Bucky and Steve walk into the kitchen giggling. Alice tilts her head as Bucky slides into the seat next to her and Tony starts to dish up food. His cheeks are pink and he's beaming.
"Hi," he purrs, nuzzling into her neck. His voice is soft. "I love you."
Alice feels warmth flood her cheeks.
"I love you too. I heard you yelling for me," she laughs.
"Sorry," he whispers. "We had some–"
"Ah!" Steve pipes up, shaking his head.
He and Bucky snort with laughter while Natasha rolls her eyes. She already told the whole kitchen what happened, so everyone is just waiting for Bucky and Steve to actually confess. Neither of them do. Alice can already tell that Bucky is sobering up. His movements are getting more fluid and the flush is beginning to fade from his cheeks. It's amazing how little time it takes. She envies him. He never gets hangovers. She grabs some sushi rolls and puts them onto his plate.
"What's this?" Bucky asks with wide, curious eyes.
"You've never had sushi?" Pepper asks with a smile.
Bucky shakes his head.
"It looks good."
"It is good, Buck," Steve assures him. "Remember when we used to have to boil everything?"
Bucky grimaces.
"Yeah," he rasps. "Unfortunately, I do."
"Nasty," Sam whispers.
Steve and Bucky nod in agreement.
"Well, this is a hell of a lot better than boiled potatoes or whatever the hell you guys ate back then," Tony quips. "Try the tuna."
Alice offers him some tuna sashimi and sets it on his plate. Watching Bucky try new foods for the first time is adorable, and watching him use chop sticks is interesting. For a guy who flips knives, his skills could use some improvement. She taught him how to use them, but he's not great with them - other than the fact that he can twirl them in his fingers like drumsticks. He does it to impress her. It works, and it's pretty sexy.
The whole table watches him struggle and Sapphire puts her chin in her hand, staring at him as he pokes the sashimi, fumbling the chopstick a little before picking it up and popping it into his mouth. Natasha's winks at Alice, who giggles. She wishes Natasha was around more often.
Bucky's eyes go wide as he chews.
"Is it supposed to melt?"
Everyone at the table nods, overjoyed at his reaction. Even Tony is smiling.
"That means it's good," Bruce laughs.
Sam and Sapphire nod as Bucky swallows and reaches for another piece.
"Holy shit. That's really good."
Alice beams, leaning over to kiss him on the cheek. She loves watching him discover new things. His joy is vicarious and his curiosity is the sweetest thing about him.
Alpine trots into the kitchen and sits down next to him. Tony has started to come around on her when she attacked Steve's calf the morning he and Tony left for Wakanda. He took a video of it on his phone. Bucky grabs a piece of tuna and offers it to her. Alpine gobbles it up and purrs softly. Alice has told him not to indulge her too much, but he never listens, and Alpine knows she's his achilles heel.
They eat quietly for a while. Steve takes a sip of water and clears his throat, looking at Tony. Alice frowns.
"What's going on?"
"What do you mean?" Tony asks.
"You're conspiring," she retorts.
"I'm not conspiring," Tony replies. "I'm eating."
"You have a conspiratorial look on your face," Pepper informs him. "Very suspicious."
She winks at Alice who smiles, but there's a nervous energy building quickly in her body.
"There is nothing about me that looks suspicious."
Bruce snorts with laughter and Tony thrusts his chopsticks at him aggressively.
"Can it, nerd boy."
Bruce rolls his eyes and looks at Alice.
"See what I have to put up with?"
It's been a few days since she's seen him for more than a few minutes at a time. He was a little nervous about meeting Sapphire, but after she cracked a few jokes, even Bruce fell in love with her. It's not hard. Sapphire is... amazing. Even Alice is in love with her. She looks over and catches her best friend's eye. Sapphire tosses her a wink and goes back to softly chatting with Sam. They're getting closer and closer every day.
Bucky looks around, at first unable to tell if they're joking or not until he sees Sam laughing and relaxes a little.
"What's going on?" He asks.
"Tony," Steve says softly. "You should tell him."
"Tell me what?" Bucky asks.
Tony clears his throat and Bucky's head snaps up as Alice dips her sushi roll in some soy sauce and pops it into her mouth.
