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Post by Ray on Nov 2, 2015 13:00:49 GMT -7
"I have to ask..." Graeme murmurs, leaning his head down towards Teresa. "Is this a daily occurrence with these people?" He says it with plenty of humor, but a hint of worry lingers around the edges. The both of them have gotten caught up far too many times in the affairs of people who are stronger than them, more dangerous than them, and Teresa's trips had been, in his mind, a way for her to get away from all of that. But here they are, standing in a room full of what Graeme can only guess are people who are all super-powered in their own ways, and they are once again pitifully human.
"Please tell me they aren't going to explode." Barton comments, flicking his blue eyes towards Tony like that's a real possibility. Steve throws an almost father-like glower at Barton, his hand still on Bucky's shoulder as he keeps breathing in deep.
Stark whips out a small metal device from the many pockets on her costume and taps the glass screen. A small blue light scans over Nat, who's still steady as a rock but blinking her eyes rapidly like her vision has gone all fuzzy, and then Tony steps forward to do the same to Bucky, but he bats it away with his metal hand.
"They're fine." Tony concludes, inspecting the string of data displayed across the device's screen. "Well over the legal drinking limit, but...fine. Vitals are normal." She stuffs the scanner into her pocket once more and looks between the two. "How you feeling?"
Bucky gives a thumbs up, and Steve wants to laugh but also wants to direct him to the nearest chair.
Barton scoots to the edge of the couch cushion and lifts his hand into the air right in front of Nat's face. "How many fingers am I holding up?" Nat slides her grey eyes in his direction, and arches a disbelieving brow at the gesture.
"I don't know, one?" Nat replies, almost sweetly, before giving Barton the bird. Clint rolls his eyes and drops his hand back to his knee.
"So Cap, what's the verdict." Tony says, picking the flask up once more. She swirls the golden alcohol around in the basin, and wiggles her brows expectantly at Steve. "Willing to live a little?"
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Post by Snowglobe18 on Nov 2, 2015 13:15:45 GMT -7
Teresa looks up at Graeme when he asks her a question. "Well that depends on the day you catch them" she says with a humour of her own. "Bucky.. possibly it's normal along with maybe Barton but Cap and Nat? Not really so it'll be interesting to see if he does actually try it but also a little worrying because I don't think I've ever come across a drunk Steve Rogers" she admitted and then looked back over at Steve when she heard Tony talking to both Nat and Bucky.
In honesty if this was how Bucky and Nat reacted to the drink then it really was going to be interesting to see if Steve did try any of it. She then looked up at Graeme and said in a teasing whisper. "How about we change the rules of the game and you try some of it" she said and raised her eyebrows at him with an innocent look.
Teresa knew that Graeme didn't drink now but that hadn't stopped them from sneaking beers from Scott's fridge when they were younger and possibly quite stupid. Now she mostly drank at Christmas, Thanksgiving, possibly Halloween, or whenever someone threw a party like this one but other than that she spent most of her days completely sober and drinking tea as she quickly studied to whatever book she had that day and when she did work at the bar and got brought a drink she actually never drank it even if there had been times when working in the bar had caused her to want to drink but she never wanted to end up like her father and that's one of the reasons why she never drank every night.
She turned her attention back on Steve to find out if he really was willing to live a little and give into the golden stuff.
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Post by Ray on Nov 2, 2015 13:47:34 GMT -7
Graeme tips his chin upwards, only a little relieved by that. Particularly if Barton was the one she hung out with the most. But as long as they didn't put her in danger, as long as he didn't have to worry, than he wasn't going to keep her from remaining with this eccentric little group. Even if at the moment they didn't seem so little.
He lifts his brows high at Teresa's wager, glancing back down to her. "Trying to knock me off, are you?" He replies in a tease, a smile cracking across his face. It'd been a very, very long time since he'd even had a beer, let alone something that's twenty-five percent more alcohol than pure ethanol. Those two might have been able to withstand it, but he's by no means a skilled drinker.
