The Lightest Path

26

That night Bucky looked at his sleeping Grace. He couldn't believe it. He would get married.
With her. Grace Alexandra Pierce. A smile came across his face and he didn't mind anymore - he didn't mind about giving her what she wanted. The arm, the therapist. The only thing that kind of disturbed him was the distance from a fight. And his own... problems with the bed.
He looked at the clock - it was past three. He had woken up from a dream. A good one. Not a nightmare. Nothing disturbing. Something that made him feel so good he woke up from it.
The city light peacefully shone on her face. She lied with her face towards him and Bucky couldn't resist anymore.
He was so happy. But also a bit... shocked, confused about something. He wanted it to be clear.
With his hand he carefully caressed her cheek and it didn't take too long for her to wake up.
"Grace?" he asked whispering. Without opening her eyes she sighed and smiled, placing her own hand over his.
"What is it, Buck?" she asked with her sleeping voice - she wasn't fully awake. Slowly she opened her eyes a bit. Her eyes took his breath away - again. "Is it another nightmare? About me rejecting your proposal?"
She grinned, so did he.
But he shook his head and mustered some courage. "Did you mean it?" he asked whispering and Grace fought to keep her eyes open.
"What?" She yawned.
"About... having children with me one day. Did you mean that?" He swallowed and felt a pressing feeling on his chest. "Do you want to have kids with me one day?"
Grace stroke his cheek and smiled sleepily at him. "Of course I do, jerk," she said whispering. "I meant it. I really did. Over a couple of years when I'm sick of you and need someone else in my aura."
She chuckled soft. She was about to fall asleep again and Bucky pulled her closer.
He smiled into her hair and felt that she drifted off to sleep again.
"I would like that too," he whispered. "I would really like that."

- - -

Three months later

On ridiculously high heels in a very bride-style Grace walked up and down Shuri's balcony. She was about three inches taller than she normally was.
Tomorrow would be the day.
Tomorrow she would get married.
Fear still lingered around in her heart, but that all disappeared when she reached the end of her walk.
"Don't you think it's a bit much?" She asked the teenager - she managed to talk herself into Grace's mind to organise the wedding. She didn't know if she had to regret it, but she certainly did when she had to walk these devils in.
When Shuri found out, she was determined as hell to become their marriage planner.
"What is a bit much?" asked Shuri innocently.
"I don't know," Grace sarcastically said, "these shoes? The cake? The whole wedding that you're planning in your pretty forest?"
"Come come, White Doll. It isn't that bad!" Shuri snorted in laughter and showed her white teeth.
"I know, I shouldn't complain," grumbled Grace. "But I do hate these shoes. Don't you have smaller ones? They're killing me..."
Doubting Shuri looked at the high heels, white as snow and with beautiful fabric making flowers with gold and silver threat.
They were too beautiful to be put away.
"You just have to walk them in," she said with a smile.
"I have been. For almost a week now," answered Grace. "I just... don't want to be taller than Buck when I stand in front of him." She already started blushing when she thought about it. That would be so embarrassing.
"You won't!" Shuri almost screamed. "I have calculated it! You're one and a half inches smaller!"
Grace counted to ten in her head and sighed. "It's just a little much. A bit big. Can't we just..."
"No! You're not going to marry in some shitty chapel in a jungle! Not on my watch! Think about Kathie, she would be devastated if she found out that you married without having her around."
"You don't even know her!"
"White Doll, just relax. Everything will be superb."
Grace shook her head and stepped out of the heels. "Okay," she said. "But I'm still not sure about it."
"It's okay to have some nerves. Now, everything will just perfect." Shuri took over the heels and Grace felt a lot smaller now she stood on her own feet. She hoped she wouldn't fall tomorrow. It would be a disaster. And all those people who would look at her... It gave her serious chills.
"I trust you," she said. Grace was about to say something else, just when Okoye walked in with an army of flowers behind her.
"The men want to know where to put these," she said irritated in Xhosa - the whole Dora Milaje would be there, and Okoye got sick of all these wedding things. Just as Grace. Frustrated Shuri sweared in Xhosa.
"Can't nobody think along with me? It isn't so hard!"
Grace sighed and leaned against the balcony with her back, looking up at the floor above her. No balcony, but great windows. She knew who was standing there - and he watched the city.
Bucky stood with his hand in his pocket, looking with grooves in his forehead over the city. Grace wished he would meet her glare and smile at her, to comfort her.
That everything would be okay. But he didn't see her. He looked straight ahead, staring into nothingness. Somehow he seemed... concerned. She didn't know what emotion played on his features.
She frowned when she saw his sad appearance. He had been living to tomorrow since the moment she accidentally promised to marry him - she didn't truly regret it, but she just really hoped she would be in charge with their deal.
Marriage still scared Grace. Although she dared to face it with Bucky.
But seeing him like that...
Grace almost wanted to go up and ask him what was wrong. Did he have any second thoughts? Wasn't he certain anymore? What if he didn't want to go with this, and leave the arm and the therapist?
What if he backed off the last second? Grace already felt disturbed about it when Shuri woke her from her train of thought.
"Don't dream, White Doll!" Shuri snapped her fingers in front of her face. "You need to get your beauty sleep! You have to be perfect for tomorrow. Everything is settled, I have sent the invitations, the dress is ready, the cake is baking. Don't worry about anything because I'll kill you if you look like crap tomorrow."
Shuri's long talk went along as she led Grace to the door, telling her to go home and sleep.
"Thank you, Shuri," she muttered to the teenager and she smiled.
"No thanking yet. Do that when you had the best wedding." She winked and Grace rolled her eyes.
Tomorrow would go smooth, she was sure of that. But after seeing Bucky so concerned, so sad... Now Grace was more afraid than ever for her wedding.

