Chapter 2
I was thinking about all of the mental struggles that Bucky may be going through right now. It breaks my heart that he was taken by Hydra and brain washed. I'm just so happy that Steve was able to get him help in Wakanda. Both my brother and I took psychology in college. Sam took way more courses in it than I did because he has a degree in it. He's even a licensed counselor and helps VA's suffering from trauma. I'm sure he will be helpful to Bucky when it comes to talking about difficult things. I understand how hard it must be for someone that went through torture, brain washing, and even living in a different era has to fuck up your mind. The way that Steve talked about Bucky in the 40's made me unconsciously grow affection for someone that I never met. Then I missed out on a chance to meet him; then mourned his death for 5 years along with my brothers. I think that I seriously have a crush on him now that I really think about it. I always thought that he was painfully gorgeous. I get chills when I just glance at a picture of him, Steve, and Tony from his going away party. It's crazy that I feel like I know him just from how much Steve talks to me about him. I even know his memorial by heart that's in the Smithsonian. I know Steve's too… he is like family to me and he's frickn' Captain America. Imagine being a kid and told that when you grow up one of your best friends will be a real-life superhero from the 40's. You'll be like yeah right. It would seem like a completely fictitious idea. Well, that's actually my reality now. I'm so used to some of my best friends having superhuman abilities and magical powers. And Thor is a literal God that can travel between universes by a magical portal called a Bitfrost. I try not to overthink everything now.
Wow… I'm starting to feel hot just thinking about Bucky now. He may just become a great friend like all of the other Avengers are to me. The only difference is… I'm sooo frickn' attracted to him. I really hope that my brother doesn't trip if we do like each other more than friends. It's Steve's fault for talking about him so much. He's the one that fueled this attraction to Bucky. Yes, I'm going to blame this all on Steve. Why did his best friend have to be so damn handsome? And Bucky has a nerve to be tall and muscular. Shit's just not fair. I decided to rest my eyes and just listen to the music for the rest of the trip. I can cram in the rest of my sisterly annoyance with Sam later. I dozed off and had a dream about Bucky. It was a very nice dream. A lot of bare skin. Imagining what he looks like without a shirt… without pants. You know normal things for a sexually frustrated person. Oh my God… Now the image of him fucking me is on repeat in my head. This is not good.
Sam woke me up when we were near the cabin. He wanted to show me the scenery of the woods. They actually lived near the State Park. It looked so surreal and peaceful. I packed my hiking boots just in case I went hiking. I knew that I wanted to take better pictures and brought my DSLR camera with me. I took out my cell and took a short video of the trees as we drove by them.
"Nice isn't it," Sam said.
"Yes, it is. I can see why they moved out here. I was at Nana's birthday party when they had their housewarming party."
"I wouldn't mind living out here. It's a big change from The Air Force and the compound."
"Well maybe you'll have a place around here one day?"
"I just may since Tony left all of the Avengers in his will."
"Yeah… he always looked out for everyone." He was definably a great help to me after Michael.
"You know we didn't really talk about it… but if you want… you could probably stay up here with me in New York and do something that you love here. I wouldn't mind you as a guest until you get your own place. You can rent out the house. You don't seem too thrilled about your job anyway. You don't have to stay there ya know."
I sighed.
"Yeah… I haven't told you half the shit that goes on there."
"Why not?"
"Sam, I just got you back. I don't want to stress you out about it."
"Ok," he said hesitantly.
"Listen… it's a lot of bull shit down to favoritism, racism, and sexual harassment."
"What!"
"Yeah, it's a lot Sam. No one harassed me though," I said quickly. "It just goes on a lot with my friends. The atmosphere makes me sick to my stomach. I really hate it there."
"So why did you stay? I'm pretty sure that Pepper or Happy would have given you a job."
"I… I know. I just didn't feel comfortable asking them."
"I don't see why? Pepper and Tony would do anything for you. Damn Sarah… you should have told me all of this."
"I know… as I said it's a lot and I just got you back. I didn't want to burden you with anything. I'll tell you everything later... I promise. I'm just trying to prepare myself… for this." This frickn' funeral.
I made a deep sigh.
"Ok… understood. But just think about quitting and moving. I'll even buy your own house with the money Tony left me."
"Wha… What? For real?!"
"Of course, Big Head. I have a million dollars now. You can use all of the money from renting out the house for bills. And if you wanted to work, I'm sure that Happy or Pepper could find something for you."
My mind was baffled for a brief moment. "Oh... Oh wow. I… I guess that I could do that." I was stunned, still trying to wrap the idea around my head that my brother offered to buy me a house. My life would be so less stressful if I left my job. All of this was too much for me to thin k about right now. I have to try my best to get through all of this grief. I wish that I could fast forward through all of the stages of it. Just emotionally montage through all of that shit.
"Sarah."
"Yes?" I said with my voice quivering, coming back from my deep thoughts.
"Everything is gonna be ok. Quit that crazy ass job and move in with me until I get you a house… or… maybe Pepper will let you stay in one of the other houses until I get you one? I'll talk to her about it."
I started to cry. I couldn't hold it in any longer.
"Oh, come on Sarah."
"Just thank you… thank you so much."
"Of course, Sis. Oh my God… you're gonna make me cry," he said with his voice trembling.
"Aww Sam," I said as I watched his eyes tear up.
I just knew that we were going to look a wreck if we kept this up. I especially didn't want to cause anyone to be upset and cry about Nat and Tony because we arrived sobbing our eyes out. I used a handkerchief that was in my pocketbook to wipe away my tears. "You good?" Sam asked. I shook my head yes and dug in my bag to get my Visine eye drops. I handed it to him when I was finished. He stopped the SUV briefly to put the drops in his eyes then drove off.
We finally drove up to the Stark's property. Sam showed me where the Stark's security was in fake trees that scan the cars and people before an invisible force field opens to let the cars drive by. Steve told me about the force fields in Wakanda that even make the county look like it's just the jungle. I'm sure the new Avengers compound will have higher security since the attack. When we got closer to the cabin my mouth opened a bit in shock. It was way larger than I expected. I knew it wasn't a small cabin just from the few pictures that Pepper showed me from their housewarming party. It was three stories high on one side and the other side had four that had an outdoor area on the roof. It basically looked like it could be a luxury hotel. It had a nice A roof on one side with three story windows. It looked like it should have been featured in an architect magazine. They also have a second home down the road that's for guests that has an indoor pool and a basketball court. I remember years ago when Pepper was talking about getting a house in the woods so that Tony could be in a more relaxed atmosphere when he wasn't leading the Avengers. I'm so glad that Tony had time here to relax with his family. Tony and Pepper had the only section in the old compound that looked like a penthouse. It was separated from the building where the team stayed. I visited them a lot when I was playing with Morgan and teaching her dance steps. It's so crazy to think that it's all destroyed now. I'm glad that they started building a new compound months before the attack.
