My Forever and Always (Soulmate Aus)

Winterwidow

Standing at the alter was Stephen Strange. His fiance, Anthony Stark, was waiting for his music to begin before entering. Always one for the dramatics, he was. But this wasn't about them. It's about Natasha and James Barnes who were supposed to be standing up in the wedding but were nowhere to be seen. This both aggravated and stressed out Stephen. 

Instead of being at the alter next to Stephen (James) and Tony (Natasha), they were sat in an ice cream parlor, dress and tux in all. They were sat in a booth, obviously because booths are superior, and Natasha had her legs up on the table. Her floor length black dress rested on top of it as well. James sat beside her, licking his chocolate ice cream, and occasionally smirking at his wife. She always smirked back- without fail. 

Natasha sighed contently. "This feels familiar." She stated. James looked to her, an eyebrow raised. The redhead slowly looked over to him as well. "Like we've been on this date before." James smirked so, obviously, Natasha did as well. "Only without the formal get up." James laughed.

"Yeah. Shouldn't we be somewhere else?" He asked. Natasha thought about it for a while before shaking her head. James laughed and shook his as well. "Natalia, Natalia, Natalia." Her smirked widened. "Я люблю тебя." I love you. Natasha leaned over and kissed him softly. They then went back to eating their ice cream- Natasha with strawberry and James with chocolate. Natasha rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. He then rested his head on top of hers. 

"Я тоже тебя люблю." I love you too. She whispered. 

And they stayed there, sitting like that, until the bell rang and a couple walked in, the taller bright red and the shorter with his fists clenched. Naturally, Natasha and James looked over to see who walked in before sliding down in the booth until they were under the table. They looked to one another before laughing softly. 

"I told you we should've left." James reminded her. She rolled her eyes. 

"No you didn't." She countered. Footsteps were heard coming to their booth. "Now shut up!" She whisper-yelled. He nodded and looked over to the front of the booth. The footsteps stopped when shoes appeared right before their eyesight. Natasha crouched closer to the ground and James tried to do that, he really did, but he hit his head on the table and let out a string of curses.

"Alright Romanoff and Barnes!" Tony shouted. "We know you're underneath there." The couple under the table exchanged a look before they crawled out from underneath. Stephen and Tony stood before them, practically steaming. "What the absolute hell, you two?!" Tony yelled. "We not only invited you to our wedding but we asked you to be a part of it! And what do you do?! You don't fucking show!" As the yelling progressed, more and more people stopped eating their ice cream and turned to face the four. "Why did you even RSVP if you weren't going to fucking show?!" Stephen placed a hand on his now husband's shoulder. 

"Tony." He cooed. The inventor looked up at his doctor husband. "This isn't the place to be scolding our master spies." Tony huffed and nodded. He grabbed Natasha's wrist and started dragging her out of the ice cream parlor. She allowed it on one condition: she pulled James along with her. Eventually both couples were standing just outside the parlor. 

"Alright. I'm giving you two minutes to explain yourselves." Tony declared, stomping his foot and crossing his arms to prove a point. That point being he was an over-dramatic little shit who couldn't understand why anyone would willingly skip out on his wedding. Plus he really wanted the whole team there and, not only are James and Stephen close but, Tony and James have gone through leaps and bounds since he found out "he" killed his parents. "I'm waiting."

Natasha and James exchanged a look before shrugging. "We wanted ice cream." Natasha offered. Tony glanced between the two, waiting for more. He stomped his foot again when he received none.

"That's it?!" James through his arms up.

"In my defense, I told her we had somewhere else to be." He stated. Tony huffed and rolled his eyes. Stephen glanced between the three before laughing. First Natasha looked at him skeptically, followed by James, and then lastly Tony. "What's so funny?"

Stephen tried to retain his laughter as he recomposed himself. "It's just-" He continued laughing. Tony huffed again, glaring at his husband. "It's just that it's our wedding day and we're arguing about why these two weren't there." Tony raised an eyebrow. Stephen took his husband's hands in his. "Tony, our wedding was a shit-show." The inventor nodded. "The flowers were all wrong and the priest was late." Natasha and James laughed. "And you're yelling at Natasha and Bucky for not being there." Stephen shook his head and kissed Tony's hands. He let out a small sigh. The doctor turned to the spies. "I'm sorry for my husband and I hope whenever we decide to renew our vows, you'll be there to celebrate with us."

Natasha smiled. "Wouldn't miss it for the world." Tony glared at her. She rolled her eyes. "For real this time. Promise." He nodded before kissing her cheek.

"I hope so. You're like a sister to me, Natasha." She smiled at him. "Now go back to your kids or whatever. We've got a honeymoon to get to." The newlyweds exchanged a loving look as the Russian couple turned to leave.

~~~

James slides his key into their locked door before turning it and unlocking it. Natasha stands beside him, her heels in her hand. Once the door was open, the two entered their small house and made their way over to the living room. Shuri, who was a huge help wiping the HYDRA gunk out of James' mind, was sitting on the couch with the Barnes twins, watching some children's show on the television. Natasha stopped, putting out a hand to stop James as well, and smiled at the sight. James, in turn, smiled as well. Obviously because of the Red Room graduation ceremony, the twins weren't biologically theirs but they love them just the same. And how could you not? They're freaking adorable!

The redhead eventually made her way over to the couch and tapped Shuri on the shoulder. She looked up, smiled, and waved. The two glanced to the children who were sleeping on the couch before Shuri carefully slid off and walked into the kitchen with the Barnes couple.

"How were they?" James asked.

"A pleasure like always, Sargent Barnes." She responded before nodding to Natasha. "You look beautiful in your dress, Natasha." The redhead smiled and thanked her. "Tatiana informed me of their ballet recital and asked if I could come."

"Oh you don't have to if you don't want to." Natasha said. "The girls will understand." Shuri waved her off.

"Nonsense! I'd love to attend." Natasha and James shared a smile. "They are my granddaughters, of course I'd attend." James laughed and shook his head.

"With all due respect, princess, I'm not your son." She waved that off as well. James just continued to shake his head. "But we'd love to have you there. It starts at six next Friday. We can meet you there." Shuri nodded. "And Wanda is more than welcome to come as well." The Wakanda princess started beaming before she gave them both a hug. 

"Thank you." With that, she turned and headed to the door. Natasha went to call after her but didn't want to wake Tatiana and Sasha. Instead, she sighed and made a mental note of paying her at the recital. 

James wrapped his arms around his wife's waist and started swaying them to imaginary music. She smirked up at him. 

"What's this for?" She asked. He shook his head. 

"Just 'cause." She rolled her eyes playfully before kissing the corner of his lips. "Have I ever told you how much I love you?" Her smirk grew.

"Only ever possible second of every day. Why?" He smiled. 

"Because I don't know where I'd be without you, Natalia Barnes." He kissed her softly and brushed some hair behind her ear as he pulled away. "Marry me again?" She raised an eyebrow. He looked around the kitchen as if looking for an explanation. "I mean it, Natalia. It doesn't have to be this huge wedding. Just Steve, Clint, Shuri, Wanda, Pietro, the twins, and. . ." He groaned. "Sam." He forced out. She smiled softly. "Just to renew our vows. Please?" She nodded.

"Of course, Джеймс."