6071/Because Reasons.

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Because Reasons.
Date of Scene: 30 December 2018
Location: Unknown
Synopsis: Summary needed
Cast of Characters: Darcy Lewis, Hawkeye (Barton), Melinda May, Quake, Captain America, War Machine, Wasp (van Dyne)




Darcy Lewis has posed:
Having overheard only a little of the conversation between Skye and May, Darcy had given Skye a quick side hug before walking away with a plate of potstickers. A half dozen of the noms later, the brunette has a plan.

It's not completely a good plan, but that is not a deterent. A plan is a plan, and when Darcy has a plan it is an awesome plan regardless of it being a good one or not. The plan involves calling Clint and telling him she would be letting herself into his and Skye's apartment in the Triskelion at sixteen hundred hours, and that he is to bring Skye in at exactly eighteen hundred. There would be no questions.

May was texted next: -Skye needs froufrou and chill. Bring beer and friends? her place. 1750. KTHXBAI.-

And by a quarter to six o'clock, Darcy had Skye's apartment decked out for EPIC GAME NIGHT. Board games and snacks and the dishes all washed and put away (minus what Darcy was using for the chips and the pretzels and the dip). The electric kettle Darcy keeps in her office for May is over, sitting on the counter happily keeping water hot while a ceramic tea pot steeps a delicate jasmine herbal.

Everything was ready for people to arrive.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Clint had been down on the range when he got the call, giving a slightly perplexed. "Uh, sure?" when he was told Darcy was going to be letting herself to set up a party. It was Darcy, it was best not to question these things.

So at around six fifty-five, Clint limps his way into the apartment, bow case slung over a shoulder.

He stops in the doorway. "Wow," he says surveying Darcy's work with stunned expression. "Someone went all out," he sets down his case gingerly and asks, "What can a gimpy legged archer do to help?"

Melinda May has posed:
Darcy's text to May received a typically terse reply: -Acknowledged.-

Another text is sent out almost in the same moment, to Captain Rogers. -Agent Johnson's quarters, 1745. Socialization.-

At quarter til, because May is always a bit early to scheduled things, she arrives and lets herself in just like Darcy did, and after setting the already chilled and clearly unusual microbrew beer in with everything else for this gathering, she promptly starts helping Darcy with any finishing touches.

When Clint gets home, she calls out from where she COOKING potstickers and slapping Darcy's hands away, "Go get cleaned up."

Quake has posed:
Skye, for her part, was deep in the depths of too many complex problems. Her life was being turned upside down, and she was facing the fact that someone she counted as a friend and colleague might be too far gone to save.. and then there was the whole who the hell am I and what the fuck is it I can do.

Captain America has posed:
Nothing to do on Steve's docket tonight. The text was a welcome thing, pinging on his phone even as he was shuffling the rest of the papework away into his desk. Thus, he excuses himself from the Triskelion's campus on a quick errand on his motorcycle and returns with two carriers of more beer, one a light citrus white pale ale and the other most definitely something more frou-frou, a tart cherry wanna-be set of bottles. He knocks and then opens the door, poking his head in first.

"It's Steve," he calls out at a respectful volume, already hearing the murmur of voices. The Captain does let himself in and sets aside the two carriers of beer in order to shuck his brown bomber jacket. In a simple navy-blue t-shirt and jeans, he walks towards the kitchen. "I heard there was socializing?" It's a question for anyone to answer.

Darcy Lewis has posed:
Hands slapped, Darcy sticks her tongue out at May. "See if I brew you tea again!" A hollow threat and they both know it. Turning to depart the kitchen happens just as Steve walks in and he and CLint are talking..

"Hey!" Darcy greets, smiling brightly. "Yeah, Clint. There are gift baggies on the table. Make sure I counted right?" Darcy calls out while smiling at Steve and reaching for one of hte beers.

"Yup! We're havign a late Christmas Party," she chirps brightly before leaning in and lowering her voice. "It's also a pick-me-up-for-Skye." That done, and hopefully with beer in hand, Darcy turns to get the froufrou Steve brought into the ice chest.

"And where's Shitcode?!" Darcy calls out to Clint as she stocks the cooler. "Because we have the froufrouiest of the froufrou and I'm tempted to drink it ALL if she don't show her mug!"

