8023/Surprise Party! (part 1)

Surprise Party! (part 1)
Date of Scene:	24 June 2019
Location:	Clint and Skye's, Greenwich Village
Synopsis:	In which Darcy comandeers the Barton-Johnson house for a party; Skye rings her own doorbell; Samantha gets promoted!; May makes postickers (no surprises there!); and a mysterious package arrives. What could it be? Stay tuned for Pt. 2.
Cast of Characters:	Darcy Lewis, Hawkeye (Barton), Peggy Carter, Nyx, Quake, Jemma Simmons, Winter Soldier, Melinda May

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Darcy Lewis has posed:
Party time! Darcy was a sneaky sneaky. She called it a SHIELD 4th of July Party, and so used office funds to get the food stuff and the plates and napkins and ice and sodas and cake and decorations. She even had low level people bring it all out to her, having roped Clint into helping by giving her access to the house. The sprawl of electronics that were here not but a few days ago is gone, like it never was, and Darcy commanded her worker bees like the Queen she is.

Balloons were filled and tied about. Paper streamers twisted about themselves, adding a festive air to everything. The furniture was rearranged to make sections to sit and talk. More chairs were brought in to fill in some extra spaces, and a folding table was given over to finger foods.

It's the dining table that hints at her sneaky since as she sent out invitations and started making calls, the word to people she flagged as 'Friends of Steve' were told: It's a birthday party for him, but that's a secret so don't tell him! Just show up!!!'. To frineds of Skye, it was the other way around; Her birthday, don't tell! On the dining table, a merry sign reading HAPPY BIRTHDAY is found. Painter's tape in blue seperates the table in halves. Oh half has a clip art of a laptop. The other an american flag.

Outside in the backyard, the grill is already going. Darcy, is at the laptop getting a playlist off Youtube going. She's put a sign on the door that says: Here for the party? Come in! (Because we won't hear you knock anyway)

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
When the party was pitched to him, Clint happily surrendered the keys, to the house to let the whirlwind that was Darcy Lewis handle most of the prep. Though now, with things drawing close to getting underway Clint was back, attending to the grill and getting it ready for the big event.

"The place looks great, Darce," Clint remarks as he stands up from checking the propane tanks. "You really went all out."

He turns back and looks into the house throught the glass of the patio windows, "Definitely an improvement over all the computers," he says with a grin.

Peggy Carter has posed:
Entirely too early for her own good, but Peggy always liked to be punctual, Margaret Carter shows up at the door in a fresh summer dress, her hair carefully styled in old fashioned waves, and an entire basket of things for the party. She knocks once before remembering that guests are pretty much welcome to just come in, and then pushes the door open, sticking her elegantly vintage head in side. "...Hullo? I... know I'm early." She awkwardly offers, stepping the rest of the way into the space.

Peggy is in a red dress that just knocks it out of the park. 'Wiggle' dress is probably the proper term, as it hugs most inches of her still generous curves. It's complimented with a blue belt and white shoes, just a bit of a nod to the holiday, Steve's birthday, and some of his old uniforms from back in the days. She steps towards the patio, "I found a few proper pale eyes to bring over... the... selection of beer in this country this day and age is truly mind boggling." A few? The basket is filled with at least two dozen of all sorts of different craft beers.

Darcy Lewis has posed:
Darcy's wearing leggings and a tshrit cut and retied to be a fancy looking corset top. Her hair, like Peggys, is pinned up. She is also sporting a bright red lip. Her feet are covered in her scuffed up army surplus black combat boots. Plopped on a patio chair by Clint's MAN GRILL Station, she grins at him.

"Oh, my pleasure. I'm really happy that Hostess made those seasonal cup cakes all perfect for today," she's chatting about one of the many snacky things that's sitting out. The red white and blue hostess cupcakes. As Peggy pokes her head out, Darcy beams puttign the lap top aside before standing up to go give the first party guest to arrive a big hug.