"Bucky, we talked to Shuri. The Wakandans want to do your procedure there, and Steve and I agreed it would be the best course of action, even though my tech's just as good, so I don't really understand–" Pepper puts a hand on his forearm and Tony clears his throat again. "If you're up for it, the Wakandans would be happy to put you and Alice up for a few weeks."
"Wakanda?" Bucky asks. "I've never been."
"You'd love it!" Tony quips. "There's lots of tree trunks for you to rip in half with your bare hands. That's what you super soldiers do, isn't it? You're all about tight t-shirts and–"
Steve rolls his eyes and Sam bursts out laughing. Alice looks at Sapphire, who is watching the conversation with a puzzled expression. Their eyes lock and she raises both eyebrows. Alice knows she's going to have to fill her in on everything that's happened since she left Vegas.
"Don't listen to him, Buck."
"There's a lot of calm and quiet," Pepper informs Bucky. "It's beautiful."
"I'd like that," Bucky says softly.
"Good," Tony replies. "And when you come back, we can see about you joining the Avengers. We'll have a debriefing and you can meet the team, we'll give you the rundown. Be careful about eating Thor's Pop Tarts, the guy freaks out–"
Alice watches Bucky take a deep breath, sorrow flooding his features and Tony cuts himself off.
"What's wrong?"
"I don't know if that's what I want."
"What do you mean?" Tony asks with a chuckle of disbelief. "You're huge, Steve says you're a great fighter, and you'll have a brand new arm. If you're worried about the legal stuff with Hydra, we can sort all of that out when we get there, but–"
"Tony, I'm really thankful for all that you've done for me," Bucky says softly. "And I'm thankful to Steve and Sam, and Bruce, but I've been going from fight to fight my entire life. I know that there are things that I have to... atone for, but I don't want to spend the rest of my life–" he sighs and hangs his head. Alice sees shame flood his body and he pokes at his food. "I just want Alice, and Alpine, and some peace."
"Wakanda is peaceful–"
"Tony," Sam warns.
"We've spent a lot of time on you, Barnes," Tony informs him.
Bucky's cheeks are pink.
"I know, and it's like I said, I'm grateful, but I don't know if I can fight anymore."
"Not even for the good guys?"
"Tony, lay off," Sam snaps. "The guy's traumatized, okay? I don't know if joining the Avengers is going to do him any good right now. Bucky's right. He needs peace and quiet and time to get back to himself, and then he can make that decision– sorry to speak for you, Bucky."
Alice is grateful for Sam's input. Tony won't really listen to her. He pretends that he does, but she doesn't think anything she actually says is getting absorbed into his brain. But Sam? Sam gets his attention. Tony actually contemplates the words coming out of Sam's mouth, and he considers them.
Bucky clears his throat and shakes his head.
"No, that's... that's okay," he whispers. "Sam's right."
"I concur," Natasha replies.
Bucky and Alice look up at her and she gives them a small, but encouraging smile.
"Tony, you can't just put that implant in his head and expect him to be right as rain," Bruce tells him. "It's just not how these things work."
"Why is everyone jumping on my back? This was Steve's idea!"
Steve pinches the bridge of his nose.
"Do we have to play the blame game?"
"Yeah, we do!" Tony snaps. "Because I'm the one getting shit on–"
"Language," Steve whispers.
"Hey, Leave it to Beaver? I don't know if you noticed who owns this building, but I'm going to say whatever the fu–"
"Tony, please calm down. Nobody's shitting on you," Pepper says softly. "We're having a discussion. Not everything is an attack."
"Really? Because it feels like that right now."
"You're being a child," Steve replies.
"You're being a child!"
"Oh, here he goes with the juvenile shtick," Natasha sighs. She looks up at Bucky and Alice. "The more childish the humor, the more upset he is."
Tony silently mocks her and Natasha points at him.
"See?"
Pepper shakes her head and gently whacks Tony on the arm.
"Okay!" Alice shouts, clapping her hands together. She's had enough of this. "Everyone just chill out! I think it's best if we just go to Wakanda, do the procedures, take some time– are there any imminent threats right now?"
