Avengers - Civil War AU - Kintsugi Golden Repair 2.0 - ABANDONED

"That was a nice fight, let's see how we do, Bucky!" Kerica was giddy from watching Steve brawl, sure she could feel adrenaline already pumping. Just like watching him work out with punching bags and the other gym equipment, watching him fight was always so /sexy/. Fierce face, determined eyes, flexing muscles...she had a hard time calming herself down as she bounced onto the mat and slipped herself into a fighting stance, left foot out and straight, the other leg back and bent, her right foot making a 90 degree angle with the other one.

Bucky noticed how she put her weaker side out, and wondered why that was. Was this just a more comfortable position or was it a way to feign? Curious, he slipped into a stance of his own, crouched and ready to pounce. "Ready to rumble?" he joked.

"If you are!" she chirped at him, her bouncing finally decreased. She made a small rah sound when he lunged at her, her grin bright and feral, crouching down a little further,

T'Challa was intrigued by the sounds she made, sitting indian-style as he had been watching both fights play out with fascination. He watched as she managed to deflect a punch and tried to lash at him, but her aim was off and he hooked his mettle arm around her wrist by his ear. Using the momentum he provided to pull her forward, she jammed her knee into his solar plexus, grabbing onto his shoulder with a free hand and /jumping/ over him, flipping in the air and landing on her tip-toes, whirling around and kicked at his back, which ended up just grazing his size as he was turning around himself.

"Whoo! Close one there!" Buck grinned at her, and they continued to go after each other like a game of cat and mouse.

Kerica picked up her pace at random intervals and threw harder punches and faster kicks, Bucky having to jump to do the same to block and dodge. Kerica only deterred one punch so far, when she noticed he blocked with his metal arm first and she would've definitely broken something. That allowed Buck an upperhand to try and grab her, but she was slippery and dropped out of her jacket, swiping her legs under him but he rolled into a new stance when she tripped him.

Tossing the jacket to the side he upped his own game, and it was becoming more like a game of cat and mouse. Kerica would easily dance out of his reach, and knowing he was like a tree, she went for ways of taking him down that were indirect, getting behind him, going for his weak and open spots, seeing through him that even his fights with Steve were overlooked. She fought like Nat, but at the same time it wasn't.

"Twinkletoes," he blurted randomly, causing her to give him an odd look as she slithered her body out of the way of another punch, the force of the punch causing her hair to breeze by her nose.

"Dancing has it's advantages," Kerica hummed in response, "I was a part of the dance team in school, and I like to dance by myself in my room often. Nat and I would also dance together."

"No fucking wonder," Buck laughed and they traded a series of hand-to-hand strikes, but he noticed the scar trailing the outside of her left forearm. Weakpoint. Instinct told him to use it to twist her arm behind her, but Steve would be /beyond/ pissed, so he just ducked when she used a high-kick and jumped back.

"You have a little fancy footwork yourself, Bucky!" Kerica giggled as they circled one another, "You must be a great dancer!"

"Well, you know, I'm lucky to have a partner to dance with me to brush up my skills, they were a bit rusty," Bucky hummed, glancing at Nyah, but that was a mistake as Kerica lashed at him, doing a jump-kick, and he tried to grab her but she was really good about using her jumps to her advantage, spinning her body mid-air in order to land on her feet again, turning into a spin-kick he barely dodged as well. "Geezus, there'd be no side-stepping you now," he teased.

"Steve reminded you about that?!" Kerica blushed hotly, and her lashes were a bit fiercer this time, more open-palmed strikes and her nails caught him on the arm.

"Aw, little kitty-cat upset she didn't land on her feet?" Bucky taunted and laughed. He must've struck a nerve as she got more direct.

T'Challa tilted his head and shifted positions while he continued to observe Kerica's performance. When Bucky made that comment, he felt like a decision was made and stood, enjoying the rest of the fight for what it was.

Bucky grunted as she whirled around his flesh-arm and struck him in the chin, his teeth clanking together. He grabbed her back and as she used her legs to hook and pull, they tumbled onto the mat and he ended up on top of her, "Not sure this type of dance is appropriate," he joked, but she kneed him right in the gut and he rolled off and onto his feet, "Ow! Hey!"

"Don't tease me like that," Kerica hissed at him, and Buck noticed her voice had lowered.

Catching a hand and twisting her so he had her back against his chest, he muttered in her ear, "Hey what's wrong? Take a breath, don't collapse on me yet," he added when he noticed her chest was heaving quickly. Steve would be upset if she had an asthma attack right now just because he pissed her off.

Jamming her heel into his toes, elbowing his chest, and slamming her head into his nose, he immediately let her go, his nose bleeding.

T'Challa watched as things got a lot more bloody, at least on Buck's end. He was getting ripped to shreds, only able to block as she furiously attacked him, scratching and clawing

Somehow, someway, they ended up on the floor again and he successfully pinned her, both her arms and her legs this time, "What did I /say/, Kerica?" he whispered, genuinely confused.

"Steve won't dance with me."

Blinking, he furrowed his brows, "He did tell you he can't dance right?"

Stilling, her own frown crossed her face, "No, just said he wasn't good at it."

"STEVE!" Bucky looked up sharply and towards Steve had ended up sitting with Nyah.

Steve's head whipped towards Bucky in surprise. "What?!" He called over to him, confused as all hell. Why was /Bucky/ upset? What the hell did Kerica tell him?

"You, sir, are an asshole!" Bucky continued, getting off of Kerica and helping her to her feet, steadying her as she breathed deeply to regain herself.

Steve stared at him incredulously, his arms up like his whole body was asking the question, "What the hell? What did I do?!"

Bucky stormed over to his friend and poked him square in the forehead, "Saying 'I'm /not good at/ dancing' is /not/ the same as 'I /can't/ dance'!"

Steve frowned deeply at Bucky, but didn't bother with responding. "Bucky, you know better than anyone in this room. I can't dance."

"And you know what? We're going to fix that," Bucky grabbed Steve's wrist firmly and yanked him behind him as he headed for the exit, "Nyah!" he called, hoping she'd follow.

"What the hell, Bucky, stop!" Steve groaned, "What the heck are you doing?!"

"Nope! We're going to do the thing because it's high time you learned rather than bitch about it and Kerica didn't know you couldn't, just thought you wouldn't," Bucky hummed to himself as he headed for Nyah's room.

Steve just sighed, but allowed himself to be dragged into Nyah's room. The door shut behind them and he glanced over his shoulder to see that Nyah was there. She set her mask to the side as well as started to take off her weapons to put them on the bed. She didn't seem to be too bothered that they had just basically barged into her room without asking.

"Do you mind being all sweaty, m'dear?" Bucky smiled pleasantly at Nyah, "It's too bad it's not from another activity."

Steve went red as a tomato and Nyah laughed. "I'm fine the way I am. Though if you're going to use me as a dancing partner, I don't think you want me in this garb." She gestured to what she was wearing. "It's mostly used for fighting, not for dancing." She explained. "So if you give me five seconds to change into something, I'll be alright."

"That's fine, I understand, but Steve needs to be able to see your movements as well as my own," he nodded, "This is going to be great." He watched her run off and grabbed a chair for Steve to sit on so he didn't sit on the bed, taking it to the window that way he'd be able to see everything, "There you go."

Steve just gave Bucky a look, but didn't say anything as he waited for Nyah to get done. Nyah walked over to her closet where she kept some of her clothes and picked out something. She took it off the hanger and quickly went into the bathroom suite to change. It barely took her any time at all. She came back out; the dress's skirt touching her knees and the bodice a little tight on her body. The colors were extravagant greens, blues, and golds. Her hair tied up in a ponytail, her braids behind her. "This should show off the most movement."

"I /love/ it," Bucky grinned at her, his arm slipping around her waist immediately once she was in range, "You look divine, prekrasnyy, and here I am just a big brute in comparison."

Steve even had to look twice at her. It was…a little breathtaking to see. Not much Nyah and what she was wearing, but how she looked with Bucky. It was like looking at the moon and the stars. They were so vastly different from each other, but so similar. Bucky was looking at her in no way he ever looked at a woman before. Sure, he was a tomcat, always prowling around for his next girl to take on see if they were a match before leaving them behind with a gentle broken heart and no hard feelings. Right at this moment though, Bucky was staring at her in a way that Steve never seen before, not even with him.

It made him wonder if this was fair to her. It made him wonder if…he was being selfish enough to try and bring Bucky into a ménage à trois. He would have to talk to Kerica…and to Bucky. He wouldn’t want to spring this up on Nyah if she didn’t know. He wasn’t sure if he could even bring himself to try. Bucky was trying so hard. Steve didn’t want to ruin that. Not for anything. Not even his own happiness.

"Alright, alright, Steve, you really not mad at me for dragging you in here for an impromptu lesson? Because I have a firm suspicion that if I'd asked normally you would've avoided me like the plague," Bucky gave Steve a sidelong glance after staring into Nyah's eyes for long enough.

"You were going to do it anyway." Steve said with a bit of a smile. "It's not like you haven't tried teaching me before." It just ended badly...and neighbors started talking which was always a bad sign. He stood up. "So I'm guessing Nyah's my dance partner?"

"I'm going to be your dance partner, too," Bucky smirked at Steve, "There are no neighbors here to laugh at us, or to spread rumors, and /I'm/ shorter than /you/ this time, to boot."

"True." Steve conceded, but still felt an edge of guilt. "So what happens first?"

A gentle smile crept on Bucky's face and he nodded to Nyah to step away and reached for Steve, tugging him to him /just/ hard enough their chests collided but nothing more, "C'mere, you big lug." His expression was meant to calm Steve down, /feeling/ his tension as well as he could see it, "Deep breaths, hmm? Won't help if you're stiff as a board."

Steve nodded and took a few deep breaths. Nyah went to the chair that Steve had preoccupied, smoothing out her dress and crossing her legs. “Alright. You’re playing woman’s part?” He asked as he moved his hands to the correct position for the man’s.

"Yup," Buck nodded once firmly, "Helps I look like one, like your pretty girlfriend said, right?" he teased, stepping all that closer to Steve, allowing their attraction to help along with this, curving to Steve's hand on his waist, gripping his hand lightly, his metal one on his shoulder firm but assuring.

(( THEME SONG - Paper Thin Astrid S.

Nyah - Georgia Pheobe Bridgers

Bucky - Land of the Living Roo Panes ))

While Bucky instructed him on the finer points of how to start the movements, Nyah decided that maybe they should have a bit of music to go with it. She got up from the chair, moved quietly to her bed and ducked down. Underneath was an acoustic guitar. The moment Bucky had told her that he used to play, she had found the music room/ballroom that T’Challa sometimes had people play in for minor dance parties and what not. She was assured that it wouldn’t be missed so she took it.

It had been a long time since she played. The Atrum were skilled in music of all sorts. Some mastering just wind or string or drums. Some mastering only one and that was it. She checked the tuning before she started playing. She tried to keep the beat slow, easy for them to dance to, but a little on the fast side so that it would give them a challenge. She knew Steve wanted one, even if he was new to learning. “Georgia, Georgia I love with your son.” She sang. “When he gets older he might be the one. He might be the one.”

Bucky was easily able to make-up for the beat where Steve faltered, guiding him until he got the hang of it, avoiding any feet-stomping and he found he was enjoying himself. If dancing was that one fear Steve ran from instead of towards like many others, Bucky felt accomplished and proud of him for tackling it with him. The music Nyah played was beautiful, and her voice even more so. He racked his brain in afterthought, wondering what song to surprise them with when they switched partners. "You're doing good, Steve," he encouraged in a whisper, waiting for Nyah's next line of the song.

“Georgia, Georgia he has beautiful bones.
An he never lies or picks up his phone.” Nyah cooed in the background. Steve made sure to keep his eyes on Bucky, sometimes glancing down to make sure that he was moving the right way. Sometimes he would adjust his hold to be a little more firm. He didn’t want to answer, just in case he ruined the moment with something stupid.

“Sometimes in the pouring rain.
He’ll fall in the mud and get back up again.
An if you find me.
Will you know me?”

“Kinda eerie that she’s playing that song.” Steve decided to speak. He knew dancing partners sometimes did and he didn’t want to be the type that needed to stay silent to focus, “Kind of reminds me of, well…everything that’s happened.”

Bucky's throat tightened and he nodded slightly, catching light blue with dark blue, "Might be why she picked it..." he murmured, and he just relaxed a little more against Steve as they continued dancing around the room to the pace she set, no fancy movies like spinning, just together. His metal fingers toyed with the hairs at the back of Steve's neck. As Steve became more sure in his steps he sneakily tried to take the training wheels off, allowing Steve to lead more and more without his help.

“Will you take me?
Or will you fall?” Nyah played for a moment without lyrics and Steve held Bucky close and let the music wash over them. For a while it was just peace. Nyah was singing in the background, softly and Bucky was in his arms and everything was melting away. No need to worry or fret and he was alright. His mind still sometimes reeled. He was still bothered, but at the same time he was just content and just imaged that they were back home, in that small apartment. Bucky insisting that he was going to get a woman and Steve needed to learn how to dance to impress her.

How Steve didn’t have a lick of a chance with anyone in the dance halls, but happy to watch his friend take the girl out for a spin.

“He came up the water without a sound.
With my back to the shore line, I dreamt that he drowned.
I dreamt that he drowned.”

Bucky's breath hitched at that particular verse and his eyes widened at Steve. If it was for him before, he felt the odd sense that was Steve's part. Or maybe both? He fell into the river, washed up on the shore, and Steve into the /Arctic/. "We both drowned in a sense, didn't we?" his voice could barely even be called a whisper.

“I think we both drowned about twice.” Steve admitted. “The plane crash, me falling in the river. You falling in the river. Okay maybe I beat you in that category. I don’t know what it is about having that an affinity.”

“Sometimes when he looks at me
I know that he needs you, your all that he sees.
And if I had breathed you
Will it kill me?
Will you have me? Or watch me fall?”

That verse in particular made Steve ten times as guilty as before. Either it was just the song and Nyah had no idea, or she did and that’s why she chose this song to begin with. She knew that Bucky was in love with more than one person…and Nyah wasn’t apart of it. Steve pursed his mouth together and looked at Bucky squarely. In a soft whisper, he asked, “Does she know?”

Bucky snorted, shaking his head. The water did seem to be where they kept ending up, it was ironic and also becoming old. At least the last two times they were there to save each other. He matched Steve's look, "I haven't told her...but she knows how much you mean to me. If nothing else, how we dance tells her everything."

“If I had to fix you.
Will you hate me?
Would you fuck this?
And let us fall?” Nyah hummed as she played the last few chords before ending the song and placing the guitar gently on her lap, watching the two of them. She couldn’t hear their whispers, but the expressions on their faces and they way they had their own song playing was enough for her to get the hint. She kept her expression neutral as Steve gently parted away from Bucky, cheeks flushed bright red and he looked uncertain on what to do next.

Out of Nyah's vision, Bucky leaned up and gave Steve a secret kiss on his cheek, even though he wanted to do more. He turned to Nyah and tugged Steve, "Bow! You did good!" he cheered, holding the hand he clasped up between them

Steve laughed, feeling like a dope and bowed. Nyah laughed as she clapped. "You two did wonderful. Are you sure you need dancing lessons?"

"Prekrasnyy, he was dancing with /me/, of course he didn't look like he needed lessons, but you come, dance with him yourself and then judge his skills!" Buck motioned to her, "May I use the guitar?"

"It was yours to begin with A'maelamin." Nyah smiled as she stood up, taking the guitar with her and handing it to him and smiled as she stood in front of Steve. She was a bit amused to see him stiffen up. "Well we now know what Steve Rogers' weakness is. Any enemy now who wishes to cause you harm merely needs have you ask a woman to dance."

"Believe me, I don't think you're going to be my kryptonite." Steve pursed his lips together.

"No. Someone else already has that claim." Nyah agreed, furthering his blush.

There was an odd sound of mixed notes and Bucky winced sheepishly at them, "I'm trying to figure this thing out, okay? Don't judge me. I'm also thinking of something real good, maybe a little longer, but..." he strummed it, humming before messing with it again, "All of this will be worth it in the end."

"Are you sure you want to trust him with being our musician?" Steve asked as he carefully put his hand around Nyah's waist and a hand in hers. "Considering that all he's doing is torturing the poor thing?"

"Shut up, Steve! Kerica'll be mad at me if bruise your stupid perfect face," Bucky grumbled, but there was a lovely sound that came from the guitar next and he made a happy noise, "Okay! I got it! Are you ready?"

"As ready as we're going to be," Nyah pulled herself close to Steve, making the super-hero blush, but adjusted for the closeness.