Steve is quiet for a moment, looking between Tony and the homemade liquor, before he drops his blue eyes back to Bucky. Buck stands up straight finally, an exhale rushing free from his mouth. He looks fine, if only just a little wobbly on his feet. Steve's more than a little used to that. Back when they were kids, they used to sneak off with bottles of cheap, distilled whiskey. Together, crammed in a bathtub or a closet or under the bed, they'd pass the bottle back and forth until Bucky started singing and Steve got so drowsy he could barely laugh anymore. He's seen Bucky drunk plenty of times, and this is no different.
Except, maybe, for the fact that neither one of them had been drunk in more than seventy years. Even on the front lines, sipping Dum Dum's moonshine that was little more than motor oil, Bucky had always pretended to be drunk. He did it well, for a while, until Steve started realizing just how coherent he really was even half a jug later. He'd drink and drink and drink, and still be level-headed when the first bombs of the night exploded in the distance.
Maybe, and this is a big maybe, it might be nice to actually relive the old days. Back when they were dumb and young and didn't know what war was. Back when neither one of them were soldiers. Back when they were both human.
Steve inhales deeply, shoulders and chest expanding wide in the confines of Bucky's leather jacket, before he turns towards the bottle.
Tony's eyes are already lit with mischief.
"Might as well give the crowd what they want." Steve sighs out, and takes the flask. Sam whistles and Bucky grabs him by the shoulder and gives him a hearty shake, and Steve can't help but break out in a stupid smile. Cause this really is stupid. "Salute." Steve plays into it, lifting the flask in the air before placing the lip to his mouth.
The golden alcohol fills his mouth, ice cold and metallic, and he swallows it down just like it's medicine. It's rough, harsh, but only two sips in and it gets smoother than silk. He can feel it soaking into his veins, warming his lungs, and pooling in his stomach; heavy and lighter than a cloud. His eyes start burning, his lungs start aching, and Steve pulls the bottle away from his mouth like he's drowning in it.
He coughs three times hoarsely, and shoves the flask back into Tony's hands. "Goddamn-" He hisses out, the room already tilting slowly on one axis. "The hell is in that?" Bucky keeps a hold on his shoulder, probably the only thing making him certain that he's still standing, and rests his chin on his knuckles.
"Good, huh?" Bucky says, voice a little gravely, and his breath is warm on Steve's cheek.
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Post by Snowglobe18 on Nov 2, 2015 14:08:20 GMT -7
Teresa looked up at Graeme when he teased back at her and she couldn't help but laugh under her breath. She bit on her lip before saying in an innocent voice. "Would I do that, Honey?" she asked and chuckled before shaking her head and looking over at Steve once more. She moved her dark hair out of her face before she watched Steve thinking over what he was actually going to do.
She felt her breath catch in her chest when Steve actually took the flask from Tony and then started to drink from it. Even from across the room she heard Lexi say something to Sam and then there was a laugh from her.
Now this really was going to be interesting. Teresa bit on her lip and then crossed her arms back over her chest as three of her friends were now actually way over the legal drink limit, Barton was very hungover from the night before, Sam was blissfully on his way to being drunk and Lexi looked as if she was going to end up joining him. If she was honest the only person who would probably end up being sober-ish, was Graeme and Tony.
That meant then Teresa was going to be drinking herself but she was actually going to end up drinking the stuff that came from the stores rather than from Stark's personal brain. At that thought she looked down at her glass and pouted at the fact that it was empty. She really needed to make one of those things that automatically filled the glasses up. "Now get ready to see Steve Rogers in a different light" she whispered at Graeme before smiling. She knew that Steve was Graeme's hero but would he still like him if he was drunk as a skunk? Only time would actually tell.
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Post by Ray on Nov 2, 2015 17:22:16 GMT -7
"I feel like I should get an award for corrupting Captain Steven Rogers." Tony comments with a sarcastic edge, setting the flask on the coffee table and sticking a metal stopper into it.
