Happy Birthday, Harry Osborn.

[manorly_wayne]

What is it that they say about the quiet and the storm? It had certainly been quiet over the past week - so quiet that Vicky Vale had found herself standing in the middle of Main Street smiling at the camera and saying

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[osborn_heir]

When Bruce indicated he wanted to throw a part for Harry's twenty-third birthday Harry was touched, flattered, and well a little nervous. Bruce Wayne doesn't throw small gatherings. His parties are epic. Harry couldn't help but want to give Bruce free reign though because Norman never put together a party for him. It was usually done by his staff until he was old enough to plan it himself. Not that he doesn't realize that Bruce had his assistant putting something together, but it was Bruce who thought to host it

[manorly_wayne]

"Harry

[osborn_heir]

Harry liked Georgia and Gabrielle, and well who couldn't appreciate Lija? He knows that he hasn't met Joshi, but like her he doesn't see the point in bringing that up. Instead he smiles at her before turning his attention to Lucius Fox.

"Mr. Fox, it's a pleasure to finally meet you." It's simple and to the point, and really in situations like this Harry kind of figures he is much like Joshi. He is to stand next to Bruce, smile pretty, pay attention, and say as little as possible. Maybe that isn't what Bruce wants, but well it's the way he handles things.

A little kid runs by, cotton candy in his hand, and nearly falls before a bigger kid picks him up to carry him to the rides that are more suitable for children. Harry ponders if he should have brought Evan, but really he is much too little for an event like this. Not only that, he hasn't gone public with him, and he isn't sure his birthday party is the place to risk that.

[manorly_wayne]

"The pleasure is mine, Mr. Osborn, thank you for the invitation. It's been a while since I've been to the circus."

Lucius replies, and yes, there is the hint of a smile on his face, and more than the hint in his voice when he says the word circus.

"... And please, it's Lucius - I suspect formality would not stand up so well here."

Which Joshila almost learns as a small missile - also known as a child - launches forward icecream in hand and flies towards her and her full length dress. It's a narrow escape as Bruce manages to avert disaster - the closest he's come to action in over a week now - it's disproportionately satisfying, even if the weapon of mass destruction in this case was a six year old armed with icecream.

[abetterlie]

Catching up with Peter and MJ had been fun; moreover, it had the advantage of talking to people he actually knew, which usually wasn't the case in a society gathering. Talking with Natalie had become surprisingly easy, with only the occasional awkwardness, both because she was an immensely likeable woman and because she didn't want want Harry back, and Connor didn't have any reason to feel guilty towards her.

(Instinctively, he checks whether he can see Kara somewhere, but no, she doesn't seem to have arrived yet.)

Eventually, Natalie takes MJ and Peter to meet some other New Yorkers present, and Connor decides to wander over to Bruce and Harry and say hello to the host.

As he's in a genuine good mood, the "Hi, Bruce" actually comes out casual and friendly as opposed to awkward and polite.

[manorly_wayne]

"Connor, good to see you. You've been keeping well, I hope."

Bruce sounds every bit as casual and friendly, but when doesn't he? He makes it all seem so easy - it's second nature to him.

"It's a good night for it, the first warm weather we've had in a long while - I'm thinking of it as a good omen."

[osborn_heir]

Connor looks stunning in the new Armani tux that Harry picked out for him. It's Harry's birthday. You better believe he jumped at the chance to dress Connor after the invitation said black tie. It was the best birthday gift Bruce could have given him.

"The rides look awesome don't they? I swear I saw Paul Madison and his wife Shelley get in line for the roller coaster. I wonder if the rest of the board members will follow suit."

Harry is in such a good mood. He can't stop smiling that Harry Osborn loves the world smile.

"The kids all look like they're having a good time." He's making small talk, but it's mostly because he wants to grab Connor and drag him off to the thrill rides. Really when else will they get to ride roller coasters while dressed in Armani Tuxes?!

