Chapter 11: Give and Take
Mika woke up Sunday morning feeling better than she had in weeks.
It was one thing that her abs were a little sore and she definitely still felt some fatigue from the early hour yesterday. But it was another thing entirely that she was actually able to sleep well again, deep and uninterrupted like she used to. When she awoke, her window was actually glowing with the early morning light instead of the deep resounding darkness she'd come to expect. She stretched her arms over her head, enjoying the tight feeling in her muscles. She knew it wasn't realistic to expect changes yet - after all, she and Bucky had only met one time - but she felt stronger, more confident. She drew herself out from underneath the covers, shivering in the cold morning air. The sweatshirt she'd worn the day before laid discarded close by; she picked it up and pulled it on again as she padded across her apartment and into the kitchen. She turned her coffee maker on and popped a fresh pod into it, pouring herself a bowl of cereal as it warmed up. Once her cup was filled with the steaming caffeine, she added her sugar and milk, pouring milk over her cereal as well. She moved her quiet breakfast to the coffee table, collapsing onto the couch and pulling a blanket over her lap.
It was nice, to have an easy Sunday after months of crazy. She spent most of the day on her sofa, catching up on her shows and taking the occasional break for a snack or to stretch. She'd told herself that she was going to go for a run today, but as the hours ticked by she found that she really didn't want to. She didn't realize how fast the time was going until she heard Bucky in the hallway, leaving for work. She wanted to be mad at herself for her lack of productivity, but decided that a day of rest was exactly what she needed.
The rest of the week passed slowly, and Mika found that it seemed to decelerate as it went. Perhaps it was because her boss was being annoying and actually making her come into the office this week, or maybe it was because she was really looking forward to the next Saturday morning. Bucky, for all his apparent emotional hang ups, was a phenomenal instructor, and she shamelessly wanted to learn anything he would teach her.
When Friday night finally came, Mika was beyond excited. She collapsed on her couch, the television already on and a tray of cookies cooling on the counter. She had the most wonderful agenda of watching a movie with her best friend, eating her weight in whatever food she brought, and going to bed at a reasonable hour so she'd be ready again in the morning. Elena, however, had other plans.
"Get up! We need to get ready!" Elena said by way of greeting, letting herself into Mika's apartment.
"How do you get into this building so easily?" Mika asked, not moving at all from where she was lounging. She actually had keys to the building, yet got locked out on a regular basis. Elena seemed to have no trouble with that.
"I have a certain set of skills that you need not concern yourself with." Elena said airily. "Plus, your cute neighbor man let me in."
"What?" Mika asked, sitting up. It didn't sound like Bucky to make conversation with a stranger, let alone let them into the building. Elena didn't seem troubled by her reaction.
"Yea. He said he remembered me - guess I really made an impression." she said, flipping her curls dramatically. "I tried to convince him to come out with us tonight, but he just said he had work and walked away."
That sounded like Bucky. "Yea, he's a to-the-point kind of guy." Mika said with a smile. Then the first half of Elena's statement sunk in. "Wait, 'go out with us tonight'? I thought we were staying in. I was really looking forward to staying in."
"You have cooped yourself up in this apartment for like, a thousand years now." Elena said, grabbing Mika's arm and attempting to pull her off the couch. "And I get it. I totally do. Something really awful happened. But I can't let you waste away in here."
"I am hardly wasting away." Mika pointed out. She had to admit that Elena had a point - she had avoided going out with her friends ever since that night, and was planning to continue to do so until...she didn't know when. "I'm just tired. Work has been super busy and I've got a lot going on-"
"Yes, yes, you're a workaholic, I know." she said. She finally gave up trying to pull Mika's dead weight and collapsed next to her. Mika immediately laid back down, resting her head on her lap. "But I also think that you're scared. And that's normal. That's why I want to give you a nice, controlled environment. You know, to help initiate the healing process."
"Going out with our friends is hardly a 'controlled environment'." she pointed out, tracing invisible patterns on her friend's jeans. Elena was gently stroking her hair in a comforting manner. "I just...I don't know, El."
"It's just a baby step, love." she said quietly. "Everyone misses you. Hans thinks he's done something to make you angry with him."
"Hans has never done anything wrong in his life, ever." Mika said.
