Tension
"Oooh, come on, man. That movie is atrocious," Sam chuckled, as he made fun of Steve's movie choice for the night. His laughter echoed around the room.
"You have no taste," Steve retorted, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards into a smirk as he finished his last slice of pizza.
"I mean, he's kind of right..." Iris interjected carefully. Steve shot her a sideways glance, his eyebrows raised in surprise as Sam erupted into another laugh "See, even your girl agrees with me."
"We will never agree on what to watch," Tony sighed, his voice filled with a fake disappointment that made everyone chuckle. He finished his pizza, his gaze sweeping around the table as he pondered over their next activity.
"What about game night?" He clapped his hands together, the sharp sound cutting through the chatter and drawing everyone's attention. "It should be fun, plus I just want to drink, okay?" He looked at each of them for confirmation, his gaze lingering slightly longer on Iris. "Iris? Yes? Steve, Sam, Bruce, Wanda? Yes? Bucky?"
"No," Bucky responded firmly, shaking his head as he started to collect his empty plate.
"Okay, everyone's on board," Tony declared, ignoring Bucky's refusal. He pushed himself off the chair "Let me grab the goodies."
Tony returned to the room, his arms filled with bottles of whiskey, vodka, and beer. He placed them on the table.
"Alright, everyone," Tony began, his voice carrying a note of excitement. "Tonight's game is Wanda's favorite, a little something called 'Drink or Answer'."
There were groans and chuckles from around the room as Tony began to lay out the rules. "It’s simple but you now, better explain anyway to some of you: you draw a card, choose someone, read the question on it, and they either answer truthfully or they take a shot. If they lie and get caught, you take two shots," Tony explained, brandishing a deck of cards in his hand.
“So, the supersoldiers here can just lie their way throught the game?” Iris commented
“No for them we have a little gift from the Gods” Tony chuckeld pointing at a little carafe “I saw Thor drunk on this things, it works”
Steve rolled his eyes, but there was a smile playing on his lips as he shrugged.
"And first off, we have Wanda!" Tony announced, passing her a card from the deck. Wanda took it with a smile, her eyes scanning the question written on it. A mischievous glint appeared in her eyes as she turned to Bruce, "So, Bruce," she began, her tone teasing, "This one's for you."
Bruce tensed slightly, looking apprehensive, "Alright, shoot."
Wanda's smile widened, "When was the last time you had your heart broken?"
The room fell silent as Bruce pondered the question. He took his time, choosing his words carefully before responding.
"Two years ago," Bruce said quietly, his gaze distant as he recalled memory. "Natasha and I... we broke up. It was a mutual decision, but it didn't make it any less painful." He paused, swallowing hard as he glanced at the rest of the team. "We kept it low, didn't want to distract the team with our personal matters."
He looked away, his gaze settling on the far end of the room. "That's about the time when we left for Wakanda," he continued pointing at Wanda.
“I knew it! I knew something was wrong during that trip. Why didn’t you tell me Brucy, we are a family remember?”
“Yeah yeah I know, just, you know” Tony patted him on the back “But now everything’s good so”
With a smile, Bruce reached out and picked up a card from the deck. He glanced at it and his eyebrows raised slightly. "these questions are not light," he commented, drawing a chuckle from the others. Then he turned her attention "Tony," he began, his voice turning softer "Do you ever feel lonely?"
The room fell silent, all eyes turning to Tony. He looked at his friend, his usual smirk fading. He didn't reply for a moment. Then, without a word, he reached for a shot glass and filled it with whiskey. He raised it in a silent toast, then knocked it back, the liquor burning a trail down his throat. His actions answered the question louder than any words could, and the room fell into a quiet understanding.
“My turn now” he stated refilling his glass
Tony reached out, picking up a card from the deck. He frowned as he read the question "Sam, What's the thing you feel you miss in your life?"
He pondered the question for a moment.
"I guess," Sam began, his voice soft, "I feel like I need someone by my side. Someone like Bruce has Natasha. Like Steve has Iris."
