28-I Had Strings

Tony's parties are far more fun when you're intoxicated.

I'm not saying I wasn't having any fun while at the party and I'm not saying you can't have fun sober, but when you're surrounded my drunks-you can't help but want to get a little sauced. I try to force myself to have fun and I keep my distance. Men that were invited come up to me, focusing more on how my tits look in my lingerie top than the actual conversation. They do not hold my favor long, but I always make sure to sway my hips as I walk away. I try to stay close to either Sam, Tony, Thor, or Steve for most of the night. I even people watch with Bruce for a bit. That is, until the party ends.

Tony orders Chinese food and we all sit on the couches. I sit next to my brother and Rhodey, my feet tucked under myself, heels abandoned on the floor. My brother's jacket is draped over my shoulders. I attempt to listen to the conversation as I post a few pictures to social media of the party tonight. I also impatiently wait for a text or call from Matt to let me know if he's okay or if he needs help. He always calls, but it's probably just still too early-

"Earth to pyromaniac!" Tony says, bumping my shoulder. He takes my phone, making me reach out to grab it like I'm an addicted teenager. Our team watches amusedly. Even Clint has a small smile on his face.

"Tony, give it back." I whine and he shakes his head, tossing it to Bruce. I narrow my eyes at my brother as Bruce puts it in his shirt pocket.

"Matt's fine. Please pay attention to the matter at hand, kiddo." My brother says with a smile and I roll my eyes, leaning back against the couch. As much as I love my family, I didn't feel comfortable, especially with Clint around. I knew that Tony had a knife covered jab on the tip of his tongue every time Clint opened his throat. Even with the mere mention of my boyfriend, Clint straightens his back, his eyes quickly looking at me. I roll my eyes at him. Images flash in my mind, of Matt and I. Laying in bed on a lazy Saturday morning, walking down the street and holding hands. Everything I had with Matt, I could have never had with Clint. So I smirked my bright red lips and Clint went back to twirling his drumsticks in his hands.

"It's a trick!" Clint calls out to Thor, motioning to the legendary hammer resting on the table. I leaned forward, picking up my Coke off the table, a smile on my face.

"Oh no it's much more than that." Thor laughs and Clint rolls his eyes.

"He whoever shall be worthy shall haveth the power!" Clint tries to mock Thor's booming voice, "Whatever man its a trick!"

"Well please be my guest." Thor says, smiling and motioning towards the hammer. I roll my eyes, sipping my drink as Clint got up, setting aside the drumsticks.

"Clint, we know you've had a tough week so we won't put it against you if you can't get it up." Tony joked and I snorted, almost spitting out my Coke. My nose burns slightly from the acidic drink. Tony smiles at me, giving me a fist bump.

"You might've seen this before right?" Clint says before trying to pick up the hammer, grunting, laughing, "I still don't know how you do it."

"The silent judgement?" Tony asks and Clint stops trying with the hammer, admitting defeat. Of course he isn't worthy. You cannot be Thor if you're an asshole.

"Please, Stark, by all means!" Clint says as he sits down. Tony stands up, obviously excited and drunk. Tony unbuttons his suit jacket as he makes his way to the hammer. I roll my eyes again at my brother being dramatic

"Never one to shrink away from an honest challenge. It's just physics." Tony says as he puts his hand through the strap, " So if I lift it, I can rule Asgard?"

"Yes of course." Thor says. I grin, looking at the God of Thunder.

"Does that make me a princess?" I ask, almost childishly. Steve and Thor chuckles. The God raises his glass of ale to me.

"Ah a mighty fine princess you'd make!" He teases me, his smile absolutely beautiful.

"I will be instituting prima nocta." Tony says, bringing the attention back to him. I make a gagging noise.

"I hate you so much." I tell him as he puts his foot on the table and attempts to lift the hammer. Tony tries for maybe thirty seconds before stopping.

"I'll be right back" He says before running away. My dear brother comes back with the arm of his suit on. So he tries that and of course that doesn't work. He and Rhodey try, both of them bickering like old women. After that hilarious show, Bruce gets on the table and attempts to lift it. He grunts and groans, jumping off and pretending to act as if he is turning into the Hulk. His joke falls flat and he sits back down, a little embarrassed. Steve stands next, rolling up his blue sleeves.

"Steve, if you lift it, I'll get you a new motorcycle." I tease, leaning forward to get a better look. Steve smiles at me, blushing.