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Clint grins back, "Hey Darce," before looking at the gift bags, "Sure, but how many are coming?" he asks already peeking inside to see what's there.

It's a quick look before he's waving to Steve and May. "Hey, make yourself at home. May you know where things are, Steve, grab a seat, and we'll get you a beer or something."

As for where Skye was, "She's on the way, don't worry, she's not going to miss this."

Quake has posed:
Despite Clint's assurances, Skye was *totally* trying to avoid all this, except for the fact it was happening in her place. That, and she'd actually tried to get into the Christmas spirit, even if the whole Bucky/Steve, Skye destroys a forest thing hadn't happened.

Eventually, though, she's got to face living in the break room, or going home. So... home it is.

Skye arrives without fanfare, pausing in the doorway to her quarters to see what damage her friends have done in the name of Christmas spirit.

Melinda May has posed:
May seems oh so worried at Darcy's words. Besides the gift baggies on the table, May brought a few other (seemingly tiny) wrapped items, but she's kept them on her person for now. She finishes cooking the last of the potstickers as Darcy's pointing out the gifts, and she steps out of the kitchen to join the others. She fills a cup from the jasmine tea for herself along the way.

That's about when Skye arrives and she nods hello but doesn't otherwise accost the hacker before leaning against a doorframe to watch everyone.

Captain America has posed:
Darcy only barely doesn't get a 'Language!' from the Captain -- only barely. He allows the beer to be taken from his hands and simply gives her a mildly reproving lift of brows.

"Looks like the kitchen is full of cooks, so I'll bow out of here," he replies to Clint and the occupants of the room as a whole before finding a chair at the kitchen table. He pulls it out and settles in, resting an arm along the surface and slinging the other over the back of the chair as he rotates it outwards at an angle. He looks towards the door upon hearing it open again and a small smile is on his face for Skye to see right off the bat. By the softer lines about his eyes, he clearly understands the feeling of wanting to be elsewhere.

"Party's just getting going," he says to the arrival and lifts a hand towards the kitchen, with its collection of scents and beers on display. "Blame May, she texted me." A tilt of his head towards the Director.

Quake has posed:
Skye is grateful for the kitchen full of cooks. She's also gotten a few small gifts for folks, but they're in the bedroom. Yes, there is a tree, but it is nearly barren, and there aren't presents underneath it yet. It seems Clint and Skye have missed part of the whole idea of the holidays. But hey, they have a tree, right?

Darcy Lewis has posed:
"I brought thinking of you and May and Shit and Cap and a couple of random becuase I wasn't sure. And so help me if I catch you peeking in, I will find a circus poster of yours and put it up in the front lobby. You know I will!" Darcy is shouting at the ice chest as the last of the froufrou is put in. This done, Darcy stands and rolls her head before turning to the living room. She spots Skye and with a girlie squeel of happiness, Darcy bounces her way over and tosses her arms about Skye's shoulders to pull her in for a hug.

"SHITCODE!!" she chirps as she hugs Skye. The word doesn't even seem to register as cursing. Not when it's a NAME.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
There is indeed a tree. It's a little Charlie Brown tree, but it's a tree. and most of the decorations are purple ribbon and arrow heads but it's there.

"Wow, low blow Darce," he says. "Besides I am pretty sure I had all of those burned. My old costume..." he hand wobbles at the thought.

He grins to Skye then and wraps her in a hug kissing the top of her head. "Heya, Keyboard," he says before releasing her to Darcy's tender mercies and he heads into the kitchen for a beer. "So what's for dinner?" he asks the cooks.

Melinda May has posed:
"Dinner first, then presents." May sets her tea down and quickly moves all of the gift baggies to under the mostly bare tree, and in the process slips the small gifts she'd brought along under there as well. Maybe someone sharp-eyed might notice her doing so, but then she's not really trying to be subtle about it.

"Everyone sit, please." Of course, Rogers is already seated.

May heads back into the kitchen to start carrying out what are clearly take out containers from an Asian restaurant.

Quake has posed:
Skye gives Darcy a hug. A careful one - she's still got those arm fractures - but it's a hug. When may tells everyone to sit and eat, Skye obeys, if only because she's hungry, and May puts on a good spread.

"Everyone came," she says with a grin. An amazed grin. "I thought we'd missed this, with.. you know.. what happened." Surprisingly, she doens't sound upset that everyone is there and theyr'e celebrating Christmas.

