He was trying to make peace with his past.
So was she.
James Barnes and Anastasia Morozov were similar in many ways, and possibly the only people on the planet who understood each other. Both having a past with HYDRA and experiments, being used and...
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ana
Today was the day I had to prove myself. If I could pass today then I would be the youngest to ever do so, and that's what I wanted. I wanted to be the best Black Widow that the Red Room had ever produced and ever would. I wanted to be untouchable.
I watched each of the girls before me at my level. Some moved too slow, other lacked patience and other just didn't have the strength. I was the youngest, but I was the smartest. I would beat this test and win. Become the youngest to ever overcome the Winter Soldier.
After the girl before me succumbed to a chokehold and she lost consciousness... he just stood there. I had noticed that detail. Every time they brought him he seemed void inside, when not doing anything he truly wasn't doing anything aside from breathing. It was robotic in nature.
"Anastasia." I stood up and walked onto the matt. At sixteen I was still small for my age, I didn't even reach the Winter Soldier's armpits yet. A flash of recognition passed through his eyes. Most likely him remembering our past fights, trying to remember my weaknesses and how best to take me down. Since the last time he had seen me I had grown much, not just in strength but in maturity and wisdom. I was confident I could beat him.
"Remember the rules, no hits to the head." The representative from Hydra told me, almost like he saw the glint of competitiveness in my eyes. I was willing to do anything to get what I want, pity for him that I would break any rules if it meant I would win. It was a stupid, unrealistic rule anyway. In what world would anyone avoid a head hit in a fight like this?
"Begin." The Hydra man stated, and I watched as the Winter Soldier stayed still. He was waiting for me to attack first. I wouldn't. Every girl before me today had attacked first and lost. Instead I grounded my feet and readied my fists. Defence, until I figured out the best offence.
We stood unmoving for a few breaths, but he clearly got impatient as he covered the distance between us and went to land a punch to my shoulder. I moved out of the way, what I had on him was my size. I was a small target and I could move quickly.
I stayed low, making less area for him to hit. Staying below his shoulder height also made it harder for him to hit me with brute strength. The no head hitting rule was on his end as well, to make it fairer on us. I knew the point of fighting him was to humiliate us. We are never supposed to win. But I would.
I watched him carefully as he moved to attack me two more times. The last he made contact with my ribs, it threw me to the ground as I heard something crack in my body. Pain. My chest hurt. He broke some ribs.
Fine.
Play dirty with me you'll get it back ten fold.
I stood up slowly, hands up as if I was giving up. When he relaxed slightly I ran towards him and used my entire body weight to knock him off centre. Before he could retaliate I slipped behind him and kicked the back of his knees but it didn't have the effect I wanted. Instead of dropping to his knees he stumbled forwards and refound his balance, I groaned as I ran towards him again.