"I know that, and you know that. But you know how sensitive he can be." Elena replied. "What if I promise a two drink maximum? And that I will walk you home the minute you're ready to go?"
Mika paused, considering the offer. She'd admit that she had been avoiding going out, but she could also admit she'd been missing her friends. The times they'd been able to coordinate any sort of quality time over the past few weeks were scant. Elena had a point; if she was ever going to fully get over what happened, then she needed to take the first step.
"Okay, fine." she said, making Elena bounce in excitement. She sat up, looking her friend in the eye. "But I want to be home by eleven, I have to get up early tomorrow morning."
"Deal!" she said, wrapping her arms around her and pulling her close. "You're going to have fun, I promise. Now come on, we need to get you ready if we're going to eat before everyone else gets there."
Mika let her drag her into her bathroom, hopping up to sit on the counter as Elena gathered supplies. She felt like she was in grade school again, letting her best friend clean her face before carefully applying her makeup. Granted, the results were much better than when she was in grade school, probably due to the absence of glitter and jewel tones. Elena didn't bother fighting her when she pulled out jeans and boots instead of a dress and heels, saying at least it would be easier to fix her hair for her now that she (almost) had the height advantage. In record time, the girls were ready, and before Mika knew it she was on her way down the street, Elena's arm protectively wrapped around her. The sun was just setting, and there was the familiar lull in foot traffic that took place between shift change and the time where everyone would start making their way out for the night.
"Oh my God, she's still alive!" Hans said by way of greeting as the two of them walked in. Elena and Mika ignored their usual table, going instead to sit at the bar. "I thought you'd left me, I was heartbroken."
"Hans, you are the greatest thing to ever happen to me, come on." Mika said.
"Don't let El hear that." he said, dramatically tipping his head towards Elena. She shrugged in response.
"No, she has a point. What can I say, you're the glue that holds us all together." Elena agreed.
"Well, I do the best I can with what I have." Hans said. He whipped up a Moscow Mule and set it in front of Elena before getting a glass of red wine for Mika.
"Nothing too crazy, we're calling it early tonight." Elena said, looking at the choices with approval.
"I've never known you to call it early." he said, not hiding his surprise.
"It's my fault, I've got to get up in the morning." Mika said, holding up her hand to claim the blame.
"What? Why?" he asked, as if getting up early on a Saturday was unheard of.
"That is a good question, one which I forgot to ask earlier." Elena said, turning to her. "Why are you getting up early tomorrow?"
"I'm meeting Bucky at the gym to...work out." Mika said, not wanting to explain her self-defense lessons to her friends.
"Who the hell is Bucky?" Hans asked.
"Bucky is the neighbor man that helped Mika out a few weeks ago." Elena said, leaning towards him in a conspiratory manner.
"Oh, neighbor man? Is he cute?" he asked, leaning back towards her. They both looked at Mika, as if appraising a goat for slaughter.
"Very. Long hair, rugged beard, super muscly. From what I can tell, at least." she said, adding hand gestures to aid in her description. "Not much of a talker, though."
"Eh, that's not important." he said, waving her off.
"Are you two done yet?" Mika asked, interrupting the inevitable scheming that would no doubt ensue.
"For now." Hans said, giving her a lingering look. He cleared his throat and stood up straight again. "Anyways, let me go get your food."
"But how do you know what we want?" Elena asked. He laughed as if her question was silly, turning and walking back into the kitchen. "He never thinks I'm serious when I ask that."
"I've given up. He's just a better human than the rest of us." Mika said, taking a sip of her wine.
"Well yea, that's for sure." she agreed, taking a sip from her drink as well. "See? This is fun. We're out in the world and everything is okay."
"You're right. Thanks for dragging me out tonight, El." she replied. Though her words could be construed as sarcastic, she did actually mean them.
"I've always got your best interests at heart." she said, warmly rubbing her back. Hans returned moments later with a bowl of beef stew and another bowl filled with paella, setting them down in front of the girls.
"Well played, as always." Mika said, happily digging in to her stew.
"It's a gift, I know." Hans said, picking up a glass and cleaning it. A few moments later he was called away by more patrons entering the pub, the evening crowd officially beginning to trickle in. Mika and Elena scarfed down their food, grabbing what was left of their drinks and going to claim their favorite table before someone else could take it. A half hour later Nicolae slid across from them into the booth, complaining of the day he had at work and gratefully accepting the gin and tonic Hans brought him.
