Not Quite a Soldat

11

W'Kabi smiled at Chanel warmly as she took the apple from his hand to feed the rhino. T'Challa had gone to him for important business and she asked to tag along when she heard about the war rhinos. The creature was so sweet as he tickled her hand when his mouth grabbed the apple. Chanel stayed out of the two men's way, petting the rhino while they talked. She heard Okoye's voice on the hologram created by T'Challa and W'Kabi's kimoyo beads.

Chanel was called into the throne room as well by Okoye, standing behind T'Challa's throne while the other leaders of the various tribes sat on their respective stools. Okoye called her in because a man named Ulysses Klaue popped up onto Wakandan radar.

"He plans to sell the vibranium to an American buyer in South Korea, tomorrow night," Okoye explained.

"Klaue has escaped our pursuits for almost thirty years. Not capturing him is, perhaps, my father's greatest regret. I wish to bring Klaue back here to stand trial," T'Challa said.

The leader of the Merchant Tribe shook her head.

"Wakanda does not need a warrior right now. We need a king."

"My parents were killed when he attacked. Not a day goes by that I don't think about what Klaue took from us. From me," W'kabi said.

"It's too great an opportunity to pass," Okoye agreed. "Chanel, can you find anything in those records about Klaue? Any non-Wakandan records as well?"

"I'll search my databases right away and send them to you." She quickly raced out of the throne room.

"You called me in, printesa?"

Bucky entered the lab. Chanel directed him to her seat and covered his eyes.

"Am o supriza pentru tine." (I have a surprise for you)

"Supriza?"

She could feel Bucky's eyebrows raise underneath her hands. Chanel nodded before realizing he couldn't see her. Bucky felt the sudden influx of light again and looked down at the workstation to see a box with a shiny new vibranium arm— the face of a wolf carved in white on the outer bicep. He smiled as the scientist who had helped make it, Mandla, took the arm out of the box and helped fit it on Bucky.

Mandla explained how it was made to be easy for Bucky to detach if he wanted to but also the arm wouldn't pop off randomly. Bucky ran through all the tests to make sure it worked properly. The first thing he did was pick Chanel up and spin her in a hug, her heel coming off as he did.

"Mulțumesc." (Thank you)

"Cu plăcere." (You're welcome)

Bucky's fingers stayed a little too long on Chanel's waist before he pulled away. He bent down to help her put the shoe back on before leaving so she could finish work. Chanel looked up to see Shuri and T'Challa— who had just come in for his new panther suit— staring at her.

"What? Oh, did you and Okoye get the file I sent on Klaue."

T'Challa nodded.

"Are those Barnes'?" he asked, pointing at his own neck.

"Yeah."

"Hmm," T'Challa said before turning to his sister for his new suit.

Chanel took the evening off while T'Challa and them went on a mission. Partly because if they needed any information from her, she wanted to be able to pull it up without any of her other work getting in the way. The other part was Chanel just wanted to be at home. Bucky came out of his room and stared at Chanel before blinking rapidly and rubbing at his eye. He turned around, closed the door, and then opened it again.