Chapter 15 – New Year

'Tony? You ready sweetheart?'

Tony grins at Steve as he shrugs his jacket on. 'You know I was born ready.'

Steve sighs, but his smile gives away his actual lack of suffering. 'Never mind, I'll take that as a yes.' He comes over and pulls him into a loose hold, letting their foreheads rest together.

'What's up Steve?' he asks quietly, running his hands up and down the soldier's arms in an effort to comfort him. 'Your mind's going so fast even I can hear it.'

'Just…I love having everyone together, but it'll be nice to have a bit of peace and normality restored.'

Maybe now is the time to mention that bright idea I had, Tony muses. 'You know,' he tries not to laugh as Steve opens one eye to look at him with a mixture of intrigue and trepidations, he knows he's using his I've-been-plotting tone (as Peter had named it), 'I did have an idea that I was going to run past you at some point.'

'Should I be worried?'

Tony hits him lightly on the chest, earning himself a chuckle. 'Rude.'

'Sorry, sweetheart, what have you been planning?'

'Well, not planning as such…it's more of an idea I had that I wanted to run past you before talking to anyone else about. How does the idea of an "Avengers Retreat" sound?'

'An Avengers' Retreat?'

'Yeah I was thinking of getting some land either upstate or maybe a state or two away and, I don't know, maybe build a few buildings and things that's just for the team to use. Make sure FRIDAY had it locked down so only we can get there, maybe as Strange to put in a couple of magic things as well, and then only members of the team can go there when they need a break. Get some smaller cabins built, maybe a bigger place for us all to go to. Then we could use it for summer vacations, have our Christmases there…then maybe Clint and Laura could join us for the whole thing, but still have their own building. Get where I'm going with this?'

'Tony,' Steve sighs out a laugh and presses a kiss to his cheek, 'you're a genius. It sounds perfect.'

'Well, I mean this is me we're talking about. Of course I'm a genius.'

'Let's keep it a secret from the others though,' Steve suggests, 'we can surprise them with it.'

Tony grins at him. 'After we go and try it out ourselves of course. Though, let's make sure we don't break any more beds, alright babe? I think we only just managed to get away with no one finding out about the last one.'

'If we have the drinking competition now half of us won't be awake to see in the new year, completely defeating the point of the party,' Peter says as Tony and Steve walk into the common area.

'He makes a very sound argument,' Strange points out, 'why not start it after midnight? That way everyone can join in the rest of the party before. It's only a few hours.'

'Fine,' Valkyrie huffs, 'anyone who wants to take part in the drinking contest has to be sitting around that table,' she points to one in the corner, 'ten minutes after midnight or you don't get counted.'

'Oh this is going to be too easy,' Wade sniggers.

'You're disqualified,' Peter tells him.

'What! Why?'

'Because your healing means you can't get drunk, therefore you'd be cheating,' the teenagers rolls his eyes at his boyfriend's continued arguments.

'T'Challa,' Steve greets the king warmly, 'good to see you, and sorry you couldn't make it at Christmas.'

'Captain,' the king returns the Wakandan salute, then embraces each of them in turn, 'Tony, it's good to see you both again. We were starting to wonder where you had run off to.'

'No,' Shuri sniggers, 'we knew exactly where they'd run off to, you're just being polite.'

'Good to see you too, Shuri, now you are banned from my workshop for your stay,' Tony grins at her.

'That's not fair I showed you mine!'

'And if we let the two of you go to the one here,' Ororo interrupts carrying some drinks for the three of them, 'then we won't see either of you for the rest of the week.'

Shuri and Tony exchange a grin and shrug in agreement. 'Quill's insisting on a dance off so Rhodey's gone to sort out the music,' she explains. 'Will either of you two take part?'

Tony tries to control his laughter, and fails epically. 'Oh yeah, Steve's definitely going to be taking part.'

'Very funny,' the captain rolls his eyes. 'I will be sitting firmly on the sidelines and I'll volunteer to judge.'

'Oh good,' Quill says, joining the group, 'I was just going to see if there were any judging volunteers. Strange has said he'll judge too. Everyone else has to take part! Apart from Rhodes because he's doing the music.'