"Did the gym give you any trouble?" he asked Mika after a long sip of his drink.
"None whatsoever. No one cares that early." she replied with a shrug. He gave a bark of a laugh.
"I don't think they care at any hour." he said. "Glad someone's getting use of that membership, since Lord knows I don't spend any time there."
"Why do you still have it then?" Elena asked, earning a dramatic motion from Nicolae.
"Company pays for it. Might as well." he explained.
"Must be nice." she said sarcastically.
"Don't be sour, El. You can use my card too, really put it to the test." he said, pretending to be sweet.
"I don't believe in lifting anything more than twelve ounces." Elena said, taking a sip of her drink to make her point.
"Don't worry, I'll lift enough for both of us." Mika offered, patting her arm. Elena held her hand to her heart.
"That's so sweet of you." she murmured, making them both laugh.
"I try." Mika said, pretending to be tearful.
"What are you trying?" Alexei said, pushing into the booth next to Mika and immediately laying his arm across the top of the bench behind her. It was a harmless gesture, really, but it still made her uncomfortable. He either didn't notice, or pretended not to.
"Mika's just taking care of me, as per usual." Elena said, putting her arm around Mika's shoulders and pulling her to her chest.
"We take care of each other." she pointed out, to which Elena vehemently agreed. Mika was saved from further discomfort by Jonas and Maria's arrival.
"Move, Alexei, this is the girls' side. You're in Maria's seat." Elena said, pushing him towards the end of the bench. Maria gave him a sly smile, gesturing for him to move on before she slipped in next to Mika. With the whole group there, Hans brought out more drinks and snacks. Coming out tonight was going better than she thought it would, and it was all thanks to her friends. But she still found herself eyeing everyone who came into the pub, and playing with the rim of her glass to dispel some anxious energy. She knew things wouldn't be as they were before, but she tried to stay present in the moment, and tried to remind herself to breathe normally.
Mika tried to enjoy herself. She really did. But she didn't feel like dancing, and she didn't feel like playing darts. She spent most of the evening sitting next to the board, making idle conversation with Maria and counting down the minutes until it was a reasonable enough time to ask Elena to leave. At ten until eleven she got up and went to the bar, presenting Hans with her empty wine glass and her credit card to settle the tab.
"Leaving already?" he asked. "You weren't lying about it being an early night."
"Would I ever lie to you?" Mika asked, giving him an innocent bat of her eyelashes.
"It's a definite possibility." he answered, swiping her card and holding it back out to her. She missed this gesture, as she was eyeing Elena across the bar. She was chatting up a cute blonde girl, and didn't seem to have any intention of leaving any time soon. "Mika."
"Oh, sorry." she said, shaking herself out of her thoughts and taking her card back.
"You know, I'm sure if you asked Elena out she would say yes." he said dramatically, earning an unamused look from Mika.
"Her and I would never work as a couple and you know it." she replied. "She's just supposed to be my safe walk home."
"Before or after she hooks up with the blonde?" he asked, eyeing Elena as well. She noticed the two of them staring and glanced at her watch, her eyes widening as she realized the time. She said something to the blonde before pushing her way through the crowd until she reached them.
"Ready to go home?" she said breathlessly. She was trying so hard to be casual that Mika laughed.
"You don't have to walk with me. It seems you're making a new friend." she said, nodding across the bar. The girl in question sent a wink their way once Elena made eye contact with her again. Elena gave her a sultry grin, then turned back to Mika.
"No, I promised you that you would be home at a reasonable time and I would make sure you got there. What kind of friend am I if I can't even give you my word?" Elena said dramatically. She seemed to have forgotten the two drink maximum bit.
"I can walk Mika home." Hans said with a shrug. The two girls eyed him.
"Hans, you're working." Elena pointed out. He raised an eyebrow.
"Am I? Am I really?" he asked lowly.
"You're always working." Mika said. He waved off the comment.
"I need to take a break anyway. Here, Elena," he quickly mixed up a drink. She held up her hands, saying she'd already had enough, but he shushed her. "This isn't for you. You'd hate it. It's for your new friend over there."
"Oh, well thank you." she said, taking the glass. She turned back to Mika. "Are you okay with this?"