The tune was light, portraying Bucky's mood with ease, and he even bobbed his head a little bit as well as bounced his foot, catching Steve's eye as he turned and looked his way, giving him a wide grin, mouthing 'be proud of me' and then started his song, "Where they go
That we shall cherish and that I wrestle
Don't want to be like the dust that settles..."

His voice was raspy, unpracticed, but as he felt the vibrations in his throat and adjusted, he sounded better with each word, "This empire of nothing
I find that I'm king of all these empty homes
That are ruled by my own flaws..."

“What is with you and Bucky singing songs that hit a little too close to home?” Steve asked softly as he moved with Nyah. Nyah was a little different than Bucky. Less solid and more curvy, shorter too. However, it wasn’t too hard to replicate the steps and movements he was using on Bucky on to her. Instead of doing just the regular motion though, he tried his hardest to spice it up some.

“Maybe he is good at finding songs that match you and what you are.” Nyah offered. “This is not a song for me in any of the words, but for you.”

"But you can't be an old fire
If you are burning with a new flame
So remember that, you are never a forgotten name..." The words, ultimately, seemed to fit both of them, Bucky thought to himself. He had heard this song on youtube and enjoyed it and listened to it to death, so the words easily flowed to him. Even if his voice kept cracking in pieces, he kept pushing through, falling back into rhythm.

"Cause I know a land called the land of the living
It's the world beyond those curtains where we learned to play
I hear the voices of my childhood singing it's the world beyond those doorways
Where we used...to play..."

It had been such a long time since he heard Bucky sing. His voice, unused to the way his vocal chords could vibrate, was raspy but it was clear. He gave Nyah a small spin, smiling a little at how the skirt picked up playfully and how she came back to him. Everything was slow, gentle. “Kerica told me that you were dying.”

“She told you that I /believe/ I am dying.” Nyah corrected though there was no anger. Steve shrugged and Nyah smiled gently. “Yes. This is true. Why do you bring this up?”

“I was just…trying to figure out why she was mad and all.” Steve shrugged. “She went on a rant about how…well…”

“A misunderstanding.” Nyah shrugged. “I already told Bucky and there are things he doesn’t understand either. But, he tries and that’s more than what some people do. Americans especially.”

"Cause every moment
Is a chance to define what you want to become
You're not a slave to things you've done..." Bucky's hum filled the room around them, half watching them, half lost in his own song.

The line that Bucky was singing hit strongly with him, for it was the same thing he was telling everyone about Bucky. Everything. There was nothing that he could do to change what had happened or Bucky, but surely they could see that he was a victim. He looked at Nyah and once more felt a shiver of guilt.

Nyah sighed softly and she leaned up to whisper in his ear. “I already know, Steve. I knew from the moment he danced with you.”

"Be brave and be bold,
Be childish and old it's the same old story
Every life needs a hope of glory..." Bucky cooed softly, his eyes closed now, fingers strumming on the guitar like it was just as much of an old friend as Steve was.

Steve had a thousand and one questions on the tip of the tongue, but he knew it wouldn’t be fair to ask them in front of Bucky. Even if he was lost in his music, playing for them and getting lost in the song. He knew that Bucky would overhear, and this conversation….Steve found that he wanted to have privately with her. “You two look good together.” He decided to say instead.

Nyah merely smiled. “Do we?”

“It’s almost a shame that…” /We’re taking him away from you/, but Steve knew better than to say that. Again, it was a conversation best to have when Bucky wasn’t in the room. “You know.”

“Some.” She murmured softly. “Do you think that I’m hurting him?”

“No.” Steve shook his head from side to side. “I believe you when you say you loved him at first sight. I know what that feels like.”

“Oh?”

“I fell for Peggy at first sight. I wasn’t going to say that to her face, mind you.” Nyah laughed and Steve smiled. “But she was the first woman that took a chance on me. I guess that was enough for me.”

Bucky played the same verse as before, but then he suddenly slowed, repeating a line four times, picking up his speed each time he said it... "I was born to be free, you were born to free me..." until he belted it out after the fourth time, his sure and strong voice surrounding them and he re-played two previous verses before bringing it to a close, setting the guitar off to the side and he rubbed his throat, "That was weird," he laughed softly, shlyly.

"I bet it was. You don't use your voice for much besides calling me a dumbass." Steve grinned as he gently let Nyah go. "You have a good dancing partner."

"See?! That wasn't so bad, now was it?" Bucky jumped to his feet, smacking Steve on the back and his other hand was on Nyah's shoulder, looking between them with such happiness, "You're a natural, Steve!"

Steve rubbed the back of his neck and Nyah smiled gently. "Yeah..." He coughed and looked at Bucky. "Maybe we should leave Nyah alone? This is her room and she's probably been waiting to kick us out for the last thirty minutes so she can take a shower."

Nyah laughed. "Always a gentleman. It's a wonder why any of the women would flock to you."

"Alright, then, we should go take showers, too. Though, I dunno, Kerica seemed to like Sweaty Steve," Bucky snickered.

"Come on you lug. Sorry about that." Steve called over shoulder as he gently started pushing his friend out of Nyah's room. Nyah laughing behind them as the door shut.

()

The crickets were playing a song in the forests as well as other nighttime birds and frogs that were happy. The air was warm with a bit of a cool breeze that wafted through the open window. The smell of water, damp earth and vegetation made her close her eyes as she leaned her head against the window frame. She curled herself up, both feet on the window sill.

The moon was really pretty too. Half. about to be full or new, Nyah didn’t know. The moonlight scattered it’s silver rays over the jungle, drenching some of it in more shadows and shining the light on the leaves. The jungle looked mysterious, trantizlling like this. The moonlight also went across her bedroom, touching the floors with it’s small light. The shadows a little long though the light was dim from her bedside table.

She shivered, her nightgown thin and barely covering much. The straps barely there on her shoulders and the dress practically see-through. Maybe she should have invested in doing a nightgown that had a bit thicker fabric. At the same time, this was the jungle and waking up damp and sweaty was /not/ a good idea.

She was brought of her thoughts to a knock at the door. It was after dinner, so who would be coming to her this late? “Come in.” She said, looking back into the jungle. “Watch your step it’s a bit dark in here.”

Bucky came in with a soft smile, "Hey, couldn't sleep. Mind if I bother you?"

"It's a nice night for star gazing." She offered, "You're welcome to stay."

He came over to her and joined her in the window sill, gazing up at the sky, "You're right...it is."

The quiet between them was nice, just sitting just to sit, and he found the nighttime sounds of the jungle fascinating. "I enjoyed yours and Steve's brawl," Bucky complimented as the first thing that came to mind, "He and I agreed not to spar a while ago, just in case it triggered either of us, so it was nice seeing him tangle with someone who could give him a run for his money."

"It was an enjoyable fight." Nyah smiled, highly pleased, "It is almost a shame he's not one of us, but he wouldn't make a very good Atrum. Too good." She shook her head happily. "He is not afraid to use whatever he needs to, to win, so he earns a good amount respect from me, from all of us, for that."

"He's always been a little shit that way. Good heart to keep him from getting too dirty, but very cunning and knows what he wants," Buck nodded, "When you gave him a challenge he couldn't say no even if he wanted to. I swear he'd get into fights on purpose as a kid."

"He most likely did." Nyah's smile faded a little. "He wouldn't say no to any challenge."

"No, he wouldn't...so what did you think of my spar with Kerica?" He tilted his head at her.

"You're deadly. If she is compared to a cat, then you're a snake." Nyah replied, "You have some the Soldier's cunning, but you were able to hold back." She looked him in the eye and held his gaze for a moment before saying honestly, "I would love to tangle with you, though admittedly that is mostly because I want to know if you'd fight me or try to have sex with me." She grinned at her bluntness and the pinks on his cheeks. "It was seductive watching you."

Bucky's returning grin was a bit feral, "That is honestly how I wonder Steve and Kerica's spar session will go down, since he said he would like to try again. /Especially/ since he more or less learned some new footwork!" he nodded happily, proud they had been able to teach Steve a fair amount. "I doubt he'd ever damage her as badly, though," he tapped his chin.

"Do you wear bracelets by chance, or do they annoy you?" It was a seemingly random question, but Nyah had forgotten that she wanted to ask this the moment he accepted that he was hers.

"I suppose...if it's not loose, or doesn't dangle in any way, I would wear one. I wouldn't want it getting ripped off or in the way," Buck replied honestly after a moment of thought. He shrugged, "Anyway, once you're healed from being Steve's fleshy punching bag, do you think we can do another Healing session?" he asked.

Nyah nodded her head and smiled a little. "That brings up the next topic of conversation. I'm not going to restrain you."

Taking a deep breath in through his nose, he let it out slowly through his mouth. It was no good to freak out, even if his stomach twisted. Last time had gone alright as well. "What is your plan this time around, then?"

"I'm going to wake you up somewhere else. The Solider asked me somewhere that wasn't cold and...restricted. So I'm thinking somewhere else in the palace." Nyah tapped her finger to her chin in thought. "I want him to associate places with warmth and safety. So I'm wondering if I should wake him up in here." She gestured to her room. "My room is warm, I have a window. He won't be restrained and there's no machines here so he'll immediately know that he isn't going to be harmed. He may be a little confused, however, the more times he's wakened up to places with no restraints and machines, the more I'm hoping that it'll sink into him that this is how it should be."

"Will...anyone else be with us? Kerica to say the words?" Buck asked, "Steve to restrain me if something goes awry? It may have been alright last time, but I am still not comfortable with myself. One time is not enough for that."

"Do you want that?" Nyah asked looking at Bucky with a serious expression. "I can have Steve at the door, but only to prevent escape. Kerica..." she sighed loudly. "Yes, she has to be there because I can't do Russian. Devil tongue." She reminded him. "English was hard enough to learn, as well as the random bits of Spanish Teresa tosses at me."

"I'll ask Steve if he'll be the bodyguard. I know he'll say yes, but it's common courtesy to ask," Buck let out another calming breath, "I know Kerica is upset with you, so we could always have her say the code words and then leave, if it makes you comfortable. She's not needed for anything else."

Nyah watched him for the longest moment, eyes searching. "It's your comfort, Bucky, that I'm more worried about than mine." She squeezed his hand and ran her thumb over the top of his hand. She got up from the chair and walked over to stand in front of him, not letting go and she leaned against the table so she wasn't sitting on his lap. Her free hand gently touched his cheek. "My anger with Kerica has nothing to do with your healing and I won't let it become an issue. She's your soulmate as much as I dislike it. She is someone important to you. If you need her, you need her and I have no say."

There was a compromise here and he'd find it. That could be taken care of later. "I have a question about Steve. I can't hide it from you, if we're to be like this. I know you read it in how we danced, but it makes me feel like a player. Steve and I are intimate with each other on and off. I want to know how you feel about it. If it makes you feel better I can talk to him."

Nyah wondered what the right thing to say was. She let his hand go, but still kept herself in front of him and she looked at him. Her throat was constricted and she kept herself steady. "I'm starting to see why Steve survived for as long has he did. If you're so determined." Her voice wavered, but she didn't look away. She drank in how he looked in the moonlight. How the shadows enhanced his features, how the light from the small lamp caught the gleam of blue in his eyes. How both sinister and boyish he looked. How dangerous and cunning. "I won't let you stop seeing Steve because of me." She said to him after a moment. "I'm not that cruel."

Just like Kerica, and yet not at the same time. "Steve would understand. I wasn't ever a one-lady sort of guy, so he might be disappointed but he'd ultimately shove us at each other and say 'now kiss!' And be happy when I do," Bucky smiled at her tenderly, "We'll see, I guess."

"We'll see, indeed."

~*~

Steve looked at his best friend's face with sour dislike. It took over two hours for Kerica to get him to say the word correctly because Steve's tongue just couldn't do the sound right and every time he tried it would make her laugh since it sounded so butchered. He was going through the motions of saying the passcode, wincing and swallowing as Bucky flinched. Sometimes he would grip his head, fingers tangling in his locks and pulling. Sometimes he would rush, blindly at something like he was trying to get away, only to hit a wall. He wished Kerica was the one doing this, but he also couldn't deny Bucky's request. While Nyah wasn't angry, Steve wanted to shake them both because this was his best friend that needed their help, not a petty misunderstanding.

However the longer he said the passcodes, getting further down the line, the actions Bucky was doing were decreasing into something more robotic. Now that he was at the end of the word, and all he could do was hope that Kerica was right and that he wasn't going to say the wrong thing. He didn't want to know what would happen /if/ the wrong pronunciation was used.

"Gruzovoy avtomobil'." Even Steve had to flinch at the last word. Freight Car, the ending of it all and should have been Bucky's death. He looked over at Nyah who was watching them, calmly at the ready in case Bucky really needed to be restrained.

"Soldat?" Nyah's soft voice asked the question and Steve felt his throat constrict. His friend had a name, had a name and they erased it all. He had half of the mind to walk out, find Kerica and wrap his arms around her just so he could pretend for five seconds that the world wasn't so awful.

It would just have to wait.

"Ready to comply..." Soldier said in a monotone, eyes blank and staring at nothing.

Nyah sighed, but she had a gentle smile on her face. "There is no mission, Solider." She said gently. "But I have to admit you spoke in English! That's an improvement!"

"Handler? Nyah?" Soldier shook his head and when he blinked his eyes were clear, "I think I spoke in English because I remembered last time. The voice speaking the words were different but I recognized it. It was a subconscious thing." He tried to reason, making more sense for himself than for them, "Where is the little Pixie?"

"Nyah put her in time out." Steve's heart was breaking just a little. Handler, commander, he was going to burn Hydra with everything they had and more. He was just thankful that some memory was being retained. The Solider remembered last time, probably because he wasn't being wiped like the files said. God that made him remember his anger and damn him for not burning another Hydra hideout because of fucking Sovokia Accords and Tony's insolence.

Soldier didn't ask about Pixie again, but he did look at Steve with curiosity and then around the room, "Oh...did I do that? Rather...Bucky?" he asked, referring to a broken chair.

Steve and Nyah looked at each other, for at least a moment before looking back. Nyah offered her own theory. "Rather it was a side-effect from how other commanders brought you through. They would force the conscious and the subconscious to trade places until you were trained to be the facade. Since Bucky has been pushing you to the side, you use force to come back through. So technically, it was both and none of you. Just a reaction."

"That...makes sense in a way," Soldier took it and left it as well. His questions were answered, and he could note discomfort in them so he would not push it. Instead, he made a different comment entirely, "I did not expect my words to be acknowledged. This room is...comfortable. No cold metal walls...carpet instead of concrete. It is...nice..." he was hesitant with the word, unsure if it was even alright to feel this way. "You have told me why, but I still do not understand why you value my comfort so much."

Steve looked like he was about two seconds away from either hugging the Solider to death or punching the wall. "Because we care about you," was Steve's only answer. "Your comfort is important to us as well as your well-being."

"You do realize, Captain, that had this been in any other situation I would think you want something from me?" Soldier had gone to the window and was opening it, taking a breath as the breeze wafted in, "Had it been /anyone/ else...but all you want to do is /talk/, about /me/. Can you see where I am coming from?"

Steve nodded his head, "Yeah. You don't have to call me Captain, either. Steve's just fine." He frowned. "Actually I do want something from you." He looked at the Solider squarely. "What do we call you?"

"I will call you that in due time. Not yet." Soldier said to Steve defiantly, just standing at the window and breathing. When was the last time he was able to just /enjoy/ this? "There's rain on the wind. There's a very big storm heading this direction." He said as a way to stall because really...what else could he be called? "All I've ever known was to be Soldat, the Winter Soldier who took commands, carried them out, and did my best to please my Commanders because otherwise I'd be hurt very badly. You tell me, what do you call me? I don't have a name. Your friend has a name. I am just a machine."

Both Nyah and Steve had the same expressions on their faces. It was clear that whoever it was that was a Commander before was going to get themselves brutally hurt and killed. Though that would have to be a coin toss on who got what honor. "You are /not/ a machine and I refuse to have you think like you are." Nyah was shaking. "You are a person and you will /not/ be hurt here. /No/ one has that right." She sucked in a breath and asked in a calmer, but clearly trying to hold her emotions together tone. "Would you like to be referred to differently? Or would you like to share the name with the person you're with?"

"It doesn't feel right," Soldier turned to them finally and frowned, "To be called a name feels off to me. Right now, Soldier is fine. It is a fact, it is what I am. I do not have a problem with it," he soothed, and walked over to them. His hand reached up and he caught a strand of her hair, "I couldn't touch you really before, so this is nice." Distract. Calm. Her voice...how upset she sounded did not sit right with him. "It is strange thinking about the 'right' thing and if it feels wrong or not," he said offhandedly.

