Radioactive | Bucky Barnes

The First Avenger: Chapter Sixteen

Rhiley had taken James down about five times in the last hour. Each time he tried to get a hit in, she would somehow manage to avoid and get him back in the blink of an eye. "You need to hit me." She told him.

James got up, "I'm trying." his breathing was heavy.

"Not hard enough." Rhiley retorted.

"I can see that." He laughed, hands on his hips catching his breath. "I guess your beauty just blinds me.'

Rhiley takes the man down for the sixth time that day. She had pulled him onto his back, on top of her. Her arms were around his neck. Each time he tried to get out of the position she'd push him back down.

Rhiley leaned into his ear and whispered. "You're not gonna be able to flirt your way out of combat."

"It was worth a try." James held onto the arm that threatened to choke him out. Her skin was warm to the touch. 'I haven't lost yet."

"I got you in a choke hold." Rhiley tightens her legs around his waist. Like a snake that had caught its prey. "Just tap out."

"No."

"I have no problem choking you out."

"And I believe you," James responded, struggling against her strong grip. "I just need to-" It took everything in James to do what he knew he had to do. But he still winced when he punched Rhiley in her side making her loosen her grip on him long enough so he was finally able to get the upper hand.

In the blink of an eye. James was now straddling the young woman, her arms pinned to her sides. She was trapped.

Rhiley breathed, "Sneaky."

"Are you gonna tap out?"

Rhiley kept her eyes locked on James. She wasn't one to tap out and she wasn't about to start now. Yet, she didn't want to move. She found herself comfortable - unwilling to make the next move.

"Shit."

Rhiley is pulled from her daze when James shoved himself off of her. He held his hand close to his chest, shaking it out like he had just - Rhiley scrambled up. "Shit." She repeated noticing the steam from her hands. "I didn't mean-" She had burned him.

James chuckled, "I know." He smiled up at her. "It got a little hot there, didn't it?"

"I burned you and you're making jokes."

He shrugged, "It's no big deal."

Rhiley grabbed his hand to find his palm blistering up. "We need to get this checked out."

"I will."

"I'm sorry," Rhiley whispered, letting go. "That's never happened before I --" She was at a loss for words. "I should go--"

"Wait--"

Rhiley didn't wait. She bolted out of the training room. Her chest was tight, the world constricted around her. Like the walls would collapse in on themselves at any second trapping her. She's a monster -

"Wow, there Dynamite." Howard stumbled into his sister coming around the corner, "Someone needs glasses -- what's wrong?"

Rhiley wheezed, "I can't breathe." she pulled at the fabric of her shirt just above her chest as though it was the reason she was suffocating.

Howard opened the door close to them and dragged his sister in. The janitor's closet was organized, tiny, and smelled of bleach. But getting Rhiley somewhere secluded was the first thing he did on autopilot before trying to comfort her. "What happened?"

Rhiley refused to look at him and shook her head, "I'm a monster." She turned around and smashed a few rolls of toilet paper off the shelf, "I shouldn't be here."

Howard grabbed Rhiley by the shoulder and forced her around, "Rhiley-"

She pushed herself out of his grip knocking into the shelving. "Don't touch me. I don't want to hurt you too."

The lightbulb clicked on for Howard. He frowned, watching the veins in her hands glow a translucent orange. "What happened?" He told her softly.

"I burned him."

Howard didn't even need to ask who, "James? I doubt you did it on purpose."

"I would never hurt him on purpose."

"See." Howard clapped his hands together, "And I bet he knows that too."

"That's not the point, Howard." Rhiley sighed shakingly, "I didn't even realize-" She rubbed her hands together, " I didn't even realize--"

Howard grabbed Rhiley by her shoulders, "Look at me--" he demanded, gently, like any caring brother would, "It was an accident." He said, eyes never wavering away from her. He hadn't even hesitated to grab onto her. He would never be afraid of his own sister. "We will figure it out, okay? Like we always do. When there is a problem. We solve it, together. Remember?"

She took in a deep breath, "Yeah." It didn't seem very convincing but Howard knew he stopped her from going overboard - for now at least.

"See." Howard smiled, "I got you, okay? You know that right?"

Rhiley nodded, smile still faded, "I know."

"Good." Howard grabbed Rhiley's hands, they were warm but they weren't dangerous. "How about we head down to the lab and figure this out."

"Okay."

"I hate everyone."

"Except me, right?"

"Especially you."

"I've been working on something and I know you don't like uniforms," Howard explained grabbing a metal case from the bottom shelf. "But I think you might appreciate this." He set it on the table with a giant smile on his face that nerved Rhiley out. He then opened it.

At first glance, it looked like a regular tactical suit. "It's fireproof," Howard explained while Rhiley examined it. She unfolds it, the material was soft. "The material is designed to absorb your body heat. So, with these-" He pulls out a pair of gloves, "they direct your power and release it when you want."

"Sounds technical."

Howard waves the comment off, "I made it dummy proof."

"Thanks."

"It's also not flashy." Howard continued, "I did add a bit of red though. It called out to me, I just had to."

"Oh, you just had to." Rhiley mocked. "Sure." She looks at Howard, "Thanks, Howie."

"Don't thank me yet I still need you to test it out on a mission."

"I thought you already tested it?"

"I did -- on a mannequin. It's not like I have many fireproof people to work with." Howard laughed it off, "The worst that'll happen is it'll either end up electrocuting you or exploding."

"Oh, that's all?"

"Well," Howard shrugged, "It's not like it'll kill you."

"Very reassuring."

"The chains are broken, but are you truly free?"

~ Anonymous