In Your Eyes // Steve Rogers

44

"Thank you. Thank you for agreeing to this," he said.

"I'm afraid I'm not quite there yet," I said honestly.

Natasha pinched me in the back.

"But, hopefully, my vote will be swayed."

King T'Chaka nodded. "I am sad to hear Captain Rogers will not be joining us today."

"So am I," said Natasha politely.

From an overhead speaker, a voice spoke: "If everyone can now be seated, the session is now beginning."

"That is the future calling," said King T'Chaka excitedly.

Natasha and I bid our farewells. She walked from the two. I scurried after her.

"You've clearly never met royalty," she chastised.

"Wakanda has been a reclusive country for centuries. Is it my fault for not knowing their faces? Well, yes, but that's not my main issue right now. Was I rude? Are the Wakandan Police going to arrest me? Do they even have a PD? As far as I know, their protector is the Black--"

"Clara," interrupted Natasha. "If they do have people coming for you, I shouldn't be seen with you. You understand. Good luck."

"Natasha," I called after her retreating figure. I repeated it once more. She ignored me entirely.

"If everyone can now be seated, the session is now beginning," said the voice again.

I jumped into the nearest open seat. From my purse I withdrew my single sheet of notebook paper, filled to the brim with several points I wanted to present to the United Nations about the Accords. I kicked off my heels and slipped my feet back into them on a loop. I anxiously repeated my rough draft of my own speech in my head as T'Chaka spoke. I was terrified of presenting my case. My complying wasn't the only thing in question here. With me, I carried Steve and Wanda, two people who I owed this to. Failure waited, or success, perhaps, but the more T'Chaka spoke, the more I felt I had no chance.

"...when stolen Wakandan vibranium was stolen to make a terrible weapon, we, in Wakanda, were forced to question our legacy. Those men and women killed in Nigeria were part of a good will mission of a country too long in the shadows. We will not, however, let misfortune drive us back. We will fight to improve the world we wish to join. I am grateful to the Avengers to supporting this initiative..."

Through a majority of his father's speech, T'Challa hadn't moved a muscle. He stood behind his father, hands crossed in front of his torso. A noise from the window moved his head. Instinct caused my focus to fall to him. I watched him step towards the window subtly. I saw his brow furrow at events happening in the front of the building.

Curiosity outweighed my anxiety. In my lap, I opened a portal to view what T'Challa inspected. It didn't take long for our views to match.

At the front of the building, an abandoned news van was being checked. The bomb sniffing dog barked within being several feet of it. The police man hopped out of the van, yelling, "Get back!" at the civilians and surrounding police men.

T'Challa and I fell into action. He screamed for everyone to get down. I climbed on top of the desk and jumped down to the first row of desks. I was in the midst of swinging my hand to open portals across the windows. I wasn't fast enough.

The bomb exploded. T'Challa and I, the only people not cowering behind the desks, were thrown into the air. I blacked out.

I woke up to an ash covered Natasha slapping my cheeks lightly. I watched her lips move, until finally, I heard her saying, "Can you hear me? I need you to get these people out of here."