Nyah leaned into his hold, eyes closed and body completely relaxed as she let him touch her. His hands, though the same, were used differently. He touched her like she was a marvel, something to trace. Human affection wasn't something he was used to, for it was hesitant. "/I am: yet what I am none cares or knows. My friends forsake me like a memory lost. I am the self-consumer of my woes, they rise and vanish in obvious host, Like shades in love and death's oblivion lost. And yet I am and live with shadows tost/." She opened her eyes and looked at him. "Live without regret and you will be lead to what is right or wrong." She explained to him gently. "The Winter Solider is an assassin right? A type of one at least? It's one thing you and I have in common at the very least. Besides the song." She smiled gently. "It seems to me you're figuring out how to play faster."

Soldier didn't really understand what she mean by that, but he leaned down and brushed his lips with hers, "The poem you recite rings true. It is uncanny," he hummed, but since they had company with them he pulled away from her, "You know, you make it unfair for others in the room when you are near. All I can focus on is you."

"I can leave." Steve offered with a bit of a smile. "Bucky thinks that you might...uh....accidentally see her as an enemy and hurt her so I was kind of here just in case I needed to..." he scratched his cheek. "He's a bit distrustful."

"I noticed," Soldier drawled, "He really does hate me, doesn't he?" He shook his head, "Stay. Your presence keeps me aware of where I am, so I don't do something that...I shouldn't," he eyeballed Nyah, before he looked at Steve, "What do you want to call me, since I do not have an answer for you?"

Steve looked a little flabbergasted about being asked of what type of name the Solider should have. "James." He offered weakly. "He hates the name, so...I don't think he's going to think too much about you having it."

"James..." he clicked his tongue a bit, running it over in his mind a few times, "It sounds and feels alright. I will be your James, then." He didn't even bat an eye at his choice of phrasing.

"James, do you know how to use a razor?" Nyah asked suddenly.

"I do?" he looked at her with an expression of confusion.

"It's just...Cthulhu doesn't do a very good job at keeping you up to speed on your appearance." Nyah gently took James' hand and started guiding him to the bathroom that was attached to her room. Steve already had a look of pure amusement with a hint of shock on his face as he watched them leave. Steve followed at least to the bathroom's door. Kerica would never forgive him for not witnessing this and telling the story.

~

After the healing session, Bucky had noticed something very off, so he went to the bathroom to confirm.

"HE SHAVED MY SCRUFF! THAT RAT BASTARD!" Bucky's scream could probably be heard in the hallway and he stormed from the bathroom to point at Steve and Nyah, "HOW COULD YOU?!"

Steve laughed so hard he doubled over and Nyah was turning bright red and was also falling apart at the seams. "Well Buck," Steve was the one who regained /some/ of his composure. "It appears that he didn't like the idea that a big giant octopus of doom had a thing for scruffy men."

"NO! NO! That is just.../no/," Bucky was horrified and he smacked Steve's shoulder, "You bring him back /right this instant/ and you tell him this is unacceptable because he apparently has no idea I exist!" his face was set in grim determination and he went to sit on the bed stubbornly, "Yes I said what you think I said."

Nyah and Steve both got over their shock. Nyah a /lot/ faster than Steve since he was still trying to come to terms that Bucky just /asked/. "Do we?" She asked, teasingly. "For he was quite horrified at your face."

"Neither of you seem to understand my grief at the loss of my facial hair," Bucky put his hand on his chest and looked wounded, but he did allow himself to be serious for a split second, "I want to know his reaction to /my/ horror."

"If it's what you want Buck..." Steve said slowly. "I'll call him back."

"Stevie," Bucky only hummed once.

Steve took a breath and started going through the motions again. He watched Bucky's eyes cloud over, like usual, but oddly enough...he wasn't grabbing himself. He just sat there, like a statue, determined. Was it because he was willingly to go back? He wasn't sure. It wasn't until he reached "daybreak" that he realized that he spoke a little too soon. It wasn't too drastic, he wasn't getting up and ruining Nyah's room. But his jerk looked like a reaction to a slap.

Bucky could feel the hold he had slipping, but he tried not to hold on as tightly as he usually did. He closed his eyes at Pech' and the world started descending into darkness, only enough dim light so he could see the glass appear. He could see the ceiling suddenly come into view so he must've fallen back at whatever the next word was, since he didn't hear anything now. He could feel his hands gripping his head, so Steve kept talking, but everything faded.

When heard Nyah's voice call him saying there was no mission, and James opened his eyes again, he was quite confused. Looking around, he spotted the clock on the wall and stared at it before speaking, "It's barely been five minutes. What happened?" He grunted as he sat up.

"Well...." Steve and Nyah both exchanged a look. "Bucky realized that you can't talk to him so we kind of have to be messengers between the two of you until we figure out a way to get that glass broken." Steve said after a moment. "Sorry."

"What's the matter, then? How did I piss him off this time?" James looked exasperated.

"He's not pissed off. He's just a bit peeved at us." Nyah pointed out as she walked over to him. "He asked to bring you out, mostly for you to know that we should never be trusted with your hygiene and to stay away from your scruff."

"Mostly the scruff." Steve pointed out. "We can be trusted with the rest."

There was silence as James contemplated this. He must've worried them for how long he was quiet, but he was delving. There was something different about the dark and cold in his mind. There was something deep. Flickering like a far-off star in the sky, coming in and out of the clouds, and the winter chill wasn't so biting. "Or can you?" he spoke suddenly, startling them.

"We solemnly swear." Steve said holding his right hand up in promise.

"That we are up to no good." Nyah finished and Steve stepped on her foot. "I'm going to be honest with the man!"

"We are up to no good, I remember seeing those movies in passing while on missions," James snorted, "No good is what I want." He jumped to his feet and his eyes gleamed as he looked at Steve, "We have the same clothing size, don't we? For shirts anyway?" Steve's legs were longer, after all.

"You're a bit on the bulky side, but you can fit." Steve said, understanding coming across easily as breathing. "We can raid my closet, there's bound to be a few shirts that you might like. Let's go." He grinned as he was the one that made it to the door and opened it.

"I'll be back soon," James told Nyah with a devilish smirk and a wave, before following after Steve, the two of them almost breaking into a run in their excitement, "I think I might see him. The light is so faint, though. Being playfully angry might've done the trick. I want to wear what you think he would hate," he explained to Steve.

"Oh man." Steve let out a laugh. "You're going to have fun in my wardrobe then. He really hates that I wear plaid and other patterns that come from the 1940's. In his exact words, I dress like an old man."

"You dress classy," James defended, "Those were classic times and there are plenty of things that should have stayed the way they were. Women wearing pants is fine and all, but short shorts that show their ass crack or their skanky thongs? Disgusting."

"Come on, Bu-I mean James, it's not all that bad." Steve defended. "Some people are just more comfortable showing more. I'm certainly not that comfortable and I can't see how tight shorts is anywhere comfortable, but the clothing industry certainly doesn't help forcing women to dress the way they do."

"I cannot believe we are having this conversation when five months ago I was beating the shit out of that pretty face," James grunted, they turned down the corner to Steve's room only for him to spot the Pixie heading down the same hallway, a book in her hands. He didn't stop, just did a drive-by pickup, slinging her over his shoulder in a fireman's carry and he enjoyed her squeal of shock.

Kerica was not expecting to suddenly be finding herself staring at Steve as she gripped onto Bucky's back to hold on, "What's going on? Bucky, put me down!"

"I'm Steve's James. Not Bucky." He said firmly.

"I...what...oh.../oh/..." Kerica's jade eyes were wide like saucers.

"What the hell are you doing?" Steve looked at James in surprise, mostly because of his name rather than the drive by. Instantly he was thinking to himself that it would be very frightening if James /ever/ met Nyah's soulmate.

"Another witness!" James said cheerfully, "I like Pixie's attitude. She can help pick out a shirt to get Bucky riled up."

"A /fashion/ mission? Is that why you two are walking so determinedly?" Kerica gave Steve a 'really?' expression. She smacked /James'/ ass with her book as her arms weren't long enough to grope it properly, "Why are you trying to get Bucky upset?"

"He apparently didn't like it when I shaved his facial hair and so now I am going to do my best to get him seething. It is entertaining," James explained, "Why did you smack my ass?"

"It is such a glorious ass and you gave me the most /ample/ opportunity to smack it, being over your shoulder like this," Kerica cooed.

"This is why I want her," James looked back at Steve and they stopped at his door. He set her down and smacked /her/ ass to get her inside once the door was open.

Kerica rubbed her bottom at the force the slap had been but didn't comment as she went to Steve's closet, "What's the general idea here?"

"Plaid. Plaid sounds okay," James answered.

"Blue...Bucky likes red, so I think blue would look good, or even green...but you don't have much green in here, Steve..." Kerica tapped her chin.

"I don't use green. Reminds me too much of the military." Steve explained, trying to keep his voice light. He started helping her shift through the clothes. "I do have purple plaid. I also have a pink one that used to be white but /someone/ decided that it needed to be switched." The someone was quite clear, considering they weren't in the room with them to make a smart comment back.

"I'm not going to stoop so low as to make him wear pink...I like that blue and black plaid, though," James pointed at it.

Kerica knew what he was talking about and tugged it out, "I do like it when Steve wears blue like this one, makes his eyes pop. Maybe it'll do the same for you," she chirped and handed it to him.

"You wouldn't need help in the jean department." Steve mused. "We should do something about your hair though." He looked at Kerica. "Don't cut it, Bucky would have a fit and unhappy one too, but do you think there's a way to style it?"

"He likes having his hair down, but everyone else enjoys it back, so maybe a half-ponytail? He did want to see it braided and while the whole of it is harder, a half-braid wouldn't be so bad. It should pacify him," Kerica nodded and looked over to James only to look away, realizing he'd already shed his shirt, paying them no mind. He put on the black undershirt and then slipped the plaid one over it, and when he was done, while he was still adjusting the sleeves and the like, she tugged the hairband on her right wrist off that she kept for impromptu ponytails of her own. Tugging him to Steve's bed, she climbed up on it behind him and got on her knees to be taller than him, combing his hair with her fingers and then pulled his bangs and a little bit of his hair into that half-ponytail.

Steve was highly amused. "Next time we decide to play dress up, we should ask Scott for help. He has a little girl so he knows all the ropes that we probably wouldn't think of."

"I think I got this, Steve," Kerica flashed him a sweet smile, "After all, I /am/ a girl," she went back to twisting James' hair around her fingers to make the braid.

~

"Steve you /betrayed me/!" Bucky said forlornly as he looked down at himself. "I knew exactly what happened when I realized we weren't in Nyah's room anymore."

Steve cracked a large grin. "Well, all you said was to tell him how you were disappointed in him. It was his idea."

"It had to be you, though! I don't wear plaid!" Bucky whined, "I can't believe this! I hate myself!" The words had none of the bite they used to.

"I think it looks nice on you," Kerica told him, giggling softly behind her hand, "Though you haven't seen your hair."

"WHAT ABOUT MY HAIR?!" Bucky panicked and ran for Steve's bathroom. There was a huge sigh of relief, "Geezus, don't scare me like that!"

"You scared yourself!" Kerica shot back.

A beat later, Bucky came out and he shook his head, "I like the braid. I think Nyah would, too."

"How long /are/ you going to avoid her anyway?" Steve looked at Kerica curiously. "Not that I'm saying you should make up with her or anything like that, but I'm just curious."

Kerica shook her head, "I'll make a truce soon, because yeah, it is a bit ridiculous."

Steve just rolled his eyes, "So, do you want to go see her and see what she thinks of your new outfit, Buck?"

"That sounds like a good idea," Buck agreed, "After that, though, I'm going to change back into my /normal/ clothes."

()

Steve had taken Kerica’s advice and had started doubling his runs. Once in the morning with Bucky and Sam, and then once by himself and sometimes with Bucky to accompany him. Sometimes though, instead of running he would wander around the palace’s courtyard. They had a gorgeous large garden, filled with fountains and different kind of flowers and herbs. A grassy pathway would cut through and weave through the garden like carpet. It reminded him of Prospect Park and of Central Park. Green as far as the eye can see. Beautifully well-kept and apparently hardly any visitors.

Well, besides one. Steve had gotten far into the gardens when he saw Nyah. She was sitting on a thin blanket spread out underneath her, weaving threads together that looked oddly like a friendship bracelet Steve had seen from street vendors. Her iPod was next to her, and she was humming along to a song. Steve was a little taken aback, but he knew that he shouldn’t judge. He walked over to her, hands stuffed into his pockets as he approached.

She looked up, smiled at him, and went over to press the pause button on the device. She yanked her buds out and placed the book to the side. “Nice day.” She greeted, placing her hands in prayer at her throat and setting them down.

“Nice day.” Steve gestured to the blanket. “Can I sit down?”

“Of course,” Nyah scooted to the side as if there wasn’t enough room for him already. Steve sat down on the blanket next to her and for a moment enjoyed the silence. He could hear the birds sing and the smell of the earth and flowers all around them was relaxing. “You have a question.”

“Is it obvious?”

“You’ve been holding it in since the dance lessons.” She replied. “Whatever it is, it must be bad if you’re trying to find a way to ask me.”

“I feel like…what I’m about to say is going to hurt you.” He admitted after a moment. “We all thought of Kerica and her feelings but…I feel like we disregarded you. I feel like…we forgot that you have a say.”

Nyah didn’t say a word, just hummed softly in acknowledgement and Steve knew that he needed to talk. “Did Bucky tell you that we’re….intimate?”

“An off again on again sort of way, yes.” Nyah nodded.

“Did he also mention to you that he wanted a…three some relationship with Kerica and I?” Steve swallowed thickly.

“That he did not.”

Steve looked away. “I can’t do that to you.” He said after a moment. “I feel like…I feel like we’re cheating you. Kerica’s all up in arms about you and dying. I see the way James looks at you and the way Bucky looks at you and if I were to compare the two of them, James is yours completely. He wouldn’t take another look at me and Kerica. Bucky on the other hand, he adores you. But he looks at me and Kerica more with love. I know for a fact he loves Kerica and that was at first sight.”

“The souls have their own song.” Nyah gently pointed out. “He heard Kerica’s song and yours the loudest. Therefore he’d move towards you. He’s only barely beginning to sing for me, Steve.”

“What if the only reason why Bucky’s only starting to play the song is because of James? When James finally leaves….”

“You think that I will no longer be a soulmate.” Nyah commented. “You believe that, James will forever be the one who is mine and mine alone.”

“It’s a dangerous thought-“

“But it’s a logical one.” Nyah agreed softly. “Because that can very well be the case can it? It would be a very sad tale to talk about too.” She smiled sadly. “I have the same thoughts sometimes. In the end, if it is one-sided it is one-sided.”

“You don’t care?” Steve looked at her incredulously.

“I never said that. I said that I couldn’t change it.” Nyah looked at Steve, her expression filled with hurt. “I told him that I wouldn’t take him away from you. And I meant that. Am I jealous? Yes. Am I hurt? Yes. But…in the end…I don’t have regrets. I found my intended.” She looked away. “If my intended is the James, it’s James. If my intended is Bucky, it’s Bucky. If it’s both, well…I’m both lucky and unlucky now aren’t I?”

“And if it’s Bucky….” Steve pursed his lips together.

“Then…I’ll have to remain the way I am.” Nyah smiled a little at Steve. “You hold too much guilt in your heart, Steve. I’m glad that it was concerning enough for you to bring it to my attention…but I don’t know what you were trying to accomplish. If his heart belongs to the three of us, then we will have to learn how to share.”

“But you won’t.” Steve knew too well that Nyah would not be apart of the group. She didn’t have anything for Kerica and even if her soul was trying to figure out where to place Steve, he knew that it was going to be out of friendship than anything else.

“No.” Nyah agreed softly. “I won’t.”

Steve carefully stood up on the blanket. “Kerica would just slap you for half of the things your saying now.” He admitted.

“It is her fault she cannot handle the truth.” Nyah merely shrugged. “Why is it do you think I don’t speak when she’s around?”

“I thought it was stubbornness.”

“Well, it’s that too.” Nyah looked back and away, gathering the earbuds and Steve knew that he was being dismissed.

“I’m sorry…Nyah.”

“Don’t be.” Nyah gestured him to continue on. “It’s a wonderful thing you have. Don’t let me taint it.”

Steve nodded and carefully placed his hands in his pockets and decided to walk away.