"Oh! It's perfect. And fuck, you're hot! You gotta tell me know if I can hit on you or not, okay? Thanks. Oh! And are the beers for everyone or a gift for a certain person?" Darcy rambles, happily bouncing about topics the way her eyes had skimmed over all of Peggy's outfit, loving the shoes, the way the belt pops on her curves, the perfect pin curls in her hair that Darc yis just completely jealous of never being ablet o get right.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Clint nods, "There may be a few of those missing," he confesses about the cupcakes with a slight grin. There is also some incriminating frosting at the corner of his lip.

When Peggy arrives, he leaves the grill to say hello, poking his head in through the open patio door. "Jeeze, between the two of you guys I feel horribly under dressed."

For his part, Clint's dressed in short, sandles and a Captain America t-shirt. Your basic summer grilling wear, minus the apron which was set out on the counter for later. "We're still getting things set up but take a load off, and let me know if I can get you anything. Other folks will be showing up as things go on."

Nyx has posed:
Samantha doesn't make it to the door in time to follow Peggy inside. She is carrying a heavy box of supplies (not computers but Party Supplies) in her arms. The sign is peered at and she sort of balances the box precariously in one hand and tries to open the door with the other.

Which works but causes her to stumble inside now and and barely manage to recover from the whole balancing business without dropping that box. "Darcy?" she calls trying to peer around the box of extra drinks, snacks, and such. "I got the last of it I think..." yeah Samantha was tasked with being a worker bee.

Peggy Carter has posed:
"Oh... the beers are for everyone. I've got something else for Steve. I just hope people will drink them. How do you know what's really good when you have THIRTY to choose from?" Peggy asks, still a bit wide eyed about it all. She must have spent an hour at the beer store just pouring over the things. She sets down the ridiculously heavy basket carefully near the closest cooler she can find, still managing to do it with certian elegance, even in those heels.

Her cheeks color just a bit to Darcy, but she gives a little laugh, "Ah... yes, hit on me... Away, I suppose. Goodness knows the army wouldn't run without women who did not enjoy the company of other women. There's a story of one time an upper officer tried his best to get rid of those sorts and was informed he'd lose half his staff, his best nurses, and his very own secretary. He didn't ask about it again." She then gives a little jerk of surprise as the door opens again and someone is stumbling in. She's still paranoid, not quite use to an open door policy, but seeing Nyx makes her smile, "Samantha... You...could have... asked for help, young lady."

Then she's looking up to Clint, "You can actually tell me something I can help with. Just sitting around watching you all prepare will drive me batty. Any extra hands you could use? And you look more than fine... I'm under the impression that you are far more dressed for comfortable summer party than the rest of us, really." Peggy has been doing her best to blend into the modern day, but some old habits die hard.

Quake has posed:
Skye, meanwhile, was at physio.

"WHO" she'd complained to Clint "scheduled me for physio when there's a party to prep for."

Of course there was no answer, only a reasonable pointing out that since she couldn't lift or carry anyway, it might be easier for her to be out of the way while the decorating phase was going on anyway. And given Darcy's propensity to make people wear silly hats and deck them out in streamers, and given her own birthday was right on top of Steve's, Skye was quite happy to bow out of the awkwardness of being decorated just because.

Besides, she had her gift for Steve to pick up...

Darcy Lewis has posed:
"Great! Steve's section of the present table is labeled. You go right ahead and drop off your gift. Unless... it's a gift you can't GIVE in public, in which case, I would SO love to wait a minute. You swing it this way too? Right on! You're the best," Darcy says, distracting herself from what almost sounded like she was inviting herself to watch a slash fic: Peggy/Steve. The appearance of Samantha has Darcy gasping and trying to get to her last worker bee.

"There you are! Hotpants has the fire mostly ready. God. Thanks for lugging the meat. I was about to panic for a minute," she babbling, not trying to help Sam carrying things, but leading her back to to the grill. That box has meat fresh from a meat market.

