revivalproject | You are invited:

Who: Janet Van Dyne, Tony Stark, OTA
What: A party to celebrate the approximate 4th of July and one Steve Roger's B-day
When: The 4th of July
Where: Temba Beach
Warnings: TBD, Drinking, Creature Attacks

The beach had been transformed, perhaps not to the level Jan was used to back home, but still fairly impressive. A number of newly built beach pagodas littered the purple sands, sheer white draperies shifting with the breeze. There were tables and seating provided in each, for more intimate conversation, a larger buffet style table laid out for people to browse from. In addition, there was a table for special themed cocktails (and mocktails) for the guests. Jan had been very proud of finding local alternatives, but some of them may come with some…unintended side effects.

Jan had found a collection of opalescent conch like shells, and scattered them about liberally to serve as decorations. She and Tony had been working in secret for ages to pull this together for Steve, and the pair were dressed in white, a request she’d made of all the guests as well, but no one would be turned away if they couldn’t manage.

A dancefloor had been built, and Eddie had been offered something that must’ve been pretty damn valuable, because the metalhead had been talked into playing Disco for the party.

When the time came for cake the hosts got a little bashful. Jan had always hired out for this, but she had been sure it couldn't be all that hard to make a cake. It turned out she was wrong. But it was the best they had, and so it was presented rather sheepishly to the birthday boy and to be shared amongst the guests if any were brave enough to try it. It doesn't taste great, but at least there are no mystery side effects to go with it.

As the sun set, a host of glowing necklaces, wands and bracelets were passed out, and once it was truly dark the light show began. Rather than the more traditional fireworks, they had a series of drones lighting up the sky in a dazzling display.

However, something unexpected comes from this. As though awoken from the light, the shells Jan had so proudly decorated with were not as abandoned as she’d thought. Little legs slid free, and the creatures began to head for the nearest light source, whether that be the drones in the sky or any of the heroes with their glowing attire. And to make matters worse, there is a large SOMETHING in the water, shrieking with a sound that shakes the beach. What could it possibly want, and what does it have to do with the little shell creatures??

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The drinks/effects: (All effects will wear off)
Truth (cocktail): Can only speak the truth
Justice (mocktail): Temporarily Blinds Drinker
Liberty (cocktail): Extreme Excess of Energy
Fireworks (cocktail): Loss of Powers or Granting of One (1) Not Game Breaking Power
Mr. President (mocktail): Causes Short Term Amnesia

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

If one looked like an idiot, did two look like a pair of idiots in sync, or two individual idiots? The Soldier took the rhythmic lead from Eddie's movements, a little awkward. But maybe there was something to long forgotten muscle memory, a waking up of a piece of Sergeant Barnes who used to take dates to dance halls. Or maybe it was just the assassin movements fluid for entirely different reasons. Whatever the cause, the Soldier's awkward turned into something like actual dancing — maybe not the best fit to the music but certainly not completely out of place.

Both? Or maybe neither? Honestly though, Eddie wasn't sure what Soldier was so worried about, he was better at it than Eddie was. He gave an encouraging laugh. "See, you're a natural?" And there's something freeing about dancing, even to music outside his wheelhouse, able to just let go and enjoy. If they look like a pair of idiots, at least they're having fun.

"Something still feels off. Missing." Because of course he would take this too seriously, analyzing every aspect of his movement versus what others did. Maybe the analysis was the problem, the Soldier unwilling to just let go. Or maybe it was something else, and he didn't yet know how to define it.

"The right partner?" Eddie offers, with a laugh, not sure what else it could be. "What's it feel like?" he prompts with a shrug. They could figure this out.

Maybe it was the right partner; the moment Eddie mentioned it, the Soldier got a flash of memory, the impression of holding someone's hand in his. But he couldn't figure out how,, if it related to dancing or not.

"Maybe it's the music," he said instead. "It's unfamiliar to me."

"Techincally I'm supposed to stick to the set list, but knowing the band has certain advantages," Eddie offered, "If you can tell me what's more familiar I can find it, everyone's probably too drunk to notice by now."

"It's not that simple." Though the offer was kind; the Soldier never expected anyone to offer him anything of the sort. "The memory is incomplete. I don't know that there's anything to tell."

It might be the first time Eddie encountered the Soldier's particular memory issues.

It was the first time, and Eddie stalled out for a moment, not sure how to solve that particular problem exactly, but it does handling match up with some shit he'd learned just before being brought here.

"There's this guy in Hawkin studying music and it's effect on memory. It's sorta third hand by now, but something about how those connections are really strong. So if we could find the right one it might unlock a bunch of stuff."

"Maybe." The Soldier had his doubts, because his case wasn't simply memory loss from aging. The memories had been burned out of his brain, along with a great deal of everything that he was. The assassin had been left behind, the weapon wrapped in human skin. Weapons didn't need music or dancing.

He could practically hear Billy's argument to that statement already.

"But I don't know if you'd want to waste your time."

Billy would most definitely be arguing. And Eddie looks confused by the reluctance. "Music's like one of core personality traits. If finding something you like even just makes you feel good than that's enough for me. Bonus if it helps you remember something nice, right? I don't see that as a waste."

"I don't know if there's enough left of me to remember." Eddie's offer was generous, but he didn't need to try to take responsibility for the Soldier's lack of basic humanity. No one wanted to be saddled with his mess. But Eddie has also gotten him to speak plainly, and the Soldier didn't quite know how he'd accomplished it. He'd have to be more on his guard; clearly he'd gotten too comfortable.

"Ignore that. It meant nothing."

"...Dude-" Shit, what did you say that?

"There's plenty of you right here-" He tried for a teasing grin, but...maybe this wasn't the time. "We don't have to talk about it, but- you're welcome to vent whenever, you don't have to...whatever, you know?"

The Soldier sighed softly. Better for Eddie to drop it, to take the out the Soldier offered, than to nurse the idea that he needed to help. Stumbling over the Soldier's issues didn't obligate him to help out.

"I appreciate that." He really did. "But you do not need to feel responsibility to offer help, just because you stumbled upon what I am. I am functional; that is all that is needed."

"Eh, I mean- I guess? Technically. And it's not a responsibility, trust me, I do do responsible. I just like you is all. You're a cool guy. Amazing taste in music." He laughed. "Mine, not ABBAs, though they're begrudging pretty good."

"But functional's like...the baseline of existence. You can dream a little bigger. Life's still gonna be shit mosta the time, but you'd have a few more good moments. I dunno. Not my life."

The offer made him pause long enough that the Soldier stopped dancing. It was like he needed the whole of his attention to process the idea that someone would want to help him.

That someone actually liked having him around, and it had nothing to do with a shared trauma.

"I will consider your offer," he finally answered. "I am not just saying that. I will think about it."

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