~*~

It wasn't until Kerica made an offhanded comment the day before that everyone scrambled, realizing they hadn't been out to the city in at least two weeks, and Kerica's birthday for October 8th was the best time in the world. No one had a gift, no plans, and hell, half of them admitted they forgot it was /even/ October because there were only three Jungle temperatures. Fucking hot, tolerable, and chilled before, during, and after it rained. Kerica wasn't upset at all, and was actually just happy they were going to go out to have some fun.

So here they were. It was around one in the afternoon, they'd been there since ten, and Kerica was /still/ marveling at Wakanda. Everyone had split off in the library they had crossed and Kerica was looking at journals up at the front along a separate wall, "It's not a Barnes and Noble, but I think I might come here every time we're in town," she said to Steve who was pondering the fountain pens on a counter. Bucky was spinning the bookmarks and magnets stand, and Kerica swore she could see the wheels turning in his head just as much. Metal arm. Magnets. She had half the mind to tell him to walk away.

"Is it odd to say that I don't miss that bookstore but I miss half-price books?" Steve asked as he marveled at one of the fountain pens. It looked like green marble and the tip was old-fashioned. It looked neat for a calligrapher. Did Kerica know how to write with one? Maybe he'll come back later when Kerica was successfully distracted to buy her one. "Scott keeps telling me that it's one of Bucky and I's "pair" names they have on fanfiction about us. I have to admit, it's a lot better than 'Stucky'."

Kerica cleared her throat, "I can see where they're going with it. Though there are plenty of those fics where you are anything but /Noble/, Steve. You and Buck can be equally-"

"How many do you think I can fit on my arm?" Buck asked as he held several cat magnets up to his metal arm. Kerica had to cover her mouth to stifle a snort. She knew that'd happen.

"Bucky no." Steve looked over at his friend a little horrified. Bucky might not remember, but the last time there was a question about 'How many" it meant drunk nights, stupid decisions, and having to drag Bucky away from one of the Howlies before things could go to shit. And even though he did it...it somehow always went to shit anyway. Steve was /not/ the only troublemaker in that group, the textbooks were biased.

Nyah on the other hand was looking at the magnets with curiosity, picking one up and looking at what it said. "Maybe a hundred. If they were all the same size."

"Nyah don't-" Steve was about to tell her not to, but Nyah had placed the first magnet on Bucky's arm. "-encourage the troublemaker."

"Bucky hell yes!" Kerica clapped, giggling like mad. She smiled innocently at Steve's look of betrayal and she set the journal she'd been looking at to go over to Nyah and Buck, "This one's long and skinny, it'd fit on his-Bucky!" Buck had taken the magnet and placed it on his middle finger, flipping Steve off via a skinny Siamese cat.

"That poor cat." Was the only thing that Steve could come up with, "did not deserve the life that it is leading right about now."

Nyah laughed so hard, she was doubled over. "It is a magnet!" She choked. "It has no regrets being used on Bucky's arm."

"Now all we need is a metal board we can stick or hang to Kerica's door and we'll put all the cat magnets he manages to find on there," Clint hummed thoughtfully as he appeared next to Steve.

"Damn it Clint." Steve clutched his chest. "For some reason I was expecting you to climb out of an air vent not come up behind me." It was an idea though, to find all the cat magnets since Kerica adored them. Maybe that would be a better gift than a fountain pen? But knowing Clint, he already used that idea.

"If I got into an air vent I wouldn't climb out, it's hot like usual," Clint drawled easily and nudged Steve, "You've been eyeballing that same pen the last fifteen minutes, go buy it. You were waiting for a distraction, ya?" he whispered in his ear, hand covering his mouth.

Steve clapped Clint's shoulder before going off on his own to buy Kerica the pen. He really, really hoped that she would like it. He just hoped it wasn't too much of a lame gift.

"Magnets?" Wanda said as she approached the group. In her hands was a basket already filled up with about seven books and a brown paper bag that was clearly already bought and paid for. She noticed that Bucky's arm was getting covered with a lot of cat magnets and a few sayings that oddly had the words "stay calm" on them a lot. "I didn't think they would stick on the metal."

"Bucky wants to see how many he can put on his arm." Nyah explained as she coughed from laughing so hard.

"It's almost there! just a few more cracks to fill!" Bucky said cheerfully.

"You guys are going to get us kicked out." Steve came back with a paper bag in his hand and looking at Bucky with the "America is Disappointed in You" look that he managed to perfect in the USO tours. Of course, he wasn't surprised when Bucky stuck his tongue out at him. "You are a child."

"I need to take a picture of this," Clint had his phone out and was already snapping away even as the words left his mouth.

"You should send it to Sam." Wanda told Clint earnestly. "He would like a laugh."

"No do not send it to Sam." Steve looked horrified at Clint.

"Considering we have no idea where he's gone off to in this place, I think I will, just so we can locate him by his cackle," Clint's grin was evil.

"You have your codewords for that." Wanda smirked at Clint. "I believe it was "Caw-Caw?" and his response is to be or yours is "motherfucker"?"

Steve laughed at that.

"Do it, before Steve confiscates your phone!" Bucky cheered and Clint was already flying his thumbs on the surface of his screen.

There was an /immediate/ responce, like, five seconds later halfway across the store, Sam's voice "STOP CALLING ME CAW-CAW MOTHERFUCKER, AND WHY DIDN'T ANYONE TELL ME I WAS MISSING ALL THE FUN?! GEEZUS DO YOU HAVE A HUNDRED OF THOSE ON YOUR ARM?!" followed by the sounds of dying as Sam cracked up.

Everyone besides Steve roared with laughter and Steve just put his hands into his face and let out a loud groan. He couldn't take his friends /anywhere/.

They did get kicked out, but not because of Bucky. It was because Sam nearly busted a lung he was laughing so god damn hard he couldn't shut up. Kerica looked disappointed, but she had two bags full of supplies and books, most of which none of the others knew what all she grabbed. "That was worth it," she said happily, "Now all we're missing is a magnet board."

"There's bound to be another store that has it." He looked over to see that Bucky had pocketed about five of the magnets and he gave his friend a look, but didn't point it out. "Which direction do we want to go this time?"

"I vote for food!" Sam offered, "And drink, my mouth is dry from hyperventilating."

"That's your own fault," Kerica poked his side and giggled, "Okay, okay, let's go find a place to eat. Anywhere you'd guys would suggest? You have been living here for like, half a year."

"There was that cafe that is near by. The one that we were at when we were at stake out." Wanda looked over at Steve. "They had good coffee and the food was nice."

"Then let's do that. I didn't get to try it." Steve smiled gratefully at Wanda and looked at Kerica. "Sound good to you?"

"Sounds perfect, an nearby is good, I shouldn't have gotten so many things at once, I was too excited," Kerica looked sheepish as she shifted her bags in her hands.

"Do you want me to carry some?" Steve offered quickly.

"U-Um..." Kerica knew there was little to no arguing with him so she offered him one, "This is the heaviest. Don't look inside, though!" she told him firmly.

Bucky found himself highly amused. Even on her own birthday she couldn't resist buying for others, could she? That was cute, and he was curious to know just what she'd scrounged up when they weren't looking.

"I promise I won't look." Steve gently took the bag and shifted it onto his hand. "So what direction do we go to to the cafe?" he looked at Wanda.

Nyah let out a sharp surprised yip and someone started walking passed them saying, "We're going down the road."

Wanda blinked for a moment for she was quite taken aback that someone was about to be helpful and was about to turn to Nyah and Kerica to say something when she realized, a little late, that Nyah was not with them.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Steve shouted after the guy once the shock wore off and Nyah was /being carried off quite literally/ by a male. Why wasn't she attacking him?! Too worried? Too scared? Shit, fuck.

"Leaving you behind if you don't hurry up." The man shouted over his shoulder.

"Who are you?! Put her down!" Bucky was on his heels, and was about to reach for him when he noticed Nyah's face was red through her mask and her hand was over her mouth, stifled giggles reaching his ears, "Why are you laughing?!"

The man very nearly tripped when he realized that the super solider was behind him and looked over his shoulder in complete shock before looking at Nyah. "Did you know he's a fucking roadrunner?! Holy shit there's three of them!" Wanda and Steve were barely catching up to Bucky.

"They're going to tackle you to the ground if you don't stop." Nyah looked at the man who was carrying her. "One of us can't run that much anyway. Asthma."

"I was barely running I was walking briskly." The man retorted.

"My foot!" Bucky snapped at him from behind, "I don't want to hurt you, boy. Put her down!"

At that the man stopped in his tracks and spun around, still holding to Nyah. "Did you just call me a boy?"

"Oh my god." Nyah wanted to hit her head on something. "Why is /that/ your issue?!"

"His threat wasn't much of a threat. So I have to pick /something/." The man replied. "But I am /not/ putting Nyah down. You wanted to go the cafe right?"

"Bucky stop, wait." Steve quickly got to his friend's side and grabbed his shoulder. "You have to wait till Sam and Kerica can catch up. Clint too. He's not as young as us."

"Really?" The man perked up. "Damn he looks good then for his age. At least from what I saw behind."

"Draco." Nyah snapped. "No hitting on married people."

"Fuck my life."

Bucky glared deeply at Draco, "Why did you take her? Had I not seen she was trying not to laugh, I would have ripped you to shreds. You have no idea."

Draco nodded his head a few times as he set Nyah down. "My name is Draco." He placed his hand at his forehead in prayer and he let it go, like he was giving it to Bucky. "I'm one of the Atrum." He pushed his blonde bangs from his face, skin just as dark as Nyah's if not a shade darker. "I'm also her soulmate."

"Like Kerica and I? Friendly soulmate?" Bucky asked Nyah for clarification, reaching for her and bringing her close to his chest protectively, stepping back.

"Wanda...not...fair, you used your...magic," Kerica panted as she jogged up next to Steve, "I've got a bag to carry, too. What in the world is going on?"

Draco took one look at Kerica and his eyes went up and down and before Nyah could stop him, he made a purring sound before saying, "God you're hot."

Steve looked flabbergasted because /what/. He looked between him and Kerica and him again and managed to say, "Are you kidding me right now?"

"Annnd she's taken too." Draco snapped his fingers.

Kerica's face was flushed, "Scott and Sam's free but Scott's back at the compound and Sam doesn't swing that way. All of us are...taken by someone, even if we are not complete here." She referred to her witch friend in the last part.

"Don't sweat it sister." Draco gestured over to Nyah. "She's all I need. I just like to look."

"You think Scott swings that way?" Sam asked incredulously as he and Clint finally reached them, "He said he was straight."

"Sometimes I wonder," Kerica hummed.

"This is some group you got, gacaliyo." Draco looked at them approvingly. "Now that we're all friends here and no one's about to...tear me into shreds, you needed a guide?"

"He's okay," Nyah gently wrapped an arm around Bucky's waist and hugged him. "I known him since I was young. He won't do anything."

"I can't...be angry, because he doesn't know about me, but that really was dangerous," Buck nosed her mask and kissed her temple, "If you say he's safe then he's safe."

"Wanda was the one who mentioned the cafe, so that was where we were going. I certainly wouldn't mind a guide, I want to set this bag down," Kerica said casually.

"Then," Draco looked over at Nyah and Bucky and frowned deeply before shaking his head. "Follow me. We'll go down the yellow brick road, and we'll find that star that's second to the right and we'll get there in no time."

"Wizard of Oz and Peter Pan!" Kerica chirped with a wide grin.

"Yellow brick road, Steve!" Buck cracked a smirk of his own, "This road sure is dusty so it can pass for yellow."

"You are dorks," Clint only grunted, wiping his brow. It was too hot and he was too old for this.

~

Since it was so hot, the group managed to get a table indoors. The tables had to be pushed together in order to fit everyone, but it was comfortable. Draco sat across from Nyah while Nyah in between Bucky and Wanda. Kerica was on the other side of Bucky and Steve, then it was Sam who sat next to Draco and Wanda sat on the other side. Clint was the last one who decided to sit across from Steve.

Draco hadn't want to be /in/ the table perse, but he hadn't seen Nyah in forever. So when the offer was up, he took it without much thought. However, now that he was sitting down and listening to strained conversation, he was starting to see /what/ exactly Nyah was getting mixed up with.
Not one person that was sitting with him were bad. They were good people, with a lot of scars and damages. The healing that some of them were doing, was slow at best. His main concern, was the one that was sitting close to Nyah. Bucky, Draco believed that was his name. A soul that was so damaged, it looked like that it nearly split it into two. Of course the other person that he was worried about was the girl next to Steve. Her soul looked like it didn't know what up or down meant. It was vibrant in color, but small in shape. Meaning she didn't get out much.

For people with such damage in their souls, they were quite nice and were able to flow along with whatever came their way. Draco had to admit, he wasn't expecting it.

"You're right, Wanda, this really is great coffee," Kerica beamed at the Maximoff, "You done did good, girly."

"Now we're just waiting on our snacks, I hope my egg-ham sandwich is as good as I expect it to be, not the pre-made crap back in America," Sam commented.

"We call it crap but we eat it anyway," Bucky snickered.

"It's good crap, what can I say? So are cheeseburgers and pizza," Sam nodded.

"You guys do realize we can just make it from scratch and still have pizza and burgers?" Kerica arched a brow at them.

"It's not the same!" Bucky and Sam whined.

"Fast food is always addicting. It's a good thing they run, otherwise they would be too huge to do much good." Wanda commented with a teasing smile.

"It's not the same, you're right, but it'd be better if we get a damn good cook on the case. I certainly am not, but I'm sure T'Challa will be on it if we ask," Kerica giggled.

"They cook good steak here." Steve commented. "I think that's the only thing I'm worried about, and since that's not my issue, I'm not all that worried about food. Though I'm shocked that you like pizza the way you do Buck."

"You kiddin' me, Steve? Meat lover's all the way, or the Supreme, for damn sure," Bucky nodded enthusiastically.

"Aw, man, you got good taste," Sam complimented.

"I suppose even as your split self you gotta stop and try the pizza," Kerica was amused.

"Food is food, don't judge me," Bucky looked offended.

"That reminds me of an internet meme that became real. Apparently they're making pizza cheeseburgers. Or cheeseburger pizzas, I'm not sure which one." Steve shook his head. "So you guys get both for the price of one when we go back."

"That sounds awful." Wanda wrinkled her nose.

"Don't tease us that way!" Sam and Bucky chorus.

"Steve, you're going to make them die of hunger before they even get their food," Clint chided, though it had no weight to it, "Look at them, they're wasting away."

Kerica's face was red as she had both hands over her mouth, her whole tiny body shaking as Bucky and Sam both laid on the table to prove Clint's point.

"They deserve it." Steve said halfheartedly. "For getting us tossed out of the bookstore."

Wanda laughed. "It was Sam's fault for his laughter was the loudest."

"And Bucky's for not putting the magents back." Steve pointed out. "Believe me Wanda, they can handle this."

"We're turning to dust because of what we did," Sam pouted, "I regret all of my life choices. I just want a pizza cheeseburger now."

"Give me the cheeseburger pizza, I'll be good, Steve," Buck pleaded in turn.

"I'm dying, guys, this is too much! My sides hurt!" Kerica held her ribs as she cracked up.

"Steve, the birthday girl is going to keel over because of them," Clint looked forlorn, but he had his own hand over his mouth. This was pathetic.

"Is this why there is such a big group?" Draco suddenly broke into the conversation looking at Kerica with interest. "A celebration of sorts?"

"It's Kerica's birthday, yes, that's why we're all out together. We felt bad about forgetting so it was sort of a last-minute notice in order to run around and buy gifts. Hence why Steve mentioned the bookstore," Clint told Draco easily while Kerica was wiping her eyes of the tears and gasping for breath.

"Birthday." He looked at Nyah who merely shrugged her shoulders. "That is...interesting. You celebrate the day of birth individually?"

"Birthday Draco." Nyah rolled her eyes. "Not day of birth."

"Same thing." Draco waved his hand.

"It is an annual sort of thing," Clint smiled at Draco, taking it in stride, "Kerica's day of birth was October 8th 1992. She is twenty-four now, with a birthday each year on that day to celebrate making it another year."

"Why would you need that information?" Draco asked, looking at Nyah in complete shock before looking back Clint. "When you are born you are born and when it becomes the first of the year your age changes. That brings me to a good question." He leaned forward. "As an infant, are you a year old or are you months old? In our society you are automatically one till the next cycle of the year."

"Until they make it to the same day of their birth the following year, to which they turn one, we count a child's age in months," Clint agreed with amusement at his eagerness, "You don't become a different age at the start of the next year automatically, it's all based around the day you came into the world."

