Never break a sweat for the other guys

[recurve]

Who| Kate + Bucky
What| Training + Friend-making.
Where| Training center
When| Backdated to just after this.
Warnings/Notes| N/A

There was a small rush that came from the prospect of meeting Bucky. Call it a form of hero worship, maybe, even if he was a lot different from the man she'd encountered back home. He was still who he was, Kate was sure of it. That man she'd met back in that cemetery on that snowy December night was alive somewhere in this punk kid, just as sure as that punk kid had to exist somewhere in that wicked-cute older man.

Sparring with him and seeing just what he had in him was of course an added bonus. Kate wanted to show off, too. She was better now than she'd been back when she and older!Bucky first met, and having no experience with the younger model, she wanted to gauge herself properly. The other benefit to this was his reputation. She might not know him very well, but he had pluck enough to go around. And as nice as the people in her own "District" seemed, she was pretty keen when it came to seeking out other perspectives and potential avenues for escape. And who better to investigate said opportunities with than her own world's resident ass-kicking name-taker?

As soon as she'd gotten off the network, she'd gone straight to the training facility. She didn't have a bow in mind this time. For now, she wanted to work with her hands, and she was genuinely optimistic about whatever came from this little match with Bucky. Was she going to show off? Yes, of course. Was it going to be worth it? She sure hoped it would.

Comments

[deadthenred]

"Pleased to meetcha," he says, with a practiced handshake. He didn't have to shake so many hands as a politician, but he figured it was close.

[recurve]

They shake and Kate feels slightly more at ease. He's still a puzzle, this younger version of that man in the cemetery, but at least he seems tangible now, and not just some figment of an overworked imagination. "So, are you going to teach me to use my fists, or what?"

[deadthenred]

"Right, right." He straightens his collar out— he finds all the clothes they got here itchy. "First, you can't shake any hands. That just makes it easy to twist off your wrist."

Half of him was joking, but half of him wasn't. It was all serious, and that was always when he tried joking.

[recurve]

"I'll keep that in mind," she says, lips twisting into something that is quite unimpressed. If this is his idea of a joke, it's falling a little flat with Kate. "Next time we greet each other, I'll swing at you."

[deadthenred]

"You'll try." Then he shakes his head, a bit more worried.

"I mean it, though. There are people who're out to kill you, and some of 'em play nice." His paranoia was winding him together, even if he wanted to let it go. "I got a Nazi like that, once. Stole his clothes, too." In that moment, he isn't proud. He shakes his head like he's hoping something'll fall off of it.

[recurve]

He might not be proud, but Kate thinks it's a neat story, though she doesn't appreciate the insinuation that she's helpless or gullible.

"Is this your way of saying you'd stab me in the back if you got the chance?"

[deadthenred]

"I'm saying, how do you know I won't?"

[recurve]

"You're Bucky," she said without thinking, realizing a second later that that answer didn't make any sense. She didn't know him, even the older version she'd known she couldn't exactly say she trusted. But the image of him, what was projected and presented to the world, all of that was trustworthy, wasn't it? At the very least it was meant to be perceived that way. "Captain America trusted you."

[deadthenred]

There was a lot more to it than what the showed on the newsreels. But Steve did trust him. Steve had trusted him from the beginning, for reasons Bucky didn't understand, or couldn't. He wanted so bad to be worthy of that kindness, but it crooked on him, two sizes too big.

"I guess you got me there," he said.

[recurve]

And who was she to doubt Cap?

"I guess I do," she agreed, crossing her arms around her. "So, teach me to fight. Show me what you can do."

[deadthenred]

"Alright, then. Let's go." He took a fighting stance, putting his weight between stillness and movement. It was obvious he expected her to match him.

[recurve]

She didn't quite match him, instead opting for something more comfortable and familiar for her. But it was close, and it wasn't entirely wrong. It simply wasn't precise to matching Bucky. Which she was more than capable of, but that wasn't the point. Not yet, anyway.

[deadthenred]

"Okay, so try to hit me, then." He didn't budge except for his moving mouth, the blink of his eyes. Truth be told, he still felt a bit weird about hitting a girl.

[recurve]

"Okay." And try, she would. With decent enough form, she drew her arm back and readied to hit at his stomach. Why mess up that cute face of his?

[deadthenred]

It was better form than he was expecting, but he could still dodge it, stepping to the side and thrusting back with the meat of his palm. Not as hard as he would've, if it were a real fight. But hitting still came natural.

[recurve]

Kate stumbled back from the contact, finding her footing again a moment later. It didn't come quite as naturally to her, getting hit or pushed around, but she could take it. She could stay up. And if she kept her wits about her, she was sure she could take him. Or at least she could learn a thing or two.

[deadthenred]

"That was good," he nodded. Bucky was genuinely impressed, but he wasn't gonna get sappy about it. He rubbed his hands together and worked up a wicked grin.

"Okay," he said. "Again."

