I Thought You Were Different: Part 6

Preparations

The next morning, the Avengers compound was a madhouse like you had never seen before. Anthony and Esihle had planned and wanted a small, intimate family event, and even though the guest list guaranteed that, the way people were running around it seemed more like one of Tony's famous team parties than anything else.

"How do they look?" Peter asked Rhodey, pointing to a long string of lights that he had hung with well-aimed webs across the length of the rooftop terrace that Thor had just finished building. "They look straight...right? Or maybe that side over there is lower than the other? They look crooked."

"I think you've been staring at them too long and your brain is what's crooked."

On the other side of the area, Nat and Clint were setting up the bar, while next to them Bruce and Helen were finishing the last touches of decorations on the tables. Everyone had been given a job to do, not by the bride and groom, but by Tony; this was his grandson's wedding, after all, and there was no way that a single detail was going to be missed no matter how rushed it had all been to do.

"Has anyone talked to Steve or (Y/N) yet this morning?" Bruce asked Helen quietly. He looked around as if the conversation might be forbidden, finding that Nat and Clint were too far into a heated discussion about alcohol choices to hear them. "It sounds like they're going forward with Tony's plan tomorrow. I don't know...I'm not sure how I feel about it, but I don't think any of us would be able to change their minds anyway."

"I understand," she answered carefully, "it's the only option they've had that seems viable, and they're running out of time."

"But they barely know what they're even doing. (Y/N) has no idea if she has the ability that Tony is asking of her. That puts her in a really unfair position."

"I don't think that matters, Bruce. That's her husband. Of course she's going to try anything that has a glimmer of hope behind it. She's at the point of having no other choice."

~~~

"Don't be nervous," Shuri smiled, carefully sliding a pin into Esihle's hair, "you look beautiful. You could be wearing a garbage bag and be beautiful, and Anthony would still be enamored."

"Listen to my sister," T'Challa joined in, "we may not agree on many things, but on this I know we do." He moved to stand behind her, resting his hands on her shoulders as the two of them stood before the mirror together and taking in the sight. "Your parents would be very proud of you on this day. I know they are watching over you with great love and joy in the partner you have chosen to share your life with. I am proud of you as well, Esihle."

"Thank you, Your Highness," she nodded, her voice soft. "I only wish this were under circumstances of better joy for Anthony."

"Has he said something?"

"No, but I can feel how worried he is. He resists speaking of it, but I can sense the tension every time his father's name is spoken, or even when the mere thought of him crosses his mind. I can only pray that tomorrow goes to plan. We both want nothing more than to have Steve accompany us to our ceremony in Wakanda."

Shuri set down the remaining pins in her hand and joined with T'Challa in resting her hands on Esihle, as if to send any bit of strength she had to her. The three of them had been a family together for many years and had found themselves leaning on each other more times than they could count, but in this moment, it was silently agreed that this was the most important of them all. "Then he will be there. I will do everything in my power to make sure that happens."

~~~

"Bro, stop fidgeting."

"Can you blame me, Grant?" Anthony snickered. "I'm about to have the biggest moment of my life, and I'm nervous as hell."