"That is too weird." Draco looked completely shocked. "What is the purpose of it? To have it be so exact? Why is the information important? The year I understand, age is important, but the date itself."

Steve and Wanda both shared a glance over the table as they listened into the conversation. Steve couldn't imagine living in a world that /didn't/ have a birthday that was individual. It was weird enough to hear that the infants were one automatically too.

"That's something I'm not sure how to explain, it's definitely a much older custom," Clint faltered, but it was alright, about three servers coming by in order to set down their plates of food, "If you know how to use the internet I'm sure you could google it."

"I think it is about as old as the three name thing." Nyah explained to Draco. Draco made a face but the conversation was paused so that the servers could come by and hand out food.

"What's another difference you guys find weird about us that is completely normal in our mind?" Bucky asked several minutes later after they all dug into their food, "Nyah's shown me the gestures and meanings for greeting, fighting, and farewell, along with all of the stuff she did when she greeted T'Challa last week. So far, you lot are very elaborate."

Draco laughed, "You have many." He hummed in thought. "This is more of an American thing than it is a world-wide one, but I think the one that strikes me weird is the way that Americans in particular do not touch and family is a bit weird too."

"PDA, you mean?" Kerica asked him, at his head tilt she continued, "Public Displays of Affection. Some people aren't comfortable with it, especially these days because of a bunch of issues going around. What used to be alright even twenty yeas ago is now taboo, what used to be taboo people are now all for it. It is confusing, and to those who just want to do what we want, it's hard, because we don't know the other person will agree. America today is...harsh. You have to play games and beat around the bush and it gives one a headache."

"See and it is not just affection. It is on the bus, it is on the plane, people stiffen and try to make themselves smaller. Like touch is dirty." Draco frowned deeply. "But the displays of affection also worry me. A kiss to you must be like having sex in the middle of the foyer from the reactions I see."

"To some it is, to others it isn't. It all depends on who you're around," Kerica shrugged, "The problems in America concerning touch are a lot bigger than I am. I can only give you a little bit of insight. Family is another matter entirely."

"Family is huge in our society." Draco scooted in closer so he could explain. "Mostly because we know that when we leave the village, there is a chance we may come across each other not so kindly." He shook his head. "But we live together. Our parents live with us, our siblings and their loved ones. We mostly band together about two families in a household. We take pride in our families. Every accomplishment, every failure it reflects on us. While that is the same as in your culture, I cannot help but to notice how children are treated and elderly."

"I have noticed that too." Wanda was frowning deeply as she looked at Draco thoughtfully. "I haven't seen very many families who can claim that they're tight-knit or close. Those who do, have their own ideas on what that means. My brother and I are very close to one another, and I noticed that many people would call it...unnatural."

"I miss Pietro," Kerica frowned, "As much as we're not talking to Tony right now, I hope he does fix that machine to heal him."

Wanda smiled sadly at Kerica and nodded her head, "So do I."

"Honestly, Draco? This is all the family we need. You don't need blood to make you tight-knit," Sam piped in.

Draco gave Sam a smile. "Which is why you are one of the few groups I find strange. Culture shocks are fun and all, but you all have a very interesting way of connecting with each other. You all share the same song. Three of you in particular are quite /loud/ like we're on Broadway and everyone else is the chorus."

"Do we /want/ to know which three that is?" Clint hummed around a bite.

"The beautiful girl next to the really hot boy from next door and his companion who needs a haircut," Draco answered.

Steve couldn't help but to laugh. "I really don't know why, but I thought you were going to say something completely different about his looks."

"I don't like guys with long hair. That's Nyah's thing. I mean the longer the hair the more wicked her crush gets...ah!" Draco let out a shout of surprise when Nyah tossed a napkin at him. "It's true!"

"That's good to know," Bucky grinned and smirked at Nyah, "I'd only grow it just long enough to braid it for Wanda here, though. I'm curious to see how that'd turn out, forget how girly Scott thinks it'd be. I bet you I can rock it."

Draco leaned back in the chair, just watching how Nyah smiled and agreed with Bucky. The three of them might have had the loudest song in the /entire universe/ but he noticed how Nyah's expression changed with just looking at him. It made him both happy that she found someone that she was in love with and he was in love with her, but it also made him sad.

~

The time was up for their trip an hour and a little more shopping later, Clint getting that magnet board with Draco's advice, and even though it was a birthday gift she already expected, she was really happy with what he found. It was a blank white board about two feet wide and three feet long, so it would fit smack in the middle of her door, and it had a gold floral pattern on the top and bottom thinning down the sides, and large flowers at the top left and bottom right corners respectively, Kerica wasn't sure if they were carnations or roses, and they were a water-color fade of red and pink. Before they got to the meeting point where the two separate choppers would take them back to the palace, Kerica looked at Draco with a large grin, "Thank you for accompanying us! You should come by if you get the chance."

"It was nice to be among you." Draco brought his hands palms up and brought them to his heart. "It has been a while that I was able to be among lively comrades." He looked over at Nyah and walked over to her. He kissed her forehead. "You I will miss the most." He said softly. "Waxaan ku faraxsanahay in aad helay gacaliyahaagii ahay. As long as he looks out for you, I know you to be happy and healthy." He pulled away from her looked at Bucky critically, but didn't offer any idle threats or last minute promises. Instead, he nodded his head. "I hope you realize that in our culture you and I are practically brothers now. I would like to get to know you further. Next time I come around, we should share a round of drinks. Though I'm certain they'd have no effect on you."
(I am happy you found your beloved.)

"They don't, but the throat burn and fire bloom in the stomach is enjoyed anyhow," Bucky grinned at him and reached his fist out, "Knock your knuckles with mine, in America it's called a fist-bump and it's a friendship thing. If I'm learning your culture you be damn sure you're learning mine."

Draco blinked in surprise and curved his hand to a fist. He knocked knuckles with him and couldn't help but to laugh at the weird sensation. Mostly at how strange it was to actually /do/ something like that. "That is not what I was expecting. It's entertaining."

"Haha, I'm glad you think so. I'll show you what a 'noogie' is next time, too," he teased with a wicked smirk and he looked over at the chopper, "Well, I'm going to go get settled. See you 'round!" he did a two-finger solute and sauntered off, hopping inside their ride and he helped Kerica in as well, teasing her about her shortness to which she pinched his nose and wouldn't let go until he called mercy.

~

"Gifts! Gifts!" Scott cheered as he settled in the couches with them at the lounge, "I saw that board you guys got. Damn."

"I imagine it to be filled with scribbles by morning and then to have mini-arguments within a week," Kerica commented, "Sorry you couldn't come, Scott."

"It's fine. I'm glad that you guys got to get out of the palace for a bit." Scott grinned at Kerica. "Happy Birthday! You and I are drinking the night away tonight."

"I wouldn't miss it!" Kerica clapped her hands together and before anyone had a chance to open their mouth she pointed her hand firmly at Steve, "You!"

Steve blinked. "What?"

Kerica giggled madly, "Since T'Challa gave me the go-ahead to do whatever I want and buy whatever I want today, I bought you a very belated birthday present since, you know, you weren't /there/, and the bag you've been holding is it. I hope you didn't break anything running after Bucky." She beamed, "No use telling me I shouldn't have, so just open the bag and look!"

"Oooooooh, I knew it!" Bucky scooted closer to Steve, "Open it!"

"I will shove you off the couch." Steve warned as Bucky siddled up close, but smiled as he carefully opened the bag. He blinked for a moment before pulling it out. It was an wooden box and when he opened it, it revealed an art set filled with pastals, colored pencils, oil crayons, markers, the artists' delight. He felt his throat tighten and he looked at Kerica. "Thank you." He said sincerely reaching over to give her a huge hug.

Kerica returned the hug as tightly as she possibly could, "I fully expect your fingers to be a canvas in their own right as soon as you figure out what you want to draw first," she giggled, "Just know I'm probably going to use some of those pencils, there's sketch pads in the second bag I have."

"I think we're eventually going to have to find a new place to chill once those two have art supplies strewn everywhere," Clint smirked, "Steve, you should give her your gift first just to be fair."

"True." Steve smiled and gently took out the bag that he had bought at the bookstore and handed it to her. "I kept eyeing it and thought it suit you."

Perking, head tilted curiously, Kerica took it with careful hands and pulled out the pen box. It had a picture on it, so you couldn't see the real deal, and she wasn't about to loose her shit over a picture, so she popped the lid and slid it out to look at it properly. Her jaw dropped as she did so.

"She looks like the 'oh my god' cat!" Sam found himself snickering.

"Shut up, Sam, or I'll go 'grumpy cat' on you!" Kerica shot him a look before staring back down at her new pen. The marble effect had dark, emerald green hues, and swirled among it were pale, vivid greens and then here and there there were bits of gold or yellow swirls that seemed to /glow/ in the light, especially on the cap, which she removed. The pen tip was steel in a v since gold was soft, but where the ink well up was gold to where the cap screwed on. At the butt of it where she could screw the cap as well, was where the new ink would go and and around the hem where the marble started was an up-down looping band half an inch big. "I've never seen such a gorgeous fountain pen before. They're usually patterned." She turned to him and gave him a fluttering kiss on his cheek, payback from when she first arrived, and that hint Sam talked about. "Thank you, Steve. It's fabulous." She watched Falcon straighten up, beaming at her proudly for making a move.

Steve's cheeks flushed deep pink and he swelled with happiness that she kissed him back. Maybe he wasn't so hopeless? Maybe this was going to be okay. "I thought you would like it." He smiled brightly. "I didn't want you to get a fountain pen that wasn't refillable."

Bucky shifted so he could reach deep into his pocket and he pulled out three entirely different magnets, it was a wonder how they even fit because two of three weren't small. He handed them to her, "Not sure what the pop-tart one is all about but-" he smiled as she shrieked with laughter and immediately covered her mouth, "-I thought it was funny anyway."

"Oh my /God/, Steve," Kerica showed him the Nyan-Cat magnet where instead of the normal pink poptart it was blue with white dots and instead of a rainbow stream coming from it's butt it was red and white stripes.

"Nyan-nyan-nayn-nayn." Scott started singing the song.

"No stop I don't want it stuck in my head. It was hard enough getting it out of my head the first time." Steve groaned but grinned at the magnet. The song may be annoying, but it was freaking adorable."

"This is beautiful, thanks, let's see next is...awww!" Kerica cooed and beamed at the yin-yang magnet that was the smallest of the two, a white and black cat curled around each other.

"You like oriental stuff, so I saw that one and snagged it immediately," Bucky smiled proudly.

"And of course 'Cat Lady Box', which is perfect," Kerica smiled as she traced the fancy cursive 'Cat lady' was spelled with, the C in Cat actually having a cat head on top which was unique.

"My turn." Wanda said cheerfully as she handed Kerica a small bag. "Unfortunately it is not as exciting as everyone else's, but I thought you might enjoy this." She clapped her hands excitedly.

"I've already read what I brought from home, so a new book is definitely something worthwhile!" Kerica promised Wanda and reached into the bag, pulling out... "I see your irony. This is because of what happened on my run with Steve and Sam, isn't it?" she blushed as she read the title. Cat's Lair by Christine Feehan, with a man's tattooed pectoral and arm on the cover and on the second picture right behind the cover was a roaring leopard, "It may not be a jaguar but it might as well be. Thank you, Wanda."

Wanda grinned. "You're welcome."

"So, playing off of what Bucky gave you, I also know you like oriental stuff, sooooo." Sam handed her a paper bag similar to Wanda's.

Blinking at him, Kerica took it, "This is why you were so deep in the bookstore?" at his nod, she reached into the bag and removed... "The latest in the Sano Ichiro series; The Iris Fan! Fantastic!"

"Just don't stay up all night readin' it." Sam teased.

"Well, Scott would be mad at me if I did that," Kerica laughed a bit, "I've never had such an awesome birthday. You guys are the best."

"You better not forget it!" Bucky told her with a shake of his finger.

~

The next morning before Steve ran off with Sam and Bucky, he went over to Kerica's room and used the Patriotic Nyan Cat magnet and stuck a picture that he drew for her using the materials that she gave him as a gift to the board. It was of two cats, one lounging on a window sill while the other was trying to bat it's tail. Afterwards, when Steve returned to his room in order to take a hot shower, he found a piece of paper stuck to his door. He carefully pulled it out and opened it.

Written in calligraphy and obviously in Kerica's handwriting was "Thank you."

~*~

"What are you drawing? Bucky murmured as Steve's charcoal left the paper, that way he didn't make him smudge his work, his fingers grey and black, hand poised so he would have direct control over where the charcoal landed. He sat down across from him, peering down at the table.

"You and Nyah, back when you were looking at her." Steve murmured as he was trying to get the shading right. "After that I'm thinking of drawing Kerica and a cat." He stuck his tongue out in the corner of his lips, trying to get the outline of Nyah's dress so he could start drawing in the design. "We...um...had a talk." He admitted, rubbing his nose and smearing black all over it without his realization. "I told her about us and Kerica. She knew about one but not about the other."

"Crap, I knew I was forgetting something," Bucky cursed, and he smiled in amusement at Steve's smudged face, but decided it would be funnier if he waited, "I'm looking at it upside down, but I think it looks good so far. I don't think I could draw much more than a stick figure these days, I guess the Soldier thought art was useless," he pouted, "I remember doodling with you, but I wouldn't want to waste Kerica's paper."

Bucky gave a deep sigh, and went for the punch, "Was Nyah upset with me?"

"You took art classes with me when we could afford the both of us going." Steve recalled, pausing in his drawing and setting it to the side. "You liked art, but it wasn't your passion. Only did it so that if I fainted or something during class you could haul me out. We both had to quit though. The economy crash basically forced us to get jobs. You were at the warehouse hauling crates. I was...well...trying to find a job that didn't kill me." He smiled at the memory that was playing in his head. The economy crash sucked, and everyone getting sick and dying was even worse. But the days where they had peace, where they were able to try to head off to school to achieve whatever dream they had was good.

As for Nyah. "I think I hurt her more than you did. I think she didn't really appreciate me telling her that we were in a threesome relationship...which honestly I understand. I would want to hear it from my significant other myself. I...kind of put my foot in my mouth. I asked her what if you were only starting to play a song because of the Solider." He sighed. "I shouldn't have brought it up, but my mouth ran away with me."

"I understand, Steve. I'll make it up to her somehow..." Bucky hesitated, "I don't believe...that it's just because of the Soldier," he said slowly, "I did tell you before that I was drawn to her. I am starting to really enjoy her company, like her. I wouldn't call it love, but so far care is a good word. I suppose I wouldn't /love/ Kerica, either. I care for her, too, and even just that little extra because she's your best girl, but Nyah's getting closer to that point."

Steve had to worry at his lip. "Yeah. But you two click like it's...I don't know. You remind me of how Peggy and I were. Unsteady at first, but we were good. You just were like a fish to water with Kerica. I could see her being apart of you. She's just that special. Especially when she was in between us, god..."

"I know, right?" Bucky's laugh was breathless and low, "She's a good woman. While Kerica might get me a bit riled up in her own right, I just don't see you and Nyah in the same situation. She's a one-man type of girl. Kerica loves both of us and she's awesome for that. Nyah did say she's alright with you and I, though, more or less. So...we're fucking damn lucky. Everyone else may be just suspicious but the two girls that matter most don't seem to mind at all."

"Who knows really. I hear a lot about how society's changing on what love is." Steve offered. "So it might be that it's not all that suspicious to begin with."

"Who knows," Buck echoed and shrugged, and he watched in silence for a while as Steve continued to work on his project. It was...nice, sitting like this. He was like a kid in a candy store with his present. Bucky had peeked into Steve's room and already saw paper strewn on his desk, dresser, and walls. Animals he'd come across, at least one picture of each of them in a scene that had struck him, and Bucky felt his chest twist as he thought of something he'd like to see, even if it hurt. "May I make a request of you? I don't care how long it takes you, by the way, since it'll be a hard one..."

Steve looked up at him. "Yeah Buck...of course you can."

"You don't ever deny me a damn thing, do you?" Buck ran his hand through his hair and worried his bottom lip before catching Steve's eye, "I want to see...through your eyes...how I looked in cryo. I know you only agreed because it's what I wanted, and I know it hurt you..." but he still wanted to see. He'd been content, but Steve hadn't. He wanted to understand just how deeply it torn him apart.

"Buck...." Steve's eyes immediately started doing the kicked puppy look. However, he nodded his head. "If that's what you want...I'll draw it. It may take me a while. I want to finish this and I have another picture, but after that....yeah I'll work on it."

Buck smiled lopsidedly at him and reached out, tussling Steve's hair, "By the way, you have smudges all over your face."

