Beauty and The Beast ~ Hulk Love Story ((Book 2))

Chapter Seven

((AN: Okay guys... This might be my least favorite chapter so far. The whole scene is a lot of jump cuts and talking which can be rather hard to write along with. So bare with me I'm sure it'll get better. I'm pretty sure I will go back and edit it at some point... Keep reading! Love you all))

**Aero's POV**

The other Avengers and I had moved the white couches to make a small pow-wow area once the party had ended. Tony had called out for Chinese food which I was gladly munching down on. I was reclined back on the couch beside Thor. My legs kicked up over his lap. My feet barely missing Steve's lap who occupied the other side of the couch. He was chatting away with Thor who hadn't seemed to mind when I made myself comfortable. War Machine and Tony were sitting on a bench-like couch. They were playing some card game with Agent Hill. Agent Hill and Clint occupied the couch across from the one I was on. The table between us was cluttered with take-out boxes, beer bottles, and other trash along with Thor's hammer. Clint was reclined back and twirling a drumstick between his fingers. Bruce was leaning on the arm of the chair Clint was on. He was chatting with Natasha. Natty was occupying one of the arm chairs. The other was taken up by Dr.Cho who was fast asleep in a small ball. There was a small opening beside her so we could walk in and out. Thor had shifted his attention to Clint across the table. Thor's large hand laid on top of my legs absentmindedly. "But its a trick," Clint announced. Thor laughed and shook his head. "Ah, Whosoever be he worthy shall haveth the power," Clint mocked in the deepest voice he could manage. He made hand movements towards the hammer for a more dramatic effect. I adjusted the way I was sitting and laid my food down on the table. "Whatever, man! It's a trick," He waved Thor off.

"Then please, be my guest." Thor chuckled motioning to the hammer. I laughed. I had seen people try to pick up Thor's hammer. It never went well. I was excited to watch Clint fail. Clint stood all cocky with encouragement from those around him. He dropped the drumsticks onto the couch and moved to where the hammer laid on the table.

"Oh this is going to be beautiful," I chuckled in excitement. Thor snorted at my comment. I nudged him with my knee. Clint had everyone's attention at this point.

"Clint, You've had a tough week," Tony said in a friendly mocking tone. I bit my lip to keep from laughing. "We wont hold it against you if you cant get it up." Tony snorted at his own joke. Everyone chuckled at Tony. Clint rolled his eyes at us.

"You know I've seen this before, Right?" He asked Thor in a skeptical tone. He confidently grabs the handle of the hammer. He tries to pull the hammer up off the table but it doesn't budge. He lets out a defeated laugh. "I still don't know how you do it," He shook his head. Tony made a crack about how he was silently judging Clint. "Please, Stark, by all means." He motioned for Stark to come to take a try. Tony stood from his place in the circle. He unbuttoned his suit jacket. There were a couple mocking 'uh-oh's from the others.

"I've never been one to shrink from an honest challenge," He said in his typical confident tone. He replaced Clint in front of the hammer. "It's physics." He sounded more like he was trying to convince himself rather than us. He slipped his wrist through the band at the bottom of the hammer's handle. "Right, so, if I lift it, I rule Asgard?" He directed the question towards Thor. Thor gave a nod in response. "I will be reinstituting Prima Nocta." He said in a mocking tone again. He adjusted the way he was standing so his foot was on the table and both hands were on the handle. I watched with amusement as he tried to lift the hammer. He was unable to do so. He pulled his wrist from the band. "I'll be right back," He announced abruptly. He turned quickly and headed off out of our small circle. I erupted into laughter along with everyone else. He returned quickly with the arm of his Ironman suite on. I held onto my sides as I continued to laugh. He struggled to try to use his suite to help him pick up the hammer. The hammer didn't even budge. War Machine jumped into action getting the arm from his suite as well. They both held onto the handle and tried pulling, but again it didn't move. It had turned into an entire skeptical as everyone tried their hand at lifting Thor's hammer. Again and again, everyone failed. Bruce was next.

"Are you sure," Natasha asked in a bit of a worried tone. I gave her a stern look and she closed her mouth. Bruce gave me a reassuring smile that the comment hadn't bothered him. Bruce moved over to the table. He put his hands on the hammer. He put both feet on the table and attempted to pull. He pulled back but let go rather easily. He held his hands out wide in a joking manner as if to pretend to 'Hulk Out'. I thought it was funny, but it didn't get the laughs from the others as he had expected. I put my hand to my mouth to keep in my laughter. Steve was the next up to bat. He smirked a bit as he walked past Thor and I. The others called out encouragements as he got into a stance. He wrapped his hands firmly around the handle of the hammer. He looked down concentrating. If you handnt been watching you wouldnt have noticed it, but when Steve first pulled on the hammer it budged the smallest bit. I glanced to Thor who's smile had dropped. I covered my mouth to conceal my laughs. Thor nudged me roughly in the side to silence me, but it only succeeded in making me laugh harder. Steve tried a bit more before giving up. Thor let out a relieved laugh.

"Widow?" Tony asked Natasha if she wanted to try. Natasha laughed it off and politely declined. I snickered. Tony turned his attention to me. "Aerosmith? You want to test your luck?" Tony taunted me with the dumb nickname he had unfortunately given me with. I rolled my eyes and pulled my legs off of Thor's lap. I smiled confidently much like the others had, but I knew that the trick to the hammer was not brute force like Tony had tried. I took a calming breath and stood infront of the hammer. I wrapped both my hands around the handle and pulled. I may have just been imagening things but I could have sworn that I felt the hammer move. My heart lurched in my chest causing me to let go quickly. I stumbled back a bit, but Bruce caught me to prevent me from falling. I looked up into his deep brown eyes. A blush rose to my cheeks causing me to quickly steady myself on my feet and step away from him. I looked away from the group to cover my blush. "All deference to the Man Who Wouldnt Be King, but it's rigged." Tony announced as he stood. The others also started to get up.

"Bet you ass," Clint gave Tony's shoulder a hard pat as he passed. I rolled my eyes. They didnt understand that it wasnt about strength, which is why Steve could move it. That man was almost too pure.

"Steve! He said a bad language word!" Agent Hill announced playfully pointing an accusing finger at Clint. Clint flicked her off behind Tony's back. Agent Hill snickered as Steve groaned with annoyance. He was annoyed that the language comment durning our last mission had spread.

"The handle's imprinted, right? Like a security code?" Tony tried to take a guess at why it was hard to lift the hammer. I rolled my eyes and got up for my place on the couch that I had reclaimed after my attempt to lift the hammer. "'Whosoever is carrying Thor's fingerprint' is, i think, the literal translation," Tony mocked. Thor stood from where he was sitting on the couch causing my legs to fall down. I huffed a bit.

"Yes. Its a very, very interesting theory." Thor commented. He reached over and easily lifted the hammer from the table. Everyone scowled a bit. "I have a simpler one..." He easily flipped the hammer in his hand. "You're all not worthy." Thor sounded a bit smug but it was true. Everyone groaned and waved him off.