[oom] training ground

[nerves_of_ice]

He'd made a promise, and he intends to deliver. He just also intends to make sure it's not the sort of thing that draws an audience - especially not any of the kids.

It takes a little while to find a clearing further out but within reasonable distance of the hut, then a little bit longer to set it up with a waterproof chest and some basic equipment. But eventually it's ready, or good enough as.

Once the goats are taken care of for the morning, he takes up position under the usual shade tree to scratch out a few notes in his latest journal and to wait for Sharon to drop by. If she's got time this afternoon, if she's not busy with Shuri or Ayo, well, then they'll see.

Comments

[nerves_of_ice]

"Well, it is," he says, mildly.

It's been a little while since he's gotten the chance to talk to Steve, or Natasha, or even Sam Wilson. He knows, he knows it won't do anyone any good if he screws everything up by leaving Wakanda too early, but there's no evading the guilt that washes over him in waves from time to time.

"I'll do everything I can."

[from_the_outside]

"I know you will, baby."

Of that, she has absolutely zero doubt. She pours the steaming water over the grounds, stirs the mass together, and sets the timer before coming back over to him. "So, did you have some kind of plan in mind?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Plan's a strong word for it," he drawls. "But I put together a couple of things and a space to practice, at least to start."

[from_the_outside]

"Sounds like plenty."

When the timer goes off, she heads back to the French press to slowly depress the plunger, then fills the two mugs. She hands one to Bucky, then doctors her own with milk and sugar.

[nerves_of_ice]

"It'll do for a start, anyway." He takes a sip of the coffee she hands him and smiles. "Thanks."

Bucky studies her for a second. "Is there anything in particular you'd want to work on?"

[from_the_outside]

"Yes."

No use in denying it; he knows she's been thinking about this. Even more since the rumble at the Gotham docks. "You know I have good technique. But I need to develop a broader style. Something more adaptable."

Her lips quirk, wry. "Something a little more suited to being outnumbered."

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky nods. "Something a little more 'anything goes', blended from multiple fighting styles," he suggests. "You're really good with strikes and force and even in the clinch, but --"

He shifts the coffee cup to his left hand and reaches out to touch her shoulder, very gently, remembering.

"-- you could stand to be faster. For one thing."

[from_the_outside]

"No kidding."

She could never be as fast as him, for obvious reasons, but she could be faster than she is. Which brings her to another point, one she hadn't wanted to say at the time, on their way to Gotham, because he knew it as well as she did.

But it should be said. "And I'm not even as fast right now as I was before. You know it, I know it. I haven't been training regularly."

If she's being honest, she had no business being in that fight with the Twelve Brothers in Silk. "Things are so peaceful here, but I... can't lose my edge, Bucky."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I know," he murmurs. "We'll fix it. I'll help. I promise."

[from_the_outside]

"I don't know what I'd do if I lost that."

It would mean losing herself, even more. Losing herself completely. No more Agent Carter, let alone Agent 13.

And she's just not ready to think about giving it up.

She nods and sips at her coffee, then smiles at him, crooked. "Damn straight we will."

[nerves_of_ice]

"You won't have to find out." He moves his hand up from her shoulder, brushing his fingers through her hair, then pulls back and switches his coffee back into his right hand before taking another swallow.

He can hear the echo of the murmur from his memory as he tells her the same thing he'd said to Natasha, then to Yelena, years ago, his voice just a little rough.

"By the time we're through, you'll be better than good."

[from_the_outside]

She tips her head into his touch as she sips at her coffee, her eyes bright and warm as she watches him. "I like the sound of that."

And she likes even more that he's saying it on his own initiative; that he wants to do this.

She doesn't care how slow they need to take it. Just this is like opening a window and breathing in the fresh air after being stuck inside for a month. "I'll get changed, okay?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Okay." He lifts his mug to her and heads for the door. "Come on out when you're ready. I'll show you where we'll be."

[from_the_outside]

She takes a scalding gulp of her coffee, then sets the mug down and heads over toward her tote, stripping her shirt off along the way. Once dressed in light, comfortable workout gear, she ties her hair up into a ponytail and retrieves her coffee to finish it before heading outside to blink in the sun.

"Okay, let's go."

[nerves_of_ice]

He sets his empty mug at the back of the hut to wash later and tips his head toward the woods. “This way.”

Bucky absently checks the angle of the sun as they walk. “Plenty of time. I figured it’d be best to have somewhere the kids weren’t likely to run across us.”

[from_the_outside]

"Probably a good idea."

She walks easily at his side, stretching her shoulders and back as they go. "They might think it's a new game."

[nerves_of_ice]

“They might. And it’s not like I haven’t…” He trails off there for a few seconds before saying, “But I don’t think it would be a good idea. The tribes have their own training for those who want to fight. It’s not something I’d…interfere with.”

He ducks through into a small trail, holding the brush out of the way for her.

[from_the_outside]

"Haven't what? Worked with kids before?"

She knows he has: at the Y, certainly, before everything. And – well, whether the girls in the Black Widow program could be rightfully called kids is a question too complicated for her to muddle through just now.

[nerves_of_ice]

“Yeah.” He sounds thoughtful about it. “Although it was different then. Both ways. But still. That’s not how these kids see me, not really, and I … it’s okay that they don’t. Come through here.”

He pulls a stand of bushes at the side of the trail open for her, revealing the short distance to the neat little clearing beyond. It’s obvious that he’d spent some time getting rid of brush and branches and checking the ground underfoot to make sure it was ready.

[from_the_outside]

"I get it." These kids see him as a playmate, not a teacher. She loves that about them, and about him, too.

She ducks through the brush and studies the clearing. "This'll work."

[nerves_of_ice]

“Figured it’d do to start with, anyway. There’s some basic equipment in the chest over there. Wraps, padding, that kind of thing. No weapons - yet, anyway.”

He looks over at her. “Ready?”

[from_the_outside]

"Uh-huh."

Always. Even when she's rusty. Sharon Carter has never had a day when she couldn't go from relaxed to time to throw down in 0.01 seconds.

She bounces a little on the balls of her feet, and tries to keep from feeling too giddy about it all. He still has some reservations. She's got to remember that. "You?"

[nerves_of_ice]

She’s trying to hide her excitement, but it’s so completely obvious that he can’t help but feel a wash of fondness as he looks at her. They should have done this long ago. He should have done this long ago.

“Yes,” he promises. “Come on. Stretches first. You’re going to need to be as limber as possible in just a few minutes.”

[from_the_outside]

She nods and moves into a flow of warm-up stretches, unself-conscious as she works her back and shoulders, loosens her neck, coaxes her tight hamstrings and calves into relaxing.

Her blood is beating bright through her, and she can't quell her excitement, no matter how much she tries to remember he's doing this mostly just so she doesn't get her ass killed on some mission down the line. "Better," she says, rolling her shoulders.

Not perfect until she's warmed up, but it'll do.

[nerves_of_ice]

"Sparring first," he says. "Let me get a look at your technique in a little different way this time."

It's very, very wry, but his gaze is steady and serious. "Then I've got a few ideas. So when you're ready... come on."