The Fighter

8

Tessa

Wanda hadn't been messing around while I was gone. While I'd spent my months away working at a diner with Rune, Wanda had been practicing. And today, she'd kicked my ass.

The hot water from the spray of the shower head only promised that I'd feel even worse tomorrow. I should have been practicing while I was away, but who was I going to spar with? Rune hadn't revealed her actual identity to me yet and the apartment was too small to set up anything I could practice my fighting moves on.

The only thing I had actually stayed on top of was my yoga and even then it had been a hassle to get my daily yoga session in while working so much.

Hot water fell down my back in heavy drops as I turned off the shower and reached for my towel, wrapping the fluffy blue fabric around my body and grabbing another for my hair.

After getting the majority of the water out of my hair, I used the towel to wipe off off the mirror. Even through the warped glass from the water, I could tell I was going to have quite a few bruises. My super soldier body would get rid of them by tomorrow morning, but I was still sore now.

Damn it, I shouldn't have let myself get out of practice. I should have joined a gym. If I tried to catch up now, I'd be sore for weeks. Wanda wouldn't go easy on me to let me catch up and my dad wouldn't be hard enough as a coach.

There weren't many options, most of the others in the house wouldn't want to deal with Bucky staring at them while they trained with me. He's had a major staring problem lately.

I could just ask Bucky to train with me?

I couldn't even begin to list how bad of an idea that would be. We weren't okay, maybe on the way there but we weren't. We wouldn't be until he stopped defending Natasha, stopped making excuses for what had happened and make me feel secure with the idea of there being an us again.

After getting dressed, I left my room, heading into the kitchen to get something to eat. Believe it or not, getting your ass kicked worked up an appetite.

I wasn't the only one in the kitchen though. Sam and Clint has just opened beers and it seemed like Sam was making something that smelled like heaven.

"Hey Tessa, just in time. I'm making a few grilled cheese to hold us over until the party, do you want one?" Sam asked, leaning back against the counter and holding a beer out to me.

Sam was the only one who didn't seem to care if Bucky got upset with him for being friendly with me. If I were any less of a good person, I'd show Bucky exactly how it feels to see someone you love with someone else.

I took the beer, popping the tab off with my keys before sliding them into my back pocket. "What party?"

"Oh, right. I forgot you just got back. T'Challa decided to throw a welcome party for Rune. He wanted to surprise her. Last chance, yes or no for a grilled cheese?"

"Are you making tomato soup?"

"No, I didn't feel like it."

I rolled my eyes and took a drink before setting it aside to grab a small pot. "I'll make the tomato soup if you want me a sandwich."