"Absolutely." she said airily. "Go. Have fun. I'll text you tomorrow."
"You'll text me as soon as you're warm and safe in your bed." Elena revised.
"Deal." Mika said. She kissed her friend's cheek. "Thanks for bringing me out tonight, El."
"Any time, my love. I'll see you later." she said, taking the drink and walking back across the bar. Hans took off his apron, coming out from behind the counter.
"Shall we?" he asked, pulling his jacket from somewhere behind the kitchen door.
"Please." Mika said, shrugging her coat on as well. She waved to her friends in the corner, following Hans out into the cold night air. She linked their elbows, leaning into his side to steal some warmth as they walked down the street.
"So, tell me about this neighbor man - Bucky." Hans said, his breath rising in clouds towards the street lamps. Mika rolled her eyes.
"There's really nothing to tell. Just a friend. I'm not even sure he considers me that." she said matter-of-factly.
"What? He hasn't realized that anyone within a fifty foot radius is automatically your friend? I question his mental capacities." he said, earning an elbow to the ribs.
"Be nice. I think it just takes him a while to warm up. He's actually been helping me, teaching me some self-defense stuff." she explained.
"Oh! See, this is the part in the movie where there's a training montage and you end up shirtless and sweaty and in compromising positions." he said, his eyes sparkling in the darkness.
"Oh my God shut up." she said, though she couldn't stop her laughter. "It is not like that, at all. Like at all. I've never met a man who values personal space so much."
"Personal space? From you?" he asked. "Maybe I have a chance with him then."
"What happened to the Italian?" she questioned, changing the subject. She didn't need an interrogation. He rolled his eyes.
"He was a really fun person, but too much for me. I told him I'd let him know if I was ever in Sicily." he explained. By his expression, he seemed unbothered with the turn in events.
"Huh. Well, good riddance. I didn't like him anyway." she said confidently, making him snort.
"You never even met him." he pointed out. She bumped him with her hip.
"Details, details." she replied. They pulled to a stop in front of her building, and she turned and gave him a hug. "Thank you for walking me home."
"Absolutely, any time." he said. "Please come back sooner than a month from now."
"I will, I promise." she replied, kissing his cheek and turning to go up the steps. The stairway was quiet thanks to the later hour, making the trek to the top floor seem longer than usual. The light from the lamp in her bedroom cast a warm glow through the apartment, giving her just enough light to make it to that side without stepping on anything. She thought about turning her music on just so there was some sort of noise, but decided it would be a waste since she was going to bed soon. She settled for flipping the television in her room on, opening the streaming application that channeled live programming. She pulled off the "real people clothes," leaving them in a pile next to her dirty laundry. In a pinch, they could be worn again. Pajamas were donned and she thought about going to bed without cleaning the makeup off her eyes, but decided that it would not be good to look like a raccoon when she met Bucky in a few hours. It was nearing midnight when she finally crawled into bed, the wine from earlier making her sleepy. She was still excited for the next morning, but now that she had undeniable proof that she could and would wake up on time, she was able to sleep a little easier. The wine might have helped with that too.
Her alarm startled her awake all too soon, making her heart race and the fatigue leave her body. She pulled the covers off, the cold air immediately making chills arise on her skin. She quickly changed into whatever workout gear was on the top of the clean pile, not taking notice of what colors it was or if it matched. Bucky wouldn't care about that. She reached for the same sweatshirt she'd been wearing for the past week, but realized Bucky probably would notice that. She pulled a different sweatshirt from the pile, trying to rid herself of the cold from the early morning. She finally gave in and turned the heater on as she walked by - winter was nearly here. She followed the same routine as the previous week - getting ready before making two cups of coffee to go. She triple checked that her keys were in her bag this time, and she quadruple checked which cup of coffee was hers before carefully stepping into the hallway.
Just like last week, Bucky was already waiting for her. If Mika was honest with herself, she wasn't entirely sure that he was going to meet her again. They'd managed to accidentally avoid each other all week, and she was worried that he would change his mind in that time. She should have known better, really; while he did not seem to be a generally extroverted or social person, he had always followed through on their makeshift plans.
"Good morning." she greeted, handing him the cup of coffee. "This one is for sure yours this time."
