Chapter 65: Man and Wife

Even though neither Mika nor Bucky really enjoyed being the center of attention, it didn't seem so bad when it was their wedding.

To be fair, a lot of the attention was shared, since they had such a small group of (mostly) extroverted friends who all wished to meet and know one another. Mika was happy to have Elena, Hans, and Nicolae across from her as they sat down to supper; she adored her friends from Wakanda, and was happy they were there to celebrate, but she hadn't seen these three in over a year, and was nearly brought to tears as she realized how much she missed them. Nicolae caught her up on all the work gossip, and Elena detailed all the new projects she'd been working on. Hans lamented his difficulty with finding a new cook for the pub; he'd gone through four trying and dramatic appointments before finally settling on a woman named Calliope who was somewhere between the ages of forty and seventy and may or may not be a witch. Bucky and Steve both looked concerned at this admission, but Hans merely shrugged and said as long as she did her job and no one got sick he didn't care.

Mika took a moment to soak it in, resting her head against her hand and letting her eyes flit around the big table. Her friends from Romania were caught up in an argument about something or another, and it was so magical to hear her language from home that she didn't care how loud they were. Down the table, Sam was regaling a story to T'Challa, Shuri, and Kanoni, trying to impress the latter. On the other side, Natasha chatted amiably with Okoye, their conversation rather bright for two usually reserved women. Under the table, Luna made her rounds, waiting to see if anyone would sneak her some food from their plates. Bucky sat with his hand protectively resting on her knee, his thumb idly stroking little circles as he reminisced with Steve.

"Everything you envisioned?" Nicoletta's soft voice cut into her reverie. Mika shook herself out of it, turning to her with a warm smile.

"Even better." she replied with a smile. She put her arm around her, pulling her close so that she was resting her head on her shoulder. Nicoletta interlaced their fingers, sighing contentedly in her sister's embrace. There was still a slight flicker of anger burning in her heart that their mother hadn't come, but she did her best to extinguish it. Now was not the time to think about it.

"Good." she said, pulling away and getting up from the table. She picked up the beautiful glass flute that was definitely handmade somewhere in the city, delicately tapping her fork against it to get everyone's attention. Mika immediately started blushing; this was the part she feared the most, the painful embarrassment even worse than when a large group of friends sings happy birthday in the middle of a busy restaurant. "If I may borrow your attention for just a moment," she said, her English as crisp as she could make it.

"Get the tissues." Sam remarked, making the table laugh. Mika appreciated him splitting the attention, if only for a moment. Nicoletta shot a playful glare his way before turning back to her sister and brother-in-law. Bucky slid his arm around Mika's shoulders, letting her lean into him.

"If you'd asked me when we were younger what I pictured Mika's wedding would be like, I definitely would not say in her backyard in the middle of a secret African nation." she started, making more chuckles echo around the table. "But I always dreamed that she would be with someone who would love and adore her, as much as she did them. Mika's always been quick to love, you see, and didn't always choose people who deserved all the good that she has. In fact, I was of the firm belief that she would never, ever find anyone who was good enough for my sister. And then came Bucky." She gave him a smile then, one that he returned readily as Mika tucked herself more against him. "I knew you were different, right from the beginning. I wasn't aware of how different exactly-" more titters around the crowd, "-but I knew that no one would ever love her like you. Welcome to the family, Bucky. Every happiness to you both."

She was tearing up a bit as she raised her glass in a toast, the people around the table echoing her sentiment. When she sat down, Mika immediately pulled her into a hug, murmuring some sisterly affections to her. Bucky reached across as well, kissing her cheek and thanking her for her kind words. He really couldn't ask for a better sister-in-law. As they settled, all eyes turned to Steve, who looked rather bashful as he stood with his glass.

"You know, I never thought I was gonna get to do this." he said, his voice cracking just a bit. He paused to compose himself, blinking rapidly and taking slow, measured breaths. Mika's hand went to her heart, and it was difficult for her not to cry as well. He finally cleared his throat before trying again. "We've known each other for about ninety years, Bucky and I. We were both a little...indisposed for most of that, but it's a fun fact nonetheless." he paused again, and even if Bucky's face was calm and collected, his grip on Mika's hand tightened just a bit. "Even if neither one of our lives turned out the way we thought they would, I'm still happy to say that you managed to sort yours out pretty well. For a long time, you were my only family. And today, my family gets a little bigger. Mika, you're way out of his league, but I'm still glad that you chose him, and I'm very happy for you two and the wonderful life you're going to have together."

