Omake inspired by xbox432 and Bond674 on Sufficient Velocity.

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The sound of soft jazz music floated through the air, accented by the quiet murmurs and voices of the many guests within the open room. Well, room would be understating it. The large open lounge at the peak of the Avengers Tower was currently in use, celebrating the destruction of another Hydra cell, recovering Loki's sceptre, and in general just a morale-boosting/charity event for all involved.

It was a little later in the evening, and multiple guests had already left. In the case of a particular war veteran, the old man had to be 'assisted' out of the room and to the number of guest rooms within the Tower. Apparently, imbibing upon a 'God's' alcoholic beverage wasn't something most people should attempt, though Ammy was very willing to try it if it were offered. Amaterasu had snorted when the man exclaimed "Excelsior!" and muttered a variety of things about crossovers. That old man was a true character and she'd have to visit him eventually; listen to some of his stories.

Now, the great wolf found herself sprawled across three sets of laps. How she got there?

She had noticed Natasha and Bruce flirting at the bar. To be specific, Nat had been flirting and opening up to Bruce. The scientist, for all his intelligence, was slow on the uptake, to the point it caused Ammy physical pain. So, in return for being forced to witness the interaction, Ammy decided to play matchmaker.

It was completely innocent! Natasha had half-curled herself up on the couch, sipping on her drink, watching Thor, Tony, and Steve as they came to the center of the room. Soon enough, more people were sitting down. Maria Hill, some geneticist Bruce had spoken to earlier, then Clint as well, flopping down with a sigh. Soon enough, everyone was there, save for Bruce and Ammy. The Goddess of the Sun had to drag the scientist by the back of his suit toward the gathering, amid a number of protests from Bruce.

Upon reaching the little gathering, Banner dusted himself off in an attempt to look dignified despite being dragged halfway across the room, being snickered at by Thor, Tony, Nat, and Clint. He glanced between the two open spots, one beside Natasha, and the other at the end of the couch away from everyone. When he had moved to sit away from everyone, Ammy naturally leaped over the man and planted herself down on the cushion, fixing Bruce with a smug look.

"…Really? You're not even gonna let me pick?" Bruce huffed.

"Don't worry, you can sit by me. I won't bite," Natasha sent Bruce an innocent look, fluttering her eyelashes and playing up the 'innocence' that no one believed. In an attempt to hide the suddenly shocked look and red cheeks, he took a sip of his drink and sat down at the very edge.

Ammy looked at the scientist, then to the edge of the couch. She huffed and stepped from her seat. Without warning, the great white wolf shoved her head against Bruce's hip and forced him over, leaning onto Nat for balance as he tried to keep from falling over. Another round of laughs rolled from the gathered members, while Nat took it all in stride, shifting herself around to be seated properly.

The moment Bruce adjusted himself and was nearly hip-to-hip beside Nat, Ammy made her move. She placed her front paws on the edge of the couch and jumped, landing across the laps of Bruce, Nat, and Clint in a single motion. Multiple groans and grunts of pain or exasperation were heard, followed by a number of chuckles from the members on the other couch.

"Seriously? What was the point of making me sit here?" Bruce griped, but still settled in, moving to set a single hand on the wolf's back and gently brushed through her fur. Nat did the same between Ammy's shoulders, while Clint rubbed between her ears.

Ammy merely looked over her shoulder at Bruce smugly and gave a little "awuff" in reply.

"Truly? I would have noticed courting that obvious," Thor spoke up. He looked a little shocked, looking between Natasha and Bruce as if he had been made aware of a great secret. "Surely you jest?"

"Ruff!" Ammy responded, flashing the God of Thunder a smug look.

"I—We do not need to discuss Jane right now, especially not the meal offering confusion…" Thor grumbled, trailing off, hiding his face behind a hand. "Very well, you've made your point."

"Thor, look, I think it's cute and all that you pretend you've got this Doctor Dolittle thing going on, but c'mon," Tony interrupted. "That was like, what, a single syllable? How would you get a whole sentence from Air Bud like that?"

