Work Text:
Bucky sweeps into Shuri’s lab. Usually, he leaves her alone during working hours. But he needs to confirm if what he’s heard from T’Challa is actually true --
“You and me? Undercover, at a fancy gala? Sounds like a recipe for disaster , princess.”
“Oh please , Barnes.” Shuri doesn’t even look up from her work. “It’s not gonna be that bad, I promise.”
She finishes soldering the piece she's working on -- a delicate, precise thing -- before she turns and meets him with a cheeky grin.
“Besides … I’ve been wanting an excuse to drag you to a party, get you all cleaned up. Let’s see if there’s any hope for you still.”
“Very funny.”
“I do think I’m quite hilarious.” she agrees, tossing him a grin. “Glad you think the same.”
Bucky sighs. He knows he’s defeated.
“Fine. When and where do I need to meet you?”
“ Ingucka , if you’re going to be my date, you have to look the part.”
They’re on their fifth suit now, and Bucky is about to lose his mind .
“Technically, I’m just your security detail,” he corrects her, but she ignores him.
“Whatever. Go, try this on. I picked this one out. Please?” She tosses one last suit at him.
He eyes the outfit she’s picked warily. It’s quite nice, actually -- simpler than the other outfits the palace staff had left for him to try on, anyways. The cut is clean, and the subtle gold trim on the black fabric mimics the design of his vibranium arm nicely.
Damn. He hates that he actually likes this one, sort of.
He tries it on, and sure enough -- the suit fits exactly as he’d thought it would. Better , even.
Bucky comes out of the dressing room. Wonders, offhandedly, if he imagines the flirty glimmer in her eye as she gives him a once-over.
“Very nice, Ingcuka .” she murmurs, shooting him a grin. “I knew you weren’t totally hopeless.”
That she looks stunning is unspoken.
Mercifully, she picks a dress that isn’t all too revealing. Bucky knows that he’d be in for a much tougher night if she had -- not just because of his job batting away attention, but also because he’d have a tough time keeping his eyes off her.
He doesn't want to get busted for ogling the princess, thank you very much. That's simply a level of excitement that he doesn't need in his life anymore.
“Hi, handsome.” She leans up, kisses him on the cheek, and he notes that she smells faintly of sandalwood and musk. “Let’s get this show on the road.”
He smiles. Offers her his arm.
"After you."
“Do you have to drink all that champagne? That’s got to be your sixth glass, princess.”
“I’m just… very committed to my cover. Obviously .”
She winks at him from across the room, where she’s getting her refill.
Bucky sighs. She’s had a long week, and her brother isn’t here to admonish them, so he’ll let it pass. For now.
“You’re lucky I’m your driver tonight.”
Shuri makes her way back to him, then, smirking the whole way there.
“Designated driver, personal security detail… I’m quite a lucky girl, huh?”
(She waggles her eyebrows and bats her lashes at him for added comedic effect.)
He takes a sip of his seltzer and ignores her attempts to make him break his cover.
“You flatter me endlessly, princess.”
“Oh, please .” She leans in conspiratorially, and there’s a tinge of real excitement to her next words --
“That woman across from us, in the blue dress, has been staring daggers at me for the last ten minutes.”
For a moment, Bucky panics.
“ Why ? Did she recognize you?”
Shuri rolls her eyes.
“No. It’s because she thinks you’re hot , moron. And she’s annoyed that I’m taking up all your attention.”
A pause, and then Shuri adds --
“Want me to get you her contact info later? We can do that, you know.”
Given what he knows about the reach of Wakandan tech, he’s not surprised. But he still hesitates.
And he doesn’t know. Doesn’t know how to tell her that he's not interested in getting this woman's info. Hasn't been interested in getting anyone's info, for a while now.
But that’s a level of complicated she doesn’t need to know about. So he lies, instead.
“Blondes aren’t really my type.”
Shuri squints.
“I’ve seen your memories. Sure .”
But she lets it go. And for now, that's enough.