Arcanus (ON HIATUS)

Aitamah and Bucky had been spending a lot of their time together practising and refining Bucky's magic. Bucky had even picked up a few spells! He was doing really well, in Aitamah's opinion. They soon found that Bucky was quite brilliant at elemental and healing magic. Aitamah made a satisfied noise in his head as he recited the two hundred different herbs that could cure a common cold. 

"You're doing well, kid. Very well. Takes people years to get that right. You're a real prodigy," Her voice held an almost teasing tone and Bucky snorted
"Oh, I'm a prodigy now, huh? What happened to 'Stupid beefy oaf'?" Bucky smiled, having also learned how to telepathically communicate with Aitamah. Aitamah laughed in his head and Bucky pet her head, humming tunelessly. 
"Yeah, no, you're right. You are an oaf," Aitamah mused, turning to him and huffing into his palm. He laughed quietly and Aitamah shook her head, "Okay, now... Let's try fire working again. Don't set my tail on fire again this time!" Aitamah grumbled the last part and Bucky let out a raucous round of laughter at the memory, "HEY! That hurt, you oaf. Now just get to work dammit," She huffed. Bucky nodded and cupped his palms, shutting his eyes and taking a deep breath.

"Profundis deorsum ignis, et-" Bucky began the incantation, his voice powerful and his pronunciation clear. Suddenly the door swung open and Bucky almost fell off of his bed, turning to face whoever walked in. Then he saw Steve looking confused, a brow arched
"What are you doing, buck? I heard you laughing and then some weird noises-" 
"Oh my God Steven Grant Rogers I'm gonna kill you," Bucky wheezed, clutching his chest, "You scared the ever-living crap outta me. Ever heard of knockin', punk?" Steve sighed and smiled
"Sorry Buck, but what were you doing?" Bucky's eyes widened imperceptibly and he straightened his spine
"Just remembering some funny memories, 's all. Nothing to worry about, Stevie," He smiled, hoping his charm would be enough to get him out of this one. Steve's eyes narrowed, casting a not-so-subtle glance around the room before directing his gaze back at Bucky. He pursed his lips and smirked

"So, if you're not busy or anythin', jerk, you won't mind if I join ya?" He smiled innocently. And, by the stars, that look could bring God himself to his knees. Bucky gulped and looked to Aitamah, who was sitting silently
"Mind helping me out?" He asked her, almost desperate. He could feel the magic curling up his spine and putting pressure on his solar plexus. Aitamah looked at him and laughed 
"And how, pray tell, do you want me to do that?" She teased, Bucky bit his lip and smiled at Steve who was looking more and more suspicious by the minute. 
"Just, I don't know! Scare him or somethin', not that hard Aita," Bucky groaned in his mind, Aitamah laughed and hummed her assent. Bucky gestured for Steve to sit. Steve looked shocked, expecting to be told to leave, shook his head and walked to sit next to Bucky. When he got too close, and Bucky gave Aitamah the order, Aitamah growled and pounced at him. Just as planned, Bucky jumped and grabbed Aitamah by the stomach and pushed her back

"Aitamah! Bad, DOWN!" Aitamah nipped at his ear and he winced, growling at her, "DOWN!" 
Steve, paler than normal, watched as Aitamah growled at him again and curled up against the wall. Bucky huffed and turned back to Steve, taking a step forward and watching as Steve took a step back, "I'm so sorry Stevie, she's just being very protective. I'll try and calm her down and talk to you at dinner, yeah?" Steve just nodded and practically ran from the room. Bucky bit his lip and looked back at Aitamah, "I feel bad..." 

Aitamah huffed and cocked her head, "Don't. You know he'll get over it sooner rather than later. He'll be fine. Now, let's try that again but do the incantation in your head, Okay?" Bucky nodded, frowning but sitting down anyway. As he mentally chanted the incantation with closed eyes, there was a heat swelling in his fingers, then his palms. When he opened his eyes, he had a full flame. Suppressing a cheer, he smiled and looked to Aitamah for instruction, "Good, good. Okay, now imagine the flame twisting and moulding into a ball," Bucky raised an eyebrow but shook his head and closed his eyes, doing as told. When he opened his eyes again, there was a ball of fire. Bucky smiled brightly, his mind wondering to Steve. How would he react to Bucky having magic? Then he thought of his smile, those ocean-blue eyes. The way he never backed down from a fight if it meant protecting someone's honour. Aitamah cackled and he opened his eyes, and in his palms was a mini-steve made from the fire he summoned. Bucky stared a little then shook his head and blinked dumbly at the incredibly detailed fire figure. Aitamah continued to cackle as the fire diminishes when Bucky shook it away. He grumbled at Aitamah and sighed as Sarah called him and Steve for dinner. 

