Still | B. BARNES

Chapter 2

📍 Wakanda | January 2018

The whole day, Bucky and Sapphire spend it by catching up on each other.

Well, more of Bucky catching up to Sapphire.

"And how did my doll who hates humanity became a teacher?" He asked her as she stirred the pot.

"I'm not really good at anything besides fighting. So, I thought, why not use my Ph.D. It would be a waste not to do anything about it. Plus, the children are amazing," she narrated with a smile on her face.

"Oh, Steve says, 'Welcome back," Sapphire said as she prepared dinner.

Bucky chuckled, seeing her move around and cook, "When did you learn how to cook?"

Sapphire turned around, setting the dish down in front of him, "I spend my time with different people here, learning how to do their daily things. It's a vegetable pilau, by the way. Try it."

He took a spoon and ate the rice with pieces of lamb and vegetables at it.

"How is it? Better than my noodles?" She wiggled her brow, remembering how she attempted to cook noodles in Bucharest without Bucky.

Bucky laughed as he nodded, "Yes. This is amazing." He shook his head, getting more of the food and feeding it to her, "I still question how you manage to burn instant noodles. Open up."

She opened her mouth, eating. After she swallowed, she replied, "Maybe, I'm meant to be an elite cook."

Bucky chuckled at her, getting a bite off their food. He looked up, seeing Sapphire staring at him, "What?"

"Life is funny. Just 2 years ago, I was standing while sleeping in prison, and now I'm engaged to a 100 about to be 101-year-old man," she replied with a teasing smile.

Bucky rolled his eyes at her, "And I'm still dating the same alien."

"I miss you, Buck," Sapphire confessed.

"You okay to settle down here?" Bucky looked at her lovingly.

"Yeah. Anywhere with you, I'm good. I like it here though, more than the city. It's peaceful," she said with a smile on her face.

"Can you?" He leaned his face on her palm.

Sapphire closed her eyes with a soft smile on her face. "I love you, Sergeant," she spoke through his head.

"I love you too and can't wait to marry you, Mrs. Barnes," he replied in his head.

For the past 4 months of being together again, Sapphire and Bucky were living peacefully in Wakanda.

Sapphire continued to teach the children, and Bucky took care of the goats. He also spends a lot of time with the elders in Wakanda as they help him from books from their ancestors to find his peace.

Then, there was the time when Bucky came home at night crying in joy, hugging her tightly, 2 months ago.

Sapphire was so confused with his actions and asked what was wrong.

Bucky just held both of her palms, letting her hold his face in between her hands.

With curiosity, Sapphire closed her eyes, going through Bucky's head.

She saw him sitting around the fire as Ayo came in, "It is time."

"You sure about this?" Bucky asked while staring at the fire.

"I won't let you hurt anyone," Ayo replied before she said the first word.

Bucky's eyes glistened as his mind recalled every memory of him being a winter soldier and how he came to be.

"It's not gonna work," Bucky said as he gritted his teeth, eyes glistening.

Ayo continued to speak as Sapphire saw how the Winter Soldier killed Tony's parents and how he fought with Steve.

Sapphire's eyes began to drop her tears as Ayo finished and told Bucky, "You are free."

She opened her eyes, seeing those blue eyes still crying as she whispered, "You are free."

Bucky nodded at her as she placed his lips on her forehead, whispering back, "I'm free."

Fast forward to the present day, it was bright outside as Sapphire sat on the bed with Bucky.

"I thought you never read children's storybooks," Bucky asked with a book in his hand while sitting down beside Sapphire.

"Yeah. That was given to me for the children. But then again, I teach math," she replied.

Bucky reached for her necklace around her neck and twisted the head part of the doll pendant.

"What are you doing?" She asked, looking down at it.

"Your necklace has a small memory for voice recording," he said, pulling away and starting to read the story.

"I love our time together as we start each happy day," he started, showing the illustrations of the book to her.

She wanted to laugh at how ridiculous they were being, but she found it endearing as well.

"I love our bathtime silliness- the way we splash and play!"

Bucky read it with the best voice impression and hand gestures.

"We'll climb the highest mountaintops- hold tight, and you won't fall."

He sighed loudly, "I love to share the magic of the shining skies above."

He flipped it on the next page, showing me the bears again, "And to think of all the different ways that we can show our love..."

"Like when we're touching noses."

Flip.

"Playing chase."

Flip.

"Or seeing friends."

"A year from now," he remarked, knowing it's been so long since we saw Steve and the others.

She chuckled at it as he continued, "Our love is always with us, and it never, ever ends."

Bucky smiled at her before flipping it to the next page, holding it up to her, "So snuggle safely in my arms; our day is nearly done."

He clicked his tongue before speaking softly and slowly, "I love you to the moon and stars, my precious little one."

She furrowed her brows at the end as he chuckled, closing the book.

He reached for her pendant and stopped the recording.

"You did that on purpose," Sapphire told him.

Bucky laughed, shaking his head, "I really didn't know. Call it destiny?"

Sapphire scrunched her nose as she hugged him, "Thank you."

Then she suggested, "You should read to the children next time."

Bucky hummed while she leaned her head on his shoulder, "Do you want our own kids?"

Sapphire sighed, "A part of me does, but I don't have any clue on how to be a parent nor had any models to look up to. How about you?"

"Neither am I, and I'd like anything you want," he replied. "So, with or no kids at all, I'm good."

She placed her chin on his shoulder as she looked up to his blue eyes, "We'll figure it out when the time comes."

"We always do," he placed a kiss on her nose and forehead. "But I like the name, Carlisle."

Sapphire chuckled, pressing a soft kiss on his lips.

This is what their lives have been like since they were married. Deep talks and exploring each other. Peace.

But little did they know, somewhere outside the soil of Wakanda, there is a war brewing.