Happy Happy Turkey Day

[handing]

Who: Marvel people plus friends. I'm not even attempting to make this list out.
What: Marvelsgiving!
When: November 22, 2012
Where: House 49
Summary: It's Thanksgiving. There's a meal and socializing. Also fun.
Rating: PG, PG-13 max? A kid got invited to this.
Considering how last minute all of this had been, Pepper was actually pretty satisfied with how things were turning out. Rogue had shown up early with helpers in tow, immediately setting to work in the kitchen. The house had been filled with delicious aromas shortly thereafter, and Pepper busied herself with the other details until guests started to arrive--at which point part of her job became keeping people out of the kitchen, per Rogue's orders.

The set up was straightforward: the dining room table was used to hold the assorted dishes, where people could fix themselves plates. A similar set up with drinks (although please, don't give alcohol to the children). Chairs set out for people to sit, since there were too many to even attempt a traditional sit down dinner. But that was fine by Pepper, who made her way through the group, making sure everyone was happy, or at least not destroying part of her house.

Better safe than sorry, with this crowd.



(ooc: post! mingle! include whatever dish your character brought for the potluck and wait for them to be judged. and as always, have fun.)

Comments

[touchofrogue]

It was certainly different this year - two years in, where last year she'd been so determined that no one should be alone for the holidays, this year... she'd practically not noticed it was holiday season until Pepper had said something.

This place could really mess with your head.

Making a potluck in someone else's house was a bit nerve-wracking, so she'd spent a considerable amount of time yesterday just setting up for the feast, and what she considered Thanksgiving Essentials. She'll be handling the turkey and stuffing, and set some yams on boil just in case they don't get sufficient sides - she can always drizzle brown sugar and maple syrup over them if the other side dishes prove insufficient. (Also, peeling and slicing yams is something she can safely entrust to accomplices, should she not be able to get rid of all of them. Also, rolling those fake crescent rolls? Yeah, that could be a job for someone else.)

Most importantly though, she will be handling the pies. Mississippi Mud Pie, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and apple pie, to be precise. Do not attempt to steal the pie before it's time. It will not go well for you.

During most of the meet and greet, she'll be found with an apron covering her outfit in the kitchen, evaluating what's brought to the table and tweaking it if necessary... and also shooing people out. Go! Mingle! Look, there is cheese and crackers.

After dinner is successfully put on the table (she will need to find someone to carve the turkey, she is nervous about that turkey, no one meal should depend so entirely on one thing), and dinner is eaten, Rogue is planning on just quietly relaxing and interacting with a few people. She may even find her way into a peaceful corner with a glass of cider. Feel free to interrupt and interact at any time!

[widows_kiss]

Natasha peeks her head in the kitchen, taking a moment to savor the scents that make a pleasant mix in the air. It's easy to see that Rogue has pretty much the entire process seemingly under control, but preparing a feast for this many people seems like a daunting task, especially to Natasha.

"Hey," she speaks in greeting, a smile flitting across her lips. "It smells amazing in here. I'm impressed. Do you need another set of hands for anything or would you rather I just stay out from underfoot?"

[handing]

When Rogue had arrived Pepper was already up and dressed, eager to get everything started. She smiled brightly when she opened the door to let the woman in.

"Great, you're here." Pepper was playing host but Rogue would be the star of the day, responsible for the bulk of the behind the scenes work. Honestly, the arrangement had sort of saved Pepper, who really had no idea what she'd been getting herself into. "Do you need help carrying anything, or unpacking?"

[alloys]

Do not attempt to steal the pie prematurely? Challenge accepted.

Tony walked casually into the kitchen - this is his house, after all - hoping to go entirely unnoticed picking up one of the Mississippi Mud Pies while Rogue's back was turned.

