• the backstory •

"Suit up, gentleman," Steve Rogers states, walking up to the crowded table and dropping an invitation in the center of it. "We've been invited to a party."

All of his fellow Howling Commandos stop eating their dinner simultaneously and share a look, before turning into a group of five year olds and bursting into loud complaints.

"Why go to some fancy party held by an uptight French governor when we can have one of our own at the bar?" Timothy 'Dum Dum' Dugan whines, tossing the invitation aside without so much as glancing at it.

"Yeah!" Gabe Jones agrees, wadding the paper up as it falls in his lap. "Where we can get drunk without having to have to wear uncomfortable suits!"

"Come on, Stevie," Bucky Barnes pouts, gazing up at his best friend pleadingly. "Don't make us go. Tell whoever invited us that we can't make it."

"We can't not show up to a party being held in our honor by one of our strongest allies," Steve attempts to reason, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I know you like to have plenty of time to get ready, so you better start. We're leaving at 7:30 sharp."