Planning and outlining this chapter has brought me so many tears of joy that I was stoked to write it. I'm so happy that it's being published on my 10 year anniversary on this site, especially since these guys were the reason I started writing fics.
(And I'm publishing a Spider-Man NWH fic today. More info on that will be at the end).
Chapter #206: The Battle on Clint's Lawn
JFK International Airport - 11:40 AM
Blake didn't know what to expect when he got Merida's text the moment his plane landed.
Agent Mer: The guys said they wanted to hang out with you today, so they're picking you up.
It seemed too late for Blake to back out, didn't even feel like he had an option in the matter. If anything, he feels like an outsider amongst Merida's guy friends. They've all known each other for years, been through the best and the worst. Even with his brothers-in-law, he was the odd one out because he was the brother of their wives. He felt like the dumb child they had to babysit when he went to bachelor parties as a teenager.
It's not like he felt left out at Emily and Daniel's wedding. It was the opposite. They welcomed him with open arms. It could be because he was the New Boy in an inner circle, one on Merida's arm out of them.
Blake didn't know what to expect. Were they going to pick him up and then drop him off at Merida's place? Were they going to give him some shovel talk and then ditch his body in the woods?
All questions remain unanswered when he sees Daniel and Imanu waving at him from across the pick-up area to get his attention. James and Apollo hold a sign with his name on it. Xavier stands beside them, face neutral but as if he wanted him dead (his "natural look," as Merida has described). Blake nods as he rolls over his small bag. Before he could say anything, Apollo hugs him tightly.
"Wow!" Blake yells.
"You'll break him," Xavier says, taking Blake's bag. He would've objected but Apollo's currently crushing his windpipe.
"You get used to that," Daniel mutters, prying Blake free from Apollo's grasp.
"I'm still not," Imanu whispers.
-o-
Xavier (and Sigyn)'s Apartment - 12:43 PM
Later, they went to Xavier and Sigyn's apartment with beers on the coffee table as Xavier drags out a giant cardboard box from the dining room. A giant Stark TV that was a wedding gift from Thor and Jane (and Apollo slapped his name on there too).
"Let's assemble this," Xavier says, flicking open a box cutter.
"I thought it went Avengers Assemble," Blake responds.
Xavier stops and looks at Blake. For a moment, Blake thought Xavier would deck him with the television, but he smiles before opening the box with James. When Xavier looks away, Blake sighs with relief.
"You get used to that as well," Daniel advises, handing him a chilled bottle.
"Yes, I managed that one," Imanu adds while James is shaking his head for himself.
"Why are you only setting this up now?" Daniel asks, tossing aside some packing material. "I thought Sigyn would've done it already."
"I said I'd handle it," Xavier says.
"And you didn't until now."
"Such a husband," James chirps.
Xavier glares at him. "The fuck do you know about being a husband? Besides, this'll be fun to do together."
Apollo pulls out the instructions from the mess of packaging materials, flips through it, looks at the covers, and tosses it over his shoulders.
"I think we'll need those," Imanu says.
"Nah," Apollo says, sipping his beer. "This is a man's job and we're men with a combined intellect of 4 PhDs, 2 Master's, whatever Xavier got at the Academy, whatever you picked up at the mines and royal protocol training, and my high school diploma with an academic history award. And my royal stuff, I guess."
"What does any of that have to do with setting up a television?"
"Absolutely nothing."
"Which is why we need the instructions…"
Imanu looks down to where Apollo threw the instructions but they're no longer there. He moves aside the bubble wrap, styrofoam pieces, and cardboard but there's no booklet in sight. He looks at Daniel and James who shrug.
"Isn't Wakanda all advanced in technology?" Blake asks, helping Imanu look for the instructions.
"Yeah, we had running electricity when you were flying kites for a stray lightning bolt," Imanu responds.
Blake pauses, holding a styrofoam cube in his hands. Daniel catches his eye and mouths you'll get used to it.
"Hey, Xavier," Imanu says, walking up to him as Xavier untangles wires. He isn't sure how they got tangled given they were just in the box. "Since Apollo mentioned it, I thought I'd ask. Is Asgard making you do royal protocol? Sigyn isn't legitimately a royal so I'm curious."
Xavier glances at Apollo. "I've been avoiding it. Haven't even met the royal council."
"Good. Stay out of it. Don't meet them. Ever. It's been a long eight years of marriage. But if I repress those memories, which I often do, I love my wife."
Xavier gives Imanu a strange look as he takes the wires to undo all the strange knots himself. Apollo saunters over and claps a hand on Xavier's shoulder.
"Xavier, my brother, I don't even do royal protocol and I'm royal," Apollo says proudly, "but if I ever ask Freya to marry me, then she will drag you into it."
Imanu returns handing back the untied cords. "Xavier, my friend, use your absolute power not to do it. Tell Freya no."
