes with age.

[ Bucky probably regrets whatever moment lead to his best friend and his former student meeting every second of his life. ]

[zymasoldat]

[ He stares at the candles for a moment longer, but between Steve and Natasha's comments, he can't help but let out a laugh. It's a little quiet, but it's genuine, nothing forced or bittersweet about it. God, how long's it been since he's had a moment like this? He looks at Steve, his smile-- something carefree and probably nostalgic-- still lingering on his face. ]

Yeah, laugh it up, pal. You're next.

[ He shifts his gaze to Natasha. Their history's marked with violence, some of it he'd like to forget, so it's still a pleasant surprise, he supposes, the way she gives him as much crap as she does Steve. She doesn't have to do it, and he wouldn't blame her if she kept him at a distance, but the fact that she doesn't...

It makes him feel more human.

Not that he's gonna go and be a sap all over his own birthday party. ]

One hundred candles... [ He huffs, his voice teasing: ] I bet you hear the words 'you shouldn't have' a lot.

[paragon]

[ For his part, Steve's yet to be made aware of that particular connection, so he couldn't say one way or another. Maybe a part of him wishes he were in a position to say he's happy that his best girl and his best friend give a damn about each other apart from him, but the feeling's still there even if he can't say the words.

The sap might be a little catching. ]

Yeah, mostly from me, [ he graciously answers on Natasha's behalf. The truth, though, is that he wouldn't really know what to do with any kind of friendship that didn't give him a hard time, keep him on his toes and honest, something none of them have ever shied from. He's glad it still goes both ways between him and Bucky, even if it's been hard fought for. ]