Steve huffs out a laugh, and carefully pinches the bridge of his nose, trying to get the room to steady. Even as a kid, it took more than a few sips to get him feeling so light-headed and warm, but the manufactured lab experiment had found every way in existence to halt his cell repair, and he isn't sure if he likes that, or is terrified by that. "Trust me, that award was claimed a lo-ong time ago." He replies, without even really meaning too.
"I fuckin' knew it." Barton howls, throwing his head back and clapping a hand on his chest. "Oh god this might be the best day of my life. Wait until Fox News finds out their poster boy for everything conservative isn't so innocent after all." He jokes raucously, launching himself up to his feet to get a drink for himself, avoiding the golden alcohol like the plague.
"In more ways that one." Bucky drawls out close to Steve's ear, before pulling away and taking a careful step towards the flask. He grabs it and yanks the topper out with his metal hand.
"I...am not affiliated with Fox News." Steve clarifies, pointing in Barton's vague direction.
"Well they want to be affiliated with you, big guy." Tony replies, before trying to grab the flask from Bucky. "Easy, Point Break, we're taking it slow, remember."
"Sometimes ya' gotta run before you can walk, right?" Bucky winks, throwing an age-old quote right back at Stark. Tony scowls a little, but gives up with her hands held high in surrender. As soon as Bucky takes another swig, Nat claims it for herself.
Holding the flask close to her chest, she tacks on, "You're setting such a good example for the children, Captain." She muses.
"I do my best." Steve replies, grinning and tipping his head modestly.
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Post by Snowglobe18 on Nov 2, 2015 17:34:50 GMT -7
Teresa looked around at all three and shook her head. "Good god" she huffed out before letting a laugh escape her lips. This definitely was going to cause some trouble tonight but then again she found herself actually wanting to come to more parties especially if Steve was going to be getting this hammered.
Lexi looked around at the others and then kicked her bottom lip. "I am so glad that I'm not cleaning this mess up" she teased at Sam before knocking back a shot. Working in a bar back in Texas she had seen so many drunks that it was a wonder she didn't get drunk just by watching them but she had found it hilarious as a Tom or Dan fell off a stool. Mostly because it would be the cops who would have to deal with it all afterwards. "Actually I feel sorry for Graeme because he is a cop" she huffed out and then grabbed a shot glass and caught Teresa's eye before beckoning both her and Graeme over.
"I think we can kiss goodbye to the pool game right now" Teresa said to Graeme and then nudged him and nodded her head in lexi's direction. "You might not drink but right now I need one and I promise it won't be Tony Stark's drink of death" she smiled before moving off the pool table and over to the bar where Sam and Lexi were. "This is going to get messy" she said to Lexi who chuckled.
Lexi tilted her head to the side and looked at Steve. "I don't know, it makes him look more human when he's laughing and having a good time, plus it might be easier for Bucky to plant one on him" she teases before knocking back her shot at the same time as Teresa. If the others are going to have fun then it is only right they join in too.
"I am so glad that Miranda isn't here because she definitely would be handing out shots and whatever cocktails she can think up" Teresa laughed and slid the glass back towards Lexi. "Let's get this party started" she grinned.
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Post by Ray on Nov 2, 2015 17:59:03 GMT -7
Sam laughs a little at their conversation, pouring himself a fourth martini. Might as well join the party, and join it in the best way possible; the 007 way.
He likes to think he's funny.
He glances towards Lexi as she comments about Steve, smiling a little knowingly. "Trust me, this is nothing." He teases. After having lived with both Steve and Bucky for the past six months, he was more than a little privy to just how Steve asks when the flashing lights and expectations are all closed off behind a door. The Steve on TV, who's famous for his good looks and patriotic stoicism, is far different from the Steve who makes dick jokes while watching Friday night sitcoms. Steve draws, and burns the pancakes, and laughs so hard that he unintentionally smacks the nearest person on the chest. He swears, sometimes loudly, and has danced - on two separate occasions - to Anaconda without even blushing a little bit.
Sam isn't even going to mention that Steve doesn't have to get drunk for Bucky to plant one on him.
