Every man and his dog was at Stark's party. Two hours in and the place was packed! I didn't know if he knew everyone attending, but if he did...it sort of explained why he acted like such a tool at times.
I was thrilled when Sam walked through the door. At least there was someone I knew other than the team, who wandered around in clusters meeting new people and conversing with some old friends.
I wasn't the sort of partying guy, but, I had to admit, I was having a good time. And playing Pool with Sam was a walk in the park. It was our third game and I was still winning.
"Whoo!" he whistled. "Come back, come back, come back!"
"You know, you can take the fifty bucks off the table if you're worried you'll lose," I warned playfully.
"Pfft! Yeah, right!"
I shrugged before I took my turn. And the 8 ball, my final ball, went into the pocket. The game was mine.
Sam sighed as he straightened.
I grinned. "Come on."
He whipped out his wallet and handed me my winnings. "I'm never playing with you again."
I chuckled, and we left the table for someone else to play. We stopped by the bar to get Sam a drink before heading up to the second floor of the party.
"Sounds like a hell of a fight," Sam said after I filled him in about the skirmish at the HYDRA base. "Sorry I missed it."
"If I'd known it was going to be a firefight, I absolutely would've called you," I reassured.
"No, I'm not actually sorry. I'm just trying to sound tough. I'm very happy chasing cold leads on our missing persons case. Avenging is your world." We stopped at the balcony overlooking the party below us. "Your world is...crazy."
"Be it ever so humble," I concluded.
"You find a place in Brooklyn yet?"
"I don't think I can afford a place in Brooklyn."
Sam sipped his drink and nodded in understanding. "Well, home is home, you know."
It seemed like an everlasting reality. Avenging was my world, yes. The way it was going, that wasn't going to change anytime soon. I couldn't really see myself settling down. I was created during a war, I woke up during a war, and now I was fighting another war. That was all I knew how to do. It seemed like that was all I was going to do. And it was a sad reality.
"So, where's Andi?" Sam asked, tearing me from my thoughts. "You'd think she'd be here. She doesn't seem like the kind of person to skip out on a party organised by Stark, right?"
"I don't know." I frowned. "She'd said she'd be here."
My eyes flicked to the door. And I straightened. A bomb shell with flaming hair had just walked in.
She wore a white dress held in place over one shoulder. A silver belt ran around her waist, accentuating her slim yet well-toned figure. It was a perfect fit, halting just above her knees. The beautiful dress was coupled with equally dazzling shoes; a sparkling silver. I'd just noticed that her hair had grown longer again, stopping at her elbow. The blazing strands were brushed to the vacant shoulder and pinned there.
My eyes were glued to her. She looked absolutely beautiful. I mean, she looked beautiful already without the extravagance. But she looked especially gorgeous tonight.
"Careful. Don't start drooling," Sam remarked.
"What?" I stared at him blankly.
He chuckled. "I see the way you look at her, man."
I turned back to her. She was gone, lost within the crowds of people.
Sam sipped his drink before shrugging. "I'd go for it if I were you. Before she gets away."
I left Sam to his own devices to meet up with Thor. He said that he had something he wanted me to try.
I crossed my arms in curiosity as I watched him pull a small flask from the inside pocket of his jacket. He grabbed my drink and began pouring a little in.
"I gotta have some of that!" an old man next to us demanded.
"Oh, no, no, no," Thor said. "See this...this was aged for a thousand years in the barrels built from the wreck of Brunhilde's fleet." He handed me my drink. "It's not meant for mortal men."
I sniffed it. I frowned at the aroma. Boy, it smelled strong. I could tell only by the drink's scent that it was not meant for mortal men.
"Neither was Omaha Beach, blondie," another old man on the couch said. "Stop trying to scare us." He waved his hand. "C'mon."
Thor shared a glance with me. I shrugged. Thor did as well. "All right."
