Chapter 9 – Christmas Eve Capture The Flag

'Merry Christmas everyone!' Clint yells as he and his family enter the common area, the kids running up to give Natasha a hug with shouts of greeting.

'Clint? Keep the noise down please,' Tony rasps out, burying his head in Steve's chest.

'Woah, I don't think I've seen Tony look this bad since the first party we threw as a team,' Clint laughs, coming to sit on Tony's other side.

'Clint, behave,' Laura scolds him.

'We celebrated Yule last night,' Steve explains, his chest vibrating far too noisily for Tony's comfort, 'and we were up drinking quite…well early by the time we finished.'

'Ah,' Tony can picture Cint's nod of understanding. 'And our Tony decided to try and keep up with the gods?'

'No,' Tony rasps out, 'Valkyrie gave me something to try. But she didn't tell me she'd put it in my next four drinks after that…'

There's another voice laughing in the background. 'Have you discovered it is inadvisable to trust Valkyrie with the bar, Tony?' Loki asks.

'Go away or do some weird magic mojo to help me,' he grumbles.

'As you wish,' the trickster replies, and Tony thinks he hears him move towards the kitchenette.

'Clint, if you value your life, do not let Valkyrie make you a drink,' he warns the archer.

'Oh wow Tin Can you look worse than Pete, and I thought he looked bad,' Wade laughs.

'Piss off,' Tony mumbles into the chuckling chest beneath him, thankfully too low for any of the kids to hear. 'Wait. Peter was drinking last night?'

'I don't think he meant to, but he had some of the drink Valkyrie made for me not realising what was in it.'

'How are you alright?' Tony demands, opening bleary eyes to glare at the merc.

The scarred man simply grins and spreads his arms out. 'Healing factor.'

'I hate you,' he goes back to hiding in Steve's chest.

'Here, Tony,' Loki appears in front of him with a glass of something dark blue, 'I'm taking some to Thor too.'

'What happened to Thor?' Clint asks.

Loki gives a long suffering sigh. 'He decided to accept Valkyrie's challenge to a drinking contest. There's plenty on the stove if anyone else needs some.'

'What is it?' Clint asks, eyeing the glass as if it's about to grow legs.

'A tried and tested hangover cure,' Loki explains.

Which really, Tony doesn't need to know any more than that. He lifts the glass to his lips and gulps it down without a second thought. Surprisingly it's got a nice taste, as opposed to what he was imagining. It slides down his throat easily and then pools in his stomach, a wonderful warm feeling spreading out slowly from his belly to his extremities; as it travels through his system he feels all tiredness and sickness being driven out. By the time Loki comes back he's feeling the best he's felt in months.

'Loki! That stuff is incredible. I love you, please make me more!'

Everyone laughs at the complete change in the inventor. 'Hey! I'm sat right here,' Steve pouts.

'You just tease me when I'm hungover. Loki makes me hangover cures. Take some lessons, Cap.'

'Don't worry, Steve, I've no intention of stealing your man. I'm not sure I'd be able to cope with him as well as you do,' Loki reassures him with a smile.

'I think I might take a glass to Pete,' Wade laughs. 'Sam and Bucky might need one too. And Quill come to think of it.'

'I shall do the rounds,' Loki sighs. 'Just please tell me Strange didn't get given any.'

'In the meantime,' Natasha says from her spot on her sofa surrounded by Clint's children, 'we better update you on the Capture the Flag.'

Clint's eyes light up. 'I'm listening.'

'Right rules,' Steve's voice carries around the assembled group of superheroes as they prepare to start the game of Capture the Flag, 'we'll select two team captains who will then take turns to choose the rest of their teams. Generally speaking you can use your powers, however: Strange, no creating portals unless it's within your line of sight.'

'Agreed,' Strange nods.

'Carol? You can fly but no powering through like you did in Wakanda.'

'Spoilsport,' she grins.

'Wanda? No using your powers on the actual flag itself, but you can on anything else.'

'That's fair,' she smiles.

'Groot? No using your vines to grab the flag if it's more than twice your normal reach length away.'

'I am Groot.'

'Ok,' Tony takes over. 'Team leaders are: Wanda and Strange.'

'What?' Wanda blinks in surprise.

'Well we thought it better to make sure both magic users were on different teams,' Tony grins sheepishly. 'I didn't fancy ending up on the opposite team and having to take you both on.' He takes a coin out and flips it, catching it and covering with his other hand. 'Call it, Cap.'

'Heads is Wanda, tails Strange.'

Tony pulls his hand away. 'Tails! Strange chooses first.'

Strange looks over the gathered heroes as Tony and Steve make their way back to join the group. All of the kids are inside, being watched over by Laura and watching everything on the screens provided by FRIDAY. One flag has been set up in the grounds on the obstacle course, the other has been set up inside the facility. Bruce wasn't given a choice on joining in, Tony pointing out he'd avoided far too many things in the past.

