Red, White & Blue | Bucky x Reader

Chapter One

My feet hit the ground first, my body tumbling over as I fall.

"Your hand-to-hand combat still needs work," Okoye, General of the Dora Milaje, huffs.

I groan as I sit up, rubbing my ribcage where it hit the hard ground. "Okoye, we've been at this for months... If I haven't won yet, I doubt I ever will. I need to use my powers."

Okoye's face softens as she extends her hand, and I accept it, letting her pull me to my feet.

"Your powers are your weapon," she explains. "They make you stronger. But what happens if you lose your weapon during a fight?"

"Alright," I sigh, seeing her point. "Let's go again."

Okoye smiles, giving me a nod of approval before shifting her gaze to another member of the Dora. "Ayo."

I turn to face Ayo as she steps into the sparring ring, preparing myself for the match.

"Begin!" Okoye orders. We charge.

For six months, Bucky's been in cryostasis, and for six months, I've been without him. However, that doesn't mean I've been alone. Knowing Bucky would be safe, Steve and I left to break our friends out of the Raft, the prison they were put in because they chose to break the law and come to our aid. Once freed, the group went on the run, and I returned here, to Wakanda.

Wakanda is a beautiful country, with its lush jungles, crystal lakes, and sunsets that paint the sky in the most beautiful colours. It's peaceful here, safe, and I've fallen into a bit of a routine. In the morning, I train with the Dora Milaje, a group of badass warrior women who dress in red and black armor decorated with gold bangles and beading. They also keep their heads shaved, decorating their skulls with tattoos.

Okoye took me under her wing almost immediately, realizing the mutual benefits of training together. I gladly accepted the honour to train with them, eager to evolve my skill set in battle. While the Dora's superior combat skills help me with developing my own, my powers provide the Dora with an opportunity to practice their skills against enhanced individuals like myself.

After training with the Dora, I usually head up to the palace for the afternoon, assisting Shuri with her research and testing out her new inventions and weapons. She says I'm her favourite test dummy, but we're often distracted from our work as she teaches me about Gen Z pop culture.

With training done for the day, I head back to my hut, throwing on a loose white top and shorts before slipping Bucky's dog tags around my neck. I exit the hut and take a seat next to the lake, looking out over the water as the sun reaches its peak. My fingers find the tags, and I gently clasp them in my hand as I close my eyes, basking in the warm sun.

A short while later, I hear a small beep, and I turn around, expecting to find someone behind me, but I find myself alone. I hear the beep again and look down at my wrist, seeing that a bead on my kimoyo bracelet is flashing. I turn my wrist, tapping on the bead with my fingers, and a small projection of Shuri appears in front of me, her dark skin contrasted by her bright clothing, and her braided hair tied away from her face.

"Where are you right now?" Shuri asks, almost breathless.

"Nursing a couple of bruised ribs," I reply, rubbing my side. "The Dora kicked my ass this morning."

"You need to come to the lab right away," Shuri declares.

"On my way," I state, the hologram fading away.

My feet propel me forward before I have a second to think, carrying me on their own accord as I sprint toward the palace.

I crash through the laboratory doors, hurrying down the ramp. "What is it? What's going on?"

Shuri rushes over to me with a smile on her face. Her hands reach out to grab my arms, but she corrects herself, placing them on my shoulders before I can flinch, knowing enough about my past to understand why I'm wary of physical contact.

"I've solved it!" Shuri announces. "I can remove the trigger words from Sergeant Barnes' head!"