There's Always Body Language
 

Charles grinned brightly as he ushered the other three into the large room.

"This can't be too bad," he said, just short of physically pushing Logan into the room. "Plenty of lovely ladies to chat with, perhaps you'll find one you like, hm?"

"Chuck..." By now, Logan knew it was useless to argue with Charles when he had his mind set on something.

Across the room, Kate definitely was not hiding behind her own peachy-rose feathers. She was staying on the fringes of the crowd, not actively seeking out anyone to chat with yet. She took a sip of the mildly fizzy punch in her hand and just looked around.

Tony was pulling Steve with him, because if he was going to this event, he was dragging Steve with him.

"It'll be fun," he told a rather reluctant Steve. "Come on, you'll be fine, you can get out an socialize."

Steve just sighed. "Tony..." It was a very, very familiar exasperated tone.

Ivy was also hanging out on the edges of the crowd, her own greenish-blue wings fluttering a bit but staying back behind her. She'd been called a peacock before, since the color was appropriate.

Charles beamed as the other three went to attempt to socialize. Really, Tony had the best chance of succeeding; he, at least, knew how to talk to people.

Logan rolled his eyes and stayed on the outer edge of the crowd. Easier to escape that way later on.

Kate noticed the group walk in, and her wings shifted a bit as she noticed how attractive they were.

Tony stuck near Steve for the moment, letting him get adjusted first. Then he'd leave him to find someone else to talk to. Steve still looked a bit unsettled, because these had not existed back in the day.

Ivy noticed too after a moment and couldn't help but watch them for a few moments, her wings fluttering briefly before she focused on her drink again.

Logan managed to come across Tony at one point.

"Why'd we let Chuck talk us into this?" he asked.

"Because none of us know how to say no," Tony said, shaking his head.

"We got volunteered," Steve said with a sigh.

"Chuck's got Metalhead, anyways," Logan grumbled. "So he's got no reason to be here." His wings fluttered slightly, dark feathers catching the light and shimmering.

"Maybe he wanted to get out of the house?" Tony suggested with a shrug that shifted his wings enough to make them catch the light. "I would too, living with that psycho." The teasing was familiar and they all knew he didn't actually think Erik was a psycho. Most of the time.

"Who knows, with Chuck?" Logan said. He looked around the room. "I want to know what was goin' through his head, thinking this was a good idea."

"We may never know," Tony said with a shrug. That was about the point he spotted the two girls and grinned. They looked just as uncomfortable as Steve and Logan.

"You know, I bet he'd leave you two alone if you went and talked to people."

"Yer not exactly minglin' either, Stark," Logan pointed out.

"I am keeping you two company, and I have a whole company to mingle with, so shoo. You two need practice talking to people, go practice on them." Tony nodded to the two girls.

Steve rolled his eyes at Tony.

"One of these days, Stark, I'm gonna shred that tin can of yours to ribbons, watch and see if I don't," Logan threatened. It was a threat he used often, and there was no heat behind it. Rolling his eyes, he made his way over to the girl with the green feathers.

Tony just snickered and ushered Steve over to the other girl, though he didn't go far yet.

Steve looked at the girl with the peachy wings and smiled a little. "Sorry if I'm intruding," he said. "I, uh, thought you looked kinda lonely." It came out almost a question.

Ivy, on the other hand, watched the one with the gray wings approaching her, stiffening just a little although she didn't move. Her wings tucked in close to her back reflexively.

Logan noticed and gave her a bit of space.

"You look like you're having about as much fun as I am," he commented.

"A little, I guess," Kate said, her wings fluttering a bit nervously.

"Oh, I don't know," Ivy said lightly. "At least I've got a drink."

Steve smiled apologetically. "I'm Steve," he said, holding out a hand to her after a moment. He still didn't do any of this very often.

"Not in the crowds, though," Logan pointed out.

"Kate," Kate replied, shaking his hand. His hand was much larger than hers, and pleasantly warm.

"True." Ivy shrugged and took a sip of her drink. "Too crowded in the crowd."

"You look like you're not sure if you want to be here," Steve observed. He'd seen that look a lot today.

"No kidding," Logan said. "Don't get how people can do that all the time."

"I guess I'm kind of not," Kate admitted. "It's sort of a last-ditch effort."

"I have no idea," Ivy said, shaking her head. "Even just this is hard."

Steve grinned. "My friend pulled me into coming," he said. "Probably thinks the same of me. I've been told repeatedly today that I don't get out enough."

"Yeah," Logan said. "Got pushed here by a friend. Name's Logan, by the way."

"I just got out of a relationship," Kate said. "I figured I'd give it one more shot before going off dating for a while."

"Ivy." She nodded to him. "I think I'm going to head outside for a few minutes, get some air."

Steve made a sympathetic face. "Ended that badly?" he asked quietly. He knew how that went, through Bucky more than from his own personal experience.

"Great idea," Logan said. "Mind if I come with?" Even if she said no, he would find a spot of his own outside; there were just too many people inside for his comfort.

"Pretty badly," Kate said, nodding. "Found him cheating on me, apparently had been for a while. And then he denied it to my face."

"Alright," Ivy agreed, setting her drink down and making her way around the edge of the room so she came into contact with as few people as possible. Finally she made her way outside and let out a quiet breath at how much quieter it was.

"Yikes." Steve made a face. "He sounds like a real jerk." There were stronger words he could use, of course, but he'd been raised not to swear in front of ladies.

Logan followed her, although he did end up glaring off a few guys who tried to follow as well. Once he was outside, he took a deep breath. That was much better.

"That's putting it mildly," Kate said. "So yeah, I'm going to give dating one last shot."