Spectre

Chapter 1 - Spectre

"Nice hit, kid. Just try to lean in to it."

Steve advises, demonstrating a slower version of his usual forceful hits. Y/n took a step back, and Steve put his hands up to catch the throw.

With a thunk!, Y/n leant in to her punch, and Steve gave a small chuckle as he regained his balance.

"That was great. Told you, practice makes perfect."

The morning training was riveting, but worth it in the end. With every squeak from their shoes against the clean floor, and every landed hit, Y/n could feel herself getting better. Gaining control.

Only a year ago, her cells had started mutating again. She grappled with her overcharged senses like someone grappling with a particularly slippery bar of soap. After weeks of tracking, Steve took the girl under his wing. She proved to be a worthy student.

Y/n spoke in between breaths, shaking her aching knuckles.

"Easy for you to say, Mr Rogers. You've got 90 years of experience."

He leaned backwards as he laughed, placing a gentle hand on his own chest. Pointing an energised hand to the clock behind him, he reminded her.

"Remember the time for tomorrow, kiddo. Gonna test out that swiftness of yours, Natasha said it was decent?"

Y/n felt a bit starstruck. The Natasha Romanoff said her agility was decent.

"I.. Yeah, yeah, I'll be there, thanks again, Mr Rogers."

Noticing her beaming but small smile, he grinned as he told her a secret. He whispered, like he was telling an excited five year old a government conspiracy.

"You know, Nat isn't that scary. She's very nice once you get to know her. Don't tell her I said this, but she said that you have incredible aim. Good work, kiddo. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Tell Mr Barnes I said hi!"

"Will do, kiddo, tell Sharon that I'll meet her at 6!"

"Got it!"

With a wave, Steve slung his bag over his shoulder and jogged out of the training hall. Much like the Spider-Kid and Tony, him and Y/n were like a family.

Except instead of a starstruck kid from Queens and a genius billionaire, it was a Super Soldier and a kid with Super Senses. Plus Bucky, of course.

With a heavy sigh, Y/n packed up her stuff and left for the next day as her normal self.

As normal as she could be.

——————

Midtown-Tech.

The place of populars, nerds, goths, jocks and every other teenage stereotype. Maybe by the way that Y/n slouched at the mention of her school, you could tell exactly where she stood on her opinion of her school. She thought it was pointless.

If her senses were constantly performing at the peak a human can, why should she have to worry about her grades?

Did she have a job? Yes. Technically.

Being one of the recruits for the Avengers is her job. And no, it doesn't pay anything, but that's not what matters. Besides, to everyone else, she's just Dr Stephen Strange's library assistant.

The brick pillars lined the walls, decorated with obscene graffiti and stray stickers. Finally pausing, she swung open her locker with as much enthusiasm as an elderly, miserable cashier swiping groceries.

At least, she thought, friends make school a bit more tolerable. Just as she thought of them, they appeared like magic.

"Hey loser. How was your summer?"