"Oh! Peg's I know exactly what you can do!! I'm stuck between like four play lists on you tube. Will you be my official DJ and pick one you think Steve'll like? Skye's gonna hafta suck it because her taste in music SUCKS."

Nyx has posed:
Samantha sounds sheepish, hard to look sheepish when you are barely able to see around the box. Maybe she is using LIDAR or something to traverse the city with the box of butchery. "I .. the note said don't bother to knock because no one would hear me..." it did.

When Darcy takes over she follows out to he grill now. "Still plenty of time... I mean.. they aren't here yet.. hey Clint.. hey Peggy..."

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Clint nods, "Great," he says about the beers coming in to help haul them to the fridge. "Everyone hates our stuff," he says. "And I hear you, especially when they all have weird names like Boysenberry Inverted Tortoise Japanese Rice Lager. Honestly, before I hit on this stuff Skye and I like I just picked at random and hoped for the best."

"Hey, Sam," Clint greets as she comes in from errand running and holds up a beer. "You want one? Yeah, yeah, under age, but hell, you fought Zola so I say you're old enough, until Steve gets here anyhow."

"Guess he didn't know he was already surrounded," Clint says of Peggy's story. "Things have gotten easier about that sort of thing, but would not be shocked if people were still trying to sneak those sorts of purges into the ranks."

As for what to do, Darcy has that handled. And when the meat is delivered Clint ducks back out to the grill to get it ready, still able to comment through the open door as he does.

Peggy Carter has posed:
A slight chuckle echoes in CLint's direction, "...Yeah. I... didn't know you could make hops *do* quite so many things..." And then she's giving Sam one last smile before she actually has a task she can do, handling the playlist. She is still a bit awkward with the technology, but has managed to get pretty comfortable with touch screens as she scans through a few options. "I...can't say I remember all these songs, but... well, let's go with this one marked 40s..." And she starts this playlist from Darcy's options: https://bit.ly/2XixsrW.

A few slow, approving nods comes from her as she settles into considering the music. Covers, it seems, but properly done. "...Not bad. I think he'll like it. And...yes. Gift tables..." She steps over towards both Skye and Steve's side. Her gifts are small, "No...these are both fine for public consumption. Steve and I aren't...well..It's not like that." Two small, wrapped packages are deposited, one on either side. And now she's out of tasks again, so she walks over to help Sam with any last bits.

Darcy Lewis has posed:
"No? That's fine. I'll just keep hitting on you," Darcy says to Peggy as she slips past to go back inside and check the music levels. As the first song starts, Darcy smiles, nodding her head, and calling back out to where Peggy is on the laptop next to Clint's grilling station.

"Perfect! Fuck, Hotpants, I'm in love with ya'lls sound system!"

Nyx has posed:
Sam finishes dropping off the box and then steps away from the Grill staging area and looks to Clint. "Sure" accepting the beer "I won't tell Steve if you don't... also I am pretty sure I can't get drunk." there is a frown from the teenager. "Honestly I'm not positive I have to eat.. but I like to." a sigh and a shrug. Still she pops the top of the beer without using a bottle opener, just her fingers.

Then she heads over and puts a small gift box on each side of the table.

Quake has posed:
Physio was.. well, boring. As boring as the finger exercises she was to continue doing (joy. bliss.) as well as adding some strength work - otherwise known as she could begin lifting items of specific weights or less again, and could type for - get this - a whole sixty minutes a day broken up into 15 minute intervals (who thinks up these things anyway??) adding in five minutes a day until her next appointment. And given they made Skye stand there and watch while Agent May was cc'd on the report, Skye knew she was well and truly going to have to follow the rules on this one.

She consoles herself with the fact that her sooper sekrit birthday project was done, along with a little added side project to it since she had already been elbow deep in records to prepare her surprise. It was a little thing, but she hoped that Steve would like it. Just a little something that Peggy Carter's abrupt arrival into present day had made the younger agent think of.

