Red Star ✴️ Bucky Barnes X Reader

23: Two Days

--- 2 DAYS ---

"Hyah!"

Bucky threw Bowman over his head with a grunt, tossing her body through the air like a sack of potatoes. Drawing her limbs in, she locked her gaze on the quickly approaching ground before splaying out her arms. Her fingertips brushed the ground as she swiveled her feet behind her, causing her body to merely skid across the floor on all fours. Once she had her feet planted, she took her running start back towards her opponent.

Bowman lifted her knee to Bucky's chest, trying to push him back. He grabbed her knee, catching her off balance, before throwing it aside. She quickly recovered, planting her foot before raising her fist to Bucky's face. It barely missed, brushing by his ear and going firmly over his shoulder.

Grabbing her arm, Bucky tried to push her to her feet. She went to chop her hand against the fulcrum of his arm to break the lock in his joint, completely forgetting that it was his metal arm. She pulled her hand away, wincing in pain.

Taking advantage of her distraction, Bucky successfully twisted her around, causing her to lose her planted stance. She almost tumbled to the ground, stopping herself on her knees and making a swift recovery. As Bucky approached her, she realized she didn't have enough time to get up fully before he could take a swing.

In a desperate attempt to win, she planted one foot against the ground and used her lower position to take Bucky's punch. Just as his arm continued to recede past her, Bowman grabbed his arm and successfully pulled him to the ground beside her. Once there, she was able to pin his wrist to the ground before he could properly react. She pushed her knee against his chest to keep him down before raising her fist, ready to punch.

"Woooah, slow your roll there kid!"

Bowman's head snapped to the right, following the voice. There stood Steve, who had come to spar alongside Bucky and Bowman. "You've already made your point, no need to break his nose."

She rolled her eyes. "I thought you said I was inexperienced."

"I thought you were young." Steve corrected. "You still are, by the way. But it's clear I stand corrected." He shot her bright smile, an apologetic glint in his eyes. "You got skill, kid."

Bowman nodded, a smile barely creeping onto her lips. "Thank you." He didn't have to say the words 'I'm sorry' for her to hear that Cap actually was eating his words from two days prior. It was almost sweeter than hearing the antiquated phrase.

"This is sweet and all, but could you stop trying to stab me through the chest with your knee?"

Bowman's eyes snapped to the floor where Bucky was still being pinned to the ground. "Sorry!" she squeaked, quickly getting up from the floor and freeing her opponent. With a sigh, Bucky approached the white board they had rolled in from another floor. Picking up the marker, he wrote another tally.

Bucky: I

Bowman: II

"HA!" Bowman smirked, admiring the look of fake defeat on Bucky's face.

Bucky shrugged. "Best two out of three?"

"That is best two out of three." she corrected.

"Not when I'm added," Steve joked, taking the marker from Bucky's hands. With a smile, Steve wrote a new category.

The Strongest Avenger:

"Ha ha, very funny," Bowman teased, snatching the marker from Steve's hand as she wiped her other hand against the board, erasing Steve's handwriting. She replaced it with her own.