'I'll choose Peter,' he says, and the teenager goes over to join him.

'Natasha,' Wanda calls.

'Loki,' Strange says, surprising everyone including the trickster.

'Valkyrie.'

'For once you've been chosen last of the three of you, Thor,' Clint teases.

They continue along the line, with Strange's team consisting of Peter, Loki, Clint, Tony, Bucky, Rocket, Nebula, Bruce, Thor, Scott and Drax. Wanda's team made up of Natasha, Wade, Valkyrie, Steve, Sam, Carol, Quill, Rhodes, Hope, Mantis and Groot.

'Alright everyone,' Steve says again, 'Wanda's team will have the flag inside the facility; Strange's team has the flag at the obstacle course. The first team to collect their opponent's flag and return it to their base is the winner. If you are pinned for five seconds you have to return to the common area, where Laura and the kids are watching, and stay there for two minutes until you can rejoin your team by heading back to your base. FRIDAY will keep track and will notify everyone if you are cheating. The game begins five minutes after everyone arrives at their base. Any questions?'

'Yeah: when can we get started?' Valkyrie rolls her eyes.

'Good luck everyone!' Rhodes calls.

'You're going down doc,' Wanda grins at Strange.

'Whatever you say,' Strange laughs, floating along behind his team to their base.

'Do we have a plan?' Bruce asks as they gather around the obstacle course flag.

'Obtain glorious victory!' Thor answers.

'Any plan on how to do that?' Scott asks.

'I take it we can't blow them up right?' Rocket asks.

'No Rocket, we can't,' Scott sighs.

'Why does the Spiderling not climb through the ventilation system to retrieve the flag whilst we distract them?' Thor suggests.

'Because they'll see that coming a mile away,' Tony adds.

'And I can't create a portal anywhere out of my line of sight to get him into a separate area,' Strange adds. 'Unless…' he looks at Nebula, 'unless we still go with that plan but we use someone they are not expecting. Do you think you could climb through the ventilation system to get to their flag?'

'I'd need directions,' she answers.

'I can give them to you,' Peter offers. 'And since I'll be out front they won't be expecting it. Especially if we have a group left here, and a smaller group going for a separate entrance.'

'Divide their attention, this is a good plan,' Drax agrees.

'You'd be the next obvious choice after Peter,' Strange tells Scott. 'And you'll be much better use here at the flag where you can provide hidden backup.'

'Like it,' Scott nods.

'So we need three teams,' Strange looks at the gathered group. 'Loki do you think you could mask Nebula entering the facility?'

'Of course,' the trickster grins. 'And I can multiply myself to create more confusion.'

'Luckily everyone who can see through that trick is on our team,' Tony laughs.

'Ok,' the doctor nods, 'Scott, Rocket and Bruce I want you three here to guard the flag. Scott stay small where they can't see you, Bruce I want you to be eyes next to the flag and guarding it. Rocket I want you hiding around the obstacle course ready to create mayhem when they arrive.'

'You got it,' the raccoon cackles, as Scott shrinks down and Bruce bends to pick him up so he can perch on his shoulder.

'The larger group will be with me heading for the front of the facility and to create the biggest distraction,' Strange continues, 'Peter, Loki, Thor, Tony I want you all with me to help. Together we should be able to create plenty of mayhem and having Peter and Loki at the front should confuse them to our tactic.'

'Where's the best place for me to enter?' Nebula asks the teenager.

'There's an exit shaft on the south wall, just below where your room is, that'll be the better one to use,' he answers. 'I'd normally go for one on the opposite side, just underneath my room so they'll have that one covered. Head straight until you get to the third right, then you need the fourth left, slide down and then you need to grab the third exit above you. Climb up there and then you need the fourth grate underneath you. That'll take you into the room with the flag.'

'How does he remember all that?' Clint shakes his head. 'I still get turned around when I go to a floor I'm not used to.'

Peter shrugs. 'Part of Nat's training regime.'

Clint claps the teenager on the shoulder with an expression of mock-sympathy. 'That explains it all.'

'You got all that Nebula?' Strange asks.

'Yes,' she replies. 'If I need an alternative path I'll ask through the communication lines.'

'The rest of you,' the doctor looks at Clint, Bucky and Drax,' head to the back door and create havoc. If you can get to the flag brilliant, go for it. But remember your first priority is distraction.'

'Let's do this team!' Scott's voice rings through their comms as FRIDAY sounds the starting claxon.

'Show time,' Tony grins, letting his face plate fall into place.

A/N: Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you had a lovely day yesterday. I'm posting the first of the Christmas Eve chapters because I want you to vote: which team should win Capture the Flag? I'll start writing the next chapter or two, and you guys let me know who you want to win: Wanda or Strange?

Love always,

L x