At this, Bucky frowned, a cough escaping from his lips. His reaction was subtle, but it didn't go unnoticed by Steve and Iris.
Iris gave Sam a warm smile, her gaze gentle, "Don't worry, Sam. The right person will come along when you least expect it. You just have to be patient."
With a nod of appreciation, Sam reached out to pick up a card from the deck. He let out a chuckle as he read the question, amused by the irony of it all. "Alright, Steve," he began, turning to face his friend, "If you could go back in time, what point in your life would you go back to?"
The room fell silent, all eyes turning to Steve. Bucky's gaze was intense, his eyes studying Steve's expression. He looked between Steve and Iris, knowing too well where his friend’s mind was travelling to, or better, to whom.
Bucky broke the silence, a smirk tugging at his lips as he commented, "You've touched a nerve there, buddy." Steve shot him a look, but didn't respond.
After a moment, he reached for a shot glass without a word. He filled it with asgardian liquor and brought it to his lips, his gaze avoiding Iris' as he downed the shot. She looked stunned, her eyes wide as she watched Steve set down the empty glass. The room fell silent, the tension almost tangible as everyone processed Steve's non-answer.
The silence was broken by Tony's laughter. "Well, well, Cap," he said "Never thought there'd be a question you couldn't face. Guess we all have secrets, huh?"
After a moment of silence, Iris turned her gaze from Steve and motioned to Tony. "Tony, pour me a shot of vodka, please," she requested, her voice steady but quiet.
This caught the attention of everyone in the room. Tony raised an eyebrow at her, a hint of surprise in his eyes. "But it's not your turn, Iris," he pointed out, but Iris simply shrugged.
"I know, just pour me one," she said, her gaze meeting Steve's for a brief moment before she quickly looked away.
Tony shrugged and poured her a shot, sliding it across the table to her. Iris picked up the glass, looking into the clear liquid for a moment before raising it slightly in a silent toast.
"Don't worry, Steve," she said, her voice loud enough for everyone to hear, her gaze steady on the shot glass in her hand. "I don't need to know your past. It's none of my business. But then don’t pretend to know mine"
With that, she downed the shot in one go, setting the empty glass back on the table with a small clink.
“C’mon let’s go on” Bruce eased the tension “It’s you turn Cap”
Steve visible annoyed reached out, picking up a card from the deck. He read the question and turned to Wanda, offering her a small smile, "Alright, Wanda," he began, his voice steady, "What's a thing that made you really happy this year?"
Wanda took a moment to think, her gaze drifting to Iris before a soft smile spread across her face. "Having Iris back," she responded sincerely, her gaze meeting hers. "I know it may sound stupid but, rebuilding the friendship that Nat, Iris, and I formed years ago before she left... that's what made me really happy this year."
Suddenly, Sam couldn't help but interject, his voice laced with mock offense, "Oh, come on now, aren't I your best friend?" The corners of his mouth were lifted in a playful grin.
Wanda couldn't help but chuckle softly, her eyes shining with affection. She looked at him, her gaze soft and sincere as she responded, "I love you, Sam, I really do. But, there's something different... something uniquely special about a female friendship." She smiled, her words echoing the unspoken bond between her and Iris.
Touched by Wanda's response, Iris gave her a grateful smile "I'm glad to be back, Wanda," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "I missed you too. Really"
As the laughter faded, Wanda reached out and picked up a card.She smiled, her gaze flicking to Bucky. “Alright, Bucky. Your turn,”
Bucky looked at her in disbelief. “I’m not playing, Wanda,” he reminded her, but she simply shrugged.
“Too bad, you’re here, you’re playing,” Tony chimed in.
Bucky shot them a glare, but he knew there was no escaping this. He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. “Fine,” he grumbled, “ask your question.”
Wanda’s smile widened as she read the question aloud. “Is there a trip you wish to redo? And why?”
Immediately, the room filled with protests, agreeing that this question compared to the others was indeed unfair.
Bucky was silent for a long moment, his gaze distant. Then, he let out a sigh, his eyes meeting Iris’s.
“Bucharest,” he said quietly.