"Stay here, Aita. I'll be fine on my own for a minute or two," He sighed. He hadn't been without Aitamah in the three weeks she'd been here. Biting his lip gently, he stepped out of the room and walked through to the dining room. Steve and Sarah sat at the well-worn mahogany table, waiting for him. Bucky smiled nervously as he sat down next to Steve. Steve gave a nervous glance at bucky and relaxed when he saw that Aitamah wasn't there. Bucky apologised again to Steve and ruffled his hair as Sarah brought them their meals. They thanked her and began to eat in tense silence. Well, Bucky was tense. The full moon was nearing, and his magic was hellbent on making his life hell until it was here. It twisted in his stomach and curled up his spine and arms, raising his body temperature and making him very uncomfortable. Bucky had been exuding these feelings unconsciously, and Steve shifted to look at him. Buck had his eyes glued to the plate, this knuckles white against the silver fork he held. Gripping so hard that the metal could bend, he ate stiffly. Steve narrowed his eyes and took a bite of his food, scrutinising Bucky to look for any obvious causes of discomfort. Soon enough, the air was so thick with stress it was almost suffocating and Steve slammed his cutlery down. Startled, Bucky looked up at him with wide eyes and silently asked what was wrong.

Steve almost flipped the table as he sharply stood, "Right, that's it. What is wrong with you? Spit it out, Buchanan," he growled. Bucky was taken aback. Steve never talked to him like that. Not ever. He cleared his throat and sighed, giving Steve an almost pitiful look and Steve's expression softened, "Buck, you're exuding stress. What's wrong, pal?" Bucky clenched his fists, straining against the magic pushing against his ribcage. There was a creak and heavy thudding as Aitamah crashed down the hallway and into the room. Steve squeaked and jumped away as Aitamah ran straight over to Bucky, vaulting over the table and actually knocking him to the floor in his chair

"Deep breaths, kid, or we're gonna have a problem. Hey, Bucky? Master? Kid?!" Bucky couldn't hear her over the combative roar of his blood and his magic in his ears. Something was wrong. It felt like his magic was trying to tear him apart, "Kid! Dammit!" Aitamah turned to Steve, grabbing his pant leg and pulling him in the direction of Bucky. She barked, annoyed that she couldn't talk, trying to convey what was wrong. Steve looked at Aitamah's panicked form and then Bucky's convulsing body and nodded. He knelt down and gently put his hands on either side of Bucky's head
"Bucky? Buck? Can you hear me? Hey, I need you to take a breath," Steve tried, his voice gentle. Bucky couldn't hear or see anything. Pictures of a field flashed through his mind, a lamp by the side of a road, a house of some kind and a mass of twisting, foul-smelling darkness. 

Aitamah realised what was going on and pulled Steve back by the shirt. Steve yelled out in surprise.
"What the hell?! Aitamah stop, I need to help him!" Steve attempted to free his shirt from her grip but he couldn't. Eventually, he gave in, watching his friend with worried eyes. It was a minute before he stopped convulsing and twitching and went still, and Aitamah let go of Steve. The blond stumbled, rushing to Bucky's side and bent over to listen and see if he was still breathing. He was, and Steve breathed in relief. Quickly, barely giving Steve time to move away, Bucky's eyes snapped open and he sat up. Aitamah ran over as Bucky pushed himself up onto his hands and knees as he coughed and wheezed, taking shaky breaths. He sat back on his knees and pet Aitamah, still wheezing and coughing.

Steve sat, dumbfounded, for a moment before he lunged forward and knocked Bucky to the floor in a crushing hug, "What in the actual fuck, James?!" Steve looked terrified, and Bucky knew as much as the blue-eyed boy never swore, or used his first name, "Wh- I- Just what the fuck?! I thought you were dead, convulsing like that. What the hell happened?!" Bucky sat stock still for a minute before relaxing into Steve's arms. He breathed deeply, the scent of honey, paint and ocean breeze filling his nose. Steve. His fuzzy mind began to restructure itself properly. He pushed Steve gently away to look into his eyes. Ocean waves and twilight skies twinkled back at him, snatching Bucky's breath from his lungs in a sharp exhale. His heart sped, his body felt hotter and he scooted away from Steve slightly. Clearing his throat, he looked away and tried to muster an explanation

"I... Don't know. One moment I was fine, then everything hurt and I couldn't hear. Then- I think I blacked out- Aitamah was there and so were you," He said truthfully, omitting the part about what he saw. Aitamah gave him a look and Steve narrowed his eyes, suspecting there was more but deciding not to press him about it. 