He rose his glass then, and once again the guests said their cheers. Mika had the distinct impression that his toast was slightly shorter than he originally intended for it to be, but she couldn't fault him. He and Bucky embraced as he sat down again, the hug lasting longer than it normally did. Mika tried to subtly wipe her tears before they parted, leaning across Bucky so she could kiss Steve's cheeks multiple times on each side. Her heart felt like it was going to burst with all the emotions she was trying to keep inside.

"Go fix your makeup, I'll keep everyone situated here." Nicoletta said quietly, giving Mika an endearing grin. Mika nodded, missing the look her sister sent to the man behind her; she was sure that things were a little smudged after the tears from the toast. She kissed Bucky once before getting up and going into the house, reveling in the silence as she shut the door behind her. She took a breath, realizing that her cheeks hurt from smiling, and purposefully let the joyful expression fall from her face in order to give the muscles a break. She went to their bedroom, ducking into the bathroom so she could freshen up a bit. Nicoletta was right, her mascara was slightly smudged, but her eyes were bright and her cheeks red with the happiness of the night. She carefully fixed her face and took another breath before going out of their room - and nearly running into Steve.

"Fancy meeting you here." he said with a mischievous grin. Mika perked an eyebrow.

"Oh? Did Bucky send you to check on me?" she asked, though she had an inkling of why he was here and not out enjoying the reception.

"Nope." he replied, picking her up and throwing her over his shoulder. "I'm here to kidnap you."

"Ah, just as I suspected." she said, her voice bouncing as Steve walked to the front door and out of it. They could hear the sounds of the party out back, the noise softening as he started down the hill away from the house. It was a little known tradition for the bride to be "kidnapped" at Romanian weddings, and she'd made the mistake of assuming they wouldn't do it. "Someone warned Bucky, right?"

"Your sister made mention of it a couple weeks ago, after she roped me into her master plan." he explained, still carrying her easily.

"I'm sure that was a difficult sell to you." she replied sarcastically, meaning laced in her words.

"Easy." he replied lowly, though she could hear the smile in his voice.

"Where are we going, exactly?" she asked, wondering if she needed to settle in for a long ride. She loved Steve dearly, but having his shoulder in her abdomen was not exactly comfortable.

"To the other side of the garden." he replied lightly, making her wriggle to try and see him.

"The garden? But that's a kilometer away!" she exclaimed. Usually, in the tradition, the bride was taken to a local landmark. Since any Wakandan landmarks were a good distance from their house, Steve had to improvise a bit.

"Yep." he said, unable to contain his laughter as he adjusted his hold on her.

"You know, I am a cooperative hostage. I can walk." she pointed out, though as far as views went, her current one wasn't terrible...not that she'd ever tell Bucky that.

"And risk the wrath of your sister if you get this dress dirty? Absolutely not." he said. He wasn't even out of breath, though they'd walked a significant distance already. She grinned.

"And again, you bring up Nicoletta." she said lightly, making him fall silent for a moment.

"Just don't wanna get in trouble." he replied in the same tone. Since she couldn't see his face, she decided not to push it...for now.

"I liked your speech." she said softly, and he gave a sharp, self-deprecating laugh.

"I'm glad." he admitted. "I'll be honest, I didn't think I'd get that emotional. Given a lot tougher speeches under a lot more dire circumstances."

"Sometimes it's more difficult to be vulnerable." she pointed out, thinking of how closed off Bucky used to be when they first met, how he covered up any sign of weakness or susceptibility.

"Got that right." Steve said, adjusting her slightly and making her groan as some bone sank into her ribs.

"Seriously Steve, can I please walk? I'll pick up my skirt, I promise." she choked out. It was difficult to breathe in her current position. He moved her again, and while it was still uncomfortable, at least she didn't feel like her liver was trying to move in next to her heart.

