For@phodoodle, who won one of my @marveltrumpshate 2020 Auctions. This is the seven of eight aesthetics, I’ll be making for Phoebe, so here you are!
The sound of T'Challa’s low, rich laughter bloomed warm in her chest. Yesterday, in the company of Sam and his sister Sarah, she appreciated their dynamic more than felt jealous of their closeness. Today, however, listening to her brother’s voice, seeing something tall and leafy blowing in the wind behind his head, produced a few pangs of homesickness. Leaning a little heavier against the wall behind her, Shuri scanned the cafe. Wakanda had many establishments like it; she used that familiarity to push back encroaching ennui.
“I have appreciated the images you sent, particularly that red barn —so quaint and quintessentially American.”
“I know, right?”
“I was surprised, but pleased to see that Peter Parker and the young woman I do not know were at the Avengers Facility to greet you. As I understand it, Peter is not active with the Avengers. He’s finishing up at University.” Her brother reporting those mundane details gave Shuri pause, although she wasn’t yet sure why, “Riri Williams —she goes by Iron Heart. She’s like Peter in that she’s a protege of Stark’s.”
“Yes, that makes sense,” T'Challa said.
What didn’t quite add up Shuri realized, rolling back the tape of her memory of Peter’s odd behavior at the Facility; his skittish, nervousness that never quite dissipated, compared with a sibling-like ease with Riri and nerdy nonchalance around Bucky and Sam. And here was her brother, admittedly someone whose job included keeping strategic tabs on the world’s shakers and movers, (especially empowered ones), aware of the minute details of a young person yet to win an official place on a (so-described) superhero team. Of course Shuri and T'Challa knew Parker’s masked identity, thanks to the war, but he wasn’t out to the world.
“Would you ever consider taking Peter Parker on as an R&D intern?” Shuri asked her brother on a whim. “He worked closely with Tony Stark before his passing.”
T'Challa squinted and placed a hand over his mouth the hologram, “Hmm. It’s an interesting proposition and one I’ve considered. His attachment to Queens and New York City is strong. Stark attempted to entice him to MIT, but Parker chose Empire State University to stay closer—“
As an Army spouse, Tony Stark should be used to his husband’s deployments by now. Used to playing single dad to their son while Papa is away for months at a time. But when Captain Steve Rogers is called out on yet another emergency mission, this one to the rugged mountains of Sokovia, Tony can’t help but worry.
Maybe it’s because Peter is ten already and no longer as easy to placate, or maybe it’s because it’s supposed to be Steve’s final mission, Tony isn’t sure.
All he knows is that he’s got a bad feeling about it. One that won’t be alleviated until Steve returns home to them.
