Aster barely made a sound as she hit the mat for almost the thousandth time.
"You seem distracted. Tell me, what is so important that you must lose this fight? Rule number ninety-seven; nothing is more important than the fight." She shook her head, rolling out her shoulders and trying to attack again.
"Nothing." He easily beat her back to the mat and pinned her, growling in her ear.
"You do not lie to your S.O." She flipped, kicking him in the face before pinning him to the wall.
"Nothing is more important than the fight." He quickly switched their positions, caging her to the wall.
"Speak your mind." She tried to slide under him, but her grabbed her hips, sending raging mixed emotions through Aster's mind. She shook it harshly, a small hitch in her breath showing when he leaned in, inches from her neck. "Tell me." He growled softly, his warm breath fanning her neck.
"They want me to train in the red room under Sergeant Barnes." He paused for a couple seconds before slapping her hard. She stumbled back before hitting the ground.
"Never question H.Y.D.R.A.'s decisions." Rumlow muttered darkly.
"I'm sorry sir. But I heard only three have survived from the training there." A flash of emotion crossed his face before replying.
"The red room is the best training facility on the face of this earth." She looked up at him, still on the ground.
"Do you think I will survive?" Rumlow's face clouded.
"Get up."
"Do you think I will survive?" She repeated.
"I said get up!" He yelled, picking her up by the neck. She slipped out of his grip with little difficulty.
"So that's a no." He wrestled her down onto the mat again, opening his mouth to say something just as the door burst open.
"Agent Rumlow and Agent Parks are to report to your commander's office for mission briefing."
~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~
The next day they sat on towels at a waterpark, with a mission to capture a man with possible abilities. Aster tried to be angry at the fact she had to seduce him, but with a cute red bikini and thousands of slides at her disposal, she couldn't keep the smile off her freckled cheeks. Rumlow wasn't helping either; he looked quite nice in his simple blue-green swim trunks, his abs glistening in the summer sun and his black hair perfectly messy. The only downside was the permanent scowl etched into his face.
"Lighten up, will you?" Aster commented in the middle of braiding her ginger hair.
"Target spotted." He rumbled and her head whipped over to the rather good-looking man with brown hair talking to a bunch of skimpily dressed girls. As she started to strut over to him, Rumlow grabbed her arm. She turned back hopefully, but his face still remained in the scowl. "Do not fail. Do anything it takes." Aster rolled her eyes.
"Thanks for your reassurance."
