Joy ride (part1): Stealing

me-time

James sits staring into nothing a long time; eyes boring into black marble floor tiles. He's just not used to this. It's like being on and off the field at the same time. Like every foe is a friendly but every friendly is an unknown and it's confusing.

Still, James admits as he sits back, Mohai isn't a big problem. He can evade her easily, as long as he keeps his wits about him. He's done it before. He even evaded Captain America, the Avengers, all major government agencies and Hydra's ruins for two years. This will be the same, only on a smaller floor plan. The real problem— the real unknown boogey is Shuri.

Because if Mohai would get jealous if he kissed Shuri, would Shuri be jealous if she found out he'd already kissed Mohai? James tells himself again: no. Of course not. But he doesn't know for sure, does he? James may be able to read her every thought, analize Shuri's every feeling. But he cannot predict them. He cannot predict Shuri. Her mind is too fast for him; fickle and everywhere at once. Sharp, cutting and present one moment, then gone into a pipedream of science and math where James cannot follow.

Culturally, James has just as little info to base his predictions on. Except of course to read Mohai's reactions, and Mohai's reactions were.. But it doesn't make sense to him. How is he supposed to have several friends, but not allowed to let one know he kissed another? Should he try and stop his friends from interacting then? That would be complicated. It wouldn't be the first time, but here, in Wakanda...

With a sigh James drags himself to his feet. Here in Wakanda people are honest. Back in Stalin's paranoid Russia keeping a few things here and there had been easy. No one trusted anyone anyway; and knowing too many secrets was as much as a death sentence as knowing nothing at all. Even with Hydra, he'd had a few lucid moments where he pulled the wool over one or two goons at least partially.

But here, playing both sides would be nearly impossible. Not to mention,.. Not to mention... James still hasn't figured out what Shuri would want him to be.

Suddenly exhausted, James sways on his feet. Well, nothing to be done about it now. He should just have a hot shower. Hot showers are good.

He trudges past his beautiful windows with empty, peaceful viestas of the Wakandan palace. Damn, but James had not expected to need to lie. Not to Shuri. He had not planned for it. Doesn't want to. No; James is not sure he could pull that off even if that was exactly what Shuri wanted. Just picturing that bright, radiant smile. What kind of monster would lie to that? And if it did, would such a devil not simply burst into flames from the act?

James passes by his open, quiet windows. Only the last offeris sounds of bustling activity below. But it's nothing to do with him; just some crates being moved about, so when he reaches his bathroom, he closes the door firmly behind him. Just another reason he'd not be able to manipulate to any decent degree: there are hundreds of people in and out the palace at any given time and James.. James is obviously not the hub of their plans or missions. He's not even sure there are missions here.

Oh right; James allows as he leans his back against the door. There are a few missions: enjoy and relax and heal and feel and make friends. An uncharacteristic pit of fury opens in his gut and James has to bite his tongue until it passes. Hold still and push back against the door until it floats past, like a ghost out to haunt that cannot find it's victim. That's not him. James does not do rage; that's all Bucky. And so he wills it away. But,.. Still. These simple, stupid missions.. Is he even doing them right? Is he doing anything right?