"Well this certainly is opening my eyes." Graeme replies, smiling in amusement.
"Kind of makes him more likable, huh?" Sam asks, nodding his head at the man. "I was kind of worried he'd be an asshole when I first met him." He admits with a shrug, sipping at his martini.
"So wait, can you actually lift a car over your head? Like in the old cartoons?" Barton asks, loudly, and draws Sam's attention back to the center of the room.
Steve laughs, the way he usually does with his head thrown back and his mouth open wide. "No, no. Well...kind of." Steve chuckles, taking the bottle from Bucky as it's passed to him and taking another big gulp. "With some inertia..." He explains while swallowing, waving his finger in a circle to show what he means.
"He once threw a whole fuckin' motorcycle at a group of Hydra agents like it was nothin'." Bucky snorts.
"That was an accident." Steve clarifies, pointing his finger at Bucky, before taking another swig and passing it back to Nat.
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Post by Snowglobe18 on Nov 2, 2015 18:11:02 GMT -7
Lexi looks over at Sam when he starts speaking before she huffs out a laugh. More often than not she would think of the Steve on tv and not as the person she had met, a few times, but seeing him like this now it definitely put her in a different prospective of things. "I don't even get on with Bucky but seeing him like this makes him... Likeable at the moment"
Teresa scoffed and then looked over at Bucky. "You never knew him before he became what he is now" she admitted and then cleared her throat before pouring another shot. Lexi knew that Teresa had gone back in time and she was the only one to believe her because Lexi had done it herself. None of the others knew what had happened other than Steve, Bucky and Lexi mostly because none of the others would actually believe it had happened.
Lexi rolled her eyes at Barton's question. "Of course clint has to come up with the silly questions" she huffs out a laugh before pouring another drink for herself. Then she looks over at Teresa. "I'm so glad that we're not going back tonight because with the amount of alcohol that I plan to knock back.. There would be no way I could travel in a car" she winked at her cousin before drinking her shot.
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Post by Ray on Nov 2, 2015 18:42:17 GMT -7
"I'm pretty sure I would have asked the same thing." Graeme admits in a laugh, paying more attention to the conversation across the room than he really is to the one happening around him. The last time he sat in a room with Steve, he felt like he'd been annoying him, even if Captain Rogers had answered every question willingly and with absolute sincerity. Graeme just never thought he'd be in a room with his childhood hero, especially not one who was supposed to have been dead for the last seventy years.
Even seeing Steve now, in the flesh and laughing, is...completely unfathomable.
"I do have one question," He says, shifting his weight from one foot to the next and turning his attention to Sam who's half-way through the martini. "And I'm a little hesitant to ask the man himself."
"What is it?" Sam asks, lowering the martini and smacking his lips a little.
"How..." Graeme starts, trying to think of the right way to say this. "How did Bucky survive the fall from the train?" He finally says, brows furrowing a little. "I mean...that is, of course, the same Bucky Barnes that fought with the Howling Commandos. Or am I wrong?" He knows he's not. Even if that was never clarified the last night he met him, even if he never really asked Teresa, he's read enough books and seen enough pictures to know that there is no mistaking this Bucky for that one. He also isn't an idiot, even if at times that could be debatable. Calling yourself James isn't exactly the most ingenious cover.
Sam raises his brows in surprise, before glancing in Bucky's direction and then deep into his drink like it might hold some way out of this conversation. "Yeah, I wouldn't ask him that." He admits, and clears his throat. Graeme tips his chin upwards, guessing that's all he's going to get. He thought as much.
"Wait," Nat's voice filters in. Graeme glances over just in time to see the woman dressed as Wednesday rise to her feet, fixing her skirt smoothly as she does. "Pick me up." She instructs, motioning towards herself.
Steve's brows dart upwards and he leans forward a little like he didn't hear her right. "Pick...pick you up?" He repeats, stammering a little.
"Nat, I can pick you up." Barton retorts. "That's not really a feat of strength."
"Oh just do it." Nat huffs out, rolling her eyes.
