White Wolf and Arctic Fox

7

The next time I leave Bucky's side, it's because Shuri is rushing out of the room to T'Challa, Okoye, and Nakia, who are escorting a stretcher.

"Great!" Shuri exclaims. "Another broken white boy for us to fix! This is going to be fun."

I walk out, bug can't see who it is.

"His name is Everett Ross," T'Challa, still in his suit, explains. "He took a bullet for Nakia. It hits his spine."

I freeze, then backpedal. "Ross?" I ask quietly. That's the name of the one who had me psychologically tortured for two months before I came to Wakanda. My throat seems to close, making it hard to breath.

T'Challa notices, and pulls me into a gentle hug. "It is not the same Ross," he assures, rubbing my back. "This man works for the CIA, he had nothing to do with that prison."

I nod, but I'm still shaking.

"He will live," Shuri tells us, inspecting his injury. Then, her beads send off a trill. "W'Kabi is here."

T'Challa goes to meet him, but seeing I'm still not back to normal, takes me with him.

"What is going on?" W'Kabi asks at the top of the stairs. "Where is Klaue?"

"He is not here," T'Challa answers, sounding ashamed. "He slipped through our hands."

"Slipped?" W'Kabi repeats. "For thirty years, your father was in power and did nothing. With you, I thought it would be different. But it's more of the same."

W'Kabi walks away, then, and T'Challa looks crushed. Eventually, he looks back down at me, taking my hand.

"Let's go to the library, little sister," he says, smiling softly. But the smile doesn't reach his eyes.

I follow, and he reads to me in Xosha. Just small stories he heard when he was a kid. Fairy tales and legends. After a while, when he both feel ok again, he kisses the top of my head.

"I need to talk to Zuri," he tells me. "Stay here as long as you like."

I nod, and he leaves.

The next morning, I head back to Shuri's lab, and watch as she works on some weapons of her own.

"You and T'Challa both have claws," she smiles softly. "I figured I needed something. Are you ok, Ayana?"

"I will be," I answer. "Just... A lot of bad memories."

Shuri nods. "I understand, Sister. But know, T'Challa and I would never let that other man near you again."

"Thank you," I say softly.

"Alright, where am I?" a voice asks suddenly.

Shuri and I both startle, turning to see Everett Ross standing a little ways away.

"Don't scare me like that, colonizer!" Shuri says.

"Colo-? My name is Everett," the man introduces.

"Yes, we know," Shuri says. "Everett Ross, former Air Force pilot, and now CIA."

"Right," Ross sighs. "Ok, is this Wakanda?"

"No, it's Kansas," Shuri answers, looking back to her work.

"How long ago was Korea?" Ross tries again.

"Yesterday," Shuri answers.

"I don't think so," Ross states. "Bullet wounds don't just magically heal overnight."

Shuri looks back, somewhat offended. "They do here," she answers. "But not by magic, by technology. Don't touch anything, my brother will return soon."