"Thank you." he said softly, taking the cup from her. He still hesitated before taking a sip, but it wasn't near as long as the previous week. His eyes, however, never left her face.
"What, do I have a blemish or something?" she asked, her hand going to her face. He shook his head.
"Your lips." he said, his brows furrowed. She blinked, pulling her phone from her sweatshirt pocket and pulling up the camera. Sure enough, the lip stain Elena had applied last night was faded, but definitely still present.
"Oh, makeup. From last night. I didn't start drinking blood for eternal youth or anything." she said. Bucky, rightfully so, looked appalled.
"I'm missing a reference again." he concluded.
"Oh, no that was just...a weird statement." she said, shaking her head and putting her phone away. She could feel her cheeks burning. "At best, it was a vague vampire implication."
"Oh. Well I at least know what vampires are." Bucky said, shrugging and appearing at ease with the situation. Mika mentally smacked herself on the forehead, telling herself to get it together. What was wrong with her brain this morning? Bucky turned towards the stairs, waiting for her to make the first move in the descent. Going down this morning wasn't nearly as long a trip as coming up was the night before, though the air outside was just as cold. She held her arms close to herself, taking off at a quick walk towards the gym. He easily fell into step next to her, and didn't seem near as bothered by the temperature as she was. Once again, they traveled in a companionable silence. This was welcome to her, especially given the early hour and how much socializing she'd done the night before.
The same kid that was working the weekend before was sitting at the desk again, in nearly the same position that they'd seen him last. If his clothes hadn't been different, they might have assumed he'd been there in that spot the whole week. The same little old ladies were in the corner on their bikes, laughing at a video on one of their phones. They didn't notice as Mika and Bucky slipped into the group exercise room. She casually tossed her stuff into the corner, and he carefully set his jacket and backpack next to it. He pulled his journal out and flipped to the page he wanted as she set up the mats again.
"Do you remember what we went over last time?" he asked quietly. He stood in front of her, his left hand tucked into the front pocket of his jeans.
"I do! I've been practicing all week." she boasted. He cocked his head to the side, confused. "Well, not by getting grabbed by random people. Just, you know...practicing the motions."
"Oh. Okay good." he said, seemingly relieved. He held his hand out, once again asking permission before touching her. "Let's see it."
"Like, right now?" she asked. Her ears still burned from having to explain her practicing moments ago, and she hadn't rebuilt her confidence yet. The corner of his mouth quirked up in a grin, and he nodded. She shook her arms out and jogged in place for a moment, trying to wake her muscles up. After a couple deep breaths, she placed her wrist in his hand, having the odd feeling that comes the first time you try something after taking a break from practice. His fingers gently curled around her, the callouses barely brushing against her soft skin. She tried to quickly pull her hand back before he was ready, but his grasp held firm. He perked an eyebrow.
"Nice try." he said. She stuck her tongue out at him, but internally was happy that he got her joke. She'd realized too late that, without any extra cuing, he could have misinterpreted her actions. After the way things had ended the week before, she found herself consciously trying to make sure she came across as comfortable with him.
She lifted her elbow, grabbed her confined hand with her other one, and dropped her weight, just as he taught her. Her wrist slipped easily from his restraint. She stood straight up, her hands going to her hips in a power pose as she smiled in pride.
"See? Told you I've been practicing." she said, flipping her ponytail over her shoulder for good measure. He nodded, giving her a grin.
"So you have. That was good." he said. He had an expression on his face that she couldn't quite interpret - happiness? Pride? Satisfaction? "Let's see the other one then."
"Bring it on." she said, for once holding her hand out before he could ask permission for it. He raised an eyebrow, pausing for a moment before reaching forward and taking hold of her wrist. She pulled and twisted, once again sending her hand into his wrist. While she was able to stay on two feet this time and was able to free her wrist, she still didn't quite get the move right.
"You're forgetting your core." he said, pointing in the vague direction of her stomach.
"Dammit." she swore. She stuck her hand out again. "Let me try once more."
"Go through it slowly first." he said, reaching forward and taking her wrist. He walked her through the instruction again, trying to teach her how to transmit forces down the chain of her body. Her second attempt was somewhat improved, but there was still a disconnect between her upper and lower halves.
