Joining the Avengers was a nerve-racking experience as it was, what with having to keep up with so many experienced heroes while putting your life at risk, but the training sessions were considerably worse.
It didn't help that all the equipment was made for people above the average height and you were lucky to reach 5'1 if you had padded shoes on.
Luckily, you had great agility on your side and your lack of height was made up for with the stealth that it offered you.
You were a total whizz at obstacle courses and thrived on the climbing apparatus, but when it came to the set machines you were at a total loss.
There was no doubt in your mind that you were strong enough to get plenty of reps in, it's just that the machines didn't adjust to the right setting that you needed and you hadn't had a real chance to speak with anyone about it.
So you stuck with floor work and weights, mixing the two with some aerobics that you liked to do to wake yourself up in the mornings.
It was the perfect way to get your muscles going and warmed up before hitting the showers to start your day.
That was how Steve and Bucky found you one morning.
Somehow, they had managed to sneak up on you as you moved, jamming along to your usual set of work-out music with some aerobics moves that incorporated weight work.
By that point you had been doing your set for about forty minutes and had worked up a fine sweat, the morning turning out to be hotter than you had anticipated, which wasn't helped by the fact that your body heat always bumped up when exercising.
"Someone's up bright an early."
You jumped and whipped around to catch Steve smiling at you before hanging up another punching bag that was to suffer for five minutes before giving in, Bucky a couple of feet away setting up a machine as he smirked in amusement.
"Oh, uh, yeah," you nodded, smiling once you'd recovered, "this is my usual morning routine."
"I thought it was strange that I never saw you training," Steve said, raising his fists and he adjusted his footing, "not that I marshal who is and isn't training."
"I already told you they were a morning person," Bucky said as he sat down, reaching up to take hold of the bars.
You glanced between the two, raising an eyebrow.
You didn't know that they had paid that kind of attention to you, you were sure you were always just a wisp in the wind to most.
Not that you would complain, two attractive men keeping tabs on you was strangely flattering and made your stomach flutter.
It wasn't that you were helpless, confidence training wasn't something you needed upon signing up, but there was just something about being a shorter person hanging around taller ones that made you feel secure.
"Do you use the machines?" Steve asked, throwing a couple of punches at the bag.
"No," you shook your head, starting to do some curls with the weights rather than simply stand there while the other two worked out, "I've tried but...uh...height disadvantage."
"Maybe we can help," he smiled.
"Yeah," Bucky chimed in, "one of us could lift you up to the pull-up bar."
You laughed, smiling widely while shaking your head, though your eyes still trailed over to the simple piece of equipment that you still struggled with.
Memories of trying to jump up and catch the bar shimmered into life, which was disheartening as you'd tried so hard to push those thoughts aside out of embarrassment.
"You know what?" You said, looking to Bucky, "I'll take you up on that offer."
He quirked an eyebrow then gave you a half-smile and eased the weights back into place, letting go of the pulley before he stood up and walked over to the piece you wanted.
"Okay, waltz your way over here."
Moving to the wrack, you set the weights down and turned off your music then made your way over to Bucky, the man seeming to get larger the closer you got.
He watched as you neared, staring like a predator does its prey before making the leap and biting into its throat.
You knew that wasn't his intention but it certainly came off that way.
Tilting your head, you looked up at him then to the bar, snoring a short laugh.
"This is going to be ridiculous."
"Not everyone gets a claim to fame like this, once in a lifetime."
"Yeah, I'm sure you've said that to many a person."
"Not as many as you'd think."
Rolling your eyes, you gave him a pointed look then nudged your head towards the bar.
"Just give me my boost, big guy."
You lifted your arms so that Bucky could grab hold of your sides, lucking not in a particularly tickling spot otherwise this would already take a turn for the worse.
Steve had stopped and was watching you both in amusement, his arms crossed over his broad chest as he leaned against the nearest piece of equipment.
Bucky counted to three and then hoisted you into the air, holding you up with ease so that you could grab on and give him an affirming nod that you were secure.
He kept his hands there just in case you let go or slipped, waiting until you did a couple of pull-ups before taking his step back.
"We might have to talk to Stark about getting you some steps," Steve smiled.
"I think our little gymnast can figure something out in the meantime," Bucky said, eyes trailing as you moved. "We're here for back up."
"Are you planning on getting up early every morning from now on?"
"Depends," he shrugged, "maybe not on the weekends."
You huffed out a laugh, though it was difficult given how much energy you were putting into your new exercise.
Though truthfully, you kind of liked the idea.
A group work-out session with two of the hottest, not to mention tall and authoritative, men in the Avengers?
Why, it finally made you feel like part of the team.