The courtroom reminded Bucky of an arena. The lawyers, the jury front and center below with the rest of the seats arranged in a semi-circular pattern above them. Bucky imagined the layout came about as a holdover from the days of trial by combat.
"This reminds me of an opera," Steve said, taking a seat. Their box, with high-backed padded chairs, felt reminiscent of Bucky's room in miniature. Ornate decorations, lush fabric and even small paintings on the wall. Out of the of many similar compartments on this row, only this one boasted a clear glass barrier infused with protective vibranium. Bucky hoped no one noticed as he took his seat, but everyone below glanced up right at that moment. Everyone except David Ward. Bucky gave a respectful bowed to the room before sitting down and they all bowed in return.
"When you ever at the opera?" Bucky asked as he tried to get comfortable.
"Never, but I've seen pictures," Steve replied.
"Did we need to bother with dressing up?" Bucky asked. "We're almost invisible up here." This was true. With the exception of being able to see the equally well-dressed occupants of the other boxes, he and Steve had almost complete privacy.
"Yeah, it's all a little over the top," Steve said. "But what can you do?"
"I can not be here," Bucky said, keeping his voice low. The bodyguard right outside the door probably couldn't hear them but he didn't want to take the chance of offending her.
Two judges entered, a man and a woman. The glass in front of them became a screen, the events below telecast just for them.
"So this is how we get to see everything from way up here," Steve said.
A translator sat close to Ward as required by law. Steve's grasp at the language was improving every day, but because of the legalize of the opening remarks, Bucky requested subtitles on the screen. The process was similar to what they were used to but different enough to be interesting. He could see Tony down below, sitting with the other spectators.
A video took up the screen, detailing Ward's alleged actions. He planned for this as soon as they gave Bucky sanctuary in Wakanda. A smart a kid, Bucky reminded himself. The younger version of him showed up in hallucinations but the ghost had turned into an intelligent young man. Smart enough to learn the language, find a young person he resembled on track to for a career in the government. Records revealed him Cyberstalking both Bucky and Chimbuskos' movements. He took advantage of the temporary upheaval in the battle's aftermath with Thanos to slip into the country unnoticed biding his time, studying ways to break the security system while remaining undiscovered. Bucky's illness and subsequent loss of his arm signaled his time to move. The Security Council's actions threw a wrench in his plans, but he adapted. He kidnapped the real Chimbusko and held him in a little used location in the palace.
Another video, from the defense, an account of the death of Ward's mother. A video of her in life, of her accomplishments, and of her family. Autopsy photos. The newspaper headlines, the mysteries left from the fruitless investigation until Bucky turned himself into the authorities and that one act answered all his questions.
Bucky's memories of the event were vague, everything happened over 15 years ago but he had never seen a record of his actions in such stark detail. He clenched his jaws and gripped the side of the chair. He considered Ward's point of view. His mother's murderer, living free and happy in Wakanda, while leaving him with nothing but his grief and his anger. The warm sensation of Steve's hand holding his interrupted his thoughts.
Bucky's life story. He wanted to slip out of the room, be anywhere but here. The young soldier, with Steve… the other Steve. The details of how him being declared missing in action, the unstable member of the Hammertech family who found him, and what he did to him. A video of him inside the memory suppressor. He had seen this once before, at the tribunal but he was never prepared for the sound of his own screams. This time his grip on Steve's hand tightened. He took a moment to glance around the rest of the courtroom. Judging from the surrounding reactions, this was new to many of them. They were angry. The video zeroed in on Ward's face. He stared straight ahead, not moved by anything on the screen. Bucky couldn't help himself from glancing down at Tony. He wasn't looking at the screen, instead, he was staring down at his hands.
A long silence followed.
"We charged you with illegally entering Wakanda intending to cause bodily harm to a member of the Royal Family, of kidnapping and committing identity fraud. We wish to inform you that we have decided to drop the charges of kidnapping and identity fraud."
That was the first time Ward showed emotion. He looked up and blinked.
"We wish to inform the Court that The White Wolf requests we drop the charges of intent to do harm against his person. We have decided to comply."
Another blink.
"That leaves us with illegal entry. How do you plead?"
"The defendant pleads guilty," his lawyer said.
This time it was Bucky's turn to blink. What had Tony said to him?
"You accept that by pleading guilty to unlawfully entering Wakanda, you give up the right to a trial?"
"The defendant understands."
"He will remain in custody and will await sentencing at a later date. Dismissed."
Bucky forced himself to stand up as the judges left the room. All around him he heard the murmurs and whispers of shocked spectators Some of the audience didn't hold back their anger. They came expecting fireworks. David Ward came to life, talking to his lawyers, arguing with them. His hands waved around as they did their best to restrain him. He turned to stare up at their box, and while Bucky and Steve could see him on the monitor, they were high enough up that he could not see them. Instead of hatred, it relieved Bucky to see confusion instead.
"That's it?" Steve asked. "Quick and painless. What did Tony say? Or do?"
"I don't know, and I don't care. I just want to get away from here." Bucky said. He knew the events of his life would be a part of this, he didn't know he would see it in living color. He waited until the courtroom was empty. The bodyguard nodded to him as they went back down the massive hallways to their room. Bucky removed the sashes and sling by himself, throwing them down on the large couch.
"Help me take this thing off," Bucky said, tugging at the heavy tunic. Steve helped him pull it over his head, to reveal an undertunic below, similar to the one he was wearing. Bucky threw it over a chair and pulled off his ring, setting it firmly down on a marble-topped table. "I don't know what to do with this stuff. It's mine now. Could leave it here, I suppose."
