Hello Sergeant (Bucky Barnes)

Fun and games

James POV

After a couple hours of down time, Natalia and Clint showed up with cards and alcohol. Sarah greeted them warmly and we pushed back the couch to sit on the floor around the coffee table and play poker. Nat had tried to get us to play strip poker, but Sarah had balked.

"I don't want to see Jace naked, Nat. I know how he plays!" Sarah protested.

"I don't want to see Sarah naked, either," Jace said, turning red. "Or James, because that's just a little too weird since he's my great-uncle."

"Fine," Natalia said, smirking at us. "Then we drink each round."

"I'm good with that. Deal me in, Clint." I said, pouring myself a glass of vodka. It took a lot for me to get drunk, but it was possible.

"Wait, we all can't drink if we still have to go to Tony's tonight," Jace protested. "Someone's going to have to stay sober to drive."

"Got it covered," Sarah said, draining her glass already. "Happy's coming for us at 6:30. He always says he's got nothing to do, so I called and asked him if he'd pick us all up here, so drink away fishes!"

"First one to pass out is a pussy," Natalia added. "Clint, I bet you ten bucks it's you."

"Ha, I bet you ten bucks it's Jace," Clint replied, smirking.

"You're on!" Natalia said as we laughed. "Everyone needs to finish their bottle before Happy gets here."

"Nat, I bet I can finish my bottle before you!" Sarah said, pouring herself another glass.

"If it was rum, I'd agree with you, but you've got vodka tonight, so I'll take that bet. Twenty?"

"Fifty. Make it worth my while!" she laughed as Natalia nodded, clinking glasses with her.

I learned a lot as I listened to them all chattering, just soaking in their friendship dynamics. Clint was quite funny; I decided that I liked him. He told a lot of hilarious stories about things that had went wrong on missions, which Natalia and Sarah expanded on, depending on who had been with him at the time. Jace was more talkative than I thought possible, and I heard a lot of crazy stories about things he and Sarah had done, starting with a longer version of how they'd first met, which he and Sarah took turns telling, finishing each others sentences.

Time flew by and then we were pulling on jackets since our ride was there. Sarah laughed as Jace and Clint stumbled down the stairs, seemingly unaffected by the large amount of alcohol she'd consumed. She and Nat both caught them both at least once before they face planted, putting them back on their feet with ease.

I smiled as Sarah hugged the limo driver, chatting with him briefly before climbing in and taking a seat between me and Jace. She took something out of her pocket and injected it into Jace's neck. He didn't protest since he was almost ready to pass out. I watched in amazement as he perked right up before my eyes.

"Gah, you gave me that shot, didn't you?" he groaned, rubbing a hand over his face. "I'm sober again!"

"Yup. Can't have you passing out on me already. We haven't even had dinner yet. Clint, do you want me to do you, too?"

Clint cracked open his eyes and smiled. "Yeah, we've got a mission tomorrow. Can't be hung over."

She knelt between his legs and took another syringe out of her pocket, injecting it into his neck like she had with Jace. "There – it should kick in shortly. You should know not to drink that much, you know you can't outdrink Nat, Clint."

"Thanks, 'Ria," Clint said as he sat up and stretched. "I do know; I just hate to see Nat win."

"You both were almost passed out, it's a draw." She moved back from him, satisfied he was feeling okay.