Into the Fray {Marvel} ||4||

7. Party at the Tower

"I don't think I can do this," Aria told me worriedly.

We were in the elevator, Tony's party awaited us on a lower level of the Tower. She tugged her emerald dress down, but it only made her breasts nearly pop out. She looked flustered.

"Yes, you can," I told her firmly. "It's like the gatherings on Asgard...only it's much different."

"So it's essentially nothing like the gatherings back home."

I shrugged. "You'll be fine. You want this life on Earth, this is how you live it. If you want to train to be an Avenger, this is part of the package. Just...try and have fun."

The elevator doors opened, and our ears were met with mingling voices and loud music. I could smell the alcohol from the bar.

Aria was still so nervous, her energy almost felt contagious.

Squaring my shoulders, I stepped out, smoothing out my red dress. My hair was clipped back with barrettes. I felt Aria hovering beside me.

"Go on," I told her. "Go mingle." I gave her a gentle shove towards the bar, and in turn she gave me a nasty look. I disappeared before she could track me down.

"Well, look at you!" Maria Hill told me as she and a black man I'd never seen before came to me. "The dress doesn't catch fire, does it?"

"Not unless I want it destroyed."

"James Rhodes," the man said, offering me his hand. "Please, call me Rhodey."

"Let me guess: you already know who I am."

"Naturally." He smiled. "Tony's told me a lot about you."

"Tony, huh?" I raised a brow. "Friend of his?"

"Yeah. Guess you wouldn't know me outside of your Avenger gang. I wear a suit similar to his. Ever heard of War Machine?"

I blushed slightly. "Sad to say that I haven't, sorry. Kind of been busy Avenging the world and all."

"Not all by yourself, you know," Steve cut in, putting an arm around me. "Rhodey."

"Captain. Tony also told me you two were an item."

I sighed dramatically. "It's the one thing I hate about Tony Stark, he can't keep his damn mouth shut to save his life. What hasn't he told you?"

"Whatever you haven't told him."

After a few more seconds of chatter mainly with Rhodey, Steve and I meandered away and found Sam Wilson. The men embraced, and I found myself hugging Sam.

"Good to see you," I told him warmly. It'd been a long time since I'd seen him. The last time, he, Steve, and I had started a campaign to find Steve's presumed-dead-but-now-alive-and-brainwashed best friend, Bucky Barnes. We hadn't had any luck. Sam continued our search when we got called to the big leagues.

"Superhero duty seems to suit you still. I haven't seen you guys for a while. You been doing lazy days at the Tower?"

"More like busting HYDRA nests wide open," said Steve. "We've been raiding bases to retrieve a powerful scepter. We got it after a few tries, but it was a struggle." We walked through the crowds, found ourselves walking up steps onto a higher level. "Encountered some new players, Kiara found an old friend."

"Old friend?"

"From Asgard," I added.

"Of course."