AMERICA'S POV
Finally, my hair looks decent. It's taken hours. Maybe I shouldn't have gone on a run in the rain earlier after all. Either way, I'm late for Tony's party. I'm not a big party person, but I did promise Steve a dance. I straighten up and check my reflection before leaving.
The long-sleeved red dress Natasha helped me pick out shimmers every time I move. The neckline is low but not too low, and it's short but not too short. I'm almost six feet, after all, and the matching red heels only add to it. My hair falls in loose curls around my face, and I've left my makeup pretty neutral. No jewelry. I'm sparkly enough.
"Looking good," I whisper to my reflection, winking. Then I laugh at myself and head to the elevator. "Hey JARVIS, take me down to the party." No response. That's odd. I manually put in the floor number and wait.
The party is in full swing by the time I arrive. The Avengers are mingling with guests, the music is booming, and the bar is full. I spot Sam and Steve a little ways away from the action, on one of the different levels. Even in heels, I can run, so I sneak up behind them.
"You two not having fun? This is a party, you know. Revels." We all laugh, and I give Sam a hug. I haven't seen him since we left Washington.
"Hey America," he says.
"Hi, Sam. Steve, you okay?" He hasn't spoken at all, and at my words he finally comes back into the present.
"Yeah. Sorry. You, um, you look amazing." He blushes. I still love that I can make Captain America blush. It never gets old.
"This old thing?" I joke, playing with the edge of my dress. "I just pulled it out of the back of my closet."
"You should more often."
Sam glances from me to Steve, who gives him a slight nod. "I'll see you two around." He claps Steve on the back before going to talk to Rhodes.
I look at Steve, confused. "What's with him?"
"I don't know," he replies. "Some party, isn't it?"
"It's really loud," I note. I snatch his glass and take a sip before giving it back.
"Let's go outside for a minute." I nod, and he leads me out onto the balcony. It's a nice night, cool but not cold, and much quieter. "Better?"
"Yeah." I look out at the cityscape, all of the skyscrapers of New York City. "It's beautiful out here."
Steve sighs. "Listen, I've been meaning to ask you something for a while now, and there really hasn't been a right time."
"What is it?" I take his hand, trying to put him more at ease. He smiles a bit.
"We met almost two years ago. Here, in New York. And since then, we've gotten closer and we've almost died and we've decided that we love each other. It's crazy. So much has happened, but each day I wake up and I love you more. And I don't want that to end. You're my best friend, and you're my best girl, Mer, but I want us to be more than that." He gets down on one knee and fishes a small box out of his pocket. My hand flies to my mouth in shock. "Will you marry me?"
There's a moment where I actually can't speak, so I just start nodding vigorously. Tears spring to my eyes, but they're happy tears. A grin spreads onto my face. "Yes. Yes!" He slides the ring onto my finger, face alight with happiness. It's a thin gold band with a little pearl in the center. I love it. Then what just happened sinks in. "We're getting married!" I throw my arms around him and he spins me around before setting me down and giving me a long kiss.
"I love you," he says between kisses.
"I love you, too." We eventually break apart, and I grin. "Let's go tell everyone! Did anyone know you were going to do that?"
"Only Sam, but I've been meaning to ask you for a while."
I smack my forehead. "That's what you were trying to ask me the other day?"
"Yeah," he says, laughing. I join in. The night is golden and it's just getting started. We walk back into the party hand-in-hand and immediately run into Sam, who grins.
"Looks like that went well," he jokes. "Congratulations. I'm happy for the two of you."
"Who are we congratulating?" Nat asks, joining the conversation. I hold up my hand, showing off the ring. She takes my hand to look at it closer. "Congratulations! About time, Rogers," she adds, winking.
"You know what, Romanoff?"
"What's this big group?" Bruce asks. He looks more relaxed than usual.
"Cap finally stopped dragging his feet and popped the question," Natasha quips, taking a drink.
"No way!"
"Wait, what's going on?" Tony asks interestedly, shooing away the girl he was talking to.
"Okay, okay, hold on. Pause the music," Steve says, holding up his hands. When everyone quiets down, he grins at me. "We're engaged!" Everyone applauds as I pull Steve in for another kiss.
We're the center of attention for a while, with everyone coming over to congratulate us. I say the phrase 'thank you' more than I ever have in my life, and I'm more than happy to do it. I keep glancing down at my ring to make sure it's still there. It's so delicate and light. Eventually, we slip away and join Thor at the bar.
"I congratulate the two of you," he says in his booming voice.
"Thanks, Thor," I reply, smiling the smile I can't seem to wipe off of my face.
"I gotta have some of that!" An old man says, pointing to the drink.
"Oh, no, no, no," Thor says, laughing. "See this, this was aged for a thousand years, in the barrels built from the wreck of Brunhilde's fleet, it's not meant for mortal men." He pours the two of us a small golden drink. I guess super-soldiers aren't 'mortal men.'