And now that her appointment was over, and with a fresh ream of dot matrix paper tucked underneath an arm, Skye heads home.

Jemma Simmons has posed:
The front door opens without so much as a single tap, allowing the pair of Fitz and Simmons inside. As Jemma closes the door, Leo turns towards the living room....now devoid of lab tech. "Aww....they already took it all out."

"Well, of course, Fitz. Not everyone likes to live in a lab, you know." The prim and proper British accent sounds out clear, if not loud, as Jemma turns to regard the rest of the environs. "At least the couch is re-upholdstered. That's something, right?" A wave is given to those already present as the other hand reaches over to steer Fitz into socialization. "Maybe if you're good they will let you play some video games. You know how Clint is a gamer."

A look of almost total disgust crosses over Leo's face. "Yeah...but he plays fishing games. *Fishing* games, Jemma. Ya know how borin' dat is?" The look is quickly replaced with a smile as Leo realizes that hey, there are people here. There is a wave given...then an awkward silence. "Hmm...hi."

For the most part, the pair are actually dressed down. Which...for them, means the same as the lab...just without lab coats. Because comfort is comfortable.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
"Right? Brave new world we live in and all of that," Clint says with a snort about the beer.

As the music starts Clint smiles. "Good pick.," his head bobbing to the music as he calls back to Darcy. "Right? That one is all Skye," he says of their system. It was one of the first things she'd bought when she became a full agent.

Sam is nodded to, "Don't worry, won't say a thing. How's it been going since the raid?" he asks her on the way out to the grill.

He does pause though to welcome Jemma and Fitz, "Hey guys welcome. And fishing games are restful not boring, or they're supposed to be, there's always some issues when I play them."

Darcy Lewis has posed:
"Hey! Science Twins!" Darcy calls out, moving to bring Jemma and Leo into the fold with a hug for each of them. Presumably, she'd given a hug to her worker bee earlier, or she'll get one to Samantha later. For now, music is playing over head. Sounds very 1940s until you listen to the lyrics and realize, it's all modern day pop songs. PMJ forever.

Peggy Carter has posed:
Peg isn't entirely certain how to take the 'keep hitting on you' so she gives an awkward, still slightly blushed sort of a smile, but doesn't oppose. "Ah...thank...You, Ms. Lewis?" It's the best response she's got before heading back over to actually try and open one of those beers. She's brought at least two dozen strange picks from a craft beer store somewhere of all sorts of kinds that looks like she just went through and randomly boggled at the selection until she found ones that looked good. Which is probably what happened. She opens a belgian ale and takes a long gulp of it before looking back to the door and flashing a smile, "Jemma! Fitz... welcome. There is a ridiculous amount of food and beer. It... is a proper party already."

Nyx has posed:
Well Clint asked so Samantha, ever the eager teenage agent chimes back to him. "Since the raid... well I got to take done a few Sentinels which was really awesome. Nyx seemed happy about it. We even managed to get one captured intact." yeah what could go wrong with that. "I was all like.. pew....and it's head just vanished..." which is honestly accurate, erk.

She sips the beer Clint got her and then waves with her free hand to "Hey Science Twins" because well it is just easier when they are together. That and Sam is learning from Darcy which also ..well how could that go wrong.

Winter Soldier has posed:
Buck's finally showed up. He's in t-shirt, jeans, boots - off crutches, but with that brace arrangement on his leg, leaning on a cane, a backpack on his back. A few weeks is a vast improvement on the months and months it'd've taken a normal human to heal the injuries he's taken in that last attack, but he's still working on it. Lili paces beside him in her service dog vest - though around her neck, he's slung a little necklace of plastic stars in red, white, and blue, some of which are glowing, the glow fading and brightening slowly.

