Who: Bucky, Johanna, and Shuri What: Shuri meets Johanna Where: the Wyrm When: Early May Warnings: None Status: Completed G-Doc
Shuri didn’t enjoy getting drunk, but she needed to get out of her apartment. She had friends here, but until she forced herself to go to therapy, Shuri felt the weight of grief surrounding her, like a blanket wrapped too tightly. And so, she put on clothes, ready to go see if she found a friendly face out in one of the bars.
She checked herself in the mirror, hair still short, wearing a pair of jeans and a brightly coloured shirt, with a jacket. The Wakandan sighed and grabbed her keys and wallet. At least, for as chilly as she found the air, it didn’t make her shiver. A win. Or something.
When she arrived, Shuri took a breath, opened the door, and walked inside seeing if she saw anyone she knew.
Seamus and Jo had reached the point in their fledgling relationship where they’d gone from excitement and freshness (the newlywed phase) to experiencing the boringness of life together. It was less exciting and more comforting, though it was still entertaining. Bucky set up a night tonight where they could go out to dinner and drinks, and picked her up to take her out.
Lots of people knew about Bucky’s metal arm by now, even the woman sitting across from him at the table in the bar, but Bucky still stayed covered; leather jacket, glove. He wore a plain, black t-shirt and jeans, along with a pair of heavy, black boots. When they arrived at the bar, Bucky found them a table and ordered a round of drinks, then settled back in his chair.
If you asked her, Johanna would say they were still in the fresh and exciting stage. He hadn’t seen her during an extreme hangover or on cramps yet. There was still a chance Seamus would run for the hills after that. Besides, they still couldn’t stop pawing at each other whenever they were in private, and she was not complaining.
She knew about his arm. She also knew what he could do with that arm.
“You take me t’the classiest of places,” she said with a grin. The Wyrm was definitely her kind of place. Made her feel at home.
Shuri headed to the bar and ordered a whiskey. On the rocks. It would keep the princess from drinking it too quickly. While she waited for her drink, Shuri glanced around and noticed Bucky. Bucky with a female. Bucky on a very obvious date with a female. Interesting. Maybe this night would actually be a distraction after all.
The server handed Shuri her drink and she offered thanks, before she made her way to Bucky…and Bucky’s friend.
“White Wolf,” she greeted her surrogate brother. “White Wolf’s date,” Shuri added with a smirk.
It wasn’t that bad of a place, was it? The bartender brought out their drinks and set the glasses on the table. Bucky reached for his with a gloved hand.
Bucky chuckled softly. “Hey, it’s not the classiness of the place that matters, it’s the way you use it.” There was a gentle tease in his voice at that. He knew it was a bit ridiculous, but he said it anyway.
And then a very familiar form wandered up to their table. She spoke, and Bucky lifted his eyes from Jo’s face to look at… “Shuri,” he said, breaking into a warm (somewhat uncharacteristic) grin. “Hello.”
Before he could pick up his glass, Johanna put her hand in that gloved one to give it a reassuring squeeze. It didn’t matter where they went, really. He could take her to a landfill and she’d be content. Once she made her silent point she released his hand.
Johanna was mid-drink when the really hot woman came to the table. She blinked then looked at Seamus. “White wolf? Somethin’ I should know?” She didn’t deny the date part since that’s exactly what this was.
Shuri’s face broke into an uncharacteristic (these days) smile upon seeing Bucky. “Molo bhuti.” Obviously, Shuri wouldn’t be completely rude and leave out the other woman, but she missed speaking her native tongue and only Bucky really spoke it here.
“It’s our nickname for him. Back home.” She left it up to Bucky to decide what else he wanted to say, but it spoke of his place in Wakanda that he received a nickname at all. “I’m Shuri,” she added with a smaller smile, but still friendly expression on her face directed at the pretty brunette. No, she didn’t add the princess part because it didn’t matter here. Shuri asked Bucky, “How is your arm after the adjustments?” Always the believer that one could make constant improvements, she had for Bucky’s arm. She needed the distraction after everything.
The squeeze was comforting. Affectionate. It was returned gently, Bucky's thumb running once over the side of her hand before she released it.
Ah, Shuri. It wasn't at all surprising to Bucky that she would see this for exactly what it was. She knew him well enough to tell exactly when he was feeling well, exactly when things were awkward, practically exactly what he was thinking.
