The White Wolf

XXV

Ava wiped the sweat from her brow, taping the last box of things from her house. All that was left to pack up was Zuri's room. She looked over at the doorway, letting out a shaky breath.

"You okay?" Bucky asked her. His hair was tied up in a bun, and sweat beaded around his forehead.

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm okay. I just... I haven't really gone into that room in a long time." She mumbled, grabbing a few empty boxes and the tape. "I know I can't keep much of his things... I'll give it to Shuri to use for some of her outreach programs, see if any kids might use his clothes or his bedding." 

"That's a good idea." He smiled softly, grabbing a few bags for things to be thrown away. He waited for her to go into the room first, then he followed and looked around. "Well, well, well. Look at that." Bucky grinned shortly after walking in. He went to the nightstand and picked up a framed photo of a young Ava, from when she was about ten years old. 

Ava looked over at it as Bucky chuckled and her eyes widened. "Throw that out!"

His brows furrowed and he shook his head. "No way. I'm keeping this." He smirked at her and put it into a box. Ava rolled her eyes, opening up Zuri's closet. She grabbed armfuls of clothing and robes and stuffed it into bags, working quickly so she wouldn't give herself the time to change her mind. If she stopped now, she knew she would second guess herself and that wasn't what she wanted to do.

Bucky went to the bed, grabbing the blankets and sheets and put them into bags, as well as the pillow covers. After packing those up, he looked under the bed to see if there was anything under there to pack. "Jesus." He muttered, reaching under and pulling out a large, vibranium knife. "Your dad liked sharp things, huh?" He asked and stood up, showing Ava the blade. 

She turned and glanced at it, smirking. "That's not a knife, this is a knife!" She said in her best Australian accent, giggling a little afterward. Bucky's brows furrowed as he looked at her quizzically. "It's from-" She paused, realizing he didn't understand the reference. "Never mind." She sighed. "He did like knives and spears, though." 

"Right." He nodded, putting the knife into a box. It wasn't long before the entire room was packed up and everything was ready to be moved. "So, how to we pack all of this over to my hut?"

"We aren't a savage nation, Bucky." She chuckled. "We do have cars, and other tech for transport. Our ride is outside." She smirked as he blushed a little. She lead the way out, carrying a box and showed him what was waiting for them outside. 

Bucky's eyes widened, and he scoffed in surprise. "I thought you said you had cool tech."

"We do." Ava hummed, walking over to the giant rhino that stood outside, a large cart attached to it with a harness. "But cars don't drive well out here in the outside of the city, and nothing is stronger than the rhinos of the Border Tribe. Besides, W'Kabi owes me a favor after he helped an outsider seize the throne temporarily." She said with an edge in her voice. 

W'Kabi, donned in dark blue robes, stepped out from behind the massive animal. "I know. Okoye won't let me forget what I did." He mumbled. "So I do the best I can to make up for my mistakes."

Ava nodded. "Thanks." She said. Since the Killmonger incident, she hadn't spoken to W'Kabi much. They used to be friends, and he used to be on the council. But T'Challa took him off of the council and hadn't spoken to him much either. "Help us bring the boxes out and load them onto the cart."

W'Kabi gave a short nod and glanced at Bucky as he passed by him, walking into the hut to grab boxes. Ava carried over the two boxes in her arms and set them into the cart. "He's married to Okoye." She said, looking over at Bucky. "He's nice, he just... made a wrong decision."