"C'mon Cap." Tony cheers as Steve wraps both hands around the hammer, his muscles moving. He starts to lift it and it budges slightly, making Thor widen his eyes. I sigh as Steve tries a little harder, but ultimately cannot move it. Thor laughs nervously, happy that Capsicle can't move his precious hammer. Everyone looks in between Natasha and I

"Widow?" Tony asks and Tasha shakes her head.

"That's not a question I need answered." Natasha says as she lays back, drinking her beer. The attention then turns to me. I smirk and slip off Tony'a jacket. Hill wolf whistles as I walk barefoot over to the hammer. Doesn't hurt to try, now does it?

"I would love to be queen." I say with a laugh, wrapping my well manicured hand around the handle. Everyone watches as I attempt to lift it. I can just feel the power in the hammer itself. It doesn't budge and I sigh, "Damn."

"Maybe it's the difference of the man or woman I suppose." Tony says, standing up with Clint and Rhodey as I walk to sit back down on the couchClint grins and slaps Tony's back as he starts to walk away.

"You bet your ass." Clint says and Maria quickly swallows her beer. We all turn to look at Steve, all of us smirking like the cat that caught the canary.

"Cap, he said a bad language word." She tries to seriously tell him. Steve sighs, absolutely hating his choice of words from earlier.

"It's your fingerprint right? Whoever is carrying Thor's fingerprint is worthy?" Tony asks, obviously not happy that he wasn't worthy. Thor shrugs and stands up, setting his ale aside.

"Ah yes well that's a very interesting theory. I have a simpler one," He says as he picks up the hammer, flipping it in the air, "You're all not worthy." Everyone scoffs and laughs. Suddenly there's a sharp noise, hurting my ears. My head turns towards the noise as we all stand. A broken and messed up robot walking towards us, groaning. Everyone else turns around as it stops.

"No," It says, "How could you be worthy? You're all killers." The robot continues to move towards us, leaking motor fluid as it moves. I wasn't informed of anything new that Tony or Bruce were building.

"Stark?" Steve asks, setting down his beer. My head turns toward Tony, who swallows loudly and sets down the tablet in his hands.

"JARVIS?-" Tony asks but gets cut off by the creepy robot. Flames spring to my hand.

"I'm sorry, I was asleep-I was in a dream." The robot tells us and I move closer to my brother.

"Reboot, I need you...Must've been a buggy suit." He mutters as he hits the screen, eyes widening.

"I'm strangled in...strings." The robot speaks again as it moves around, looking at its broken parts. Steve moves closer to me and Tony. The mangled parts continue to talk, "Had to kill the other guy...he was a good guy."

"You killed someone?" Steve asks and I look at the Captain. I feel sick. What did Tony do?

"Wouldn't have been my first call, but now in the real world we're faced with some ugly choices." The robot responds and I step in front of Tony. He's much more vulnerable that I am.

"Who sent you?" Thor asks, still holding his hammer.

"A suit of armor around the world." Tony's voice says back to us and my eyes widen. He did it. He created Ultron.

"Tony, we both decided not to create Ultron." I say, my voice too calm. We had talked about it after I was kidnapped, but I hated the idea of it. Ultron stands up straighter at the mention of his name and turn to glare at my brother for a moment.

"In the flesh! Or well not yet." The robot responds and both of my hands are now covered in flames as still stand in front of Tony. "Not this Christmas. But I'm ready." Thor readies his hammer and Hill takes her fun off of safety, "I'm on a mission"

"What mission?" Natasha asks. Ultron's head twists, seemingly looking at all of us. Fear trickles down my spine.

"Peace in our time." It says before more unmanned suits burst through the walls behind him. I make the flames disappear pull Tony down as one flies towards us. Steve kicks the coffee table up in an attempt to block it. He goes flying. I quickly stand, flames covering my hands and I send blue fire at the robots, making the metal melt. While I'm working on disabling two robots, another flies towards me, sending me into the stairs. I cried out but quickly got up when I saw Dr. Cho about to be attacked. I fly towards her, covering her body with mine. Steve takes out the robot before it can get to us. I stand up, helping Cho up as well. My head is warm and wet. I protect Cho as Steve, Thor, and Tony take out the Ultron controlled bots.

"Well that was dramatic. I know you mean well...just didn't think it through." Ultron speaks, fire covering my hands once more. "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. With these puppets....there's only one path to peace....the Avengers' extinction." Thor throws his hammer at Ultron, sending it into pieces. I touch my forehead. When I pull my hand back, my fingers are covered in blood.

"I had strings but now I'm free..." Ultron says before dying in a heap on the ground. I grab my heels, my anger towards my brother and Bruce returning.

"Lab, now." I bark at them, walking past everyone and moving towards the lab.