[oom] a diplomatic visit

[nerves_of_ice]

In all the things he's done up to now, he's never been asked to be a diplomat. Bucky's still not sure this is a good idea, but if nothing else at least it gets him out of Ross's path. And besides, being a diplomat to the Jabari's as T'Challa's White Wolf is a little different from being one anywhere else on earth, he's certain.

M'Baku greets him with a wide smile and widespread arms, inviting him to take in the grandeur of the Jabari's traditional homeland from the clifftop view before leading him inside. Bucky can already see some of the others measuring him for threat or competition or both. It's clear M'Baku knows it as well, and is amused by it - amused enough to let things play out as game or challenge or both.

It's going to be an interesting visit, he's sure.

Forty-eight hours later, he's sure of something else: he likes these people.

Comments

[nerves_of_ice]

"Of course it is," M'Baku declares, amused, as Bucky settles beside her in his own assigned place. "I wanted you to see how we do things here. Who knows, perhaps you might even wish to stay."

"Do you really want that kind of trouble?" Bucky drawls, and M'Baku throws his head back to laugh.

"I welcome it!"

[from_the_outside]

"Well, it's nice to be wanted," she tells Bucky, and grins at M'Baku. A server comes around and fills her glass with something that smells alcoholic; she takes a sip and her eyes water as she coughs.

Bucky might be able to handle whatever that is, but not her.

The first course is a lot more her style: fresh flatbreads and a salad of leafy greens and warm grains along with large chunks of fruit and a delicious vinegary dressing. "So what exactly should we be expecting tonight?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Good food, good company, drinking and dancing and perhaps even feats and boasts," M'Baku drawls. "All the usual sorts of things from a celebration, yes?"

"Sounds like," Bucky agrees, very mildly, and tosses back the fiery alcohol with no sign that it even affects him.

[from_the_outside]

She slides hers over to him, opting to stick with water and juice, and grins in agreement. "Sounds like a hell of an evening."

The second course is an enormous, beautifully baked fish, floating in cream and melted butter and scattered thickly with chopped herbs, thin slices of chiles, and coins of ginger and garlic and lemon. It flakes at the lightest touch and just about melts in her mouth, and M'Baku laughs, pleased, at the blissful expression on her face.

One of the lower tables is getting louder than the rest, bolstered by deep quaffs of the fiery liquor, and Sharon watches with interest as two of the warriors get to their feet, the better to get into each other's faces as they trade what sound like a combination of insults and dares.

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky smiles at her, amused, and takes the drink. It's a smart idea, he's sure; his metabolism can burn it off, and hers -- well.

The food's good, the company's good, and the stories M'Baku is telling are fun to hear, each one more bold than the last. Bucky keeps one eye on the rest of the room to watch for any real trouble beyond high spirits, and listens with quiet interest.

[from_the_outside]

The arrival of the food – a third course, which comes while Sharon's still working on the fish, includes a kind of savory mushroom pie and a fragrantly spiced lentil stew along with more of the buttery flatbread – quells some of the posturing in the larger part of the room, and a call goes up for one of the musicians to step forward.

He comes with a drum and sits near the main table to sing a long and complicated song which turns out to be a story like the Odyssey. M'Baku translates for them as the musician sings of a great warrior of times past and the deeds which garnered the attention of Hanuman, the great gorilla god.

The feasters join in with calls and laughter at appropriate moments, and the banquet hall erupts in applause at the end as the musician bows. Sharon claps and calls along with the rest: she might not be able to understand the language, but she's still pretty damn impressed.

[nerves_of_ice]

The language is different than that which they speak among the rest of the tribes, he notices. It makes sense, given the years of separation. Bucky pays close attention, glad that he's always had an ear for languages, and sets himself to learning as much of this one as he can, as well.

He slaps his thigh in lieu of clapping and stomps his feet in louder applause at the end of the saga, and accepts the buffet to his shoulder from M'Baku with ease as the other man demands, "Tell me now what you think of my people, White Wolf! Are we not greater warriors than any you have seen?"

"You're great warriors indeed," he agrees. "I can't say more than any, but you're right to be proud of your people."

[from_the_outside]

Hoots and friendly jeers follow Bucky's statement, along with M'Baku's booming laugh, and several of the warriors who had gotten lively earlier get to their feet and start calling out boasts and brags or challenges to one another.

Sharon watches with interest, her casual glances covering the way she studies them closely. Several are too drunk to do more than get up and immediately fall over again, but two younger men manage to clear some tables away and set to proving their physical prowess with some light sparring. What rules there are seem mostly to be: if you fall down, you have a few seconds to get back up again, like in boxing, and if you grab a weapon, you have to give your opponent the choice of one for themselves.

