HIDDEN ─ marvel

IV. The "Catch Up" List

Chapter Four:
Soroya

"I don't think your brother is coming." Okoye comments. Alex was supposed to show up for training twenty minutes ago and hasn't shown. I think she's right.

I turn to her, shrugging. "We could train. If you wanted to."

"Are you sure?"

I nod wholeheartedly. "I need this."

Okoye nods to me, walking right past the sparring sticks and right for a spear identical to hers lying on the wall. She grabs it, tossing it over to me.

I back up a few feet, giving us room to get ready. Okoye gets into a fighting stance, smiling at me excitedly. "I won't go easy on you."

I smirk at her, tucking my hair behind my ears. "I would be disappointed if you did."

Okoye taps her spear on the ground twice before swinging it up, striking at my head. I bring my spear up, meeting hers with a loud crash. I bring our spears down to the ground, kicking at the general's thigh to put her off balance. This only does so for a second, but I do manage to hit the butt of my spear into her side. Okoye turns, trying to strike at my bottom, but I manage to block her just in time. I push off our spears and take a step back.

I swing my spear around, deflecting a blow she tries to get at my shoulder. She strikes again, and I maneuver around her, hitting the butt of my spear into her thigh, bringing it up to lock around her neck.

Okoye elbows me in the ribs, taking a moment to strike at my side as I try to recover from the blow. This sends me down to the ground. Okoye tries to mirror what I just did by locking her spear around my neck. But I bring my spear up in enough time, pushing against our spears and sending her stumbling back on the mat. I'm grateful for the extra strength my abilities give me, because with her size, there is no way I would have been able to push her off me without the extra help.

Okoye tries to stand, but I swing my spear and send her crashing down, hitting at her ankle hard. She lets out a groan, swinging her spear rather low and hitting my knee. This blow sends me down to the mat next to her. I roll over and turn my legs around, landing in a crouch and striking at her again. She blocks it, and the two of us find ourselves pushing against our spears, seeing who will be sent to the ground first. Okoye tries elbowing me again and I try desperately to get a foot into her thigh, but neither of us budge.

After a moment, Okoye grunts out: "Call it a tie?"

I let out a shaky breath, nodding. "Yeah, I'm alright with that."

Both of us let go of our hold, taking a step back. Okoye walks over to the refrigerator in the corner of the room, bringing back two water bottles. I take one, downing about half of its contents before telling her: "Thank you for this."

Okoye drinks some of her water, raising a brow in my direction. "Earlier, you said you needed this. What did you mean by that?"

I let out a breath, deciding to sit down on the mat. "Ever since I was twelve, my entire life has been about keeping myself alive and trying to find my family. Now that I'm out of HYDRA's grasp...now that my parents are dead and Alex and Bucky safe, I feel like I have no purpose."

Okoye sits down next to me, a look of real understanding on her face. "I completely understand."

"You do?"