Chapter 9- T'challa and Clint POV
T’challa POV
T’challa watches as Shuri’s careful hands tapped and turned the holographic image that controlled what the tools and lasers currently in Vision’s head were doing in the pit below them.
“Brother do you plan on asking me something or just standing there?” asked Shuri smiling slightly as stared intently at the hologram she was manipulating.
“I like watching you work,” he replied.
“Not creepy at all,” chuckled Shuri smirking but not taking her eyes off her work. “What is troubling you brother?” she asked.
“How did you know.” sighed T’challa. Shuri smirked,
“Magic.” she said sarcastically, “No you idiot, I know you.” her fingers were making a turning motion in the air on the hologram.
“Many things bother me, sister.” T’challa sat down rubbing his face with his hands.
“That seems to be a trend around here lately, should I find something to be bothered about?” She laughed again and T’challa smiled, Shuri really could lift someone’s spirits when she wasn’t showing off. “Yet,” her tone became serious as she tapped at a small pulsating spot in the floating holographic mind stone, “You seem to be thinking about a specific thing.”
“Are you sure you’re not using magic?” asked T’challa, Shuri sighed probably if she wasn’t working she would be rolling her eyes.
“No you fool, I’m a genius remember?” she paused. “Logically it could be one of three things. Thanos, Wakanda, or the Avengers. As they should be a major thing that could be troubling you. However it could be something else,” Shuri smirked suggestively, eyes glinting, T’challa began to interrupt, “Are you blushing brother?” she teased. “I guess I’ve hit a nerve. Anyway,” Shuri continued before he could interrupt again. “You had a meeting about Thanos yesterday and we worked out a reasonable plan so, unless you’re being overly sceptical, that shouldn’t be bothering you at this moment. Wakanda has more than just their king to defend it and, thanks to me, the most advanced weaponry in the world. That leaves the Avengers. Many reasons to worry about them, the obvious one being the fracture that remains from the ‘Civil War’ between each half of the team.” Shuri was chewing her lip in thought as she dissected his behaviour while performing brain surgery. “The effect of that being troublesome. How will they work together when they won’t even talk? Who will each side agree to follow? What on earth did Captain Rogers do to Stark to leave him in the state he’s in?” T’challa looked at his hands in shame.
“It’s my fault too.” He sighed, “I left him in Siberia, assuming his suit would work after being defeated by a couple of super soldiers. I should have checked on him, contacted someone, I should have-”
“But you didn’t,” Shuri stated with finality as she made another swipe at the hologram and tapped it a couple more times. “You didn’t check in afterwards either, or now, or even apologize.” She made several more motions and then seemed to finish as she began to close the Hologram. Shuri walked towards the staircase leading to the pit.
“At the very least ask how he’s doing or apologize.” Shuri said smiling sadly at him, “Stark need to know you are regretting it.” T’challa nodded standing up and looking down into the pit to see Vision holding the Mind Stone in his hand as if it was a figment of his imagination and Shuri talking to him. T’challa sighed beginning to head away from the medical wing and to Shuri’s labs which according to her had been connected to Stark’s lab back in the Avengers Compound which would probably occupy Stark at the moment considering he never appeared out of it. Entering the lab he saw that there was indeed a glowing teleport that seemed to lead to Stark’s lab. Walking in he saw several robotic arms moving things around at various desks. T’challa looked around for a few seconds admiring the various suits before he heard loud voices down a hall. Following the noise he walked past piles of clutter before reaching a door, hearing the yelling T’challa stood by the door unnoticed by Dr Strange or Stark who were arguing, Strange clearly irritated.
“I am not here to do magic to your beck and call Stark, I am here to fight Thanos.”
“Come on Strange, it’s one more spell, last time, I swear.”
“Why should I do this exactly?”
“For the good of the team, we can't work together when we are all arguing so logically mending the broken things should fix the team.”
“And you’re sure that this is the thing that is broken?” Strange said crossing his arms.
“This is the thing that can actually be fixed,” Stark replied calmly. “So can you? Do it for the team.” Strange stared at him for a few seconds before sighing.
“Fine, you want it in their rooms right?” Stark nodded smirking triumphantly.
“Thanks, Gandalf.” He then noticed T’challa and turned.
“Hey Kitty King, what’s up?” Strange left giving a final exasperated look at Stark and nodding to T’challa.
“I wished to talk to you,” T’challa said hesitantly.
“Yeah?”
“I wanted to…” T’challa paused. “Apologize.” Immediately Stark froze for a millisecond before looking at T’challa.
“What for?” he asked reproachfully. T’challa looked him in the eyes and said.
“For leaving you… In Siberia, I should have checked on you, made sure you weren’t injured or your suit was broken.” Stark averted his eyes looking at one of the robots who had just come in as if on cue, carrying a glass of whisky which it brought over to Stark who immediately took it and sipped.
“Thanks, Dummy,” He glanced at T’challa. “Do you want something?” T’challa his head not wanting to drink at a time like this not that he often drunk anyway. “Well,” Stark began draining the glass and giving it back to Dummy, giving him a pat on the head. You didn’t need to apologize. I’m fine, I don’t blame you, I’m over it.” This was obviously a lie but T’challa didn’t think pushing would be a good idea so he said goodbye and headed back through the lab planning to go to his study and do some thinking.
“Your Highness,” nodded Bruce who was working on something that T’challa couldn’t see. T’challa smiled at him and continued on his way.
Reaching his room he stepped through the doors held open by some of the guards stationed there. Entering he moved to sit down at his desk but saw a package there.