'I'm not sure this is such a good-' whatever T'Challa is about to say is cut off by Shuri dragging him over the dance floor.

In the end, despite some interesting moments, like when Rocket tried to 'dance' from the lights and Wade insisted Peter had to do his dance to 'Umbrella' despite the teenager's absolute confusion to why, the winner of the contest was Wanda. Everyone was surprised, except for Peter, who just shrugged when questioned and responded with 'well she always beats me in our lessons'.

What it has done, though, is keep them up dancing which they haven't really done before on New Year, and even Rhodey has let FRIDAY take over as DJ and joined everyone on the dance floor.

'You know,' Tony says, pulling Steve up to join him so he can dance with his boyfriend, 'I think we need to make Bucky and Loki R-rated. If it wasn't for the fact Pete's with Wade, I'd be worried about them scarring him.'

'He's walked in on us enough times as well,' Steve laughs, though Tony knows the exact moment he catches sight of them because he starts turning red. 'On second thought, maybe we should have a word?'

'If you take one step towards them I'm kicking you out of the bed for a week,' Tony warns him. 'It took Clint to get Loki to back down from his bloody stupid political stand, so don't you dare.'

'Speaking of Peter, you sure you don't want to have a word with them?'

'I'm refusing to look because I am not going to spoil his evening.'

Steve chuckles. 'I think Natasha's doing a good enough job with her glare if the speed that Wade's hands have gone back up is any indication.'

'You know,' Tony steps closer, linking his hands behind Steve's neck, 'we really need to stop talking about everyone else when we actually get some us time.'

'Tony it's nearly impossible for me to get you to stop talking.'

'That is categorically untrue,' he protests, smirking a little as he adds, 'you have some very interesting ways of getting me to stop talking.'

'Oh god that was the wrong time to come and ask a question,' Wanda's voice comes from behind him and Tony has to lean against Steve to stop from falling over laughing. 'Tony stop thinking!'

'Sorry, sorry, hang on let me bring up the schematics for my new project.'

'The scary thing is,' Wanda tells Steve, 'he actually has those schematics up in his brain right now.'

'I'm not surprised at all,' Steve laughs.

'So before that…interesting interruption,' she clears her throat, then pauses and frowns, 'part of me really wants to ask how you manage that,' she says to Tony, 'but I really don't want to know the answer. Anyway, where did you hide the champagne for drinking at midnight where you don't think Clint is able to find?'

'Locked in the workshop where everyone had temporarily lost access to,' Tony laughs, 'FRIDAY'll let you in.'

'Sure thing,' she starts to walk away. 'TONY! STOP IT!'

This time Steve really does have to hold him up from his laughter as Wanda disappears, face bright red. 'Tony, will you stop sharing our private life with Wanda as a way to tease her please.'

'Oh don't worry, sweetheart,' Tony's grin is devilish, 'that was just one of my fantasies.'

'Oh for the love of…I need the bar,' Steve groans. 'And I don't want to know.'

'Yeah you do,' he laughs.

'Ok, drinking contest rules!' Valkyrie's shout gets everyone's attention and they head towards the contest arena. Which has now migrated from the original table and is now their main seating area. 'Everyone has a chosen drink, we all fill the same sized glasses and drink at the same time. You keep going until either you're sick or you pass out.'

'There is so much wrong with this,' Rhodes groans.

'Sitting out you coward?' Rocket taunts.

'I've done a drinking contest with Thor before, I'm going to help carry your bodies to your beds,' he retorts.

'So,' Valkyrie claps her hands together. 'Who is not taking part?'

'I will bow out,' Tony says, taking his last drink, 'and help Rhodey take you all back to bed.'

'I better not risk it,' Wanda smiles, 'I'll help mediate.'

'Wade's not because it'll be cheating: his healing ability processes the alcohol too quickly,' Peter says before his boyfriend can get a word in. 'I'll-'

'Also be sitting out because you're not old enough-'

'Steve don't be a boring bastard!' Bucky argues

'-and had more than enough alcohol last Christmas and we don't need a repeat of that,' Steve finishes, Peter turning bright red as he does and mumbling something about having learned his lesson.