The Asgardian took the old guy's cup and poured some of the liquor into his drink. We all banged glasses and chugged. The buzz was very strong. I couldn't get drunk. My metabolism wouldn't allow it. But I felt drunk with that single swig. And then it was gone just as fast as it came.
Hours later, the buzz had finally struck the old guys harder than they expected. The Omaha Beach Guy had to be helped out of the party by two other guys after it began to draw to a close.
I sat alone with my thoughts after Thor wandered off with his own agenda. My eyes travelled through the crowds, looking for a particular flaming redhead. I couldn't see her. I couldn't help but feel disappointed.
My eyes landed on Natasha and Banner at the bar. It seemed like the gossip train had given up on trying to get Andi and I together and arrived at their station.
I peeled myself from the couch and made my way over to the bar. I leaned against it as Natasha made her exit, leaving Banner alone.
"It's nice," I added.
"What? W-What is?" Bruce stuttered, a very mild paranoid look in his eyes.
"You and Romanoff."
"No, we haven't, that wasn't—"
I held up a hand. "It's okay, nobody's breaking any by-laws. It's just, she's not the most...open person in the world. But with you, she seems very relaxed."
Bruce turned to face me. "No, Natasha, she...she likes to flirt."
I reached over the bar to pull a beer from the ice. "I've seen her flirt. Up close. This ain't that." I strolled over to stand next to him. "Look. As maybe the world's leading authority on waiting too long...don't. You both deserve a win."
My eyes flicked to a group behind me. I saw Andi mingling with Sam. She grinned at something he said. And then her green eyes met mine. They lingered there for a moment, coupled with a warm smile before she went back to conversing with Sam.
I smiled at Bruce and left him alone.
I smirked at his final words: "What do you mean, 'up close?'"
The party slowly drew to a close, drunk guests stumbling out the door. Sam had been one of the last guests to leave, promising to update Steve and I on his findings about our missing person.
The team with Hill and Tony's good friend Rhodey settled around a coffee table. Dr. Cho was passed out on the couch as the rest of us continued to drink.
I sat next to Steve, pulling his jacket tighter around my shoulders. It felt amazing. I didn't want to part with it. And it smelled like him. I could smell the waft of freedom. I'm kidding! It smelled like the perfect cologne, a cologne that smelled so natural, if that made any sort of sense.
I did notice Steve was watching me the whole night. Unlike Tony's glares, it was a look of...attraction? But it was of the subtle kind, I guess? It was like that guy who wanted to ask his crush to dance at prom, and he didn't know how to approach her. It was the dress. He liked the dress. It was definitely the dress. That was it.
"But it's a trick!" Clint announced, twirling drumsticks, referring to Thor's hammer on the coffee table.
"No, no, it's much more than that," Thor chuckled.
"Ah! 'Whosoever be worthy shall haveth the power!'" he mocked. "Whatever, man! It's a trick!"
Thor gestured to the hammer. "Well, please, be my guest."
The room was silent as we waited for Clint's reply. He looked at all of us in turn. I leaned forward in excitement. Oh, this was going to be good.
"C'mon," Tony egged him on.
"Really?"
"Yeah!"
Clint stood, and all eyes were on him. Chuckles echoed throughout the group, coupled with a scoff from the master archer.
"Oh, this is gonna be beautiful," Rhodey remarked.
"Clint, you've had a tough week, we won't hold it against you if you can't get it up," Tony noted.
"Y'know, I've seen this before, right?" Clint stated, and Thor simply nodded with a cocky smile.
Clint wrapped his fingers around the grip of the hammer. He pulled. He pulled again. He groaned as he pulled it once more. And it didn't move.
He chuckled, embarrassed. "And I still don't know how you do it!"
Thor shrugged nonchalantly, hiding a smile behind his glass as he sipped his drink.
"It seems you are unworthy, mighty archer," I teased.
"Smell the silent judgement?" Tony mocked.
Clint gestured to the hammer. "Please, Stark, by all means."
