[Leipzig AU] good for trouble

[from_the_outside]

Busan glitters like a disco ball in the night, and no one gives them a second glance as they stroll through the fish market, Sharon in her white dress on Ross's arm, the rest of the team behind them. "Sophia," she says, warmly, and exchanges air kisses with the woman, her pink visor and plastic apron both bright. She knows to expect them, and after she pats Sharon fondly on the cheek, she nods them through.

They spread out through the casino, the team's voices low in her ear. She stays by Ross, playing the part of arm candy, applauding when he wins and consoling him when he loses.

There's no sign of Klaue yet, and the metal briefcase full of diamonds stays locked to the wrist of one of the other agents. "I'm going to get a drink," Sharon murmurs to Ross, and makes her way through the crowd to the bar. 

The martinis here are fine, but not as good as Nat's.

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[marvel_npc]

"Eyes up," Nakia murmurs, from where she is established at the bar. "Americans."

She could wish that General Okoye had not wanted to join them, but she is doing well enough at keeping to her cover and is monitoring the upper level nicely, including observing a couple more of the American players.

Perhaps she should wish the same for T'Challa, but surely it will help for him to see more of the world, its grimier and more dangerous sections as well as the diplomatic ones.

Except - except this could be a problem. A figure in white draws her attention just as T'Challa remarks, "Just spotted an old friend who works for the CIA."

Somehow, Nakia manages to keep her quick curse silent.

[from_the_outside]

She hears Ross's exasperated sigh at approximately the same moment as she locks eyes with Nakia.

There's a heartbeat, and then she slides her gaze away, smiling at the bartender. "A Vesper martini, please," she murmurs, and leans on the bar. Only then does she allow her glance to return to the woman in green sitting a seat away.

"What's a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?" she asks, keeping her voice to a low murmur.

[marvel_npc]

"Things just got a little more complicated," T'Challa murmurs in her ear. Nakia shifts position just a little as he starts to move across the room toward Ross, and smiles at Sharon.

"They say the gambling here is very exciting," she replies. "How could we not check it out? But I might ask you the same."

[from_the_outside]

Very exciting. It certainly looks like it's heading that direction. She can hear Ross and T'Challa beginning a low conversation, though her earpiece doesn't pick it up completely.

"I don't know about that," she says, thanking the bartender with a smile and taking a sip of her drink. "The tables here are getting cold. You might have better luck somewhere else tonight."

[marvel_npc]

"You are buying from Klaue," she hears T'Challa tell Ross, and it's all she can do to keep her smile in place. She can't even whisper for him to not give their game away, because not only does he have the right as king, but Sharon will catch her in an instant.

"Oh, no, here is exactly where we need to be," she says instead, lightly, and tips her head toward T'Challa. "But if the tables are not to your liking perhaps you should go. We could even meet later, to catch up."

[from_the_outside]

Sharon's glance tracks towards the craps table, where Ross and T'Challa are locked in quiet conversation, then up to the upper level where General Okoye watches over the crowd, and back again.

"That would be nice," she admits. "I hear we have a lot to catch up on. But I'm afraid my date is just absolutely set on staying for the duration. He doesn't like to gamble that often, so when he does, he makes it count."

[marvel_npc]

"Mm," Nakia says, and takes a sip of her drink. "I see. Is he the sort of man to listen to reason?"

T'Challa tells Ross he's been warned and moves away. Nakia makes herself not look over there to see how the other man is taking it. At least the general is keeping a low profile.

[from_the_outside]

A moment later, Ross's voice comes clearly into her earpiece and she has to resist a wince; he's never gotten out of the habit of just talking directly into his sleeve.

"It all depends on the reason," she says, and slants a sidelong glance at where Ross has gone after T'Challa, accompanied by a tiny tip of her head to Nakia so the other woman can keep track of them, too, while Sharon sips at her drink.

"In this case, he's dead set on getting what he came for."

[marvel_npc]

Nakia laughs softly, as though Sharon has just said something exquisitely funny. "He is not the only one."

Almost as if on cue, T'Challa tells Ross, "I am not here to make a deal."

[from_the_outside]

"Then I think things are about to get pretty interesting."

She doesn't watch T'Challa and Ross; there's no way they're going to be able to find a way out of this mess in the next few minutes, so she glances sidelong at Nakia instead. "By the way, you look amazing, girl."

[marvel_npc]

"Thank you," she murmurs, with a smile for Sharon as she runs one hand down along the side of her green-and-black dress. "So do you. That dress is gorgeous."

Interesting, Sharon had said, and oh, but she is right about that. Nakia's eyes widen very, very slightly as she does a quick count of the arrivals who are walking in on the upper level.

"Klaue," she murmurs. Sharon will think it is to her, and in part it is, although the rest is cover for her earpiece. "Plus eight."