'Though, it might be a good idea for it to be around friends this time?' Tony suggests, and immediately backs down at the look Steve sends him. 'Nope, sorry Pete, Captain has spoken. You come sit with me and we'll share some and watch and laugh, and help Wanda adjudicate.'

'Wait,' Peter says quietly as he hops onto a stool next to Tony and the others all head to the seats while Wanda gets out everyone's drink of choice and then joins them, Wade and Rhodey at the bar, 'you mean you're letting me drink?'

'Course I am, Steve'll be too busy to notice and we're not going to get through enough to get you drunk if it took a couple of bottles of Vodka last time.'

'You're the best,' Peter grins, then pulls a face as he sniffs the whiskey Tony offers him. 'We got anything else?'

'Have one of my beers, Baby Boy,' Wade throws one that the teenager catches easily, barely turning his head.

'Thanks, Wade, who do we think is going to win?'

'Not me,' Bruce says, hopping up next to them, 'I do not need Hulk making another reappearance. Good thing Cassie managed to go home to her mom though, right? Can you imagine any of this lot trying to cope with a kid here in the morning?'

'Oh we won't have to imagine,' Wade laughs, 'I can do a good enough impression.'

'Please tell me you've got that hangover cure from Loki out of his brain,' Tony turns to Wanda.

She laughs. 'Don't worry he actually wrote it down for me. I kept it somewhere safe.'

'Alright. First drink ready!' Valkyrie calls.

'Place your bets,' Rhodes grins. 'Who do we think is going to be first out?'

'My money's on Mantis,' Tony says, 'she's definitely not been around alcohol before and she'll feed off everyone else; either that or Rocket or Groot simply based on body mass.'

'I'm saying Rocket,' Bruce says.

'Bets please gentlemen,' Wade grins, taking out a pen and piece of paper and writing down their bets.

Tony won the first bet: Mantis was the first one to fall to the side asleep. Rhodes simply sighs and goes to pick her up, taking the alien down to her room. Groot almost passes unnoticed that he's dropped out, until Rocket falls over and knocks them both over. Bruce offers to take them down to their shared room.

Surprisingly the next to go out is Hope, who only just managed to find a trash can to vomit into before Wanda helps her to her room.

'I'm never letting her live it down that I beat her,' Scott proclaims proudly.

'Don't get too cocky,' Strange chastises, seemingly still fairly sober, 'you don't know how much longer you'll be lasting.'

'That,' Wade declares on his return from cleaning out the vomit, 'was disgusting. Next time can we please aim over the side of the balcony?'

'Clint's next,' Bruce says as the mercenary takes his seat again, 'idiot wasn't pacing himself earlier.'

'Righto, doc, one Hawkeye bet coming right up.'

Bruce is right. Clint does a rather spectacular projectile vomit, thankfully over the side of the balcony, so Wade rewards him by helping him back to his room, and even giving Natasha the finger on his behalf as she teases him.

Sam follows, ducking out before he can either vomit or pass out, and stumbles back to his room with Peter as his crutch, with Scott following not long after.

'You know,' Fury slurs as Wanda helps Ororo, who has also decided to bow out before making a fool of herself, to her room, after the priestess gives T'Challa rather enthusiastic goodnight kiss, 'I've always liked you guys the most out of everyone I've worked with.'

'Hey!' Carol pouts.

'Except Carol of course. And Phil. I was so glad Phil came back. Maybe I should have got Phil to come here, he's good at cleaning up messes. Always cleaned up after you guys.'

'Oh god who thought it was a good idea to get Nick drunk?' Tony groans, he looks to Wanda when she returns to her seat. 'How close is Fury to being out?'

'Two drinks,' she predicts.

'Good, the guys a sentimental drunk and I can't deal with a sentimental Nick Fury,' the inventor groans.

Fury falls asleep and Strange decides to bow out, already at the stage where he has to stay at the facility rather than risk a portal back to the Sanctum. The Cloak carries him to his room as Wade fireman lifts Fury to his. By the time he gets back T'Challa has also decided to bow out and preserve his dignity, though his sister is showing no signs of doing the same..

