Make You Feel My Love
~Book III~

Disclaimer: I do not own the Avengers nor do I own the plot of Age of Ultron. All rights go to Marvel.
All I do own are my own characters and their stories.

~Chapter 12~
Worthy of Mjölnir?

"Sounds like a hell of a fight," said Sam, the two of them standing on the catwalk overlooking the party, both of their gazes unavoidably watching Maria as she talked to the guests, staying mostly with those she knew; the Avengers. "Sorry I missed it."

"If I had known it was gonna be a firefight, I absolutely would have called," replied Steve, smiling softly as Maria laughed at something Thor had said.

"No, no. I'm not actually sorry," said Sam, earning an amused look from Steve. "I'm just trying to sound tough. I'm very happy chasing cold leads on our missing persons case. Avenging is your world."

The two of them looked over at the crowd again before Sam scoffed; "Your world is crazy."

"Be it ever so humble," replied Steve.

"You find a place in Brooklyn yet?" asked Sam, earning a sigh from Steve.

"I don't think I can afford a place in Brooklyn," said Steve. "Everything's so expensive now. It was Tony who helped me with the ring. I wouldn't have been able to afford something as beautiful otherwise. He said he owed me anyhow. For what, I don't know."

"Well… Home is home, you know?"

"Yes, I do," said Steve, his gaze looking back down at Maria which earned a chuckle from Sam.

"I suppose you've found your home," he said as he watched Maria look up at the two of them after Tony had whispered something in her ear. "With her."

Steve smirked, glancing over at Sam once before answering; "My life may be messed up. But at least I'm happy."

"People are leaving," whispered Tony over to Maria, his breath reeking of alcohol though he didn't seem the least bit affected by it. "Let's call everyone around the table for a last bit of socializing."

Maria looked up at the catwalk where she knew Sam and Steve had been standing for a while now, talking. She had wanted to join them, seeing as they were her favorite people at the party, though she was afraid to interrupt something important as Sam was still working on finding Bucky and the two might want to talk about it in private.

As the two of them looked down at her, she waved her hands, showing to them that she wanted them to get down. And as the two of them finally found their way back to her, the crowd of people had dispersed immensely, leaving only a few people left. All of them went to sit down in the middle of the room where sofas had been placed along with a small coffee table. Everyone put their drinks down on it and sat down around the small table. Clint and Natasha placed themselves close to each other as did Steve, Maria and Sam (Maria in-between the two men). Tony and Rhodes both sat down close to each other too while both Bruce and Thor sat on lonely chairs. Hill and doctor Cho placed themselves on a sofa together facing Maria, Steve and Sam.

Before Thor sat down, he put his hammer on the coffee table along with the drink he had been drinking.

For a while, the lot just talked, laughing at each other's jokes and listening to each's adventures. Maria simply listened, intrigued by the adventures all the Avengers had been on and how normal of a life most of the people had. Compared to hers, everyone around the coffee table, who wanted to share something about their past, had had normal lives (before they turned into superheroes). No abuse, no death, just happiness. Of course, Tony's parents had died though Tony hadn't been so young and seemed to have recovered quite well. However, Maria knew exactly how well one could hide those scars and decided not to think he was completely alright.

Even Thor's life seemed pretty normal compared to Maria's, though the crown Prince thing and the entire fight with Loki over said crown was rather different to any of their lives. When Thor talked about his first time on Earth and Jane, Maria couldn't help but smile widely at the look on his face and the soft way he talked about her.

She silently wished she could've had a normal childhood too.

Maria got asked a few questions as well, mostly from those who she wasn't all that close to and who didn't know that her past was rather a touchy subject. Obviously everyone had read about the part in her past where she murdered people for, not intentionally, Hydra. So, the questions were about her life before that. Luckily, whenever Sam and Steve felt her writhe slightly in her seat, they backed her up.

"Wait, why did you get to live with your grandparents? Where was your mother?"

"Personal reasons." "Her mother wasn't present."

She appreciated it and each time they did back her up, making sure she didn't have to answer those touchy questions, she grabbed each of their hands without either of the others noticing, to silently thank them.

The mood was joyful and light when Clint, who had somehow ended up on the floor in front of where Natasha was now lying on the sofa, cast a glance over at the hammer.

"So," said Clint as the laughter from the previous joke had died down. "What is this indestructible hammer made of?"

Everyone glanced at the thing Clint gestured towards before all eyes were diverted to Thor.

"Uru. A metal found only in Nidavellir," explained Thor proudly. "The leather on the handle is just as indestructible as the hammer itself."

"Uru of Nivea – what?" asked Tony, blinking several times.

"Nidavellir, one of the nine realms," he said.

"Nine realms…" muttered Sam from next to Maria. "I'd rather just stay on Earth and pretend like aliens don't exist."

"But, why can't anyone else lift it?" asked Rhodes.

"Well," he said, fumbling slightly with the collar of his jacket, which Tony probably had bought for him just for this very party seeing as his normal clothes weren't very normal on Earth (capes not being a part of the dress-code). "It is enchanted. Only those it deems worthy may wield the power of Mjölnir."

"But it's a trick," said Clint, seeming to be trying to get the truth out of Thor, not believing in magic at all.

"No, no, it's much more than that," said Thor.

"'Whosoever be he worthy shall haveth the power' – eh, whatever, man! It's a trick!" exclaimed Clint again.

