Chapter Text
“You know we could frame you both for a coup attempt against the Royal Family, and then you wouldn’t be able to leave the country.”
“Shuri,” T’Challa chastises, sending her a look I’ve definitely become familiar with.
“Brother,” Shuri mimics, shaking her head. “I didn’t say anything that wasn’t true.”
“I think I’ve had my fill of being framed for political entanglements, but thanks kid,” Bucky nods, taking a sip of beer.
“Eh, what’s once more? Don’t even act like you don’t want to stay.”
I chuckle and wrap my arms around Shuri’s shoulders, giving her a tight side hug. “What ever are we going to do without your side comments?” I smile.
“You don’t have to go without them. Stay a little longer,” she shrugs, resting the side of her head against mine.
“Shuri, they have lives, let them get back to them,” T’Challa says from beside Bucky.
“I would love to stay longer, but T’Challa is right. Coming here was an escape… we have to get back,” I mumble.
“I know… what about another month?” I roll my eyes and unwrap my arms, reaching to the table for my drink. “A week?”
I shake my head, taking a sip of my beer. “We already pushed our stay an extra two weeks. Besides, Tony’s birthday is on Saturday; we can’t miss that. I’m sorry Ri, I know you want us to stay longer, but we can’t put off going home.”
“I know,” she grumbles, leaning back against the cushion. “But what am I supposed to do without my lab tech?” she asks loudly. I giggle as she reaches behind her and grabs the sleeping kitten off the top of the couch.
“I still can’t believe you let a cat into your lab, but yell at me for wearing the wrong type of clothing,” T’Challa grumbles.
“Ay,” Shuri scolds, “Alpine is the descendant of Bast, don’t you insult her.”
“Oh, now you listen to the Elders’ teachings? Where was this enthusiasm when we were in lessons?”
Shuri ignores her brother and holds the kitten up to her face. “I’m going to miss you,” she coos, letting Alpine rub against her face.
“You’re always welcome to come visit,” I remind her.
“I could probably slip away…” she smirks.
“And of course, T’Challa, you’re welcome to come as well, if you have time.”
“I would not want to interrupt your bonding time,” he says sarcastically.
“Who said you were invited to hang out? The White Wolf will be there, you can bond with him,” Shuri quips back, nodding to Bucky.
I smile at her and take another sip of my beer, already missing this.
⁂
It’s just before midnight when we get back to the near-empty apartment.
While we didn’t have too much stuff, everything we’ve collected the past three and a half months has been packed into suitcases and a few boxes, leaving the space bare and cold feeling.
Alpine jumps off Bucky’s shoulder and heads directly to her food bowl, chirping when she finds it empty. Bucky mumbles an ‘alright’ when her chirps turn to yowls and heads to the counter where her food is stored.
I look around and a pang of sadness runs through me.
I’m going to miss this place.
My eyes catch the balcony and I walk over, opening the door and letting the warm night air into the apartment. There’s only a sliver of moon, so despite the lights from the city, I can see the stars in the sky. I move forward and prop my arms against the rail, taking a deep breath and trying to memorize the scent.
Fresh and clean and warm.
Hints of spices and water.
Warm yet refreshing.
Arms snake around my waist and Bucky rests his chin on my shoulder. “You okay?”
“Mhmm. I’m just going to miss it here… I understand now why you love it so much, why you chose here instead of the island. There’s something about this place… It’s not something I can describe, but I get a sense of calm here... I’m a little worried I’ll lose that when we leave,” I mumble quietly.
He nods, but remains silent, listening to the sounds of the city drift up.
“I understand,” he says finally. “All of it… And I know you know, but you have to move forward. We can’t stay here the rest of our lives, no matter how much we would prefer that,” he mumbles against my neck before placing a light kiss under my ear.
I smile and nod. “I wish we could… But I know we can’t. This trip did what it was meant to. I got away from everything. Hopefully, I can deal with it now… At least a little better than I could before…”
“Just take it slow. You don’t need to be a superhero—just go home and live,” he whispers.
My heart warms. “Thank you for doing this with me,” I say for the millionth time, turning to face him. “I know leaving again was hard… You just got your family back, and you left the team—”
“Hey, we’ve been over this; no blaming yourself. I came because I wanted to be with you. They’re all important to me, but so are you. Besides, we’re leaving tomorrow, we’ll be back with the team by the afternoon, and we’re seeing my family on Wednesday…” His fingers squeeze my hips as he leans his forehead against mine. “I’m with you, remember? Always,” he mumbles with a small smile.
“I hate how you’re literally the best,” I smile back, pressing a kiss to his lips.
“Isn’t this the bare minimum?” he says incredulously. “Like shouldn’t a boyfriend want to be with his girlfriend and support her?”
“You’d be surprised,” I laugh.
“I don’t understand you’re generation and their ideas on relationships,” he grumbles dramatically.
“First, the unsupportive boyfriend comes from your generations patriarchal values,” I say pointedly. “Second, I know you’re like, a hundred years old, but you have to stop talking like it. It makes me feel like a gold digger,” I laugh.
“Wait. You’re not with me for my money?!” I roll my eyes and smack his chest lightly. “Calm down, calm down, I know why you’re with me…”
“It’s for the metal arm,” we say in sync.
“You know me so well,” I smile smugly at him.
He rolls his eyes and presses a quick kiss to my nose, sending butterflies into a flurry in my stomach.
“Come on, we should head to bed.”
I let out a sigh and turn back around, trying to memorize every detail of the city-scape.
“We’ll come back,” he whispers.
After a long moment I nod and push off the rail, finally turning and heading into the dark apartment.