Atlas | Avatar!OC x Bucky Barnes

13 - Panic Mode

Thursday, May 28th, 4:30 pm

Atlas and Bucky were in the training facilities sparring with bo staffs - Atlas's specialty. And despite her expertise, Bucky was still giving her a run for her money. But all things considered, Atlas was still doing well defending herself against a super soldier. Right after Atlas went in for a hit to Bucky's side, Bucky copied her attack and went for the side of her ribs. Atlas quickly defended herself by angling her stick perpendicular to Bucky's, effectively blocking his attack. She then forced Bucky's staff to the floor and spun around, gaining momentum. Just as she was about to hit Bucky on the side, she stopped, lightly tapping the area with the stick instead.

"Gotcha," Atlas said, smirking at her first real win against Bucky. The super soldier sighed in defeat but also admired Atlas's progress since she had arrived. And because of her development, Bucky was starting to trust Atlas more as they learned more about each other's abilities.

When she first got to the Avengers tower, Atlas was weaker, and she was out of practice. And although it wasn't a super enjoyable process all the time, Atlas liked the feeling of her old strength and her old skills coming back to her as the days went by. She liked having the time and proper facilities to experiment with her newfound abilities, and she enjoyed the fact that maybe she could help people with them - if she ever learned how to control them.

"How'd you do that?" Bucky asked her, questioning her technique once again but also smiling at Atlas for her small victory over him.

"It's the same thing I've used against you many times. I'm using your own force against you, but this time, with a weapon. Like this." Atlas showed him the stance that she had taken when Bucky tried to attack her side and positioned her staff vertically. "Now, when you strike my side, I'm blocking you and forcing your staff down to the ground, and therefore you to the ground as well." Bucky mimicked the slow-motion attack, gradually swinging the bo staff towards Atlas's ribs. She slowly forced the base of his staff down, and he was forced to bend over. Atlas slowly turned around and swung her stick to Bucky's other side. "Now I have access to the other side of your body, and I can attack anywhere I want."

"Your grandfather taught you all of this?"

"He started teaching this to me just before he died, but I was left to kinda figure the rest out on my own after that," Atlas responded. "...Did you learn to fight in the army?" the airbender asked.

"A little. I learned how to shoot with the military," Bucky started, acknowledging his superior marksmanship. "I think most of my combat training was from HYDRA," Bucky responded, not entirely sure of his past. The look on Bucky's face was the same one when he realized HYDRA was still out there. The disappointment and trauma that took over his face was a look that Atlas was all too familiar with. Bucky started to zone out, memories flashing through his head.

"Bucky?" Atlas asked him as he firmly stared at the floor. Both his fists, metal and flesh, started to clench and unclench harshly, and his own nails on his human hand dug into the skin of his palm. Atlas needed to talk him down. She took a few quick steps towards Bucky. "Bucky," she said a little louder. "Look at me, James," Atlas almost yelled, getting nervous as emotions flowed through Bucky's head. Atlas put her hands on the side of his face, forcing his gaze from the floor to her darker hazel eyes, knowing that the eye contact could help ground him just a little bit. "I sorry I asked," Atlas said much more quietly, now knowing that anything to do with HYDRA was a trigger of Buckys.

"It's okay," Bucky said quietly, his gaze remaining on Atlas, her hands lowering from his face. He forced himself to snap out of it, trying to push down what he was feeling before. He needed a distraction. "Wanna go hand-to-hand?" Bucky asked.