First chapter I'm publishing after I finished undergrad!
Chapter 194: Back to Camp SHIELD
Stark Towers - 9:49 AM
So far, Daniel's enjoying married life.
Sometimes he wonders if he should've gotten married earlier but those thoughts are immediately rejected. He had his dream wedding with his dream girl and a honeymoon he never dreamt of but enjoyed anyways. He falls asleep and wakes next to her every morning … except this one.
Daniel sits up in their bed and notices Emily isn't there. Her spot is cold so she hasn't here there for a while. He reaches for his glasses and puts them on to check the time on his phone.
It's barely 10 AM. Where could Emily have gone let alone be awake so early?
Before Daniel gets up, Emily nearly kicks down their bedroom door. He jumps, pulling up the sheets to hide himself which makes Emily laugh. He lowers the covers to see her with a tray that she puts on his lap. He's shocked to see a stack of waffles with syrup already poured on them. They smell fresh and he can't wrap his head around Emily cooking something that actually looks edible.
"I would've brought orange juice but it would've spilt," Emily says.
"Did you wake up early for this?" Daniel asks.
"I called Angela and she had to walk me through it. I only woke up early because she's a morning person, for some reason. I also failed the first batch. Cooking is a science I don't particularly excel at."
"Em, you didn't have to."
She wrinkles her brows. "Are you saying that because you don't trust my cooking?"
Emily takes his fork and cuts off the corner to eat herself. She nods, smiling proudly at herself as she climbs into bed next to him.
"No," he takes a bite and is surprised they're pretty good. Thank god that Angela was on the phone with her for this whole process. "I was skeptical."
"Just for that, I'm expecting waffles tomorrow," she tells him.
-o-
Wakanda's Palace - 16:50 PM
The only one who wasn't happy to see Imanu back from diplomatic business with King T'Challa was Kili, who wondered how he was still alive. Before Imanu could say anything, King T'Challa handed her a bundle of silk scarves they got for her in Indonesia. Kili screamed her thanks as she ran off to try them all on.
"What did you do?" Iqadi asks as she hugs Imanu, keeping an eye on her father.
"Talked," Imanu responded.
"T'Challa," Ororo says almost reprimanding him, "you left Wakanda just to talk with Imanu?"
"It was diplomacy," T'Challa argues. He opens an arm towards Imanu. "Meet our new royal representative for The Great Mound."
Imanu takes in T'Challa's bright and proud smile as Ororo claps for him. He still has to tell his parents and Kili, who will probably find something about it to poke at, but for now, he'll enjoy this moment. Iqadi hugs him again, tighter this time as she kisses his cheek.
-o-
Asgard
Apollo couldn't find Freya which he was happy about. He guessed she went into the kingdom or was sparring with other warriors but he couldn't run into her now, not when he had a plan to first create a plan. He didn't want to talk to Sigyn because she would've thrown him off the Bifrost so he was happy she was heading to Camp SHIELD with Xavier. Maybe she'd forget about him while she was there climbing mountains or playing in the grass (whatever they did at Camp).
He found his parents in the throne room and hoped they weren't busy with anything important.
"Mother, Father, I need your help with something," he announces.
"A plan for Ragnarök?" Thor asks.
"Kind of. At the end of a long-winded day, yes. I plan on asking Freya to marry me but I don't know how to do it."
He doesn't know why his parents are staring at him blankly like Freya did when he proposed in the canoe. At least they're in the throne room where they couldn't push him overboard.
"Actually, I already asked and she didn't say no but she didn't say yes either," Apollo explains. "It was confusing."
Jane looks at Apollo with a face he missed seeing. The exasperated what the fuck is wrong with you he would get all the time back on Midgard. It makes him smile and he almost hugs his mother. Then Jane gives his father the same face as if it was either his fault or he enabled it.
"I didn't tell him to do that," Thor explains.
"He's right," Apollo states. "Anyways, so I'm planning on redoing my proposal and I have a plan. I know it's more of a Midgard custom to ask her parents for their blessing but they've passed so long ago. We're now adults and I could ask her directly again but I still feel the need to seek permission from someone higher first. She said to ask rather than demand so I think she'd appreciate the thought."
