The Fighter

12

Rune

Steve and Natasha has gone to T'Challa, hoping he could find Wanda. I had heard a few rumors about Vision, the robot AI that Tony Stark and Bruce Banner had created to stop Ultron and none of them pointed to being able to find them. Vision was smart and Wanda was good at hiding. With Wanda gone, the men now drastically outweighed the women and I missed her already.

Breakfast had come and gone before Tess appeared in the kitchen, her hair a mess and she was wearing a shirt that was obviously too big for her. It hung to her mid thigh and I tried to suppress a laugh as she grabbed a glass and a bottle of orange juice.

"Fun night?" I asked right before taking a drink of my own orange juice. I knew she hadn't left Bucky's room the night before, suddenly very happy that I was placed in a room the level above hers and Buckys. Anyone near their room probably heard exactly what they'd been doing the night before.

Tess only smiled at me as she poured some of the juice into the glass and placed the bottle back into the fridge. She placed her elbows on the counter, bent over a bit as she took a long drink before speaking. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You are such a liar. You could have brushed your hair or put pants on if you wanted to sell that bullshit. I'm guessing you and Bucky are back together now?"

"You know what, Rune? I'm going to kick your ass in training today." Her smile betrayed her threat and we both started laughing before she continued. "But yes, we are. Bucky said he was going to fake fights with me just to make up again."

I laughed, rolling my eyes at her giddy attitude. This wasn't a side of Tess I had seen but it was adorable. Seeing my best friend in a blissful state filled my heart with joy. I had met her during heartbreak, and while I hadn't meant to befriend her, it had just made sense. "Be careful with that. If Steve ever hears you guys, he'll loose his shit. I do have a pretty serious question though, if your brain isn't clouded from sex."

She straightened, taking another sip before she put on a serious face. "Go ahead."

Now that the conversation was on the brink of beginning, I was terrified. "Does it bother you? That your dad might be my soulmate? And I'm your friend. Don't you find it weird?"

Tess paused, the glass halfway to her lips before she sat it down on the counter with a soft click. "Not really. You're my best friend and I know you want a soulmate. It's hard to describe but Steve is more... a close friend in my mind. I met him later in my life, thinking that my father had died. What I do know is that he's a good guy and you are absolutely amazing. I know you'd be good for each other."

"It's not weird to think that I might be your step-mom?"

"If you start acting like it, maybe. But the both of you being happy matters more to me. Just don't try to ground me or I will kick your ass." She smiled brightly and the tension in my chest disappeared. "Now that that's handled, I need your help."

"With?"

"I want to mess with Bucky."

A few hours later, Tess and I were in the hot tub, tossing a beach ball back and forth, trying not to giggle every time we heard a sound inside the building.

Tess bounced the ball back to me, a bright smile on her lips. "We are so going to die."

I laughed, knocking it back to her. "If he figures it out, I'm blaming it on you completely."

She faked a look of betrayal, her hand on her chest. "How dare you? I'll drag you down with me, Rune!"

We burst into a laughing fit, the ball flying out of range to grab from the hot water.

A loud shout interrupted our laughter.

"TESSA! I'm going to paint that ass red, where the fuck are you?!" Bucky's shout made us freeze, our gazes locked.

"I think we're in trouble." Tess whispered, moving from her side of the hot tub to mine, grabbing her glass of champagne.

"No, you're in trouble. I already said that I'll push you under the bus. Plus, he can't do shit to me."

Bucky walked outside, his eyes blazing. "Where the fuck is my arm?"

I was going to defend her until I noticed he was shirtless and that she had written across his lower stomach in what I had guessed was Sharpie 'I licked it, it's mine' and there was an arrow pointing down. I looked at her in disbelief. "You didn't!"

Tessa smiled at me before looking at Bucky. "I so did."