Adamantine (A Post-Black Panther Bucky Barnes Love Story)

7

"Hey, mind if I join?" a familiar voice asks from the doorway.

I look over my shoulder and see Bucky giving me a charming smile. I find myself smiling back.

Stop, I instantly scold myself. He won't look at you again once he knows what you can really do. So don't get attached now.

"Of course, of course!" Shuri replies eagerly. "Come on in."

Bucky smiles at her and walks over to me. He offers me his hand- his human one. I raise my eyebrows in confusion.

"Can I talk to you? In private?" he asks me, and I nearly feel my heart skip a beat when his clear blue eyes stare deep into mine.

"Yeah," I breathe out. I turn my head to the side slightly. "Michael, I'll be back."

"No rush, Aurea," he chuckles, and I decide to ignore his response.

"Is everything okay?" I ask Bucky once we're alone. He turns to face me, and I'm mildly surprised by the concern on his face.

"I need your help," he admits. "I need to get in contact with Steve. I figured you might know him. Or, at least, know how to get in touch with him."

Steve. Steve Rogers.

I let out a breath, remembering my last interaction with the captain.

"We didn't exactly end on the best of terms," I warn Bucky, who frowns. "But I do know how to contact him. I can do it now, if you'd like?"

Bucky lets out a nervous laugh as he rubs the back of his neck with his metal hand.

"Actually, I was thinking maybe it could wait until after we had lunch together?" he asks, and I can't help but smile at his nervous expression. He looks down at me with puppy dog eyes, and I can't help but laugh a little.

"Are you asking me on a date, Sergeant?"

I can't even hide my smile.

"If I was, would you say yes?"

I feel a jolt of electricity go up my spine when I gently take his vibranium hand in mine.

"Yeah. Yeah, I think I would."

•••••

We find ourselves in front of a small, traditional cafe. It's decorated with beautiful African cloths and beads, and I'm in awe.

"This is beautiful," I tell him, looking around. Still, even as happy as I want to be, I can't help but dart my eyes around, scanning the building for any visible threats. I make sure I'm aware of any potential entrances and exits.

"Relax," Bucky says, gently placing his hands on my shoulders. "You're safe here."

I'm not safe anywhere.

"Okay," I reply quietly, closing my eyes as I feel the metal against my skin.

Once we're seated, he reaches out and takes my hand.

"So tell me about you," he requests. "What's your story?"

I let out a breathy laugh.

"Well, I was born in Virginia, but once people found out what-" I swallow hard, "-what I could do, the government couldn't get enough of me." I run a hand through my hair. "I was six the last time I saw my parents. After that, I grew up training with SHIELD agents, Navy SEALS, Green Berets...any secret military operative you can think of. Then, when I was fifteen or so, they started sending me on missions. Now, here we are."

"That's not fair," Bucky tells me seriously. "You never got to be a kid. You're- what? Twenty-four? You shouldn't have to deal with all of this."

"Twenty-five in two weeks," I nod. "But honestly, it's okay. This is my normal." I smile and take a sip of my drink. "Anyway, your turn. What are you doing here in Wakanda?"

"It's a long story," he chuckles. "So you know about the whole Tony Stark and Steve thing? How the Avengers pretty much split in half?"

I grimace at the memory. That was a bad time for the government. I'm the only individual exempt from the Sokovia Accords, because I'm considered a "weapon of mass destruction," and they don't want the Russians knowing I'm real.

Yeah.

"Yeah, I- I heard about it," is what I decide to reply with.

"Well, I was a major source of the conflict. Afterwards, T'Challa granted me asylum here and began treating me for everything Hydra did to my brain. So I'm pretty much as good as I'm going to get now, but leaving Wakanda is kind of a death wish," he explains briefly. "But, I mean, I like it here. So it's fine, really."

"That's freakin' crazy, man," comes out before I can stop it. "Looks like we've both been dealt a crappy hand of cards, huh?"

His smile seems to light up the entire room.

"Looks like it."

That's when it all hits the fan.