"Sorry, Meeks. I've got orders." he said. She noticed the ground change as they went from the field to the garden, the nice little rows of plants dancing in the breeze as they walked by. She noticed Steve was careful to keep his steps in between the rows; for such a big man, he moved very gracefully. He made it all the way to the back of the garden before setting her down in front of a bench she didn't know was there. He brushed the top of it off, though it seemed impeccably clean, and still laid a blanket over it, not trusting it to keep her dress spotless.

"You two have been planning this for longer than a couple weeks." she remarked, delicately sitting on the blanket. Steve sat down next to her, looking very relaxed for someone who just carried a grown woman over a kilometer.

"Oh, it wasn't me. I'm just the brawn enacting the brain's dreams." he said, holding his hands up in innocence. Mika crossed her legs and rested her head on her hand, looking at Steve with a big grin.

"You're a sweet man, Steve." she said, making him laugh and blush.

"Don't tell Sam. He won't let me hear the end of it. I've got a reputation to protect you know." he said, leaning his elbows on his knees and looking over at her. She mimed zipping her lips and locking them up tight.

"Your secret is safe with me." she replied with a smile. She reached out and squeezed his hand affectionately. "Thanks for coming tonight, Steve."

"Oh, are you kiddin' me? I wouldn't miss it for the world." he said, letting go of her hand so that he could hug her a little rougher than she was anticipating. "I've never seen him this happy, even before…" he left the sentence hanging, taking his arm back and looking off towards the house. "He's a lucky bastard, and I hope he knows that."

"He better!" Mika laughed, though not at humorously as she intended. She turned towards him once more, a curiosity on the tip of her tongue. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Shoot." he said, though his purposefully casual posture still gave way to stiffness in anticipation of what she would ask.

"Have you ever been in love?" she asked tentatively. She wasn't asking because she wondered if he was in love with her sister; no, she knew whatever awkward run-around they were playing wasn't anything like that. She'd just never heard him mention anything besides the one time he and Bucky got drunk on the porch. Steve blew out a long breath.

"Damn, you go straight for the big stuff, huh?" he said with an awkward laugh, rubbing the back of his neck.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to." she qualified with a shrug. She was being shamelessly nosy at this point, and she didn't much care if he knew it. "I just figured, we've got some time, just the two of us. And that never happens."

"No, no it's fine." he said, giving her a shy grin. He bolstered his courage before answering her. "I was once, a long time ago."

"With the girl from work?" she pressed, and he grimaced a little bit.

"That was...a different kind of love, I think." he said, trying to be polite. "If that's possible."

"Oh, it's completely possible." she said, with such conviction that he responded with surprise. "Just because you love someone doesn't mean you're meant to be with them forever.

"You mean to tell me you've been in love before Bucky?" he exclaimed in mock appallment, his cartoonish expression making her laugh loudly.

"I have, a couple times." she replied. She didn't go into detail. This wasn't the night where she wanted to think about her exes, whether they broke her heart or the other way around. "But with Bucky...it's different."

"Well I should hope so, since you married him and all." he said, grinning madly at her. She shoved him, and he was nice enough to pretend that the gesture made any impact on him. Really it wasn't even strong enough to remove the smile from his face. "I'm happy for you two, I really am."

"Thank you, Steve." she said softly, reaching out to hold his hand again. She kept holding it, even as they spotted Bucky making his way down the rows towards them. They gave him matching smirks, which only made him look more put out.

"You know, you could've waited until the day after the wedding to run away with my best friend." he said, the corner of his mouth twitching as he tried not to smile. Mika held up her hands.

"Hey, I was kidnapped." she said innocently before standing and lifting her arms in triumph. "And look! You found me!"

"It wasn't that hard." he deadpanned, giving Steve a sidelong glance. The other guy didn't even have the decency to look ashamed.

"Hey man, get that stick outta your ass. It's your wedding day." he said cheekily, clapping him on the shoulder. Bucky rolled his eyes before turning back to Mika.

"So what now? Does tradition dictate that I kick his ass for your honor or something?" he asked, sounding a little more hopeful than either one of them thought he would. Steve raised his eyebrows and looked to Mika; Nicoletta hadn't mentioned any of that during their planning. She couldn't help but laugh at the faces both of them were making, prolonging the moment until she finally put them at ease.