'I think this is the first time I've actually seen Natasha anything other than fully with it,' Rhodes says in wonderment.

'Who's next?' Peter asks Wanda.

'Nebula. She's hiding it well, but she's about one- nope she's gone,' she laughs.

Drax follows next, having been over enthusiastic in his consumption earlier in the night like Clint had been. Quill follows not long after, singing to himself as Rhodes and Wade drag him to his room between them.

'Boys versus Girls,' Natasha's grin is predatory. She, Valkyrie, Shuri and Carol are still standing for the girls; Loki, Bucky, Thor and Steve for the boys.

Bucky says something to her in Russian that Tony doesn't understand, raising his glass in a toast and downing his drink in one, the red headed assassin following his example.

'At least make toasts we can all understand!' Shuri complains as the others down their glasses. She quickly refills her own and says something in Wakanda, knocking her drink back and raising her now empty glass in a toast. 'Or we'll all start making our way around the galaxy in toasts.'

'A fine idea!' Thor booms out in laughter.

Shuri, despite her best efforts, is at a disadvantage by not having any physical enhancements like her opponents, and to not having had as much experience with drinking. She's the next one out, falling asleep on Natasha's shoulder until Peter carries her down to her room.

'Err…where did Loki and Bucky go?' he asks when he gets back.

Tony, still trying to hold in his laughter, gestures for Bruce to answer.

'Bucky got rather impatient and decided to drag Loki away from the competition,' Bruce's face is decidedly uncomfortable, 'I'll spare you his turn of phrase.'

'And he didn't lose his head to Mjolnir?' Peter asks.

'Well Loki didn't seem overly upset at the idea, and I'm not entirely sure Thor heard. He's a bit drunker than he'd let you believe,' Bruce replies.

'Tony I don't want to go to bed,' Steve pouts later as he somehow manages to manhandle his boyfriend through the door and dropping him unceremoniously onto the bed.

'Steve, honey, you are drunker than I actually thought was possible for you to get. As the one in this relationship who is an expert in getting drunk, trust me when I say you will want to go to sleep.'

'You say this,' Steve's grin is wicked and Tony is tested to his limit not to reach in and kiss those lips, 'yet you're still trying to get my clothes off.'

'You are not going to want to sleep in your clothes,' he tells him. Stop looking at his lips, stop looking at his lips, he chants to himself.

'But I won,' the soldier pouts, falling onto his back as Tony finally manages to get his top off, 'don't I get something for winning?'

'Trust me, baby,' he laughs, starting to help Steve get out of his shoes and then his pants, 'I'm going to make sure you are reminding everyone of this for the next few years. And I promise when you aren't blind drunk, or hugely hungover, I will definitely be making sure you know how proud I am of you. But for now,' he manages to finish getting Steve's clothes off and gets him under the covers, thankful they had to stop off at the bathroom on the way to the bedroom or he wasn't sure how he was going to manage, 'I'm just going to make sure you're as comfortable as you can be.'

Knowing he'll only complain in the morning if Tony doesn't, he folds Steve's clothes before putting them on the chair and heading to the bathroom to finish getting ready for bed himself.

By the time he's climbing in next to the soldier, Steve is already breathing deeply. Tony presses a kiss to Steve's forehead and wraps his arms around him. 'Goodnight, Steve.'

'Love you, Tony,' comes the mumbled reply.

'Love you, too,' he replies.

Who would have thought Steve Rogers would win a drinking contest? He chuckles to himself, before closing his eyes and letting Steve's warmth lull him to sleep.

A/N: Hi everyone! It's finally finished. I'm so sorry it's taken so long, I hope it was worth the wait. Thank you so much for all the reviews you've been leaving on this story, I'm glad you'd enjoyed it so far I hope the end lived up to expectations. And by popular demand Bucky/Loki came back.

The next story in the main series may take a while to upload, I'm in the process of applying for a masters degree so it might take me a bit longer to finish the next story and I don't want to do what I did with this one where I can't keep the regular updates coming. You know as soon as I start posting it, though, that it is finished.

Thank you so so much for all your support.

Love always,

L x