[recurve]

Of course it was good. She wasn't a greenhorn or anything. But then again, Bucky wouldn't know that. He probably expected her to fight like a girl. Welp. He had another thing coming.

Kate matched his grin with one of her own, suddenly feeling quite determined to smack that smile off his face. "I won't hold back this time."

And with that, she charged.

[deadthenred]

Her charge gave him more momentum to work with, more force to throw back at her. He didn't try to dodge her, exactly, but he stepped most of himself out of the way, bringing his arm out in a block.

[recurve]

Kate let out a sharp cry as she was forced to change directions in order to stay on course to strike him. His sudden move and blocking made her reevaluate at the last second, but it was too late for hesitation. She was committed to this and she was determined to land a hit.

She led with her right, swinging at him hard.

[deadthenred]

When you swing that hard, you leave other parts of your body open. Bucky shifts his weight, and tries to position himself so that he'll take a glancing blow to get a better jab at her side.

[recurve]

She gasped. His fist hit and her side hurt. But she jerked with her shoulder, throwing all of her weight at him in an effort to knock him off balance.

[deadthenred]

He stumbled backwards, catching himself in another fighting pose, another devil-grin.

"Alright," he said. "You wanna keep going?"

[recurve]

"Of course." She staggered, gaining her balance again and matching his position. "Unless you're too tired or something. I can go all day."

[deadthenred]

"Nah," he said, not needing to move. "This is what I was born to do."

But she was tougher than he would've thought. She'd fought before, he was sure of it. But that isn't what he said, cocking his head to the side. "When you throw your whole fist like that, you open up your side."

[recurve]

Kate's eyebrows went up and she nodded, taking what he was saying to heart. She'd be sure to block him next time. "Thanks for the tip. Bucky."

[deadthenred]

He didn't understand why she kept saying his name like that, but his mind was stuck to other stuff. Bucky was reminded, again, that Kate knew him from somewhere else, somewhere he was growing pretty sure wasn't just newsreels and war posters. It was easier to get his mind stuck to other stuff.

"So are you gonna hit me, or what?"

[recurve]

"Hold your horses, hotshot." Yes, she was going to hit him. And she was going to keep her side guarded this time. It's more work, it's harder, and it doesn't feel quite natural yet, but she's determined that she'll do it right this time. This one was more like a jab, short and sweet, in and out really fast.

[deadthenred]

"Better."

He has to dodge, he can't use her momentum against her, like last time. If she keeps this up, she can force him to into a corner, someplace he won't have room to fight. But Bucky's not gonna let that happen. He drops down low, for a sweeping kick, showing more speed than he has so far.

[recurve]

He was fast, sure, but Kate was no slouch either. She reacted as soon as he dropped, springing up to try jumping over him.

[deadthenred]

She can jump over him, sure, but now he's on the other side of her, throwing a punch of his own. He isn't holding back, anymore, not more than's usual for sparring.

[recurve]

Attempts were made to duck and dodge, but quick as she may have been, he certainly had a leg up on her in terms of skills at hand. Lucky for her, she was a quick study and she thought she could get a good handle on what he might do next, if only she could draw this out a bit longer.

Unfortunately, fist met face and for an instant her ears were ringing and she couldn't recall anything except pain.

[deadthenred]

This time he doesn't stop. he presses the advantage, trying for a jab on her right shoulder. He thought it'd be weird, hitting a girl, but once he's fighting, really fighting, it's hard to see how that matters.

[recurve]

Kate went down, hard. Her head hurt. Everything hurt. And she couldn't see straight for a second before she stumbled and scurried and tried to get away from him. No way was she giving up, but she had to shake it off, otherwise she'd wind up in worse shape.

[deadthenred]

He waited for her to get up, his muscles still tensed, his body still lean in its lines, weight still light on his feet. This time he didn't ask if she was done. Bucky didn't expect her to quit.

[recurve]

'Okay, Katie, get your head in the game.' It was like a mantra, the way she kept repeating that to herself. The world wasn't spinning anymore, but she was still aching. Aching, but refusing to give in. She darted back into the thick of it, once she felt better balanced. This time instead of aiming for him, she intended to let him take the first swing.

[deadthenred]

Bucky expected her to get up. He didn't expect her to wait, like that, and it threw him a bit off-center, and so when he threw the next punch, it was unbalanced.

[recurve]

She'd been hoping for that, hoping for this chance to get him off guard. She ducked to the side, letting his weight carry him without making contact with her.

[deadthenred]

He knows what she's doing, then, but it's too late. The fight's happening faster than he can think it. Bucky throws his weight a bit, trying to get back on top of himself.

[recurve]

Close quarters has always been her weakest point, but she doesn't doubt her next move. Thinking on her feet, she launches herself at him. If she can't land a decent hit, she may as well try to go for a tackle. There's nothing half-hearted about it, Kate is committed to it one hundred percent.