Afternoon Tea [Dated to 5/12]

[madeofstories]

It's taken her an entire day and most of the morning as well, but Grace is almost certain that everything is perfect. The table she's borrowed is set up in the clearing between her own hut and the stage, each place setting with its own small plate and tea cup (though some are mugs, as she's had to make due with what she could borrow from the

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[prodigaljaybird]

Even now, Jason's not sure what to make of all this. When Grace had proposed they experiment to find out if there was a sort of party Jason could like, he hadn't expected them to start with tea. The nearest thing he can equate it to is something from Alice and Wonderland, which he's not sure would be any less surreal.

But at Bucky's firm suggestion, Jason's put on a suit like Grace asked him to, a gray number that's not too heavy in the heat, has combed his hair, and even managed to coax something nicer than motorcycle boots from the clothes box for his feet. He feels more than a little silly in the getup, but he hasn't gotten food on it yet, which he'll claim for a victory.

Nervously, he picks up one of the tea cups with his good hand. They're so small and fragile, and the food spread is so, well, pretty. There are even flowers on each tiny cake, so nice looking that Jason's not even sure he's meant to eat one, but that doesn't stop him for long. He feels better for the burst of sugar on his tongue, and soon he's eaten three of them, starting to smile around at the rest of the party and at Grace in particular. His ears can't seem to lose the pink of embarrassment, flaring up each time he catches sight of Tim or Bucky or Steve, but he can't deny that it's kind of fun, having a party just for him. Glancing sidelong, he steals one of the boar sliders from the plate next to him, wondering if he can claim ownership due to it being his name on the invitation, or, barring that, that his cast has left him too enfeebled to get up and get his own.

[curiously_cora]

"Can I hug you or are you too hurt?" Coraline asked curiously, looking at Jason with his tiny food and tiny tea cup. Coraline smiled brightly at him, trying not to laugh. He did look quite a bit ridiculous with the tiny tea things but she didn't want to make him feel bad. Not when he was hurt and not when it was his party. "And guess what? I got to fly on a dragon because I'm awesome."

[prodigaljaybird]

He doesn't expect the question, nor the volley of information that comes after it. "It's just my arm," says Jason after a beat, lifting his casted hand off his lap. His fingers are healing, and his knee's back to normal. His bruises and scrapes are fading and he is, at this juncture, one hundred percent huggable. He's just not sure how to start.

"You flew on a dragon? Seriously?"

[curiously_cora]

"Yep, it was brilliant. We flew really high then dropped suddenly and it was so scary but then Toothless opened his wings and we coasted along the water. It was so cool Jason," Coraline said smiling happily at the memory. There were good days and bad days on the island and sometimes the good days outnumbered the bad and sometimes they didn't. Coraline wanted Jason to have more good days. "When you're healed properly I can ask Hiccup if you can fly on Toothless too but only when you're fully better. And you're not hurt. Okay, I'm going to hug you now prepare for the worst."

Coraline wrapped her arms around Jason, hugging gently just in case he was still hurt and he was being brave about it. She just had to make sure he had more good days then they could both forget about the scars they wore.

[prodigaljaybird]

Jason drops his good arm around her, surprised to feel his throat go tight. Slowly, he's accepting that he has friends on the island, people who care about him and who might not stop, but the hugging, that's new.

"It's so big," he says, because he's seen it on his wanderings, but never too close. "It didn't try eating you?"

[curiously_cora]

Coraline pressed her face against Jasons's shoulder, smiling as she hugged him. Coraline shook her head as he asked her the question.

"I know but so am I. Big, I mean. And no, it didn't try don't be silly. Toothless is like a giant cat, if you scratch him underneath the chin he gets all warm and purry except dragons don't purr." Coraline said. "Besides Toothless doesn't eat people, he eats fish and maybe sheep. Mostly fish I think but then maybe he doesn't eat people because he's never met you. Maybe he eats Jason's."

[start_a_rumpus]

There's no way Max was wearing a suit. No way. Bill tried to make him but in the end all he'd allow was his wolf suit to be cleaned.

He still doesn't feel like he should wear it, but maybe Jason will thinks it's all okay if he wears it.

"What is this stuff?" he asks, nose wrinkled. Everything's really weird and small.

[prodigaljaybird]

"Food," says Jason simply, feeling a little bad for snagging the boar slider now. "Here," he says, reaching to pull a new plate of them closer with his left hand. "Eat one, it's like a tiny burger, it's really good."

[start_a_rumpus]

"Why not just make a regular sized burger," he wonders, gingerly pushing one onto his plate. At least there's cake. Even if it's going to take like three of those things to make a real piece of cake. Plus they've got flowers on them. It's weird.

"Is your hand feeling better yet?"