There were a bunch of cars, trucks, SUV's, two motorcycles, and a huge S.W.A.T like truck already parked near the cabin. One blue truck stood out to me because the paint was so pretty. I'm sure one of the motorcycles is Steve's. He tried to get me to ride on his a few years ago and I said no. They make me nervous. I had a friend in high school that got hurt pretty badly in an accident while he was on one. Sam parked the SUV and I tried to stretch in my chair because I felt really stiff. He pulled the keys out of the ignition. I took his hand and squeezed it.
"I love you," I said.
"I love you too Big Head," he said smirking.
I rolled my eyes at him.
"Once I buy my car later this week you can have yours back."
"Oh no rush. I'll just have you or Steve take me places if I want to go somewhere. Or maybe even Bucky."
"Sarah."
"Whaaat?" I said innocently.
We both laughed and Sam got out of the SUV. I needed a few more seconds to prepare myself. I flipped the visor down to see if I looked ok. I knew that today was going to be overly emotional. I was getting nervous because I knew that I would see Pepper, Banner, and Clint soon. Even seeing Steve knowing that he just got his oldest best friend back had to be crazy emotional. My eyes were still white, yet I felt like I was going to cry at any moment… simply because we were here. I looked out of the window at the beautiful cabin and made a deep sigh as I opened my door. As soon as I got out, I saw Steve come out of the front door on the porch. "Hey guys," he called out. He walked over and gave Sam a hug because he was closest to him.
"Rogers," Sam said.
"You know your sister kicked your ass in that singing battle right," Steve then laughed.
"Whatever old man… and language."
Steve chuckled.
"Ahh… Falcon has jokes."
"Well, you are the oldest one here."
"Kinda true… if you're talking about humans. Bucky was born a year after me," he said then laughed.
"Where's the other the senior citizen at?" Sam asked looking up at the porch.
"Oh, he's on the back porch. He saw the videos too. He said you lost."
"Buck needs a hearing aid."
I saw Bucky walking up to us from the side of the cabin. He was putting his cell phone in his pocket. He had a smile on his face, and it got bigger once our eyes locked. He looked even better in person. Wow life is not fair at all. I smiled back at him then my attention was broken when Steve spoke to me towering over me with his height.
"Ahh Lil' Sis," Steve said as he reached out for me and embraced me in his arms.
"Hey Steve," I said with a smile.
"How are you?" he asked while rocking me back and forth in his bear hug.
"I'm hanging in there Big Guy. How are you?" He took a deep breath then smiled. "Processing everything, appreciating Nat and Tony's love for all of us." I started shaking my head yes as I felt the tears forming. Once I blinked, I felt a tear run down my face. Steve took his thumb and wiped it off my cheek.
"It's going to be ok," he said softly.
"Ahh… The Pigeon is here! Oh, I mean The Falcon," Bucky said once he was a few feet away.
"Get over here old geezer," my brother called out to Bucky.
They embraced each other and patted each other on the back.
"You lost that battle you know right," Bucky said with one eyebrow raised.
"That's just your opinion."
"Ahh no. Most of the team watched it. It was great though. Made all of us smile and crack up."
"I'm glad you guys enjoyed it. We had fun driving up here."
"I see."
I wiped the newest tears from my face trying my best not to look emotional.
"So, this is Sarah," Bucky said with a bright smile. "Your brother and Steve were always talking about you. And you know you won that battle right."
I chuckled.
"Hi Bucky."
"Hello. It's so nice to finally meet you. I'm sorry that you were too sick to come see me before I went to Wakanda."
"Wow… It's so nice to finally meet you too." Wow he remembers why I couldn't come.
I extended my hand to shake his. Bucky shook his head no and gave a face like what are you doing. He wrapped his arms around me. "I'm a hugger," he said. Bucky hugged me so hard that I heard the vertebra in my spine crack. It wasn't painful and actually felt good. Plus, I was stiff and tense just due to stress. I'm not sure if his hug was tight because he was stronger than an average man, yet when Steve hugs me, it feels like a regular hug. Maybe it's because one of his arms is super powered with vibranium? Or maybe he wanted me pressed up against his body. I'm certainly ok with that.
"Everything is going to be ok," he whispered in my ear. The heat of his breath sent a chill down my body. I shook my head yes as he still held tightly to me. It was obvious that I was emotional because I was wiping away tears when he said hi. As much as I wanted to hide that I was emotional, I knew that it was going to be hard at times. I noticed Bucky's cologne and he smelled really good. My knees were getting weaker by the seconds. I felt his muscular abs press into my body as he held me close to him. His embrace was longer than I expected so I started to wonder if he was getting emotional. There are so many things that could make him that.
"Are you ok?" I softly asked.
"Umm… that's a loaded question but I'll be fine."
Bucky rubbed the top of my back, and it made me feel a bit lightheaded. It wasn't even a sensual touch, yet my mind was racing. I can't get over how much I'm attracted to him. He's so frickn' gorgeous. This is not fair at all.
Sam cleared his throat. "Hey ok. You hugged her long enough. What are you going for a world record old man," Sam said a bit agitated. I'm not sure if he was playing around or not. Bucky let me go and I was momentarily stunned because of my racing thoughts.
"Since when are you a hugger?" Sam asked, squinting his eyes a bit.
"He… He is kind of a hugger," Steve budded in.
"I just like hugging Steve and your sister better than hugging you," Bucky said then laughed.
It made me giggle too.
"Whatever man. Just don't go batting your steel blue eyes at her trying to flirt," Sam said playfully annoyed.
"Whatever do you mean Mr. Wilson?" Bucky said innocently.
It's not like I didn't notice his eye color. I couldn't tell if they were grey or blue. I guess they were steel blue like Sam said. Maybe they change color?
"This charter here has given me grey hair," Sam said.
"Oh, you know you love me," Bucky said smirking.
"Hey guys we all love each other… get over it," Steve said.
I chuckled under my breath. "Hmmm… your eyes are kinda beautiful," I said out loud. That thought was supposed to stay in my head. Shit. "Why thank you Ma'am," Bucky said with a bright smile. Damn, his teeth were even perfect and beautiful. Sam took my hand and playfully pulled me away from Bucky. "Your eyes are beautiful too," Bucky said with the most beautiful expression on his face.
Holy shit.
"Come on Sis… his idea of fun is playing bridge and pinochle and listening to 40's Big Band music."
"Oooh… Why Sam why?" Bucky said laughing.
"It's nothing wrong with 40's music," I budded in.
"She's actually right," Steve said.
"You should be ashamed of yourself," Sam said. "Flirting with a guy old enough to be your great great grandfather."