[from_the_outside]

"Thanks," she murmurs. "My boyfriend helped me pick it out."

She sees Ross clock Klaue's entrance, then glances sidelong at Nakia and leaves her martini to move around the game floor, Nakia abandoning her whiskey to do the same.

The Wakandans aren't going to stand around and let this deal go down, she knows. But as more of Klaue's men enter the casino, she begins to think he knew what was coming

[marvel_npc]

"I thought there were no weapons allowed in here," Okoye murmurs. "There's not supposed to be," Nakia confirms. She moves as swiftly as she can around the edge of the casino floor without attracting attention.

Trouble is very definitely brewing. All they can do is be ready for it.

[from_the_outside]

Things are pretty strange when she opens her eyes.

Not just because of what she sees through her blurry vision, but because it's frankly kind of a surprise that she's opening her eyes at all, because she's pretty sure she got shot and she's likewise pretty sure she was dying basically immediately after that.

So maybe she's dead? And there really is some sort of afterlife?

... An afterlife with softly beeping machinery and muted lights overhead?

Sharon blinks and shifts, moving her shoulders against the surface she's lying on. Her feet feel cool – and she can feel her feet, which is a welcome surprise – and she looks down to see her bare toes wiggling. "Huh," she says, her voice rough and groggy. "That's weird."

[nerves_of_ice]

At the sound of her voice he goes from dozing to awake in a single heartbeat.

"Yeah, I know, baby," he murmurs, laughter in his tone as he reaches to take her hand. "It takes some getting used to. Give yourself a second, okay?"

[from_the_outside]

Curiouser and curiouser. She rolls her head on the flat surface and looks over as a warm hand reaches for hers, and notes as she does so that there's no pain at all in her back.

So probably she is dead? Because she thinks otherwise she'd be feeling pretty terrible right now.

Another clue that none of this is real: Bucky's sitting there next to her, looking a little drawn and worried even as his eyes watch her, warm and bright. "Hi," she murmurs, pleased.

If this is some weird hallucination her brain is giving her before it checks out for good, she'll take it. "Fancy seeing you here."

[nerves_of_ice]

She's clearly not all the way awake yet. His smile softens, becoming even more fond as he lifts her hand to kiss her fingers, then covers their joined hands with his other one as well.

"You're going to have questions. I'll answer them when you're ready," he promises. "But first - everyone's okay. Nakia wasn't hurt. Ross is safe. And you're going to be fine."

[from_the_outside]

She frowns, slightly. "Fine?"

That can't be possible, can it? In fact, none of this should be possible. She shifts again, her frown deepening as she tries to feel anything left from the bullet that had hit her. "I got shot," she says, like she's trying to make it real, prove it to herself.

She definitely did – she remembers because she was there and also because you don't forget getting shot – but there doesn't seem to be any sign of it now.

Sharon sits up, swinging her legs over the edge of the table, and lifts her free hand to feel down between her shoulderblades.

Nothing. "Didn't I?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"You did," he says, softly. "You put yourself between Nakia and the bullet, they said."

He squeezes her hand, very gently. "T'Challa stabilized you, and brought you home. Here. To Wakanda. And Shuri healed you."

[from_the_outside]

She looks at him, bewildered. "How long ago?" she asks.

Her legs still feel strong; she doesn't feel as though she's lost the muscle she must have after convalescing long enough for there to not even be a scar on her back. "How long have I been out?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Less than a day," he says, just as softly as before.

"I know it sounds impossible. But it's true."

[from_the_outside]

"You're right," she says, after staring at him for a second. "That's impossible."

Her fingers tighten on his, but it's less from affection and more the desperate clinging of someone trying to keep from dropping off the side of a building. "All of this is impossible. Wakanda? Ross? You? I don't – "

She looks around and feels like her mind is shattering. The space she's in is some sort of... she can't even parse it. It doesn't look like any hospital she's ever been to. There's the faint beat of music coming from nearby. "What the hell?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"I know," Bucky murmurs. "Believe me, I know. It's the secret that's the real reason why Wakanda keeps its borders closed. I'll tell you everything. I can tell you everything, now. But first--"

He stands, moving carefully so as not to disturb her, and gets as close to the table as he can.

"Come here, baby," he asks. "Please?"

[from_the_outside]

She shifts towards him as if in a dream, setting her bare feet onto the cold floor and shivering.

It's the cold that snaps her out of it. Can you feel cold in a dream? "This is real?" she asks, her eyes on his face. She's too confused and desperate to hide anything she's feeling; it all floods across her face without filter.

"It's not just my neurons firing off a last hurrah?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"It's real," he promises. The confusion in her eyes cracks his heart, and he can't hold back any longer. As she shivers, he scoops her up into his arms, cradling her to him, careful to keep his arm low enough on her back to not put any pressure on the site of her previous wound.

"It's real. You're here. You're safe. I've got you."