Project: New Generation Chapter 199: Camp Dad and Camp Mom, an avengers fanfic

IT'S. HAPPENING.

Chapter 199: Camp Dad and Camp Mom

Camp SHIELD

Once James flew off, Xavier and Sigyn look at each other feeling the happiest they ever felt since being reunited. The past few moments feel like a blur. They were just at the top of the pine tree and now they're on the ground about to have a wedding.

"Is this about to happen?" Xavier asks. "Are we getting married?"

"I think so," Sigyn states with a bright smile. "We're eloping at Camp."

"God…" Xavier grumbles. "That sounds like such a prank and I'm never hearing the end of that."

"Your mom did say Camp was a special place for you."

Xavier leans in closer to her. "She'll be your mother-in-law soon."

Sigyn's smile vanishes. " … gods help me."

Xavier laughs as he kisses the side of her head.

"You should take this back for the ceremony," she unclips the S charm from her bracelet and hands it to him, "considering that you already broke the rule about seeing the bride on her wedding day before the ceremony, I'll be getting ready. See you soon."

Sigyn blows him a kiss as she vanishes.

Xavier takes his time heading back to camp, walking through the trees with a smile he never wants off his face. Once he enters the campgrounds from the forest, Xavier sees all the cadets running around the lot. Some shout congrats which make him smile and solidify that he's really getting married here. His daydreams are interrupted when he hears James screeching orders into a megaphone, flailing his arms to point directions. That's exactly why he's never in charge of anything. Then he spots Xavier and shrinks to fly over, growing back once they're next to each other.

"Finally, location on the groom," James says. "This is my first official duty with my Ph.D. Fuck being head counsellor here. I'm the wedding planner, caterer, officiant, best man, and maid of honour. I'm thrilled."

"James," Xavier says to get his friend's attention.

"I have Operations cadets setting up the venue at the pier by the lake." He points at a hoard of blue windbreakers by the water. "Communications and Sci-Tech are handling the reception in the cafeteria since it's the biggest space we got on camp that isn't the outdoors. The programs are coming together. It's beautiful. We're all excited. We'll get this show on the road in fifteen minutes tops."

"James."

"What?"

"I gave you shit for a long time mostly for existing and dating my sister, but you're a great friend. You always have been."

James blinks, not expecting Xavier to be sentimental to him. "You're a great friend for giving me shit. I deserved it most of the time, especially for dating your sister. So, where's the bride?"

"Disappeared somewhere to get ready. Or maybe she had already run from the altar. Hard to tell."

"Right. Are you getting ready?"

"For what?"

James blinks again, deadpanned. He expected that from Xavier. "Getting dressed? Or running from the altar? Don't tell me you're wearing that."

"What's wrong with it?"

They look at Xavier's current outfit which is a dark green V-neck, black athleisure pants, his bright blue Camp Dad windbreaker, and stained yellow converses. He has pine needles everywhere, even in his hair, from the drop.

"For fuck's sake you look and smell like a pine tree," James says, plucking a pine needle from his sleeve. "I already cleaned up. Keep the windbreaker but wash up. Borrow my aftershave if you have to ... which you should."

"God, you're bossy," Xavier states.

James turns his megaphone on and points it right at Xavier's face. "Get dressed, Camp Dad!"

-o-

Sigyn looks at her reflection in the mirror, seeing her smile that hasn't left her face since she and Xavier decided to get married on a whim. She still can't believe they're about to do this.

She looks at the new outfit she made for herself. She kept her bright yellow Communications windbreaker but changed the back print to say CAMP MOM like Xavier's. Underneath, she's wearing a tight black muscle tank top and camo-print capri-cut leggings with dirty blue converses. She has no makeup on her face but wipes off any dirt marks she might've gotten from the tree and combs her hair with her fingers. To top it off, she twirls her magic above her head and gives herself a short lace veil as long as her hair.

Her heart stops and she almost belts out tears. She's a bride. Never saw that coming.

She turns around when she hears a knock on her cabin door.

"Come in," Sigyn yells.

James walks in holding a bouquet. He closes the door behind him and stops when he sees Sigyn. His bright smile nearly makes her cry and she has to hold back tears.

"Xavier will die when he sees that Camp Mom windbreaker," James says as he approaches her. "Third time dying at Camp must be a charm as well although this is more than the third, I think. You look beautiful. More beautiful than him since he looks like the pine tree you trapped us on."

Sigyn laughs as he hands her the bouquet. She looks at it and loves the different colours and rustic charm. Sigyn knows the flowers probably came from a nearby field but they looked cut and cleaned as if a florist handled them.

