Chapter Text
You were watching TV in the compound’s living room after an overseas mission when the package arrived.
“Ms Y/N Khan,"Friday spoke."There is a parcel waiting for clearance at Reception 3, of the first floor, in the Common Building for you.”
“Thanks for letting me know, tell them I’ll be there in a few."You told her slipping into your flip flops.
You were so excited. The invites were finally here. Your brother was getting married in Pakistan and your parents had sent over the invitations so that you could invite your friends from work. Aka The Avengers. What your family didn’t know was that not were you just Tony Stark’s right hand but also a member of the team of the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and you preferred keeping it that way. Your occasional appearances with them were justified by the excuse that you managed the press and media for them. Although there was no lie behind that,you indeed managed their social appearances .
"How are you Catherine?"You asked the receptionist.
"I am fine. Thank you for asking Miss."She smiled at you sliding forward the box, already knowing what you were there for.
"Do I have to sign?” You asked.
“Yes, please.” She gave you a form including minor but necessary information,like time of receival, the recipient, the contents and more. In a facility full of some of the world’s most important technology and heroes security like this had no exceptions.
“Has anyone made arrangements for dinner yet Friday?"You asked her, as you sat down with a cutter and pen to open the package.
"No one has done so Miss.”
“Can you order the standard Chinese takeaway? And please tell them to come to the dining room in around twenty minutes.”
You received no reply in return but you knew she heard you well enough.
There were numerous individual packages each with two envelopes in them. You giddily opened the packet. You hadn’t seen the invites as of yet but were excited because your very best friend had designed them for your brother’s weddings.
You opened the first envelope a deep yet fresh maroon colour. An odd choice for wedding invites but it looked good. You grinned excitedly as you took out the cards. There were three of them. One for Mehndi, Barat, and Walima. All bordered by a shiny gold stripe with beautiful red and white roses.
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Sara had done a great job. The fourth piece of card, although smaller in size had names and numbers of all friends and family and on the top was your name. As the groom’s only sister you had demanded your name to be the first. Surprisingly Bhai had agreed. The card was basically RSVP. In case the guests didn’t know where the event was they could call you.
The other one was a bright pink envelope with just one card. It had so many colours it was hard to keep count. This one has the list of all the minor events like the dance practices, and Milad with one common address. Your house.
Immediately you grabbed your phone and called your brother. As the phone ringed you made a rough list of to whom you would be giving the cards to.
“Bhai!” You squealed.“The cards look so good!”
“What the hell Y/N? Its 4 in the morning.” He replied groggily. “I thought something happened.”
“Everything is alright. I love them. In fact the dholki one looks so good I can practically lick it.”
He only chuckled in response.“Have you booked your ticket yet?”
“Not yet. I am going to give out the cards then I will. Just in case anyone decides to come along with me.”
“Good. Now bye! Let me sleep. I thought I got rid of when you moved out. But you are still the devils spawn.” He hung up.
You poked your tongue out at what was now the silent phone. “I’ll ask you that when you come running to me on your wedding day.” You mimicked.
With the invites still in your hand you decided to write down everyone’s names. You weren’t inviting a lot of people from you social circle. Only the Avengers and some friends already in Pakistan. Because if they didn’t come who was going to dance? Somebody’s gotta get the party started.
As soon as you finished writing up with everyone’s names Sam came in with the takeaway.
“Friday call everyone.” He told. “Hey Y/N! What are those?” he asked as laid out everything on the dining table while you cleared up the mess.
“Wedding invites.”
He snapped his head up. “What?! When did you decide to get married?”
Before you had the chance to reply Tony and Bruce entered the room.
“You are getting married?"Tony exclaimed, shock evident in his wide brown eyes while Bruce glanced between the three of you, confused.
"Wedding invites. For my brother’s wedding."You emphasised.
"Why do you look so relieved?” Sam teased Stark.
“Just don’t want to loose my best friend to a misogynist extremist pig.”
“Hey!” You exclaimed.
“Just kidding. No offence.”
“You better be.”
Soon the rest of the Avengers arrived and all of you started. As everyone began to finish their food you decided it was the right time to tell everyone.
“My brother is getting married in March."You began. "And all of you are invited.” You passed everyone their respective invites.
“Congratulations Y/N."Steve who was sitting next to you told you.
"Thank you!”