()

...Back at Stark Tower...

“We need to keep him sedated...it’ll be dangerous, his heart could fail, but we can handle that. If we let his body come full swing that could be even worse. We were barely able to bring him back as it was on that massive ship of Fury’s.”

Pietro heard those muddled words as he was being wheeled towards...wherever it was that they were taking him. It was Mr. Stark. So cold…but he suppressed the shiver and pretended to be asleep to see if he could gather anymore information.

“Wanda and Clint would be devastated if he was lost to us...” Vision sounded really sad, and Pietro didn’t like that.

“They aren’t here, though, now are they, Vision?” an angry huff from Mr. Stark, “They chose to go play coy with Captain America, and now Quicky’s here with us. If he does die on us then we’d just keep them in the dark for as long as possible, until we get back together.”

“I do not believe that would be wise. If we did get the team together, and they found out, that would cause another rift.” This time Vision sounded detached and even a bit angry.

“We’ll burn that bridge when we get to it.” Mr. Stark’s voice was final and Pietro swore he heard Vision…growl a little at being dismissed. That was a very primal reaction for someone who was supposed to be advanced.

What was going on? Where was his sister and Clint? Why was the team disbanded? What did he miss?

So many questions and none of them with an answer. He opened his eyes and winced at the bright light, instantly getting a headache, but managed to look around. They weren’t really in the infirmary room, and it wasn’t exactly a laboratory. Yet...there was the casket Vision was born in.

“He’s awake,” Vision was startled.

“Shit, give him the dose! We’re so close, we can’t have him wake up now!” Mr. Stark hissed and Pietro felt a pinching stab in his neck.

Looking up, silver-blue eyes met white metallic ones, “Wanda...” he whined, voice hoarse.

“I...know not where she is...but she is safe,” Vision soothed, swiping blond hair from Pietro’s forehead, his eyes turning pained.

Something bad happened...he knew...it…

Darkness swallowed him up again, but he felt relieved that Vision knew without a doubt wherever his sister was, she was okay.

XXX

“I need out of here, Vision, and you’re ze only one who can help me,” Pietro sat on his bed at least a week later, almost fully healed. It still hurt to walk or run, but he could do it if he needed to. No one had told him anything, he had used the internet to gather everything himself. Mr. Stark had tried to censor him, using Friday as a ‘parental block’, knowing what his decision would be, but even he had to sleep..albeit if it was once every two-three days. When he did, he got Vision to let him out so he could go to an internet cafe. Friday’s orders had just been to monitor his internet usage, after all, not his location.

“What do you need?” Vision had made it clear that whether or not Pietro decided to side with Captain America, he would not be going with. That didn’t mean, however, he wouldn’t assist him. The Twins couldn’t be kept apart, after all. Mr. Stark had order him to watch Quicksilver instead, but Vision wondered...if Tony knew. He had watched a Maximoff before, and it hadn’t ended well. Yet who else would Tony ask? Natasha? She was keeping undercover because she had helped Captain America escape. It really was...just them.

“I need a few passports. Canada, Russia, and Europe. Once I have zose I can take care of myself,” Pietro promised. He had a large duffebag backpack under his bed ready to go whenever he was ready. Full of non-perishable food and powdered drink mix, along with a water bottle that had one of those purifying tubes so he could dip it in a river and go. Not to mention a couple blankets and first aid of all sorts.

“You will be in Canada before Tony has a chance to sound the alarm,” Vision hummed, understanding, “I will get you that and a few hundred dollars in Canadian money so you may stay somewhere nice at least your first night on the run. You can always use it to bribe someone to keep quiet, after all.”

Pietro gave him a goofy grin, “Yu really alright helping me?”

“Last time your sister used her mind control on me and sent me several stories down into the earth,” Vision gave a tiny shrug, something he had picked up from watching the humans, “I cannot outrun you. It has been long enough, you should be fully healed.”

“If zat is ze story we are going vith,” Pietro shrugged himself, “I vill escape ze next time Mr. Stark sleeps.”

“That will give me plenty of time to get you your passports,” with a small bow, Vision turned around and phased through Pietro’s bedroom wall. He had another letter to write as well.

XXX

Even if he had been in cryo for over a year to a year and a half, Pietro was glad he still felt comfortable in the cold regions of Russia. Since he had left, he had tried to avoid cities to the best of his ability especially after his face had been put on the news. Eventually he had made his way into Romania...home...and found a caravan. They had immediately called him Family, and he blended with them better than he had anywhere else. Their lack of technology was a boon.

All good things had to come to an end, however...and he broke away from them during the night. In a sleeping village he took a newspaper from a stall, leaving the necessary coins on the wood counter for whomever got there in the morning. Being fast had led him to pickpocket change and money from fives to twenties here and there. Well...at least whatever was the equivalent to US dollars anyway. Never more than the closest he could get to twenty.

So he had been traveling for a least a month? Damn. Others would have taken several months at that to get where he was. Wanda...his dreams had told him she was close and was waiting for him. If there was a time where he was grateful for their link and bond as siblings and twins, now was that time for sure.

Wakanda with King T’Challa...that was where he had to go, but everywhere around it was on high alert for anyone or anything going in or out. It was a neutral country, so no action could be taken inside. All he had to do was get there.

It was hard to track things in the mountains. Maybe he could hitch a ride on a train as close as he could get before they would stop it to inspect it?

It was risky...but he had to try.

XXX

“Jaybird, why are you so hell bent on going to Wakanda?” A pair of siblings were trekking through the forest, the brother, Slate Tucker, huffing as he readjusted the straps of his bag. Jayden, his sister, was digging her feet into the hill as they climbed it, trying to get to the railroad. She had just woken up one morning a few days ago and said that was their next location. After going all over Russia and Europe since the Avengers disbanded, Slate had a feeling he would be recognized by security patrolling the boarder. He had been a part of S.H.I.E.L.D. three years ago...until he found out about the Fights through their intelligence, he had switched places with Robert Jones to check it out. They hadn’t liked him, just a twenty-one year old kid, going in there alone.

What they didn’t know was that Bloody Mary – a seventeen-year-old girl, who looked fifteen, with white hair, ghostly pale skin made even more ghastly with a white dress – was his sister. She had been kidnapped when she was fourteen, while he had been in the army boot camp. After his Parents and the Police gave up he had felt even more compelled to keep looking. It had paid off. After a year of playing the game; betting, arguing, acting dumb, acting disgusted, he had gotten his sister out and they had been on the run since.

All in all he had been internally laughing. That was the motto between them. Laugh in the face of pain. He was mentally scarred himself to the point where it didn’t matter if he watched Jayden rip Angel apart piece by piece like a rabid dog, or if he watched a twelve-year-old boy get burned to death. Once he got back to his little apartment and wrote in his journals, he’d laugh while he cried.

Jayden knew. She knew all of it. She could read minds, after all. After three years, her hair had remained white, though her skin tanned and she wore denim and otherwise really plain clothes. She could pretend to be normal where she needed it. The fact was she wasn’t. She still couldn’t handle crowds very well, and just a few weeks ago he had lost her in an elevator...again. That was okay, she was his sister anyway. He was proud of her for surviving.

He just wished she’d answer him, because even for her this was out of the ordinary.

Jayden hummed as she finished climbing up the hill, standing in the middle of the tracks. She spun around, arms up and she grinned brightly. "I made it up! I win!" She didn't respond to his question, instead she spun around and looked at the area that surrounded them. Trees, mosquitoes, different kinds of ground vegetarian both poisonous and not. She rocked herself, on the balls of her feet to her heels as she looked. Wakanda was somewhere nearby, somewhere near a waterfall and hidden in the trees. It was a city that was isolated so that outsiders couldn't find them.

She wanted to find them. Instinct told her to, and that wasn't a good enough answer at least not for her brother. Instinct to him meant that there was going to be destruction, a fight. Jayden doubted that there would be one. "Come on. You're slow!" She complained. "Climb up! You were a minuteman! Hills shouldn't be a problem for you!"

"You try carryin' around d'is sniper rifle! D'en ya tell me what shouldn' be a problem!" Slate sassed back at her, Southern Accent thick, grunting as a rock slipped from under his feet and he fell forward onto his face. His duffle bag and rifle crashed onto him and knocked the wind from him, "Omph!" Ugh, these damn rains made the ground too soft. Hauling back up to his knees, he froze as he heard the horn of a train echo through the trees, his head snapping up, "Jayden!"

"I got her!" came a voice from behind Slate and he glanced behind him just in time to see a blue and silver blur zoom by him and up the hill, dirt flying in his face as if it was a delayed movement, and his gaze returned to his sister who was staring at the train coming towards her, only for her to be gone over the other side in the same split second the train whizzed by, "Jay! Oh God, Jay!" He stumbled up the hill, trying to glance through the spaces between the cars, "JAY!" he screamed, feeling his heart jump to his throat. Who was that?

Pietro wasn't expecting the other side to be so steep, and he had tucked his body around the little one he'd grabbed, tumbling and rolling down the hill, omphing and grunting along the way. He was sure his head hit a rock but he barely registered the pain from that before they kept rolling, only finally stopping as his back squarely hit a tree, causing him to cry out, but he still held fast to...Jayden. The man had called her Jayden. "Didn't see dat one coming..." he muttered to himself in a daze.

Jayden on the other hand cracked up laughing after the initial shock wore off. That had been both a terrifying experience and the best one she ever had. "I haven't rolled down a hill in forever. That was fun." She pushed herself off of the guy and blinked. "Oh. You're new."

"So are you," Pietro laughed a bit breathlessly, wincing and groaning as he pulled himself into a sitting position instead of laying on his side, "I vas hoping to catch dat train, I guess I'll just have to vait for ze next one. Ze guy you're with, he'll be glad you're okay."

Jayden's eyes lit up. "Come on! Get up!" She started pulling on him. "I know where you're going. We're going there too. I'm Jayden. My brother's Slate."

"Yu do? How do yu know?" Pietro blinked at her and allowed her to help him stand, even if it was off-kilter. Oh, man, his back was going to hurt for at least an hour, so no running for him for right now. His head was starting to pound, too, since he was upright, "Ah..." he reached his hand up to where it hurt the most on his temple area and was not surprised to see blood on his fingertips, "Great..." he muttered. Shaking his head, he looked down at her, "I'm Pietro. It's nice to meet yu."

Jayden looked shocked at the blood and she quickly had him sit down, already shucking off her backpack and rummaging through it. "My bad, my bad." She said apologetically in a near whisper. "I didn't know you got hurt. I'm sorry." She took out a metal Captain America lunch box that had Steve throwing his shield towards an unsuspecting enemy. She undid the metal latches and inside was a first-aid certified's wet dream. She took out the alcohol wipes and tore one open. "It's gonna sting and it's cold. It helps if you close your eyes and think of something else." She carefully dabbed it on Pietro's forehead. "You were really fast."

Pietro was amused at the lunchbox and he found it...oddly relieving, to see Steve's face, even if it was a raised image on a kid's item. What happened to this? Steve was an icon, and now he was a criminal. He was a criminal, too, though. "How do yu know vhere I'm going? Yu didn't answer." He winced as she dragged it, getting the dirt off to get to the wound better, and he did hiss at the sting this time.

Jayden smiled brightly. "Because it's where we have to go." Once she deemed the wound was clean enough she went through the lunchbox and found butterfly bandages. "It's the gathering point and I read your mind. Your head...it's like a radio. Static. Goes too fast. But I caught a word. Wakanda."

"Wakanda, yeah. My twin sister is zere. I vant to be with her," Pietro nodded firmly before stilling so she could put the bandage on, and smoothed his hair over the injury sub-consciously when she was done, and stood again, "How about we get up ze hill again, J.J?"

"J.J." Jayden repeated the name and laughed. "Alright. Let's go up!"

~

"Gunslinger?" Natasha approached the person who was calling out a name towards the speeding train. She cursed her luck, she was hoping to jump it and ride it, but that was alright. What caught her off guard was that it was Slate Tucker who was standing before her. The man who disappeared after S.H.I.E.L.D fell. The last whereabouts he had was that he was working in the FBI office on a undercover mission. She didn't know the details. But to see him here...she knew was no FBI movement. "What are you doing here?"

Whirling around, Slate gaped at Natasha and then closed his mouth again. He had heard about her defecting on the news and that she was wanted. Wakanda was her only safe haven because she was friendly with Kind T'Challa, "Natasha...God it's good ta see ya. I am here because my sister is dragging me to the same place you're headed." He jabbed his thumb towards the train, "She got caught on teh tracks as teh train came, but...somebody saved 'er. I have no idea who, d'ey were too fast, but teh voice d'at shouted at me sounded male."

"How do you know where I'm heading?" Natasha asked cryptically. "I could be going anywhere." She frowned. "Sister?" She read the reports. "I'm guessing she's not dead."

"Yer goin' ta Wakanda, because T'Challa is yer friend," Slate smiled at her, "Remember teh undercover mission I went on? I did it because Bloody Mary was my sister. I got 'er out after playing teh game. I could've come back, but S.H.I.E.L.D. crumblin' was kinda a no-go 'n' so I just stayed out 'ere with 'er, movin' from place ta place. She wanted ta go ta Wakanda, but I really don' know why. She wouldn' tell me. Just randomly woke up 'n' said 'this is our next stop!' 'n' so...yeah. Here we are. Do ya have any idea who saved her, by teh way?"

"To be honest, the only person I know of that runs that fast is QuickSilver. Pietro." Natasha explained, her smile widening. Bloody Mary. Now that was a name she had heard. "You remind me of someone that does the same thing. Did the same thing." She corrected herself.

"/The/ Quicksilver? From the Ultron fiasco?!" Slate stared at her like she lost her mind, "Didn't he /die/?" Her comment about someone who /did/ the same thing made him tilt his head. That was something he could ask about another time.

"Apparently your sister, the Winter Solider, and Quickie can join the "brought back to life" club." Natasha shook her head from side to side. "It was supposed to be a top-secret thing...but after S.H.E.I.L.D fell and a scrimmage, "top secret" doesn't mean much anymore."

"Natasha?!" Pietro's voice called from the other side of the train, "Is that you?!"

Slate turned back around, "Jay?! Are you with him?!"

"We rolled down a hill!" Was the childish response.

Natasha had to laugh. "Well now. Do we even attempt to board this train now that we're all together or is it too fast?"

"I'll try if you try, I got JJ!" Pietro called, "We can meet on the top and walk to a cargo car!"

"I'm in," Slate agreed.

"Steve's missing out. This would be his favorite game." Natasha bent her legs. "Alright! We'll meet you on top!"

~

"Vhere did /you/ come from, Natasha? Yu were on ze same side as Slate, I didn't see yu anyvhere," Pietro heaved out a heavy sigh as he laid down flat in the hole they'd created for themselves.

"I took a detour." Natasha replied as she sat down heavily, her legs outstretched. Her eyes wandered over to the girl who was apparently Slate's sister. Her hair was long, white like snow, and she was kneeling next to Pietro, wedging herself to put his head on her lap and run her fingers through his hair. Odd...but it was also comforting. Natasha noticed, with some surprise, the scars littered all over her arms and neck. She was certain there was more underneath the clothes too.

Pietro gave a happy, low hum and closed his eyes briefly, then turned to look at Slate, holding out his hand, "Nice to meet yu, I'm Pietro Maximoff."

Slate let out a startled laugh and shook it, grinning at how firm it was, "Slate Tucker. Pleasure, good sir. Thank you so much fer saving my sister." He eyed JJ, wondering if saving her was why she was acting like this, and shrugged, leaning back against the metal wall.

"Of course. Zat would've been a terrible vay to go," he shook his head, "I traveled all over, Nat. Vision helped me vith passports, and I vent into Canada to Russia down to England...Ah, I passed through Transylvania and Romania at some point. Zere I crossed a caravan and stayed vith zem for a vhile. A month! Been on ze run a month. Did yu keep travelling or did yu hunker in some safehouses in-between?"

"I did some sight-seeing," Natasha replied vaguely. "But it got to be too dangerous. Thought that maybe I could ask Steve if we could be partners again. See if T'Challa will be merciful and let me stay."

"I'm happy ve all get to go to ze same place. I am sure Cap vill let us stay. I learned about vhat happened from Vision and the internet, even if Stark tried to keep me from ze truth. Vision is a turncoat." Pietro bolted upright, winced as his back protested, and reached for his pack, checking the pockets and sighing in relief that a white envelope with red writing was still there. Good. He put it back with a pat and laid back down, J.J. going right back to her ministrations.

Natasha looked over at Slate. "It's probably a good thing you didn't tsay after S.H.I.E.L.D fell." She admitted to him. "No one would want to go up against you regardless of which side you took...and knowing you...you'd follow Captain America."