Ok now I see that Sam is going to give me a hard time about this. Now I'm even more curious about Bucky. "He sure doesn't look like a great great grandfather," I said smiling. I turned back to look at Bucky and Steve because I was loud enough for them to hear. Bucky's face lit up then he winked at me.
"Ha… I love it!" Steve boasted. "We all need to hang out later."
"Yes, we do," Bucky said looking directly at me.
"Cut it out Sarah," my brother scoffed.
Sam had no issue when Steve liked Peggy's niece Sharon and they have a technical huge age difference around the same as Bucky and me. He's just being this way because I'm his sister. Man, Bucky is gorgeous. Shit. Steve put his arm around Bucky's shoulder, and they followed behind us. My embarrassment of me complementing Bucky's eyes went away. Even though I really didn't mean to say it out loud. It's like my subconscious took over like I got this. I was just momentarily struck by his beauty and wasn't even in my body.
"You said Thor was GQ… you should have added Bucky to that list," I whispered.
"Saraahhhh," Sam growled.
"What? I'm just saying."
"Ehh… he's ok."
I was wondering if they could hear Sam since he didn't whisper. It wouldn't be hard to figure out what we were talking about. Now I was conscious of the fact that he may be looking at me from behind. I decided to ignore the flurries in my stomach because I had to focus on concentrating on controlling my emotions when I see the people Nat and Tony were closest to. The first person that we saw when we got to the back of the cabin was James Rhodes. The sadness came over me again and that brief moment of lighthearted banter that my brother and Bucky had left me as soon as I saw his red eyes. Rhodes was one of Tony's best friends. This day is going to be so hard.
"Heeey Sam," Rhodes said as he reached out to hug him.
"Be strong my brother," Sam said.
"I'm trying my best. And look at you Sarah. You know you beat that battle, right?"
I giggled and reached out to hug him.
"Thank you. Oh my God, I missed you."
"I missed you too. How are you sweetheart?"
"I'm fine," I said while wiping a tear from my face.
"Well, you know Tony wouldn't want us all sulking for hours. He would want a celebration."
"Yes, he would," Steve said as he patted Rhodes on his back.
I looked across the backyard at all the people talking. I was taken back for a second when I saw the aliens that came back from The Blip. I automatically knew which one was which because Rocket explained how they looked years ago. Groot looked like a tree with Bart Simpson hair and Mantis looked like a bug woman. She wasn't scary at all actually. It took me a few more seconds to scan the yard for Drax. I noticed at tall muscular man. I could only see his back, yet his bald head looked greyish. Well, that has to be him unless they're extra aliens here that I'm not aware of. At this point nothing can really surprise me. I wouldn't be shocked if there were actual vampires since we have aliens, witches, and sorcerers. I have to grasp the fact that there's many different species out in the galaxy. After the first alien attack the world knew more about monster looking aliens called Chitauri. The world knew about Thor years before that, yet he looks perfectly human.
"Tick tack!" my brother called out.
"Sam my man!"
Sam hugged his friend Scott. He told me that he calls him tick tack because he can make himself small with this special suit. The world knows him as Ant Man now. Years ago, the media made him out to be a criminal. Now he's one of the people that helped save the world like so many others that are here today. His girlfriend Hope has the same kind of suit. Steve told me that Scott was the one who came up with the idea to build a time machine. Tony was brilliant enough to make it actually work. Oh my God I've heard so many crazy stories this week from everybody. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around everything that has happened.
"Scott this is my sister Sarah. Sarah this is tick tack AKA Scott that I told you about."
"So nice to meet you," I said.
"The pleasure is mine."
Scott walked over to me and gave me a hug. Steve and Bucky walked past us. I closed my eyes for a brief moment in the hug. When I opened them, Bucky was looking at me. I smiled at him and the butterflies just took over my stomach. This is not good. Especially if Sam is serious about it not being a good idea.
"Sam and Sarah," I heard Thor call out. I looked in the direction of his voice and saw him on the back porch walking down the stairs.
"Thor," my brother called out.
"Hello my weary traveler. How are you?"
"I'm fine," Sam answered.
"Wow… Sarah reaaallly kicked your ass in singing today."
"Oh, so you're gonna start with that. My voice is damn good."
"Is it though?" he said, scrunching his face up.
"Whatever man," Sam said playfully rolling his eyes.
"How's my triumphant winner," Thor said as he opened his arms to hug me.
"I'm fine," I said smiling as I hugged him back.
Thor's height always made me feel miniature. He makes me feel like a 7-year-old kid when he hugs me. Sam and I talked with Thor for a few moments. I knew that just days ago he was fucked up and still blaming himself for The Blip even more now because of Tony and Nat's death. He seemed cheerful yet it could all be just a mask. I've seen him mask his pain a lot over the past few years. I really tried my best to console him over the phone when I talked to him last. I later sent a long text. He hasn't responded yet. I know that he's been busy with moving into his new home and emotionally going through it.
When I saw Pepper, I hugged her tightly and tried my best not to tear up. It didn't work. At least I didn't break out into a sob. It was hard trying to keep it together. My biggest fear was breaking down in front of her causing her to be more emotional. We sat down on the chairs that were on the back porch and talked for a while. I kept on thinking that everything felt so weird. As dangerous as Tony's job was with protecting the world from threats… I always swore he would die an old man… telling inappropriate jokes and having a ball with his great grand kids. Speaking of kids… where is Morgan?
"I haven't seen Morgan yet," I said as I glanced at the back yard.
"She left a few hours ago with my parents."
"Oh, I miss her."
"She misses you too. She'll be back tomorrow afternoon."
"Ok good."
We talked for a few more minutes then Pepper excused herself and went inside the house. I gazed over the yard at everybody talking and spotted Clint. He smiled at me and started walking towards the porch. His eyes were a bit red, yet he was smiling. I stood up and gave him a big hug. I knew that his heart was broken. Nat was his best friend and his kid's God Parent. It was useless to try to keep from crying, so I did.
"It's ok Sarah," Clint said with his voice choking up.
"I just can't believe it," I said quietly.
"I know… it's hard," he breathed.
I kinda wished that Clint never told me exactly how she died. Knowing that she fell hundreds of feet off a cliff was something that my heart just couldn't take. Also knowing that she risked her life for Clint and for him to get his family back with the infinity stone made me aware of just how much I loved her. She told me how she evolved from being a cold-hearted assassin to someone who grew to love her friends, which became her family. Clint rubbed my back and made a deep sigh. I heard his wife's voice and looked up. I'm so glad that Laura and his kids were brought back.
"Laura," I cried.
"Hey Sarah," she said with tears in her eyes.
"Oh my God it's so good to see you," I said as I hugged her.