"No, no. You found me fair and square, now we just go back to our wedding." she said with a smile. He nodded dutifully, bending down so that he could pick her up and throw her over his shoulder. She made a loud noise of disagreement, but he didn't let go. "Bucky! Put me down! I don't want to be carried again!" she exclaimed in Romanian, not bothering to try and translate since she was so irate.

"Sorry. Nicoletta's orders." he replied, making her groan and hang dramatically limp over him. She appreciated her sister's dedication to her dress, but really? Being carried like a sack of potatoes? Although she had to admit, if she thought the view was good earlier...it was even better now. But not good enough to allow herself to be miserable for another kilometer. It was her wedding day, and she was the bride - her vote should top the maid of honor's.

A plan formed in her mind. It wasn't exactly playing fair, but it was likely to get her what she wanted. She cast a careful look at Steve, whose brows furrowed as if he sensed the mischief in her brain. Then, she carefully reached down and pinched Bucky right in the rear.

"Hey now!" he said sharply, startling at the touch. She ignored the exclamation, pinching him again and making him jump. Since he only had one arm, he couldn't exactly reach back to swipe away her hand. "Stop that!"

"Put me down!" she replied, pinching him a third time for good measure. He growled lowly, but she could tell he was giving in.

"Your sister said-"

"I am your wife! You should listen to me!" she reminded him. She looked up at Steve, who quickly averted his eyes and pretended that he wasn't amused by the exchange. Bucky sighed heavily.

"Did Steve get this same treatment?" he asked lowly. Mika pinched him again, making him let out a very annoyed noise and say, "Stop!"

"He did not. I figured you wouldn't appreciate it." she replied. "You know, tradition only dictates the kidnapping. There's nothing about being carried."

"Fine, but you get to explain it to Nicoletta." he said, finally setting her down. They were already about halfway back to the house; it wouldn't be a far walk from here. Mika was more than willing to accept that risk if it meant her ribs wouldn't be sore for the rest of the wedding. She linked her arms through both Steve and Bucky's elbows as they walked, feeling rather small between the two stocky super soldiers (even though she was just barely shorter than Bucky). It did allow for a grand entrance as they returned to the backyard, the guests happy that she returned safely. The music started up, and Steve let go of her, gently shepherding them towards the makeshift dance floor (which was really just the most level patch of grass that they had). The music subtly changed, and soon the dulcet tones of Bing Crosby started echoing around them. Mika slid her arms over his shoulders as his circled around her waist, pressing her close. He bearded cheek was rough against hers, but she wouldn't have it any other way.

"Glad we did this?" she murmured very quietly, knowing he'd be able to hear her.

"Very much so." he whispered. "Any regrets?"

"Not wearing a short dress so Steve would let me walk." she said immediately, and she could feel as he smiled, his breath tickling her shoulder as he laughed. She had a feeling he wanted to reply with something sarcastic, but she didn't let him, continuing with, "This - everything about tonight - has been perfect. I can't wait to spend forever with you."

"The feeling is mutual." he said, his hand gripping her just a little tighter. Their dance was nothing more than a gentle sway, holding each other close, but in that moment it was exactly what they wanted. When the song ended, he pulled back just enough to kiss her fully, lipstick and watching eyes be damned. She was his wife, and he was going to kiss her if he wanted. She smiled brightly as he stepped away, reaching up and wiping just a bit of red from his lips.

"I love you." she murmured.

"Say it again." he replied. Always, once more.

"I love you!" she said, louder this time, loud enough that their guests heard her and cheered at the response. He blushed, leaning his forehead against hers so he could quietly say,

"I love you too."

That's when the party really started. With her father and his mother both passed, they skipped the traditional familial dances. Since her mother was not present, they also skipped the traditional hora dance, despite Nicoletta's insistence that she could still trade Mika's veil for the traditional scarf. It was too warm for a scarf anyway.