[revoltndevelopment]

He's never been much for baking, working a grill is much more his style. But Thangsgiving means a family style dinner and dinner means dessert- milkshakes aretn't something one made for thanksgiving. For most of the fifth floor today will be down in the village. Leaving little Loki all on his own. It didn't quite sit right with Ben, so he figures bringing him along wouldn't be so bad. Besides. He's a kid that's been through a rough time. Most of the morning is spent putting together the first pie that catches Loki's eye. Pumpkin spice. Ben adds a little maple to the mix, a bit of brown sugar on the top to keep it nice and crisp. It makes a mess in the fifth floor's kitchen but it is been worth it to hear Loki smile and laugh about the end result. Something to be proud of, that pie. Well. Pies. Ben tends t'make food in bulk. A few extra, some small bits of the filling saved for milkshakes later. He cleans up as best he can and recommends Loki change into something clean. Then it's time to pack up the pies and walk them both down to the party, hands full and a rocky grin on his face. He'll be around the kitchen long enough to deliver the pies- and then wherever there's room for him without bothering anyone else.

[not_a_troll]

There has been one maiden telling him about this feast. It was one of food. And being thankful for loved ones are sharing said food with them. The library referred to Thanksgiving as a feast hailing from a small variety of countries on Midgard.

It seems that it didn't require a costume. But when Ben tells him to put on clean clothes he will not pass the great opportunity to dress for the occasion. So when he reappears he is wearing checkered pants and a sweater that is a couple of sizes too big for him. And a pilgrim hat. Because Thanksgiving was about Pilgrim-Midgardians and they wore hats. That sentiment is important and Loki really feels like conveying such a sentiment through said hat.

"Ben of great pie's, I am ready to attend the great feast of Thanksgiving."

[widows_kiss]

With the food out and being served and her guard duty officially over for the time being, Natasha pauses on the way to the serving table to brush a hand against his arm with a warm smile.

"Hello, Ben."

[handing]

Pepper had been a little prepared for Ben's unique appearance; she'd spoken to him over the journals, which gave her an idea of what he looked like. Still, seeing it in person is something quite different--but then, so many things are in Luceti.

The most important thing is that he's a guest and a kind person, so Pepper's smile is warm when she goes over. "Hello, Ben. I'm glad you could make it."

[widows_kiss]

Natasha shows up with Coulson and Clint in tow, her hands supporting a basket full of cornbread muffins to go with the dinner. Between her and Coulson, they even got Clint to dress up a little and she didn't waste the opportunity to dress up a little herself.

She gets the basket settled with the rest of the food being set out, peeks her head in the kitchen to see if Rogue could use another set of hands, and generally spends the early portion of the time wandering around and socializing as people show up.

[halfnhalf]

... Oh my God.

Billy had practically spazzed about how Black Widow was here, hanging out in their kitchen like she belonged there, and she certainly did, but Black Widow.

Teddy never got to see her himself (which didn't surprise him, she definitely could put 007 to shame), but now, here she is. And he finds himself staring for a few seconds before he shakes his head, takes in a breath to calm his inner fanboy down, then approaches with a smile.

"Uh, hi." He says, not even wincing from his blunder despite him wanting to. "You're... Black Widow? Billy told me you were here."

[handing]

Mingling is indeed the main activity before dinner starts, and Pepper makes sure to greet everyone. It's part and parcel to keeping people out of the kitchen, or at the very least, limiting the number of them in there at once.

"Good afternoon, Natasha. You look lovely."

[selfhelp]

Billy will be arriving reasonably on time and probably with Teddy (and/or Tommy) - or not far apart from each others' arrival, at the very least - bearing an enormous bowl of salad because even magic can't save him in the kitchen most days. He'll never turn away an opportunity to look fancy, so he can be found in a dress shirt, slacks, and a simple dark grey vest- just nice enough not to look out of place. The kitchen seems to be covered for help - and, as mentioned, he really should steer clear - so he sticks to socializing and general clean-up, making sure no potted plants are being assaulted by coats, and after the meal, that everything is cleaned and put away. Just doing his job!

He'll probably be attached at the hip to Teddy at least half the time, and stupidly happy for all of it- moreso than someone ought to be on a simple holiday gathering, anyway. Don't be surprised if you find him smiling at nothing at all.

