Congratulations (Part 3)

Nick stands tall the night of Halloween. His Captain America costume is fitting loose from going to the gym, and he enjoys carrying around Mjolnir more than the shield, so he leaves that behind in the car. His friends at the party all love his costume and acknowledge his worthiness to wield such a weapon upon his arrival.

It was a weird night like that. Everyone who showed up, came as who they truly were. It's as if irony took over the party. "Grapes" couldn't make it, so Steve played him all night. Some of the guys locate a game of Risk and the guy that is dressed as Cobra Commander wins the game of world domination. The woman who dressed as Wendy Testaburger, is thrown up on by her long time boyfriend, dressed as Stan Marsh. That ended the evening for many, but it was a good time for all. Well, maybe too good for some.

Dinah asked Nick for a ride home in his mid-life crisis car. In spite of him being a walking cliche, she genuinely cares for him and likes Nick as a person. Never once in the years they knew each other, did he ever treat her differently than anyone else. Dinah was one of the few people of color in the crew and most certainly was the only gay woman.

Nick tried to kiss her the night they met, and she had to break it to him about the whole playing for the other team thing she had going on. Nick just nodded in mild disappointment and then they became friends; mostly through their mutual interests of women and 1980's cartoons.

Dinah genuinely liked him, as he really listened to her talking about her girl troubles and vice versa. She only ever knew him to be a stand up character and an all around good human being. Perfect, no, but good, and for no reason either, as Nick was not just an atheist but out right anti-religion. So in a moment of bonding, she made the mistake of being nice. It was the alcohol speaking now, she hit the "I love you man" part of the evening and said "You're a good man Charlie Brown." Nick smiled and said "You too!" They laugh, and Dinah punches him in the arm, saying "While I am certainly more of a man than you, that's really not a high bar you have set there." They laugh together.

Nick takes it in stride too, making fun of each other like that was another cornerstone of their relationship, being honest and sincere, were the others. Dinah got out of the car and leans in to finish the conversation "Cliche or not, I'm proud of you for getting your shit together, finally! Have you thought about a job? I mean, spending that kind of money is inevitable. You could just go do that thing you always said you wanted to do."

Nick looks confused. "What, become a porn star?" He then grins, as she rolls her eyes. "Yes, that's exactly what I'm thinking of.... let me know how that works out for you?" Dinah is done. She thought he wasn't in a serious mood, and is just making a joke to annoy her. "Will do, I know we have the same taste in women." Dinah stops, he continues, "It's OK, I never had a problem with people, looking, at her."

Dinah looks at Nick in the eyes, "Oh yeah, we do'n this now? OK!" Dinah climbs back in to Nick's Bentley, expecting some drama from him.

"Where to?" Nick asks. She mentiones a bar

"...it's near the Gayborhood, you should feel comfortable there. It was a straight bar recently, but we just took over the place, for our infamous 'Gay Agenda.'"

"Nice, how's that working out for you?" He seems sincerely curious as they pull off towards their destination. So she plays along, "Well it was better before trump of course, less of my peoples died back then for being real. Flip side, we are a larger and stronger community with more legal protections, thanks to the Supreme Court of the United States and solidarity."

"Interesting.... So do straight girls come here to this bar?" Nick had such a one track mind sometimes. "Sometimes, there are a lot of Bi-sexual people there, it's why I chose it."

"Nice! It's been almost two decades since I was your wing-man! You remember that night?" Nick asks.

"Yeah!, that was a fun little rave wasn't it? God, we were so young then...." Dinah adds.

"So wait, you didn't answer about being a wing-man or are you going to be competition?" Nick asks, with a wink.

Dinah giggles, "Depends on the woman. May the odds be ever in your favor!"

They both laugh, again.