It felt so good hugging her knowing all that Clint's family had been through. Their youngest son Nathanael ran up to me and hugged me. He's so adorable and named after Nat.
I talked to Clint and his family for a while. I really felt like none of this was real for a moment. I was extremely happy and sad at the same time. What broke my heart even more was that Nat's body wasn't even on earth. It was still light years away on some planet. Clint had told me earlier this week that there was going to be a memorial for both Nat and Tony at the new Avenger's compound. It will be done in a few weeks. Wanda walked over to me, and I gave her a big hug. This funeral must make her think about Vision. She was still trying to cope with his death when I lived with her. They loved the shit out of each other as odd as the pairing was. A witch and a synthezoid powered by an infinity stone.
Later Sam introduced me to some people that I didn't know. The only ones that I never met were a few Shield agents and people that I heard about like Scott's girlfriend and Spiderman. There were two teen guys that I've never seen before, so I didn't know which one was Spiderman until Steve introduced me to him. Steve knew that I wouldn't tell anyone who he was. He seemed like a regular adorable kid. I couldn't help but tear up when I saw a tear in his eye. Steve had told me that Tony was like a father to him. I could see it in his face that he loved Tony very much. I saw Scott walking towards us with a woman holding his hand. That must be his girlfriend Hope. Scott introduced me to her, and she seemed really nice. We all talked for a while and Scott started telling jokes, making us all laugh. I spotted Carol and she came over to talk to us. I hugged her and then Steve hugged her.
"Hey, you should have come up here yesterday," Steve said. "Because last night Carol, Wanda, Dr. Strange, and Thor were showing others their powers in the back yard."
"Oh, I wish that I was here to see that," I mused.
I've only heard of some of the things that Carol can do. The only power that I've seen her use was flying and I've seen Wanda fly many times. Carol doesn't stay on earth that often because she's so busy helping other planets.
"Thor had fun showing off his lightning skills," Steve said. "I'm sure the neighbors far away were checking the news or their weather ap because of all the lightning."
"Wow it was that much."
"Yes… you know Thor loves to show off."
"Yes, I am fully aware," I said laughing.
"Oh, and you have to meet Dr. Strange."
Steve motioned to someone to come to us. I saw a tall thin man with white hair at his temples. I was told that it was because of him the team and basically everyone who fought were able to get to New York to help defeat Thanos. Dr. Strange reached us and I was introduced to him. I was silently in awe that I was speaking to a sorcerer. Dr. Strange was one of the main reasons that we are all here alive. I don't know why I get shocked every time I hear about something supernatural. I have known Wanda for years and have accepted that she has magical powers and Thor is fifteen hundred years old. A short chubby Asian man walked over to us and Dr. Strange introduced him. I learned that Wong was the one who alerted more sorcerers to use portals. It was crazy hearing about their magic. My brother and Bruce Banner joined us in conversation. I hugged Bruce with one arm because I didn't want to hurt his arm that was in a brace. Steve told me that Banner used the gauntlet and was the reason that people came back from The Blip. He was the only one able to do it through Thor volunteered.
Rocket, Mantis, Drax, Quill, and Groot started to walk towards us. Once they got close, Rocket introduced them to me. I wasn't freaking out at all. For months I lived with a brilliant talking Raccoon and a blue cyborg. Mantis was nice just as I expected yet a bit awkward. But what is awkward to me if that being is from another planet. Plus, she wasn't around many people until she joined Rocket and Nebula. All of this must be crazy for them. Groot only said the same thing over and over like Rocket explained to me years ago. It's crazy that what he says is considered a language. Thor even told me that he learned that language when he was in school. I seriously don't understand how someone can decipher those three words into meaning many different things. Drax seemed like a regular guy. He looks like a really big wrestler. His skin was grey, and he had red tattoos on his face. I wondered if had them all over his body. I glanced at his hands, and he didn't have any there.
Quill was really nice and looked completely human. He looked like he was trying his best to hide his sadness. I wanted to cry for him. Earlier this week Nebula told me that her sister Gamora from the past couldn't see that she was in love with him. So, he's missing the version that he knew and was in love with that loved him back who was killed by Thanos. Time travel is just a lot to wrap your head around. I don't understand how our Nebula didn't die when she killed the past version of herself that came with Thanos when he used the time machine to get here. I guess movies like Back to the Future and shows like The Umbrella Academy have it wrong when it comes to time travel.
I purposely didn't drink much on the trip here after our last stop. I still had a strong urge to pee so I figured that I should find the bathroom now so I wouldn't miss any of the service. I excused myself and went inside. I had to ask where the bathroom was because the cabin was huge. I don't even think it's technically called a cabin just due to how big it is. It's basically a mansion that has wood on the outside of it. The bathroom was so pretty. I took a few pics of it to give me ideas for my new house. I still can't get over Sam wanting to buy me one. Yet I would do the same for him if I all of a sudden had a million dollars.
Once I was done, I put scented lotion on my hands after I washed them and put a Mentos in my mouth. My eyes were a bit red, so I used my Visine again. It only took a few seconds for my eyes to get perfectly white. I took a few deep breaths looking at myself in the mirror to get myself prepared for this day. No one is really a fan of funerals. I just have more anxiety with them because of my parents. It feels like something is pulling me apart from the inside every time I envision Tony or Nat's face. I took a few more deep breaths then rolled my neck because it was starting to ache due to stress. It really will hit me once I leave this room because I will soon hear a eulogy of people that I loved. Get it together Sarah. Be stronger than this. I deeply sighed and walked to the bathroom door to leave. My eyes stayed on the floor. When I looked up the hallway, I saw Bucky standing looking at photos on the wall.
"Hey," I called out. I was surprised to see him there.
"Oh, hey Sarah."
I walked over to him and looked at the family photos with him. The Stark's had pics of their family and members of the Avengers. Everyone looked so happy.
"Wow look at Morgan she was such a cute baby," Bucky said pointing at the picture.
"Yes, she's adorable… and she's a sweet kid."
"I know. I met her a few days ago. She is so polite and smart for her age."
"Yes, she is. I haven't seen her in a few months. And I was in Louisiana for my grandmother's Birthday when they just moved here. So, I wasn't able to come to the housewarming."
"How olds is your grandmother?"
"She's 90."
"Oh wow… 90. She's still younger than I am… technically."
I chuckled under my breath with a smile.
"Well, she acts like she's 40. She's so fun to be around."
"Aww that's great."
"I can't wait to see her when she gets back."
"Oh, I was told that she will be back tomorrow. The party tonight won't really be for kids."
"Yeah, I know… even though I swear she's a grown person in a little girl's body."
"Yeah… that's another way to explain her," he said chuckling.
"Oh, look at this one. Tony and Rhodes in their armor playing chest."