"Molo, usisi," he responded, incredibly pleased that she was here to meet Jo. "They called me the White Wolf in Wakanda," Bucky said, finally turning his eyes from Shuri to Jo again. "Where we met."
Then he turned his attention back to his Wakandan sister again. “It’s good. Thanks.”
Johanna had never heard of Wakanda. Sounded like she should get to know the place for as friendly as these two seemed. Not that she detected any tension there. More like siblings.
She gave Shuri a smile in return. Anyone who could put Seamus at ease like this was ok in her book. “Johanna.” Then she got a little evil, because she was who she was. “His girlfriend.” She kept her eyes on Shiri as she jerked her head in Seamus’ direction.
“Probably the only Colonizer my people like enough to bestow a name,” Shuri teased. While she used the term seriously for some, she meant it affectionately towards Bucky. Her people. A cloud passed over her face, and she missed them. But the young woman instead focused on the here and now. And no, absolutely no tension. Their time together had always been of two siblings. Especially in the early days when Bucky arrived. He’d needed friends. And Shuri focused on that instead of what happened to her father.
“You know me. I like seeing my work in the wild,” she joked. At least she’d gotten her space back at the lab.
“Nice to meet you.” She raised an eyebrow at Bucky and grinned. “Good. Someone has to keep an eye on him when I’m not around. I like her.” Shuri added, “And how did you meet my brother?” T’Challa passed through her brain again and she took a sip of her drink to avoid thinking about her brother who she missed every day.
“I’ll have to tell you stories,” Shuri added with a wink. She didn’t have them like Steve, but no matter.
Bucky had been mid-sip when Jo used the word girlfriend. He didn't choke, exactly, but he did give a little sputter into the drink. Girlfriend? Did he have a girlfriend? Was that what she was? While he knew that he wanted her and only her, and he wanted her to only have him in return... did that make them... was he a boyfriend now?
Ridiculous how he hadn't thought of that until she introduced herself as such. But now he found he liked it. A lot.
And he realized far too late that he probably should have introduced two of the three most important women in his life. Sheepishly, Bucky lowered the glass to the table.
"Please, no stories," he added to Shuri, though he knew that his words had very little weight. She would tell whoever she wanted about whatever she wanted. Thankfully, she didn't have the kind of stories that Steve had.
He reached over to take hold of Jo's hand and give it a little squeeze. His girlfriend.
Johanna watched Seamus go through all that while she listened to Shuri. At least he hadn’t turned white then fainted. In the end, he took her hand. That and the squeeze meant she was forgiven for putting him on the spot like that, and confirmed what they were to each other. She returned the grip and gave him a smile.
Which turned into a grin that she gave to Shuri. “Please yes. Stories.” Johanna chuckled because there was no way she wasn’t getting stories about him. But she kept hold of his hand to make sure he knew she wasn’t being mean.
How did they meet. Ha! Johanna’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “Speed datin’. Then we shagged each other stupid after. Then he figured we should have a real date.”
Shuri snorted. “You should be glad it’s me and not Steve and me,” she joked. Although, the pair looking happy brought an actual smile to Shuri’s face. Moments like these made the young woman forget about what happened back home.
“I forgot about this place and speed dating.” Shuri raised an eyebrow and looked at Bucky. “What a gentleman you are, White Wolf.”
She grinned. “I’d be happy to tell you stories sometime, but perhaps another night when I’m not interrupting date night.” Yes, Shuri might be a brat, but she could read a room when she chose to do so.
“Steve’s the reason I went speed dating,” Bucky responded. The other stuff? The night they spent together after? While undoubtedly Steve knew that Bucky did that sort of thing, it wasn’t the kind of thing he wanted to advertise. And then he gave a gentle shrug of his shoulders, his hand still twined with Jo’s. “I try to be. Surprising I remembered without you around to remind me.”
There would absolutely be more time for Jo and Shuri to get to know one another. Bucky wouldn’t have been opposed to tonight, but he was thankful that Shuri excused herself. He wanted to spend the night with Jo tonight. Maybe another time they’d invite his usisi to have a meal with them, so she and Jo could embarrass him. Or try, anyway.
“Another time, then,” he responded, giving her a nod. “Message me later and we’ll make it happen.”