When T'Challa returned, he could feel time had passed, even if not drastically changing the atmosphere, it had changed the way he valued his life and his loved. He spent more time with his mother, let her sister's prank pass, spoke more freely towards his people, but most importantly loved his husband to death. He remembered his screams in the ancestral plains, how his father looked at him in shock and he simply smiled, love dripping from his eyes. His ancestors had blessed him before he returned. Some scandalized at being commanded , some amused by his embarrassment. He was after all the youngest there and they had all the right to tease him about his marriage.
Tony had to take some time off after he fainted upon their return. He was scared beyond his wits when he saw his love collapse. And in that moment he had also had to realise the degree of grief he had caused. Some days Tony would wake up having nightmares, the fall of new york replaced with his fall down the mountain. He came to know how Tony had refused the move out of the water the whole day after his fall and how he would visit everyday for an inch of his image. How he had given his blood sweat and tears making Wakanda stronger and safer . Reconnecting the relations and articulating potential alliances.
Regardless to say, he was making amends even if Tony assured him there was no need to. Currently walking towards the gardens , talking with Nakia, his eyes fell upon Tony playing with children . A lot of children. T'challa had suggested they take a trip somewhere, maybe Manhattan or Queens and something had twinkled in Tony's eyes he just didn't know what. Nakia excused herself seeing the king was.... Distracted. And so he walked towards his beloved. Slowly approaching from the back he heard Telling the children a story. The story of how they had met. And so he listened to Tony's version of their meetings.
"... And you see children your king is a very very brave man. He took over Wakanda so young and yet he made it so beautiful. He is so capable, very loving and emotionally mature.... Unlike some people" The last part of muttered out and T'challa knew who these 'people' are. The fallout of the avengers had been an ugly affair. A lot of damage , both physical and emotional.
But he couldn't help but feel his inclination towards Tony. While he tried to be as unbiased as possible. During the amendment of the accords he had spent a lot of time with Tony, both having lost so much had found solace in each other. Betrayal had cut deep. Tony had taken the blow on his fragile body from a Vibranium shield. He would never forgive the people who hurt him and therefore never let him be near them.
Tony was still complimenting T'challa like he was perfect in every sense. Had T'challa not been trained to maintain his demeanor he would be a blushing mess. But Tony realised that and tried to hide his embarrassment from the children, failing miserably as the children giggled.
He continued "ANYWAYYYYYY One day when I had come to Wakanda for discussing something Shuri had asked my advice on some designs. Surely she is smart, I believe smarter than me, she is a great learner and a very humble person. She asked me something that purely based on Vibranium's structure and i had no idea, because well there wasn't vibranium for me to study up untill a few months ago. You don't just distribute it because of a TrEatY because people are bit- uhh I mean people are a bit ... Bad sometimes, yeah there are bad people out there. It had only been 3 days since I received my first piece of raw Vibranium to study and the technology to study it further was here in Wakanda. And so I had stayed here."
T'challa remembers vividly how much Shuri wanted to get the two together. Purely because she loved Tony's sass and the thirst to learn much like hers. The two together where children in an amusement park, just the park was a lab and the children created revolutions every second together. She had a strong feeling T'challa won't be able to woo Tony in 9 life times ( a pun on the panther ) and thus had intervened to keep Tony here without it being all about business and making him comfortable through a familiar subjects and interests.
Tony continued " And after the third day of us being crammed in a lab he had offered to take me for sight seeing, oh it had been lovely! He had even arranged for dinner in the family hall, I had never been to that part because well it's for family only, duh! But it had been so mesmerizing. The way the whole place felt like a house where people lived, things that were there just made sense. It wasn't just fancy decor and people cleaning stuff a million-eth time. It felt like home... "
T'challa's heart warmed at his description of their would-be-considered first date. He had wanted to take him out in the finest dinners or the most posh restaurants but something within him wished for him to bring Tony to a familial place , and my god had he fit in, his custom clothes , commissioned by T'challa himself looked regal and within those walls he looked like he belonged there.
That's when he heard Tony huff a laugh "You all should have seen him, when he first saw me in the clothes HE gave me he looked like a deer caught in headlights, mother and Shuri had laughed so hard and Nakia had to hit him with her elbow."
Tony's beautiful laughter mingling with the children's was music to his ears. "But the dinner had been amazing, everything tasted magical that day, it felt like the world didn't exist, it was only him and I"
Then one of the children, a girl of about half his size asks "but how did he propose?" She gasped " Did he get on one knee like they do in the movies?!" Every child suddenly looked at Tony so intently he felt like he should hide away. Regardless he cleared his throat and began
"He actually did something even move romantic dear one, he had once asked me to join a family event, I had always been welcomed here by everyone and thus I had accepted." T'challa was once again very proud how comfortable Tomy had been with them. How easily he dwells into his memories of Wakanda. And amused how indulging he was being with the children.
