HIDDEN ─ marvel

XXIX. Where's The Fight?

Chapter Twenty-Nine
Bucky

I open my eyes and the first thing I see is Lena. She's sleeping on her side facing me, with her arms tucked against her chest and parts of her hair resting against her face. I gently tuck those strands back and watch as she smiles in her sleep.

I look out the window and see that the sun has already started to come up, so I need to head back to the farm. I gently brush my fingers against Lena's cheek and place a soft kiss on her lips, seeing her eyes flutter open.

She smiles at me gently, then looks from me to the clock on her nightstand. "You have to go?"

I nod. "You're welcome to come with me."

She nods. "I think Okoye can manage without me for a few hours. I just hope the goats like me."

I chuckle softly. "How could they not?"

And with that, we both reluctantly roll out of bed. Hand in hand we make our way out of the palace and back to the farm. I feel for the first time in months, genuinely at peace.

The first thing I do is feed the goats, which Lena helps with. And after that's done, I find that the food I ordered for them had arrived in these cream colored sacks. All these sacks are lying under the tree, so I start to toss them onto this broken wheel barrel where I usually stash their food.

Lena leans against the tree, where one of the Wakandan kids who usually come by to visit me starts asking her a bunch of questions. He particularly asks about her necklace with the beautiful golden wings. Lena explained to me that it holds her suit, and all I could think of is how convenient that suit must be. I remember all the times she would shift and I'd have to carry around an extra pair of clothes for her. I have yet to see it though.

As I throw another sack, I see people walking towards us. As they grow nearer, I realize who they are. I look over to Lena, who is starring there way also. She pushes herself away from the tree, her face turning from happiness to concern as her friends walk towards us.

T'Challa, his general, and some of his warriors walk over to us. Two of them place a long metal case on a stack of hay. Lena and I walk over to see what's inside. When I open it up, I see that inside is a new metal arm; it's dark grey with different lines and patterns of gold.

I feel a sinking in my chest, knowing that their appearance and their gift to me can only mean one thing. I glance over at Lena and she knows it too.

"Where the fight?" I ask them.

"On its way." T'Challa says.

"What's coming?" Lena asks, running a hand along the new arm.

"Steve Rogers has informed us that a alien titan named Thanos is coming to earth. He's trying to use Infinity Stones, which are these stones from outer space, to wipe out half of every creature in the universe." T'Challa informs us.

I miss the times when the biggest threats on earth were ourselves. Now an alien is threatening genocide.

"Have you talked to M'Baku, to Khari, my brother?" Lena asks, and I can hear the dread in her voice. I grip onto her hand tightly, trying to comfort her. I see T'Challa and Okoye smile softly at the sight of our combined hands.

T'Challa looks back up at her. "We sent word to M'Baku about the coming fight, so I would assume Khari is aware. I would go discuss this with your brother though."

She turns to me, and with a squeeze of my hand she steps back. Her suit spreads over her body from the necklace, and I have to admit she looks fierce in her suit, like a hero. She jumps up, holding her arms out and shifts into a bird, flying towards the direction of the mountains.