The Winter Wraith (Bucky Barnes x Reader)

Chapter 36 - Shadows Embraced

She dove backwards, barely escaping the spray of scorched rubble from his blast. Tony shot again, stepping towards her. He didn't want to get too close, unaware of how enhanced she really was, but couldn't risk letting her out of his sight. There was a decorative fountain to the side of the driveway, symmetrical to one on the other side. A wide circle of water encapsulated an abstract stone figure, which might have resembled a wave. The Wraith crept towards it now, her calm gaze discordant with the blood coating her hands and matting her hair.

If she tried to cross through the fountain, the water would slow her down, making her an easy target. If she used it as cover, Tony could fire on her from above. She paused, one hand against the stone border, eyes searching for an easy way out. Finding none, her gaze once again locked on Tony and if it wasn't for the glare of sunlight reflecting off the water and obstructing his view, he could have sworn her eyes glowed (f/c). She drifted a hand across her face, like she was moving a stray piece of hair, and the world changed around Tony. The sunlight that had seemed so bright just a minute ago had dulled and all but disappeared, like a vortex had sucked it in. Shadows were wrapping around her, like some sort of supernatural embrace, and for a second Tony couldn't tell if he was looking at her, a shadow, or some combination of both. The disorienting view forced him to look away.

Less than a second later, F.R.I.D.A.Y had activated thermal vision, but it had given the Wraith time to sneak around to the other side of the fountain, out of Tony's view save for her heat signature glowing around the stone feature piece. He flew up, aiming to land on the top of the figure and blast her from above, rather than the alternative of blasting through the fountain and having to deal with angry insurers.

Only, he did not make it to the top, because something went wrong. His left leg lost all power, whilst his right boot simultaneously propelled him upwards, causing him to flip sideways and crash into the water, head clanging against the metal of his suit. He barely had time to register the woman standing next to him, perched on the fountain's edge. He reached out a hand to blast her, but she met his movement with one of her own, slashing her arm up. Again, it was like the electricity powering his armour moved at her command, rising into his arm so that his shot went wild. Overpowered and unaimed, it bit into the edge of the colossal building beside him, taking out a chunk of concrete and glass.

His vision flashed red with messages and warnings, F.R.I.D.A.Y giving him a rundown as he clambered out of the fountain and took a second to gather his thoughts. In all the turbulence, only one thought rang clear: the Winter Wraith had messed with his suit. No one messed with his suit.

~

The fight was on the edge of becoming a shoot-out, with the soldiers hunkered down behind their vehicles. Bullet after bullet pinged off his wings-turned-shield, none meeting their mark. Sam let of a multitude of shots of his own, taking down two and leaving a third without their shooting arm.

A string of curses brought his attention to Stark, who was now having a bath in the driveway's feature fountain. Turning to the device on his forearm, he sent two small rocket grenades right behind the vehicles, the explosion's fiery breath singeing his skin as he flew over to Tony. "Stay back," Tony's voice crackled over the intercom. "She messes with electricity." Sure enough, Sam's wings seemed to lurch forward, dropping him towards the ground before he regained control, retreating out of the Wraith's apparent range.

Sam was about to dive back in when his attention snagged on Clint. From the roof high above, Clint's silhouette was outlined against the grey sky: an archer ready to fire. He snapped his attention back to the Wraith, striving to keep her preoccupied while Clint hopefully dealt a serious hit, but when his gaze locked on her, she was looking straight at him with unnatural (f/c) eyes. "Um, guys, her eyes changed."