The Red Shadow - Bucky Barnes

Chapter Five

One week later...

"Hello, I'm Shuri," the black woman says reaching her hand out.

"Layla," she replies shaking her hand, "What is this place?"

"This is my lab," Shuri says, "Trust me, your friend will be safe here in Wakanda."

"Do you know where they are?"

"Steve and Bucky are in the other room."

Layla walks through Shuri's lab. She admires everything. The weapons, the outfits. Everything.

Layla looks over at Bucky sitting on a table. He's wearing a white tank top with a bandage covering the loose wires from his metal arm. She smiles at Shuri. The Wakandans had been kind enough to let Bucky stay here until they can figure out how to get rid of the stuff in his head. Bucky made the choice of going back into the ice. He said it would be safer that way.

Layla walks over to Steve and Bucky.

"You sure about this, Bucky?" Layla asks him.

"Yeah," he says, then looks up at her surprised, "Hey, you used my first name."

"I'll admit, you're growing on me," she smiles, her smiling leaving as she realizes she needs to take a step back. The only two people she's uses first names for are Steve and now Bucky apparently.

"Sorry, about everything that happened."

"Hey," Layla puts a hand on his shoulder, "I've been through much worse."

"There's always a chance to back out now," Steve says.

"I can't trust my own mind. So until they can figure out how to get this stuff out of my head the best thing is to go back under," Bucky says, softly. Layla sighs, looking at her feet. 

Bucky walked over to the chamber. It closed around him. Steam came off of it as he froze inside. Layla frowns. Right as she wants to learn more about someone they have to be put in ice. 

Layla looked over at Steve and T'Challa as they chatted by the window. They shook hands and T'Challa made his way over to her. He smiled at her and shook her hand.

"I'm sorry things had to turn out this way," he said.

"I feel like I should say that to you," she smiled, "Thanks, for taking him in."

"Of course," T'Challa said, "You can stay here if you would like. He will need company when he defrosts."

"That would be amazing," Layla replied, "It would probably be safer for the rest of the world anyway."

"You are a great person," he says, "With a great heart. I believe you will do the right thing. that is why I trust you."

Layla holds back tears at his words. He trusts her. She thanks him and walks over to Shuri again. She watches as Shuri works with the vibranium so well. Layla admires the vibranium daggers hanging on the wall. Strongest metal on earth. 

"Do you like those?" Shuri asks, gesturing towards the daggers.

"They're... amazing," Layla says.

"I can make you some if you would like," Shuri says, walking over to Layla, "As long as you use them for good."

Layla sighs, "I don't know if that's possible for me. It's best I stay away from any sort of weapon."

Shuri nods and walks away.

- one year later -

Layla ducks as one a the Dora Milaje tries to hit her with a spear. She does a backflip and swipes Okoye's leg making her trip and fall. Then all the sudden Ayo uses her spear to strangle her and throws Layla to the ground, pointing the spear at her neck.

"That was aggressive, Ayo," Layla complains.

"Nice job, Red Shadow," Ayo reaches her hand out to help Layla to her feet.

"Thanks," Layla smiles, "You guys are pretty badass."

Okoye smiles and walks out of the training area with the rest of the Dora Milaje. Layla grabs one of her daggers and throws it at a target. She's been in Wakanda for around a year now. Shuri said she's still trying to figure out how to fix Bucky. Layla's been training with the Dora Milaje for a month now. They still kick her ass every time. 

She throws another dagger at the target and it lands perfectly in the middle.

"Nice throw," a familiar voice says behind her.

She whips around and sees a face she hasn't in a while. 

"Are you that hologram Shuri's been working on?" Layla asks, pointing a dagger at the person.

"Nope, it's me in the flesh," the person says walking over to her.

"Good to see you again, Bucky," she says, crossing her arms.

"Okay, first name, that's a good sign," he smiles at her.

"Oh, I wanna take it back now," she teases. Bucky grabs the dagger and throws it at the target. Missing the bullseye, "Wow, you suck."

"Ouch."

"Did they figure out how to fix you?"

"Yeah, Shuri's gonna run a few tests, but other than that I'm fixed," he says, pulling the knives out of the target.

"That's nice. I won't have to worry about you slaughtering half of Wakanda."

"Did you just get meaner when I was gone? Or are you the same?"

"You need to catch up on a few things that happened over the year," Layla says, walking past him and to the exit. 

Fuck, Layla, what are you doing?  She thought. She needs to build some sort of wall between her and Bucky and this isn't the right way.

He smiles and follows her out.

***

Layla walks with Okoye and Shuri through the town of Wakanda. Layla's lived here for a year now and people still give her weird looks. 

"Does everyone still hate me here?" Layla whispers to Okoye. Okoye rolls her eyes and keeps walking.

"I mean you did kill dozens of people," Shuri says, laughing. Layla frowns at her new friend. 

"How's Bucky doing with the tests?" Layla asks.

"He's been doing great," Shuri pulls Layla to the side and Okoye keeps walking through the town, "Our final test is tonight. You should come."

Layla bites her lip and looks down. Would Bucky even want her there? They aren't very close friends and they have plenty of history telling them to hate each other. And she's not exactly trying to get close to him. She looks up at Shuri and nods.

"I would like to go."

Shuri smiles, "I'm glad."

Fuck.