Steve shrugs his shoulders and steps forward, scooping Nat easily off of the ground and into his arms like she's a small child that weighs little over twenty pounds. Nat triumphantly, and humorously, kicks one leg up in the air.
"I could get used to this."
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Post by Snowglobe18 on Nov 2, 2015 18:59:55 GMT -7
Teresa looks over at Graeme when he admits to the fact that he would've asked the same question as Barton. "And that is why you are completely adorkable" she said in a teasing tone before moving behind the bar and seeing what else there was to drink. She tipped the bottles back to see what each said and was actually worried because this was putting their bar at home to shame, but then again she mostly got the drinks from the bar she worked at and of course Miranda and Jackson always brought enough alcohol with them to start their own business.
Lexi scoffed at Teresa before she poured herself another drink. "Yeah, I really wouldn't ask that" she admitted to Graeme, after Sam spoke, when he said about the question he wanted to ask Bucky. "I'm sure that Teresa could fill you in on the details later" she winked at him before looking over at her cousin who was too busy making her own cocktail. Knowing Teresa this was going to be something special.
Teresa moved her eyes from the cocktail she was making and over at Nat when she asked Steve to pick her up and laughed when he actually did. "I think it's official" she said and looked over at the others. "Steve is in and Barton is out" she grinned and then looked over at Clint. "Hate to say it Barton but Steve is packing more muscles than you" she called over to him and smirked before going back to making her drink.
"I have to say that Teresa is right on this one, move over Sam Wilson" Lexi teased at him. "I'm getting on the Steve Rogers train and it's heading North" she said and then pointed her finger in the direction of Steve. Even if he wasn't exactly North of them, but the train was definitely heading in his direction. Lexi had to say that she loved nights like this, spending it with Teresa and the others.
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Post by Ray on Nov 2, 2015 19:27:18 GMT -7
Nat's leg drops back down and, even before Barton has time to swing his head around and look back at Teresa in pure shock, she already knows where this is headed. "Oy vey." She grumbles, dropping her head back as well and letting it hang. Steve laughs a little at her, before carefully setting her back down on her feet, but he seems to be the one who really needs the steady hand. "Please, don't start it Barton..." She says, fixing her skirt once more and giving him a pointed look.
Barton pushes himself up off of the couch and shakes his head, both at her and the very clear jab Teresa hurtled his way. "Nuh uh, she's not getting away with it."
"Push-up contest?" Sam calls out, arching one brow up knowingly. Barton snaps his fingers and points a finger right at him.
"Push-up contest."
"Hell, you know I'm in." Sam snorts, dropping his drink onto the counter and quickly moving around the bar island to the center area with the couch. Nat rolls her eyes and her neck at the same time, before plopping down onto the cushions beside Bucky and the vibranium shield. Sam undoes the bow-tie from around his neck, tossing it aside and working open the top button of his white shirt, as Barton moves the coffee table out of the way.
"Don't scratch the floors, they're worth more than your entire salary." Tony calls out over the small chaos.
"Are you really going to do this?" Nat asks, raising a brow at Steve.
"Haven't kicked anyone's ass in a while," Steve replies, unstrapping Bucky's leather jacket and shrugging out of it, revealing the thin white wife-beater underneath. He tosses the jacket into Nat's lap, who catches it with an only slightly amused expression. "What could go wrong." He muses, raising his broad shoulders high. Bucky titters out a slight laugh, and sits forward until his elbows are on his knees.
"I don't know if I'm drunk enough for this." He mutters, watching as Barton squares off the space for each of them. Sam's already out of his suit jacket and rolling up his sleeves.
"C'mon." Steve smiles wide, tapping Bucky's knee with the tips of his fingers. "Unless you're afraid of losing." He suggests brashly. Bucky fixes his steely gaze on Steve, the words hitting right where Steve knew they would.
"So that's how it is."
Steve smirks and cocks his head to the side. "That's how it is."
"You're fuckin' on, Rogers." Bucky says quickly, rising swiftly to his feet like he hasn't had a drink at all.