"That's really nice. Hey… this is you and Morgan."
"Oh, I remember that day. Aww… she's so cute."
It was a picture of us in leotards and tutu skirts at the penthouse at the old Avenger's compound.
"You look cute too," he said then gently smiled.
"Ahh… thanks."
I started to get nervous and felt my skin heat up. I tried to play it off the best that I could. I was basically screaming inside because he called me cute. Thank God I'm able to keep my thoughts to myself this time and not blurt out how gorgeous I think he is.
We stood in the hallway for a while looking at all of the pictures. Seeing all of the loving and fun moments made me feel joyful and sad at the same time. A picture is like freezing someone's life, that one heartbeat, emotion… making that moment immortal. I like to take many pictures for that reason.
I looked up at Bucky and he gently smiled at me. His expression was a bit sad too. I smiled back at him. I could only imagine all the pain that he was going through. I remembered when he said that it was a loaded question when I asked if he was ok earlier. I wonder if he was talking about the nightmares that Steve says he still has. It would drive me crazy if I was forced to kill people with no control of my mind. I wanted to comfort him in some way and let him know that his friends will have his back throughout all of this.
"Ya know this place is full of family," I said with a gentle smile.
"Yes, it is," he said then sighed.
Bucky ran his hand through his long chocolate brown hair then tucked one side of it behind his ear. I started getting nervous because it reminded me of my dream of him fucking me when I was riding up here. I would just love to run my fingers through his hair one day. "Are you thirsty?" he asked. I internally giggled due to the other meaning. "No, I'm fine. Thanks." He looked at his watch and the corner of his mouth went down a bit.
"Ok... well we should head out. It's almost time," he said.
"Yeah," I said a bit somberly.
The ache in my body started to hurt more just thinking about the funeral. "Hey," Bucky said as he opened his arms motioning if I wanted a hug. I gently smiled and walked into his arms and wrapped my arms around his waist.
"Hey… don't squeeze me to death like you did before."
"Oh my God did I hurt you?!" he asked alarmed as he let go of me.
"No," I laughed. "It didn't hurt. I was kinda tight and I felt my back crack. It kinda felt good."
"Oh," he said relieved.
"I feel like a stiff old woman. Haven't really been stretching this week."
"Ha! How dare you call yourself old to someone who's over a century."
"Sorry Mr. Barnes." We both started to laugh. "I bet you get a lot of old jokes."
Bucky sighed.
"Yes. I'm used to it by now," he said. "And it won't offend me if you cracked a joke about it."
"Oh, I wasn't going to tease you about it. I respect my seniors," I said then giggled.
"Starting already I see," he chuckled.
"Hey, you gave me permission."
"I did… ok," he said while nodding his head yes.
We walked out of the cabin and stood on the porch and talked to Scott and Rhodes for a few minutes. Then people started to gather in the backyard of the house. I saw the urn that Tony was in, and tears automatically formed. Uggg. Ok get it together. I took a deep breath and Sam joined my side. Bucky was on the other side of me, and Steve was next to Bucky. The funeral started with the opening remarks and eulogy. Then most people made their comments about Tony and Nat. I knew my eyes had to be red again because they stung. I also knew that I wasn't going to be able to say anything about Tony and Nat because I would be a sobering mess. I really want to…. I just don't think that I can. Bucky spoke after my brother was finished speaking. Sam gently elbowed me and whispered if I was going up. I pressed my lips together and shook my head no.
"I don't think I can,' I mouthed.
"It's ok," he breathed.
Bucky made everyone laugh by telling us a story about him and Tony. It's crazy to think that he lied to the government to make sure that Bucky could escape once he found out that he was innocent, and someone tried to set him up for King T'Chaka's death. The team nearly destroyed an airport with their differences. Thank God there's no more fighting between them and the government later found out that Bucky didn't kill the king.
When Bucky was done talking about them, he came back to my side. Sam rested his hand on his shoulder. Happy Hogan walked to the front and commented how Tony and Nat loved us all like family. I heard a few sobs break out. That just queued my emotions to let go as well. I started to cry. I knew that I was going to break down at some point. Bucky started to rub my back and pulled me into his body to hold me. It didn't feel awkward for me to cry into his chest. I was a mess. I kept picturing Nat falling to her death and Clint seeing it. "It's ok to cry," Bucky told me in my ear. "I know that you loved them." I looked up at Bucky and he had tears in his eyes. I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Sam coming to hug me. Bucky let go of me and Sam squeezed me in his arms. "It's gonna be ok sis." I heard so many more people start to break down and cry around me. I guess it was good that we were all getting it out. I know it felt therapeutic for me. After a while Happy told a joke about Tony that made everyone laugh. "See that's it... those smiles… that's what Tony wants," Happy said. We all exchanged hugs with each other. "Ok it's time for some music," Pepper called out. Within minutes people were all having fun drinking, eating, telling stories, and joking around just as my brother said would happen.
Thor and Drax together were classic comedy. They are so funny together. It was like Drax had known him for years instead of just days. I was happy to see Thor cheerful since he's been so down lately for many reasons. It was good to see everyone happy and enjoying themselves. I know that's what Tony and Nat would have wanted.
"Hey Sarah… you guys should have come down here yesterday," Thor said. "We were having a blast showing our powers. That Carol is impressive."
"I heard. Wow I missed a lot."
"Well… you've seen my lightening many of times," he said then laughed. "Carol is leaving tomorrow so she won't be here for Sam's cookout."
"Awww."
"Well, you know she's always on the go."
"That's true."
"Sarah… I've been meaning to thank you in person for your kind words that you texted me earlier this week. Sorry I didn't get back to you."
"Oh no that's fine. I know you guys were very busy this week."
"Well… thank you. I really needed to hear that. It meant a lot to me. You are a true friend."
"Oh, you're welcome, Thor. I know how you get. I just wanted you to know how much I care about you. You're one of my best friends. And I don't want you to continue blaming yourself for any of this."
"Thank you. Your words are appreciated. And you are one of my best friends too."
I gave him a hug and he made a deep sigh. "It's been a crazy week," he said somberly. "You know I…" he paused as if he didn't want to finish his thoughts. I know past events made this even harder for him. He loved Tony and Nat too.
"No one blames you for anything you know," I said looking up at him as tears formed in my eyes.
"I still feel the guilt though. If Thanos never snapped his fingers there would be no need for us to look for the damn Infinity Stones. Nat and Tony would still be here."
"Please don't do that to yourself Thor," I said with my voice choking up.
I hugged him again and wondered if Jane had spoken to him recently after these past events. I don't particularly like her just because she left Thor for stupid reasons, and he was in love with her. She broke his heart and he's really had not been the same since. Now he has this added trauma of losing more people he loved. I looked up at him and his eyes were misty and red. "The mightiest Avenger is going to get through this." He gently laughed then leaned down and whispered in my ear.