"It's way easier to say no to royal business crap than to Freya."
"You've tried?" James asks. "I didn't think you had the balls for that."
Apollo narrows his eyes at him. "As Imanu said, it's been a long eight years. But if I repress those memories, which Sigyn did for me first, I love Freya."
The guys tried to make progress on the television but weren't sure on what to do. Even with the instructions missing, they barely knew where to start. Drinking beers wasn't smart since the tipsy ones were the 4 PhDs, 2 Masters, and Imanu's mining and royal protocol skills. Those four stand to the side as Apollo and Xavier hoist up the television to see where to put it on the wall.
"So why'd you stop at a Masters?" Daniel asks.
Blake shrugs. "Why'd you stop at a Masters for that one field?"
"Had to skirt around my graduation requirements."
"Had to actually get a job because I'm in so much fucking debt."
"Ph.D. is worth it," James chimes in. "Eight years in the back of my mind but really a power week to do it."
"That sounds like my entire higher education experience."
"Education systems are just some -ism we don't want to address," Imanu says.
The other three look at him. Imanu sips his beer but his eyes suddenly widen suddenly since the television is falling their way.
"Save the TV!" Xavier yells.
Apollo and James lunge for the TV. Daniel pulls Imanu out of the way because they have to protect the prince consort. Blake's shoved out of the way, landing on the couch before rolling onto the floor. His life flashes before his eyes as he sees a television, an Asgardian, and James flying his way. He almost closes his eyes to brace for impact but stops when James flicks a disc from his pocket and shrinks the television before shrinking himself and flying like a little sprite. He grows back to his normal size beside Xavier.
Apollo lands on the ground beside Blake, opening his palm to show him a miniature Stark TV as if it was for a dollhouse. Apollo smiles at Blake's bewildered expression as he tosses the television back to Xavier. He puts it down and James pulls out another disc which makes it grow back to its natural size.
"What the fuck was all that?" Blake asks.
"Genetics and Dad's tech," James answers casually.
Blake says nothing as Apollo pulls him up as if he weighed nothing. He stumbles on his feet and Daniel catches him.
"You'll get used to that too," Daniel advises.
"Genetics and tech, yes," Imanu adds to clarify. "Apollo manhandling you, no."
"You know, maybe those instructions will be good," James suggests.
Xavier looks at him oddly. Everyone does, Blake included. They thought James would've been the last or at least second last to mention instructions. If anything, Imanu or Daniel would bring them up again.
It's not like there's much they could do since the instructions were still nowhere to be found.
Xavier sighs as he takes out his phone and types the name of the Stark TV into the search engine. He pulls up a PDF and he isn't even sure if it's the right one but it looks close enough. However, it's in a different language so they hand it to Blake who has to take out his glasses to read it on Xavier's phone.
"You speak five languages," Apollo says.
"Not Swedish!" Blake yells back.
"Aren't you and Sigyn supposed to have an all-speak? Understanding every language?" Daniel asks Apollo.
"Shit. That's cool," Blake comments.
Apollo stares at Daniel. " … lost the instructions for that too. Besides, it's all-speak not all-read."
Daniel doesn't question further because he knows it won't get anywhere.
"Reading and writing are as linked as speaking and listening for language learning," Blake says. "All four work together, though."
"Can they build a TV?" Apollo asks defensively. "Didn't think so."
"Do you know what we need?" James asks, diverting the conversation and putting hands on Apollo and Blake's shoulders. "A TV stand!"
Everyone looks at him but then Xavier takes his phone back and nods.
"This is what your Ph.D. was meant for, aside from officiating my wedding," Xavier states. "Let's go."
-o-
Barton's House, Manhattan - 14:11 PM
The boys stopped by Home Depot to buy supplies to build a TV stand but ended up not doing that at all.
They lost James in the lightbulb aisles since he was trying to power one of the displays with his bioelectricity. Daniel supervised and Blake wanted to watch this fireworks show. Ironically, the exploding electricity was why Imanu kept his distance. Instead, he listened to Apollo and Xavier debate cherry wood and mahogany without knowing anything about them. All Apollo brought to the table was that his axe would be useful and that they should build a matching coffee table while they were at it.
They ended up finding James before he short-circuited the plaza and headed out. But first, they bought a small pine tree because they felt like they had to buy something.
The new plan was to drop by Daniel's parents' place since they were in Manhattan. However, they were passing Merida's parents' house and saw Clint out in the front yard with the lawnmower so they pulled into the driveway.
"Clint," James says as he flies out the car window before growing back to his normal size beside him. "We'll handle your yard."
"I thought you were assembling a television," Clint says.
"Grass waits for nobody," Xavier says as he starts the lawnmower.
