T'challa/Sam 5
Sam's cleaning up his yard some when he sees a moving truck across the street.
An older woman and a teenage girl are directing the movers.
"Um, hi, I'm Sam, I live across the street," he introduces himself.
"I am Romanda, this is my daughter Shuri," the older woman introduces with a handshake.
The teen throws him a peace.
A man around his age walks out of the moving truck with 6 boxes piled high, "Are you forgetting someone, mama?"
"How could I forget you T'challa?" Romanda laughs.
"You never shut up," Shuri smirks.
He takes the boxes inside before offering a hand, "I am T'challa, Romanda's son, it is a pleasure to meet you, Sam," T'challa shakes his hand firmly, a warm smile on his face.
"Uh, some friends of mine from around the block are getting together tomorrow night for a barbecue, if you three want to join us?" Sam can't stop himself from offering.
"“Friends of yours”? As in a bunch of old men? Count me out," Shuri denies, but her mother elbows her.
"We would love to come, Sam," Romanda agrees.
~~~
Sam's grilling when T'challa waves at him over the fence.
"Incoming," Tony jokes.
"It looks like the whole neighborhood is here," Romanda comments as Peter opens the gate for them.
"Pretty much, now that the three of you are here," Natasha chirps.
~~~
Most of the neighborhood is gathered around T'challa as he tells stories about Wakanda, and his childhood there, minus Shuri, Wanda and Peter, who are under the tree watching videos on Shuri's phone.
Sam tries to focus on cooking when Steve comes and puts a hand on his back.
"Something on your mind, Sam?" He hums.
"Nothing.." Sam shakes it off.
~~~
"Thanks for coming, guys, the others really liked you," Sam smiles as everyone starts to head home.
"Thank you for inviting us, perhaps next time we could do it at our house," T'challa shakes his hand.
"Sure thing."
~~~
T'challa invited everyone to their house a week later, and...damn.
Sam is amazed that a house with the same floor plan as his could look so much better...
They even have a pool table.
"I hope you don't think I did this to upstage you.." T'challa places a hand on Sam's shoulder.
"Not at all.." Sam shrugs it off.
~~~
A few months go by, not a lot happens, besides Sam looking at his lawn, then across the street and wondering if Romanda is some sort of nature witch...
Then October rolls around.
Every year Sam and Steve do a haunted walk through their backyards, mostly for Clint's kids and their friends, and most of the others pitch in.
This year Sam was told T'challa offered to do a haunted house at his place.
"We could still dress up and help out, Thor and Bucky are," Steve offers.
"...fine, sure," Sam sighs.
"There's something else wrong, isn't there, Sam?"
"Nah, just...lost my thunder, ya know?"
~~~
Sam is ready to jump and scare the kids coming around the corner...
Except it's not the kids he was expecting, but instead Peter and Shuri, and Peter ends up punching him in the face.
"Oh shit! Mr. Wilson! I'm so sorry!" Peter helps him up.
"Nice hit, kid.." Sam huffs.
After his nose starts bleeding he sighs, giving up.
"You're going home already?" Shuri whines.
"Yeah, you guys have this covered.." Sam shrugs.
"But my brother did this for you," the teen girl whines.
"What?"
"S-so you wouldn't have to do it all!" T'challa wraps an arm around his sister's shoulders, "But I understand, you need to take care of that, go ahead."
~~~
Once Sam gets home from his mom's after Thanksgiving on the first of December he's surprised to see the house across the street.
The halls are sufficiently decked, that's for sure.
"Welcome home, Sam!" T'challa greets, hanging another wreath on the garage.
"Thanks... You know, Santa called, he's wondering where half his workshop went," Sam jokes.
"I heard so many people aren't decorating, and that a few people around the neighborhood, m-mostly the kids...are really upset, so...I went a little overboard," T'challa smiles.
"Yeah, it's a real bummer so few people decorate anymore, I love the Christmas lights," Sam nods.
"I......had no idea!" T'challa hums.
"Brother! Phone for you!" Shuri calls out the window.
"Pardon me," T'challa makes his way inside.
~~~
Sam decides to try and match T'challa's lights, and is actually pretty proud of his work.
Until the night after he finishes.
T'challa is dressed as Santa, giving out candy canes.
"Really?"
"Clint asked..." T'challa explains.
"Do I have to be an elf?" Shuri complains.
~~~
New Years Eve...
Sam is getting back from a grocery run before the stores close early, when he bumps into Shuri.
"Hey, your brother doing something big for tonight too? Trying to blow my beers with Steve and Bucky out of the water?" He jokes.
"You are incredibly dense, Sam," Shuri rolls her eyes.
"What do you mean?"
"T'challa isn't doing all of this to upstage you."
"I know I was-"
"He's doing it for you," Shuri rolls her eyes.
"Excuse me?"
"He's been trying to impress you since we got here! You're just so thick in the head, it's almost pathetic," Shuri admits.
"Impress me?"
"How slow are you? My brother likes you, dummy."