I like it, another!

[Dr Adjective]

[Happy 18th, Hope Hynes!]

Much as she would’ve liked to make the full reference, Hope elected not to throw her glass on the floor. It was quite thick anyway compared to a coffee mug, and she didn’t have the impressive strength of a jacked-but-depowered Asgardian to throw behind a slightly dated reference either. She did make the reference though.

“This drink, I like it!”

Instead of attempting to smash it, Hope brought the now-empty milkshake glass down with an audible slam.

“Another!”

Well, it didn’t actually work like that, but she’d ask for a refill much more politely next time someone came over to check on the table. Until then, she had food to eat and good company to enjoy. Her actual birthday had been two days prior, but who wanted to go to a birthday party right after school? It did mean that she’d already received gifts from her family though, which was why she was very proudly wearing a brand new replica Portland Thorns FC jersey, number 13, Moultrie across the shoulders.

As for where she was sitting? Well Shakes ‘n’ Bakes offered the perfect combination of nice, inoffensive food that would suit most tastes, a neat retro aesthetic that appealed to Hope’s enjoyment of old-school vibes (even if they had politely, but firmly refused to add LeBrock to their playlist for the day), and perhaps most importantly of all, being pretty inexpensive.

Realising that there was still a little left, Hope leaned in to loudly slurp up the dregs of her shake.

[SharkyTGirl185]

((Meggy Roberts continues from Isn’t Everyone?))

Meghan smiled as she clapped her hands together, kicking her legs while sipping from her strawberry milkshake with glee. Hope’s slightly belated birthday party! And she was invited! She knew Hope well, they were on pretty good terms given her parents pub was attended by local cops, who knew her and her mom because from her dad’s many many transfers around big cities. So the two were basically arranged to meet and be friends.

To be honest, she always thought Hope was super cool! From her actually really cool prosthetic arms from her stamina and being on the soccer team. Plus she was very ambitious which made her even more cool.

“I really hope you’re having a fun times Hope!”

[Pippi]

((Amber Barnes, Pregame Start!!!))

She never thought she’d end up saying this, but Amber was really glad she’d spilled an entire glass of orange juice all down her front earlier that morning.

This had not, of course, been an intentional act, and it sure as sun up wasn’t about to become a regular occurrence either. But on this very specific occasion, given she hadn’t been granted the gift of future sight just yet, a complete and utter S.S.S.S. (Shirt Soaking Spillage Situation) might just have ended up being a total blessing in disguise.

See, Amber had originally been wearing her own Portland jersey this morning - Timbers, rather than Thorns, in her case - and had been all set to continue wearing it to this little shindig. It had felt appropriate at the time, y’know? Them both being on the soccer team and all. But the birthday girl was wearing her brand-new gear - and that shit was new new, not a secondhand dealy, Amber could practically smell the synthetics from here - and coming in rocking her own soccer strip would have felt way too close to a fashion faux pas for her own liking. Like she was trying to out-glam the bride on her wedding day.

It did mean she had missed an opportunity for a ‘Well, one of us is gonna have to change’ joke, but sacrifices had to be made, and that one was starting to feel it’s age anyway. Then again, Hope herself had just made a Marvel reference, bless her, so maybe it would’ve been in fine company. Which one was she quoting again, Iron Man? One of the now-myriad Avengers films? The last time Amber had intentionally watched anything in the MCU had been, jeez, maybe Endgame? She had fallen off of that wagon hard, not that she would ever let Hope know.

She was also not going to count the time she’d watched the third Guardians of the Galaxy film four times in the span of one night. That had been solely to try and impress a girl she’d met at a party, it hadn’t worked out at all cause she’d fallen asleep during the fifth goddamn viewing of it, and it was something she really just kinda wanted to bury in the deepest recesses of her mind at this point.

At least until enough time had passed and it would work wonders as a funny anecdote without making her cringe her own face off.

Amber rested her chin on her hand and her elbow on the table, dressed in a much more predictable ensemble - at least, for her - of crop-top, cutoffs, and fishnets all over. Her own half-empty glass hit the table with a gentle clink, and a big, beaming grin appeared on her face.

“Pretty sure that means you’re obliged to make a speech, now, babes,” Amber said, before tilting her head to look at one of the other guests of honour. “Ain’t that right, Meggy?”

[Dr Adjective]

They made a weird trio at the birthday girl’s table, Meggy, Hope, and Amber. The cop, the cyborg, and… well, the one who her dad couldn’t help giving dirty looks when he thought nobody was looking. Or maybe he wanted to be noticed disapproving? Hard to say. He certainly hadn’t made it a secret at home how he felt about his daughter playing on a team with that lesbian who dresses like a hooker.

Hope wished her brother were here instead. He’d always been good at being diplomatic with the parents, but Seamus had been a good support pillar for this sort of thing, always pretty normal about other people’s life choices… even if he did like to tease her for constantly glazing Amber’s skill on the field and enviously commenting on how good she looked, implying she had (or just, accusing her of having) a crush on the pretty defender.

She didn’t, for the record. Honest. Just wished she looked that good, or played that well. Didn’t have to be attracted to another girl to like, aesthetically appreciate how attractive she was.

Anyway.

“Speech? What, since when?!”

Hope gave an awkward smile, looking to Meggy for support.

“That’s not a real thing, is it?”

[SharkyTGirl185]

Meggy started I giggle softly as she pulled out her straw, inserting it into her mouth and sucking out most of the cream before plopping it back in her drink to stir it. She could be the reasonable one:

No no, you don't have to give a speech Hope!

At least, she would if Meggy wasn't in a funny mood:

"Yout gotta do it now Hope!" She smirks a bit "Under Nevadan Jurisdiction of 2020, you gotta make a speech, or you could face a fine of 500 dollars."