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Post by Snowglobe18 on Nov 2, 2015 19:46:24 GMT -7
Both Lexi and Teresa stand there laughing at the fact that all of this was going to end in a push-up contest. "Men and their need to prove they are actually strong enough, and stupid enough, to outdo one another" Lexi huffed out when Sam moved out from behind the bar and then over to where the others were standing. "What about you, Graeme?" she asked and looked over at him. "You strong enough to take on the challenge?" she teased at him.
Teresa rolled her eyes at Barton. Of course he had to prove that he was stronger than the others. She remembered when Nat had told her, last Halloween, he threw a fit because of the fact that Bucky had beaten his time at knife throwing. She snorted before finishing up her drink. "One sex on the beach" she said with a grin and handed one to Lexi. It was clear that her cousin was blissfully drunk and wouldn't mind drinking more so that she wouldn't remember much.
"Why thank you" Lexi said and then took a sip. It definitely was interesting that she would be handing her sex on the beach but then again both girls had a weird sense of humour that no one else seemed to get. It might be down to the fact that they pretty much grew up with each other.
"Oh good god, why did I have to tease Barton?" Teresa said and then laughing. This really was going to end messy and she was so glad that she hadn't said other things that Steve was better at than Barton. He had given her a look as if to say that she had betrayed him and all she really could do was laugh. She could pretty much kiss goodbye to her friendship with Barton especially if this was the outcome of her saying that Steve had more muscles than Clint did.
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Post by Ray on Nov 2, 2015 20:07:18 GMT -7
"No, no." Graeme laughs a little, shaking his head. "That's one question I don't need answered."
"Hey, this isn't male exclusive, alright." Barton calls out to Lexi, not having missed the snide comment. "I'm a feminist."
"Stop talking and start doing push-ups." Nat huffs, pushing herself reluctantly off of the couch. She finds a spot beside Bucky and pushes the sleeves of her black dress to her elbows. She reaches upwards and pulls the black wig off of her head with expert ease, tugging the bobby-pins loose so her short, red hair falls free to her shoulders. Upon toeing off her shoes, she settles down onto her knees on the hard-wood floor.
"JARVIS, can we get a countdown clock and a scoreboard?" Tony asks out loud to the open room, sipping on a brandy casually as she does so.
"Yes, ma'am." The computer replies, and almost immediately a ready-made scoreboard appears on the glass wall behind them, each name appearing above a column. This isn't the first time a party of theirs has broken out into the Super Olympics. "Are the contestants ready?" JARVIS asks. Each and every one of them gives a half-hearted grunt of a reply. "On your mark. Get set." There's a distinct pause as, one by one, they all take position; backs flat and arms taunt. "Go."
On unison, they all drop into their first push-up.
"How's that hangover feelin' right about now, Hawkeye?" Sam asks in between push-ups, the button up shirt making this no easy task.
"Feelin' real good, Falcon!" Hawkeye barks back.
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Post by Snowglobe18 on Nov 2, 2015 20:22:47 GMT -7
Lexi grabbed her drink and moved, along with Teresa, out from behind the bar so that she could get a better look at the push-up contest. This really was going to end in tears, or maybe a lot of sweat. She came to stand beside Graeme, why Teresa moved in front of Graeme and put her back against his chest, and sighed before sitting on the stool. "Is it me or is Steve looking really good right now?" she asked and glanced over at Teresa before grinning to herself.
"I thought you were more for Sam" Teresa teases and then chuckles under her breath when Lexi dismisses that.
"He knows the score" she laughed before taking a sip of her drink and putting her eyes back on the others as they start their contest. "Come on Cap!" she calls over and then clears her throat. "I mean Sam"
Teresa snorts and rolls her eyes. "This is one contest I really don't want to take part in" she admitted. She had enough trouble with her shoulder and the last thing she wanted to do was annoy it anymore. She was only starting to get back into the groove of archery and wanted to keep that going.
"Do you think Barton will win?" Lexi asks.