"A botany cadet told me the purple ones are Geraniums, those pink and yellow ones are Columbines, and the yellow ones are Goldenrods," James explains. "I don't know what any of that means but it's Wilderness Ohio's finest floral."

"James," she says.

"What?"

"Thank you." Her throat nearly seizes with a cry again but tears rim her eyes. "It really means a lot to me that you're here and doing all this."

James nods, his face softening when he sees Sigyn wipe her tears with her windbreaker's sleeve. "You're my friend, basically my sister-in-law now. Of course, I'd do this."

Sigyn pauses, smiling now. "Shit, you're basically my brother-in-law."

James laughs a little. "That's what happens when you marry my girl's brother."

They laugh and he opens his arm and they hug, keeping it gentle so they won't ruin her outfit. When they part, James fixes her veil and he hands her the bouquet. She turns around in the mirror and puts a hand to her mouth. She's a bride now.

"Dr. Pym!" A cadet yells from outside as he snaps a photo. "We're ready!"

Sigyn and James walk up to the window and peek outside. They see all the cadets sitting on benches set up by the pier, all the colourful windbreakers dispersed amongst the congregation resembling polka dots rather than distinct niches. They spot Xavier at the front chatting with some cadets.

James closes the curtain and faces Sigyn. "I figure you'll walk yourself down the aisle. We're just going to the end of the pier where I'll officiate. Walk out once you hear the music playing. Are you ready?"

Sigyn sighs happily, nodding. "Let's go."

-o-

James flies out to the pier, over the cadets' heads before growing back to his normal size at the edge of the pier overlooking the lake. Xavier walks over and James is relieved he actually cleaned himself up. He was in the same outfit as before, but at least he didn't look like he just fell out of a pine tree. He also didn't use his aftershave but whatever.

"Are you ready?" James asks as he plucks a stray pine needle from Xavier's collar.

"Yeah, I think so," Xavier says, putting his hands in his windbreaker's pockets.

"No time to have cold feet. Ironically, can't run with those." He pats Xavier's back. "Alright, cadets, all rise for the bride."

As the cadets stand, one of the Sci-Tech cadets starts the music. The moment the familiar tune registers for Xavier and the other cadets start giggling, Xavier turns over to James who's biting down on a grin trying to hide it.

"There was one record in the storage," James explains. "This was on it. You'll love it."

On cue, all the cadets start singing along to the military alphabet, swaying with each other with locked arms and harmonies. The one song Xavier dreaded with every fibre of his being, especially every year he was at Camp and had to hear it on loop because cadets had to practise and memorize it. It would remain in his head for weeks following Camp and just when it would leave his mind, he was sent to Camp again.

Xavier laughs at the sight of the programs getting along over the military alphabet, a common thread in all their curricula. But then he sees her leaving her cabin when the cadets turn around to see her, still singing the alphabet on loop. Xavier has no words to describe how beautiful his fiancée - his bride - is as she walks over to the pier in rhythm to the singing. She's smiling excitedly, nearly glowing in her windbreaker with her bouquet and veil as she high-fives some cadets she passes.

The military alphabet is his new favourite song.

Xavier knows that a lot of girls have had crushes and fantasies about him over the years. Some even made moves on him when they were dating in high school right in front of her, but he's looking at her like she's the only woman in the world. As always. He knows he can't be sure of another person if he isn't sure about himself or her. He's Camp Dad and she's magic all the days she'll be Camp Mom. Which will now be the rest of their lives.

Once Sigyn is a few steps away from him on the pier, she turns around for a second and moves her hair and veil to show him the back of her windbreaker.

The moment he reads the words CAMP MOM on the back, he breaks down crying remembering that's what got them to the pier. Her desire to come back and be his Camp Mom with a matching windbreaker. God, he loves her. He leans forwards to hide his tears but everyone knows since they don't blame him. They can't. James consoles him, patting his shoulder as Sigyn arrives. She pouts a little as she sees him, reaching forwards to wipe his tears as her own form. Xavier takes her hand and kisses the inside of her palm.

"I love you and your windbreaker," he whispers into her hand, "I'm so lucky."

Sigyn holds his hand until the alphabet ends. They let go and she passes her bouquet to a cadet in the front row for the moment. She stands facing Xavier as James is between them facing the cadets making up the congregation.

"Cadets, you may be seated," James says and they follow. "First, I'd like to begin by welcoming everyone although none of us except Sigyn had a choice in being here. I thank you all for your help in setting up everything on this happy day of a known-to-be terrifying Camp SHIELD experience. I can't think of a better venue than this paradise of Camp in the Ohio Wilderness for our wedded-couple-to-be. You know them as your counsellors. You know Xavier as the intimidating cadet-turned-agent-turned-captain who was always shipped here against his will. You know Sigyn as the Communications counsellor who usurped power here when handed to her on a silver platter she snatched from Vander. Both breaking Camp traditions at some point for the better of operations - pun intended - here."

