Forever & Always

Parties

"I know what the kids are doing but where's the parent party happening?" Jennifer shovels a handful of chips into her mouth, crunching away.

"Geez Jen," Bruce grits his teeth and starts to clean her mess with the side of his palm.

"What?"

"I need a napkin, Maria."

Laura Barton empathetically pats his shoulder, sitting up on one of Maria's bar stools beside him.

"I don't have plans for the night. I just know I'm done spending money for the next two years. My wallet is sealed shut," Clint points with a pen.

"We should head back because we have a groom's dinner to prepare for tomorrow night," Laura smirks excitedly.

Jennifer snickers, "I haven't been on Earth in how many years and you all want to call it a night early."

"Yes, Jen,' Bruce grins and holds his head, 'because while you've been running around with space aliens, riding on unicorns and putting on theatrical Asgardian productions for the fun of it, we've been working. Saving New York."

"Sounds like a boring Tuesday. I want to go dancing."

"You're, more than welcome to do so. I'm going home."

"You're pouting because Natasha is gone."

"No!" He glares and crosses his arms, "I'm not bothered by missions, I'm used to it."

"POUTING,' she whispers fiercely, 'Maria?"

Hill shakes her head 'no', "My daughter is getting married in two days, I can't think about anything except for wedding-."

"Which means stepping away from things would be good for you."

She shakes her head again, "No, Jen."

"Yes. Buzzkill Bartons; What is there to prepare for dinner tomorrow?"

Laura shrugs.

Clint throws his head back groaning, "You know what, I could use a drink. I'll go with you, Jen."

"I have plenty of drinks here," Maria reaches to open a cabinet.

Clint lifts an eyebrow, "She's sharing her stash?! Man, how times have changed."

"One drink," Laura lifts her finger firmly, leaning back to check on Nathaniel as he quietly draws his pictures in the other room.

************

"Riley! Riley! Riley," Violet leads a chant as the bride-to-be shamelessly downs her shots at a bar top.

Riley chugs as if her life depends on it and lifts her fists upon completion with a hiccup, "Pay up Amelia!"

Violet wheezes when Amelia does so, sliding a $50 in Riley's direction with a huff;

"Don't expect a wedding present! This was it!"

"Who's next?!"

"Linda," Violet wiggles her finger to bait the blonde.

Linda rolls her eyes, "Yeah, sure. If you want Riles to lose everything she just made."

Riley frowns, "Oh, wow. You're that confident?"

"I am."

"Put your money where your mouth is."

Linda shrugs, digging through a cargo pant pocket, "Your loss."

"Doubt it."

Violet rubs her hands together, "This is gonna be good."

Lucy lifts a hand, her foot propped on the stool next to her, "It's okay Linda, I can carry you when Riley out drinks you."

"Shut up, baby Shulk!"

"Baby, Shulk do do-do-."

Riley whips her head in the presumed direction of her friend, "Shut up, Amelia."

Izabella shovels a mouthful of popcorn into her mouth as Linda and Riley lift their first shots;

"Someone will rvota before the night is over...Lucy!"

"Wha-?!" The Jameson girl talks with her mouth full, popcorn spilling everywhere.

"Napkin, please!" Izabella rolls her eyes and extends a hand toward the bartender.

Riley pats her shoulder empathetically.

"Ready for the next?" Linda asks after downing her first two.

"Quitting already?," Riley smirks.

"Are you?"

"No. Next!"

***********

Garrett grimaces over his third beer, smelling the top of it;

"Bro, did you use my card for this?"

Brody snickers, "No! Come on man! It's your bachelor party. What kind of friend would I be?"

"I don't know, you're very cheap."

"It's on my tab. Chug!"

"God...you swear? I've got a honeymoon to pay for-."

"Chill! It's on me."

"Mm-. Okay. I'm not Thor. If I throw up..."

"Bohze moi. Seriously? Izzy is two doors over."

Garrett lifts an eyebrow, "Cool cool. I'd prefer an easy warp over a taxi for sure...uh, but um, am I going to be sober enough for your so called 'surprise'?"

Brody shifts in his chair, sorting the cards in his hand, "Oh, don't worry. I'm sure she'd find you to be an annoying gambler if you were sober."

"SHE?! Dude! Riley will kill me!"

"I doubt that,' the door swings open, a brunette at the door, 'boom baby!"

"Darcy?!"

"G-Man!"

"Darcy!" He leaps excitedly from his chair to greet her with a hug.

***********

Clint groans from the floor, head next to Laura's who is laughing hysterically;

"Maybe I overdid it."

"This is why, I said one!"

"I'm dying," Clint whines.

"You're not dying, you're hungover," Bruce sits comfortably on Maria's sofa and holds his head with a smirk, mid texting Natasha.

Jen dogs through the liquor cabinet, "What else you got?"

Maria is doubled over, forehead on the gametable, "That's it. That's everything."

Laura giggles louder.

"Oh my god, Laura. What is it?!" Maria huffs mid her own laugh.

Clint hides his eye in his palms, "She giggles when she's drunk. I gotta sober up. I should check on the kids."

Bruce removes the glasses from his face, "Darcy and the boys went bowling, the girls are at the sanctum."

"How do you know?" He frowns.

"Izzy is updating Nat and I," Banner lifts his phone.

"Of course she is."

"I found gin!" Jennifer wiggles a bottle.

Clint whines, rubbing his eyes, "Why couldn't you have found that an hour ago?!"

Maria lifts a finger, "Not the gin. Anything but the gin."