Once he's in, he props himself against a wall long enough to unsling the pack and go rummaging in it. There are wrapped presents, in varying papers. Turns out both Macy's and Barnes & Noble will wrap your presents if you ask.

Jemma Simmons has posed:
The hugs are accepted....quite willingly by Jemma and just a little awkwardly with Fitz. As both Darcy and Sam drop the Twin moniker, Jemma and Leo turn to each other, make eye contact, shrug the minutest of amounts, then turn away from each other. It is all within a fraction of a second, but it was apparent that a whole conversation was just had.

<< Science Twins? We are not even related. >>

<< It's Darcy. What are you're gonna do? >>

<< Yes, but Samantha, too? >>

<< She's been hangin' out wit' Darcy. >>

<< Oh, really? Well, then, shall we? >>

<< Yeah? >>

After their little exchange, Jemma leaves Fitz to fend for himself for a while, as she flashes a smile for Peggy. "Hello Peggy!" Oh...first name basis now. Jemma's feeling comfortable. "It is quite a festive gathering already, I see. Of course, it makes sense, with Darcy at the helm." With that, a smile is given to Darcy. "Quite a force of nature...."

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Clint pops back in from the deck.

"Wait, you took down a Sentinel?" he asks. Yeah, Clint isn't big on reading reports at the best of times and this last week had been something of a mini vacation.

"So you blew the thing's head off? Okay, we're going to need more story time."

Though he does look up to greet Bucky and Lili. "Hey you two."

Quake has posed:
Skye finally arrives home, and discovers, standing at the front door, that she's got a delimma. Turns out one of the forbidden activities is torquing her wrists, and well, what does turning a doorknob entail? Torque.

Which leaves Skye standing on her own front stoop, smirking, because, well, here she is, at home, her home, with an open door don't knock policy, and who has to knock to be let in?

Skye.

Yep. Skye Johnson is ringing her own doorbell asking permission to be let into her own house. The only thing that would make this funnier is if it were her own party.

Cue facepalm in four... three... two...

Darcy Lewis has posed:
"Jesus fucked a monkey with a stick, you did what?!" Darcy blurts out at Sam's revelation. Was Darcy going to do anything else with the Twins and their Twin Speak Shrug? Perhaps. Would she have spotted Bucky and got to hug him and offer to take his back pack and help him get settled and bring him a beer and a stupid red white and blue cupcake to eat and a snausage treat for Lili? Yes, yes she would have except Sam said she took off a Sentinal's HEAD and well, there goes THAT plan.

Door bell.

Darcy looks frankily between door and Nyx and door and Nyx and finally.

"Hold that thought!" is said in a rush, before Darcy runs for the door. Only Steve would ring the doorbell, despite the SIGN that says just come in. In her rush, she sees Bucky, smiles, starts to greet him, but trips on her untied shoe laces, faceplants into a tumble that has her back on her feet at hte door that she's pulling open.

"Hey! Ste-.... Skye? The fuck?" Confused Darcy is Confused and her .exe has stopped responding. Wait? Cancel program and report crash?

Peggy Carter has posed:
The sight of Bucky and Lili is enough to make Peggy's shoulders drop an inch or so in relaxation. They really had both become a level of family even deeper than what they had in the war. "Wondering when you'd show... And Lili, look at how sweet you are." She knows not to quite pet the dog when Lili is on official duty in her vest and all, but the collar couldn't be resisted. And then she realizes that Jemma used her FIRST name, and she flashes a wider smile across her red-clad shoulder to the woman, "Glad it's not Director Carter any more... Considering I'm just a member of the team at *best* these days, nicer to simply be friends."

Peggy then takes a good sip of her beer, brow wrinkling at bit at the... Very good but weirdly too-good, almost unnatural tasting craft brew. Where was a crappy old ale when you needed one? And then she looks to the door, the shock of the news about a sentinel blunted by the equal expectation that it'll be Steve arriving.

