Frostbite

Five

The party had ended a while ago, but a few of us had stayed for a small, private afterparty. We were all gathered in the seating area, drinks and food littering the table in the center. Everyone was talking and laughing; it was nice.

"But it's a trick!" Clint argued excitably, waving his drumsticks towards Mjolnir from the floor. Everyone stopped mid-conversation to stare at him.

"Oh, no. It's much more than that," Thor disagreed with a smirk.

"Uh, 'Whosoever be he worthy shall haveth the power!' Whatever man! It's a trick."

"Well please, be my guest," Thor invited him, nodding towards his hammer on the table.

"Come on," Tony urged.

"Really?" Clint asked,

"Yeah!" Clint climbed to his feet and walked over to Mjolnir.

"Oh, this is gonna be beautiful," Rhodey snickered, elbowing me. I chuckled, and Clint stuck his tongue out at me like a child.

"Clint, you've had a tough week, we won't hold it against you if you can't get it up," Tony joked, causing everyone to laugh.

"You know I've seen this before, right?" Clint said, grabbing Thor's hammer and attempting to lift it, but nothing happened, "I still don't know how you do it."

"Smell the silent judgment?" Tony commented snidely.

"Please, Stark, by all means," Clint challenged him. He sat back down between Maria and Natasha. Tony shrugged and sauntered up.

"Oh, here we go," I groaned, rolling my eyes.

"Never one to shrink from an honest challenge," he admitted with a grin, "It's physics."

"Physics!" Bruce scoffed. Tony grasped the handle but hesitated.

"Right, so, if I lift it, I...I then rule Asgard?"

"Yes, of course," Thor agreed.

"I will be re-instituting Prima Nocta," he stated, earning several blank looks. He pulled on the hammer, but it didn't budge. "I'll be right back."

He returned with the arm from his suit and tried lifting it with that, but still had no luck. Steve and I couldn't contain our fits of laughter. Tony narrowed his eyes at us and turned to Rhodey. He nodded and rushed downstairs, returning moments later with the arm piece from his suit.

"You've got to be shitting me," Natasha snorted. They both ignored her and tried to lift Mjolnir together.

"Are you even pulling?" Rhodey asked incredulously.

"Are you on my team?" Tony countered.

"Just represent! Pull!"

As much as they tried, the hammer refused to be moved. They gave up with sighs of disappointment, and Tony patted Bruce on the shoulder, signaling his turn. He gave a small smile and walked up to the table. He used the table for leverage and started pulling, making a strangled noise which I presumed was supposed to be roaring. He grinned at everyone and held his arms open as if he had finished an act.

"Let's go, Steve, no pressure," Tony crowed as I shoved Steve off the couch.

"Come on, Cap," Maria cheered. Steve strode up to the hammer and began to pull. I swear I saw it lift slightly and Thor's face dropped in worry, but it didn't move from its spot.

"Nothing," Thor chuckled nervously, obviously relieved. Steve returned to his seat between Thor and I without a word. I narrowed my eyes suspiciously at him. He grinned and shook his head, but I had a feeling he faked it; he probably could have lifted Mjolnir.