"Shit, I swear I've been working on this." she said, hoping she wasn't disappointing him. Turned out practicing in her kitchen by herself was not the best way to work on this. She shook her limbs out again, trying to calm her frustrations.
"I believe you." he said encouragingly, giving her that serious look that made her heart falter for a second. He held his hand out, waiting until she placed her wrist against his palm before taking hold. She visualized what she was trying to do, and put herself through the motions. She let out a groan of aggravation as she once again felt the form go awry.
"I'm sorry, Bucky." she said, shaking her head. "I really thought I had it down."
"You're doing fine." he said softly. His tone, as per usual, left no room for argument. "Let's try a different exercise."
"But I haven't mastered the first one." she pointed out. He shrugged.
"We'll come back to it." he said. "Lay on the floor."
"...Okay." she said, eyeing him. This was definitely something new. She lowered herself to the floor, the mat cold against the skin her tank top didn't cover. He knelt next to her, holding his hand up in front of her.
"Put your fingers against my palm." he said. She quirked an eyebrow, wondering where he was going with this. She had a snarky comment prepared about just wanting to hold her hand, but the look on his face stayed her tongue. She found herself once again unable to decipher his expression, which was probably his goal. At the very least, she could tell he was hesitant. She reached forward surely, trying to show enough confidence for the both of them. His palm was much warmer than she thought it would be, and she was suddenly self conscious about how cold her hands tended to be. "Now, don't change that pressure."
"What?" she asked, confused. He smirked, and started moving his hand away from her. She moved her arm to follow him. His movements were slow, but random, making her really pay attention to keep up. He made her sit up, then reach out one way, then the other. She felt the muscles of her stomach working to keep her from falling over. Ah, now she could see the point.
Soon her competitive nature took over as she tried to be perfect at this weird drill that he'd come up with. She tried to keep her breath even, moving the air in time with the movements of her body. Bucky started trying to make it harder, having her climb over the blocks in the corner of the room or reach up on her tip toes to keep the contact. He wasn't much taller than her, but his arms were longer, making it difficult for her to maintain the pressure as he challenged her end ranges.
"Impressive." he said, raising his eyebrows and dropping his hand. Mika let out her breath, putting her hands on her hips.
"Really?" she asked, trying not to show how tired the exercise made her muscles. He nodded.
"First time I had to do that, I could barely breathe by the end." he said. She was surprised by this insight - another piece in the puzzle.
"Somehow I have trouble believing that." she said, gesturing vaguely to his physique. He shrugged.
"May have been a little different." he confessed, though that was all the explanation he gave.
"Maybe you just need to do more yoga." she said, putting her hands together in front of her chest. That really was the reason she was able to keep control of her breathing - it didn't have as much to do with overall fitness. He gave her a confused and wary look.
"What the hell is yoga?" he asked, as if she were suggesting something dubious.
"You've never tried yoga?" she responded, a little shocked. Even her "manliest" of friends had given yoga a go at least once. "You should come to class with me!"
"Absolutely not." he said, his face once again looking startled and confused.
"Why not? It'll be fun. Get you limbered up a little bit." she said, doing an odd little shimmy. He gave a brief huff of a laugh.
"No thanks." he replied, though now he seemed to be more amused than alarmed at her suggestion.
"But you may really like it. Helps keep the mind calm and the body moving." she continued, giving him a goading look. He shook his head.
"Not big on groups." he stated.
"Well then I'll teach you." Mika reasoned, as if that were the most obvious answer.
"What?" he seemed genuinely surprised by her offer.
"Well it's only fair. You're teaching me some self defense, I'll teach you some yoga." she continued.
"You don't have to-" he started to say.
"But I want to." she insisted. "I need to repay you with more than just undying gratitude and coffee."
"That's good enough for me." he said with a shrug.
"Bucky!" she let out a groan, pinching the bridge of her nose. Why did he have to be so stubborn any time she tried to be nice to him? She looked back, and found that he looked concerned, but also just the slightest bit nervous. She was immediately sorry for snapping, even if it was mostly in jest. "Can you please let me be your friend?"
He was silent for a long time, longer than she thought her comment warranted. When he finally spoke, all he could manage was, "Okay."
"Good. So after we're done with your lesson, I'll give one." she said. He looked unsure, so she added, "It'll be ten minutes, I promise."
