Chapter 1
As the sun began to rise over the vast plains of Africa, he found himself perched on a cliff overlooking the stunning waterfalls of Wakanda. The heat of the sun slowly crept up on him, replacing the chill of the night air, as the stars faded away and the moon disappeared. In this moment of tranquility, he allowed himself to be consumed by a deep meditation, seeking solace and inner peace. Memories of his tormented past flooded his mind, including the unforgivable murders he had committed more than seventy years ago and the horrific abuse he had endured while under the control of the infamous Hydra.
Back home, Bruce had taught him to try to sober his thoughts through meditation, to find a way to make peace with his past, and to grant him the strength and forgiveness in himself to move forward with his life. As he sits legs crossed with hands resting on his knees, eyes closed, breathing in and feeling the warm heating breeze of the glorious lands of both Wakanda and Africa, he slowly feels he is meeting peace, lost in the harmonious aroma he was being watched.
Steve holding Tony's hand who was standing beside him, with the king's sister Shuri, with Okoye by her side the black panther ruler standing by his royal and loyal subjects, and the two married Avengers heroes. Steve and Tony knew that Bucky loved going to Africa to see the beauty of the safari land and being with the ones who watched over him, gave him a home while he was on the journey for redemption and to find his place in the world. And to Steve and Tony, Africa, and Wakanda is a beautiful and peaceful place for their honeymoon and Bucky to find tranquility. They remained staring at the tragic man with smiles of sympathy and kindness, they heard his screams from his nightmares then later silence and as they went to check to see if he was well, they spotted him leaving the palace to the waterfalls.
"His nightmares are very...chaotic", T'challa said with a sad frown. Hearing the white wolf's shrieks made the regal king fear to wonder what he was enduring in his dreams as Steve and Tony along with the others would also hear his screams back in the Tower back home. They would hear him and try to comfort him many times, especially Steve after he jolts himself awake but he would push them all away as usual not wanting to show any sign of weakness or to harm anyone.
Steve nodded while Tony nodded as well and they along with Okoye, and Shuri stared at her brother who was staring at the white wolf. "Brother, do you wish to talk to him?" She smirked and T'challa quickly gazes in shock at his sister as his allies also smirked at him.
"Yeah, T'challa, go talk to him. We've been talking about how you and him reacted when we all came here for the visit", Tony said motioning his neck to Bucky and Steve made bigger smiles while Shuri and Okoye grinned at their king.
"Absolutely not, I-I am not i-i-involved in such a...thing," he nearly stuttered as he vehemently denied any wrongdoing. He has grown closer to Bucky since he came here for refuge and a start of his redemption and healing, and after Bucky remained in the city of Africa, the visits, the more the panther ruler was becoming fond of the white soldier and was determined to protect him from harm or his past.
It was clear that he was taken aback by the accusation and the insinuation that he might be involved in something nefarious. When Bucky arrived in the African kingdom, he and Shuri quickly became like siblings to him, forging a deep and lasting bond that was akin to family despite the knowledge of his past. Their mother, the queen, saw him as one of her own and treated him with the same love and respect as she did to her children. In the palace, they all learned to live together and support each other, even in the face of adversity. Bucky's nightmarish screams at night and his actions were a source of concern and worry for T'challa and his family, but like Steve and the other Avengers, they all tried their best to comfort and soothe him through the difficult times. As time passed, Bucky thrived in the African kingdom, and he became one of them, fully integrated into their culture and way of life.
"Ohh, come, come, come, King T'challa, you are fond of him, and time for you to admit and go and try to talk to him", the general of the Dora Milaje said with a grin and the others agreed with smiles and nods while T'challa stared at the meditating white wolf seeing the metal arm making beautiful sparkles from the rising sun and the stars looking as if they were closer with his arm as his brown dark long hair wave behind him.
To T'challa it was a remarkable and beautiful sight for him to remember.
"I, Mother, and Okoye even saw how you would and he talk to each other, training with him, and you bond with him. Both smiling and laughing", Shuri said with her voice of tease as she smiled.
Steve walked to T'challa and placed a hand on the king's shoulder, as he and Tony both stared at their member and friend, "Go and talk to him, T'challa", he said. "You know you want to"
T'challa stares at Bucky. He loves Bucky and is determined to tell him, but fear holds him back for him to be and stay silent but now he cannot do it any longer. It was time to say his feelings. "What should I do? What should I say? How should I say it? How do I start? What if I fail? What if he doesn't improve me and...my feelings...for him?" He asked in a voice of nervousness and fear as he stared at him with eyes showing real signs of affection towards the former asset of Hydra.
"Just try to make a greeting conversation, T'challa,...just be yourself, you can do it", Tony said with his grin and nudged him on the elbow. "Now shut up and go", he said and Steve, his sister, and general nodded with smiles.
T'challa stared at them and smiled at them. "Which one of you made the first move, my friend, you or you Captain America?" He grinned asking Tony and he blushed at the question and Steve hugged his waist.
Steve smiled and kissed Tony on the cheek. "We both did", he answered and Tony chuckled.
Shuri made a gagging sound pointing her finger in her mouth and Okoye grinned. She thanked the goddess Bast for her husband.
Steve walked to the king, both gazing at his best friend. "Who knows, my friend? Bucky has told me such...very bright things about you, and I believe he might feel the same. That is why me and Tony brought him back so go over there, or I'm going to have to throw you over there", Steve playfully threatened. He wants all his team to be happy, but he wishes for his Bucky to be in such greatness of contentment.
T'challa stared at the white soldier and smiled then inhaled deeply then sighed and nodded. "Very well. Do wish me luck", he said with a nervous and hopeful grin, Steve nodded with a grin, and the king felt his sister push him and he caught his stance, turned with a smirk at his sister then slowly walked to the white soldier.
They all smile at him as he makes his way to Bucky.
"And this time...try not to be like an antelope in front of headlights", Okoye smirked. T'challa turned back at her with his mouth open as she winked at him, his cheeks turning while Shuri giggled and both Steve and Tony chuckled.
The king smiled at them then turned back to Bucky, inhaled then smiled, making his way to him.
"Good luck, my king", Steve said, and Tony, Shuri, and Okoye smiled.
"You think the wedding might come soon?" Shuri asked with a hopeful smile.
"Cross your fingers, Shuri", Tony answered smiling at her and he kissed Steve on the cheek and the super soldier grinned gently patting his buttock having Tony giggle, they all watched T'challa standing behind the white wolf.
The Panther King continues to walk toward the meditating Bucky listening to his mind telling him to keep going while his heart tells him to abandon his feelings and leave him in peace but he continues to listen to the rightness of his instincts and walks closely facing Bucky's bare back and stared at the scars and the slight bruises that Hydra gave him and the missions of crimes he committed. T'challa knew that it wasn't him who did those crimes, he was controlled by the enemy of Hydra and horrifically abused by them. The screams of his nightmares were proof of that. T'challa inhaled deeply and sighed, hoping his father, the great kings before, or the goddess Bastet wished him luck.
Well...here goes nothing.
"Bu...cky?