Fire and Ice - (Bucky Barnes x OC) 18+

Chapter 52

WAKANDA

Alex stood in one of the outdoor training areas of the palace. The botanical scent surrounded and filled her senses instilling a peace to her soul. There was just something different about the air in Wakanda as opposed to other places in this world, it was more fresh, more pure.

Shuri had put both Alex and Jace through a couple of tests over the past few days, mostly relating to their fighting abilities and what they could do with their powers. All of it went further in trying to help Alex get a better handle on her rune magic. 

But unfortunately, there were just some spells that did not want to work for her no matter how hard she tried. It was as if there was a brick wall in the way. Alex knew she was going to have to sink deep into studies to get better at it, especially if she was going to figure out the portal magic she never got to finish.

Jace stood opposite her with a smirk on his face, they had just clashed blades and she won the round. Alex loved training with him, but, she loved the feel of fighting with her twin blades even more. The sound of them clashing with his seraph blade was music to her ears. She'd missed it too damn much.

Despite the rough nightmare filled nights both of them had, they spent time working through it together. A lot of stories were shared and she was so glad he was there with her.

The two of them had history, joined as partners when they were just kids and everything they did was classed as impeccable. Alex and Jace were the best out of most kids, and as they grew up and learned together, so did their chemistry.

Standing there now, as adults, Alex realised they weren't kids anymore. Both of them had been through so much and it showed. Though, she wasn't about to deny the compliments that fed her ego. Jace wasn't one to hold back with quips on how much stronger and skilled she'd become.

When Alex walked backwards to her position with a cockiness radiating from her, he chuckled. It had been so long since he got to spar with her that he hadn't realised every part of him missed it. The rush and adrenalin that came with a fight always fed his soul.

Glancing over his shoulder to where Okoye and Ayo stood guard, watching, Jace scoffed.

"Think if they smiled, their faces would crack?" he asked.

"I wouldn't let them, hear you say that. They're powerful warriors and very similar to us," Alex defended. She took that moment to spin and swing her blade, bringing it down to meet his.

"Must be hard being similar to royalty, the power, prestige." he continued taunting as she sliced through the air once again. His blade slid down the length of hers and trapped it on the floor. The action locked her in a forward bend position to match his. Alex rolled her eyes and tilted her face up to meet his gaze. 

"Says the guy who follows my mum and has royal blood running through his veins." The sarcasm laced her tone.

Jace chuckled lowly while he kicked the blade, sending it out of her grasp. He lunged forwards with his own strike and reacting quickly, Alex ducked then flipped backwards like a perfect gymnast. With a shake of her head, she walked to the abandoned sword blade and crouched to pick it up. While she did that, he spun his blade a few times in a circle before resting it on his shoulder.

He cast a side eye glance at her, then his eyes glowed gold when a rune on his left bicep lit up. Running forwards into a flip jump, Jace landed right in front of her just as she turned and stood up. A sliver of space remained between them. He was so close that she could feel his hot breath fan her face and his energy sparkle with hers.

Alex tightened the grip on her blades while the breeze blew her loosened strands away from her face. As she glared at him with a brow raised and a playful look in her eyes, she noticed his nostrils flare when he inhaled. 

She couldn't tear her eyes away from his golden ones, or the way his mouth tugged up into a cocky grin. This was the first time she'd seen him use his abilities like that. She couldn't help but think about Bucky...if he had felt this way when he first saw her golden eyes. Was this what hers looked like to other people?... If so, it was mesmerising. 

Alex had been texting Bucky during the nights because that was the only time she had free to do so. Though, the messages were cryptic in terms of details from both ends. She sort of refrained from telling him about a few things. It wasn't like she could simply tell him that her childhood bestfriend and partner in battle from Alicante had decided to drop into Wakanda. Or that he was currently stuck in this world until further notice...

There was no logical reason as to why she withheld that information other than the sheer fact that some things were just better discussed in person.

It wasn't like Bucky was any better, all he mentioned was that they found out who the woman behind the uprising was, but chose to leave out the detail of her name and anything else.

Returning to the present tense, Alex scoffed and nudged Jace in the chest with her elbow. He chuckled and one blink had his eyes returning to their multi toned blue and brown.

"Show off," She muttered. He laughed and stepped aside when Shuri walked over.

"Try drawing a rune again," The princess suggested. Alex had tried many times over the past few days and it just didn't work, but she wasn't the type to give up.

Tossing her blades over to Jace, Alex took the stele from Shuri's outstretched hand and placed the crystal tip to her own palm. She began drawing a rune—a sun rune. If it worked, it would light up the place in a bright warm glow, she gave it a try and focused her magic diligently. But just like every other time before, all it managed to do was have a faint glow, a slight buzz of energy that prickled and burned in the centre of her palm before it fizzled out disappearing from view.

Her brows creased and her shoulders slumped. It annoyed her because if she was going to figure out portal magic, then she needed to master creating brand new non existent runes, along with being able to draw and activate ones that already existed. At the moment, she felt like a powerful being that knew squat all.

"Don't despair Alexandra, we will figure it out, i promise." Shuri squeezed her arm in support.

Jace noticed the disappointment on his partners face. 

"Maybe we should call it a day," he suggested.

Alex nodded.