"Damn straight! I was rooting fer him on teh TV Jaybird rigged in teh shack we'd set up because she'd sprained her ankle climbing trees again!" Slate nodded firmly, "The Accords are bullshit."

Natasha smiled sadly. "And I wouldn't want to fight against someone who can probably out snipe Hawkeye." She sighed softly.

"Ya know, Tasha," Slate hummed, putting his hands behind his head, "Still sad I went off on my own little thing and never actually got to test that out. We'd planned on it, but then it never happened. Maybe, since Clint's on Cap's side, he'll have a competition with me."

"He probably would welcome it." Natasha smiled softly and looked over to see Pietro and Jayden fast asleep. It was cute...and it hurt. She wished Wanda...her friends....her teammates were here. /Soon/, she promised herself.

~*~

The humidity was sticky on their skin, the moisture in the atmosphere plastered their clothes onto their bodies as well as sweat. They could hear a nearby river rushing through, the many kinds of birds singing their unique calls. The trees were huge, and thin, blocking most of the sunlight. The vines came down, blocking paths and winding their way to make their own version of walls. The ground was wet, the mud practically acted like quicksand, trying to sink them down slowly into the earth. Jayden had long abandoned her shoes into her backpack, her toes squishing into the mud as she hopped around. She knew to be quiet, the jungle inhabitants wouldn't appreciate her. The environment itself was neutral.

"Your sister just takes things like a fish to water doesn't she?" Natasha was having a hard time with this. The clothes she was wearing didn't work for this type of heat or environment.

"That she does," Slate smiled at her fondly as she swung on a thick vine, whooping, "There's almost no environment she hates. Cold's annoying because she can't feel her fingers, but besides that, she doesn't mind it. Snow-angels are her favorite things to make."

Pietro had also abandoned his shoes to his pack, mainly because he /somehow/ got better traction with his spread toes than the way the bottom of his shoes got gunked up, "Ze river's close! Just a bit further, zen yu can cool off!"

"We should be careful of river. Man-eating fish." Jayden jumped down from the vine, and wandered another direction. "But river means civilization. Meaning Wakanda. So good job." She gave Pietro the thumbs up.

"Was it strange finding her?" Natasha couldn't help but to ask, looking at Slate curiously. "Were you ever worried that she would stay in the games?"

"Parana's I'd imagine would be more in teh lakes 'n' ponds, not a current," Slate drawled to Jayden, then responded to Nat, dropping his Southern Accent as he turned stone serious, "The Fights, Tasha...anything but /games/. Games would be like The Hunger Games movies, but not...not like the Cage. Imagine the massacre at the beginning of the first movie. Now imagine...that blood, gore, and horror...on /one/ maybe /two/ people. All over a small ring half the size of a basketball court, and on a pure white dress and in pure white hair. Bloody Mary." He whispered her Stage Name quietly just to Nat, as if that explained everything.

Natasha frowned at the small snippets that Slate was giving her, but she could see that there was more to it. Bloody Mary, a metal cage. She heard of these stories before, where people who were powerful were taken in to see if their powers could conquer their own. Bets would be place, and she could feel her blood just run cold. "That's why she has the scars." She murmured. "She's pretty strong to have lasted for so long in the fights."

"That's my sister. You noticed the locket? It has a saying on the inside. Laugh in the Face of Pain. I gave that to her for her thirteenth birthday, a year before she was taken from me and my family. Everyone gave up, but I didn't," Slate shook his head, but he was proud, "She would hurt anyone who tried to take it from her and since it wasn't worth the trouble, they let her keep it. It was her motivation. She was...so shocked I was there. The only face in the crowd whom she couldn't read."

Natasha swallowed. "Did she recognize you? From the picture in her locket? Y...how did you get out?"

"Kind of?" Slate made an uncertain expression, "The picture is of us really little, like five and nine, respectfully, but...yeah. I changed a lot. The undernourishment, stress, and experiments stunted her growth. She improved a lot the last three years, but still is as skinny as a rail." He frowned, "I would rather talk about how we got out or any other deeper details when we're safe and I've had some whiskey. Are you alright with that?"

"I think I'd need vodka if I'm going to be listening to the rest of it." Natasha agreed. "And I don't think the jungle's a good place. But, look at it this way, we're closer to the river now."

"Tasha..." Slate slid his backpack off his shoulders and unzipped the big pocket, before flipping the flap back and undoing a hidden tie, reaching into the hidden pocket, and pulled out several blue books, "Put these in your own pack. They're...the journals I wrote. Don't let Jaybird see that you have them, she'll get upset. She connects 'journal' with 'diary' and 'diaries are private'. If it's private she's fiercely protective of it."

Nat understood and she took the journals from him and set her backpack down to put them in. "Don't worry Slate. I get where she's coming from with that." She zipped it up and placed the bag on her shoulder. "So, now we just get need to go up the river and hope we reach a place that can direct us to Wakanda."

"Seems like teh plan," Slate smiled at her, and it was like a huge weight was off of his shoulders. Slinging the pack back on, he patted her shoulder, "Thank ya, Tasha."

~

Jayden frowned as she looked over at Slate and Natasha and tilted her head in their direction. Their thoughts were all over the place. Natasha suspicious, gathering intel and making connections. Her mind was like a map filled with strings. It was scary to look into really. But, Jayden seen scarier, been through scarier too. She didn't need to read Slate's mind to see it on his face. "Just telling horror stories again." She muttered to herself. They just needed to get to Wakanda and everything would be fine. Had to be.

Pietro was beside her in a split second, his toes diving into the mud and bumping hers as it stopped his momentum, "Horror stories?" he asked low, "My sister, Wanda, can read minds, too, as vell as do magic. Who's mind are yu reading?"

"Natasha." Jayden answered, not at all surprised to see him there. It was still shocking that the four them were traveling the way they were. She had thought Pietro would go off fast as the jungle allowed him, Natasha on his back. It made her happy for some reason when he was always there the next day. "I can't read my brother. Probably cuz we're related. He's telling her things." She sighed. "Slate told me that man-eating fish aren't in the river, but we should be careful anyway." She smiled at Pietro. "We can get cooled off and keep going. I don't think we're lost."

"That's good, following the river will always lead us somewhere anyway," Pietro nodded, but his face was still solumn, "Vhat happened? Yu can tell me your story. I'm sure it's different zan Slate's story to Nat, anyway." He picked her up around the waist and un-stuck her, placing her on a rock before finding footing in some grass.

Jayden watched Pietro for a little bit. Assessing before nodding her head. "Okay. Story time. But first I got a question for you. Which is more dangerous an animal or a solider?"

"A soldier may be on edge, but zey are not always dangerous. Zey are rational in thought. An animal can always lash out for no reason if it feels threatened even a little bit. Fight or flight, survival," Pietro hummed, nodding to himself in satisfaction, and he walked ahead of her just a little bit, testing those dangers before looking back at her and helping her if she needed it, continuing the process again.

Jayden nodded her head. "Yeah. I'm one of them. An animal of sorts. I like to call myself a dog, I get called a bitch a lot so..." She shrugged. "I've been in the Cage for a long time. Since I was fourteen. Long time." She nodded her head. "I was taken as a chew-toy first. To determine if an animal can make a kill. But I killed instead. I don't know if they didn't like that or if they were impressed by that. Still don't. I spent a long time fighting. Killing. Nearly dying. I earned a name, but the fights got boring. Not for me. But for the spectators. The audience. They wanted more. So...we were injected with things. People would come in and inject us and watch us. Many of us didn't make it."

Pietro's teeth grated, closing his eyes and took a slow breath in through his nose, letting it out slowly from his mouth, and looked back at her, "I know what that is like. My experience may not have been like yours, but similar. I was normal. Then my sister and I were made into experiments, and we fought people in metal rooms to test our powers. Hydra, they were called." He spotted a thick patch of mud and tore a branch from a tree, bending down to draw in the mud, the 'art' similar to a five-year old's, but it looked like an octopus all the same, "Do you know this symbol? It's supposed to be red...and these arms are supposed to be snake heads."

"Those are the people that had the injections." Jayden frowned. "So you were in fights too." Her shoulders slumped. "I'm real glad I didn't have to fight against you. You're nice and your fast. I'd die unless I got lucky."

"I would've let you kill me," Pietro looked up at her and gave her a lopsided smile that didn't quite reach his silver-blue eyes, "Put up a decent fight, of course, but...I couldn't kill you. You're special, I could tell, and pretty." His cheeks tinted at the admission and he stood straight, before looking out ahead and lit up, "The river! Here it is!"

Jayden quickly abandoned the story and went over towards the edge to look inside of it. Brown, mixed with twigs and leaves. It was a fast moving current and the air that surrounded it was cool and refreshing. She took a breath in and let it out. "It's going that way." She pointed towards what she deemed was north. "So we got to go that way." She pointed upstream. "I think that's what you're supposed to do for survival. Down stream means lake, means flood."

Pietro was nodding vigorously and looked behind him at Slate and Nat climbing their way to them, "Ve're getting so close! Everyone vill be so happy to see us!"

"D'at d'ey will, especially yer sis' right?" Slate huffed as he finally reached them, hands on his knees.

"Wanda! I'm coming, surata!" Pietro beamed at the flowing water. Soon!

~*~

Soon just didn't seem to be happening right about now.

Everyone was on edge. Jayden's eyes counted about ten of them and they were fast approaching and speaking the devil tongue. The more they spoke, Natasha seemed to get more intense. Whatever weapons they had was quickly pulled out and so was theirs. Jayden took a breath in and let it out slowly. She didn't have a knife. It was in her backpack and she could kick herself for it. "We have an option." Jayden said calmly, well...as calmly as she could. Instinct was telling her that she didn't /need/ a knife. She could overwhelm at least three of these people if she pushed herself.

"What option might that be?" Slate asked, twirling his pistols like the American Gunslinger he got his codename for.

"Nat and Pietro run to Wakanda." Jayden said after a moment of thought, taking another deep breath. "We'll meet there. No arguing. Best option."

"CE?! Are you serious?!" Pietro gaped at her, "I can take out zeir weapons! I can do a lot of things. I'm fast, remember?" he shook his head, "I can fight with yu!"

"Exactly. You're fast. We will slow you down." Jayden said gently. "Hummingbird, we're not exactly planning on fighting."

"We're not?" Natasha questioned sharply.

"Gotta give 'em a little bit of trouble, darlin', but nah," Slate smiled slow, eyes dancing in a devilish, eerie and /mad/ sort of way, "I'll probably take out a couple with my pistols, Jaybird with get two more, the rest will get us."

Natasha was starting to see the small bit of logic. It was fucking crazy logic, but Gunslinger wasn't known for doing things the clean way, "Quicksilver start running."

"I...but..." Pietro hissed through his teeth, "I can carry yu on my back, Natasha, or do yu want to split up?"

"Split. Go." Natasha took off running down the river, too the right and disappeared into the jungle. Two immediately started following Natasha.

Pietro speedily left a kiss to Jayden's temple and whispered, "Be careful..." before all that signaled his departure were the rustle of fern leaves.

Jayden took that as her cue, she locked eyes with one of the Hydra members and she forced her way into his mind. The man stood stock still before she managed to get him to turn to the his comrade and shoot him point blank.

()

...A week later...

Draco had seen many strange things in the jungle. Sometimes animals would congregate in a place where they shouldn’t be and sometimes were far away from their natural habitat. There were times he would see someone hanging from a tree, someone who tried to land in the jungle but just couldn’t quite reach the bottom, parachute caught on the limbs and something would snap their neck. He seen snakes and lizards huge and according to those who were nonnatives to the jungle, unnaturally so. He seen white people try to make a jungle their home before realizing that the humidity, their very nature, and the animals just couldn’t make harmony with themselves. White people, Draco had come to realize, seemed to think too high of themselves and not a lot about nature. Though, of course, Draco wasn’t exactly sure if that was because of the superiority that they felt due to the color of their skin, or if it was just a foreign thing.

What was /really/ strange to see, was a woman gasping for breath wearing all black at night, lying on the ground and trying to crawl. What was stranger was that he could hear devil tongue in the trees, flashlights dancing which and every way. Draco had to curl his mouth in disgust. Flashlights, what kind of assassins were they? He quietly and quickly drew out his blade before moving through the forest silently.

It didn’t take long for them to fall. It was practically a disappointment that there were only two of them. He tore off the badge on their arm, knowing that the Prince could identify it. He stuffed it into his pocket before sighing loudly at the bodies as he put his weapon away.

Now for the girl with red hair. He quickly and quietly made his way over towards her. She was bleeding profusely and her skin pale as the moonlight’s glow. She was giving him a look, tensed like she could fight. Draco carefully pulled his mask away from his face, giving the woman the sight.

“You. My friend. Are a lucky bitch.” He told her honestly.

“I don’t feel lucky.” She managed through her breaths.

“You will.” He promised. “Rest.”

“Like-” Draco knew that he shouldn’t. He knew that he was going to get his ass kicked for it later. But he kicked her hard against the side of the head, knocking her out. He placed the mask back over his face.

“<Teresa is going to murder me if she finds out I hurt an injured one.>” Draco muttered in his native tongue as he yanked the woman up. “<But at least you’ll live to see another sunrise.>” Once he was certain that she was secured on his back, he walked away, humming softly.

~*~

The middle of November, a week before Thanksgiving, Bucky was enjoying pulling weeds in the garden. He wasn't much of a green thumb, but he could definitely dig at the ground, ripping up roots of plants that shouldn't be there that way the colorful flowers wouldn't suffocate from the intrusive things. IT got him outside, too. There was no winter here, just cooler nights to the still hot as sin days and more rain. Lots of rain. Not all of it thunderstorms, to which he was grateful because he hated when he couldn't comfort Kerica, whom was afraid of the thunder, because he or Steve or both were having flashbacks and would hurt her. He'd tried to reason with Steve that he'd see her as someone to protect, not an enemy, but he held fast.

Over the course of the weeks, Kerica and Steve had bonded over old 30s and 40s music, and she even showed him a few 'old' songs that she enjoyed, one artist being Patsy Cline, her favorite song Walking After Midnight. That had been /adorable/ beyond imagining, and Bucky was very glad they had something to go bonkers over. As for bonding between him an Nyah? Dancing had been one, but another was sparing and learning the different things between their cultures. Just recently they'd spared and got so /naughty/, causing Steve to blush so red Buck had thought he /might/ actually have a nosebleed like the cartoons. Steve had yet to spar with Kerica, and he knew they weren't even close to intimate besides the heated kisses. The attraction for Nyah had only grown, and he /definitely/ wanted to do more than kiss.

What had startled him was one night after being with Nyah by himself one night as James, once Kerica had said the passcode and left - he was thankful they'd long since made a truce and were friends besides their disagreeing point - Nyah had told him she was an assassin. James and Nyah had bonded hard over that, trading stories of the things that made Bucky's stomach curl. When he'd regained control, he had wanted to do so many things, and she'd been /wanting/ it, he could tell by how her energy thrummed in time with his. He didn't know /why/ he didn't, and he still felt bad after denying her.

Shortly afterwards, not two days later, the whole lot of them dressed up in ridiculous costumes and joined the City in a party in the streets, celebrating All Hallow's Eve. While neither Steve nor he could get drunk, they enjoyed themselves to their full extent and he still found it hysterical how frisky Kerica got while drunk. Steve was a gentleman, though, the bastard. It was obvious she needed to be laid, but Buck and Steve had only shared in each other's bed that night.

The last two weeks had been more or less calm, with smaller but more profound healing sessions, and lately...T'Challa seemed to be scheming something, with how he watched Kerica spar, whomever it may be with that particular day. Whatever it was, Buck was certain it was Kerica's favor.

Startled out of his thoughts as he heard humming, Buck looked up and his whole face lit up as he spotted Nyah, "Prekrasnyy! I was just thinking about you!" he cooed, jumping to his feet and tried to get as much dirt off his hands as possible.

Nyah grinned at him. She had started to disregard her blues in the palace and had began to wear her casual clothing. Right now it was just a plain red skirt with a gold blouse tucked underneath it. "I must have heard your thoughts, A'maelamin." Her hands were behind her back. "Are you busy by chance?"

"No, not really. I need to take a break before I rip up something I shouldn't," Buck chuckled and smiled at her slyly, "What do you got there?" He stepped closer to her, "You look so wonderful in that outfit."

"Thank you." The sly look on his face made her cheeks warm and her body melt. She stepped closer to him, she could feel the electricity, and she could hear him play her song. It wasn't a beginning, nor was it subdued by all the other songs. It was determined. "Close your eyes and hold out one of your hands."