War Machine has posed:
     "Yeah, everyone." Rhodes comments leaning on the doorway. Was it closed before? Was it open? Who can really tell but it's not closed anymore if it was before.

     "I mean sure NOW it's everyone." Rhodes has a small pile of gifts in his hand and a little helper bundled up in far too much clothing to be comfortable to the point she's waddling barely able to move.

     For her part Lila, Rhodes Niece is carrying a sizeable stack for such a little thing. She warbles slightly almost falling over before catching her balance each and every time just a moment shy of hitting the ground.

     "So, I already miss Barton passing out in the punch bowl or am I still in time for the show?" A smile on his face. Rhodes dressed up in that fancy officers dress uniform signifying he's just come right from yet another military event. "Got no idea how long the brass can carry on for."

Captain America has posed:
To get up or not? Steve looks between May and the others and decides, given his announced status, he'll continue sitting. Besides, that food smells good and his metabolism is clamoring for more calories. He gives the contents beneath the tree a forlorn side-glance and rubs at his forehead briefly before muttering to May as she's returning with containers,

"I'll have to owe you all gifts. Wasn't thinking at all." One guess as to what's been consuming his mind lately. At least the bruises on his throat faded within a day. The new voice at the door makes him look over and then grin. "Rhodey." That's enough to entice Steve to leave his seat and walk over to see if he can help Lila better balance her armful. "Days if you let them," he quips in regards to the chitchat of the brass. "C'mon in."

Quake has posed:
Skye gives Steve a grin. "Ah, don't worry yourself about gifts."

She's got one for him, even if it probably is more generic than personal, but truth is, Skye is still learning the ins and outs of this holiday, and folks not showing up with a gift is alright in her books. She's still a titch embarrassed by the whole gifitng idea, let alone the holidays.

She gives him a quick kiss on the cheek, fills a plate with food, and finds a corner of couch to sit on.

Darcy Lewis has posed:
"I have my ways, Hotpants," Darcy fires back at the archer from Skye's embrace. With the party underway and foodstuffs announced as ready, Darcy ooohs and heads to the potstickers. Fresh, homemade, could things be better?

"Hey! Rhodey! And Lila! My favorite little bugger!" she quips, setting her platedown to oh! Nevermind. Cap's got the unbalanced gift tower. Plate recollected, Darcy moves to drop herself to Skye's side, pressing thigh to thigh.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
"I don't doubt it," Clint fires back to Darcy before May calls them all to sit. Clint obeys, grabbing some food and heading to a spot on the sofa, only to pause midway when Rhodey, makes an entrance. "Hey Rhodes, Short-stuff, come on in, and no, saving the passing out in the punchbowl until after dinner thank you very much, I've reformed."

"What Skye, said," Clint says to Steve as he sets down his plate and then moves to help bring Rhodey's gifts to the tree, while he adds, "Though if you're making moves on my girl..." he teases with a shake of his head.

Melinda May has posed:
May makes sure everyone gets a plate, and most especially keeps Darcy from claiming ALL of the potstickers for herself. She waves hello to Rhodes and Lila when they arrive, and as they already have plenty of help getting their gifts to the tree, she doesn't move to assist. Instead she serves up plates for the two newcomers and then finally for herself.

There's one extra potsticker left, so on her way by to claim a seat, she sets it on Skye's plate.

"Thank you for joining us, Rhodes. I know it was short notice."

Captain America has posed:
A light blush touches the tips of Steve's ears after that peck to his cheek and once the initial surprise fades, he then laughs softly to himself, giving a little tucked-chin shake of his head. However, he's got enough pluck to shoot Clint a little curl of a grin and a reply to him. "Wouldn't dream of it, Barton."

He steers himself over to the tree to help deposit his portion of the gifts brought by Lila and murmurs to her, "Good to see you're doing well, kiddo." He returns to his previously-claimed seat at the table and thanks May in passing before digging in -- before his stomach announces its empty state further!

War Machine has posed:
     Lila doesn't say anything, the young girl just sort of quietly blushes as Captain Rogers manages to help re-balance the towering stack of gifts. She's clearly as much the quiet type as ever. Then again the poor girl's barely said more then four words since last years 'situation'. However once her own stack of gifts is sat down she does give a bit of a silent cautious wave.