"How many times must I explain this to you mortals?" Thor grumped and set his hammer down on the table with a solid clunk, and turned to face Tony. "One does not need to say a number of words to make one's intentions and meaning clear. I feel as if I am teaching Asgardian children their runes."

"Oh, sure, the 'god'," Tony makes air quotes at that, "says it's so easy." He rolls his eyes and takes a sip of his drink, setting his glass down on the table near the handle. "If you're so good at explaining things, spill the beans on the hammer. What is it, fingerprints? Some kinda computer chip in your wrist?"

"No, no, don't you remember?" Clint chimed in, halting his petting of the wolf, much to her ire. "'Whoever be he worthy shall wield the might of Thor' or whatever. Fancy words to hide some boring tech, I bet."

"I just thought it was magnets," Steve chipped in, setting down his Asgardian-enhanced drink.

"Rogers, buddy, it's on a glass table," Tony gestured to the surface and then leaned in to wave a hand under it. "No magnets here, unless Laika over there hid them with weird space dog magic or something." At that, he gestured to Amaterasu, who had been happily watching the proceedings. A little shake of her head threw that idea out the window.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"If you are so certain, feel free to try. I will even put a finger on the handle if you wish." At that, Thor reached forward to the hammer.

"Hands off, Goldilocks," Tony swatted Thor's hand away, causing the God of Thunder to chuckle, "I don't need you holding it down or doing whatever to make me look bad. I've never had a problem getting it up." That was followed by a round of sighs or groans from the onlookers.

Amaterasu watched on in amusement as Tony tried, and failed to lift the hammer. Three times. Rhodey tried to help, but it didn't budge. Maria Hill stood up, figuring she'd give it a shot. Nothing. Clint got up and gave it a try as well, dislodging Ammy's head from his lap, and causing the goddess to grumble. She shifted onto her side to watch, a little grin on her muzzle as she observed everyone try and fail to lift it. Well, everyone but Bruce and Nat, who she was keeping pinned to the couch, forcing them to sit and cuddle. When they were asked if they wanted to try, their response was the same.

"Sorry, big scary wolf is cuddling, can't move."

Nat said as much, leaning up against Bruce just a touch. The poor scientist looked confused, embarrassed, and pleased all at once.

Ammy wasn't surprised that they weren't able to lift the hammer. She could sense a kind of energy around it. A faint magical buzzing lingered on the object, forcing it to obey specific properties and rules, else it would be unusable. In this case, it was a robust set of morals and a willingness to help people even at great personal cost. A kind of helpfulness and kindness that was difficult to truly possess. Sure, everyone here would be more than willing to help people out. But there was a kind of special person that took on labours that negatively impacted themselves because it's the right thing to do.

That's why Amaterasu also wasn't surprised when Steve went to try and lift the hammer. She could feel the magical energies shifting and adjusting to match Steve's presence. She watched closely as he gripped tightly, muscles jumping as he planted himself firmly. Then, he squeezed. He didn't lift, he merely clenched the handle. Still, despite his best efforts at pretending he was unable to heft the hammer, both Ammy and Thor noticed the slightest shift.

"Nope, nothing," Steve sighed, making a show of shaking out a hand. He moved to go sit back down, giving Ammy a little ruffle on the head as he passed.

Thor laughed nervously, making sure to emphasize that he indeed saw nothing. Nothing at all. Clearly, Steve wasn't worthy, and the hammer definitely didn't shift over the most minute amount.

"Wow, and here I thought Cap would have this," Natasha commented.

"Well, it just looks like none of you are worthy," Thor spoke smugly. Ammy let out a little chuff at that, laughing to herself. The sound was not unnoticed, and pulled a glance from Tony and a raised eyebrow from Thor.

"Well, hey now, ya didn't give Krypto a try," Tony chimed in, gesturing toward the massive wolf sprawled across Bruce, Natasha, and Clint.

"Oh, no, no, I could not ask Lady Amaterasu to do that," Thor protested. "Someone of her position and reputation needn't compete in such a game."

"Oh? Well, that makes sense. The Goddess of the Sun does sound far more impressive and important than the God of Thunder," Bruce added in. Amaterasu noticed the slightest hint of a teasing lilt to his tone, something Nat picked up as well. Thor blinked and pulled back, looking slighted.