[abetterlie]

Some days, Connor thinks the worst of Norman Osborn's sins of neglect during Harry's childhood was not giving him a doll. Because he, Connor is paying for it. Not right now, though, because Harry is pretty much irresistable when he's happy and in such a good mood, so who cares about having to wear black tie? Besides, there is one thing about a circus he always did want to try out.

...although, maybe not today. It's part of an old fantasy, rewriting memories so he does spend his childhood with Kara, running away to the circus and becoming trapeze fliers. One hypothetical day when she's genuinenly happy, he'll dare her to try that together, the trapeze, but not today.

Roller coasters, though, are different.

"Hey, if the owner and the CEO get on a roller coaster, they pretty much have to, right?" Connor replies, amused, to Harry and by implication Bruce.

"So, Bruce, did you try any out in advance?"

[clairebennet]

She didn't expect the invitation to a fancy birthday party for the ex-boyfriend of one of her friends. She and Kara were starting to get to know each other, and well Claire was down with the hos before bros deal. So, at first she thought no way loser, I am not attending your party.

Then she read the bottom of the attached invitation. Harry had said that he didn't want Kara feeling out of place since Lex would be attending as well. He didn't know Claire at all, but when he looked through Kara's journal she had tagged Claire for a meme and that seemed good enough of a reason to invite her.

Once Claire decided to go, she left a quick message on Kara's voicemail explaining about the email and how it was hos before bros so she would meet up with her there. Then she tried to find something appropriate to wear for a black tie circus. The dress she decided on was casual enough to be comfortable, and elegant enough to not make her feel out of place with the very rich people that Bruce Wayne new. He was kind of a celebrity, and well Claire

[kara_marie]

Claire looks adorable - like the bona fide cheerleader she is, Kara thinks, without a small dose of jealousy. That's the other complicated thing about being a girl, you're busy trying to be all supportive of the sisterhood, but you're still trying to read the tag on their jeans to see who is thinner! Horrible.

No man could ever stand the pressure of femininity.

"Hey, Claire - "

Kara greets her.

"Are you here by yourself?"

[clairebennet]

Kara is thinner. Claire doesn't need to look at the back of her jeans to know that. Kara is thinner and taller. Claire is always going to be short and curvy, but she does what she can to make it work to her advantage. That is part of being a teenager after all, turn a negative into a positive, and try not to let body image issues get the best of you.

"I was until you showed up," she says with a big smile. Kara is dressed in trendy jeans, a cute top and amazing shoes. If Claire had tried to pull that look off she wouldn't have managed to look like she blended in among the rest of the people all dressed up. She wonders if Kara realizes she stands out in a good way, or if she is nervous because she is wearing jeans.

"Did you come by yourself?" She knows the birthday party is for one of Kara's exes and that the most recent one is an invited guest as well. Claire is prepared to toss a glass of soda on Lex Luthor if the situation calls for it. Hos before bros indeed.

[kara_marie]

She's not nervous, she's just, eh. This feels like another thing to get through to get to...

Well, she hasn't worked out, yet, what it is she's waiting for. But there has to be something and it will be awesome. It has to be awesome.

"No, I dragged a friend along."

She says it so easily and somewhere the past is catching up with the present and she remembers her mother introducing Kara to one of her friends, so many friends, always introduced in that same easy tone as if there was nothing to question, it was all as it should be.

"He said he's gone to find a bathroom. I think he's off looking for the fairyfloss that those little... "

Horrors.

"things keep running around with."

[marykindajane]

The quiet dinner had been a nice time to catch up on things with everyone, namely Harry and Connor, and Mary Jane was grateful for the time together before they took off for the party thrown by Bruce Wayne - at an amusement park no less. Harry had insisted on buying the right clothes for the event since, well, the invitation clearly stated black tie.

She stood with Peter, Connor, and Natalie talking while Harry took off to go speak with Bruce. After a while, Connor left the group to find Harry again while Natalie began to introduce the two to a few people.