     Rhodes sets down his own stack of gifts making sure to group them out by people who they're for with several holding the tag To: Whoever Wants It From: Santa Rhodes, and his Elf. The gift placement goes much faster with Clint's help.

     "It's a Christmas miracle. Next thing you know you'll be telling me you stopped swinging in smashing through perfectly good windows." A smirk crosses his face as James takes his time making sure that those mystery gifts are off in their own little corner. "Had to move a few things round on the calendar but I wanted to make sure I wouldn't miss a thing."

     "Got a little game planned for the ones with the Chinese Knockoff Santa's Avengers wrapping paper." He motions with his hand to them. "Figured it'd be good for a laugh if I made sure every good had an evil twin."Shortly after the sharp dressed man leans back up to a bit of a stand giving a quick handshake to Barton should he accept.

Darcy Lewis has posed:
"MAY! Oh My God!" Darcy calls out around a mouthful of potsticker as May is breezing past. The words are followed by an almost completely NSFW type of moan. "In my mouth, I swear to Zombie Jesus," she adds, as if classifying something for the woman. She leans to Skye while her eyes trail to the placing of more gifts under the tree. It's not a lean to talk to her, just one to press her shoulder into her friend, a wordless offering of it to be leaned upon.

"Joyous Festivus, everyone! As host, I am now opening hte floor for the Airing of Grievances, after which we will exchange White Elephant gifts and whatever else got brought in before hte Games of Skill and Chance are played. Remember, one of you have to challenge and defeat me in a wrestling match or the party never ends." Because,.... that's how these things work! Welcome to a Darcy Little Christmas.

Quake has posed:
For Skye, so many of the little details are lost on her, but they draw her out of her funk, and her introspection. "Wait, Festivus, is that the one why we have that broomstick in the corner?" Sure, Skye had understood the tree. Had even decorated the thing with Clint. But the stick, when it arrived, had made no sense to her.

May gets a small nod of thanks at the extra posticker, Skye popping that sucker into her mouth and making quick work of dispensing with it.

Wasp (van Dyne) has posed:
There's a little buzzing of wings. It's just enough to barely be heard over the din of fun and happiness, celebration in the air. Abruptly, out of *nowhere*, a five-foot-something socialite appears with a semblance of wings vanishing behind her. She's of course wearing holiday apparel-- little green elfie booties, a red skirt with white trim that's perilously close to scandal, and a sleeveless halter top with similar holiday cheer. Oh, and a stocking cap.

"Merry Christmas!" Santa himself could have shown up with less fanfare. Nope-- Janet throws some disintegrating silver glitter into the air. It's at least the sort that'll naturally decompose in an hour or so. Santa is an amateur.

"I come bearing Yuletide cheer, and gifts!" she declares. Janet doesn't bother to introduce herself-- the socialite clearly assumes everyone just... knows who she is, as she starts chucking presents at the pile like a demented Christmas pixie.

Melinda May has posed:
Having settled with her own food, May seems content to let everyone else carry on around her. Though at Steve's blushing over the kiss from Skye, she can't help but comment /perfectly/ innocently, "Make sure you don't let Darcy see you blushing. She'll take it as a personal challenge."

She's quite possibly the only one here besides Rhodes' niece Lila not drinking beer. Instead, she has one of Clint and Skye's coffee mugs and it's currently filled with aromatic jasmine tea.

Janet's sudden appearance proves that even in a relaxed environment she's on a hair trigger. Almost the second after the woman seemingly appears, she's knocked her chair over behind her and is standing with her ICER aimed at the pixie-like woman.

"Van Dyne, please knock next time," she manages to say calmly enough.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
"Hey, one step at a time, I'll drop smashing through windows next year," Clint grins to Rhodey before adding to Lila. "Never do that though, that's just for Avengers and people who make bad life decisions." Fortunately Clint was a little of both.

Speaking of Avengers, the party gets one more, as Jan suddenly appears. Clint laughs, "Hey Jan, welcome to the party. We were just about to get down to all the festivus festivities."

He adds to Skye then, "This is Janet van Dyne by the way," he says with a smile, remembering the mix up at the bow shop, before nodding. "And yeah, wondered what that thing was for," meaning the broomstick.