“Was someone in here?” he asked one of the guards in Wakandan.
“No, your Highness.” T’challa nodded considering.
“Could you call my sister up here?” The guard nodded and began to walk down to the lab. Waiting, T’challa watched the package from afar. It was simple brown paper with an unmarked envelope on top, nothing suspicious but you could never be too careful.
“What is it brother?” asked Shuri entering.
“Someone appears to left this package here but apparently no one came in.” Shuri looked at the package then lifted her wrist and tapped her kimoyo bead and accessed the security footage of the room. T’challa looked over her shoulder as she began to play it. No one was in the room, then all of a sudden the package appeared.
“Hmm, why don’t you just activate your suit as a precaution and open it?” Shuri asked closing the footage. T’challa considered this before deciding and activating his suit he walked towards the package. He picked up the envelope, opened it and began to read.
Your Highness,
No need to panic, this won’t explode or anything, it is simply a message. As you may understand, Thanos is coming and likely to kill trillions if the Avengers and Co. cannot agree to work together. To do so they must trust one another and understand both the past of the team and individuals who are keeping things hidden and as a result, distrust is growing in the group. I myself would rather not die and the thing I fight with is secrets and truths. So enclosed in the package is a set of videos which can only be played when all the Avengers and Co. are present. That means wait until Thor is back.
Sincerely,
Syn
T’challa looked disbelievingly at the letter for several seconds before opening the package. Inside were several disks numbered 1 onwards and another envelope. T’challa picked that up as well and saw writing on the outside.
Sorry, this envelope will only open when you are about to watch the videos. And the Videos will only play when everyone is present.
Sighing T’challa looked up at Shuri his suit retreating into his necklace.
“Well?” She asked curiously. “What is it?”
“Some disks. Videos. Supposedly they will tell the Avengers the truth and get them working together again.” Shuri smirked,
“So we get to watch an inspirational montage and somehow it will fix the mess that is the Avengers?” T’challa rolled his eyes placing the envelope back in the box.
“I will keep this here. When Thor returns I will call a meeting in our private cinema and we can watch the videos.” Shuri nodded.
“Fair enough. I should go back and help check Stark’s work on the replacement for the hole in Vision’s head left by the stone.” T’challa looked up from the box he had been closing.
“Everything went well then? Where did you put the stone?” Shuri nodded to the first question before answering.
“Yes, everything was fine. I was the one operating after all. The stone I left with Strange. He seems a capable protector after all.” T’challa smiled at his sister as she left the room. Before staring at the box, wondering what was on the disks.
Clint POV
“What’s this?” asked Scott suspiciously looking at a piece of paper taped to his and Clint’s door. After the Asgardians had come to Wakanda Scott and Clint had decided to share a room since Asgardians needed a lot of space and it wasn’t that big of a deal since it was a large enough room. Clint tore the note off the door and opened it.
“Hopefully this will make you understand we’re on the same side.” Clint read, “Sighed TS.”
“That’s Stark then.” said Scott, Clint nodded. “I’m kind of scared to enter the room now.” Clint glanced at him.
“It can’t be that bad,” he said more trying to convince himself. “Just be ready to jump out of the way if a swarm of bots come out and attack us.” Scott nodded bending his knees and getting into a defensive stance. Clint hesitantly pushed open the door. No bots came out so it was supposedly safe. He and Scott entered the room to encounter a glowing circle they recognized as one of Strange’s portals. It seemed to lead to a living room. All of a sudden a girl ran at Scott and was hugging him.
“Dad!” cried Cassie Lang as she hugged her father who after realising what was going on had embraced her as well practically sobbing with joy. There was another cry as Lila jumped at Clint in excitement closely followed by Laura, Cooper and Nathaniel who was now almost five.
“What? How?” gasped Clint in surprise.
“Tony had hidden us from Ross and then a wizard appeared and said that this portal lead straight to your room.” explained Cooper.
“Stark?” said Clint in surprise. Laura glared at him.
“Have you been a dick to him. Clint? Really?” she sighed kissing his cheek.
“I-I didn’t know.” Clint muttered. “I missed you.”
“We missed you too Dad.” said Lila still hugging him. Meanwhile, Scott had noticed who Clint assumed was his Ex-Wife standing near the portal with who Clint supposed was Jim Paxton. Clint sat down on his bed, Laura sitting next to him and leaning her head on his shoulder, Cooper sat in the chair opposite his bed and Lila sat on his other side while Nathaniel scrambled into his lap and continued hugging him as if letting go would mean Clint would disappear.
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Later, Clint had said goodnight to the kids who, because it was Stark had been living in the equivalent of an underground mansion with AI, and extremely crazy tech and entertainment systems. Clint now lay on a sofa in the underground mansion with Laura’s head resting on his chest.
“I should never have left.” he said.
“No, you shouldn’t have. You were retired Clint and there wasn’t a worldwide threat it was just an argument blown way, way, way out of proportion.” Clint sighed, knowing she was right.
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine.” most likely a lie. “I know you felt obligated to go do some avenging or whatever, but you should have discussed it with me a bit first, instead of just telling me and then going.”
“I know.”
“And apologize to Tony, you don’t have to be friends again if you don’t want to but at least acknowledge that he did protect your family when you couldn’t.” That kind of stung
“I will.” They were quiet for several more seconds. “I love you and I’m super sorry I left.”
“I love you too and forgive you, just try not to die during this global crisis and we can go home.” Clint smirked.
“I’ll try.”