"Playfully, Steve rolled his eyes, but accepted Bucky's extended hand. Allowing the handsome brunet to lead him onto the dance floor. Despite Steve being two left feet, Bucky expertly twirled him. Easily leading them, even with Steve tripping and st...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Today was the day.
Steve's heart swelled as Natasha stepped into the silhouette gown. Slipping her arms into the thin spaghetti straps, she adjusted the V-neck until her corset couldn't be seen and gestured for Steve to come closer. Of course, as the petite redhead's maid of honor, Steve obliged.
Making sure not to step on the tulle skirt, Steve gently pulled the lace bodice together and buttoned the delicate pieces together. Smirking when Natasha twitched at the brush of his knuckles along her back, Steve purposely did it again. Knowing that Natasha was tense due to her nerves.
"Are you excited?" Steve softly questioned, giving her shoulders a tender squeeze before moving away from her.
Turning, Natasha shrugged her shoulder and checked her reflection in the mirror. Twirling an intentionally fallen strand around her finger to get it to curl in the direction she wanted it to as she admitted, "It doesn't feel real."
Steve nodded, "I know what you mean."
At the possibility of hearing the bittersweet edge to his voice, Natasha stopped prepping herself and crossed the room to Steve. Taking his hands in hers, she sincerely stated, "Thank you."
"For what?" Steve good-humoredly scoffed while his brows started to furrow.
"For being here," Natasha shrugged, "For being my friend." Steve gave her hands a squeeze and Natasha added, "For introducing me to my future husband."
"Okay, yeah, I'm pretty great," Steve joked, winking at his best friend.
Natasha's eyes were turning glassy as tears started filling them. Even though she was desperately trying not to cry, those pesky tears continued. Steve reached up and caught one that escaped and leaned forward to kiss her forehead.
"Thank god for waterproof mascara," Natasha teased, blinking away the rest of her tears. Running her hand over Steve's beard, she mocked, "Best not to have beard-burn when I'm about to get married. People might get the wrong idea."
Playfully, Steve rolled his eyes. Finding the door opening and Maria carrying the veil as she rushed into the room, "It's a good thing Carol's glove box is a hodgepodge treasure chest." Waving her hand over the comb part, she bit her lower lip, "The glue is still tacky, so it'll probably stick to your hair."
"We have time to let it dry a little more," Steve assured.
"It's not like they can start it without me," Natasha joked, placing her hands on her hips.
"True," Maria confirmed, blowing on the spot where glue was holding one of the tiny blue flowers in place.
Looking around the room, Natasha deadpanned, "My flower girl is still in the bathroom, so I clearly can't walk down the aisle without fresh rose petals beneath my feet."
"Oh, can't have that," Maria mocked, exchanging a glance with Steve as he checked his own reflection. Smoothing his hand over his freshly cut, shorter hair while he wondered if he should trim his beard more.
"Why is it," Natasha started, joining Steve in front of the mirror. Making sure to keep her tone low as she questioned, "I'm the one getting married and you're the one fidgeting?"
"Well, one of us has to be the wreck," Steve reasoned.
Before anything else could be said, a knock broke through their moment. The trio looked over to find Birdie poking her head in through the door crack. With her lopsided flower girl flower-crown and a missing-tooth grin, Birdie asked, "Ready?"
Natasha took in a grounding breath and nodded, "Ready."
Heart racing at the déjà vu, Steve wiped his clammy palms on his black slacks. Being the fidgeting one, Steve tugged at his red tuxedo jacket and tried to gather himself. Looking over at Natasha though, made it easier. The linger heartache seeped out of him and his chest clenched because, "You're beautiful."
Grin taking on a cocky twist, Natasha flipped her hand as though she was going to flip her hair as she teasingly demanded, "Tell me something I don't know."
Rolling his eyes, Steve redirected his attention to in front of them as they walked down the hotel hallway, and his smile grew when he found Natasha's dad waiting for them. A smile splitting his dark face and stretching all the way up to his eyes. It was hands down the happiest Steve had ever seen Nick Fury.
"Don't you clean up nicely," Nick greeted, extending his arms for his long ago- adopted daughter. Glancing to Maria and Steve, he complimented them as well, "You both look nice."
"Me? Look at you," Natasha commented, dramatically fanning herself.
Shaking his head, Nick turned to face the front, silently informing everyone else to take their places in line. Birdie up front with her basket of rose petals. Axel, Blaze, and Knox next with the rings. After securing the veil in Natasha's updo, Maria linked her arm with her wife's while Carol theatrically ran her eyes down the red halter gown. Next, Steve slipped his arm under the best man, Eddie's, black tuxedo clad arm.
Pulling a page out of Natasha's book, Steve winked over his shoulder in encouragement. Facing the front again, Steve found it easier to smile than he originally assumed. Especially once the doors opened to the hotel courtyard and the string quartet began their rendition of Tenerife Sea.
A little rambunctiously, Birdie started scooping petals out of her basket and tossed them onto the man-made aisle like they had personally offended her. Phil Coulson, the next-best wedding planner, quietly tried to get her to stop being so aggressive, but eventually gave up as she gleefully ran down the aisle. And since she ran, the boys did too. Earning a face-palm from Phil and laughs from the guests.
Before Steve knew it, it was time for him to follow in his niece's and friends' steps and head down the aisle. Allowing Eddie to control how fast they walked, which wasn't very fast at all. Steve couldn't thank him enough since all he wanted to do was sprint like the kids had.
Affectionately squeezing Eddie's arm once they reached the altar, Steve took his spot beside Maria. With his shoulders back to exude confidence, Steve turned to face the guests. Eyes instantly scanned the well-dressed attendees until they landed on Bucky, and his heart could finally beat normally again.