"Neither was Omaha Beach, blondie. Stop trying to scare us. Come on!" says another old man with a mustache and sunglasses. Thor shrugs.
"Alright." Not even five minutes later, a few men have to lead him away from the bar as he sings a drinking song. I roll my eyes playfully and turn to Steve, who raises the glass to me. I do the same, and we drink. It tastes like liquid gold, sweet and bubbly and crisp.
A slower song comes on, and I grab his hand. "Come on, I owe you a dance."
Smiling, he takes my hand and pulls me close. I lay my head on his chest, swaying to a Billy Joel song I can't quite remember the name of. "I thought you said you couldn't dance."
"I said I don't dance. There's a difference."
He chuckles, giving me a soft kiss on the forehead. The song ends too quickly, and we go to sit with the group, who are all crowded around a table.
"But it's a trick!" Clint protests, pointing to Mjilonir with humor in his voice. I cross my legs from my spot perched on the armrest of the couch next to Steve and smile. This should be good.
"Oh no," Thor laughs, "it's much more than that." He takes a swig of his drink.
"Whosoever be he worthy shall haveth the power!" Clint booms in his Thor impersonation. "Whatever, man. It's a trick."
Thor gestures to the hammer. "Well, please, be my guest."
"Come on!" Tony crows. Clint looks surprised.
"Really?"
"Yeah," Thor responds, also grinning.
I lean over and whisper into Steve's ear, "here we go."
"Clint, you've had a tough week, we won't hold it against you if you can't get it up," Tony jokes. We all laugh as Clint steps towards the hammer.
"You know I've seen this before, right?" Clint grips the handle and pulls. To no one's surprise, it doesn't come up. "I still don't know how you do it."
"Smell the silent judgement?" Tony asks snarkily, reclining in his spot.
Clint points to the still-stationary hammer. "Please, Stark, by all means."
"Oh, here we go," Natasha comments, sipping her drink with an amused expression.
A chorus of "okay," "uh oh" and "here we go" travels through the group. Tony rolls his eyes at our lack of faith in him.
"Never one to shrink from an honest challenge. It's physics," he explains as he grips the handle.
"Physics," Bruce repeats sarcastically.
Tony addresses Thor. "Right, so, if I lift it, I...I then rule Asgard?"
"Yes, of course."
"I will be re-instituting Prima Nocta," he informs us before pulling to no avail. He straightens up. "I'll be right back." Minutes later, he returns wearing his armored hand but still fails. Then he gets Rhodes to join in with his armored hand. The whole thing is absurd and hilarious.
"Are you even pulling?"
"Are you on my team?"
"Just represent! Pull!"
"All right, lets go!"
Bruce attempts next, trying to scare everyone with a Hulk roar that is more pitiful than funny. Natasha gives him a sympathetic tilt of her head.
"America, you're up," Tony says, continuing the group fun and humiliation around the circle. I roll my eyes playfully, down my drink, and stand.
"Go get em, doll," Steve says, pushing me forward.
"All I'm saying is that if being shot the most makes you worthy, you all are done," I joke as my fingers wrap around the handle. Thor leans forward a bit, interested. I tighten my grip on the hammer and pull as hard as I can.
As I expected, it doesn't come up. Not even a bit. I bow dramatically before speeding off to the bar, returning seconds later to my spot on the couch with a new glass of red wine. Everyone laughs as I take a sip. It doesn't really bother me. I haven't redeemed myself enough to be worthy.
Steve gets up to give it a try, rolling up his sleeves.
"Let's go Steve, no pressure," Tony says. Steve grins and grips the handle. He pulls, and it moves. Just the slightest bit, but it moves. Thor's smile drops, but Steve steps back, admitting defeat. Thor laughs, but it's a nervous laugh.
"Widow?" Bruce asks, offering her a shot.
She only laughs and shakes her head a bit. "Oh, no, no. That's not a question I need answered."
"All deference to the man who wouldn't be king, but it's rigged!" Tony claims.
"You bet your ass," Clint chimes in.
"Steve, he said a bad language word," I joke, making everyone roar with laughter.
"The handle's imprinted, right?" Tony asks. "Like a security code. "Whosoever is carrying Thor's fingerprints" is, I think, the literal translation?"
Thor grins and stands, picking up his hammer with ease. He tosses it from hand to hand. "Yes, well that's, uh, that's a very, very interesting theory. I have a simpler one. You're all not worthy."
A loud screeching sound fills the room, like metal scraping metal. I cover my ears, and everyone around me does the same. It slowly fades away, and I lower my hands. A menacing, robotic voice croaks out a word, and it's chilling.
"Worthy..."
So a lot happened in this chapter ;) here's the ring