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Friday night is, without a doubt, the favorite day of the week of the ten people who have taken to living in Stark Tower. Because, baring an emergency that requires the attention of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, Friday night is movie night. Originally the Friday night meetings started as mandated team building activities, but along the way the team began adding significant others, vaguely alcoholic drinks, and salty snacks. The movies were originally Clint's idea, but Tony threw his support behind it quickly, even going so far as to design a brand new home theater system that is second only to an actual theater. A schedule was quickly drawn up for movie picks but picks were constantly being traded for favors, though people became wary of trading their picks to Jane after being forced to watch nearly all of Carl Sagan's Cosmos.
An outside observer would be able to tell what kind of movie was playing just by watching where, and how everyone is seated in the theater room. On action movie night the real life action stars amongst them: Natasha, Clint, Coulson, and usually Steve, would be clustered around the screen complaining about how unrealistic the stunts are and about how no one, not even Steve, could manage even half of the stunts that Bond or Bourne or Hunt pull off on screen. The rest of them cluster on the overstuffed sofas in the back half of their mind on the movie and half of it on their conversations about pretty much anything and everything under the sun.
Horror night and romance night tend to look very similar, everyone cuddled into their significant other, but the clues are there if you look. Tony and Steve are not really much help because on both nights Tony is tucked into Steve's side on the giant cushy couch, one of Steve's arms draped protectively over him. Thor and Jane aren't much help either, the pair stretched out on the floor, lounging on a giant pile of pillows, Jane snuggled up next to the Thunder God who is slowly becoming more accustomed to modern clothing. Darcy and Bruce are the first clue, always cuddled up on one of Tony's giant soft armchairs but on horror nights Bruce usually has tea rather than coffee and more of his attention is paid to Darcy rather than the screen. Coulson and Clint are also a decent clue, as long as you look at who's paying attention to the movie. On horror nights Clint stares in rapt fascination at the screen while Coulson gets his entertainment from watching Clint, and on romance nights it's Coulson who is captivated by the film and Clint whose eyes never stray far from his boyfriend. But in the end all you need to really look for is Natasha and Pepper. For romance Natasha is draped over Pepper and she is more than willing to get a little handsy as the film progresses, but for horror nights it's Pepper who is curled tightly around Natasha protecting her from the monsters on screen. The best thing about romance night however is the rules. Making out is fine, but no one leaves the movie early and clothing can only come off if both parties are okay with ensuing footage playing on the screens at the tower for the next week. The rules are enforced by Coulson and, interestingly enough, Darcy and none of the Avengers are willing to cross the taser wielding poli sci major.
Every once in a rare while it's nerd movie night at el Casa del Stark, a night where the audience divides itself neatly in half. Clint, Tony, Bruce, Jane, and surprisingly Natasha will all gather on the giantest of all sofas and will prepare to quote, sing, or sometimes even act along with the whole movie, which is fun in some cases, especially with Dr. Horrible, but not always the best idea in others; Like the time that they were forced to ban props after Tony and the normally sensible Jane Foster set the tower on fire during a battle with homemade light sabers. The others: Coulson, Steve, Darcy, Thor, and Pepper will have fun watching the movie but they also know to keep an eye on the nerds to make sure their antics don't go too far. The one time that they're betrayed is when Tony and Bruce team up to lobby for an all day Lord of the Rings marathon, that's when Thor joins the nerds and does his best to catalog the team as the Fellowship. Clint is unanimously voted Legolas, Steve is given the role of Aragorn, and Thor names himself Gimli. Tony tries to claim Gandalf but Thor names him Boromir both for his reformed ways and noble sacrifice in their first battle. He gives the role of Gandalf to Coulson claiming that the agent put them all together and keeps them together when things get rough. Darcy, Jane, Pepper, and Natasha are named as the Hobbits; Pippin, Merry, Sam, and Frodo respectively. He's apologetic that there isn't a tenth member of the Fellowship for Bruce, who responds with the idea that he is Smeagol a creature corrupted but who still makes himself useful. Everyone is taken aback by this for a moment until Darcy tells him to get off the self pity train and kisses him.
No matter who's sitting where or what movie is on the screen, Friday night is rapidly becoming family night at Avengers Tower, and woe betide anyone who interrupts, as Loki finds out one Friday when he tries to find his revenge. So if you're reading this and you are an alien invader thinking about trying to take over the world just remember never to invade on movie night.