He also might try to bully someone into letting him have a drink, because what else are big gatherings for than breaking the rules where no one will notice?

[not_a_troll]

Loki has arrived together with Ben, but he is not one for hanging around at one spot for a long time. And he hasn't been rather helpful either after everyone has feasted upon the gratious amount of food.

He is stalking through the room, sipping on something twelve year olds should not be having and he is not really sure he likes it either. It is sweet allright, but it leaves a stingy aftertaste. A bit like mead but different.

When he notices Billy he waves, grinning from ear to ear.

"Billy! How could I have missed you during the feast of great eating?"

[lorentzian]

Jane shows up late. Mostly because she hasn't celebrated Thanksgiving in a really long time -- at least, not formally.

She has no family to celebrate it with, after all. Not that she'll mention that.

So, hey, going to look for familiar faces once she's here, because it's easier. Leave it to Pepper to set something like this up -- the woman was the Master Planner of all things that might normally be chaos. Jane couldn't help but feel a sense of appreciation for the other woman at the relative lavishness of the set up - and the number of people in attendance. Happy Thanksgiving, indeed.

Still, Billy is a welcome sight when she spots him. He seems ... in unusually good spirits. Which is not a bad thing. Necessarily.

"Billy, hey."

Jane is dressed nice - for Jane, anyway. Which is nice slacks and a nicer than usual shirt, because she doesn't actually own a dress.

[halfnhalf]

Teddy arrives with Billy (and/or Tommy), carrying two plates in both hands. Once he's inside, he makes a beeline for the kitchen, saying something to the ones occupying it about needing to heat up one of the dishes before holing himself in there for a few minutes. Looks like he's gotten to be a better cook, having to primarily cook for himself and Billy.

Once he's out again, he sets the plates on the table and uncovers them to reveal his boyfriend's favorite food, pierogies. The one he had to heat up, the one for the meal itself, is filled with mashed potatoes, cheddar cheese and a hint of sausage, while the other, made for dessert, has mashed apples, sweet cheese, and a bit of cinnamon sugar, both inside the dough and covering the top. He's rather proud, if a little nervous about how people like it, but he's mostly just happy to actually be able to participate in this.

Teddy himself is dressed similar to Billy: dress shirt, khakis, and a nice blue vest to match. He'll be socializing, catching up with new and old, and helping with cleaning or cooking or whatever else he can, all too happy to do so. In fact, he looks a little too happy for a holiday gathering, and he'll be staying close to Billy most of the time. He will, at least, try not to touch his boyfriend too much, but who knows how long that will last?

[touchofrogue]

[Bringing things in to the kitchen? They must pass muster. Rogue glances up to him from where she's busy over the stove.]

Hey, Teddy. Whatcha got there?

because it had to be done

[selfhelp]

Some time in the evening, well after dessert, Billy's had enough of socializing for the moment and goes hunting for his boyfriend. Finding him temporarily unoccupied, he sneaks up behind the blond boy, winding slim arms around his waist and burying his face against his neck. Hiiiiii, BF.

"Are you busy?" he murmurs, fingers laced together over Teddy's stomach, tugging him back a bit meaningfully. Far be it for him to drag Teddy away from good company or another slice of pie, but... well. There's other things they could be doing, and he feels just lightheaded and fuzzy enough to demand it now rather than later.

[asthehawkflies]

He's spent enough time in Eastern Europe to recognise pierogies and to know that he likes them. Good, filling food, great for eating on cold rooftops in the middle of Russian winter. Yeah, the food was the one bright point in that whole ordeal. He'd thought his fingers were gonna drop off. Good thing he'd been using a rifle and not his bow that time.

He puts a few on his plate and tucks in before turning to Teddy.

"These yours? They're great."

[asthehawkflies]

Clint arrives alongside Natasha and Coulson, and he's actually cleaned up nicely, wearing a white shirt and waistcoat, and carrying a covered bow of pigs in blankets, sausages wrapped in bacon, because what is better than meat wrapped in other meat? He'd brought a bottle of wine too, and heads first into the kitchen to give his regards to the chef and set down his offerings.

