Quiet Dreams

"Still up, sister?"

T'Challa was entering the lab like he owned it. Well, he kind of owned it, but it was still her lab, she'd always been adamant about it.

She was too tired and too focused to quarrel about it, though. She was analyzing data while keeping an eye on James Barnes sleep. Familiar warnings were popping up on the monitors.

"Yes, I have a lot of work."

"How is he doing?"

"Currently having a nightmare," she said while pointing an obvious finger to some charts, "But he doesn't want to talk about it."

She raised her gaze to his brother, unable to hide her annoyance: "He straight up lied to me about it!"

T'Challa's laugh made her throw her arms up in exasperation.

"That's not funny! How am I supposed to help him if he doesn't let me?"

James was obedient; he didn't shy away from her experiments and never questioned her approaches. But as soon as it came to the more psychological aspect of their work, he'd just clam up. It was kind of infuriating not to know what was happening in this man's head. The head she was supposed to fix.

"Give the man a break, Shuri," said T'Challa, as if he'd read her thoughts.

She bit her lip, stared a while longer at the screen before realizing that her brother was still standing next to her.

"What are you doing here anyway? Aren't you supposed to be off on some king-related activities? Or did Nakia throw you out?"

"I'm here to tell you Ayo is back from her mission and I have decided to assign her to Mr. Barnes security."

"That's a bit cruel."

Ayo was not successful in protecting their father, and James was framed for Baba's murder. Even if she had no reason to resent him, having a constant reminder of her failure couldn't be all too pleasant.

"I'd be more comfortable with the Dora Milaje involved in your protection, Shuri."

"I thought it was about James' protection. I'm very capable of taking care of myself."

The retort came in a bitter tone she immediately regretted. Bast, sleep deprivation was hard on her.

"Shuri…" started T'Challa, his voice low with concern.

She looked at the screen again and part of her wanted to go to James, to comb his hair with her fingers to ease away his bad dreams, to erase the memories that haunted him. It would be terribly unprofessional and maybe a little bit risky, so she gave T'Challa the answer he expected from her instead:

"Yes, yes, I know, I'm fixing a brain-washed assassin, not healing a lost puppy. Don't worry brother, Ayo and I will keep him in safe custody."

"Good."

"You're not the least worried about your safety, are you?"

Shuri woke up, startled by the thump of a coffee mug being put next to her. She had fallen asleep on her desk. Again. A deep, restful, exhaustion-induced sleep. Most people wouldn't be able to sleep with an assassin next door. Well, she was obviously not "most people".

"What time is it?"

"Late," answered Ayo, her gaze locked on James. The man was reading, cross-legged on his bed, seemingly unaware of the two Wakandian observing him. His room was more like a prison; three walls, and a large bay window. Very Spartan, which he didn't seem to mind.

Shuri made sure he was still free to go as he wanted around the lab, and she suspected that he was the one to lay a blanket on her shoulders while she was asleep. She felt a little bit guilty about the warmth of her dreams, the quiet feeling she got from them, the long hours of nap she indulged herself to get while he was still struggling with his nightmares.

"You guys got acquainted?" she asked Ayo.

"Yes, princess."

Good. She wouldn't have to deal with this awkwardness. She welcomed the bitter taste of her coffee and got up, walking straight to the man she was tasked to deprogram:

"Ready for a long day of work, James Buchanam Barnes?"

"You know, you could just call me Bucky, like everyone else."

She smiled:

"What would be the fun in that?"

Truth was, she was perfectly fine with not being "most people".

"So, she makes you run."

"Yup."

Ayo said nothing more.

Bast, what was she going to report to Okoye and T'Challa?

"I need data and time. Exercise is good for him," Shuri stated absently, scribbling notes and calculations.

The tablet computer she was using suddenly disappeared from under her fingers.

"Hey, give that back!"

"Eat first, princess," retorted James. "I'm not going to disappear or self-destruct if you take a break during dinner. It's bad enough we have to eat in the lab."

Truth was, she'd been at it for weeks and yet didn't quite know how to cure him.

"Fine."

An uncomfortable silence settled in the room, only disturbed by the awkward jingling of the cutlery. This was only then that she realized her patient was probably not the most talkative man and Ayo, well… She was Ayo.

"So, shall I ask about the weather?" she snickered, her lips pursed and her eyes shining with laughter.

A smirk was also playing on Bucky's mouth, as he answered: "Well, back in my days, it was considered very impolite to talk while eating."

It didn't matter if they ate in silence.

Shuri felt the same peaceful feeling as in her dreams and she was glad to just take some time to enjoy this moment.