Everyone except for Sapphire shakes their heads. Alice sighs.
"Okay, then see where Bucky's at and see what he wants to do. But I don't want anyone else jumping down his throat tonight." She turns to him and puts a hand on his shoulder. "Sorry to speak for you. I didn't–"
"It's fine, prinţesă," he says with a soft smile. He looks up at Tony. "I'll go to Wakanda. Alice gets to come with me. So does Alpine."
"That's fine," Tony says quietly. "We assumed as much."
"And I'd like Steve and Sam to visit." He looks at Sam. "I'd like to carry on my therapy."
"We can stretch it out to monthly sessions," Sam tells him. "It depends on what Shuri wants or if she has any suggestions. I think it might be best to have the Wakandans have an input on your treatment."
Bucky nods. Alice reaches over to hold his hand under the table as they eat. Tony eases the conversation into other topics, and Pepper is there to talk him off of a ledge when he and Steve get into an argument about whether it's "who" or "whom" in a sentence.
As they start to clean up after dinner, Bruce heads back down to the lab and Natasha goes to lie down. Sapphire corners Alice near the sink.
"So, what's the deal with your boyfriend?"
Alice looks over her shoulder. Bucky is having a beer with Steve, Sam, and Tony, listening to them talk. She motions for Sapphire to follow her out a side door into the hallway. Bucky notices them making a quick exit, but doesn't say anything. Alice peeks over her shoulder and bites her lip. Bucky seems to know what's going on. He shrugs, smiles, and winks at her. She blows him a kiss and suddenly feels a lot better about what she's about to tell Sapphire.
They glance around the hallway out of habit. It's not like everyone else doesn't already know.
Sapphire crosses her arms over her chest.
"What's going on? What's all that shit about super soldiers and implants?"
Alice sighs.
"Look, Sapphire, Bucky is... special. You know how they made Steve Rogers? With the serum? Well, the same thing – actually, no, it wasn't similar at all. Bucky was kidnapped by Hydra in 1945 and made into a super soldier. They brainwashed him and he hurt a lot of people, Sapphire. He becomes... someone else sometimes."
"Like when he hurt you."
"And they gave him a metal arm–"
Sapphire blinks.
"A fucking what?"
"He lost his arm when he fell off of a train."
"There is so much happening right now," Sapphire whispers.
"I swear it's all true. I didn't tell you because it–"
"Sounds crazy?"
"Yeah," Alice laughs. "And there are still people after Bucky. Interpol, maybe little rogue pockets of Hydra, he doesn't really know. What he does know is that he's scared, and he's trying to get his memories back."
"They took his memories? The Hydra thing?"
Alice nods.
"He didn't remember his parent's names."
"That's fucked up, Ali."
"Tell me about it."
"Wait, if he's like 100, how... how does that work?"
"They froze him and unfroze him."
"Oh my God," Sapphire whispers. "That's fucking crazy... so, you've been taking care of him this whole time?"
Alice smiles.
"He takes care of me too. It's not a one-way street."
"Good," Sapphire replies. "It shouldn't be. He's a sweet guy, Ali. I can see why you love him so much."
"I do," she whispers. She runs a hand through her hair. "He wants to get married."
Sapphire throws her head back and laughs.
"I saw that coming from a mile away. That night that he came over for margaritas? I saw the way he looked at you. I knew I'd probably have to share you with him for a long, long time... which is fine by me. I'm a better reality TV buddy anyway. He can't replace me in every part of your life."
"You definitely are more fun to watch that shit with."
Sapphire beams and Alice rubs her face. So much has happened since they got here, she feels like she has to catch Sapphire up on years and years of events.
"I said I'd marry him."
Her best friend looks totally unsurprised. In fact, she grins.
"I expected that. I wanna be the maid of honor."
"Of course," Alice laughs.
"Sam said something about Romania? Bucky was talking to him about it in their last session. I asked him something about client-patient privilege and he said I watched too much Law & Order, which is true, but still. He can't be out here telling Bucky's secrets.
"I'm sure Bucky wouldn't mind if he mentioned that." Alice draws in a deep breath. "He wants to move there."
Sapphire's jaw drops.