He'll be wandering around, socialising and helping out where he's needed, not averse to fetching people drinks as they arrive. Mainly he's happy just to drink in the atmosphere. Thanksgiving is normally takeout, assuming he's even in the country for it, rather than working. It's kind of nice.

[touchofrogue]

[...and just what did you bring, Clint?]

Hey! Whatcha got there?

[theboywiththebook]

Henry had been invited by Pepper for the fact that he would've been alone on Thanksgiving. In any case, Henry had brought a pumpkin pie from the bakery for people the potluck. Because a ten year old using a stove and making food? That seemed very unlikely. He did seem very tired however. If only because he had another nightmare and stayed up most of the night drinking coffee.

Henry was just in a simple blue dress shirt and jeans. Since he didn't know too many people here, Henry would be wandering around the party. But, the more he looked, the more he began to realize just how ...interesting Luceti was. It took him a couple of times but he was beginning to recognize people from his comic books, if only some of them.

[handing]

"Henry! You made it." Pepper's smile is bright as she greets the boy, holding the door open for him to come in. She doesn't skip a beat when she sees the pie he's carrying, although she knows there are already several more. "Come in. Let me show you where to put that."

[wildbluevagner]

He deliberated with himself. But ultimately Kurt decided that even with the people from home, one person whom he considered family, and people who already knew his real form from his previous stay, he was going to have his image inducer turned on for the feast. He pays little mind to it with how excited he is; Kurt is all over this Thanksgiving business. So much that he actually does prepare some dishes himself, bringing the sauerkraut (he thought it would be expected from the German guy) and chunky cranberries. Not the most professionally prepared, but hey, they were made with love.

During the festivities, Kurt is both angel and demon. He is most likely to lead the others in prayer when the feast begins... and possibly the one to insist they stop to pray before eating, spit that out Tony. But before the festivities begin, he's sneaky as can be, trying to snatch some samples while waiting in agonizing hunger for that turkey. He'll try to snatch himself a beer or two as well. And as the festivities tie down and the turkey has been stripped bare, Kurt Wagner spends some time on the couch in an food coma. Don't trip over the invisible tail.

[touchofrogue]

More people, more desserts than food... fortunately, they still have some time to prepare. This was why she wanted Kurt to come with her. "Hey, Kurt! BAMF over ta the grocery store an' get me some butternut squash and string beans, would ya?"

[curiositykills]

Jason was used to parties filled with people that he didn't know—it was kind of a thing that happened when you were one of Bruce Wayne's wards. Things were made a little easier by the fact that Robin was around, too, but he still decided early on that he wasn't going to stay too long. It just felt weird when he didn't have to be there.

Despite this, though, Jason is polite! And friendly! He even made an effort to dress up a little nicer. He'd find the nice lady who invited them and make sure to thank her, compliment the food, say hey to the few he did know (and get to know the ones he didn't—this was part of why he decided to come, after all), even thank everyone just for letting them hang around. He's pretty amicable for a kid who didn't even plan to stay the whole evening, but his gratitude is genuine.

[touchofrogue]

Rogue was in the kitchen, getting things set up. She didn't know if the Robin she knew was gonna show up, or that he'd be bringing a guest-- but for Jubilee's sake, inviting him was absolutely the right thing to do.

So if and when Jason pops his head into the kitchen during the pre-party socializing, Rogue will glance up, "Hey."

[alloys]

Tony brought cereal. It's tradition. Of course, the physical presence of such characters as Count Chocula, Captain Crunch and the Cookie Crisp wizard on the table is in constant fluctuation as Pepper doesn't exactly deem breakfast cereal an appropriate Thanksgiving dish. But he'll do his damnedest to surreptitiously keep replacing them. It is his solemn, self-appointed duty.

