Aubrey peered up over her book, blinking her dry eyes and adjusting to sit on her foot. Bucky lounged beside her on the couch, his nose in a different, much older book. Apparently, Shuri had stuffed all sorts of random and interesting things into different areas in the huts, including several books. Bucky was reading The Hobbit by J. R Tolkien and Aubrey was halfway through a book called Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard. The storm continued to rumble outside but they had already gone out and fed the animals before coming in and drying off. Bucky's gaze flickered up, finding Aubrey watching him. A small smile played on his lips as he started
"Bet you didn't know I read this when it came out"
"What? Really?" Reluctantly marking the spot in her novel, she set it down and got to her feet, peering out the window. "- So you're admitting to your old age?"
"No, I'm just saying I've read this before" he backtracked. "It's pretty good if you want to try it when I'm done."
"I suppose I will...Hey, I think some of the clouds are clearing!" Aubrey couldn't keep the excitement out of her voice. It had stormed for three days straight and as much as she liked sitting around, the restless energy between the two was becoming insufferable. Bucky opened his mouth to respond but a sudden knock on the door brought both of them to their feet. Glacier slid out from the table he was hiding under (he had endured a long, angry ramble from both Aubrey and Bucky for attempting to eat the Game of Life) to whine pitifully at the door, his big eyes focused on Aubrey as she unlocked it. She tried to hide the shock on her face but wasn't very successful. Captain America stood on their doorstep, looking both nervous and very wet. Water dribbled down his face and dripped off of his sweatshirt and jeans. His hands wrung nervously and he tried to hide it behind a smile. Aubrey backed up several steps, letting Bucky take over. He flashed her a questioning look before stepping forward and giving Cap a tentative smile, shoving his hands into his jean pockets.
"Steve...what..what brings you here?"
"Just a visit to an old friend...if he wants to be visited." He finished, giving Bucky a hopeful look.
"Yeah...yeah...that would be nice-" he paused, eyes flicking to Aubrey "-Is that okay?"
"Of course Bucky, I'm not in charge of you. I should go clean some things up anyway-" she shrugged, happy that he wanted to spend time with his old friend. "- But watch out for the mud!" she called after them as Bucky followed Cap outside. A resounding boom of thunder caused the ground to tremble as she closed the door and plopped back onto the couch, gazing longingly at Red Queen before staring at the kitchen. Bucky couldn't cook without her looking over his shoulder and surely Cap would want to stay for dinner or even overnight. The horses probably needed to be checked on, the goats too. But nothing seemed more important than reading one more chapter. So Aubrey picked up the book and pulled a soft blanket out of a basket as Glacier cuddled up beside her.
The fire popped and danced in the light breeze as Aubrey rotated the potatoes, checking on the beans and meat. Bucky and Cap were seated on stones, the sun had started to set and Aubrey listened to the two reminisce as she worked.
"Do you remember when we used to take the couch cushions and sleep on them?-" Bucky started, memories gleaming in his eyes.
"I remember you sleeping on my bed" Cap grinned "- At least until mom found out."
"She got so mad at me, refused to make lasagna for like a month….and made spaghetti that night"
The feeling of being watched skittered up her back and Aubrey glanced up from her spot on a log to find Bucky watching her with something unintelligible in his eyes.
"You remember when I told you about the lasagna and spaghetti Brie?"
A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as her face scrunched "yeah...you said the noodles were crunchy...which sounds disgusting."
"It was-" Cap agreed, shifting in his seat. His eyes zipped between the two of them for a moment before focusing on Aubrey, mirth shining in them. "-Should we be afraid to eat your food?"
"Well, Bucky isn't dead yet. If you ever see him cooking though...be very afraid-" Aubrey pulled the leaf-wrapped potatoes out of the fire before taking the pot of green beans and beef out of the fire. "-You know it's bad when he won't eat his own food" she finished, handing out wooden plates and utensils. The three became quiet as they dished out the food and started eating. After several minutes, Bucky piped up
"This is good Brie, thanks for making it," Cap nodded in agreement.
"You're welcome-" she paused, a question brewing at the back of her mind. Bucky rose a brow at her
"You have a question" he prompted and after a moment, she nodded, continuing
"What was it like, Bucky, when you first saw Cap after the serum? And vice versa for you Cap?" Putting her empty bowl on the grass, Aubrey rested her elbows on her knees, leaning forward as Bucky started.
"I'd say the biggest change was that everyone looked at him first. It was like I was invisible!"
Cap cut him off, chuckling "-Remember at that bar when Peggy asked me to dance and you thought she was talking to you?" A silver of sadness shimmered in his eyes when he talked of Peggy Carter but he hid it behind a smile.
Bucky's face tinged a pale pink and Aubrey couldn't help but grin "Poor Bucky, all alone with no one to talk too"
He mock frowned at her before gathering up the leftover food and bowls and taking them to Aubrey's hut, leaving her and Cap alone. He watched the fire, battling emotions in his eyes but after a moment, he peered at Aubrey.