As Xavier mowed the lawn, Apollo and Imanu were planting the small pine tree by the garage, James was trimming the lawn's edges, and Daniel was sweeping the driveway and the porch. Blake sat next to Clint on the porch, watching all the landscaping.
It didn't hit him till now that this is the first time seeing Merida's parents since he became her boyfriend and she isn't around nor knows he's here. Should he have gotten some hedge clippers or something?
"This is like bonding with brothers," Blake says. "Not my brothers-in-law but actual brothers, if that makes sense. My sisters made me play house with them growing up."
"Oh god," Xavier says, stopping the lawnmower. "Angela made me do the same thing."
"Kili too," Imanu adds.
James keeps his head down, pretending to focus on his task and not to have heard their conversation. He was almost a brother and could've had a playing house moment where he would be bored with the dolls or have more fun than her. Instead, he grew up an only child and has Daniel patting his shoulder.
Apollo laughs a little. "Thank god Sigyn came into the picture way later."
James doesn't hesitate to blast him. Apollo doesn't react but swats the spot on his arm as if it was a mosquito. That doesn't stop Blake from screaming and the others laughing at him, even Clint. Natasha walks out to see the commotion and they all gesture to Blake.
"You get used to that," Daniel tells him.
"Yeah, you really do," Imanu adds. Blake's lost count of how many times he's heard those words together.
"I hope you do," Clint says.
Natasha nods as she takes a seat beside her husband. "Me too."
Blake doesn't respond but takes Clint's and Natasha's simple words to heart. It's a sign that Merida's parents think he'll be around for a while.
-o-
Natasha went back inside for drinks and Clint got an old photo album to show Blake. He had to get his glasses because he wanted a perfect view of the photos to come. Young Agent Mer as a Girl Scout, Pre-Teen Agent Mer with braces, Teenager Agent Mer with all her friends. Family gatherings, vacations, graduations, birthdays, weddings, and anniversaries.
Blake even caught a photo of him and Merida at Emily and Daniel's wedding. Neither of them noticed but they were drinking champagne while watching the bride and groom share their first dance. They looked to be in mid-conversation, but Blake can't remember what they were talking about.
It's weird that the wedding felt like yesterday but also a year ago. He feels as if he's known the other guys for so long, almost as if he grew up with them, but the photos indicate that he didn't.
A lot of them look drastically different from their photos. James was a skinny, borderline lanky kid who would still be a rich douche now with muscle from the Academy (and still a rich douche). Apollo has a full beard and a way deeper and more booming voice, according to Clint and Natasha. Imanu wasn't even in the really old photos and neither was Sigyn but she came later and then he followed. Merida got more piercings and her small tattoos long after her braces, but her curls remained the same. Angela's hair was at various lengths. Emily, Xavier, Iqadi, and Daniel mostly grew into themselves. All their baby fat vanished in exchange for beautiful faces and more defined bodies that came with their line of work.
"You didn't even get Sigyn a ring!" Daniel yells, drawing their attention to the centre of the lawn.
"A bracelet is a ring for your wrist!" Xavier argues.
"I like that," Imanu says and Xavier thanks him.
"Didn't Queen Ororo pick yours?" Daniel asks him.
"I picked from her selection," Imanu responds. "Nicest one there."
"I think my ring wins," James says.
He takes out his phone and pulls it up to show them. They're all stunned into silence, nodding approvingly as they take turns zooming in on the picture. Even Clint, Natasha, and Blake get their peek at it.
"How long till you give that to her?" Apollo asks, laughing a bit.
James narrows his eyes, grinning. "Okay, you know what-"
James grows bigger for a split second to kick Apollo right across the lawn. He lands on his feet as Apollo stares at him from the ground, covered in grass and dirt. He keeps his eyes on James, processing as if he got kicked in the head and trying to get his thoughts back in order. It doesn't help that Xavier's laughing the whole time as he walks over to help him up.
"Impressive, right?" Xavier says, holding out a hand. "Wait, you've seen it on SHIELD Island, haven't you?"
"Now I don't have to go easy on him," Apollo mutters, eyeing Xavier who's already nodding.
"Blake, wanna be on my team?" James asks, knowing what's coming.
"Absolutely not," Blake responds.
"I mean I can…" Daniel mutters.
"Please!" Apollo yells way too excitedly when the others look alarmed. "I've dreamt of fighting The Hulk with you in there."
"If you men want to fight," Natasha says, stepping into the centre of their conversation. Her smaller frame is towered by most of the boys on the lawn, reminiscent of when they were teenagers. "I can't believe I'm calling you men when half of you are married or heading that way, and still want to roughhouse like children. But anyways, if you want to fight, don't ruin my lawn."
And now, for the fic:
Cosmically Beautiful - Ever since the clock struck and Gwen fell, Peter's been thinking of other ways he could've saved her. When the tower collapsed and MJ fell, the night Gwen died played in his mind as he ran out to her.