Aside from that, he won't be in the kitchen much at all (except to mooch), instead falling comfortably into a familiar position of group socializing, never going long between conversations, whether it be with a glass of whiskey in hand before or after dinner, or during the dinner itself (where he'll have the usual Thanksgiving staples - and yes, a bowl of cereal). He's always got something to say, and this is a scene he's had to play many a time before. Even if this event was an extra weird one. It was strange, having everyone from their interrelated worlds over like this, teammates, allies, friends, parents - they hadn't had such a get-together since that meeting in the summer. A lot had changed since then, and this was very different from that occasion.

This was - you know. Something about gratitude, blah-blah friends and family, being thankful for the big and small things. Not his typical rap, but he supposed there was validity in that. Not that he'll be giving a dinner table speech, but he'd quietly appreciate this. If nothing else, for its relative normalcy. For once, he didn't mind a bit of normal.

Well. As normal as a Thanksgiving dinner full of superheroes can be, in any case.

[wildbluevagner]

There will come a filled ladle, hovering precariously over Tony's bowl of cereal, in the hands of smugly smirking teen mutant.

"Gravy?"

for Logan and Ororo

[snikting]

Even though Rogue was running the shebang, two of the X-Men weren't exactly there from zero hour to help out. Naturally these were the two old fogies, Logan and Ororo. They're not late at least, though Logan certainly dragged his feet on it. If it weren't for her condition, he'd have just ditched the party like he did back home. He also didn't bother to dress up at all. He did at least shower. Yesterday. In terms of culinary contributions, Logan has been around long enough that he can do some mighty fine grilling. But eventually he was convinced that steaks and ribs weren't exactly traditional Thanksgiving food.

He and Ororo arrive on time. For Logan's part, he looked his normal self. Black leather jacket, wide-brimmed cowboy hat, and a pair of jeans he'd only started wearing Wednesday. His 'date', the taller Ororo, was the looker of the two. She managed to dress up nice, though her arm was still in a sling. Peril of going on a mission with guns.

Thus his contribution is two fold. He brings a case of beers and a few bottles of wine. The fact that there are kids at the party is not something he considers a problem. If he's going to be stuck here, the very least he can do is be for it. His other contribution is a brief moment in the kitchen where he disinfects one of his claws so he can carve the turkey. When your claws can cut through metal like tissue, it only makes sense that you save everyone else the trouble of messing with a turkey and a knife.

For Logan and Ororo, they will only be sticking around until dinner is over and just a small bit after. Ororo wants to check in on an injured Mia back at the house and Logan... well, Logan will take any excuse to avoid social gatherings like these.

((Note: Put in your subject header if you want Logan or Ororo. Do note Ororo's mun is on a small hiatus until Sunday, though!))

Logan

[revoltndevelopment]

Now that was a familiar figure escort'n an equally familiar figure. Ben couldn't quite help the gruff amusement in his voice when he sidled up to Logan and cracks a beer. "Nice threads, Runt."

[arcinvent]

Howard brought milk. Because he learned that last year Tony brought cereal. And what good is cereal without any milk right?

But ok he did actually bring other things. Like wine. He can't cook for anything and he isn't going to try to make something that isn't edible in the slightest. So instead he'll hand-pick some good quality wine and brought it to the dinner. And hey, he's actually going to share it.

As far as socializing goes...well he'll be walking around to talk to people as much as he can. He admits he doesn't know how to feel about the whole "superhero dinner" considering that the only hero he knows may or may not be coming. Well, there is Tony. But Tony is Tony and it is very complicated despite their talk some time ago about it. But he will actively look to talk to others and not seem awkward about being in a place with people who are years ahead of him. He's gotten over that for the most part, but being reminded of it didn't always help.

[handing]

Pepper had not been please every time she went by the table only to see Tony had put out another box of cereal. She was about ready to put a lock on the cabinet, when she saw Howard setting out milk next to it.

Milk for the cereal. It was oddly sweet, in the Stark sort of way. Too bad Pepper was leaning closer to the side of wanting to throttle them for it.

"Please tell me you're not serious." Except she already knew he was.