Intrigued was the best word to describe the Avengers when Thor explained Mjolnir to them and how to pronounce its name. Even after three years, Darcy was calling the hammer Myuh Myuh, though Thor had no idea why everyone found that funny. Bruce and Tony looked at it as though wanting to take it apart and study it. Clint, Steve and Natasha appreciated it for its ability as a weapon, a strong armament that could track a target vast distances and yet return faithfully to Thor after every throw, not to mention it helped him to wield lightning.
"So it is made from a star?" Stark asked, repeating Thor's explanation.
"A dying star, forged by dwarves." Thor reiterated.
"Dwarves?" Natasha asked sceptically. Thor merely nodded in response.
"And how did you come to wield it?" Barton inquired.
"My father bestowed it on me on my coming of age. It was engineered specifically for me at the time of my birth." Thor raised his chin proudly as he spoke of his beloved weapon.
"What weapon did Loki receive?" Asked a somewhat uneasy Steve.
"None as such. Our mother taught him her magic, and when he came of age he was permitted to use it outside of her lessons, though he had been using it sneakily for years." Thor grinned. "I recall one occasion he made clones of himself and got each copy to walk down the halls of the palace passing the same servants several times. It caused one maid to flee the palace thinking she was mad." Thor laughed. "Those were better times. Not once in his punishment did he admit to mother or father that it was I who convinced him to do so." The Avengers said nothing as Thor recalled his relationship with his brother before everything that happened on Earth, though Stark smiled at the thought of the young Asgardian princes planning and executing tricks around their home.
Banner returned to the previous topic, seeing that Thor was becoming somewhat upset thinking of his dead brother. "And only you can wield it?"
"Only those who are worthy can. My father can, as could my grandfather Bor. I do not recall my mother ever trying to touch it. It worked once for Loki, we were in battle in Nidavellir, I was struck by a fierce beast and dropped Mjolnir, he was able to pick it up and crush the foul creature's skull with it. Though he was never able to repeat the feat." Thor recalled. "None of my friends have been able to. Well my Asgardian ones anyway."
"I see. Well then, why don't you let us try?" Tony clapped his hands together and stepped forward. Thor called for Mjolnir from the special rack Tony had designed for the weapon near the window and placed it gently on the table in front of him and stood back. He looked at Tony, smiled and signalled for him to try.
Sure enough, the billionaire stepped forward and placed two hands on the hammer and attempted to lift it. It did not budge.
"I guess being a 'genius, playboy, billionaire philanthropist' doesn't help with this Stark." Steve commented, earning laughter from the other Avengers.
"You try if you think you're hot enough." Tony shrugged, stepping back and folding his arms.
"May I?" Steve asks Thor. The God merely nodded once, enjoying the playful banter Mjolnir was causing within the team.
Steve stepped forward and placed a hand on the short handle of the weapon, again, the hammer did not budge. "Wow."
"What about you Legolas, you wanna go? If Thor doesn't mind of course." Tony looked to Thor, who again gave his consent.
Clint walked over to the hammer, sceptical before he even placed a finger on it, he too could not shift it. "No luck. Tash?"
Natasha, who had been leaning into the table, just looked at the men with one eyebrow raised. "I'll pass on the whole chest beating exercise thanks."
"Doc?" Tony suggested.
"Me?" Banner looked at his friend in disbelief.
"Why not?" Steve queried.
"Just because the Green One attempted to raise Mjolnir on the flying ship, does not mean you could not be worthy." Stated Thor matter-of-factly.
"Well we're kind of a package deal, so I would think his reply would be mine too." Banner smiled sadly.
Everyone remained silent for a moment, and then Thor stepped forward and gripped the hammer. It rose from its resting place with ease. Thor swung it around by its leather grip. "Its handle was supposed to be longer, to be wielded by not one, but two arms." He looked at it. "I prefer it this way I think." He walked over to the further counter and placed the hammer on the book Bruce had been reading just before Clint asked how exactly to pronounce Mjolnir. "To continue your research Doctor Bruce, you have to attempt to move it, you yourself must achieve such a goal, or I will remove it for you after you try. Either way, you have to attempt to move it." The god beamed widely at his cunning plan.
The other Avengers smirked at his genius. "Nice idea Points break." Tony commended.
Bruce merely sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose and put his glasses back on. "Fine, fine, if it means I can go back to my research, I'll give it a go, though I can't see why I have to when Romanoff was allowed to decline without protest." He whined as he walked over beside Thor, who was still smiling cheerfully. Bruce placed one hand on the handle and took a deep breath. He felt something that reminded him of a small electrical charge he had gotten off one of his middle school science projects as a kid and only half tried to lift the lump of metal.
It rose effortlessly.
Gasps, a swear word from Tony and a bark of a laugh from Thor sounded out around the room. Bruce just stared at the hammer disbelievingly.
"What did I tell you my friend? You are worthy, and as such are able to possess my power." Laughed the thunder god.
"But, I'm a monster."
The smile dropped from Thor's face. "Doctor Bruce, why can you not see your worth? You are the only one here to lift Mjolnir bar myself. Does that not tell you anything? The Green One could not wield it, yet you do. You should look at your perceived weaknesses, and who knows, among them you may find greater strengths than you realise." He gently slapped his hand on Bruce's shoulder and smiled once more.
"That's some deep shit Sparky." Clint commented. Stark cursed at never having thought of calling Thor 'Sparky'.
"I am often mistaken for a grinning oaf, but you do not become the protector of the nine realms and the victor in endless battles by being a witless imbecile." Winked Thor.
"Who said you were an imbecile?" asked Steve.
"I am aware of peoples perceptions of me, I just do not care for their opinions on my intelligence, I am not as clever as my brother was, but still I possess some intellect." Explained the God.
Bruce smiled weakly, hardly listening, still looking at the Mjolnir in his grasp. He could feel a sensation in his chest that he had not felt for years, pride. He had been worthy.
A/N
* I am using the Marvel Comics explanation as to the creation of Mjolnir, which is slightly different to the Norse Mythology version.
* Also, since a few people have mentioned it, I said I better amend this and add this second note. I am aware in the comics that Captain America is able to wield Mjolnir, but in this he isn't, because for once, Bruce deserves to be the worthy one.