Curious, Bucky did as he was told, his left hand the one he chose, palm-up, unaware her true intentions.

Nyah by passed his hand tied the bracelet onto his wrist. It was a gorgeous bracelet that was weaved into a chevron pattern. The colors were Bucky's favorites and it was a beautiful contrast to the metal of his wrist. He opened his eyes and she smiled. "A courting bracelet."

Breath catching, he brought his wrist closer to examine it. The lining on both sides was black, and alternating in the middle was black, red, golden yellow, and sky blue before repeating. "Nyah..." a courting bracelet she had taken time and lots of effort to complete. It fit close to his metal wrist as well so it wouldn't get in the way. Bending down he swooped her into his arms and kissed her soundly.

Nyah had let out a surprised sound when he brought her close, but the kiss made her melt and she gently wrapped her arms around his neck. They pulled away and Nyah's eyes danced in happiness. "I'm glad you liked it." She smiled brightly. "Technically in our culture it means you're going steady with someone. It can also mean you're bound to a promise. Whatever that promise may be. That's why I asked if you could wear bracelets. If not, I would have found something else."

"I think its wonderful, and I  understand. I will wear it on my right if I know I'm going to fight, since I use my left a lot. Now I am going to call you my best girl. You and I have come so far. You mean a lot to me." He kissed her intently again, only to look up and pull away with a frown, "Steve?"

The expression on Steve's was complicated. His hands were stuffed into his pockets, his eyes were filled with hurt, anger and worry, and his mouth was curved into a frown. He gave them a slightly sheepish expression, but it faded quickly enough. "I don't want to ruin a moment." His eyes already caught a new accessory on Bucky's wrist. "But um...Draco's here...and he brought Natasha."

"Draco?" Nyah blinked as she let Bucky go and stepping to the side. "Natasha?"

"She's hurt." Steve let it out with a loud sigh. "Dr. Rivera and Dr. Knight are working on her right now. T'Challa's about to ask Draco what happened...he wants us there to listen."

Bucky stepped towards Steve, "Then what are we waiting for? Natalia risked her life for us," his face was set into a determined expression, "Let's go see what Draco has to say."

~*~

"So what happened, Draco?" Bucky was the first to ask as soon as he laid eyes on the assassin when they came through the doors, "How badly is Natalia hurt? Do you have any idea who did this?"

“Toror.” Brother. Draco looked over at Bucky in surprise, before he pursed his lips together. Nyah quickly scanned the room to see that they weren’t the only ones who were there. The Prince, Kerica, Scott, Clint, and Wanda were also there, all of them with solemn expressions on their faces. “I found her running through the jungle. It was an odd sight so I kept watch.” He handed the badges to him. “I deemed that they were Cthulhu's followers. Those that will always return from bad karma and grant dark desires. I ended them and tossed them into the river. Your friend will live. I got her here in time.”

"/Hydra/," Bucky spat, griping one badge tight in his hand and handed the second to Steve, "I hate their name. We really can't get rid of them." He looked back at Draco, a storm brewing in his oceanic eyes, "I am glad you found her. She helped Steve and I back when things were hairy."

"Steve...Buck," Kerica bit her lip, stepping closer to them and she placed her hands on Bucky's prying the badge from his fingers, "Even if you aren't Avengers anymore, doesn't mean you can't continue to kick these bastards where it hurts," she handed the symbol to Clint who looked like he wanted to put it in the center of a bulls-eye, and passed it around. She returned her attention to Bucky, but noticed the bracelet and looked at Nyah, taking a respectful step back with a smile and moved to her own man, unable to read his face, but his eyes said enough, swirling darkly with his own storm as he stared at the red symbol, and she stroked her fingers along his skin.

"They were on my lands. They will pay dearly for it," T'Challa's face was grim, "I will have to put my soldiers on a tighter watch. How close were they, Draco?"

"Close enough." Draco frowned, "I was going to ask you, if it's permissible...for Nyah and I to go and search out the Jungle lands. We know the area. We can find if they have a compound nearby...I understand she's trying to heal one of your wounded...however I'd like to keep myself off of the tablet for as long as I can...before the Cth-Hydra followers try to hire us. We may have a treaty with you my lord...but only Nyah knows of what's inside your kingdom. No one else is protected...they can and will fall on our spears."

"Permission granted and if you have anymore Atrum scattered around, use the messenger pigeons to contact them. We need to catch them early before they cause anymore damage, and once Natasha is awake she can tell us more. Nyah," T'Challa looked at her sternly, "Just be extra careful. You haven't completed what you came here for."

"I wouldn't leave a task unfinished sire." Nyah bowed before bringing her palms up, wrists showing and turning to Draco. Draco did the same motion and both of them walked out, talking rapidly in their own language.

Steve was practically shaking. "We should help them."

"We can't, not yet," Sam said firmly as Kerica pulled the badge from Steve's hands before he ripped it in half. Bucky and Steve...they hated that symbol, for good reason. "There's nothing we can do besides wait for Nat to wake up."

Steve clenched his fists, not even noticing that Kerica had forcibly taken the badge away from him. "What would you have us do?" Wanda was the one who broke the ice. "Have me read the minds of many? Scott to scout out? We do not know these lands, Steve. We are foreigners, even if we lived here for months. You worry. You want to do something, patience is not your virtue. But breathe. Let Nyah and Draco at least attempt to find the compound. Let Natasha speak her story to us. The more information we have...we can win a fight."

Steve didn't like it, but Wanda spoke the clearest logic. He looked over at Bucky, he knew that he shared the same plight. Only he probably could keep up with Nyah and Draco. The Solider would do a lot of good here. Steve shook his head. "You're....right."

"Okay so....before we go off fighting snakes on a plane." Scott rubbed his hands together. "Who do you think would kick the most asses, Draco or Nyah? My money is on Nyah."

~*~

Grooves formed in the dirt from the animal he dragged behind him. With the shutdown due to security, the people in the village between the castle compound and the City wouldn't be able to get food. He gripped the bow made from the same animals antlers. Nat was going to freak when he showed her. She was going to be proud and impressed, he was sure of it.

He felt his stomach twist and hoped it would be soon. After that little meeting and putting his money on Draco for the bet, he had promptly left.

The way Bucky looked about ready to vomit...the way Steve had been helpless and angry...it made his oown blood run cold and shooting at things in the jungle had made him feel a little better. Kerica had tried to comfort them but to no avail. She had been there for the Fall of SHIELD but she didn't understand. Honestly, he didn't want her to. He didn't want these forests to be a fearful place because the /monsters/ from their nightmares lurked in the bushes. How stupid could they be for coming into T'Challa's territory anyway?!

Heaving the creature onto the other pile of carcuses he huffed and turned around only to jump when a boy in City clothes was standing right there, "Hello," he greeted, popping his hand off his forehead halfheartedly instead of slow and graceful, "You're new...stuck here because of the shutdown?"

The boy smiled brightly before also doing the same gesture. "You good eyes." His accent for the English was horrible. They were slurred and it was clear that he didn't have much practice with the words. "I have...message. Give to Witch." He explained the best that he could. "You know Witch?"

"Scarlet Witch? Wanda?" Clint tilted his head at the boy, "Yes, I know her. I can take her the letter if you'd like?" He smiled at him, "I was going to go back to the Castle anyway. I'm the only one free to come and go, I guess, so I'll be checking up back here."

The boy quickly dove into his pockets and handed a folded up envelope. He gave a quick apologetic smile. "Red man wants her to read it soon." He explained to Clint. "I must go." He placed his hands at his forehead, before taking off, disappearing into the crowd.

Red man. Vision! This must be important, no doubt about her brother. Tucking the letter in his belt he took back off into the jungle, darting and following his own path back to the compound at the fastest sprint he could muster, still keeping an eye out for danger on the way. Wanda needed this letter. If Pietro was on his way to them, then that would be just what they needed, the Twins back together and at full strength.

~*~

It was bright and it smelled like a hospital. Natasha's eyes fluttered opened and she quickly assessed where she was. For one, there were no guards, two she could see the Winter Solider and Wanda next to her. Both wearing concerned expressions. T'Challa was also present, looking grim and also concerned. A woman doctor was looking at her vitals before backing away, "Oh good. You're awake."

"Natalia, kak vy?" How are you? Buck's voice rumbled low as he spoke Russian. His big hand gripped her slim one tight.

"Like I got shot." Natasha took a breath in, closed her eyes and took a breath out opening them and looking at Bucky. "You look happier. Less dead than when I last saw you."

Relief spread through him and he gave her a small smile, his cheeks spotting with color, "More on that later. We saw the Hydra badges from the two that tailed you..."

"I put a shutdown between here and the City, no one goes in or out. My soldiers are on alert and so are two assassins of my own. You've met one, Draco," T'Challa explained.

"He...is a character." Natasha smirked fondly before her lips curved downward and she turned to Bucky. "Did Pietro beat me here?"

"No..." Wanda took a sharp breath in, "My brother was with you?"

"We...split up. It was the best option we had." Natasha took a breath and she looked at T'Challa. "There's two of us in Hydra's hold right now. I know we're not friends...I know I hurt you...but they weren't apart of the war. They didn't do anything wrong. They knew your City was peaceful and tried to reach it."

"What are their names? I need more details from you, Natasha," T'Challa spoke gently, "Are you able to give us those details or should we give you a little more time to rest? Dr. Teresa Rivera patched you up fairly well, since you also had a jungle fever."

"Jayden...Slate." Natasha refused to rest if the assassins were out there looking, they might mistake them for Hydra. "Jayden has white hair...quirky. Child-like. Slate he has dark hair...blue eyes. He's sharp with a gun. Like Hawkeye. More crazy than a Texan and that's saying something."

"Gunslinger? I...remember files on him, way back when. Young S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent, before Kerica came into the picture," Buck blinked at Nat, "Then he fell off the radar like someone drops a hot potato."

"S.H.I.E.L.D fell, he thought it was time to pursue other things." Nat was cryptic, but... "Jayden was Bloody Mary if that name means anything to you. If it doesn't don't worry about it."

A ping in the back of his mind and Bucky's eyes narrowed just a fraction. While he did remember things from being Winter Soldier...James...sometimes it took a couple hours to a few days, depending on the severity, and sometimes they were clear as crystal when he came to. James knew Bloody Mary somehow. He'd think harder about it later. "Do you think you could send a bird to find Nyah and Draco?"

"I can, yes," T'Challa nodded, bowing respectfully, "I will have them keep an eye out. Tell me anything significant they should look for in the jungle to help them re-trace your steps?"

"A river." Natasha remembered. "I remember a river...but I don't know what's significant in the Jungle. It's all huge and green...but I know we were near a river."

"I can take the memory and show it to you if you need more." Wanda offered.

"Thats alright, Wanda. That's all they need, as well as Draco's memory of where he found her. They know this jungle as well as I do," T'Challa gave her bed a pat, "We'll find them and bring them home." He told her, hoping his words were comforting, and walked out of the room.

"Wanda, you should go look for Clint. I'd like to talk to Natalia alone, anyhow," Buck smiled at her, "Check on Steve and Kerica, too. I know his headspace is fucked right now."

Wanda nodded before leaving. Teresa also had decided to leave to give them privacy. Natasha huffed out a laugh. "A long time ago I would've told them that they should stay."

"It's alright, a lot has happened," he still had her hand in his and he squeezed it, "Before you tell me to fuck off you don't need it, /thank you/, for saving Steve's and my asses back there."

"I had a change of heart." Natasha smiled softly. "My thing for appearances. Sometimes I think Steve's braver than anyone...and I saw who was brave. I don't like being thought of as weak."

"Haha, of course not," Bucky shook his head, "So...as of.../this morning/, honestly," he held up his metal wrist for her to see the colorful bracelet that adorned it, "I have a best girl. I call her prekrasnyy."

Natasha's grin turned feral. "You're adorable." She teased him. "So that's why you have such a happy look in your eyes. Love suits you well." She squeezed his hand back. "Is she one of the assassins underneath T'Challa?"

"Nyah, yes. She's a Soul Healer, and the Atrum tribe they both come from. Meara's idea. I've...come so /far/, in such a short amount of time, Natalia..." Bucky shook his head slowly, staring at the bracelet in amazement, "Steve knows the code words. We don't have very many talks in that state, it messes with him, but when we do it's significant. James...that's what we call that side of me instead of Soldier. Not everything is all hunky-dory, I still slip into a bad space, and expect my progress to hit a block somewhere, but right now I'm taking everything I got."

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say she fell for you first?" Natasha grinned.

"Took one look at me in cryo and she told me later that in that second, her heart was mine," Bucky returned the grin was a shy, lopsided one, "She's sweet but fierce. She can sass when she's in the mood and they're usually the burning type of comebacks. Draco was her childhood friend, and we are like brothers. I taught him how to fist-bump!"

"You went into Cryo?" Natasha blinked at him before rolling her eyes. "Oh god. She did it. She mimicked sleeping beauty reversed."

Bucky made an indigent squawk, "/Sleeping Beauty/?! She didn't kiss me and I magically woke up!"

"No, but the moment you came out of your sleep she proclaimed her undying love for you." Natasha snickered. "I hope you plan on beating her to proposing."

"This was a courting bracelet only to confirm we're dating, but yeah, once it gets that far I will," Buck nodded at her, "Could you help me make her one? This one's super complicated with all the colors but would two colors be better because I suck at crafts?"

Natasha snickered, "I'm tempted just to let you suffer."

"Why?! I'm asking you to help me make a /gift/ for my /girlfriend/. Be happy for me, not mean to me!" he whined, "I don't want it to fall apart on her and it's better than /diamonds/ which are /superficial/."

Natasha laughed again, wincing as the pain shot through her, but was happy anyway. "Oh my god, Barnes. You sound like a child. Alright, alright I'll help you. Jesus this Nyah chick must love you a lot if she can handle that."

Buck batted his long lashes at her, "You're /the best/, Natalia. Now get some rest of your own accord before I have Teresa knock you out with drugs."

"Before you go....promise me that if you're on the field and you see Slate and Jayden....that you'll give them mercy." Natasha looked at Bucky seriously. "I can't be there to tell them you're a friend...and she might attack you. They might attack you. Just...be kind to them."

"Of course, Natalia," blinking at her with curiosity, and stood, "Anything for you. I can be non-lethal if need be. We'll get them back, I promise," he swore to her, and leaned down to kiss her forehead before he waved and walked away.

~*~

Wanda was worried. Really worried. If Natasha was here and Pietro had been running, he should have been at least somewhere nearby. But he wasn't. He wasn't anywhere close and she was certain someone would say something to her about her brother. T'Challa knew...at least she hoped he did. She heard running footsteps and she could hear Clint's voice ring. She spun around fast, "Is it Pietro?!" It was the first question that fell out of her mouth.

"Ah...ha..." Clint panted, unable to even say a proper word, hands on his knees. Pulling enough air in his lungs, he whooshed out, "Damn well hope so..." he heaved again, "Messenger boy...village.../Vision/," he managed to stand straight and pulled the letter from his belt, shoving it towards her, "Sorry it's wrinkled."

Wanda blinked and quickly tore at the letter and opened it up. She shook the letter out so that she could begin reading.

As of October 10th, Pietro Maximoff has managed to disappear. I do not know where he is headed, or the path he will take.

Writing this October 31st, I hope it will reach you before he does, so you may expect him.

I promised you, did I not? Stark is angry with me, but I am alright with that. You need to be together. It would be wrong otherwise.

Best Regards
Vision

"Five weeks. He's been gone for five weeks. And he hasn't found me yet." Wanda looked at Clint worriedly, tears in her eyes. "Hydra found Nat...could they have found Pietro too? He's probably in that compound...with the rest of the hostages."

"Hey, /no/, there's /no way/," Clint gripped Wanda's shoulders, steadying her, "Don't cry, damn it. He's out there. He might've been hurt, but you would know if he's dead. You felt it the first time. You're his twin. Distance has no meaning unless it's to communicate. You can /feel/ him, Wanda. He's okay. He's coming for you, for us. He's coming home."

Wanda wrapped her arms around Clint's neck and tried to keep herself from crying too much, but...god she missed her brother and she just wanted him home. Clint was right, she would have felt him dead. "I want him home." She whispered softly. She knew she sounded like a child, but she missed him. Absolutely missed him. She pulled away from Clint. "I'm supposed to find Steve and Kerica....let them know." She wiped her tears away.

Clint helped clear her cheeks, tender with his adoptive daughter of sorts, "Just breathe. This is good news. Steve needs good news. Let's go find them."

~*~