"To be honest, nothing really surprises me about Clint Barton so it wouldn't surprise me if he did actually win this too" Hell he would win at anything that was probably put his way.
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Post by Ray on Nov 2, 2015 21:04:36 GMT -7
The counter on the scoreboard is rapidly approaching the triple-digits, with Barton, strangely enough, taking the lead. Tony watches from her perch on the couch, glass of brandy in one hand and phone in the other to take a quick shot of the scene before her. Captain and Natalia are doing it smart by taking their sweet, sweet time; keeping an even, steady rhythm that puts them at the same score at the bottom of the board. Bucky is just ten push-ups passed them, his long dark hair having already fallen out of it's messy bun and all around his face like a dark shadow. Barton and Sam, on the other hand, are racing through the contest, trying to outdo each other in both numbers and speed.
Tony decides, without thinking too hard, that she's putting her money on Cap for this own.
"Jesus Christ, is it hot in here?" Barton blurts out at around 175, but he doesn't slow down or halt for a breath.
"Just you, arrow-boy." Natalia replies a little smugly, only the barest hint of strain lingering around the edges of her voice.
"Arrow-boy? You can do better than that, Nat." He retorts, panting at this point.
"I'm regretting my life decisions." Sam huffs, arms getting shaky and rhythm deteriorating. "The army didn't prepare me for this shit."
"Those martinis hitting you hard, double-oh-seven?" Barton calls over.
"I fucking' hate you." Sam grunts in return. "Oh fuck this." He huffs out before dropping flat onto the floor, cheek pressed into the wood. "I need a new set of lungs."
"Falcon ends the competition at two-hundred and one push-ups." JARVIS informs. Sam throws a weak thumbs-up into the air.
"Whoopee." He mutters, far too sarcastically for anyone to keep a straight-face. "Get me another drink."
Nat drops out next, but barely looks like she's broken a sweat when she stands up after completing 256 push-ups. With an indifferent shrug at her score, she joins Sam on the couch and pulls her feet up beneath her. Tony is impressed, but only because Barton somehow managed to keep himself in the game longer than even Natalia. Of all the people on the board, her first guess for last place would have been Clint, but maybe she needs to reevaluate some data.
Finally, at 311, Barton's right arm gives out from underneath him, and he lands with a smack. Sam breaks out in loud laughter, and Tony ticks his name off of the scoreboard with a satisfied smirk. "Oh come on!" Barton yells as he clambers back to his feet. "That wasn't my fault!"
"You stopped. It counts." Tony replies innocently. "Right JARVIS?"
"Those were the rules, sir."
"Fuckin' ridiculous," Barton huffs, walking around the two still remaining, both toe-to-toe and silent this whole time. Barton places his hands on his hips, using the moment to catch his breath as he watches the pair with the rest of them. Until something clicks at the back of his head. "Wait a minute." He says, pointing right at Bucky. "Is he using his metal arm? Is he...that's cheating." He wags his hand. "Right, JARVIS?"
"Mister Barnes does have a particular advantage over the rest of the contestants. Shall I do a recount?"
"You don't want the arm?" Bucky comments, his face still hidden by his hair. "Fine." Smoothly, without even breaking his rhythm, he lifts his metal hand off of the ground and tucks his fist against his back, using only his flesh and blood hand to keep him upright. He continues on, effortlessly, matching Steve's pace once more with just a single hand.
"Wait. That's still not fair." Steve breathes out.
"Says you." Bucky taunts with a hint of amusement.
"Shouldn't I do the same thing?" Steve asks, looking towards Tony on the chair.
Tony, more than a little entertained, shrugs. "No one's complaining but you, pal."
Taking that as a yes, Steve pulls back his left hand and gets his balance on his right, having to pause for just a fraction of a second to get the posture right. But as soon as he's steady, he continues on. Bucky turns his head and his hair falls away just enough for everyone to see his smirk.
"Let's make this easier." Tony says, rising to her feet. "Cause we don't want this to go on all night, which it clearly would....First one to reach four hundred wins."
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