[nerves_of_ice]

M'Baku points out different people as they take their turns in the makeshift sparring circle, cheerfully commenting on different skills. Bucky watches Sharon, who seems to be interested and maybe even entertained by the spectacle, then turns his attention back to the friendly fray.

There's no question that it's fiercely competitive, with people backing up boasts with demonstrations of prowess, but there's no ugly undertone, he's glad to note. It speaks well of M'Baku's leadership.

After a while, he even offers an observation or two of his own in response, which intrigues M'Baku further.

"You speak as one who knows," he says. "Which to be fair is no surprise, after what I have seen. But you also speak as one who has taught others these skills, which is not something I knew."

Bucky shrugs, and nods confirmation.

[from_the_outside]

She listens to them, keeping her own opinions to herself and smiling as M'Baku tries to dig more information out of Bucky.

The man doesn't give up. She has to admire that.

For her part, she entertains herself by trying to guess which warrior will emerge triumphant as the matches continue. One, nearly as tall if not quite so broad as M'Baku, catches her interest: he's working his way steadily up the ranks. After a while, it's clear he's the man to beat.

[nerves_of_ice]

"Where? Not among the Dora, of course."

The corner of Bucky's mouth twitches with something that might be amusement. "Here and there, before my rebirth," he drawls, and M'Baku snorts. "The stories they are beginning to tell about you, White Wolf, they are interesting ones. People are curious. Word spreads, more so when there are mysteries."

"Stories are just that," Bucky counters. "People can say whatever they want."

[from_the_outside]

"And they probably will," Sharon says, turning her attention from the friendly matches to the conversation happening beside her.

Most of the food is cleared away now, just in time to bring out the fourth course: fresh soft cheeses and cut fruits, drizzled with honey and served with wafer-thin crackers. She's picking at it, no longer hungry and trying to keep from over-stuffing herself, but it's too good not to at least try. M'Baku gives her an interested glance.

"There are some here nearly as curious about you," he tells her, and she grins at him, but offers nothing by way of explanation.

[nerves_of_ice]

"Are there stories about her too?" Bucky wants to know. M'Baku grins at them both. "Rumors. Rumors that may become stories in time. What say you, Ms. Carter? What stories would you want to be told?"

[from_the_outside]

"Oh," Sharon says, grinning over her glass of water, "I don't want to stick my oar in. Better if they grow organically."

[nerves_of_ice]

"And I'm sure they will," Bucky observes, which is met with a delighted shout from M'Baku. "Well said!"

[from_the_outside]

"We'll see," Sharon says, and sips at her water, eyes dancing as she asks M'Baku:

"Tell me, is 'thirteen' an unlucky number for the Jabari, the way it is back home?"

[nerves_of_ice]

“No,” M’Baku says, while Bucky tries not to choke on his drink. “Why should it be?”

[from_the_outside]

"No particular reason," she says, blithely ignoring Bucky's sputtering and turning back to focus on the floor, where the warrior she'd marked earlier is standing triumphant, his fellows laughingly holding up their hands in surrender.

She nods towards him. "Seems like you've got a real champion on your hands."

[nerves_of_ice]

“D’jarra is very skilled,” M’Baku agrees, with pride and approval both clear. “One of our best.”

Bucky nods, taking another swallow of his drink to clear his throat.

[from_the_outside]

"He's very good," she agrees, and joins in the applause as D'jarra bows to M'Baku and takes an offered glass of water.

None of the other warriors here have the sheer size and nearly gravitational impact of M'Baku, but they all seem to be tall and strong and trained with precision and M'Baku's pride in them is both clear and obviously well earned.

[nerves_of_ice]

He can’t help but compare the level of skill on display here to what he’s seen in T’Challa’s kingsguard or among the Dora Milaje, and doesn’t realize that he’s gone silent and thoughtful as he does.

[from_the_outside]

She's sipping at her water when M'Baku nudges Bucky, alight with curiosity.

"You are lost in thought, White Wolf!" he says, grinning. "This is not a time for quiet meditation. This is a time to be merry!"

[nerves_of_ice]

He pulls himself out of his thoughts and grins ruefully at the other man. “Sorry. I was just comparing to others I’ve known.”

“Then if you are going to judge us so, why not let us do the same?” comes the voice from the floor.

[from_the_outside]

She looks back at the floor, searching for the speaker, and finds a great many eyes turned on Bucky, waiting for his response.

"Nobody said anything about judgment," she says, lightly.

[nerves_of_ice]

He inclines his head very slightly. “Comparison isn’t judging, not here, not now. And it shouldn’t be. This is a celebration. I was appreciating your skill. No offense.”

“Still, bold talk from one we’ve not seen fight,” comes the call, and M’Baku snorts at that. “Some of us have. Be wary of your words.”