Stark's Driver ~ A Bucky Barnes Story

Chapter 20- Shields

"We're here." Sam announced, unfastening himself from the cockpit, and Talia audibly gulped, which did not escape the attention of Natasha, who narrowed her eyes at her suspiciously.

They lined up on the ramp as it lowered, letting thick, hot Wakandan air drift in with the sunshine as they stepped into the light to see T'Challa and the Dora Milaje assembled in full regalia to greet them on the platform- a much more honorary welcome than Talia had received, she thought petulantly.

"Should we bow?" Bruce whispered nervously to the others at the back where was Talia stood.     "Yeah, he's a king." Rhodey replied assuredly, fist-bumping Talia behind his back as she tried to contain her chuckle, before clearing her throat,
"It's a customary sign of respect called the Assjkissj" She furthered, causing Rhodey to choke on a laugh and Bruce to turn pale as they turned to greet the Wakandan royalty.

"Seems like I'm always thanking you for something," Steve grinned with a friendly smile as the two leaders shook hands before Bruce cleared his throat and stooped awkwardly into a bow.

T'Challa grimaced politely, "Ah, we don't do that here."

"No," can a voice from the back, "We do this!"

And Talia launched herself at the man, surprising them by gripping him in a tight hug, which he reciprocated laughing, "It is good to see you my friend, we missed you."

The "we" seemed to refer to the shriek that came from an ecstatic blur that barrelled into Talia's arms, which was Shuri.
Laughing she disentangled herself from the girl and tuned back into the conversation as they walked.

"You will have my King's Guard, the Border Tribe, the Dora Milaje, and..."

"A semi-stable, 100-year-old man." Bucky joked  as he walked forwards to join them, embracing Steve,
"How you been, Buck?"

"Uh, not bad," he admitted, eyes darting to meet Talia's, who hastily dropped her gaze,
"For the end of the world."
He finished with a grin at his old friend, but Talia saw the tightness in his eyes as his eyes flickered up at the protective dome that stood as a barrier between them, and what was to come.

~

Most of the group continued inside, to take Vision to the lab and discuss strategy, but Bucky hung back, assuming a stance from which Talia thought he was probably trying to embody a moody guard position, but she sucked in a breath and approached him anyway.

"Hello."
Really, hello was the best she could come up with, she groaned at herself internally.

He stilled, turning around to face her,
"Hey."

"How've you been?"

"Good."

Right. So he'd turned back into the sullen soldier that didn't like to chat, great.

"Great! I mean yeah, that's good, I see they've kitted you out." She gestured to his new vibranium arm, resisting the strange urge to reach out and touch it that had suddenly crept into her thoughts.

"Yeah it's..." he trailed off silently.

"Comfier right?" She offered him a small smile, nervously.

"Yes." He nodded at her shortly.

To their left, Sam just rolled his eyes at the awkward pair.

"Listen Bucky, I just wanted to talk about... about when I left."

"Oh yeah?" He straightened, looking down at her coolly,
"So what exactly did you want to sa-"

He was cut off by Sam on the comms, "Hey Cap, ...we got a situation here."
A huge metal vessel crashed through the atmosphere, but was destroyed on its impact with the defence shield, creating a fiery explosion in the sky above them.

"God, I love this place."

"Me too," Talia echoed, her eyes flickering to the soldier besides her.

A warning siren began to ring across the city, glaring through then with its ominous tone, the hair on the back of her neck stood up, they were really here.

She turned to leave, but someone caught her arm, a cold gripping hand, she snapped her eyes up to his face, "Are you going out there?" he demanded, a slight note of urgency slipping into his voice

"Um, yeah why?" She replied confusedly.

He made a small noise at the back of his throat, that if Talia didn't know better, she would a call a growl, she overcame the smile that tugged at her mouth, not wanting it irritate him anymore than she apparently had already.

"What Bucky?!" She questioned exasperatedly.

"I thought you didn't get involved."

She felt an cold sensation wash over her.

"What."

A few moments passed and he didn't speak, his silence saying it all.

"You think this is the same?!
This isn't like before Bucky, this is us, Earth, against them!"

Still he didn't speak.

"Let go of my arm, Barnes." She hissed in such a cool tone that knocked him out of his emotions with a shock as he realised he was still holding onto her.

"Wait, Talia."

But she was already stalking off inside to get ready for the battle ahead.

~

Trying to brush off that bewildering  encounter, she made her way inside, ignoring the panic of battle preparations, as Wakandans bustled around her, collecting staffs and shield and weapons alike, moving to separate parts of the palace, she descended down into caverns, to Shuri's lab, where she found the girl fussing around a table Vision was lying on.

Not wanting to disturb her, she moved to the other side where Wanda stood, looking down at the synthezoid worriedly.

"Hey." She greeted softly, pulling her in for a hug.
"Hey." The redhead whispered into her hair.
"It's gonna be okay, you got that right?"
Her friend didn't reply.

"Wanda," she drew back, looking at her fiercely, "We're going to get you the time you need."

She nodded, offering a small smile, "I know."

Grinning she turned, "You hear that Vision, don't get comfy mate- we'll need you to help kick these aliens back off Earth once that stone of yours is destroyed."

He smiled, used to her humour, "Of course not Miss Scott."

She chuckled,  "Good ...err Shuri you wouldn't happen to know where my sparring suit ended up would you?" She called to her distracted friend, who just hummed in response and pointed to a general area of her messy lab.

"Right," she exhaled softly, "I need to suit up."