Steve watched as Bucky and Aitamah looked at each other, Bucky's jaw twitching slightly as if he was speaking. Aitamah seemed to respond to some form of silent communication. Steve looked on with suspicious eyes. Something was going on with Bucky, and Steve was going to find out. A couple hours, and many many assurances, Steve decided to let Buck have his time- so why was he stood outside Bucky's room in the middle of the night? He didn't know. That was a lie, he was spying, but he felt bad somewhere in the back of his head. In Steve's defence, he only wanted to make sure Bucky was okay and he wasn't having another episode of... whatever that was. Steve shook his head and watched through the keyhole of the door. There was movement, thudding. Aitamah? No, it was too heavy. Steve strained his eyes and watched as Bucky grabbed something- A book?- from under his bed and sat on the mat facing the door. Steve could see a lot better, now. He was holding a very old-looking book. Steve furrowed his brow, Bucky wasn't much of a reader. He was more the theatre type... Aitamah padded over and sat next to him, peering upon the book as if she were reading. Bucky chuckled and shook his head

"No, Aitamah. I don't think I have the energy for that one tonight, not after- what was it you called them?" Bucky was silent for a minute before nodding, "Right, right. Visions. Anyway, haven't the energy for that. Hmm, what about this one?" He shrugged, pointing to a section on the page the book was opened to. Steve was becoming more and more disturbed the longer he watched. Bucky was talking... to Aitamah... And Aitamah was talking back, Steve guessed by Bucky's reactions. Suddenly there was a thump and Steve refocussed as Bucky set down the book and cupped his palms. He was talking again- in... Latin? It sounded like that, anyway. Steve's eyes widened when Bucky's arms started to glow under his woollen jumper. A gasp escaped him when Bucky produced a figure of fire from his hands. It finally clicked, Bucky was a witch! He scrambled back from the door as it opened to reveal a frantic-looking Bucky.

"Stevie? Wh-" Bucky knelt down and began to reach out towards Steve, but Steve flinched away
"Don't touch me, witch," he spat and Bucky's eyes widened considerably, Aitamah looking between them. She looked almost worried, and Bucky glanced at her
"Steve, wait- please, let me explain," Bucky tried, but Steve gave him a firm shove and stood, backing away from the brunet. Bucky looked on the edge of tears, but Steve's mind was too scrambled to notice as he put on his coat and scarf. He heard scrambling and there was a gentle weight on his right shoulder. Steve spun around and shoved his hand away
"I said don't. Touch. Me," he grit out. Bucky winced but grabbed him again when he started walking out the front door. Steve screamed, but it was muffled when Bucky out his hands over his mouth.
"Shh! Shhh, Steve shut up!" He growled when Steve started thrashing in his hold. Pinned against the wall by his best friend- no, a witch, Steve had no option other than to go still. Hatred in his eyes as Bucky pulled his hands away, he stood and waited. 

"Steve, you can't tell anyone. Please," Steve let out an indignant huff of laughter. Who was this demon to tell him what to do? This- This creature that claimed to be his friend. 
"I can, and I damn well will. Now, I'm warning you, touch me again and I will wake up the entire village."
"Stevie-"
"You have no right to call me that!" Steve whisper-yelled, getting in Bucky's face, "You have no right. You lied to me, I took you in, I protected you! And you were- You-" Steve stumbled on his words, rage pulsing through his veins. Bucky was crying now, and a part of Steve wanted just to crumble into his embrace and wipe his tears. He stayed as he was though, his mind still reeling from his discovery, "After everything we've been through, James," His voice cracked when he said its name, but he continued relentlessly, "How could you lie to me? After everything I've done for you, everything I put on the line?" Steve was so hurt. So confused as to why James had lied to him, had tricked him into caring about him. He shook his head and put on his shoes that sat by the door, walking out into the icy, bitter Winter air. He heard someone jogging behind him and rolled his eyes, quickening his pace

"Steve, I'm still Bucky, I'm still your friend."
"My friend? I don't associate with- with your kind," Bucky looked as though his heart had shattered upon hearing those words. 
"Steve, please. You don't understand, just hear me out. What happened to 'the end of the line?'" Bucky called after him and Steve froze, feeling horrible now. He had promised James he wouldn't leave him... But James was a witch... A sinner, a liar and a demon. But that archetype didn't fit his Bucky. His beautiful, kind, happy-go-lucky Bucky. He chewed on his lip, sighing and nodding

"Five minutes. That's all. Talk."