We just hit 100 reviews and I'm very happy. Thank you all so much.
For those wondering since I got a good response about him since he was first introduced, Blake will have a whole arc with the boys later in the story. I'm excited for it because it has so much chaos planned.
Chapter 147: Kiss on the Beach
Wagner Cove - 12:58 PM
Emily forgets putting on her dress the moment she catches a glimpse of herself in the tall mirror. She stands up straight, running her hands over the dress to flatten any kinks. She's smiling. She's glowing. The light radiating off of her reflects on her white dress.
She's about to cry because she finally sees herself as a bride but she stops to prevent ruining her makeup. When she turns around, she sees her mother standing speechless and frozen upon seeing this sight. Her mom's crying which is making it harder for Emily to hold back her tears. It's more real than when she tried on the dress in the boutique and picked it as her dress.
And the final bridal look isn't complete yet. She hasn't put on her pearl earrings, heels, or her wedding band during the ceremony. Wedding band. Emily can't believe she can think that now.
"You look so beautiful," Pepper says, waking up to Emily and standing being her. They look at their reflection of the bride and the mother-of-the-bride. It's surreal. "You grew up so fast. It's like you slipped right through my fingers."
"Mom…" Emily mutters. Her voice cracks a little. She looks up and dabs at her waterline to prevent tears from coming out. It's too early for waterworks.
"In reality, weddings are exhausting and overwhelming but one of the best days of my life. Marriages are messy. It means arguing and making up, laughing, crying, struggling. Sometimes, it doesn't feel like it's worth it but it is. You know I was skeptical about Daniel proposing after graduation."
"I'm aware."
"But you two made the right choice to wait this long and make it simple. Your wedding couldn't have been better than this."
-o-
Sigyn sits on a park bench, continuing to watch the snowfall. It looks beautiful, she can't deny it. If it was her lucky day, she'd want to get married now as well.
A little after she arrived and it was just her and Apollo talking, he told her his take on the snow. He panicked, as she expected, but Queen Ororo and Iqadi assured him that they could control the snow if they wanted and the apocalypse wasn't coming. Sigyn wants to believe they're being honest with him but she isn't sure.
Sigyn wants to ask them but doesn't want to look concerned about it.
-o-
Now that Blake was off introducing himself to the guys, Merida's parents haven't left her side. They wanted to know everything there was to know about Blake so Merida told them the same thing she told the girls: San Francisco. Investigating a corpse. Day drinking. Manhattan coincidence. Wedding date.
But even after that, Clint and Natasha wouldn't leave her alone. Merida didn't get it. None of her friends got this treatment when they came home with their significant others although she's aware that their parents already knew who they were, but still. She brought him to a wedding. Big deal.
"You're our first priority, always, no matter what," Clint tells Merida. "That's how we've noticed you've changed."
Merida's body prickles. "I haven't changed."
Natasha scoffs. "Please, Merida, how are things with you and Blake?"
Merida growls. "What do you mean?"
"Are you dating?"
"We're allowed to ask that," Clint adds.
"And I'm allowed not to answer," Merida responds.
Because she doesn't even know the answer. She thinks about her friends and the most prominent pairing is Xavier and Sigyn in high school. When their flirting become obvious and exclusive, it was unspoken they they had something and only wanted it with each other. Merida isn't sure about what she's doing with Blake but she wants to keep it going.
-o-
Daniel ducks through the parents and pops up beside his boys again. He stands between Apollo and Xavier, holding their arms to keep standing as he looks at them, Imanu, James, and Merida's date. The more the clock's ticking, the fewer words he has for his vows. He doesn't know how but it's happening and he doesn't know what to do.
"Are you okay?" Xavier asks him.
"Maybe," Daniel guesses. He looks at Merida's date. "Have we met?"
"I'm Blake," he reintroduces, shaking his hand again, "we already met."
"Oh right…" Daniel mutters as it all comes back to him. Still confusing. "Sorry. I'm convinced that I'm dreaming so when I wake up, I'll have vows. Or who knows, maybe I'll wake up and already be married."
Daniel runs off again and the rest of the guys aren't sure where in the venue he'll hide. They debate checking him but figure that Daniel needs to be alone to finish his vows. He's probably hiding behind the bar.
"Will he run from the altar?" Blake asks. "Or not go there at all?"
"I hope not," Xavier says, "but we prepared for this on the way to Jersey."
Blake doesn't ask but they tell him anyways because they added him in their plan for a runaway groom the moment he arrived and led a conversation with Merida's parents. Apollo would fake a panic attack and blackout, falling on top of Imanu. Blake would have to get Imanu out and start CPR on Apollo. As everyone else gathers around to help, James would run out and start the car as Xavier gets Daniel.
Blake doesn't know why they gave him the resuscitation part but he's on board.
"Daniel's screwed," James says. "I'll steal Emily's lipstick to buy us some time."
"Do you want to die?" Imanu asks him.
"For the wedding? Yes."
Again, Blake doesn't ask.
"I took a survey on who will cry first, bride or groom," Apollo says. "It helped distract me. Everyone said Daniel, even Daniel said Daniel. What about you, Blake, who's crying first?"
"I walked in the canopy to meet Emily and I saw her with her hair and makeup done," Blake responds. He smiles a little. "He's crying first."
Apollo claps a hand on Blake's shoulder, making him jump a little. "Welcome to our friend group. We'll be having you at our next guy's night."
"What?" Blake asks. A lot has happened to him at this wedding and the ceremony hasn't started yet.
"You've probably picked this up but the chances of Merida having a boyfriend were zero to zero," James whispers. "Merida's allergic to sentiment and wary of emotion so trying to get her to be romantic is like trying to give a skittish cat a bath."
"Actually, we never agreed on a status."
James blinks. " … whoops."
"So what have you said?" Xavier asks. "Or what did she say?"
"Her lips said no and her eyes said read my lips," Blake responds.
"Wow."
James laughs. "I'll go steal Emily's lipstick."
"That's a suicide mission!" Imanu yells.
"I'm a SHIELD agent so I've trained for this!"
-o-
James knows the lipstick shade to take. Kiss on the Beach. Only reason he knows that is because he was listening attentively to Emily when she was talking about it. He knows Emily will want to apply a fresh coat and blot before stepping out. He plans to shrink and fly in there. She won't notice because she'll be preoccupied with looking at her bridal reflection and trying not to cry and ruin her makeup. James can't blame her because he'd do the same as a beautiful bride.
James perks inside the canopy and sees Emily in her wedding gown ready to walk down the aisle and marry her childhood sweetheart. She has never looked happier, excited, and beautiful. Her parents are shedding tears as they're giving her final words of hope and a peaceful marriage before giving their daughter away. James forgets all his plans and walks into the canopy while sobbing. Those tears aren't fake. This is his best friend getting married and she's a gorgeous bride. She's elated and her parents couldn't be prouder.
He hasn't sobbed this much since this morning. Daniel will bawl his eyes out when he sees her.
"Quit crying."
James turns around and sees Director Fury. The officiant for the big day. He either arrived right on time or was here the whole time and nobody noticed because he was lurking. Either way, James doesn't stop crying. Instead, he leans into Director Fury and hugs him while crying on his jacket. Even Fury must be in a wedding mood since James wasn't shoved off yet.
"Thank god you're still alive and for your mysterious yet ominous entrance," James says.