"Don't let Carol hear you… though technically you are right since she's not an Avenger."
"Ok," I said smiling.
I really didn't want him blaming himself for anything. I talked to him for a while and tried to help cheer him up. I did get him to laugh a lot and his laugh is loud. He does everything big really. I mean he is the God of Thunder.
I looked up and saw Bucky sitting on the porch rail talking to everyone from Wakanda. I excused myself and started walking in the direction of the cabin. I was a bit nervous, yet I was interested in talking with the royals. The king, princess, and Okoye clothes were so beautiful and unique. I noticed that they all had a similar pattern on them. Bucky introduced me to them and told them that I was Sams sister and one of Steve's best friends and considered his play sister. I was trying my best to memorize the sounding of Okoye's name so I wouldn't say it wrong. Shuri's name was easier for me to remember how to pronounce. My nerves were easily calmed just by how relaxed and friendly the Wakandians were. I really enjoyed talking to them and instantly saw that Bucky had a strong bond with them.
I was fascinated with Shuri as she explained the nano tech in T'Challa's necklace. Steve had told me how advanced they were. I was so intrigued by everything she said. It must be awesome to be that brilliant. Steve also told me that it only took Shuri a week and half to figure out how to deprogram Bucky. My legs were getting tired of standing after a while, so I decided to sit on the porch rail next to Bucky. I noticed that he slid an inch closer to me after a few minutes.
"My little sister is very talented," T'Challa said.
"Aww you are so kind… I'm actually the most talented out of the two," Shuri said with a smirk.
"Yes, Shuri is amazing. She's the one who found a way to deprogram me… and this arm is all her," Bucky said smiling.
"You were my favorite white boy to fix. You Americans are always bringing them to me."
I was confused as they all chucked.
"Oh, I was talking to your brother earlier about his Falcon wings," Shuri said as she looked at me with excitement. "I have some new ideas about his suit to better protect him and boost his speed and weapon capabilities. It should be ready in a few days."
"Oh, wow thank you."
"No problem. Pepper also hired me to head off the tech division for the new Avengers compound. A few of my engineers will accompany me before I head back to Wakanda next week. Pretty soon all of the Avengers will have updated nano tech gear... even you Sergeant Barnes."
"Me?" Bucky asked.
"Yes… you're durable yet not bullet proof. We can give you a nano suit to protect you. You can wear it on your wrist or neck."
"Oh, wow thank you so much."
"It's my pleasure."
"My genius sister is always thinking of new inventions. You should see her laboratory," T'Challa said.
"Wakanda's a beautiful place," Bucky said as he nudged my arm with his. "You should visit sometime."
"Yes. You are always welcome," T'Challa said smiling.
Oh my God is he serious?
"I would love to show you around," Bucky said. "It's like my second home. I'm going back this Saturday."
"I… I would love that," I beamed.
"Great. It's set," Shuri said. "You two will come back with us ehh?"
"Oh… ok," I stammered.
Oh my God… I was just invited to Wakanda by its royalties. I'm so glad Sam asked me to quit my stupid job. "Yes, our White Wolf is like a celebrity with the kids in our country," T'Challa said as he patted Bucky on his back. White wolf? So that's their nick name for him. I kinda like it.
"Well, I do love kids."
"Ahhh," Shuri said. "I'm sure that you would be a great father one day. You've shown me that you have great patience. And the kids love playing with him."
"You know I've learned to be that patient because of you guys. I appreciate you guys so much."
"We appreciate you as well," T'Challa said.
His eyes darted back and forth between Bucky and I. "Say… How long have you two known each other?" he asked. Shuri's face was beaming as she smiled at the both of us like she knew something.
"Oh… I just met Sarah today. I've known about her for years through Cap and her brother Sam. She's known about me around the same amount of time."
"Wow just today ehh," Shuri said smiling.
"What are you getting at?" Bucky asked as his cheeks got red.
"Stop it stop it Shuri," T'Challa said chuckling.
"Calm down my brother. I was just noticing the chemistry between these two. It's adorable."
I felt my face getting flush. Bucky ran his fingers through his hair. His cheeks were even redder.
"Aww look at them," Shuri said. "I did not mean to embarrass you."
"No, I'm sure you just pointed it out because you believe that you're a match maker," T'Challa said.
"Obviously genius," Shuri replied. "It just seems like they are a couple that's all. Just look at their body language."
Oh, shit what am I doing?
"Come on now Shuri. If his face gets any redder, we'll have to get him medical attention," T'Challa laughed.
"You two," Bucky said just shaking his head.
He made a deep sigh and looked at me then turned back to face T'Challa and Shuri.
"You know I'm really bummed out that I didn't meet her before I moved to Wakanda." He turned to me and gently smiled. "She was supposed to come to my going away party but couldn't make it. Her smile would have made my day."
I couldn't help but smile when he said that. Oh my God. "Thank you," I breathed. I was amazed that I could even speak after that." 'You're welcome,' he mouthed.
Shit… panties soaked.
"See, I am always right my brother. Do you see this!?"
"Ahh yes, I see this. And I have neva seen his cheeks so red."
"Oh my God guys cut it out," Bucky said chucking.
"Just in case you need a wing man… I am always here," T'Challa said. "You know that this man can lift a rhino as if it were a dog?"
"T'Chllaaaa," Bucky pleaded with a wide grin.
"Ehhh… I am not doing no harm."
"Come on my brother. Let's leave them be. White Wolf has to explain why her smile would have made his day."
Both T'Challa and Shuri crossed their arms over their chest at the same time and padded their chest twice.
"Wakanda… next week," Shuri said with a wide grin.
"Oohh ok," Bucky said while shaking his head up and down as if he was amused and appreciated something. Then he placed his arms the same way. I wasn't sure if I should do the same. "Should I?" I went to cross my arms. T'Challa chuckled. "It's a Wakanda salute," he said. "It's like a greeting … a farewell… it's when we want to show pride of our country. It's so many things. Give it a try. You should get used to it since you're going to be a guest at my castle next week. Go ahead… give it a try." I mimicked what they did.
"That was perfect," Shuri beamed.
"Ah yes… now let's depart so that White Wolf can get some alone time."
They both walked away with big smiles on their faces. My heart was beating a mile a minute. Even though I was completely nervous. I was so intrigued by how friendly and causal T'Challa and Shuri were. They were hilarious too. Bucky's face stayed red for a few more moments. I caught a glimpse of Steve on the lawn. He had a wide smile on his face looking up at us on the porch. T'Challa and Shuri were walking towards him. In my peripheral vision I saw Bucky mouth something to Steve. Then I saw Steve shake his head yes. Groot and Rocket started to come up the steps. Groot walked inside the cabin and Rocket started to walk in our direction.
