lost (Hawkeye)

Chapter 41

Steve:

"Who wants to play a round of truth or dare?" Tony asked, already slurring his words.I groaned inwardly, whenever he had too much to drink he wanted to play that.Yet it was always funny actually, so I agreed.The others nodded enthusiastically too, Percy included."I'll start. Percy, truth or dare?" Tony asked like a little child."I'll take truth." Tony thought for a moment."Do you have a tattoo?"Percy nodded. Surprised, we looked at her. I would never have expected that from her. "Where?" Natasha asked.Percy pulled up her sleeve and revealed an S.P.Q.R tattoo. There was a line under the writing and a trident above it. "I got this tattoo at a camp, it's a tradition there to get one." Percy said before anyone could ask." That's not a normal tattoo, is it? It looks burnt in." Bruce remarked. I agreed with him, it did look burnt in.Percy just shrugged her shoulders. "Clint, truth or dare?""Dare."Percy grinned. "You have to sing Macarena out loud and dance to it." Clint screwed up his face, then started. When he finished we applauded, he could really sing well."I didn't know you could sing." Said Natasha now. "You don't know everything about me Nat." He winked at her." I'm doing Steve. Truth or dare."I considered for a moment. "Truth.""If you were on a desert island, which one of us would you take?" "Just one?" He nodded. I considered for a moment."I think I'd take Natasha or Percy. Don't take offence, but those two are the best to fight with." "Well as long as he just wants to fight with them..." Tony muttered to Bruce, who laughed in response. My ears reddened slightly and I turned to Percy. "Truth or dare?" "I'll take truth again." "Um, how many times have you been in love?" She frowned and considered for a moment. I saw her gaze dart quickly to Clint. "I think twice." "With who?" Tony asked. "With David, and briefly with Matt." "Who's Matt?" Asked Clint. "Matt was a good friend from camp. There was an incident and we haven't been in touch since." A shadow settled over her face. I had a feeling it wasn't the whole truth. "Natasha, what do yo choose?" "Dare." "You have to arm wrestle Bruce." Natasha showed no emotion but walked to the table. Bruce followed her a little more slowly. "Who are you betting on?" Percy looked at the two of them. "My money's on Natasha." Tony, Thor and I were for Bruce, while Clint joined Percy's opinion."Okay, so if Clint and I bet correctly, you'll have to wear makeup tomorrow. If you guys bet right and Bruce wins, we have to walk around in makeup. Everyone agrees?" Everyone nodded. "Okay, then on your marks, get set, go!" Immediately they both started pushing. At first it looked like Bruce was going to get the upper hand, but that's when Natasha abruptly pushed his arm down on the table. Clint and Percy jumped up and cheered while the rest of us hung our heads. "I knew I could count on you" Clint went to high five Nat, who just winked at him. "Always at your service."When everyone had calmed down again we continued."I'll take Tony." "Okay Nat, think of something nice. I'll take Truth." The spy grinned wickedly. "How many affairs have you had?" "Ah, that interests you? Now that makes me think." We laughed softly." Jarvis, how many have I had in bed?" "It's exactly thirty-two sir." Percy's mouth dropped open, the others also looked incredulous. "You're seriously making Jarvis count your bedtime stories?!" Clint asked, amused. "Well, before someone comes around here claiming to be my kid." Tony scratched his head in embarrassment. "Holy Zeus, that's an awful lot. I bet you're worse than Fred or my uncle." "Well, those days are over now. I'm in a committed relationship, that sort of thing changes you."Tony explains to the dismayed Percy."Percy, truth or dare?""Truth." "What's with the blue food?"Percy laughed. "I thought you'd never ask. It's an inside joke between my mother and me. My first stepfather said there was no such thing as blue food. Since then, my mother has set out to prove to him that there is blue food after all. She made everything blue, even the bacon." Her eyes sparkled happily as she thought of it. "So Bruce." Bruce winced slightly as Percy addressed him. "Dare.""You have to do ten push-ups." "Oh Percy, you're boring!" Tony opined. "Hey, I'm just not one of those creative people." Retorted Percy, raising her arms defensively. When Bruce had finished his 10 push-ups, he moved on to Thor. "Truth." Answered his question about what he would choose. "How do you really know Percy?" Percy tensed barely noticeably and looked up at Thor. He looked indecisive. "Her father brought her to Asgard once, he wanted her to meet the gods.""Man of iron, I choose you." "Duty." "What's the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you?" Thor looked at him with interest. Tony frowned and after a while said," I think that was when I had flatulence once in a press conference." He blushed slightly. "Wait, wait, you had what?" Clint asked and laughed. He laughed hard, almost sliding off the sofa."Shut up Katniss." Said Tony angrily "Hey, I'm a much better shot than they are!" Said the dark blond indignantly. The rest of us just rolled our eyes in unison."Percy, what do you choose?""Duty." "Would it be all right with you if you showed us pictures from your album and tell something about them?" He looked at her beggingly. The rest of us looked at her too. I was quite interested in what she had been through, but I didn't want to make her sad or press her. She took a deep breath. "Well, why not" I didn't expect that answer. She stood up and picked up the book. Shortly afterwards she sat down next to Thor again. Tony had also gone briefly to get something that would throw up pictures on the wall so that one wouldn't have to hang over Percy's shoulder. When everything was ready, Percy opened the book.The first picture showed Percy with other teenagers, holding each other dirty and bloody."This was after a training fight, we fought as a team and won."She pointed to a black haired girl with electric blue eyes." That's Thalia, you met her on the phone call. She is one of my cousins. The black haired pale boy next to her is Nico. That's Travis and Connor, Will, Katie, Clarisse, Chris, Jack, David and me." She pointed to two boys who looked exactly identical and had smiles on their faces where you worried right about your money. Will was a good looking boy with blond hair and blue eyes. The girl, Katie, next to them had brown hair and looked quite sympatic, while Clarisse next to her looked like her complete opposite. She had large muscles and a rather aggressive expression. She was held in the arms of Chris, who looked at her lovingly. Jack next to her had black hair and rather strong arms, as if he lifted weights every day. To the right stood a tall blond boy with steel grey eyes. In his arms was a girl with black hair and emerald green eyes. Unmistakably Percy.The next picture showed Percy together with a boy shooting an arrow. The boy had dark brown hair and brown eyes." That's Matt." Matt? Wasn't that the person she used to be in love with? Quickly, Percy picked up the next picture.It showed a bunch of young adults sitting together around a campfire roasting marshmellows." That's Jason, Piper, Hazel, Frank, Leo, Nico, David, Rayna and me." Her voice sounded sad. The ones in the picture all looked older now. Jason and Piper I had already seen on the screen at Fury. They looked cute together. Hazel and Frank were also together, holding each other and watching the flames. Leo was sitting right next to them with a screwdriver in his hand.Next came numerous other pictures. Of them all as a couple, a giant ship that Percy said they had taken to Italy, her cousin Fred playing a guitar.... they were beautiful pictures, but you could see that it made Percy sad to talk about them. At some point in the middle of the presentation Clint had taken her in his arms and she had leaned on his shoulder. They looked quite content together. I looked at Natasha who was looking at them both with a knowing smile. Thankfully Tony hadn't noticed, he would have ruined the whole mood."I think I should get to bed." Percy said with a glance at the clock. I followed her gaze. It was 02:36, Percy got up, said goodbye and went to sleep. The rest of us followed her, one by one...