"YES! Yesyesyesyesyes! YES!" Clint ran in the common room, round the couch three times, then back out again.
Steve stared after him, nonplussed. "What just happened?" He asked Natasha.
"Something a long time coming." She smirked, striding after Clint. "Come on, we don't want to miss the wedding."
"What wedding?" He hurried down the corridor.
Somehow the Avengers ended up on the Helicarrier. Clint leading the party, practically skipping, grabbing a couple of agents for an impromptu dance session, and all the while beaming like nothing Steve had ever seen before.
"Am I imagining it or does Hawkass look more homicidal than usual?" Stark whispered
"I don't know what's going on." Steve replied.
"Is there not a great occasion of merriment occurring with our valiant archer as it's guest of honour?" Thor received confused looks, "See how the many of SHIELD offer congratulations and cheer to our brother-in-arms. Does Clinton not have a day to celebrate his feats in battle like the finest of Asgard?"
"There is a celebration but it's not what you're thinking." Natasha finally butted in from the back of the group, sly and knowing. Steve got the feeling she was laughing at them. "Coulson's getting married."
"A most joyous occasion!"
"And he didn't invite me! I'm the life of the party! I could've jacked this thing up way better than the Helicarrier!"
"Who's the lucky lady?" Bruce interjected.
"Clint."
"Ah," He nodded.
The other three stared for 2 seconds before surprise unfroze them.
"A strong union! I was not aware of Son of Coul and Clinton's suit. We must prepare a feast!"
"Wait! Back up this jet! They're a thing? I thought you– you- you and Clint aren't…"
"…What?"
Natasha took a moment to laugh at them without actually making a sound or breaking her expression. It was a feat Steve had seen before, and it always managed to make him feel thick as two planks stuck together.
Stark was the first to recover out of the two of them.
"So you three planned a wedding and didn't think to even bring in Captain Planet over here as a ring boy?" However did this man rope in a dame like Miss Potts?
"No, it was a fairly spontaneous thing. But I thought it would happen any day now."
"Ah." Bruce seemed to understand something the rest of them didn't. "The Supreme Court just passed legislation on gay marriage." He explained.
"….Nevermind Clint but I'm pretty sure Coulson knows what state we live in." Stark raised an eyebrow, his gaze darting over all of them. "Plenty of chances to put a ring on it before today."
"Not for me Mr Stark." Agent Coulson's suddenly at the end of the corridor they just came through, glancing over all of them before locking eyes with Natasha. "He's on the bridge?" She nods and he lights up, eyes bright as he moves past them.
"Okay now what does that mean?!" Stark complains as they trail behind them like ducklings.
"I'm not prepared to be granted something other people are denied. Freedom to Marry has finally achieved it's goal today. We are finally free to marry. All of us." They finally reach the bridge and there's Clint, standing to the side of Director Fury, agents clustered on the lower edges and blocking every other exit but this one.
Clint and Coul— and Phil see each other and Steve sees the rest of the world fall away around them, sees their history; love, understanding and easy joy on full display as Phil makes his way to stand beside this man forever.
"I thought the bridesmaids came before the bride."
…This smartass man that Coulson wants to marry forever.
Fury clears his throat;
"Fucking finally. Motherfuckers, we are gathered here today because this has been a long eleven years' coming and this motherfucking idiot," he jerks a thumb at Coulson who smiles placidly back, "wouldn't just say yes when they legalised this in Massachusetts and fucking agree to some witch-themed wedding in Salem."
Steve is pretty sure there aren't supposed to be that many swearwords in a wedding speech.
"So then this other motherfucking idiot mopes for fucking ever over a 'Wait,' and then turns it into a fucking crusade with his petitions and speeches and disappearing half an Academy just to go to a Pride parade!"
"What is this parade of pride? Do lions roam the streets?"
"—having our Psych ward deal with over nine dozen sexuality, gender identity, homophobia and transphobia cases just cause of the first motherfucking idiot. I cannot make this shit up people. Trust these two shitheads to involve all the rest of us in their big stupid drama. So this is it. Fucking finally. I pronounce you two. You're married. Get out."
Coulson furrowed his brow, "I have vows—"
"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Even Thor staggered back from the deafening yells. Of all the many, many (thousands) of people voicing their denial Clint was the most feverent; one hand forcing the paper back inside the suit jacket while simultaneously cleaning Phil's tonsils out with his tongue.
Steve stared at them for a second before averting his gaze out of politeness amongst the whistles and catcalls.
"Okay, we get it. Agent Romanov get these assholes outta my face. Take a Quinjet and a month. Don't call."
AD Hill stepped up, "Show's over people. Nothing you haven't seen before."
WitW: Freedom To Marry has finally been achieved in all fifty states. I live on the other side of the Atlantic and this news just reached me. Today I'll rejoice. Tomorrow I will keep campaigning. Someday this will open the door for acceptance for Aromantic Pansexuals like me.
All it takes is change.
Thank you to my favourite OTP for helping me celebrate this. You guys are shiny.