During the event, it was mostly just us talking to each other and seldom someone approached me, we went to the balcony for fresh air and he kept looking at me. Then the music changed to a beautiful song and he said 'Mr Stark, may I have the honor to dance with you' " If Tony was honest, he had swooned the moment he heard those words because who wouldn't. Not that he'll say it out loud.
He had offered his hand and I had taken it without a thought, we danced and we danced and we danced till he looked me in my eyes and said "I'm a blessed man" And I had laughed and said "Indeed you are my king" , he had smiled and said "I am blessed because I hold the world's greatest treasures"," Now Now your Highness I know you have Vibranium my memory is not that weak that I'll forget you are the king of Wakanda"
Tony remembered how T'challa had
looked straight in his eyes and said the words that changed his life. He teased the children saying "but do you wanna know what he said next?" And the children seemed to be exploding with anticipation, Tony laughed looking at them . His eyes became soft and his voice quivered as he quote T'challa's proposal -
"But would you honor me as the servant of your heart, honour me and rule mine, would you bless with you?"
The children oohed and awwed while some hid their faces to hide their blushes. Even Tony couldn't look them in the eyes for a few minutes. During their collective chaos someone had noticed T'challa standing near the entrance of the gardens, leaning on the frame and had squeaked while trying to stand up. Falling on two other children and pulling everyone's attention towards the Panther king who stood trying to hold his laughter as the kids struggled to give their salutation while Tony tried to make the earth swallow him alive. But eventually also stood up.
T'challa finally entered the gardens and acknowledged the children who looked seconds from bolting from the scene. But T'challa felt like being cruel to his lover and continued the story further. Simultaneously resting his hand on Tony's waist.
"After my proposal, Tony had been too stunned to speak. He stood their in my arms before his eyes began to tear up and said "Don't be so cruel to me, don't offer me what I can't have" And I had only sworn to give him all of me from that moment on, so I told him "Ask me anything and bast may kill me if I refuse" Before kissing him. The people inside the hall had screamed to the heavens in celebration to welcome their new king. "
As he finished the kids had become progressively more embarrassed and Tony was now hiding his face with his hands. One of the kids, probably around 9 years old, in the heat of the moment shouted "I left the stove on" Bowed and bolted away from the two husbands and every single child spoke in unity "he left his stove on" , running after him. T'challa couldn't take it anymore and bursted out laughing pulling Tony closer to him.
After a few minutes he calmed down and looked at his lover, still hiding his face, "what is it my sweetest? you were so proudly showing off our love and now that I am here, you are hiding." He says purposely lowering his voice, making it deeper. He pried Tony's hands away, seeing his whole face red reaching down his neck and even his ears!
T'challa laughs lightly and puts his fingers under Tony's chin raising his face slowly to meet his eyes. He wonders if there will be a time he won't get lost in those honeyed eyes, wide and innocent looking. Mrs Stark had been so right to call him Bambino. He tries to lower his eyes but T'challa crouches down to meet them. "You seem oddly close to those children, do you meet them often? I never knew you were so good with kids. Shuri is no child and I don't suppose I've seen children around you before", he asks.
Tony sighs trying to compose himself and says "I never had the time to be myself dear. I stumbled upon these children a week ago when they accidentally came to these gardens through the back gate thinking it's an open field. I don't blame them the garden is pretty big and very beautiful".
"Not as beautiful as you my Bambi" He said enjoying the way a little composure Tony had collected dispersed in a matter of seconds. "Stop Gattino" Tony said from where his face was hidden in his chest. Muffled by his attempt to hide himself deeper into T'challa's arms. Not wanting to let the game go and thoroughly enjoying the power he had, he whispered into Tony's ears " So... Would you like to continue the story with me Tony, you know well my love, I am no little cat" , having his desired effect as Tony whimpered.
Now Tony himself was not new to this game, mind you. He was simply.... Taken my surprise if you may. And thus in a very Tonynglish say-first-thing-later, he looked up from his hiding spot, held onto T'challa pulling him down and exclaimed "I want children, get me pregnant". And thus T'challa.exe stopped working and before Tony could feel his victory, a cough caught their attention.
Nakia had returned with Ramonda and Shuri , thinking the king would have had enough time to settle his distracted mind and clear his thoughts to resume his duties. Tony could literally feel the universe laughing at him. He could feel fate wheezing at their state. Standing so close, T'challa pulling him from his waist, his own hands on T'challa's chest pulling him closer by the front of his jacket. Ramonda once again left with Nakia muttering an exasperated "children!" Under her breath and Shuri stood there, stunned out of her wits before she said "I want a nephew" And leaving.
Somewhere in Tony's mind through the embarrassment came the thought of two young boys, 'hm how about two nephews , but the baby stage is cute tho.... '
Somewhere in Queens and Tennessee two boys sneezed simultaneously.
Regardless to say, it was a good day.