"Bucky….he's...okay?" the words came tentatively but she heard worry behind them.
She thought about the words and what the answer should be...the one that Cap wanted or the one that was true.
"Wakanda has brought us peace….we are...healing...Bucky and I both have our days….how is everyone with you and the group?" She wondered what Wanda was up to, the redhead hadn't tried to contact her since leaving Wakanda.
"Wanda is with Vision, Nat is deep undercover, both Clint and Lang are on house arrest with their families, Sam too. I bounce around between places, try to help where I can...why?"
"I just wondered, Bucky feels bad about leaving them behind."
"That's understandable" Cap murmured as Bucky emerged from her hut and ambled back over.
"Do you ever wonder what the Howling Commandos would've thought of you pre-serum?" he settled beside Aubrey on the log and handed her a sweater.
"How did you know I was chilly? Thanks" she murmured, pulling on the knitted maroon sweater as Cap answered.
"They probably would've laughed themselves into oblivion" he grinned
"The Commandos probably wouldn't believe it unless they saw it" Bucky cut in, chuckling under his breath. The sun had slipped beneath the horizon as Aubrey leaned slightly against Bucky, deciding that listening to the two reminiscing was her new favorite thing to do.
Cap left late that night, promising to come back soon. Bucky's eyes continued to glow long after his old friend left.
Aubrey tramped around the clearing, watching as the horses trotted out of the pasture and grazed in the clearing. Navi wandered up beside her, the village children breaking off to go pester Bucky.
"You've done a good job with this place-" she commented, patting Aubrey on the arm with a soft smile. "-And I know you and him are enjoying Wakanda..but I've been wondering something dearie...and don't take this the wrong way okay?"
"Okayyyyy…" she drew the word out, following Navi to the shade of a nearby tree. The elderly woman waited until they had settled beneath it before going on.
"Now, you and Bucky….are you just friends?"
"Um...yeah..? What are you getting at Navi?"
"Nothing in particular unless you're trying to tell me something?" she raised a brow in question. Aubrey's face twisted in confusion
"What...do you mean..?"
"Okay, I thought I'd try to see how much you knew but I suppose you haven't experienced much of life have you?-"
Concern rose up inside of her but she let Navi continue.
"-Well...I don't know….I've been watching you two over the past months and I don't know Aubrey….I'm just a meddling old woman. All I'm going to say is that maybe you should evaluate your relationship with him, okay dearie?"
"Okay, Navi" the words were quieter than she meant them to be but already Aubrey could feel doubt and uncertainty rising up.
"Evaluate our relationship?-" she murmured to herself, hoisting a bale of hay into the horse's paddock, it landed with a satisfying thud. Hopping into the pen, she started moving it into the hay feeder, cutting the strings with her nails. "-What does that even mean?"
Navi's words had brought confusion into Aubrey's mind, she had always thought of Bucky as a close friend but maybe he wasn't. If Bucky wasn't her friend….than what was he? They acted like good friends...didn't they? The questions swirled around in her mind like a tornado, destroying any thoughts in its path. She didn't have answers for any of them and Aubrey didn't know if there was anyone besides Navi to ask….Except maybe Shuri. The Wakandan Princess would certainly have a strong point of view on the situation...and perhaps more life experience than her.
Tapping the bracelet of Kimoyo Beads, she spoke to them
"Call Shuri."
The beads hummed and glowed in strange patterns before chirping and pulling up a live hologram of Shuri.
"Aubrey! It has been quite a while since I've heard from you, is everything alright?" the accented princess asked.
"Yes, everything is fine...well...mostly fine... I have what could be a weird question...I don't know, it's probably silly."
"You want chickens now don't you?-" she grinned mischievously.
"No...not yet anyway. Actually Uhm...Navi, Ayo's grandmother, you've met her right?-" she waited until Shuri nodded before continuing "-She told me that I should reevaluate my relationship with Bucky...but I don't even know what that means. Does she want me to ask him if we are friends? Cause I thought we were...She probably meant something else...and I'm just not seeing it at the moment..." the words came out in a rush and Shuri stayed silent for a minute before answering.
"Perhaps you can come to the palace for a few days? I've been working on some new designs that could use some testing anyway. And I can see in your eyes that you're itching for a little adventure."
"Well….I guess I could, I think Cap was planning on coming out again….So if I left while he was here then Bucky wouldn't be alone.."
"See, it's all planned out! It'll be good for you to come back to the modern world for a bit anyway...I'm assuming I don't need to send a jet, you can just fly yourself?"
"Yeah…. And Shuri? Thanks"
"Anytime Aubrey." she wiggled her eyebrows before the hologram disappeared and the beads powered down.
"Hopefully this isn't the biggest mistake I've ever made" Aubrey grumbled to Winslow, stroking his rough main.