Jane walks up to Apollo and makes him sit on it. "Well, Apollo, when Freya's parents died, no blood family was around to take care of her so she became a child of the state. In that regard, you'd have to ask the head of the state."
"You're right," Apollo says before realizing that he's sitting on the throne of the head of state known as his father.
Thor grins, enjoying this moment as he drapes his arm over the throne. "Something to ask, Son?"
"Don't look at me like that," Apollo says.
-o-
Camp SHIELD - 9:52 AM
"Welcome to Camp SHIELD," Xavier states.
The flight from the Academy was quiet minus turbulence, murmuring cadets, and Xavier's light snoring on her shoulder. Right now, she walks on the campgrounds, she ignores the panicking cries of cadets as she takes in the scene. She's heard from Angela and Merida that Camp SHIELD was the wilderness so she was expecting a jungle. However, she finds it cozy. It's a grassy lot with a giant lake in the centre and cabins littered all over. Cadets' quarters on one end and recreational ones on the other with different stations of military drills. Surrounding them is a giant endless forest with the tallest trees.
"Wow," Sigyn exhales, catching Xavier looking at her.
"Holy shit, you brought her."
Xavier and Sigyn turn and see James wearing some nylon gym clothes over his bright green Sci-Tech head counsellor windbreaker. The word COUNSELLOR on top with a SHIELD logo and the word HEAD on the back in white. He smiles at their shocked faces as he holds a clipboard and a pen on top of a box.
"Why are you here?" Xavier asks. "And how didn't I notice you at the Academy?"
"Vander figured that since you were available, then I would be too," James responds. "Besides, Camp couldn't resist my Ph.D. and me, in that order too. I flew in with Sci-Tech."
Xavier doesn't falter. "Get a refund on your doctorate."
James smirks a little just to annoy Xavier. "I didn't know Sigyn was coming."
"She asked to come."
"Nobody willingly asks to come to Camp. You've used it as a threat many times."
"Xavier asked me to come," Sigyn corrects. "Why didn't you invite Angela?"
James laughs. "She'd break my heart and me, again in that order, if I even thought about it." He shows Xavier the papers on his clipboard. "Vander gave me the rundown that he'll probably tell you when he finds you. You're in charge of Operations and Camp overall but you knew that. We're the only counsellors with Communications given last year's events that nearly killed you, which you also knew. But you didn't know that all the cadets got you a gift and I'm honoured to be the one to give it to you on behalf of Camp with your girl present."
James hands him the box and Xavier takes it skeptically. It wasn't wrapped in any fancy wrapping paper or bows and didn't weigh much. Just a standard cardboard box for frozen vegetables and tape. When he lightly shakes it, there's barely a sound.
"You're not starting the pranks early, are you?" Xavier asks.
"Damn," James states in defeat, "missed an opportunity there. It's actually a peace offering from your cadets."
"Why would they need to give you one?" Sigyn questions, crossing her arms. "You're their leader. In fact, they're making James give it to you."
"No reason..." Xavier mutters as she narrows her eyes at him. "This is a prank."
"Just open it," James nags. "I don't even know what it is. For all we know, this is a prank on all of us."
Xavier still doesn't trust him but he slowly tears through the tape. He opens the flaps and he and Sigyn peer inside. She takes the box as he pulls out the gift. Xavier holds out a windbreaker like James' but bright blue which is Operations' colour. The only difference is his windbreaker says CAMP DAD above the SHIELD logo.
"Honorary counsellor for fighting in Camp SHIELD's honour," James states as Xavier keeps his eyes on the jacket. "You deserve it."
"This is so bad," Xavier states as he takes his shield off his back to put it on with a smile. He shows Sigyn the back and she nods approvingly as James takes pictures. "Thanks for nearly dying for Camp. Have a windbreaker. Tell the cadets thank you and that I'm never taking it off."
"You're such a dork," Sigyn states.
"How do I look?" He grins at her.
"Like a Camp Dad."
Camp Dad is something that gets me through the day. That's not an exaggeration.