"Okay." he said again, and she could see his shoulders relax a little bit. She could tell this was uncharted territory for him and he didn't necessarily like it, but hopefully the whole yoga thing could actually help with that. All else failed, she would find another way to say thank you to him.
"Perfect. Please, continue." she said, standing in her ready position. He stared off for a moment, gathering his thoughts. He picked up his journal again, going through his list before turning back to her and holding his hand out. She furrowed her brows. "Which hand do you want?"
"Both of them." he said, once again letting one side of his mouth turn up.
"There is no way you can hold both of my hands with just one of yours." she said, putting her wrists on his hand. He held one wrist with his thumb and forefinger, and had his remaining fingers around her other wrist. She hadn't realized how big his hand was until this moment.
"Try it." he said, his grin now full on mischievous. She gave him a challenging look, trying to problem solve her way out. She tried to think of what he'd taught her with the other movements - using her legs, dropping her weight. With that in mind, she tried to drop back into a squat, pushing her weight back. Bucky didn't even budge, his one hand still firmly holding both of her wrists.
"How are you so freakishly strong?" she asked, tugging her wrists again. Once again, he didn't budge a millimeter.
"Science." he replied in his typical matter-of-fact manner, one that made her think his answer was completely serious. He looked like he wasn't even trying.
"Alright, Mr. Science Man. So how do I get out of this?" she asked. She wanted to learn this, and learn it well, and learn it fast. She felt the need to prove herself worthy of his time. She also needed the confidence boost, after her trouble with their other movement earlier.
"Bend your elbows to bring yourself closer." he said. She followed his instruction. "Now, you want to kick the inside of my knee."
"I'm not breaking your knee." she said seriously, the mental picture making her stomach churn. He let out a breath that could almost be considered a laugh.
"You won't break my knee." he said, his grin still on his face. She looked at him from the corner of her eye before cautiously reaching with her foot, barely tapping the inside of his knee.
"Right there?" she asked hesitantly. He nodded.
"Go on." he said. She pressed her lips together, trying to garner her courage. She sent her foot out again, but once again barely touched him.
"I'm sorry, I know you say I won't hurt you, but I'm really afraid to." she said, her anxiety coming through in her tone. He let go of her wrists for a second, letting her shake them out. He paused for a moment, making the face he usually did when he was trying to figure out how to respond to her.
"I'll be fine." he said, his voice betraying emotion - surprise? Disbelief? He was trying to reassure her, but he didn't seem to understand why she needed reassuring.
"Is there a way we can practice without me full on kicking you?" she asked. She didn't think she could handle it if she injured him, even on accident. He thought for a moment before nodding.
"You can just place your foot on my knee and lean into it. That's more what you want to do anyway - kick through completely." he said.
"Okay, but you have to tell me when it's too much, okay?" she said, giving him the face that she usually reserved for when her friends were being idiotic.
"I will." he promised, holding his hand out. She placed her wrists, waiting for him to secure them before slowly pulling herself in until she was close enough to put her foot on the inside of his knee. She leaned into it, and was more surprised than she should have been when Bucky didn't move at all.
"Like this?" she asked. He nodded.
"They'll be surprised, and won't expect you to go for their legs. Distracting them here will both injure them and get them to let go. The knees are weaker going from side to side, rather than forward and back." he explained. She pushed off his leg, and felt a weird sense of pride when she saw it move ever so slightly at the force she applied. He let her go for the moment.
"Assuming they're not super strong like you." she added. His grin returned.
"They shouldn't be." he said, looking as if he were amused by his own private joke. He held his hand out again. "Try it faster."
She nodded, giving him her wrists. She pulled a little harder this time, moving a little more confidently as her foot landed on his leg. Once again, he absorbed her force with little to no extra motion, and gave her a smile as she pushed off.
"That was good." he said, and Mika felt her cheeks warm with the compliment. He had her go through it as many more times as she could handle, switching legs halfway through. She never did a full on kick, but she could feel the way she was supposed to move. If push came to shove, she could apply a lot more force, and felt convinced that she could inflict enough damage to make a getaway.
"Now, what do I do if they pull me in too close? And I can't move my leg like that?" she asked, holding her arms up to her chest to mime the predicament.
"Knee them in the groin." he said shortly. He stilled, as if he just realized what he'd said. "I'd rather not practice that."