"So, you ever consider selling me that arm Barnes?" Rocket asked.
"Again, it's not for saaaallleee."
"Ok… Ok. It doesn't hurt to ask again." Rocket laughed then headed inside the cabin.
"Wow, he really wants your arm," I teased.
"Yeah, a few seconds after meeting him in the middle of the war he asked to buy it… before that he asked for my gun."
"Wow."
"He just looks at it as an additional weapon to add to his collection or will try to change it into something else."
"Well, he is sort of a genius when it comes to making things."
"I guess so," Bucky chuckled. "I've been trying to get used to the idea that I'm actually cool with aliens and talking animals now."
"I went through that stage as well when I first met Thor. It was even weirder when I met Rocket and Nebula because they don't look human."
"Yes, I can see how that would happen. So does it feel weird to you that you're friends with a raccoon and cyborg?"
"Ahhh… not really. Nothing is weird to me now. All the crazy shit that's happened. I didn't even blink when I found out that Banner merged with the Hulk. I've gotten so used to the… unordinary aspects of life now. Especially after getting to know a witch."
"Yeah, Wanda is cool. She was a great help with having me escape when the government wanted to arrest me. Nat helped too because T'Challa almost stopped us. He thought I had killed his father, and I didn't."
"Steve told me all about it. I know that Sam believed in you because Steve did and wanted to help."
Bucky sighed.
"Yeah, your brother was a great help. I consider him one of my best friends because of that. The only reason Tony tried to stop me at first was because the government asked him to bring me in. Then he found out that I wasn't the one that killed the King and gave them the evidence. The government still wanted me because of my Hydra past. Tony lied and said that I got away so that I could get help in Wakanda. And he threw the wildest going away party. I was so amazed back then at all of the tech that the compound had."
"Yeah, that place was amazing."
"The new one will be even better with Shuri's help."
"I'm sure that it will be. Steve tried to explain some of the things that they have there."
"Well… to see everything in person will be awesome. I can't wait to show you around."
"I'm really looking forward to it."
I was starting to get nervous. Was I smiling too much? My cheeks started to hurt. I just felt so happy in his presence. "You know you have a very beautiful smile," Bucky said. The butterflies in my stomach were going crazy.
"Oh… Thh… Thank you." I chuckled at myself for stuttering.
"You're so adorable when you get flustered."
"And you're adorable too when your face gets all red from T'Challa teasing you."
Bucky let out a boisterous laugh and I laughed along with him. I loved the sound of his laugh. He covered his chest with his human arm while he laughed. I was wondering if he was left-handed or right-handed. I don't even know why that question really popped into my head. I looked at his left vibranium arm. I could only see his hand because of his black jacket. I was so curious to see it. I've only seen pics of his first silver one that he took with Steve and Sam.
"Hey… I was wondering… can I… can I touch it?" I asked then looked at his arm.
"My arm?"
And other things.
"Um yes."
"Suuure," he said enthusiastically as he took off his jacket. He had a black short sleeve T-Shirt on, and I could easily see his chest muscles. I touched it softly and ran my fingers across his forearm.
"Wow it feels really smooth. Can you feel sensation in it?"
"No. but my nerve endings are connected to it so that I can move it around and my fingers. It's damn near indestructible."
"How… strong are you actually?"
"I don't know how to accurately answer that question," he said chuckling.
"Did you really pick up a rhino before?"
"No," he said and gently laughed. "He was just joking… but I can lift a lot. I'm pretty sure that The Hulk is stronger than I am. I can lift you as if you were a feather though."
"You know I want to see that," I said smiling.
Bucky slid off the rail and stood up. I stood straight up and looked up at him. We just stared at one another for a few seconds not saying anything. I was noticing that his eyes looked grey in the shade and that he had three little grey hairs in his beard near his chin. "You know it would look like any man lifting you in his arms so it wouldn't really be a proper display of my strength. It's not like I can grab you by the back of your dress and lift you with it not being weird." We both laughed. I noticed his eyes darting all over my face then looking down at my body. "You really look nice today." He has to stop making his voice all sexy? I lost my train of thought and just stared at him speechless. "Oh… Um… Thank you. You really look nice today too," I said a bit flustered. The way that he was looking at me made me melt. "Soo... the King T'Challa said that you had some… explaining to do about my smile. Since you have residency in Wakanda… I believe that you have to honor the King's wishes."
"Yes… I do." Bucky looked down on the porch floor and gently chuckled under his breath. "I always thought that you were beautiful. Steve spoke so highly of you. I just wanted to get to know you. It would have been something extra to wake up to from being cryogenically frozen… if you were already my friend."
"Wow," I breathed as I was momentarily stunned again.
"I saw a video of you that you sent Steve years ago of you doing karaoke with your friends. You have an amazing voice."
"Oh, wow thank you."
"I also saw the video of you when you were dressed up like Edward Scissorhands for Halloween."
"Oh my God I'm going to strangle Steve."
"Oh, don't do that." he said laughing. "I enjoyed it so much. It was so cute that you and your girlfriends all dressed up like Johnny Depp characters."
"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Hey… so you've seen those movies?"
"Yes, I've seen a lot of movies. Shuri and T'Challa made sure that I saw all of their favs."
"Oh… cool. I kind of did the same thing with Steve… having him see all of my favorite movies and him listening to the music that I like."
"I know… he told me."
I gently smirked at him. I was still in a bit embarrassed that he saw me acting that silly in those videos.
I took a deep breath and started to wonder how many videos he's seen of me from Steve or Sam.
"Come on sit back down." Bucky motioned towards where we were sitting before. "Do you really want to come back with me to Wakanda for a week or two?"
"Yes. I would love to see Wakanda with you. I was so happy when they asked me. I tried to hide the level of excitement. I didn't want to squeal," I said laughing.
Bucky chuckled.
"Well great… I can't wait to show you around. Hey, would that be ok with your job? How much time did you take off?"
"Two weeks."
"Oh ok. Then you can at least stay for a week."
"I would love that. How… How long are you staying?"
"Two or three weeks. I can still fly back with you since you can't stay as long. Then I'll fly back."
"Oh… I might be able to stay longer. My… Well… Sam helped convince me to quit my job because a lot of crazy things are happening. Racism… harassment…"
"What!" Bucky said angrily. "Someone was racist and harassed you."
"No… not me… but a lot of my friends. It's just a lot. I haven't even finished telling Sam all of the crazy stuff that goes on."
"Wow."
"Yeah… I've been stressed out for a while about it. Sam told me that I should quit and stay with him until he gets me a place to live."
"Oh wow… that would be nice. I wouldn't mind having you as a neighbor."
