Temperance (Steve Rogers AU) 18+

16

"I'll see you later". Phil tactfully slips away before I get the chance to say anything else, and I wait as Steve now comes over.

"You look taller". He smirks

I don't have to look up at him so much anymore when I speak to him. "I broke a door..." is all I can really say and rather pathetically.

He nods. "I saw, I stopped by to see whether you were awake but Tony had already said you were gone".

"You had a debrief with Fury?" I ask.

"Only short - he's said for you to spend a week or two just training yourself up and getting comfortable with yourself. Then he'll be here to speak to you". He explains the short term game plan.

Now the long term one is trying not to get killed. Soon SHIELD's enemies will know there's another super soldier (if I can even call myself that) in town, and as Steve said before. I'll have a target on my back.

His phone rings and I wait patiently as he takes a call - presumably from headquarters. "Sorry this is gonna take a while, but I'll see you later on". Giving me an apologetic look. But it's fine. I really need a shower and coffee to finally feel a little bit like myself again.

**

I need to get used to the silence of this place when evening draws in. I've spent an hour or so in the gym already but now I move onto my arch nemesis.

The punch bag.

I'm not exactly the punchbag anymore, which I'm thankful for but I wonder whether I can send it across the room like Steve did.

Think angry thoughts, think angry thoughts, think angry thoughts.

As I begin punching, I think of Sanders smug face as he sneered at my in capability to stand up for myself.

I think about all the people who thought less of me for actually agreeing to participate in the first place

I think of the names, the jeers - everything I went through to even so much as make it as an agent.

With every thought, the punches get harder and harder until one image in my mind makes me hit it so hard that it then flies off the hook and lands a short distance away. I stop and stare at it.

I did it...

"Oh my god I did it". I mutter to myself in shock and then in the weirdest moment hear someone from behind me. Without hesitation I turn and slam them to the ground, then realising in horror that it's Steve.

"Nice..." he groans, "but do you think you could at least have a moment where you don't try to attack me?"

I stare down at him. "Well you snuck up on me".

"I wouldn't have called it that". He sits up as I get off of him and looks up at me, with a knowing smile. "You unhooked the bag..."

"I know - I didn't think I'd be able to".

He snorts at this. "Of course you would - your strength is on par with mine".

"So...anything you can do..."

"You can do too - perhaps better if Tony is that much of a genius". I let out a small 'heh' in realising just how powerful (if that's even the right word for it) I am. Steve gets up and now watches me before speaking again. "Fight me".

I blink. "Excuse me, what?"

"Fight me - I wanna see just how strong you are now, and if you mess up? I'll show you how it should be done". Those damn eyes of his - they're just burning deep into mine.

Yes Captain. Show me exactly how things should be done around here...

"Hand to hand combat?" I now ask

He nods. "Good old fashioned way, now - attack me".

I lunge at him, throwing punches and moves that I never knew my body could make. It's like I've suddenly become a combat pro overnight.

I pretty much have...

Steve blocks me, dodges, and a counter attack he makes sends us rolling to the floor, his big strong hands keeping me pinned down beneath him. "Better than last time". He breathes his praise out to me.

I don't move. Instead I just stare up at him - neither of us have broken a sweat. I don't even know how long I'd have to fight for until I'd need to catch my breath. "Maybe we should test my stamina again..." I suggest, "just to see how much I now have - after all, I feel like I could do this all day".

He looks down at me in astonishment and before I can say any more, his lips crash onto mine...