Quake has posed:
Skye? Has no clue who Janet is. Even if she stole her identity for a measly 10% off a bow purchase. Then again, Skye's not entirely sure what to do with this holiday gathering regardless of who is there - and most of the people she knows and loves deeply.

Skye just assumes someone knows Janet. It's a fair assumption.

Captain America has posed:
Steve's got a fork pointed at May in his hand to single her out for his response to blushing and he seems about ready to fire back something save for his mouthful of food. Why is this a challenge?! - his expression communicates this clearly enough, even if he's smirking on the slant.

Then appears Janet with her wings and glitter and festivity and the Captain has a moment of looking vaguely guilty at the reactions of startlement around the room.. "I invited her," he immediately fesses up with a tap-tap of his fingertip on his phone stashed in his jean pocket. "Figured the more, the merrier? Especially with this Festivus...festivities?" Someone's out of the loop about brooms and Airing of Grieviances.

War Machine has posed:
     Rhodes lets his hands fall down into the pockets of his dress uniform. He's already getting into the spirit of things, and it's nice to just relax and kick back with a cold one enjoying the party. Of course May isn't the only one who has a gun out the moment that someone drops in out of nowhere.

     In his hand there's a service pistol leveled at Jeanet from the moment she comes in from nowhere. It's not an Icer by a long shot, no this is one of those fancy revolvers they give out to officers on their way out the door done up for his service to the Marine Core.

     Lila nods quietly the blush leaving her face a bit as she's calming down only for the sudden appearance and noises of crashing to send her just stock frozen on the spot. She doesn't move even an inch just locked in place like a statue barely able to do anything.

     Rhodes flips the pistol round once in his hand before shoving the safety back on. In the same motion he stows it back into the concealed holster hidden inside his dress uniform. "Trust me, everyone has their bad hero habits."

Darcy Lewis has posed:
Darcy's blush-dar pings as May talks of it and she starts to turn to look when POOF! Christmas pixie. Darcy turns to look at Janet, eyes wide at the woman's sudden appearance and almost scandalous elf outfit. She blinks at teh glitter, turning her gaze to Skye, then back to Janet. She starts to push up to bounce the woman when May's chiding her to knock and... well. Cap fesses up to inviting her.

It's Lila's reaction that has Darcy moving.

Her plate shoved onto Skye's lap, Darcy drops herself off the sofa to go tot he girl and put a warm around her shoulders.

"Hey, little Elf. Want some cookies? I brought some," she says to the little girl, ready to help herd her away where she can calm back down.

Melinda May has posed:
May puts her ICER away as fast as Rhodes does, and she recovers her chair and returns to her meal as if nothing happened.

Her eyes flick over toward Lila where Darcy has already started to reassure the girl, and offers across all of the other conversations already going on in the room, "Darcy, I think I saw enough ingredients in the kitchen to make a decent monkey bread if you want."

Then she looks at Steve again, as if silently implying she just rescued him from alllll the embarrassment.

Wasp (van Dyne) has posed:
Janet doesn't even *blink* at the barrels and guns and violence aimed in her direction. Ditzy airhead? Or just that confident? Maybe both?
% "Agent May! Colonel Rhodes!" Janet vaults across the room and hurls herself at Rhodes with a two-armed hug and a total disregard for physics. Thankfully, the petite Avenger doesn't weigh much even at her 'normal' size of five-foot something. James gets a big hug and a kiss to the cheek, and Janet presses a gourmet chocolate morsel into his hands. Then, she's flitting off towards Agent May. Fortunately, she knows Melinda doesn't like physical contact, and instead gives her an impish look and offers a small but intricately wrapped package that smells suspiciously of tea leaves. "Agent May! I know you wouldn't ever shoot *me*," she tells the woman.

Flighty as an insect she keeps moving around the room, handing out gifts to perfect strangers and accepting the charity of affection when offered. "Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas-- Clint!" Janet hugs Clint enthusiastically and sits on his knee without waiting for an invitation. "You jerk, how come you didn't tell me you'd be here?" she demands, crossly. Her ire vanishes like water on a hot skillet. Janet flashes a winning smile at Skye. "Please, call me Janet," she assures the woman. "Van Dyne is waaay too formal," she explains.

