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[ Aw don't do this Bucky... ]

It's to celebrate your life with those you care about. Though Tony seems to forget that last bet...

Not much to celebrate today, then.

I'm sure Rogers would disagree, after all history books lied. [ Don't make her call Steve, Bucky. Though she's holding back moving closer to give him a hug because he looks like he needs one. ]

"That's, uh, depends on who you ask." She has the sense to look a little sheepish for that answer, anyway, but adds: "For me? Reason to celebrate making it through another year intact."

[ presents! and cake. but mostly presents. would you like a present? ]

History books always lie because people lie. It doesn't mean there's something to celebrate. [You don't make much sense, Pepper. He's pretty sure no one in their right mind would want to celebrate the Winter Soldier's life.]

"I don't think most people would want to." He means celebrating him making it through another year, of course, not her. "That might not be a good thing."

[Would he like a what? He'll just stare, trying to make sense of what he's seeing. Would someone like to explain what's happening?]

"I can think of a couple people right off who'd want to."

A shrug, "But look, if you don't want the cupcake, say so, I'll eat it myself. Not that I really need another cupcake, but I'm not going to let a perfectly good one go to waste."

To celebrate the day a person was born. Usually with the idea that their friends are grateful to have said person in their lives.

I think it only works if you know when your birthday is.

[ yeah, okay, an inanimate marionette doll possessed by a dead child is probably new to a lot of people. he'll cut you some slack, strange mister.

but here. he's offering you a gift. there's a surprise in there! open it open it! ]

True, but there are some people that are glad they were wrong about you being dead. Well at least one person.

[ You want her to make sense after the usual caffeine buzz dies out? You really are out of touch with NYC and how things work now. ]

Cake. The point of a birthday is cake.

And presents. But mostly cake. [Oh, she could get all 'Hallmark' on him and talk about family and friends and the passage of time...but he's still recovering, so...cake. As in the cake she places down on the table between them.]

Hopefully you still like chocolate.

Just another thing to get raked over the coals for forgetting.

According to my little nieces and nephew: Cake, presents, ice cream, more cake, more ice cream, more presents, sugar, getting to do whatever you want, parties, presents, cake and ice cream.

And being one year closer to being able to do whatever you want whenever you want because that's what adults can do.

So another thing for Hydra to wipe.

[He stares at the cake. That... is new for him.]

I... don't understand.

[It is just food. What is supposed to be special about it?]

[He takes the present and stares at it.]

What do I do with it?

Steve says he knows when it is. I'm not sure why he wants to celebrate it.

What's to understand? It's cake. It's chocolate. It's awesome. That's all you need to know.

[She grabs two plates from the cabinet behind her, cutting a piece for each of them and then sliding one of the plates towards Bucky.] Just taste it.

[ --oh no, has this man never had a birthday before? well gosh, they better fix that. the puppet points at the big red bow on the box - see? you pull on that, and then you can open the box to get your present! ]

Edited 2015-03-11 23:19 (UTC)

I don't know when mine is either.

Maybe he wants to make you happy. They'e traditionally jovial parties.

[His body language, like his attitude, is deliberately casual.]

I dunno. As far as excuses go, "wiped by Hydra" is a good one. You could get a lot of mileage out of it. Birthdays, anniversaries. The whole lot.

[He does know it's more than just an excuse.]

[Well, he's had birthdays before but they were decades ago and the memories are lost to all the wipes since then. He pulls the ribbon and opens the box.]

What is it?

[ iiiit's ... ta-dah! your very own Freddy Fazbear plush! because the man looks like he could use something soft and squeaky to hug. ]

"Steve shouldn't." Steve was Captain America. The last thing he should be celebrating was the life of an enemy.

He eyed the cupcake warily. Not that he thought it could hurt him. It was just something completely new and he didn't know what to think of it. It made him feel entirely too awkward. "No, I want it."

"That's what I thought you'd say." Both about Steve and the cupcake, really.

She slid the cupcake just a little closer, "Go on, it won't bite, honest."

[He holds it hesitantly, looking from the toy to the large puppet and back. The fingers of his free hand curl slightly. It's slightly familiar for some reason but he couldn't quite remember.]

What... What do I do with it?

They did. [Hydra, the Strike team, Pierce, they'd all gotten so much mileage from taking his memories. He's not sure if he wants to be able to use that like they had.] For... everything.

[ gosh, you would think this guy's never had a birthday party before.

for a minute, the puppet just stares at the man, confused. then he steps closer, reaching up to squeeze the plush bear's nose, making it squeak. see? he's your new friend, you hug him and stuff. ]

Yeah. [He frowns. He's got sympathy, even if he can't relate.]

Hydra, they do that. I've seen it, sort of – barely. There's this one agent, ex-SHIELD. Whitehall, one of Hydra's heads, had her following him around like a bloody slave. And she's not even wearing her own face anymore, so, what's left of her?

And with Whitehall dead, she just vanished. You'd think someone would've seen her by now. The Cavalry's evil twin.

... I guess Hydra teaches a person how to be invisible.

[He tries just a small bite. His body sometimes takes issues with the whole eating thing, especially when it's not the simpler foods. His eyes slip closed at the taste and a tiny moan escapes his lips. This is... So. Good.]

[He's pretty sure he knows who you're talking about. It can only be one person. He makes a quiet sound of frustration.]

He's stupid.

[See. She knew. She knew you would love it.] Good, right?

They... Her face... How? [He's surprised they didn't change his face if they knew how.]

You have to look to see. [And everyone's been too busy to really look for her.]

Couldn't tell you. I'm not the tech guy. I know it wasn't supposed to be permanent. It was sort of like a disguise that got stuck on.

[There's no proof they didn't change the Winter Soldier's face, for one thing or another, it's just fortunate nothing got in the way of them erasing the evidence after the fact. And, if you ask Hunter, everyone's too busy for a lot of things. He doesn't like SHIELD's priorities - either SHIELD.]

Cut that out. It's too early in the morning for deep and philosophical.

[He nods, almost smiling. The rest in the small slice pretty much disappears.]

Thanks, Bex.

[That explains a bit. Hopefully Hydra won't figure out just how it happened. That's the last thing they need.]

Not philosophy. Did SHIELD have time to tell anyone else to look for her?

Always. I just want this day to be good for you.

All right, not philosophy, but you'll admit it was deep?

[He still isn't SHIELD in any official capacity, so there are moments he feels like he's wasting Bucky's time.]

And I can't answer that question either. No one tells me anything. I don't think anyone's looking for her, but you'd have to ask Coulson or May.