Sokovia ⇻ Age of Ultron [3]

chapter nine

"But it's a trick," Clint insisted, twirling one of the drumsticks in his hands.

"No, no," Thor chuckled, "It's much more than that."

"Whosoever be worthy shall haveth the power," the archer bellowed, causing Kae, and the rest of the voices, to laugh, "Whatever, man. It's a trick!"

"Please," Thor motioned to the hammer with a huge grin on his face, "Be my guest."

"I have to agree," Kae giggled, even as Clint handed her the drumsticks and got up from the couch. "It does sound pretty impossible. At most, it's just too heavy for the rest of us to pick up."

"Really?" Clint asked once again as he stood in front of Mjølnir.

"Oh this is gonna be beautiful," Rhodey said.

"I've got ten bucks on America's ass!" Darcy practically shouted, causing Esme to snort into her drink.

"You've had a tough week, we won't hold it against you if you can't get it up," Tony chimed in.

Kae clutched her sides, which were starting to ache from her laughter. Clint made direct eye contact with Thor as he wrapped his hand around the hammer's handle. Then he tugged, his entire body moving with the force he was putting into lifting it. Only it didn't budge an inch.

"I still don't know how you do it," Clint's voice was strained as he talked, and soon after he let go and plopped back down next to Kae, who offered him his drumsticks back.

"Smell the silent judgment?" Tony said.

Kae laughed, "Shut up, Stark. You do it."

"Please, by all means," Clint agreed, motioning towards the hammer.

Tony cleared his throat as he got up, adjusting his suit and overall looking very smug. Almost everyone on the couches murmured their own teasing remarks as he approached Mjølnir.

"I'm never one to shrink from an honest challenge," he said as he rolled his sleeves up.

"Get after it," Clint jeered, tapping his drumsticks against his legs.

"It's physics," Tony started, only to be cut off by Bruce (and Gen) repeating his last word in a tone of disbelief.

"Right, so, if I lift it, I then rule Asgard?" Tony continued.

Thor replied immediately, "Yes, of course."

"I will be reinstituting prima nocta."

Kae laughed then leaned forward with a grin as Tony put one of his feet up on the table and gripped the handle with both hands. He began pulling with a grunt, but the hammer still refused to budge.

"I'll be right back," Tony said, walking off to an adjoining room.

"Does anyone else want to place any bets?" Darcy grinned.

"I don't think any of us are strong enough to lift it," Kae shook her head, "Not even Steve or Winter. Maybe the Hulk."

"I don't plan on the other guy getting involved in this," Bruce waved her off.

Darcy huffed, "I still think Steve could lift it."

"That's because you've had a crush on him for forever," Esme laughed, nudging her romantic.

"That's not the only reason," Darcy countered, "You have seen his muscles, right?"

Kae looked over at Steve, who was quickly turning the color of a tomato. Beside him, Bucky was smiling in a way that the entirety of Legion hasn't seen in a while. When she glanced back at Darcy, she saw the brunette's eyes flit over to the winter soldier.

"She's doing it on purpose," Winter marveled, "She's doing it to make Bucky smile."

Kae's smile grew impossibly wider, "You go next, Steve!"

He only laughed nervously in response, his face still bright red. Bucky nudged him and whispered in his ear. Steve only blushed more.

"Okay, I'm ready," Tony announced, an Iron Man gauntlet around his forearm, "Let's do this."

He wrapped his metal-clad hand around the handle once again and the thrusters fired, yet Mjølnir didn't move an inch. Huffing, Tony reached down at his feet and tossed Rhodey a gauntlet from the War Machine suit.

Rhodey stood up, put it on, and went to stand beside Tony. Together, the two of them tugged on it, but still, nothing.

"Are you even pulling?" Rhodey asked incredulously.

"Are you on my team?" Tony countered.

"Just represent. Pull."

The two of them failed; so did Bruce and Darcy and Kae herself (who, in truth, wasn't trying much at all). Finally, they convinced Steve to try.

"No pressure," Tony grinned.

"You've got this, gorgeous!" Darcy called out as he rolled his sleeves past his elbows, causing everyone to laugh.

"Come on, Cap!" Barton encouraged.

"You've got this, punk," Bucky said softly.

His platonic's words seemed to be the last encouragement that he needed because Steve wrapped both hands around the hammer's handle and tugged. Mjølnir squeaked as it moved against the coffee table. The entire room went silent. Thor looked horrified. Darcy was delighted even as it refused to move further,

"Someone owes me ten dollars!" she crowed.

"I'm afraid not, Lady Darcy," Thor laughed, "He didn't pick it up."

"Anyone else, Widow?" Bruce asked.

"Oh, no, no," Nat shook her head before bringing her glass to her lips, "That's not a question I need answered."

"All deference to the Man Who Wouldn't Be King, but it's rigged," Tony claimed.

"You bet your ass," Clint replied.

"Steve, he said a bad language word," Maria pointed at the archer.

Steve sighed, even as Bucky grinned beside him, "Did you tell everyone about that?"

Tony ignored his annoyed friend and continued talking about the hammer, "The handle's imprinted, right? Like a security code. "Whosoever is carrying Thor's fingerprints" is, I think, the literal translation."

"Yes. It's a very, very interesting theory. But I have a simpler one." Thor stood up from his seat and picked up the hammer with no effort at all, going so far as to flip it up into the air and catch it again. "You're all not worthy."

A collective groan went around the room and Kae rolled her eyes. Out of nowhere, a high-pitched whirring started. Kae startled and covered her ears, soon swapping out and giving control to Winter.

This is the last of the pre-written chapters of Sokovia that I have. College has been keeping me from writing this for a while but it's the weekend so I'll hopefully finish writing chapter ten in the next few days! I have many more chapters of Washington, though; plus it's going to be fewer chapters overall. I hope you all enjoyed it and will have a fantastic week.
~ Aria :)