Stealing Hearts

Chapter 15 - Damn that was Hot!

Steve Rogers's POV

I tried so hard to go back to sleep but flashes of memories keep playing like a projector that you can't turn off. The memory of Bucky falling playing over and over again and each time I fail to catch him. I sit up with a groan and glance over at the clock on my nightstand, 4:16 am blaring back at me, there is no going back to sleep in this overly squishy bed. I throw off the duvet that got tangled around me while I was tossing and turning and get out of bed. What on earth am I supposed to do for five hours before I go over to Veronica's? That's when I remember the building owner mentioning they have a gym that one person uses. But I doubt they are up at 4 am so I don't have to worry about running into them. So far people haven't recognized me as Captain America and I prefer to keep it that way, or I suppose everyone but my new neighbor.

I get up to get dressed since the only way to get memories out of my mind is to work my worries away. I don't really have clothes, S.H.I.E.L.D. gave me three outfits probably because they thought I would go shopping or do laundry but I don't know how to work the washer and dryer. I am down to my second to last pair of clean clothes so I slip on a plain white t-shirt and gray sweatpants. I must admit I do not miss the scratchy uncomfortable material my clothes used to be made of. I quickly make my way out of my empty apartment that feels so unlike home. Then again my home was wherever Bucky was and when I tried to follow Bucky I failed spectaculary. I banish thoughts of Bucky as I make my way down to the basement of the apartment building. I was fully expecting to be alone in the gym this early in the morning but as I walk down the hall I can hear the sounds of someone working out.

I walk into the room shocked to find Veronica full on attacking one of the gym's punching bags with quick precise hits. I lean against the door jam watching her which probably seems creepy so I push off and clear my throat as I enter the room. "I thought you liked sleeping in?" I voice as she steps away from the punching bag and wipes her forehead before turning to look at me.

"I do. This is normally what time I wake up," she explains as she walks over to a side bench and takes a quick swig from her water. "What are you doing down here?"

"Well I think I've had my fair share of sleeping," I see her smirk at my joke. "Figured I would need to start getting back into working out since I've been asleep for almost 70 years."

"Ah yes, because we all know you need even more muscle on top of your muscles. Now I just finished my warm up so why don't you say we spar?" Spar? I'm gonna hurt her if we spar. She must've been reading my mind cause she knew exactly what I was thinking. "You aren't going to hurt me, I promise. I am more resiliant than I look."

I am about to make a stupid decision but she is giving me wide puppy dog eyes and for some reason I feel like I can't say no. "Ok."

"Yay! Now move your ass grandpa I'm all warmed up," she laughs as she bounces into the large boxing ring that takes up the middle of the room. I quickly follow her because for some reason I don't want her to be mad if I move to slow.

I hop into the ring standing opposite of her looking to her to make the first move. I didn't really spar when I was training in the army, the only people I sparred with were Nazis or Hydra agents and I hurt or killed most of them. I didn't want to hurt Veronica, she has been nothing but nice to me since I got here. The next thing I know she is pouncing at me trying to land a blow to my head that I barely manage to block. "Come on grandpa I know you have better moves than that."

"I don't want to hurt you," I protest.

"You won't I am trained in several martial arts and was trained by the military special forces. I can take a grandpa now come on." I am still skeptical but I don't have time to object as she runs at me again sending another punch to the face which I block but I miss the blow to the ribs that hurts way more than I expected. "Come on Rogers! Show me what you got!"