Joy ride (part1): Stealing

downtime

James smiles when he's done; smiles up into the jungle sun with his eyes closed, single hand on the cool balcony balustrade that marks the end of the walk that accompanied relaying his encounter with Stark to Sam. James has retaken all his incarnation's smiles: Bucky's wry challenge and the American's soft one over bedroom-eyes. The Ghost's unabated admiration that could set off even the most jade politician into boasting away state secrets, as well as the Winter Soldier's Cheshire grin; a zipper of pointy teeth opening: the last thing the most deserving of targets would see.

But this one is new and all his. Something proud and enduring, showing off a strong jaw-line and profile. Something that needs the sun there for him to pull off. Basking in the light; associated with light and gold. It's his, isn't? ...but he might have seen it somewhere before. Regardless, James knows he told the story well. It was a good story; he'd hardly needed to improvise at all. And from his periphery, he can tell Sam has hung on his every word.

"But?" Sam lets it hang, like there's some big, monumental hang-up problem with Bucky's work here. "But, letting him break your face like that, man? Not healthy ok? I'm not sure if this is a super-soldier thing or just a nineteen-forties thing, but can you not in the future?"

Bucky grimaces at the sky. A beautiful, blue sky; from this grand balcony at the Wakanda Palace. Looking out on the side of the city, into dense forest. Sam only has eyes for him; an angry, dark-eyed frown. Like he's somehow disappointed. Worried? James thinks that's unfair. The Falcon hasn't struck him as someone with much in the way of self-preservation instincts, and he's all un-improved flesh-and-blood.

"It was healed and well within two hours. Hardly an issue." James finally offers, because perhaps that is the problem. Perhaps Sam really has no idea. He is pretty sure Natashia has already procured all files on the Winter Soldier, and all his stress-tests graphs are in there. So the information is available. But perhaps she hasn't felt the need to share.

Sam turns to him, forces eye contact, one bare elbow on the gray marble balustrade. "That's cute. Very 'Terminator'. And what if he'd done more? What if he'd blasted your head off with those precursors?"

Then Bucky would have been the Headless Soldier. Fitting enough; perhaps even a logical step after the Asset. And IronMan would have gotten some Kudos points with the general public? And Steve would have gone on some righteous crusade into the depths of despair... Bucky winces. "He wouldn't have. Pepper Potts was standing practically behind me."

"The one that turns into a human inferno when upset? You're right! You were perfectly safe." Sam seems to like sarcasm. Bucky throws him a half-raised eyebrow. It was hardly a bad gamble. As far as James remembers, it's one of his safer ones. Still, if Sam for some reason feels obliged to worry about James's safety, that is only to his advantage. So instead of answering James sighs, turns around to rest his back against the ballisade, single elbow on marble, and looks around.

Wakanda's capital is beautiful. Birnin Zana. A city sheltered from the elements by forest and hills, technologically advanced yet free of the usual blanket of smoke and dirt. A marvel to behold. Skyscrapers stand abreast one-story mud-packed housings, and yet even from up here, in the relative shelter of the royal castle, birds are chirping and the sounds of children playing reach up. Two ships approach and drop out of stealth, fly over head and touch down on the palace's landing pads. A silo housing two quinjets and at least a military grade helicopter. Another landing area behind the.. and that's where James grimaces and turns away. Puts his single hand flush against the tinten marble and stares down at it.

Such a beautiful country, and its people kind and trusting. So much technology. Such riches. James has to wonder how long that will last. Personally, he agrees with the previous king, T'Chaka, hiding it all away. But T'Challa is already showing he will not be the kind that hides away in the shadows while others suffer. Wakanda will make her debut at some point in the future. Like some chaste maiden turned eighteen; hidden away for most of her life, out in the wild, wild world for the first time. Beautiful, trusting; innocent. Wholly unprepared. Someone is going to take advantage of that, James is sure.