But it's not. It's Skye.. Well... doesn't Skye live here? Maybe it was a surprise for her too. So, an eager, red lipped smile crosses her lips as she offers a warm, "...Surprise!?" It'll only be a little awkward if she is the only one who says it.

Nyx has posed:
Okay well Clint doesn't need to encourage her and ask her twice. "Actually three Sentinels... " and then she is holding that thought because Darcy is racing to get the door, and doing some sort of acrobatics routine.

When she realizes bucky is here "Hey" a very friendly greeting and look dog to love on later when she isn't on Bucky duty. "Wait.. who rings the doorbell here?" okay Sam is pretty confused about that as well. Then well she blinks and bails Peggy out with a "Surprise!" and looks to Clint.

Winter Soldier has posed:
It's already overwhelming - but James is making an effort. He sets the presents down where they're indicated, stows the pack in an out of the way corner, and looks for place to settle.

Darcy's verbal creativity has him going pink. Peg gets a little grin, though. "Took me a little," he says, gently. Presumably he was too stubborn a jackass to do something like take a cab, rather than take the subway and walk. He's still desperately cheap, in the way Depression survivors so often are.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
"Whoa, Darcy are you okay?" Clint asks as he runs inside to offer a hand up.

Of course that's when the door opens and it's Skye?

"Hey Keyboard, why'd you..." then it hits him, her hands of course. "And uh, surprise?"

Quake has posed:
"Wow. You guys." Skye hasn't yet parsed the 'surprise' is for her - it's still part and parcel of the blank 'why are you ringing your own doorbell' looks. To respond she holds up her hands, showing off her forarms. "Duh? Geez, you'd think nobody ever rung a doorbell before. Surprise my ass."

Melinda May has posed:
Here's the punchline: If Skye had waited FIFTEEN more seconds, May would have been there to open the door for her. But nope. She rang the doorbell.

Instead, May walks up behind the younger woman with the almost expected canvas grocery bags in hand and stops.

And waits a moment.

And then asks, "Why are we standing on the doorstep?"

Jemma Simmons has posed:
"Surprise....as in I am surprised you haven't refractured your wrists doing something you shouldn't." Leave it to Jemma to throw some shade towards Skye, though the grin truly does make any sort of seriousness fade into the realm of gentle teasing. "Though, I do believe the surprise is for something else."

Jemma is a scientist...and truly believes in the 'discovery for yourself' mindset. And now, it is simply an act of observation to see how long before Skye puts two and two together to get birthday party. Given the decorations, she hopes it isn't too long, for Skye's sake.

Darcy Lewis has posed:
"The fuck happened to your HANDS!?!" Darcy shouts at Skye just beofre May speaks. And when May speaks, Darcy leans to the side to regard May.

"She broke her hands, May! Her HANDS!" Like she was the only one who could SEE it. It comes with Darcy emphatically gesturing at said hands with both of her own. And then Darcy's back pedaling a bit so Skye can get inside and if she's carrying anythign Darcy's reachign for it to try to take it.. all at the same time.

"OH My God. Hotpants. The fuck!! Shit. Okay. Skye! Sit down. I'll get you a beer? Can you have a beer? Are you on meds rightnow?" Darcy's rambling again, but there's this high tick to her tone, this thready sort of manic twitch that when coupled with the fact that Darcy used Skye's actual name instead of a nickname makes one thing perfectly clear: Darcy didn't know Skye got that torn up and she's having a more than minor panic attack.

Melinda May has posed:
May looks at Darcy flatly. "Lewis. Stop. Breathe. And let us in."

Quake has posed:
Skye protests, "I am not that bad. May?" Because surely she'll stick up for the younger agent... yeah. Right. Then it hits Skye, who is /still/ blocking the doorway. "Uh.. wait. Oh." Her eyes narrow down in semi-pleased disgust. "ha ha ha. Physio appointment to get me out of being in the way of decorating. Whose bright idea was that? Clint."

She expects it was him.