"You're kidding."
Alice shakes her head.
"Do you speak Romanian?"
"Bucky's teaching me."
"How many languages does this man know?"
"Thirty, apparently."
"Goddamn," Sapphire whispers. "What about me?"
"You wanna move to Romania with us?"
She claps her hands.
"We could Three's Company it!"
Alice has tears in her eyes. The idea of leaving Sapphire behind in another country hasn't really occurred to her until now. She hasn't wanted to face that possibility. It feels too real. She loves Bucky, but she's given up so much of her life in such a short period of time. She'd follow him, and she'd never resent him, but there would be an adjustment period. Alice flings her arms around her best friend and whimpers, tears leaking out of her eyes. Sapphire strokes her hair and shushes her softly.
"I missed you so much."
"I missed you too, babe." She pulls back and wipes the tears away from Alice's face. "You know what, though? If you want to move to Romania with that fine ass oak tree you call a boyfriend, and have a hundred little lumberjack babies who all speak Romanian, then you should do it. And you'd be the hottest stripper in Romania."
Alice sniffles.
"I was actually thinking about teaching ballet to little kids."
"That would be the fucking cutest. You already kind of look like a ballet teacher with your little bun and your big sweater." Sapphire reaches over and hugs her again. "I'll visit you, Ali. As much as you want, or you and Bucky could visit Vegas, but I'll always be here."
"We've just lived together for so long."
"I know, babes," Sapphire whispers. "And I've loved every single second. Even if you sometimes leave your dirty socks on the kitchen counter."
"Sorry about that," Alice whispers.
Sapphire chuckles.
"Don't worry about it. Ali, you deserve to be with someone who makes you happy and who's good to you. I see the way Bucky holds you... you two are it. Like, you're so perfect for each other it's actually kind of gross."
Alice shakes her head and laughs, her cheeks turning pink.
"Shut up."
"Never."
"Will you come and visit us in Wakanda? I've just been trying to navigate all of this stuff by myself, and I feel... totally unanchored, Sapphire. I have Bucky, but I miss the part of myself I used to be before we got swept up into all of this. I always said I'd never let a man change me, and–"
"Here you go doing it."
"Yeah."
"Ali, I'm no expert on maturity since I made that Banner dude almost spit out his water twice today when I made a joke about coochie lips, but–"
Alice tumbles into laughter and Sapphire does that amazing cackle that just makes her laugh harder. She swats Alice. "Shut up! I'm trying to be serious!"
"You suck at this!"
"You suck! Anyway, sometimes that change is a good thing. You're softer now, Ali. You're all gooey and in love and shit, but you haven't lost your edge. You're just different. That's okay. When Tony was saying all of that shit about what was best for Bucky back there, I saw the look in your eyes. You kinda looked like you wanted to punch him."
"I felt like it a little bit," Alice whispers.
"He's hot, but even the hot ones need a fuckin'--" she makes little aggressive punching motions with one fist. "You know what I mean?"
Alice laughs and nods.
"Let Bucky change you, is what I'm trying to say... I think – am I trying to say that? Yeah, yeah, I am." She shakes her head. "You changed him. Sam said you were a really good, calming influence in his life."
"I try to be."
Sapphire grabs her by the shoulders.
"Good, because you both deserve to have each other in your lives. In like five years, I want baby pictures. God, you guys would make cute babies."
"I know we would," Alice laughs. "And he'd be such a good dad."
Sapphire smiles.
"I get to teach the kids how to swear, though. And I get to show up with a flask to kid's birthday parties."
Alice giggles.
"I'm okay with that. I'm sure Bucky would be too."
"Go to Wakanda with him. Have some peace and quiet and spend time together. We'll all come and visit, but I think you need that decompression time just as much as he does. You've been through a lot, Ali, and you've helped him through a lot. You've gotta be kind to yourself."
Alice nods.
"You're a good friend, Sapphire."
"Excuse me? Why are you talking about this good shit? I'm the fucking best."
They collapse into giggles and hold each other tightly, swaying back and forth in the hall.
"You really are," Alice whispers. "I wouldn't have survived the last two years without you."
"Ditto, bitch."