Steve shot a glare at Bucky, his muscles tensing. Iris sat frozen next to him, her eyes focused on a point on the table, her mind racing with unspoken questions. Tony, the only one who seemed to understand the depth of the situation, kept glancing between the three of them.
"And why is that, Bucky?" he asked, breaking the silence.
Iris shot a glare at Tony, but he ignored it, his gaze fixed on Bucky.
Bucky remained silent for a moment, his gaze meeting Tony's.
The room fell silent, the tension thickening. The silence stretched on, everyone unsure of how to respond, until Tony cleared his throat.
Iris finally looked up, her gaze meeting Bucky's. She opened her mouth, as if to say something, but no words came out. Instead, she simply nodded, a silent acknowledgment of his confession.
The silence was broken by Sam. "Alright, Buck, your turn," he said, gesturing towards the deck of cards in the middle of the table. The room was still charged with tension from the previous question, the air thick.
Bucky slowly picked up a card, his eyes scanning over the question written on it. His gaze moved to Iris, who sat next to Steve. His voice was steady, yet there was an unspoken depth to his words, a hidden meaning that only a few in the room could understand. He spoke, his voice echoing in the room, "What's your biggest regret?"
The room fell silent, every eyes turned to Iris. The tension was tangible, a heavy weight that seemed to settle over everyone. Steve's hand tightened around her own in a comforting gesture, his thumb rubbing circles over her knuckles. Iris swallowed hard, her throat dry as she struggled to find her voice.
After a moment of silence that seemed to stretch into a century, Iris reached for a shot glass and filled it up. The clear liquid shimmered under the room's lights. She brought it to her lips, her voice barely a whisper as she spoke, "Leaving."
An unspoken conversation passed between her and Bucky, their gazes locked. Steve's jaw tightened, his eyes flickering between Iris and Bucky, his grip on her hand slowly tightening.
But before he could say anything, Bruce interrupted. His voice was filled with confusion, his brows furrowed as he looked between Iris and Bucky. "Leaving here?"
Tony sarcasm cut through the tension, a smirk stretching across his face as he leaned back in his chair. "Yes, Bruce, definitely leaving here," he said, his voice laced with a humor he couldn't comprehend.
Wanda stood up, stretching her arms above her head, "I think it's time we wrap up for today," she announced, her eyes tired. "I'm beat."
Sam rose as well, a soft smile playing on his lips, "I'll walk you to your room," he offered, extending his arm towards her. With a nod, Wanda accepted, the pair leaving the room with a chorus of good nights behind them.
As the room cleared, Steve and Bucky began to clean up the scattered cards and empty glasses, their movements steady and methodical. The tension between them lingered, the air heavy.
Tony took Iris by the arm and led her away from the two super-soldiers. "Let's leave them to it," he said, his voice soft. As they moved away, Tony turned to Iris, his eyes serious. "Whatever is going on between you three," he began, his gaze piercing, "you need to sort it out. I don't want any problems
"Okay?" Tony added, his gaze holding hers
"Tony," she began "nothing is going on."
Tony gave her a knowing look, his eyes twinkling with a hint of mischief. "Really, Iris?" he asked, his voice teasing. "Because from where I was sitting, it looked like there was definitely something going on."
Iris rolled her eyes, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips despite the situation. "You're imagining things, Tony."
Tony chuckled, his arm slipping around her shoulders in a friendly gesture. "Well, if you don’t sort things out, you’ll break both their hearts and then perhaps I will remind you that I'm still single and very much available."
Iris laughed, shaking her head "Goodnight, Tony,"
"Wait," he whispered urgently, gently pulling her in front of him. His eyes bore into hers, a serious expression etched on his face. "There's one last thing, something I've been meaning to tell you. I didn't tell you before because I wanted you to enjoy tonight, but..."
"Wait, what are you talking about?" Iris questioned
"I think you should know... it's about your mother," he disclosed
Iris froze in place, her heart skipping a beat. The world around her seemed to come to a standstill.
"She's sick,"
That's when the world beneath her collapsed.