And at risk of being demoted for obstruction or something, Skye moves into her own home, handing off the printer paper to Clint. Or Darcy. Whoever gets to it first. "Just put it by the landing. I need it later." Nope. Nothing cryptic about that.

"No meds," Skye confirms. Other than the bone boosters, but they're okay with everything else.

Nyx has posed:
"Doesn't Skye always break her hands.. well arms really... how is this news to anyone?" okay Sam can't help but a hurl some snark over at Darcy now. She doesn't realize Darcy is having a minor panic attack. "Hi boss" though hard to say if she is saying that to Skye or May at this point. I mean they are both bosses to her.

Peggy Carter has posed:
Well, probably not a SURPRISE for Skye, other than the fact that people set up. Peggy offers a bit of a flash of a smile, though there is worry behind her dark eyes, she doesn't push the worry. Too many other's already are. "Happy birthday, lady. Sit down, relax, get one of the weird beers because I really don't know what half they are, and don't worry about the set up. Clint is clever enough to have managed things without you so now you can just *enjoy* it..." She reassures, before slipping off to the side of the room, somewhat near to Bucky, to just relax and watch herself. She's still getting used to the crowd of SHIELD and the 'younger ones', so to speak. But she's happy to watch and be a fly on the wall as she figures what these modern agents and this modern day very much is.

It's pretty damn good, frankly. Proof of what they fought for all those years ago.

Winter Soldier has posed:
A reassurance for Buck, too, that familiar presence. Oh, everyone here has proven themselves a friend, many times over, but it's Peg who's been caring for him most directly of late....and she who remembers him from the war.

He gives her a grateful look, not quite smiling, as she nears, nods at her. What a change from the boy she knew - watching Skye with a kind of amusement in his face, though his gaze keeps darting for the door. Where's Steve?

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
"Darcy set up the party," Clint explains as he takes the papers. "For you and Steve, so like Peggy said, enjoy."

He gestures to one of the many open seats then runs those papers up to the landing before coming back down to tend the grill.

Melinda May has posed:
May follows Skye into the house, pausing to slip something into the hacker's hands before continuing on through to the kitchen. She can be heard shuffling about in there, but then returns a moment later with coffee mugs in hand. She offers one to Peggy and the other to Bucky, and if/once they accept them, she returns to the kitchen again without really saying anything.

Quake has posed:
"Still can't do doorknobs," Skye grins. "But I can do beer. I'm allowed to lift things of..." She pauses to give May a look, nodding slightly, a hand seeming to dip into a pocket and 'pulling out' what looks to be her badge, lanyard and all. Looking all eye-rolly and everything as she does so. ".. things like this. Like how ridiculous is this? What kind of objective measure of weight is this anyway?"

She nods to Samantha. "Hey, catch." And without any warning, tosses it the even younger agent's way. "Do something with that, will you. Put it somewhere safe. Oh, congrats by the way, Agent Twining."

Peggy Carter has posed:
For just a moment, Peggy's free hand reaches over to Bucky's arm and she gives the smallest squeeze. A touch of reassurance that she was here, she wasn't disappearing, even if she was quiet. That she was happy to see him. Then it's gone and like nothing happened, but sometimes the brush of a touch is enough.

The next about Agent Twining? That makes Peggy smile even wider. "Congratulations indeed... It's well deserved." She echoes from her perch at the corner of the room. It was damn nice to hear and even better news on a day like this.

Darcy Lewis has posed:
With Skye inside with a beer, Darcy excuses herself to check on something. It's a lame excuse. Anyone that knows Darcy knows it. She's running to regain her cool. She's the hostess, after all. She gotta be chill. y what she was was not chill.

Nyx has posed:
Okay Sam was not expecting anything to be thrown at her, even with the warning from Skye. It doesn't help she has a beer in one hand and has to try to snag the badge and lanyard out of the air with her left hand, which is not her dominant one. "Ack!"