Tony wasn't one to turn down a challenge. His personality wouldn't allow it. And I thought Clint's go was going to be fun. This one! Oh, this one was going to be a-mazing.
Tony stood and unbuttoned his coat, and the snarky remarks began.
"Oh, here we go," Maria scoffed. "Okay."
"Uh-oh," Rhodey added.
"Never one to shrink from an honest challenge," Tony sassed as he brushed past Clint returning to his seat.
"Here we go," I stated, raising my glass at the show I was about to watch.
"It's physics," Tony concluded as he put his hand through the strap at the end of the hammer before gripping it.
"Physics!" Rhodey echoed.
"Right, so, if I lift it, I rule Asgard?" Tony said.
"Yes, of course," Thor replied simply.
"Then I will be re-instituting Prima Nocta."
He pulled, and, like for Clint, it didn't move. I raised a sarcastic eyebrow and got a playful glare in return. No power for Tony, but it didn't look like he was finished. "Be right back."
He disappeared into his lab and returned with the hand of his suit. Even with that, it didn't move. And even with the addition of Rhodey and his War Machine aid, it still didn't budge.
"Are you even pulling?" Rhodey growled.
"Are you on my team?"
"Just represent. Pull!"
"All right, let's go!"
Bruce had a go, but with no luck. He did try to channel the Hulk as he jumped off the table and did a fail imitation of the green monster's roar. We just stared at him and tried incredibly hard not to laugh.
"Huh?" was all he said before returning to his seat.
And then it came to the most promising candidate: Steven Grant Rogers. I didn't laugh or send snarky remarks his way. I was too curious, leaning forward and watching silently. It was quite possible that he would be able to lift the hammer. He was a righteous man, after all.
"Let's go, Steve, no pressure," Tony remarked as Steve made his way to the hammer.
He rolled his sleeves up a little more than they already were and dusted his hands.
Steve wrapped his hands around the grip and pulled. I didn't think anyone else noticed, but I did.
It moved. It moved only a little bit, but enough to make an almost inaudible screeching sound on the coffee table. And it even lifted a tiny bit.
Thor noticed, too. His cocky smile melted into that of nervousness, and then into a confused but curious frown.
Steve pulled again, but got the same result as everyone else. He let it go and raised his hands in surrender, admitting that he too wasn't worthy.
Thor's worried expression quickly snapped back to that of his cocky and good-natured demeanour. He chuckled as he lifted his drink to his lips. "Nothing."
But I could tell he was still worried as his eyes flicked back to the hammer.
With all the men failing to lift the mighty weapon, it was down to the ladies.
Bruce gestured to Nat.
Tony raised an eyebrow. "Andi? Widow?"
"Oh, no, no, that's not a question I need answered," Nat replied with a smirk.
Tony moved his cocky stare to me. "Miss Mysterious?"
I scoffed. "I'm good. I've proved my worthiness already. I don't need the hammer to make that anymore true."
"All deference to the man who wouldn't be king, but it's rigged," Tony remarked.
"You bet your ass," Clint added.
"Steve, he said a bad language word," Maria noted, pointing at Clint like a dobbing child.
Steve looked at me and I shrugged. He stared at Tony. "Did you tell everyone about that?"
"The handle's imprinted, right?" Tony ignored Steve's question with a grin. "Like a security code...'Whosoever is carrying Thor's fingerprints is', I think is the literal translation?"
"Yes, well. That's uh, that's a very, very interesting theory." Thor stood and made his way to the hammer. "I have a simpler one." He gripped the handle and it lifted from the table. It hummed with power as he flipped it and caught it. "You are all not worthy."
Everyone scoffed and spat out remarks of disagreement.
And then a piercing squeal filled the room. I cringed, placing my hands over my ears.
What was that?
My eyes flicked around the room for the cause. When I heard the metal steps, I stood with caution.
"Worthy..."
Everyone stood as I did, wary looks on their faces.
