"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."

I rolled my eyes. "HYDRA abducted her when she came to Earth. She fled in a difficult time, like I had. She was kept hidden away until we broke into the base she was in." I pointed her out to Sam. "She's adjusting, but she'll be okay. I know it."

"Sounds like a hell of a fight, sorry I missed it."

"If we'd known it was going to be a firefight we absolutely would have called you," said Steve.

"No, I'm not actually sorry. I'm just trying to sound tough. I'm very happy chasing cold leads on our missing persons case. Avenging is your world. Your world is crazy."

"Be it ever so humble."

"You find a place in Brooklyn yet?"

"We've been holed up here, we haven't really looked into it. Besides, we don't think we can afford a place in Brooklyn."

"Well, home is home, you know?"

"Sam," I addressed my newest friend, "could you maybe do me a favor and ease Aria into the party?" I saw her from across the room. She kept to herself on a barstool. "She might be a little more comfortable."

"Don't see how having a stranger talk to her will help, but I'll give it a go."

"Thank you."

"I'm surprised Todd hasn't found you yet, he seems like he's got a radar," Steve murmured as Sam left to go talk to Aria.

"The night is still young, Steve." I leaned against him.

"Mm, did I forget to tell you how beautiful you look tonight?"

"I think you did."

"Well, you look great, Kiara."

"Thank you, love." I pecked him on the cheek, hugging his arm. "You look handsome yourself. Blue is definitely your color."

"Just like red is yours." He sighed. "Should we stop being outcasts and go mingle?"

"Do we have to?" I teased. "We could always slip away somewhere."

"And have J.A.R.V.I.S. ruin the moment, sorry, but no."

"It was worth a shot."

As we went down to the ground level of the party, I saw Sam talking to Aria. Her body posture looked more relaxed, and sure enough, Todd ambled his way onto the scene. His eyes lit up—most likely because Aria told him who she was. The poor girl, she was going to be subjected to the billion questions my best friend would have for her.

Steve and I wandered over to Thor, who looked much different in normal Midgardian clothes. I noticed he was talking with some elderly gentlemen, and he had a bottle with him.

"I gotta have some of that!" the one elderly man exclaimed.

"Oh, no, no, no," Thor warned him. "See this, this was aged for a thousand years, in the barrels built from the wreck of Brunhilde's fleet, it's not meant for mortal men." He poured two glasses, one for himself and for Steve. I frowned. Why am I being shunned, Thor?

You're not as immortal as you once were. One taste of this might get you severely drunk, Kiara. Consider this protection on your part.

How...thoughtful?

"Neither was Omaha Beach, blondie," the man snapped at Thor. "Stop trying to scare us. Come on."

Thor looked at Steve and I. "Alright." He poured some of the drink into the man's glass.

The man barely took a sip before he became very drunk. So drunk that his friends had to carry him away.

"Do you still want to try your luck, Kiara?" Thor mocked me.

"Hmm, I'll take your word for it, my friend," I told him. "If you spared me from a night of that," I pointed towards the drunk elderly man who was being hauled away, "I thank you."

"Hey," Steve whispered to me, nudging my ribs, "look." He nodded towards the bar.

I tilted my head, curious. Bruce and Natasha were talking at the bar. Tasha looked striking in her black and white number. She looked like she belonged in a different era. She was behind the bar.

"Are they...flirting? Is that even a thing with assassins? Do they know how to flirt?"

"I feel like that comes with the training, Kiara."

I snorted. "You became an expert on assassin training all of a sudden?" My eyes skimmed over to Aria, who Todd was still talking to. Sam was long gone. "Well, Bruce and Tasha aren't the only ones trying to start something."

"It'd be good for him, and for her."

"Perhaps." Tasha walked off, and Steve and I moved in on Bruce.

"It's nice," Steve told Bruce.

"What, what, what is?" Bruce stammered, seeming blushing, like he just got caught in a heinous act.

"You and Romanoff."

"No, we haven't. That wasn't..."

"It's okay. Nobody's breaking any by-laws. It's just, she's not the most...open person in the world. But with you she seems very relaxed."

"No, Natasha, she...she likes to flirt."

"I've seen her flirt, up close. This ain't that."

When have you seen Natasha flirt, Steve?

Jealous, Kiara?

No...

It's alright, it wasn't with me. Watching her is like watching a master. "Look, as maybe the world's leading authority on 'waiting too long', don't." Steve glanced down at me, and I smiled. "You both deserve a win."

"Wait, what do you mean, 'up close'?" Bruce called as Steve and I began to walk away.

"If something ends up happening there, I'm not sure how it will work, let alone last," I told Steve seriously.

"Why?"

"They seem so...different. Tasha cares about people, but to let someone in that much...it seems out of character for her."

"We're different. Was letting the other in out of our character?"

"We've had history together."

"So do they."

"We've had more history together. New York, the Pentagon, HYDRA..." I swallowed. "We've physically spent more time alone with each other, I don't recall them doing so."

"What, would you want to spy on them?"

I wrinkled my nose. "Oh, no. If nobody spies on my love life, I don't spy on theirs. Common curtesy." My eyes found Aria. Todd was still talking to her. "Hmm, I think I've been replaced."

"Nobody can replace you, Kiara, not even for Todd."

"I don't know, he seems pretty invested with Aria."

"He just wants to make her feel comfortable. You should know that, you've known him for years. He should be a greeter for Asgardians."

I chuckled. "He'd excel in the job. Too bad it's not an official title."