After some less than impressive juggling which proves she has super strength not super agility she manages to get a good grip on the badge and what Skye said sinks in. "Wut" then she blinks a few times and blushes at the congragulations from Peggy. "Thanks"

Quake has posed:
Skye grunts. "Yeah, probably more fun if I could have gotten her ticked off at me first. I see why Fury enjoyed that." She's pleased though. "Don't think that means you're rid of me, though. Your ass is still mine."

That with a wink, and an aside to to May, "Sniff. My baby is all grown up. We take the training wheels off at level 4?"

Melinda May has posed:
May replies from the kitchen, "Yes, level four." The food preparation noises that are originating from whatever May is doing stop for a moment before she calls out again, "Samantha, if you would, please answer the door when someone knocks." For those that can see her, she tucks her phone back into a pocket and resumes with prepping the ingredients for potstickers.

A LOT of potstickers. Dozens.

Winter Soldier has posed:
Winter Soldier is delighted to lurk, sip from the cup May gave him. He hasn't been out a lot since that last mission, and it's definitely a little overwhelming. So he just contents himself with blinking like an owl and watching from the corner of the couch, with Lili resting her head on his good leg. The little star necklace has ceased its slow strobing and just glows.

Quake has posed:
mmmmm Potstickers. And Skye as one of the birthday people isn't above claiming first dibs. Twice.

"Wait, huh? Who knocks at our house?" She's not sure if this is a make work assignment for the newly fledged Agent, or if there are other surprises coming.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Coming back in from the deck Clint grins his congratulations to Nyx. "Grats Sam. You deserve it."

He gives her a salute with the beer he reclaims off the counter before heading over to stand near Skye, announcing: "Test run of burgers should be up soon if anyone wants some."

Melinda May has posed:
Then, as predicted, there's a knock at the door despite the sign posted out there. At the door is a courier with a sealed box that oddly lacks any sort of identifying marks. He does insist on a signature, though, before relinquishing it.

A few preliminary potstickers start to sizzle invitingly in the kitchen, but the pace at which May can assemble the bite-sized dumplings, she's clearly not cooking them all right this moment.

Nyx has posed:
"Sure thing." and when there is a knocking at the door well she heads over that way and accepts the box from the man delivering it. She juggles her beer so she can sign for it and hold the box. Man there is a lot of juggling tonight.

"What do you want me to do with the box May?" after the door is shut. Looking at the present table and then heading towards the kitchen with it.

Good distraction from all the congrats.

Melinda May has posed:
"Give it to Clint to open," May replies to Nyx, having seen the man step back inside from grilling. She'd go handle it herself, but potstickers. She does take a moment, though to bring out the first four on a plate for Skye. With a fork. No chopsticks yet.

Quake has posed:
Bummer on the chopsticks, Hal. (a la Gary Larson: https://www.roblox.com/library/76241879/Bummer-of-a-birthmark-Hal) But hey! Potstickers. Skye isn't about to complain, though she does give Clint a quick kiss on the cheek, letting him take the package, presuming it's party business and asking will get her a telling off anyway, and finds herself a quiet spot near Bucky. "Hey," she tells him, "If you need a quiet break, we have a back yard. Chairs and shit back there you can use, and you can come back in when you feel ready. Glad you came, though."

She's feeling generous enough she offers him a posticker even!

Nyx has posed:
Divert Divert.

Sam pivots and carries the box over to Clint now so he can open it.

Once the hand off is done she retreats finishing off beer #1 and then heading to find drink #2. "Ok all in his arms... I have divested myself of my duty."

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Clint's brows raise when he's handed the box. "I appreciate it May, but my birthday was weeks ago," he says with a wink. Opening it, he peeks inside and then looks up to May and grins.

"Skye, I think you're going to want to see this," he says as he opens it up the rest of the way, setting down some fancy looking Stark branded tech on the table in front of her. "Think May got you a fix to your typing problem."