Waiting for Bucky
Steve pressed his head on the side of the cold glass. He's never seen his best friend like this, frozen. Bucky insisted to go into the cyro chamber, he said it would be for the best. Now Steve could hardly stomach his best friend hanging lifelessly in the cold tube. Steve was happy to be back in Wakanda, he even wanted to stay so he could be there for his friend, but the scientists insisted that he was to leave. Scientists were crowed around the chamber, pressing buttons and checking Bucky's vitals every hour. It was the second time Steve had been to Wakanda, the first time, the scientists let him stay in the lab for a few days, they pulled up a chair for Steve and instructed for him to sit. Now, the scientists were ushering him out, frantically pressing buttons and writing things down. A chronic beeping noise sounded through the lab, and the scientists got more anxious. They were pushing Steve out of the lab just as he saw a young woman enter.
"Wait! Miss! What's going on?" Steve asked her. She didn't respond, she only flew right past him and took charge of the situation. The scientists showed their respects to the woman before continuing with their work. The door shut on Steve and he was on the outside of what was going on inside the lab. He couldn't hear anything, the windows and doors were soundproof, and he couldn't see anything because the blinds were closed on all of the windows. Steve turned and sat down in the chairs adjacent to the door, waiting for the scientists to open the door to his best friend. Minutes later, the door opened, Steve sprang up from the chair, while the scientists ran someone in a floating black stretcher down the hall. The woman who rushed into the lab ushered the people away before turning to Steve.
"Hello Captain Rogers," she said calmly. "I'm princess Shuri, the lead scientist here," she said, holding out her hand for a handshake. Steve shook her hand before asking his question.
"What was that?" He asked Shuri. Shuri smiled and looked down at Steve's shoes.
"Come, we'll talk on the way," she said. Shuri started down the hall, motioning for Steve to keep up.
"You friend is out of the cyro chamber, he's just still asleep. Not to worry, he'll be fixed in no time," Shuri explained to Steve.
"You mean Bucky's ok?" Steve clarified. Shuri nodded her head.
"Yes, if you'd like to see him, then come this way," she told him. Steve followed anxiously behind her. Steve was lead down the hallway, turning to look at the pictures around him. They finally came to a closed door leading outside. Shuri opened it to a platform on the roof, when Steve stepped onto the platform, it gave away and flew in the air! Steve felt unbalanced on the platform, but Shuri just stood there are waited for the ride to come to an end. The two finally come to a small village, where the scientists were just leaving a hut. The platform landed on a grassy plain near the hut and Shuri got off. Steve followed cautiously, taking steps carefully.
"He's in there," Shuri said, pointing to the hut. Steve thanked Shuri and walked over to the hut, a few children followed. Steve pulled back the curtain to the hut to see his best friend sleeping on a mat on the floor. He looked peaceful, like he'd been there for ages. Steve squatted down next to his best friend, he heard giggles come from the doorway and he turned his head to see this children observing at the door. They all were smiling wide, giggling uncontrollably.
"Kiss him!" one said. Steve didn't know what they were saying, but the kids stared to make a kissing noise. Steve smiled and looked at Bucky.
He leaned down, slowly, Steve got closer and closer to Bucky. The children started chanting, encouraging the contact between the two. Their chanting quickened as Steve got closer to Bucky. Steve kissed Bucky, sleeping beauty style. Steve didn't know what to expect, but he wanted Bucky to awaken like the fairy tale, so Steve could take him to New York and live happily ever after. Steve held his breath, waiting for his friend to wake up. Steve couldn't believe this, Bucky should be awake. He leaned in and kissed him again, hoping that Bucky would awaken. Steve waited a little longer, the kids at the door were completely silent, holding their hands solemnly and staring at their feet.
"C'mon Buck," Steve whispered. Steve leaned in one more time and kissed him, more forcefully than the first two times. Steve pulled away and waited, tears welling up in his eyes as every second ticked by. Steve stood up and walked out of the hut, the children rushed to Bucky's side when Steve was out of the hut. Shuri stood near the platform, waiting for Steve.
"I'd like to go back," he said to Shuri. She nodded her head and the two step onto the platform, which starts it's was back to the palace. The platform landed at the palace near a ship ready to take Steve home. Just as the platform had landed, Steve was on the ship. Within minutes it was in the sky, taking Captain Rogers home.
Once the ship was out of sight, Shuri boarded the platform to go back to the hut. She stepped off the platform to look out at the village, waiting for Sergeant Barnes to wake. Suddenly, the children rush out of the hut, screaming playfully.
"The white wolf!" they said, rushing to Shuri. Shuri looks expectantly at the door of the hut, where a man emerges moments later. He walked over to Shuri and stared out at the village.
"Are you feeling better Sergeant Barnes?" Shuri asks him. Bucky felt disoriented, like someone had kissed him multiple times, his lips still tingled, and he felt a little light-headed. Bucky dismissed the feelings as side effects to Wakanda's cyro chambers.
"Bucky," he told Shuri. She smiled a little bit and turned towards him.
"Come, there's much to do," she said, walking into the village. Bucky followed, still disoriented from the feelings he thought were side effects.