"Please," said Thor rather amused, gesturing towards Mjölnir. "Be my guest."

"Really?" asked Clint, standing up with a wide smirk on his face.

"Yeah," said Thor, shrugging slightly, his voice still holding the exact same amusement as earlier.

"This is gonna be good," said Rhodes, clasping his hands together with a smirk playing on his lips.

"Clint, you've had a tough week," said Tony, leaning forwards slightly. "We won't hold it against you if you can't get it up."

"You know I've seen this before," said Clint, pointing towards the hammer which was now in front of him, the handle turned up towards him so he easily could try to lift it.

With a cocky movement, he placed his hand on the handle, groaning slightly as he tried his best to lift the hammer. Maria chuckled at the slightly surprised look on his face which he tried to hide with a chuckle of his own.

"I still don't know how you do it!" he exclaimed, shaking his head before walking back over to where he had been sitting earlier.

"Smell the silent judgement," said Tony, causing Clint to turn towards him.

"Please!" exclaimed the archer, pointing a finger at Tony. "Stark, by all means."

With a look on his face as though he had just accepted a deal that would give him the, Tony stood up, cockily walking over to the hammer.

"Never one to shrink from an honest challenge," said Tony as he made himself ready, placing his hand on the handle, looking over at all the spectators once before focusing his gaze on Thor, seeming to want to see the shock on the Asgardian when he managed to lift the hammer. "It's physics."

"Physics?" asked Maria with a roll of her eyes amongst the others' comments about Tony's nonchalant behavior.

"Aright, so if I lift it," said Tony, still looking at Thor. "I then rule Asgard?"

"Yes, of course," chuckled Thor, the look in his eyes telling Maria that he knew no one could actually lift it but him.

"I will be reinstituting prima nocta," said Tony before pulling on the handle.

Though nothing happened, causing Maria to let out a snort as she tried to keep in her laughter. Tony looked over at her, a defeated look on his face. He let go of the handle, seeming to think for a couple of seconds before turning away from the group. "I'll be right back."

"Oh, he's gone to cheat," said Sam, earning chuckles from some of the group.

"No surprise there," replied Rhodes, though as Tony returned, Rhodes seemed rather offended by what he had brought with him. "Now, that is indeed cheating! How can you be worthy if you use gadgets?"

Tony put on the Iron Man gloves he had brought, glaring over at his friend. "It's not magic. It's physics. I just need some more strength."

Thor chuckled from where he was sitting.

With a grunt, Tony tried again, this time his Iron Man suit helping him slightly. Though the hammer didn't budge.

"Alright, Rhodes, get over here," said Tony, waving his arm about, seeming slightly frustrated.

"Why?"

"Just do it," replied Tony, watching his friend walk over to him. "Okay, I know you've got your gloves."

"What?"

"Don't deny it, I know you sleep with them under your pillow."

Rhodes seemed slightly flustered, though pulled out said War Machine gloves and put them on.

"Now, help me."

Both grunted, lifting and pulling on the hammer for several minutes, though it still didn't budge.

"Are you even pulling?"

"Are you on my team?" asked Tony before they tried one last time.

"Just represent," shot Rhodes back. "Pull!"

"Well, that was a bust."

Maria watched as the two of them walked back to their seats, defeated looks on their faces while Thor just continued to chuckle, grabbing his drink again and taking a sip of it to hide his amusement slightly.

Bruce stood up, earning whistles and surprised looks from the group. As he grabbed the handle he pretended to lift as hard as he could before jumping back and beginning to roar, pretending to be hulking out from the effort.

The group watched in silence as Bruce's pretend roars died out. He looked at them all, a look of shame and awkwardness evident on his face and as he walked back to his seat, Maria offered him a soft smile.

At least he had tried to be funny.

"Steve?" asked Sam, looking over at Steve and seeming to surprise the super soldier slightly.

"What? Oh, no, I'm good," said Steve, shaking his head slightly.

"Oh, come one," urged Maria, grabbing his arm and pouting slightly. "Please?"

Steve sighed, a smile on his face. "Alright."

"Go ahead, Steve, no pressure," said Tony from his seat, sweat still evident on his face from the struggle he had put in it earlier.

Steve rolled his sleeves up before placing both hands on the handle, using all his power to try and lift the hammer. However, it didn't budge. Not even slightly and Thor chuckled again. As Steve sighed and took a step away from the hammer, still an amused smile on his face, Maria stood up and walked over to him.

"Hey! He's cheating!" exclaimed Tony, earning grunts from all the group members to which he looked rather offended. "What?"

Maria placed her hands on the bottom half of the handle while Steve placed his on the top. They looked at each other, their faces inches away from each other before nodding and lifting. At first, nothing happened and the chuckle from Thor was heard again. Though then, suddenly, the hammer's weight lifted, just slightly.

Thor's chuckle died down.

Both Maria and Steve looked at each other, feeling the difference in the hammer and silently agreeing that they didn't want to rule Asgard, letting go of the hammer and pretending nothing had happened.

"Wow… Too bad," said Maria hurriedly, walking back to Sam with Steve behind her.

"Yup, too bad," he responded in the same tone.

Thor looked at them shocked before hiding it with a chuckle, quickly taking a sip from his drink again, eyebrows furrowed.

None of the others seemed to have noticed how, when working together, the two of them were worthy of the hammer.