"Oh, no, that isn't the case at all!" The Asgardian spoke hastily. "She wouldn't be able to raise it either. Being a God or Goddess doesn't just give someone the ability to wield weaponry such as this." Thor, in all his semi-drunken and mildly offended pride, decided it would be a good idea to add on to this. "Besides, she is not as strong as she used to be, if the tales are to be believed. I would rather not slight her for something that is not her fault."

…

Amaterasu lifted her head and turned to face Thor. She blinked once, twice, and then glanced at the hammer. The group sitting at the couches all glanced between Thor and Ammy, feeling a sudden weight and pressure to the air around them, radiating out from the wolf. Thor seemed to realize what he said might have been misinterpreted and began sputtering and gesturing, attempting to form some apology or excuse for insulting the Goddess of the Sun.

"I don't think that was the smartest thing to say," Natasha purred.

"How are you not concerned about this?" Bruce hissed under his breath to Nat.

Amaterasu pushed herself to all fours and stepped down from the couch, her form shifting and muscles rippling under her fur as the large lupine approached the head of the coffee table. Her golden eyes were locked onto Thor's own. She sat down and raised an eyebrow at the God of Thunder, and gave a soft huff.

"Oh no, not at all, I meant no offense," Thor explained, a little flustered from the drink and being caught off-guard by the suddenly disgruntled Goddess. "You have been performing admirably despite your current limitations! I'm certain you'll return to full power soon, and will be a worthy opponent on the battlefield!" Thor raised a fist at that, expecting everyone to follow along. No one did.

"…Hey, Thor? Has Jane ever told you to stop talking suddenly, or seemed upset for almost no reason?" Tony asked, leaning back on the couch, drink in hand. He knew what was coming, his own lesson with Pepper learned long ago.

"Well, of course. I do not see how that applies—"

A short, sharp bark caught everyone off guard, drawing eyes back to the wolf. There was no showmanship, nor fancy antics. No tricks or theatrics of any sort. Amaterasu leaned forward and gripped the handle of Mjolnir in her jaws, eyes on Thor.

She pulled.

The hammer lifted.

Thor's face dropped, his mouth opening for a moment, and then snapping shut once more. The room was silent, all the chatter and background noise falling to nothing as everyone watched the wolf grip the impossible-to-lift object.

Ammy got to all fours again and padded her way toward the balcony. No one bothered moving to follow as the wolf carried the mystical weapon outside. They didn't have to move to watch, she kept herself in full view of everyone.

Amaterasu tossed the hammer up into the air, and then caught it again with her teeth gripping the strap at the bottom. Thor seemed to realize what was happening and opened his mouth to protest.

He was too late. Ammy tossed her head up, and then back down, bringing the hammer around in a circle. She did so again, twisting herself and swinging the object around faster and faster, the head of the hammer nothing more than a blur of metal, the displaced air whistling around it. Amaterasu took a step, and then launched herself forward and upward. She twisted herself in mid-air, and pushed off of nothingness once more, rotating herself around in a tight, quick spiral as gravity took over.

She wrenched her head back, and opened her jaws. The spin of her body added to that of the hammer.

Mjolnir gave a thunderous crack as it shattered the sound barrier, hurtling high into the sky and out over the ocean. Everyone sat, stunned, watching the small object fade into the distance, before vanishing completely.

All eyes were back on the wolf as Amaterasu made her way back inside, strides confident and proud. She glanced over to Thor, and then huffed, turning her attention from him. The wolf instead made her way back to her previous spot, flopping herself over the laps of Nat, Bruce, and Clint, trapping the three under the heavy weight of the smug Goddess of the Sun.

"Wurf," Ammy spoke.

"Hey, Thor?" Tony began.

"…Yes?" Thor looked equal parts ashamed and amused.

"I think she told you to fetch."

"That she did…"

Amaterasu gave a little huff of satisfaction and closed her eyes. She leaned into the suddenly very willing three sets of hands brushing her fur and scratching behind her ears.