Chapter 8
Anthony came home, exhausted from filming. He dumps his car keys in the bowl by the door, he took off his shoes and wore his slippers. He dumps his bags and jacket on the dining table, and walks into the kitchen. And suddenly his tiredness were all gone, he watched as his eldest son learns how to cook with Sebastian, as the younger one cuts the vegetables.
"Remember now, once it's boils, add some salt to taste." Sebastian said to the eldest one.
"Remember what Papa said, cut it diagonally." Sebastian chuckles as he turns to his side.
"Daddy!" The younger one said as he looks up mid cutting.
"What are you making?" Anthony asked as he walks in.
"Lasagna. Papa was craving for it." The older one said.
"Nice. You want me to help you with anything love?" Anthony said as he tasted the sauce.
"I want you to go ahead and shower babe. Dinner would be ready soon." Sebastian smiles as he leans over and kissed Anthony's cheeks.
As Anthony was done with his shower, he got dressed and woke up his youngest son and brought him to the kitchen where Sebastian was nearly done. He had asked the other kids to go and take a quick shower while he and the youngest one set the table.
Dinner was served, and they decided to camp infront of the tv, and watching the news. As they watched the news, Black lives matter protest were on it. The youngest one who was sitting on Sebastian's lap, tugged on Sebastian's sleeves.
"Papa, what are they doing?" He asked.
"They're protesting, against the government. To fight for their rights. Recently a man died." Sebastian said.
"A black man died while pinned under a policeman's knee." The second one said.
"But shouldn't a policeman supposed to protect us?" The younger one asked again.
"They're supposed to protect us, they're meant to protect us, son. But the people our skin are more harmed than protected." Anthony said.
"So we should becareful when we're on the streets, we should take care of each other. I feel safest whenever papa send us to school. Not trying to be rude, daddy." The oldest one said. Sebastian then stops eating.
"I'm tired of this. Us telling our sons to take care of themselves on the street. White cops judging me whenever i bring the boys out, stopping me and asking me what I'm doing with them. They're my sons too, even if you haven't put a ring on it. It makes me feel uneasy, to know they feel safest with me just because of my skin colour. We stay in a multi races neighborhood but the amount of time i see policeman stop black man on the streets just because they think they look 'suspicious'." Sebastian said as he air quotes it.
"I want my sons to feel safe to walk down the street, to play at the playground, to mix around with the kids. I've seen way too many times a white lady pulls their child away whenever i bring our baby out to the playground. I've seen so many white ladies pointing to me and my sons, whispering racist things about them. We didn't choose the colours of our skin or our ethnicity. I didn't choose to be Romanian, my babies didn't choose to be black." Sebastian sighs.
"But i chose you Anthony. To live my life with you and our sons. I chose to love you and our sons. There's nights when you come back late and i get worried if anyone mugged you, or a random police attack. I get sick in the stomach reading news every other day, where a black girl gets assaulted or rape. Or a young black boy who was on his way back from a party and stopped by a police officer, only to end up dead or injured. I'm worried for my man and my sons safety every single day. And i can't imagine a day without any of you." Sebastian said as he kissed the little boy on his lap.
"I want our sons to know they have rights even if their skin colour are different, i want them to feel safe in this neighborhood. I want my boys to grow up and get married and we have little grandchildren. I want to see them living their dream. I want to see our eldest son doing his dream job as a lawyer, our second one wants to be a football player, and my little baby here being like his daddy. I want all of us to grow old together." Sebastian teared up as he hugs the little one.
"Baby." Anthony chokes.
"I want that too for us. For all of us to grow old together. I'm scared honestly, I've seen the backlash when they introduced me as the next Captain America, the death threats I've received. It terrifies me to think that people might harm my boys just because of their skin colour or ethnicity." Anthony said as he leans over towards Sebastian, his sons who was on the floor then stood up and sat on the sofa together.
" I want you boys to know. Your lives matter, your voices matter, stand up for your right. Fight for it. Fight for your future, because just so you know, me and papa will always fight for you." Anthony said as he hugs his boys.
"Papa, can we go there tomorrow?" The second one asked as he points to the TV, where the protests were going on.
"Yes we can. You know what, let's draw a few signs where we can bring tomorrow." Sebastian said as he kissed the second ones head.
The boys quickly finish their dinners and clean up. The older one grabs some markes to make the signs as Anthony was on a call. As the boys started writing, Anthony came back with a wide smile.
"Got off the phone with Michael and Winston, they will be joining us tomorrow." Anthony said.
"Uncle Killmonger is joining us?" The eldest one nearly jumped off his seat, Anthony chuckles and nod.
"Avenger group chat is going crazy. Chris and Scarlett will be joining us too. Jeremy is a bit busy with his daughter right now, but Robert wants to join. Tom will meet us later, Chris and Hiddleston are not in New York but they will call us tomorrow. Mark is not well right now, Eli is helping her sister handle her divorce case." Sebastian said as he looks up from his phone. Just then their doorbell rang.
Sebastian got up and walks to the door, he opens the door and couldn't help it but smile, he pulls Chadwick into a hug.
"Yo dude." Sebastian chuckles as they pulled apart.
"I heard that you're going for the protests tomorrow, so why not i show some support." Chadwick chuckles.
"You're a true brother indeed." Anthony chuckles, just then Letitia walks into their apartment.
"Well you got the king of Wakanda, why not the princess too." Letitia greets them with a chuckle.
"Bring it in." Sebastian laugh as they pulled each other into a big hug.
"Boys let me introduce to you, my friends." Anthony chuckles as he motioned the boys over.
The boys stood in a row, looking at Chadwick and Letitia.
"Wakanda Forever." The boys greets their new guest, doing the signature move.
"Aren't you boys the cutest." Letitia chuckles as she pulls all three into a hug.
The boys then got back to doing the signs as the adults helped. They coloured and draw the signs, just then the little one stops and looks up at Sebastian.
"Papa, would uncle chris be there?" He asked with a tilt of his head, Sebastian just nods.
"Well, then i hope he would bring his shield and say, Avengers Assemble." He replied, earning laughter from the table.
"Well if only you daddy returns him the shield." Chadwick chuckles.
"Daddy is the new Captain America." The oldest one said, earning agreement from his siblings.
"I'm proud daddy is the next Captain America, the world deserves another black superhero, like Miles Morales." The second one said with a silly grin on his face.
"Hey don't forget the Black Panther. He's a superhero too." Chadwick chuckles.
"But my daddy has a shield." The little one said.