For the first hour or two, Mika and Bucky didn't see each other except from across the dance floor as all their friends took their turns dancing with them. The King congratulated her on her marriage, and blushed when she thanked him profusely for leading such a beautiful ceremony. Next was Shuri, who also blushed as Mika rambled on and on about how wonderful everything was, how grateful she was for her help, and how incredibly lucky she was to consider the Princess a friend. Shuri, with all the grace of a seventeen year old, said that she was happy to help, and hoped that they could be friends for a long time. A song later, Hans had her in his arms and complained that she needed to stop befriending attractive super soldiers that he didn't have a chance with. Nicolae was next, telling her that he missed her at work, but then asking if there were any openings in Shuri's lab and if she could put in a good word for him. She laughed at this, shaking her head; he needed special privileges, she said, like being married to a formerly brainwashed super soldier that was falsely accused of murder by the King. He shrugged at that; fair enough.

"Told you so." was the first thing Elena said when they finally found each other for a dance. Mika perked an eyebrow.

"I'm afraid you're going to have to be more specific." she replied. There were many things Elena had told her over the years, and if she was honest, Mika had forgotten a lot of them.

"I said you'd be married within the year." she boasted, looking quite proud of herself. Mika giggled, shaking her head.

"Technically it's been over a year." she replied, not willing to let her win. Elena rolled her eyes dramatically.

"So I was off by a month or two. Every hypothesis has a margin of error." she said, using the same voice that she used when talking about her science experiments at work. Mika just smiled, pulling her friend close.

"Ah, I've missed you, El." she said, and even if Elena's voice was steady despite her emotions, she did clutch her a little tighter.

"I've missed you too. You know, it wouldn't kill you to call a little more often." she said, pinching her arm lightly.

"You're right. I'll fix that." Mika said. "Call it...a new marriage resolution."

"Does that mean you're planning to have more than one marriage?" Elena asked, leaning back to give her a shocked look. This time it was Mika's turn to roll her eyes; Elena always had to have the last word.

"No. This is my first and only." she replied, making her friend smile.

"Good. Cause he's the best of anyone I've ever seen you with." she said. She was quiet for a moment before her face became uncharacteristically serious. "You know, I was pretty mad for a while, after you went to Germany."

"Yea, I know." Mika admitted. She still remembered Elena trying to talk her out of it, saying that it was a bad idea. And for the first part of her adventures that started that day in their apartment building, she was right.

"But I'm still glad you went. You were playing the long game." she conceded, nodding her head in Bucky's direction. Mika glanced over at him, sitting in the chairs and chatting with Hans and Nicolae as if they were old friends. A quick sweep of the dance floor showed that Steve was dancing with Nicoletta, and though there was a respectable space between them, they were both grinning as they talked.

"Eh, you weren't wrong. I definitely could have gone about this a better way." she said with a smile. "And you were just looking out for me."

"Well, now that job's been passed on." she said with a grin. The song ended, and Elena hugged her tightly. "Happy for you, Mika."

"Thank you, El." she said, planting a kiss on her friend's cheek as they parted. They held hands for just a second longer before someone else who still wasn't Bucky swept her into another dance.

The party definitely went later than she thought it would, though she should have known better, with the friends that were there. It was well past dark before they cut into the korovai, Bucky admitting that he did, in fact, enjoy the cake. It was even later than that before she tossed her bouquet (Shuri caught it), and he tossed the garter (Sam was victorious then). The full moon had passed its peak when the party started to wind down, the native Wakandans leaving for their homes as their out of town guests arranged themselves on mattresses and palets laid out on their living room floor.

Mika was exhausted as she stepped into their bathroom, but as she spotted herself in the mirror, she thought she'd never seen herself look happier. She hummed along to the last song that had been playing when they finally called the night, methodically pulling the pins from her hair. One by one the curls fell from their home, tumbling down around her shoulders as she freed them. She heard the bedroom door close just as she removed the last one, Bucky stepping into the bathroom with her. He leaned against the doorframe, smiling widely at her. He looked younger in that moment, his eyes bright as they raked over the sight of her. The love on his face made her blush and feel shy for some reason, either due to the intensity of his gaze or how rarely he blatantly wore his feelings.

"I know, the hair looks ridiculous now." she said quietly, shaking out the curls. Her scalp was sore from the hair being pulled in one direction for so long. He shook his head, pushing off the doorframe to come up behind her, wrapping his arm around her and kissing her shoulder.