War Machine has posed:
     Rhodes catches that hug with a bit of a chuckle and uses the momentum to give her a light spin before letting go to allow her to move along from one person to the next. "Been a small forever hasn't it?" He says mostly calmed down.

     Though he does give his attention towards Lila after Janet moves on to the next person. He's about to mention something but Darcy already has it under control. Instead he just shows a look of concern that says it all. This happens far too often for comfort.

Captain America has posed:
Shifting in his chair once the tension seems to quickly evaporate, as if he too were ready briefly to throw down, Steve gets back to clearing his plate. Director May gets a look right back, complete with one cycnical, lifted Rogers brow. Safe, huh?

He glances towards the kitchen and the selection of beers, but decides to rescue one from the confines of an ice chest after his fork is scraping an empty surface. Janet's a source of enjoyment when not aimed in his direction, however, and it won't be missed how Steve sports a small knowing smile. It fades noticeably when his regard shifts from Rhodey to Lila and back to the Colonel. A hint of a nod to the man is quiet commisceration and agreement that Lila is in good hands.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
"Well, alright," Clint grins to Cap. "But I only believe you because it's you," he says of his earlier comments about making a move on his girl.

Then suddenly there's a Jan in his lap, and Clint laughs. "Heya Jan," he says in a tone that says he's very much used to Jan being Jan and all that entailed. "Really nobody mentioned I'd be at my own place?" he asks Jan with a grin playing over his features. "And Jan, meet Skye Johnson, my girlfriend, it's her place too."

Darcy Lewis has posed:
Darcy stands to lead Lila to the kitchen, taking May's offer of making monkey bread with a bright excitement that does not in anyway shape or form reach her eyes.

"Monkey bread! Oh, snap! So much witht he yes on that, May! Come on, kitty-kat. Let's go monkey in the kitchen," she said to Lila, her gaze drifting to Rhodey. She nods to him, wordlessly saying that she'll take care of the kid, for the child's sake and because it's a good excuse to keep herself from saying things that would definitely summon Cap's Language Hammer down on her.  It's clear in the brief but ire-filledglare Darcy sends Janet's way as she steps the girl out of the living room and into the kitchen.

War Machine has posed:
     "Well to be fair Clint..." Spoken as Rhodes takes attention off Lila. He's trying to get back into the Christmas mood again. A bit of a playful tone to it as he kicks back a swig of the goo stuff. "You've always been a bit too stealthy for your own good."

     Lowering the beer he lets it rest down at his side in his hand walking over to enjoy some dumplings. "So not too surprising you'd be able to hide from the guest list of your own party."

Melinda May has posed:
May simply returns Steve's cynical eyebrow with a flat stare. Go ahead, don't believe her.

And then she glances back toward Darcy in time to catch the glare sent toward Janet. Her eyebrows draw together at it, and she knows she'll have to deal with that. She has an idea what has earned Darcy's ire so quickly, but she's not positive, and she's not going to step into the middle of that herself.

So, for now, she quietly finishes her meal while watching the others.

Wasp (van Dyne) has posed:
Janet hugs Clint, and she's off again! Flighty and unpredictable. She bustles around the room offering out treats and gifts from the silk gunnysack in her hands, and abruptly materializes on Steve and claims his lap for her own. She smiles winningly at him before any objections can be made, and holds up a little gift box and puts it against his chest. "Merry Christmas, Captain Rogers," she sings, and plants a kiss on Steve's blocky jawline.

"I was so glad I could swing by," she explains to everyone. "I thought I'd get roped into some ghastly social affair. But you can all thank Steve for the invite~" she explains, patting his sternum affectionately.

Captain America has posed:
The Captain can't do much of anything other than put aside his fork when a Janet appears sitting on his knees. He's got that friendly scowl that won't amount to much more than a comment in the end, but that's quickly shifted into mild befuddlement quickly enough. Hark, red ears again on Steve in reaction to the kiss and to the gift he takes from her. He rescues it from its place against his sternum and sets it beside his empty plate. A clearing of his throat is apparently enough to rescue his composure.

"And Merry Christmas to you, Miss van Dyne," he replies, avoiding her first name in deliberate cheek. "And yes, my fault. A terrible decision." A sharp grin as he glances around and then back to Janet with just a hint of smug. "Just in time for Festivus. Somebody explain what that is," he adds with another glance around the room.