- - -

Grace didn't actually go home. She had a nice room for her own in the Palace. She and Bucky had settled down for two days now, but Shuri had prohibited Bucky to be with her tonight.
For some reason which Grace didn't understand, but Bucky agreed with it without a doubt. Maybe it was something old fashioned again, she didn't know. As soon Grace entered her cozy room she started pacing around. It wasn't even eight o'clock in the evening yet, and after seeing Bucky so off she definitely wouldn't sleep.
After an hour walking around, trying to read her book and fall asleep without succeeding, Bucky came in the room.
Grace raised a brow at him. Before she could get up or even say something to him, he pointed at his bag.
"I forgot that," he said. "Gotta pick it up fast and smooth before that teenager gets me." Grace knew that he tried to make her laugh a little. As soon his hand reached out for the bag, Grace jumped off of her seat and stopped him.
"Can I ask you something?" she asked quick.
"If you're going to ask me if I sneaked in to see you try on your dress, you don't have to worry - I'm definitely not going to unfortunate us with that sin." A crooked smile creeped up his face, but Grace couldn't laugh.
"Are you having second thoughts?" She went for it instantly, because she knew that if she kept turning around it, he would figure it out himself - and that he wouldn't sleep as well as she wanted him to. He had troubles sleeping alone, a reason why she didn't want him to be alone for tonight.
"Why would you think that?" he asked.
Grace shrugged. "I saw you this noon. You seemed so off, almost concerned or something." She took a breath and bit her lip. "You truly want to marry me?"
Bucky sniffed with a smile and went with his hand through her hair. "If I didn't want to, I would've blown it off weeks ago."
Relieved but also with new nerves for tomorrow, Grace signed and nodded. "Are you having second thoughts?"
"No," she mumbled. "Just nervous."
"I just want for you to know that I wasn't having second thoughts," he mentioned. Grooves were in his forehead again. "I just wondered why I didn't die when I fell off that train. I know, very depressing before our big day."
Grace blinked twice before answering.
"Why would you think about that?" He told her some time ago, when he felt ready. How he got here. What happened.
It shocked her.
"I don't know," he mumbled and played with a stray of her hair. "I probably just realised how lucky I am, despite what I've done all those years."
"James..."
"I know what you're gonna say." Bucky placed his hand over her lips, then cupped her face - he didn't have a cybernetic limb yet, she didn't know when he would get it. "But don't. I'm gonna go now, to my room. You're staying here." Bucky gave her a soft smile and pecked a featherlight kiss on the lips. "Go to sleep and don't worry. We will be just as fine. Even though Sam will be coming tomorrow." He grimaced and Grace laughed, going with her hands through his too-long hair now.
"Steve is going to have an eye on him. He'll behave, or else the Dora Milaje are going to kill him."
Bucky snorted.
"The Dora Milaje? Rather Shuri." Grace shook her head and placed a kiss on his cheek - rather beard, way too long. It tickled and now she realised how heavy the nerves of tomorrow were laying on her.
"I'll see you tomorrow," said Bucky.
"I will be the one in white," joked Grace with a lump in her throat. Bucky looked over his shoulder when he was about to leave.
"Very convincing, doll."