Blue || Bucky Barnes

35. I Call Bullshit

Bucky's still in Wakanda, having lost all faith in everything. She's gone and he's never going to see her again. Without her he's nothing, and he hasn't seen Steve in a fair while so once again he's all alone. With Leia things were different. They helped each other feel normal again. Even when they had nothing, they still had each other.
Bucky let himself go completely. For the first few weeks he'd not leave the hut. He would sit in the midst of his and Leia's minimal personal belongings and weep. She was gone and he couldn't do anything about it. He tried to leave. He tried to go and find her but they caught him every time. They couldn't risk losing him also.
And so Bucky was yet again at war with his mind. During the days he would think of Leia every time he blinked and at night he would dream of her, praying he'd wake up to her peaceful figure next to him. But each morning that wasn't the case and she wasn't there. Because she's gone.

The only thing keeping Bucky half sane is the farm. He works the land as a way to let off steam. He truly let himself go. His clothes are disheveled and his hair often matted. And he couldn't do anything to stop the way he's feeling.

T'Challa walks over the hill with Okoye, down towards Bucky's farm.
"The Kingsguard and the Dora Milaje have been alerted." Okoye says.
"And the Border Tribe?" T'Challa asks.
"Those that are left."
"Send the word to the Jabari as well. M'Baku likes a good fight." The Wakandan king says.
"And what of this one?" Okoye asks as they look down to the paddock.
"This one may be grieving and tired of war. But the White Wolf has rested long enough." T'Challa says.

Bucky stands in the paddock throwing a bag from the ground onto the partially filled cart. There's two village children watching his movements but he doesn't hold the mental energy to care.

One of the Kingsguards carries the familiar looking case down the hill and places it on the cart. Seeing their figures approach Bucky walks up to meet them. The man opens up the case that Shuri brought down to them many months prior. Bucky walks up and sees the cybernetic limb inside the case and his face falls. He recalls telling Shuri and Leia to save it until its needed.

"Where's the fight?" Bucky asks, struggling to keep his lip from quivering.
"On its way." T'Challa tells him and Bucky's jaw clenches.

-

Leia looks beside her at Loki. Her eyes wander his slim features. She looks over his cheeks which have deep cuts and grazes littering them.
"Why must you stare at me?" Loki asks not looking at her.
"I'm sorry.." She hesitates for a moment. "May I help you?"
"With what exactly?" Loki says finally turning her way. She unbuckles her seatbelt and stands before him. Leia twirls her fingers in front of his features and the wounds start to clear up.

His eyes widen slightly as he realizes what she's doing. Although he's able to do the same thing he just lets her go about the process.
"I can do that too." Loki says as she pulls her hand away.
"Really?" She's shocked to say the least.
"Yes, now let me help you." Loki raises his hand but stops himself when he sees her injury free. "Where are your scrapes?"
"I've never met someone who's like me before." She's too shocked by what he says to answer his question.
"Me either." Loki's voice is low as he looks at her hands.
"Were you born like that?" Leia asks him.
"No, my- my mother taught me, were you?" Loki is just as shocked as she. It's astounding to him that someone possesses his same abilities.
"No, they were given to me." She tells him.
"By a sorcerer?" Loki grins.
"Of a sort." Leia nods.

"I remember when I was little Thor and his friends used to tease me about it. They called me strange and odd." Given the newfound similarities between them, Loki feels comfortable talking to her.
"I know what you mean. I got them when I was twenty-one. Everyone would whisper behind my back even when I was manifesting something miraculous." Leia tells him.
"Exactly, I've always felt like an outsider, no one was ever like me."
"Me too." Leia agrees. "You feel like no one could ever understand."
"Yes, and they don't accept it. Everyone feels like you're some strange being. They force you to do things and insist on studying your every move." Loki's eyes find hers.
"Right, exactly. Well everyone but..." Leia's mind goes to Bucky. He never once thought of her as strange or odd. He was intrigued by her skill and loved what she was capable of.
"Everyone but...?" Loki questions.
"Oh nothing." She waves him off. "So! What's there to do around here? Or do we have to just sit and do nothing?"