His eyes finally landed on her, as bits and pieces came back to him. He vaguely recalled seeing the brunette at the street market. In fact, Magna's face was the last he remembered before everything faded into blackness. He remembered the concern in...
Aaaaaaand she's back... and she feels super guilty!! No excuses, though. This took way too long and I'm sorry. I kept writing and rewriting this one, and by the time I was done it was over 10.000 words long. However, there was no proper way of dividing it. I initially intended to make it a two-parter, but I feel like it makes more sense this way, as a full chapter. It's an emotional rollercoaster, so prepare yourselves :)))))))
I don't usually add trigger warnings, but this is an exception. This chapter deals with scars, abuse and self-harm related topics.
Last but definitely not least: thank you for reading. I haven't posted in so long, yet the numbers keep going up. Means so much. Thank you!!!!!!
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Over the following days, Magna and Bucky found themselves on disclosure territory. The closer they got, the more vulnerable they became with each other. Day by day, it evolved. They continually peeled off inner hidden layers to reveal more and more of themselves to the other. It was new, terrifying, exciting. And they couldn't stop.
Taking advantage of Magna's short breather from missions, they began to see each other more frequently. Practically daily. One way or another, the pair made time to meet, even for a few minutes. Training sessions with Zura, hikes, jogging, reading in Bucky's hut, or in the Palace library.
And so, time went by. Between imbibing wine, soft candle lights, and munching finger food, they often crossed paths in the medical wing and Shuri's lab, sharing moments of intimacy, from secret kisses to private jokes. Leaning on their calculated spy ways, Magna and Bucky truly deluded themselves into thinking that they were putting on a brilliant performance on civility and the balance between platonic feelings and the actual breach of that distance. Yet, their flushed faces told a different, more conspicuous story. Without a single ounce of difficulty, Shuri read their features like a book each time. They had no idea.
In a way, it felt like being immersed in a constant state of teenage daze, saying goodbye in the wee hours of the morning, flushed and puffy-lipped. They never took it too far, and it was fine. The whole thing felt... tentative, yet meaningful within its own fragility. Pushing things to the next level would only bring trouble.
... Then there was Steve.
The two hadn't talked in a while. Magna had been reaching out to him without success. When the missed calls and subsequent voice messages were no longer enough, the brunette used emails to ask him to contact her, saying she had news that he should hear. In addition to her own, Magna also had concerns for his, Sam, and Natasha's safety.
Steve, are you even getting these? Please, call me as soon as you can. It'd be nice to hear a familiar voice...
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