When It Rained

Chapter 11 - Heart on His Sleeve

"I don't see how this is supposed to help me." Steve outstretched his hands trying to feel for anything around him.

Finley just laughed from the side. "Shit happens, you can't rely on all your sense to be around Steve."

"Language." He whispered.

Rolling her eyes, Finley stepped onto the mat. "I know you don't know how to fight yet, but I want you to use your other senses. Find Bucky."

On the far side of the room, Bucky was standing with his arms crossed and a smile spread wide. Without another word, Steve did as she asked. He paced, arms reaching and feet staggering. Patiently, she watched him try to work.

Finley was quiet with her footsteps,  constantly aware of the noises and sounds she was making. That's what she was raised to do, and Henry did a damn good job at it. These were just the basics she was teaching Steve, they wouldn't have time to go into the details she did growing up if they wanted him to get into basics before the war was over.

Not to mention the little time that she had left to train Bucky. 

Steve was still going nowhere, it was almost as if the guy was afraid.

"Finley, this is impossible. I can't do anything without seeing where I'm going."

It was an average mistake, thinking you had to rely on sight. So, with a sigh, she pushed herself off the wall and onto the mat waving Bucky over.

"Take it off." She reached out to him.

Steve did so, and looked to her. Her hand remained outstretched, eyes searching the ground below her feet. Hesitantly, he did so and placed the blindfold in her hand.

It wasn't long before she had it tied around her eyes. Then, standing tall, she took a breath and mumbled. "Hit me."

Bucky and Steve sent one another a look. "Hit you?" Bucky questioned.

"Yes. Both of you. Now. Try to take me down."

"But you know where we are, that's not fair." Steve shook his head.

Frustrated, she clenched her fists. "Then god damn move. Pick your position and try and take my ass down."

It was stupid, completely outrageous. But Bucky's curiosity was peaked.

Taking the first move behind her, he swung his arm. Almost as soon as he wound up her foot went out and took out his leg sending him to one knee. Then, stepping on his bent knee in the blink of an eye she had her legs around him and swung him to the ground with a hard smack.

Rolling out of it, she stood tall and listened for Steve.

All she got in response was a chuckle. "Yeah, I'm good. I get the point."

With a smile, she took off her blindfold and looked to Bucky.

He was on the ground, eyes closed and groaning. "Baby." The word came out of his mouth as he taunted his friend.

Happily, she stood over Bucky and extended her arm towards him. For a second, he eyed her up. But then, before she could blink, he grabbed her forearm and flipped her onto the ground. Then, once on top of her, he smiled pinning her arms to the ground. "Gotcha." He whispered,  his face inches from hers.

All she could do was stare daggers at him, her cold icy eyes working their way through his warm baby blues. The charming smile he kept over his face was enough to send shivers down her spine. So, in response, Finn quickly wrapped her leg around his and flipped him onto his back, herself now straddling him. The long blonde strands fell from her head tickling the sides of his cheeks. With a small grin back, she made sure her eye contact was dark and short. "Not yet."

This time, Finley got up without offering him help. Instead, the woman sent a firm smack to his bent leg.

"Now do it again."

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Steve hit the ground with a thud while Bucky was still in the process of picking himself up. Both were drenched in sweat, and Finley just paced around them like a lioness picking her prey.

"Okay. " she exclaimed letting them strip off their blindfolds. "It's getting better."

"Better?" Bucky breathed from his knees. "This doesn't feel better."

The mat indented between the two as Finn took her seat. "I know it sucks now, but it will make a difference. You never really realize what you need until it's all you have. Sight is the easiest sense to take out-" she looked to Steve trying to teach a lesson. "Its what they'll go for if given the chance. You need to know how to survive without it."

Looking to his feet tiredly, Steve nodded.

"Now get home, rest up, because tomorrow- " rising to her feet she actually helped them both up. "I'll be teaching you boys how to fight."

This perked Steve up being belief.  "What, really?!"

"After your lifting and cardio. Then we'll end with this." She referred to the blindfold.

There was no controlling it. As soon as she was turned around Steve was barreling forward and hugging her from behind. At this contact, her eyes bulged and she locked up. "Thank you thank you thank you."

She didn't know what to do at first. So, she didn't do anything. Awkwardly, Finley kept her ground as Steve pulled back and ran up the stairs towards the bar. "I'll be right back!" He yelled over his shoulder.

This now left Finley exactly where she was, still frozen and staring forward. Slowly, Bucky took her side chuckling. "He wears his heart on his sleeve."

There was no expression change. Instead, all Finley expressed was a blink. "I don't do hugs." She grumbled.

As silence hung over the room, Bucky studied her and let off another smile. "Well darlin,  I think you better start."

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The bar was as busy as ever. Making drink after drink Finley served everyone, but not with a smile on her face. Jack didn't expect her to be nice, hell he wasn't nice half of the time. Finley was here to serve the crowd and control them at the same time.

Tonight though, she was a little delayed. The girl was tired, her place had just been ransaked, and she was here another night without sleep fighting to get through.

As she slid a glass down to one of the customers though, a conversation perked her interest. "Everyone is going to be there." A man in uniform mentioned.

"That's exactly why I don't want to go."

"Oh come on? When do you ever get the chance to see Howard Stark in person? Not to mention all the battalions and scientists are going to be there, and a lot of hot chicks. They like the smart ones."

That was it. That was going to be Steve's shot. Keeping on with her night, Finley planned. The Stark convention was advertised all over the city. It wasn't for about three more months, so that gave Finley plenty of time to teach Steve the basics. Or at least how to defend himself.

For a short moment, her heart stammered. That would also mean Bucky would be gone. She had grown close to Bucky and Steve, sending them off to war wasn't going to be the easiest thing in the world. Bucky was different though- of course Steve and herself were close, but she felt something different with Buck. For some ungodly reason, he made her smile, he made her laugh, he made her feel at ease. Finley didn't want them to go, but she would never say anything. This was their dream, their lives, not hers. She was just another chapter in it, and sadly, she didn't have any other option other than to accept it.