Red Star ✴️ Bucky Barnes X Reader

21: It's Just Bowman

I'll show them.

THUD.

The trembling eyes of fear.

THUD.

The blood curdling screams.

THUD.

... I enjoyed it.

THUD.

... How could I enjoy it?

THUD.

How could I enjoy their pain?

THUD.

Shut up. I just need to be stronger. Faster. Better.

THUD.

...But... why?

THUD.

THUD.

THU-RIPPP!

Bowman hit the punching bag so hard that the fabric starting ripping at the seams.

"Nice punch."

Bowman's eyes shot up to see Bucky Barnes leaning against one of the several pillar supports throughout the room.

She just turned her eyes back to the punching bag, sweeping away the hairs that stuck to her sweat-covered forehead. "Thanks," she muttered, before throwing another punch against the bag.

THUD.

THUD.

THUD.

With each punch, Bowman's eyes darted over to the pillar. Bucky continued to stand there, watching her every movement. When the bag swung back from her last punch, she caught it, shooting Bucky a dirty look.

"Why are you staring at me?"

Bucky shrugged. "Studying your form."

"Hah..." She laughed, a sly smile slipping from her lips. "How am I doing?"

THUD.

"Pretty good," Bucky noted, trying not to smile. "But you shouldn't tuck your thumb. You'll end up breaking it."

She looked at her hand. Her thumb quickly flipped from being within her fingers to resting beneath them as a base.

"Thanks."

Bucky just nodded as she continued to practice.

THUD.

THUD.

THUD.

She caught her bag again.

"Why are you really here, Barnes?"

He rolled his eyes, putting his back against the pillar. "What, I can't come comment on your form?"

"If you were really here for that, you'd be over here going full teacher-mode." She laughed under her breath.

Bucky nodded, unsure of how to respond to that. With a sigh, he decided to drop the façade. "Steve--"

"STEVE can go take is star-spangled ass right back to Brooklyn."