Punching Bag

Chapter Twelve-Recovering

Chapter Twelve

Recovering

I wake up in the morning wedged between both men, clinging to Bucky's arm with mine and holding Steve's hand on my stomach. I breathe deeply and let go of Steve's hand, then disentangle myself from Bucky's arm. Carefully, I slither out of bed and turn around to find a small apparatus with five outfits hanging on it. I move to the front and find a sticky note attached to the front of it. 

'Couldn't sleep. Made you some things. More sticky notes to explain. -The Fav Dad.' I roll my eyes, but set the note aside to keep. The first suit is a dark red at the top, then slowly fades to black at the bottom. It's a catsuit, like Natasha's, but without any tools. The sleeves also don't end, instead they turn into gloves. The same goes for the feet, but the soles have a thick padding to protect the soles. The neckline goes up to my neck and shoots up an inch in a small collar that peels away from my neck. From my chest to my hips is a strong, layered armor that reminds me of an insect's exoskeleton. The same armor goes down my shoulders and back. A little sticky note on the collar reads, 'Defense.' Grinning, I move to the next suit.

The next is silver with black stripes down the sides. It has gloves and weird not-shoes like the other, but this one has a belt and a goggle/mask. The next is navy with thin red stripes, gloves, slippers, a belt, and multiple holsters for knives and guns. This suit also has a mask that just goes over my eyes. This sticky note says, 'Combat.' Excitedly, I move to the next. 

This suit is colored with dark green, brown, and gold. My fingers are free this time, the gloves ending with a sling around my thumb. Sharp metal stubs perch over my knuckles to make built-in brass knuckles. The elbows, knees, palms, and feet are heavily padded. This suit also has a mask, but this one covers most of my face like a butterfly's wings. The nearly falling off sticky note states, 'Stealth.' 

The last suit is almost exactly like Natasha's. All black with electric blue current running through it. Batons are hooked to the belt as well as little darts attached to the wrists. I laugh as quietly as possible at this note, 'Nat's mini-me suit.' Quietly, I roll the suits into the huge closet so Steve and Bucky don't freak out when they see them, but I take the stealth suit into the bathroom and slip it on. It slides on my body like I'm coated in butter. Flexing my fists, I feel the padding in the knuckles to keep the metal from screwing up my knuckles. It feels good. 

It moves with my body and feels like a second skin without smothering me. Before the boys wake up, I slip on Bucky's sweatshirt and my baggy sweatpants. I glance in the mirror and pause, staring at my reflection. I'm smiling, I'm clean, and I've started gaining back some weight. I haven't seen myself this happy since...my parents. Blinking, I head back out to my bedroom.

I put a hand on my hip and ponder on waking the boys or leaving them to sleep. My choice is made for me when a redhead appears at my door. She beckons me with a hooked finger and I immediately follow. She takes me to the gym which is set up differently than usual. First of all, there are dummies scattered around the room in seemingly no pattern. Second, there's a table completely covered with basically every knife imaginable. Third, Natasha is smiling.

"Today, I'm your teacher and, since I like you, I'm going to teach you the secret of being a boss ass bitch." As soon as the words slip out of her mouth music fills the room playing the song. I can't help but grin and laugh harder than I have in a long time. Nat grins at me and mouths words to me. 

"Copy me." She moves to the part of the floor unimpeded by manakins and does a simple backflip. When she moves aside I toss my sweatshirt and pants aside, then copy her perfectly. I meet her eyes and she nods, then points to my outfit and makes a thumbs up. I smile at the compliment. She turns and says something, causing the music to quiet. "Nice suit, Jo."