"Yeah… I wouldn't mind you as a neighbor too."
Bucky gently smiled at me, and my stomach decided to act like it was being attacked by butterflies again.
"You know… when Steve and I were talking to Pepper a few days ago she mentioned that you could live in one of the houses on the new compound if you wanted to."
"Really… she did?"
"Yes… it came up because Thor was talking about his new house and Morgan mentioned that she would love for you to move in again."
"Oh."
"I never knew you lived with the team."
"Yeah… briefly."
I didn't want to go into the details of why I was there. I haven't even told Sam yet that Michael attacked me.
"I hate that people can be like that," Bucky said.
"I know," I said weakly. "I think one reason I haven't been harassed is because I know the Avengers. It's not something I ever advertised… people just found out I was Sam's sister and know the team from the media. Pictures pop up on Facebook and IG and things just spread quickly."
"Yeah, I've seen how things spread so quickly now due to the internet and social media."
"Right. I've had people come to me from other departments that I didn't know asking me if they could meet Thor, Wanda, and Iron Man. It was really getting annoying. I did ask Thor to attend a birthday party for a coworker's kid. She's genuinely nice and Thor did it without hesitation."
"That was nice of him."
"Yeah, he enjoyed it. He acts like a big kid sometimes."
Bucky softly chuckled.
"I can believe it. He was very entertaining the past few days."
Wow I'm glad Thor wasn't acting all depressed. He's been so hard on himself.
"How have you been adjusting… since The Blip?" he asked.
"Ahhh… I don't think adjusting is even… well everything about people returning where they faded away from was a bit crazy. Just like it was crazy when you guys first disappeared."
"I know... everything seemed crazy."
"Besides me mourning my brother's death… I was mourning people that I never even met in person… like you. Steve losing his best friend was an additional heartbreak that I went through."
"I'm sorry that you had to go on that emotional rollercoaster. I know everything had to be hard and confusing when we all came back."
"Confusion doesn't even give that event justice. I'm just so glad that you guys are back."
"Yeah… me too." Bucky looked down at the floor then looked back up at me. "Well… even though things were crazy… it was a miracle that people were able to come back. Dr. Strange used his powers to see how many scenarios there would be of beating Thanos. There was only one outcome of us beating him out of 14 million six hundred and five."
"Wha... What!? 14 million six hundred and five. Holy shit. That seems nearly impossible, and you guys still did it. Oh my God. I… I… Oh my God."
"I know. Sounds crazy but that's the miracle of why we are here. It's why Pepper wanted today to feel like a celebration because that's what Tony and Nat would have wanted. Everybody basically did the impossible."
"Wow… Sam didn't tell me this yet. I guess he had so much on his mind. The past few days we were just catching up on things and visiting family and friends. Plus, I made him watch a lot of my favorite movies and TV shows that came out in the last five years."
"I'm so glad that you got Sam back. I was told that you were devastated."
I really was. I didn't want to bring up that I lost so much weight from stress and depression in that first year. Maybe Steve already told him? I cleared my throat because I felt like I was going to cry. Then my eyes started to get misty as I tried to hold myself together. "Yeah… I was a mess." Bucky stood up from the banister and faced me. I looked up at his beautiful eyes wondering what he would do or say. His expression was so loving that my lips slightly parted in awe of him. "Come here," he softly asked. I gently smiled at him and slid off the banister. We were standing so close to each other that my heart started to race. "I promise I won't squeeze you to death." My heart instantly melted because he wanted to comfort me again. I wanted to do the same for him since he's been through so much shit. I felt a tear fall and he gently wiped it off my cheek with his thumb then wrapped his arms around me. I closed my eyes and held on to him. The past few days have just been crazy. Being in Bucky's arms gave me a great level of comfort. I wished that I could freeze the moment because his arms felt so good hugging me. I got lost in the sensation and wanted to feel his lips on mine. It was like I forgot that there were around 40 plus people that could have been looking up at us on the back porch. I squeezed him tighter. I really didn't want him to let go of me. I heard a quiet 'aww' and we both turned to see who it was. It was Shuri standing near the bottom of the steps with a smile on her face. "I see something blossoming here. But don't mind me… I'm just a genius," she said with a smirk. I felt my skin heat up again. It wasn't embarrassing at all. It was a tingly sensation as if I was going to experience something exciting and amazing soon… and I was. Shuri started to walk up the steps.
"Well, you are a genius Shuri," Bucky said.
"Yes, and I have great intuition. You two look… so right standing next to each other. You need to see this. Do you mind?" she asked while she took her cell phone out.
Bucky and I both gently chuckled at the same time. "No, I don't mind," Bucky answered. I shook my head no with a smile. Bucky hugged my side, and she took a picture. When she looked at the phone, she said aww again then showed us the picture. We really did look good together. Like damn we looked good together.
"Nice picture… thanks," Bucky said.
"Yeah, I really like that pic… thanks Shuri."
"No problem. I'll text it to Bucky. And do you mind if I get your number?"
"Oh… no that's ok."
I tried to hide my shock that a princess just asked for my phone number even though a witch and an Asgardian alien had my number for years. "Great," she said with excitement. I told her my number and she put it in her phone. Bucky pulled out his phone and asked if I minded. I shook my head no and he put my number in his phone. Within a few seconds I got the text from her.
"We are going to have a ball in Wakanda, Shuri said. "I'm going to steal you away from Bucky at times so just be prepared for that."
I giggled.
"No that's fine. I would love to hang out with just you as well."
"Great," she said then glanced back and forth at our faces.
She sighed then smiled. I loved seeing her enthusiasm about us. I wish that Sam had the same.
"I have to go set some snacks. I'm hungry. I'll talk to you guys later ok."
"Ok," we both said in unison.
Shuri walked inside the cabin and then it hit me like the realization was brand new that I was going to Wakanda with Bucky Barnes.
Wow… this is too surreal to me right now. I just know that this trip is going to be amazing. I really hope that Sam doesn't bitch because I'm going with him. I was invited by the actual king. I've heard so much about the country from Steve and Sam. They told me that some of it is hidden by some cloaking technology. This may very well be the best vacation that I've even been on in my life. Even better, I'm totally falling for Bucky… and the way that he looks at me makes me think that he is doing the same. The man told me that he always thought that I was beautiful and that he would have wanted to know me before he was frozen so that he had something extra to wake up too. Wow… I would love to wake up to him on a regular basis. Could I even dare to dream? Could this feeling that I have actually turn into something meaningful and real? Oh, I hope so. Of all the mystical things that I know and heard of… the feeling that Bucky gives me when I'm in his arms or when he's looking into my eyes… is too much to accept as reality right away. What's happening can't be happening. Oh my God… I think that I'm going to fall in love with Bucky Barnes.
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