Fire and Ice

•57•

Bucky is visiting today.

Kate's stomach is knots, but she convinces herself it's just nerves about the vibrainum train ride. She hasn't been on a rollercoaster or anything like that since she was a kid, before her mom died. Not that she hasn't done things ten times crazier...

The train modifications were finalized yesterday, so Shuri told Ayo to go get Bucky today. Kate has been thinking about him for weeks, unable to get him off her mind. It frustrates her, but it mostly scares the crap out of her. How is she going to act when he gets here? Hopefully like she always has. Unless she's been too obvious? Shuri seems to notice something... But Shuri's crazy anyway, looking for stuff that isn't there.

Not long after waking, Kate, Shuri, and Yama load up a vehicle, T'Challa and Ramonda riding separately with Okoye. Ayo is bringing Bucky from the Border Tribe, all the way up the mountain where the best entrance to the vibrainum tracks is.

Bucky and Ayo must've left early, because they arrive about the same time as everyone else. Kate can't help but stare for a minute; he looks... happy. He smiles at her, but it isn't that. He looks lighter, like he can hold his head higher, his shoulders back instead of sagging with the weight of his mind. He's less pale, almost sunburned in some places. His beard is scruffier than it had been, his hair pulled back in a half-bun again. He figured that out at least.

Kate walks over to him, heart pounding but determined to be normal. "I like the hair."

"Thanks," he says, "it, uh... keeps it out of my eyes."

Kate chuckles and nods. "I bet."

"I am leaving," Ayo says, moving over to Yama and Okoye.

"Alright, let's go, over here," Shuri says, gesturing to a platform on the ground. Kate and Bucky walk over, and she puts her arm up, using her Kimono beads. "You two first. We'll catch the next ride."

"You guys aren't coming with us?" Bucky asks.

"It's your memory. And you two are the test subjects."

"That makes me feel great."

The platform they're standing on lowers into the ground, and Shuri waves as they descend. "Bye! Have fun!"

The platform stops next to the track, which isn't moving vibrainium at the moment. The train car in front of them is silver, sleek, and outfitted with seats they can see through the open door. Bucky gestures to it. "Ladies first."

Kate walks in. "What, are you scared?"

"No," Bucky says, following. "I mean, look at the last time I was on a freight car; that went great."

Kate chuckles a bit. "So you are scared?"

"Apprehensive, maybe, but I'm not scared."

Kate sits in a seat at the front and buckles herself in, securing the straps around her shoulders and middle. "That's how a rollercoaster is supposed to make you feel."

"I haven't ridden many," he says, sitting next to her. "At least, not for a long time. Just the ones in Coney Island; nothing like this."

"Technically, I've never ridden anything like this either. Not many have, actually."

Bucky groans a bit. "That sounds so safe."

"You've done more dangerous things."

"Exactly. This is not the way I want to go out."

Kate laughs. "I don't think we're going anywhere, if Shuri doesn't start this thing."

"She's toying with us. Letting us get nervous."