"No..."
A wrecked robot stumbled out from the darkness, leaking black oil. It was one of Tony's Iron Legion armours. I recognised the make and design of it, not to mention the Avenger's logo over the heart. "How could you be worthy? You're all...killers."
"Stark," Steve growled.
"JARVIS?" Tony called for his A.I.
"I'm sorry, I was asleep. Or...was I dreaming?" the robot mumbled.
I inched closer to Steve. That had become a reflex over the past two years. And he did so as well in a protective fashion.
"Reboot. Legionnaire 06's got a buggy suit," Tony ordered as he tapped his tablet.
"There was this...terrible noise..." the robot described over the top of Tony. "And I was tangled in... in...strings." It waved its metal hand. "Had to kill the other guy. He was a good guy."
"You killed someone?" Steve asked.
"Wouldn't've been my first call. But, down in the real world, we're faced with ugly choices."
"Who sent you?" Thor demanded.
The sound of a tape rewinding sounded as the robot tipped its head to the side. "I see a suit of armor around the world."
My eyes widened. That was Tony's voice. I turned to him. I scowled. What have you done?
"Ultron," Bruce concluded.
"In the flesh," it replied. "Or, no, not yet. Not this...chrysalis."
I noticed everyone preparing for a fight. Thor gripped his hammer tighter. Maria loaded a gun before standing. Clint looked around. I squinted and felt my hands faintly begin to glow.
The robot looked around curiously. "But I'm ready. I'm on a mission."
"What mission?" Nat demanded.
Its head snapped to look at us. "Peace in our time."
Suits smashed through the walls on either side of the killer robot. I leapt over the couch as Steve kicked the coffee table up as a temporary shield. A suit slammed into it, sending him flying over my head.
Another flew past me. Its hand grasped my throat and carried me off the floor. It squeezed tighter as I struggled. I created two balls of golden energy in either hand and rammed them into either side of the robot's head. It released me instantly as it exploded, dropping me to land on my feet. I dove under the table near the bar.
I watched the small battle, firing bolts of energy from where I hid. I glared at the head robot—at Ultron—who staggered away.
I was about to go after him when a body hit the bar above my head. Steve rolled off and landed in front of me.
"Steve!" I grabbed him and dragged his dazed form under. "You okay?"
"Yeah," he groaned.
I watched as Thor destroyed the legs off a robot and threw it over the balcony. The torso part picked itself up and began to hover over to Helen Cho cowering behind the piano.
"Stark!" Steve called as he and I dashed out from under the bar.
"One sec, one second!" Tony yelled as he fiddled with the head of a flying robot he clutched to with a fondue fork.
I bolted to the robot heading for Helen. I slammed my hand into its face and blew up the mechanisms inside.
Steve grabbed it by the shoulders and threw it the Asgardian's way. "Thor!"
Thor smashed the head with his hammer.
Tony dealt with his flying robot, embedding the fondue stick into its neck. It powered down and dropped on the stairs, Tony rolling away upon landing.
"Cap!" Clint threw Steve his shield.
Steve jumped to catch it and then hurled it at the remaining robot, smashing it to pieces.
And then there was silence. Only the sound of glass crunching under feet and breaking from the windows sung.
We all glared at the last robot: Ultron.
"That was dramatic!" It paced where it stood. "I'm sorry, I know you mean well. You just didn't think it through. You want to protect the world, but you don't want it to change. How is humanity saved if it's not allowed to...evolve?" It picked up a nearby robot by its head. "With these? These puppets?" It squeezed its head, it crunching within its fingers. "There's only one path to peace. The Avengers' extinction."
Done with listening, Thor pitched his hammer at the robot, the metal thing crashing into the wall, destroyed.
I stood over the metal corpse as it sang its last song: "I had strings, but now I'm free..."
❈Author's Note: Hey, there! And so Ultron's terror begins! Well, shi-
What did you think of his entrance? Let me know!
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