lucetilogs | Generic Winter Gift Giving Holiday

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Generic Winter Gift Giving Holiday

Who: Marvel cast+invited guests and dates
What: CH5 Floor 5 hosts Generic Winter Gift Giving Holiday, in the spirit of cooperation, inclusiveness and good food.
When: December 25th
Where: Community House 5, Floor 5
Summary: Pepper and Tony held Thanksgiving, now it is Floor 5's collective turn to host the party for Christmas/Hanukkah/Yule/whatever those crazy Midgarians celebrate anyway. Hopefully everyone will survive.
Rating: PG-13 because alcohol

[It seemed only fair that since Pepper and Tony had hosted the last holiday, that someone else host this time. And since they kind of had an entire floor, the inhabitants of Floor 5 had bravely and nobly taken the task upon themselves to create a party that they could all share.

The doors are propped open to try to give them enough space for mingling, with a Christmas tree set up in Clint's living room, presents laid out beneath it. And maybe he's been a bit enthusiastic with the decorating, because it's kind of weighted down with tinsel and baubles, but it's been more than twenty years since he last had a Christmas tree and people to spend it with. Everyone else has added their own personal touches too, with a menorah in the windowsill for Ben and Billy.

The place of honour on the couch is taken by Coulson, wrapped up in blankets and Clint has helpfully hung a sprig of mistletoe over his head with string because he is thoughtful like that.

The kitchen is laid out with food; there's the traditional turkey which they'd managed to prepare (Clint is rather proud of that), and a ham. Oddly for some perhaps, there's also a large fish in the middle of the table, the carp that Clint and Natasha have spent the last week keeping in a bathtub. There are, of course, assorted cakes and pies, vegetables in bowls. There's drinks too, mulled wine and hot cider and chocolate. There's also a plate of sugar cookies labelled 'Coercion Cookies'. Not to mention the food that Ben and Billy made which he doesn't know the names of but smells amazing anyway.

It's a somewhat chaotic affair; people arriving and leaving as they please, gifts given out whenever it seems appropriate and games played whenever there's a group big enough.]

[OOC: Feel free to have people drop by whenever they like, even early if they want to help prepare or discover large fish in the bathtub.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Why not? I'm rather fond of my sweet tooth.

Well. He could try.

[He gives a soft snort at that, giving her a fond look.]

One thing we aren't short of right now is candy.

Obviously we should combine his two favourite things. Paperwork and Captain America.

This is the only reason I celebrate Christmas. And Halloween. And Easter.

[Her lips twitch at this.]

It's probably a good thing I bought him a Captain America coloring book then.

I'm sure we can find a few more holidays that would let you indulge.

[he stares for a moment before snickering softly.]

Oh, I have to be there when he opens it.

You do spoil me.

[She grins, impish and unrepentant, because it had been sheer luck that she'd found it, and for a moment, she hadn't believed it possible. But she hadn't been able to pass that up.]

We should open ours up later tonight, then. Maybe once the crowd thins out.

Yeah well, I figure you have to have some perks for dealing with me.

[He nods at the suggestion, because that does sound nice.]

Yeah, we should do that.

[She nudges his shoulder again, her gaze lingering on his face as she glances over at him.]

The dealing's usually mutual. So spill. Did something other than just the unexpected crowd drive you out here?

Just... got a few things on my mind.

[He shakes his head, wishing he could forget the things that Loki had told him about that thing in the darkness.]

I'm getting way too comfortable here. Getting attached to people.

[She digests that information with a faint dip of her head, her eyes on the stars overhead.]

Getting attached isn't always a bad thing.

It can't last. Someone'll die or disappear.

Or they'll be used against us. Me. That's how things work.

You can say that about any attachment. Me. Coulson. Anyone on the team. Sometimes those attachments are worth the risk.

[She glances over at him finally, her expression still. Thoughtful.] We have risky lives, Clint. It's part of what we are. It's a lonely existence if your fear keeps you solitary.

And you are so worth the risk.

[There's nothing but honesty in his voice.]

It's been that way for a long time. You're much better at being sociable than I am. And less afraid.

I'm just better at pretending sometimes. [She nudges her shoulder against his.] I'm no less afraid at times. I know how much it hurts, to lose. But I also know there are people in my life that are worth that risk. [She reaches out, ruffling her fingers through his hair because his name's been at the top of that list for years now.]

[He smiles at her, ducking his head when she ruffles his hair. And yeah, she knows all this. She's always known it.]

I'm being ridiculous. I just... there's a room full of people out there, most of them I've known a couple of months at most, and I'd still let them watch my back. I'd still put myself in danger for them, not for a mission.

That's because this place seems to have an eye for extraordinary individuals. That and... this isn't like home, Clint. We're all trapped in this together. That changes the lines we might draw normally, or erases them entirely.

[She gives him a fond smile and leans over to brush a kiss against his cheek.] You're brooding. And on Christmas. Clearly you haven't had enough alcohol yet. Come back inside and celebrate with your new friends, and just be thankful for each moment you spend with them. Don't dwell on the 'what ifs' and 'maybes' that exist past that.

I guess it boils down to Luceti problems are not Earth problems. New set of rules.

I am brooding [he agrees with a small smile.]

And how can I resist a request from a lady as beautiful as yourself?

There's always a new set of rules lurking somewhere. [She straightens and gives him a tug, pulling him back in out of the window.] And you are. I'm pretty sure that's breaking a Christmas rule somewhere, actually. Didn't you tell me that once? Aren't you fortunate I have such a good memory.

And a selective one, because if you're going to pull out the flattery now, I'm going to have to start being paranoid about what you're plotting, Barton.

[He lets himself be pulled back inside and leans over to tug the window closed just in case anyone is dumb enough to think it's a good idea to sit on the ledge with their legs dangling over the side, seriously who does that?]

I think I might have. It came right between 'Mistletoe and Fury don't mix' and 'If you're going to spike the eggnog it had better be damn good booze'.

[He smiles at her, a lazy grin.]

Now what would make you think I was plotting?

Don't ever put Fury and mistletoe in the same sentence again, you'll give me nightmares. [She laughs and twines an arm about his waist, tugging him towards the door once more.]

And that would be because I know that look all too well. You're up to something, Barton.

Deal. I think I've scared myself.

[He slides an arm around her too, easy and comfortable.]

I would be remiss in my duties if I wasn't, Romanoff.

I don't recall that being one of your duties. I thought we just shucked you somewhere up high and told you to shoot things.

Oh well, if you follow the letter of my contract, sure. But what can I say? I like to extrapolate, use my initiative.

Wow, and he pulls out the big words to boot. And here I thought you slept through all of Sitwell's stirring pep talks.

That's just what I wanted people to think. It really throws them when I can recite their last five sentences back at them.

[She laughs at that, her head falling to his shoulder, a fond grin on her lips.] You always did make him sputter when you did that. And the one time you did it to Fury was priceless.

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