Some cadets laugh and James proudly nods at his joke. Xavier and Sigyn look at him with matching cringes but Xavier grins and nods in approval.

James sighs once the laughs subside. "I wish I could tell you a single story about Xavier and Sigyn, about how they enrich each other and everyone in their lives, but then we'll be here all day. I first met Sigyn when she came to town as the new girl in eighth grade, going as Britney Braun and secretly being raised by Communications agents. Shortly after, she officially met Xavier but they previously met when they were children, under another one of her past names at a Communications agent's funeral that some of you have called poetic. But to top that, this is Xavier's seventh year at Camp which is fitting since he's marrying the girl he's waited seven years to return."

James looks at Xavier and Sigyn's faces as the realization hits them. Lips part as their eyes look off to the side to do the math. Cadets coo as Sigyn nudges Xavier.

"I know how much these two love each other as they've grown together and apart only to find each other again in the toughest situation," James continues. "When Fate is trying to wedge them apart but they said screw it and we're here today."

Sigyn's eyes go distant and she reaches up to wipe a tear but Xavier beats her to it. She holds his hand against her face for a second before letting go.

"So now would be time for the vows but they didn't have time to prepare any since they got engaged thirty minutes ago," James says, laughing with some cadets. "I modified some traditional vows we'll use instead."

"God, why," Xavier groans. Cadets continue laughing.

James narrows his eyes at him. "With that attitude, Captain, you're going first." He clears his throat. "Repeat after me. I, Xavier Rogers-"

"I know this part," Xavier cuts him off before looking at Sigyn and holding her hands again. "I, Xavier Rogers, take you, Sigyn Lokisdottir, as my lawful wedded wife." He trails off and looks at James.

"Through football and cheerleading," James states.

Xavier gives him a blank face as cadets and Sigyn snicker. He looks at Sigyn again. "Through football and cheerleading."

"Through Operations and Communications."

"Through Asgard and Midgard."

"Through Hel and Camp."

"Through our new shared siblings, Apollo and Angela."

"I will love and honour you all the days of my life."

James smiles. "Sigyn?"

Sigyn squeezes Xavier's hands as she looks at him. "I, Sigyn Lokisdottir, take you, Xavier Rogers, to be my lawful wedded husband, through football and cheerleading, through Operations and Communications, through Asgard and Midgard, through Hel and Camp, and through our new shared siblings, Apollo and Angela. James included since he's our brother-in-law now. And Freya too." She glances at James who's tearing up before facing Xavier again. "I will love and honour you all the days of my life."

"Oh god…" James says as he wipes his tears. "Now we'll exchange rings … that we don't have. Dammit, I knew I was forgetting something."

"So dramatic," Xavier tells him.

Xavier takes the S charm out of his pocket and holds out his other hand. Sigyn holds out her wrist with the bracelet. After he clips it on, still embraced, Sigyn holds his left hand, the hand she held in the pine tree before dropping him and the hand that fastened the charm. She kisses right where the ring goes and a silver ring matching the charm appears on his ring finger. Sigyn winks at him as the cadets look at each other amazed and Xavier wipes his tears with his other hand before wiping her tears.

"So, without further ado," James announces, "by the power invested in me by Camp SHIELD, the Quarterback and Cheerleader are now husband and wife, Camp Dad and Camp Mom. Camp Dad, you may kiss Camp Mom."

Xavier pulls Sigyn towards him and kisses her, holding her tightly by the small of her back as she wraps her arms around his neck. James applauds as the cadets scream and cheer for them, clapping. When the newlyweds part, they're both laughing and crying, holding hands tightly as they face the excited cadets.

Sigyn takes her bouquet again. Geese fly in their signature triangle pattern overhead the new union as the cadets start singing the military alphabet again as Xavier and Sigyn walk down the pier.

I'm not crying. You are. If my future wedding isn't like this, then I don't want it.

I know it's been two years in publishing since Emily and Daniel's wedding but in terms of the timeline in the story, it's been around a month. I'm writing this in May 2021 and you're not reading this till June 2022 but this whole arc has given me so much joy. Xavier and Sigyn deserve this and not only because it oddly parallels his parents' wedding (something I realized after outlining it). I've been writing Xavier and Sigyn for about six years and the fact that it'll be seven by the time this gets published will be even more symbolic since they've waited for each other for that long.

If you thought this was adorably chaotic, then just wait for the reception.