“We would come Y/N. But only if you explain what these events even are. I for one can’t even pronounce these names”
“Don’t get sassy with me Stark.I’m getting to it.”
You took a deep breath. “Ok, so it’s January and the wedding is on the second, third and fifth of March. The first event is the Mehndi on the second. In easy words it’s just a huge dance party where we dance prepared choreographies. Dance practices and dholkies start three weeks before it. Those are stated on the other card.”
“You dance? In Pakistan?” Rhodes asked.
“Yes. Most of us do, Mehndi is the most awaited event of the wedding. It’s just one huge party. Without the alcohol though.” You warned.
“Next is the barat on the third. It’s a huge dinner at the end of which the rukhsati happens. Now that’s when the bride comes home with groom and so on and so forth. A lot of crying too. And then there is the Walima or the Reception you would say. It’s the most necessary event in a marriage after the nikkah. The groom is supposed to give a dinner after getting married. It is probably going to be the same gathering with a few more people.”
“How many people are invited?”
“Umm, around 450 to 500 on the Mehndi and 600 on Barat and Walima.”
Bruce choked on the water he was drinking. “Are you sure it is a wedding?”
“Of course, it’s a bit smaller than my other cousin’s but we wanted to be exclusive.”
“I don’t even want to know what a big wedding would be.” Steve huffed,leaning back in his seat.
“On to the other events. One day before the Mehndi is the Nikah. That’s in Badshahi Mosque in the Old Walled City of Lahore. The mughar emperor Aurangzeb built it. Nikah is the marriage contract, without it you can’t get married in Islam or have any martial relations with a man. And a day before that is the Milad it’s an event when all friends and family pray for the couple to have a blessed married life while a Molvi leads it and dance practices everyday for three weeks before that.”
“That is a lot of events. How do you even dress up for so many days?” Natasha asked.
“I love dressing up!"You told her. "Plus it’s just five days. Dance practices happen in normal clothes.”
“Now the real question is who is coming when? I am absolutely not hearing a no. This is the first time I am inviting all of you someplace. You have to come. No excuses. The stay is on me btw.”
“Well I don’t think I’ll be able to come dance practices or dholkies,whatever you call them. I have a mission that ends fortunately on the twenty eight of February so I can come straight from there.” Steve informed.
“I guess we’ll do the same. Me and Sam are also assigned that case. We will all come together.” Natasha replied.
“Count me in.” Sam agreed.
“It’s the 26th for me, I wanna dance!” Clint exclaimed.
“That’s great.” You couldn’t believe it, everyone was trying to make time for something so important to you. “What about you Rhodey, Bruce, Tony?” You asked the three.
“I will have to apply for leave, I’ll tell you in a few days."He answered.
"Bruce?”
“I don’t think it will be best thing for me to be there Y/N.” He replied. “I don’t trust the Hulk in a gathering so loud yet. Maybe next time.” He smiled apologetically at you.
You frowned at him but you understood his problem. You would never want to put any of you friends out of their comfort zone. “It’s okay.” You now looked at Tony expectantly. He had been silent throughout the whole conversation.
“When are you planning to leave?”
“ Airborne on the thirty first and I touch the ground on the first.”
“Great! We’ll take the Stark plane. No need to buy a ticket.”
“What? Seriously? You want to go one month before with me?” You were surprised the Tony Stark so obsessed with staying in his lab for days on end was willing to abandon for it a whole month.
“There is a condition though.”
You looked at him confused.
“I stay in your house.”
“Done! Even if you hadn’t said so you were still gonna stay there. Natasha and Rhodes are also with us with the whole family. But the rest of you are in the neighboring house. But don’t worry that’s Chachoo’s (Father’s younger brother) it is just like out own.”
“Now that this is over I am going to lab, have to arrange something for this shit show.” Tony got up from his seat.
“Wait, one last thing,"You stopped them.” I need to take everyone’s measurements tomorrow.“
Tony raised an eyebrow at that. "What do you want with that Y/N? Mine are-”
“Not those measurements!” You exclaimed with a disgusted expression. “For the clothes all of you will be wearing on the wedding.”
“We have suits.” Clint replied.
“Oh no no. We are gonna get you some Shalwar Kameez. And some lehngas for Nat.” You replied. “I will not have my friends up showing up as a fashion disaster.”
“What did we get ourselves into?"Natasha groaned,throwing back her head.
"Just you wait."You chuckled,grabbing the phone to call your mom.