Distressed // Steve Rogers

4 - Mystery

The crowd had gathered to watch the show and what a show it was. The Winter Widow circled her opponent slowly, her eyes raking over him as she bit her lip with a soft smirk. The glow of excitement and anticipation hung from her, sparkling for those who dared to look her in the eye and she kept her pace. She never stopped. She did not take a single misstep. She was precise, controlled. She was a predator.

Her lashes swept over her cheeks as she closed her eyes and when she opened them they were lifeless and dull. The shimmer of the emerald jewels was gone and in its place ice took the throne. The change was almost imperceptible, hard to notice for most, but Bucky knew that look and he knew it too well. He'd seen it before; in footage from the past and in murky memories that haunted his nights. It was the look of someone who had lost their grip on humanity.

Despite the gnawing and clawing sensation that ripped through him as he watched her prepare to fight, Bucky knew she would win. He had watched her closely in these weeks spent at the club, always sitting by himself as she studied the men around her, always removed from her as she fought back against unwanted hands on her body. He had watched as she snapped the fingers of three men tonight alone. She didn't need protecting.

No, Bucky was sure of the fact she did not need protecting. She just needed saving.

*

With each step the monstrous man before her was assessing her: smiling to himself as he took in her small stature and her wiry arms. She didn't look strong. But he didn't know her secret. None of them knew her secret and pleasure surged through her as he took his first poorly calculated step. As she had predicted, he was going for brawn over brains. This would be too easy.

She wove around him, ducking quickly to avoid the clash of his fist against her jaw and smirking as he stumbled with the swing of his weight. He cursed as she kicked out at him, her foot connecting with his gut as the air was forced from his lungs. As he staggered back, correcting his stance and shaking off the shock of her impact, The Winter Widow swung herself around and kicked once more, this time allowing her full force to connect with the side of his face. Blood spewed from his mouth as he grunted and she jumped back, putting distance between them as he eyed her angrily. She widened her eyes, allowing herself to look weak and mild, before grinning wickedly and laughing at his furious expression. It took him a moment, but he soon smoothed his features into a mask of distaste and disappointment.

"They said you were better than that, Princess." He sneered at her as he wiped the blood from his mouth and stepped towards her again.

Her smile dropped.

"I am not your princess," she spat at him, "and I'm the best."

As he charged towards her she ran, hurtling through the space at him she assessed her surroundings and launched herself to the left, springboarding off of the side of the ring, flinging herself into the air and towards his torso. On impact she wrapped around him, ensuring her leg snaked tightly across his neck and hooked under his shoulder as she flipped forwards, pulling him down with her and smacking him into the ground.

Rolling off of him she jumped up to her feet and placed a foot against his chest, pinning him down with the pressure she applied.

"Oh come on Big Guy," she mocked, "they said you were better than that."

She knew the world would go black to him the second her boot smashed down on his face, and she took great pleasure in knowing she was watched as she did so. This was her domain and sooner or later these men would realise that.

The sound of slow applause drew her attention away from the unconscious brute at her feet and her eyes snapped up to meet the lustful gaze of her handler. He leant casually against the ring, tracing her body with his eyes as she stood tall in the centre of attention, watching her with burning desire. Heat rose in her cheeks as she watched him shake his head slightly, his bottom lip caught between his teeth as a small groan escaped him and she pulled her eyes to the corner of the room, avoiding the way she knew he would touch her if she went to him.