"We'll take it with us," Steve suggested. "Who knows, you may need it again, back at the palace. We'll leave it at my place."
Buck sat down and covered his face with his hand, looking up after a moment to find Steve kneeling down beside him.
"It's over, Buck," he said, his voice soft. "It's done. They'll send him out of the country, far away and he'll never come back. I bet anything Tony told him his own story and offered to give him a second chance."
"You're probably right, that's something he would do, but it doesn't fix what happened," Bucky said.
"Nothing will ever really 'fix it', but the people behind this, they're in prison. We accept that's closest we're going to come to set things right. That's something that all the Assets victims have to accept." He reached around Bucky, pulling him close to his head rested on his shoulder. "That means you. You did everything you could."
"Now can we go home?" Bucky asked. "I'm tired"
"Could I suppose. Be a shame, letting that room go to waste, although the ambiance would be lost on you," Steve said as he pulled back.
"What's the purpose of all that?" Bucky asked, glad of the diversion. Things were starting to get heavy and he was afraid of saying the wrong thing.
"It's supposed to enhance the experience…"
"How? And wouldn't the experience itself would be enough?" Bucky asked. Nothing about it made any sense. Why did anyone need any all that? " I think it would be too distracting."
Steve did his familiar reaction of hiding his smile and shaking his head while looking down at the floor. "I love you, you know that?"
"So you've told me. Thank you, for stopping me from throwing it all away. It would have been… stupid. I see that now."
"We all do things in the heat of the moment when we let our emotions overrule our better judgment," Steve said. He looked out over the room. His familiar look of determination came across his face.
"There are some things I've kept back from you, about my old life and for a long time, I thought you didn't need to know, but it's affecting what we have here and now. I'm sorry for not telling you," he said. "I suppose now is as good a time as any."
"Then I guess we should plan on staying a little while longer," Bucky said.
Steve swallowed hard, then got up and paced around the room. "I guess, it started, during the war. After the serum, they used me for the war effort, but I wanted to serve. They took Bucky, my Bucky, and his unit, prisoner…"
It was a long story, but it all came out. His Bucky falling from the train, grieving, finding him again in the guise of enemy, beating each other senseless before the memory of his counterpart returned, being suspicion about the death of Tony's parents but keeping quiet, the team breaking up, watching his friend go under the ice, losing to Thanos, watching Bucky disappear from existence.
"And then when they pulled you away from me, on the Sanctuary planet, that was it. If Wanda hadn't been able to trick my mind, it might have started there, but it waited until we were back home. I keep seeing you, disappearing… losing you again and again and being helpless to stop it. I thought I could handle everything. Hell, I have handled everything…"
He didn't stop walking during the whole monologue, walking from one end of the room to the other, sometimes stopping to pick up something and set it back down. Bucky wanted to stop him, to go to him and hold him but he restrained himself, knowing Steve needed to get this out. He couldn't judge how much time passed, it could have been minutes, could have been hours, but, Steve made his way back to where he started, sitting in the chair in front of Bucky.
"I'm glad you told me," Bucky said. "I knew... bits and pieces, the Speaker showed me some of it when she was trying out her new spells on me. I understand why you didn't tell me." He stopped, afraid his words would turn into babble.
"That's just it. I knew you'd understand. I admit I might need…" his voice trailed off.
"Professional help," Bucky offered. He half expected Steve to get angry and storm out of the room but he didn't. He didn't respond but stared past him. Bucky wondered what he was seeing.
A knock at the door again. Luan. "Will you be staying the night?" He asked politely.
"Yes, yes, we will. Could you have dinner sent up, something… American? Then you can take the rest of the night off. We'll be leaving tomorrow morning."
"Yes sir," Luan answered. "I'm glad things worked out the way they did."
"Yes, so am I," Bucky replied. "And thank you for everything. You need to come and visit us sometime, in Tema and that's not just me as an American saying that. I mean it."
Luan smiled, bowed and went to do his bidding.
The food came quickly. He half expected hamburgers but was surprised by steak and potatoes. It was fantastic but dinner turned into a silent affair, both men lost in his own thoughts.
Later that evening, Bucky sat on the round bed trying to figure it out. It had no head and no sides, so he opted to just find a place and lay down. After a few minutes, Steve joined him, laying off to the side, not touching him. The lights dimmed and the music started.
"Stop the music!" Bucky said to the air. He was in no mood for it, and it obeyed. A heavy silence filled the air. Bucky's mind was on everything he had seen today, and he knew Steve thoughts were tuned to the painful memories of his past. Around them, the Vibranium calligraphy glowed in the dim light.
"What does the poetry say?" Steve asked.
"My Wakandan reading skills are on about a third-grade level, but what I think it says 'There is no memory of a time when I did not love you."
"That's beautiful," Steve said. "And it's us. At least me, and it doesn't matter which version of you. It's always you."
"I feel the same way," Bucky answered.
"I'm sorry about being so discouraging you about your new arm. I've been selfish. The truth is, in a weird twisted way I thought that if you stayed the way you are, then you would always need me and there would be no reason to leave you..." his voice trailed off. That explained that.
"I understand, but you've got other responsibilities in your life, not just me. You're Captain freaking America. The world needs you. I'm happy to share," Bucky said. 'And I'm not going anywhere. The Speaker said we'd be together forever. I'm not sure what she meant, but hang onto that."
Without prompting they turned to each other simultaneously. Steve's arms went around Bucky and pulled him close. Just for this moment, all they needed was to be here now, for each other.