"You look beautiful, my love." he said softly, using a Romanian term of endearment that she'd only ever heard her father call her mother. "I just can't believe you're mine."

"Forever and always, my darling." she replied, using the complimentary term. The word felt odd on her tongue, but using it felt right. He nuzzled into her neck, and she held him close, the gravity of the day finally lifting as she realized this was it, they were married.

"Need help with this?" he asked, gently touching the zipper of her dress. His touch was light, sensual and familiar without being seductive. Though she wanted desperately to catch her second (or third, or fourth at this point) wind and make love to him on their wedding night, she was already spent, and they had a house full of people just outside their door.

"Please." she said, and he easily pulled it down for her. He turned on the water of the shower as she stepped out of her dress, arranging it on its hanger before carefully placing it in the closet. He was halfway out of his garb when she returned, and she took a moment to take in the view of his muscles as he finished undressing. That was her husband.

He held his hand out to her, tugging her until she was standing under the spray with him. The water was warm and soothing on her tired muscles, and she let out a content sigh as she leaned against him. He held her for a few minutes, the water soaking them both, before reaching out and getting the soap, lazily tracing it over her back and her arms. When he finished that, he whispered for her to turn around, and he washed her front as well.

"I could get used to this." she murmured as he finished, and he chuckled in response, though his words failed him. She held her hand out for the soap. "Your turn."

Just like he had, she carefully washed his skin, an act of service for her new spouse. She then reached for the shampoo, working it into his hair and scrubbing away the product that Nicoletta no doubtedly asked him to use (though, if she was honest, she didn't dislike the look). He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch, completely relaxed in this moment of intimacy. Out of all the moments they'd shared over the past couple years, this was the most vulnerable she'd ever seen him.

He washed her hair for her as well, though it was a little more difficult with just the one hand, his fingers getting caught in the tangles. They had to keep their laughter quiet, the sounds feeling extra loud as they bounced around the bathroom. The shower took a little longer than either intended, but neither of them were upset about it. After a whole day celebrating their love, it was nice for them to be alone at last.

"Hm. Today was a good day." Mika whispered, stretching her arms over her head. They were now clean, dry, and dressed, ready to go to bed. "Though I do wish we had the house to ourselves tonight."

"Don't worry, we'll have our own celebration." he said, his tone laced with meaning. He held the covers back for her, letting her climb into bed first before he settled in next to her.

"Oh yea?" she asked, laying her head on his shoulder and intertwining their legs. He hummed lowly in agreement.

"Of course. Soon as this house is empty, you're not leaving this bed for three days." he said lightly, his tone not matching the naughty promise. She looked up at him.

"That implies that you will be leaving the bed at some point during those three days." she replied.

"Well, someone has to do the chores. And bring back food." he said nonchalantly. Clearly he'd been thinking about this.

"And what will I be doing while you do all that?" she asked with a perked eyebrow. He gave her a Cheshire grin, and she knew whatever lame response he had, he was very proud of it.

"Recovering." he said, actually making her jaw drop for a moment before she dissolved into giggles. He shushed her, muffling her laughter with his chest and pulling the covers over her head for good measure in an effort to subdue the noise. He was shaking with laughter as well, pressing his face into her still-wet hair to stifle it. When they finally settled, they listened, making sure no sounds were coming from the living room. Seemed everyone was still sleeping peacefully, and it was time for them to do the same.

"Sleep well, my darling." she murmured, facing him and putting her hand on his cheek.

"And you, my love." he replied, kissing her gently before they settled back into the pillows, drifting off to sleep for the first time as man and wife.

Our babies are married! How exciting right? At least for me!

It's been over a week - anyone else catch up with Endgame? I still love it, and refuse to read any of those articles about why it sucks haha! Good news is, it won't change most of my plans for this story. Falcon and Winter Soldier though? That just might. But we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Thank you all so so so SO much for your reviews! Your words are what keeps me writing every week. Which, speaking of, there's a chance I may not be able to update next week depending on travel plans, but I'm going to try my best!

Regardless, please let me know what you thought of this chapter!

-XM