A/N: Bruce takes a lot of abuse on game night, so I thought it was time for him to have some fun. Also, High Strikers are the strength testing games at carnivals and amusement parks.

Chapter 5: High Striker

"Look what Katniss and I found!" Tony cried excitedly, practically skipping into the kitchen.

Bruce looked up at him wearily. "What?"

"A high striker!" Tony beamed, gesturing to the carnival game Clint was lugging into the room. Glaring at Tony for making him carry the device on his own, Clint dropped it unceremoniously on Tony's foot.

"Oww. Don't ruin the moment."

Steve frowned. "Do I even want to know where you found that?"

Clint shrugged. "In a dumpster at Coney Island. We figured they tossed it 'cause it's kinda outdated, but it still works fine."

Natasha glared at him and Tony. "And why were you two idiots digging through dumpsters miles from the tower in the first place?"

"That, my dear spider, is a story for another time," Tony cut in, ignoring Natasha's murderous glare. "But now, we play!"

Steve sighed. "I hate those things. Everybody used to laugh because I could never get it halfway up."

"That's what she said!" Tony exclaimed gleefully. Seeing Steve's sad and confused face, he continued, "I'll explain that one to you later. Besides, that was before you had super soldier serum pumped through your veins. Give it a go, Cap."

"Okay," Steve replied dubiously, gingerly taking the fake hammer Tony handed him. He approached the machine slowly as though it was going to publicly shame him again.

"Really go for it, Sparkles," Tony encouraged. "Don't just tap it. Pound it home."

"That's what she said," Clint snickered from his spot at the table.

"Would you two just shut up!" Steve cried. "Stop making jokes that you know I don't understand and stop calling me names, Tony!" He swung the hammer down on the base and watched in amazement as the puck flew past the halfway mark and soared to the very top, ringing the bell. He took a step back and dropped the hammer in shock. "I did it."

"See, Captain Spandex? I knew you had it in you," Tony smiled, clapping the taller man on the back. "Now let the rest of us have a shot."

Clint, Bruce, and Thor jumped up from their seats and lined up behind Tony eagerly. Natasha rolled her eyes and she watched the men act like boys. "There's way too much testosterone in this room."

"Scared you're going to embarrass yourself?" Tony challenged. "Or are you worried that your Hawk isn't strong enough to win you a stuffed bunny?"

She glared back at him. "Scared, no. Vaguely concerned about what's about to happen, yes. You should probably duck now."

"What?"

Natasha nodded toward the high striker, which Thor was approaching with Mjolnir. She quickly crawled under the table.

"Crap," Tony breathed. "Thor, don't do it."

Clint grimaced, grabbing Tony's collar and forcing him to the floor just before Thor swung. "I think it's too late for that."

The other Avengers watched in horrified amazement as the puck struck the bell. Instead of ringing, the bell, now cleaved into two pieces, fell to the ground as the puck flew off the tower and hurtled toward Bruce's head.

"Crap," Tony repeated, looking up. The Hulk glowered in front of him. "Crap, crap, crap, crap."

"Hulk want to smash," Hulk cried, shoving Thor away from the semi-functional machine and raising his fists. "Smash!"

Steve barely rolled out of the way before the Hulk pulverized the machine, creating a hole in the floor in the process.

Natasha shook her head and emerged from the table. "Like I said, way too much testosterone."

As the other Avengers watched Thor help the Hulk destroy the high striker and the kitchen, they had to agree.