Shine Again (An Avengers: Infinity War/Endgame Story)

Chapter 20: Changes

    Tony didn't know how everything went with the negotiations on Jotunheim exactly, but if they were anything like what he just endured on Alfheim, he was glad he stayed on the ship. It wasn't that things went badly; it's just that the whole process was a struggle. The light elves were arrogant people- he would know all about that- and getting them to agree to an alliance was more challenging than Thor thought it would be.

    As much as he hated to admit it, maybe they should've brought Loki along for negotiations; the guy was a smooth talker, Tony would give him that, and perhaps he would've been able to convince the elves more easily than they did.

    Upon arriving back to the ship, he plopped down onto the sofa in the lounge. It seemed like everyone else was in the galley eating a meal Layla had made. Honestly, while it smelled delicious, Tony wasn't hungry at the moment. He'd get some food in a bit. He wondered silently if the girls had even done any of the training they were asked to do. He shook his head; they never were the type to obey orders, and he doubted that was going to change now. All Tony could do was hope the girls were taking this threat seriously and actually brushed up their skills like he and Thor asked them to. He didn't think it was asking for much.

    He sighed, running a hand over his face before sinking back into the couch and closing his eyes. He hated to admit it, but being in space made him miss the simple times. When the whole team was together. When the biggest worry they had was nowhere even close to a power hungry alien. The good old days...

    This was the party of the century. It had been a while since Tony had thrown one, let alone one of this magnitude. The Avengers Tower was abuzz with music and laughter. All of the Avengers were here, as well as several other valued friends and acquaintances. The only thing that would've made it better was if Pepper, Spencer, and Jane Foster would've been in attendance to round out the entirety of their crew.

    The party had wound down significantly, and only the inner circle remained. They had gathered in a sitting area, and were all drinking and talking amongst themselves. Steve Rogers sat at one end of the sofa, their friend Layla Williams sitting beside him, wearing a dress as blue as her eyes as she shamelessly flirted with the captain. The two weren't anything more than close friends, and Tony was more than grateful for that, given his history with the blonde woman. The brief fling they had while he and Pepper were on a break , while nothing serious, still made him a bit jealous of the attention she was giving the captain. Tony was sure the alcohol was making his friend more flirtatious than usual and Steve was just tolerating her like the gentleman he was.

    Tony's best friend James Rhodes sat between himself and Layla, quietly observing as he sipped his drink. He wasn't quite used to the insanity that hanging with the Avengers brought, and he knew his friend would have rather had a smaller party. On Tony's other side were renowned geneticist Helen Cho and S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, Maria Hill. They were kind of the odd ones out at this party, as they usually didn't hang out with the merry band of idiots Tony called friends. There was a first time for everything though.

    Next to Maria sat Clint Barton, one leg crossed over the other as he mindlessly tapped some drumsticks on the heel of his shoe. Clinging to his side was his girlfriend, Anja Konstantinova. Her dark green dress glimmered in the dim lighting, and if it wasn't for the glittery fabric, Tony would've thought it was black. He wasn't completely sure how the two met- just that it was through their work with S.H.I.E.L.D. once Anja left Stark Industries, and that they had been a thing since shortly before the invasion in New York. How one of his closest friends ended up with one of his teammates was beyond him, but he knew better than to question Anja's choices. She usually made smart decisions, so Tony learned to trust her judgement more than he cared to admit. This was one of those times.