Sipping at her champagne, Mary Jane glances up at the rides and smiles at the thought of being at an amusement park for Harry Osborn's twenty-third birthday. She smiles and makes easy conversation with a few of the other guests and notices the children running around.

[osborn_heir]

Once he has made his rounds greeting some of the guests and managing to test out some of the rides, Harry runs back into Mary Jane and Natalie. There are two little kids who want to ride one of the rollercoasters, but they will need someone of appropriate height to go with them. Luckily Peter and Connor notice this and come to their rescue. That is what superheroes do.

"How's two of my favorite girls?" Harry asks, and this time he has dropped the champagne glasses and is drinking a soda instead. He doesnt' want to get drunk at a public event.

Taking a sip of his soda, he looks around and can't help but smile, "This is amazing isn't it? I'm glad we didn't bring Evan though. I think this would have been a little overwhelming for him. Tell me none of the boring people have been bothering the two of you."

That's Harry Osborn in a good mood for you. He just keeps talking and talking while switching subjects quickly.

[natalie_spencer]

"I agree." Natalie answered as her eyes continued to take in the amusement park around her. Only one of Harry's friends would throw him a black tie event party at an amusement park. It's one of the strangest things Natalie has ever seen.

She turned her eyes back to Harry and Mary Jane and smiled a little bit when it registered that he'd asked how they were. "I'm fine, a little amazed at the party. Why are there boring people here and how is the birthday boy?" She asked him, a slight smirk touching the corner of her mouth as she turned her focus back onto him.

"You must be loving this." She said only somewhat seriously. She was almost tempted to regret not bringing Evan with her but her son was still a bit too young to enjoy a party like this.

[marykindajane]

Peter and Connor go off to ride one of the rollercoasters with some of the children and Mary Jane smiles as she watches the four together. Turning back to Harry and Natalie, she nods on agreement. "It really is," she says, still a little amazed but mostly because she's wearing a dress to an amusement park.

"No boring people yet," she flashes a smile at Harry. "You haven't had to make any small talk with any of them have you?" He probably has considering that the OsCorp board had been invited. Of course, MJ is certain Harry amused himself enough while talking to them anyway.

"I hope you've at least gotten to ride some of the rides instead of just making the rounds."

A tray passes by and she drops her glass down on it, not bothering to go for another just yet then smiles again at the to of them. "I'm sure Aunt May is happy she stayed back to keep him company."

[kara_marie]

Kara realises when they arrive that she and Peter are under dressed - it upsets her less than it would have a few months back, there's been a shift in her priorities, in her perspective on these things and she realises, with a sort of horror, that she just doesn't care, anymore. You can wear all the pretty dresses in the world and it wont make any difference to the end result, so why not wear Jeans, does it really matter?

She just hopes it doesn't worry Peter. The last thing she needs is an emo not!boyfriend being all self concious.

Kara can hear the rollercoaster, she loves rollercoasters, she loves these places with all the bright lights and distractions. But right now she's just thinking about the best way to get through tonight and get home again. Back to Darla and away from Lexie.

Lex. Not Lex. Away from Lex.

[mybrothershadow]

Kara shouldn't worry about Peter feeling underdressed. He hates the black tie thing anyway and would have lost the tie soon after his arrival anyway.

He looks around the amusement park and half grins. "This will be fun. I love rollercoasters."

Emo not!boyfriend shouldn't be a problem. Of course they haven't seen Lex yet.

[kara_marie]

She can't help but smile back at him, a more gentle smile than she'd give most people, most men.

"This will be fun --- and it looks like we're the only ones with the sense to dress to an occasion."

Better underdressed than overdressed, she learned that in the pageant circut. If you have to choose between the two faux paus than this is the lesser evil.

She squeezes his hand,

"Let's go find you a buddy for the rollercoaster."

[mybrothershadow]

Peter chuckles. "You aren't going to be my rollercoaster buddy?" he asks.

"And you have no idea how thankful I am that you did not make me dress in a tux. I can't stand the things."

He actually means it but hopefully it will also make Kara feel better about the underdressed thing.