The Soldier and his Widow

10

"That was . . . that was something."

Bucky smiled. "I can't believe you physically fought Wanda, but you let Shuri and her mother talk you into this dress."

"They guilt-tripped me. They said I had to do something American for your sake. I have a weakness when it comes to those puppy-dog eyes."

Bucky pulled Natasha closer. "It suits you."

Natasha smiled as she rested her head on Bucky's shoulder. "I didn't know you could dance."

"There's a lot you don't know about me, Widow."

"Educate me, then."

Bucky opened his mouth, but he never got the chance to respond.

"Okay, break it up, we want a dance with the bride too."

Grudgingly, Bucky handed Natasha to Steve. He stood and watched her laugh and smile for a few seconds before Shuri tapped his arm. "Would you dance with a princess?"

Bucky bowed to her. "Who could say no to a royal genius?"

Shuri smiled. "Mother is happy to see you happy," she commented as they danced, "she really thinks of you as one of her children."

"Interesting. I always thought she considered Nat more her child than me."

Shuri laughed. "She likes Nat a lot, true, but you . . . there's something about you, Sergeant Barnes. How did you like the ceremony? Okoye and Nakia planned it out."

Bucky raised his eyebrows and glanced at the wild mask adorning one wall.

"Well, M'Baku had a hand in the decoration. . ."

"I thought as much," Bucky said with a grin, "it looks amazing. Tell Nakia I said she has an eye for detail."

"Tell her yourself," Nakia said as she approached.

"I'm going to make fun of Peter's dancing," Shuri said, leaving Nakia to take her place. She was going to try to teach Peter how to dance with Liz Allen at his homecoming dance in September (Peter said that his Aunt May claimed Peter was a disaster dancer). That didn't mean she wasn't serious about making fun of him. After all, what are best friends for? She was sure his friend Ned would agree and join her. Peter sure seemed to talk a lot about Ned.

Across the hall, Steve let Tony cut in. Steve offered Pepper a dance when he noticed her standing and watching with Rhodes.

"So, this what a happy Romanoff looks like. Ah, sorry, a happy Barnes."

"Shut up."

Tony grinned. "You couldn't even say that without smiling," he teased. "I'm really happy for you, Natasha. You deserve this."

She shook her head. "I don't know about that. But I do know that I'm going to grab it with both hands and hold tight."

"That's good enough. I'm glad you found some sense of peace out here. The compound's nice, I won't deny it, but there's a strange air of . . . freedom out in the wilds here in Wakanda. Almost like there's no one else out there. No need to keep looking over your shoulder, checking back every few steps, worrying about everyone you can't see."

"It's why I want to stay here with James, why we didn't tell anyone that Shuri was done fixing him up. Here, I can forget that the Black Widow was an assassin for the highest bidder. Wakanda is a beautiful haven, and I'll be forever thankful that I got to spend time in it."

"Speaking of beautiful things, you look stunning in your dress. I'm glad you let someone talk you into the white dress after all. It makes you look . . . younger. Innocent, even." Tony smiled, and Natasha knew he was genuine. "It gives you an air of purity."