Mika couldn't help but let out a laugh. His one-liners always surprised her, and thus were always hilarious. "No, no I think we can skip the practice on that one." she said, her giggles still punctuating her response. "What's next?"
He consulted his journal. "That's all I have for today. Unless there's anything else you'd like to do?"
"Just our little yoga session." she said with a cheeky smile. He gave her a blank look. "What, thought I'd forgotten?"
"Hoped you had." he murmured. She made a noise of mock offense.
"Bucky Jones, you're not getting out of this." she said, kicking off her shoes and pulling off her socks. He didn't move. "Come on now, you said you would."
"So I did." he said with a sigh. He pulled his left hand out of its home in his pocket for the first time of the entire session, gently peeling the glove off. He went to put it in his back pocket, but changed his mind and dropped it on top of his journal. He carefully removed his boots and socks, though he seemed uncomfortable with the idea. Mika pointed him to a spot on the mat next to her, making sure to give them enough space for the movements.
"So, the key is that your movements are supposed to follow your breath. So breathe in and raise up," she took a deep breath in, raising her arms in a wide arc until they were above her head. Bucky eyed her, hesitantly following her motions. "It only looks silly if you don't put in one hundred percent, Bucky." she chided.
"Sorry." he said, moving his arms in a wider motion like she had. She nodded in approval.
"Then let your breath out, and bring your arms down." she said, and he followed in suit. "Good! Again."
She brought her arms up, and he copied her movement. The next time, instead of bringing her arms down to her sides, she bent forward at the waist, letting her breath out as she moved. She glanced to the side to see Bucky watching her, actually trying to make sure he was doing it correctly. She found herself a little surprised; she didn't think he would actually go along with the yoga, even if he said he would. She tried to give her best instructions - truth be told, she wasn't exactly an expert yogi, but she knew enough to teach the basics.
Mika took him through a few simple poses, and Bucky followed right along. The metal plates of his prosthetic clicked quietly underneath his long sleeve shirt as they went through the high plank, low plank, and downward facing dog. He had to grip the mat with his metal fingers to keep from slipping - she made a mental note to find her grippy gloves she'd bought when she first started doing yoga. She made sure he was breathing in and out at the right times, and putting the pressure through the right spots on his hands. She tried to remember the cues her instructors gave, and took subtle glances to the mirror to make sure she looked like she was doing them correctly. He actually took to it rather well despite his earlier hesitance, his face serious with concentration. She ended their mini-lesson sitting with their legs crossed, getting him to actually close his eyes and sit still for a moment. She had him take slow, deep breaths, giving the cues her teachers usually did to bring in the positive and push out the negative. In the back of her mind she had an inkling that he thought this was silly, but even with only ten minutes she was going to give him the full yoga experience.
The silence was punctured by the her stomach grumbling, the sound breaking their concentration. Mika opened one eye; Bucky was still sitting with his eyes closed, as per her instruction, but his lips were pressed together as if he were trying not to laugh.
"Maybe it's time for breakfast." he said, his voice even despite the apparent humor he saw in the situation.
"I agree." she said, relaxing out of the hold. Truth be told, her stomach had started gnawing at itself about a half hour before, but she was nothing but dedicated to these lessons. She uncurled herself from the position, slipping her socks and shoes back on. "You'll stop in for a cup of coffee, yea?"
He paused, as he often did before answering most of her questions. "Sure." he said. She gave him a glowing smile, glad that he wasn't fighting her invitation. She pulled her cold weather gear back on as he donned his glove, gratefully accepting his jacket as she handed it to him. Once his journal was safely tucked in his backpack, they made their way to the exit and back towards the apartment. They'd stayed a little longer than the week previous, but the streets were still just as quiet. Even if it was hard to wake up early, especially on a weekend, Mika was glad they did. There was something nice about finishing her work out before the world was awake.
She went through the same routine as they entered her apartment, tossing her bag to the side and kicking her shoes off by the door. Bucky kept his on, stepping more confidently into her apartment. She turned on the coffee maker, idly scrolling through her various playlists on her phone before starting one up to play through her small speakers. She made sure to give Bucky the same mug with the dainty flowers on it, if only for her own amusement.
"Oh, I heard you met Elena again last night." she said, mixing her own coffee and taking a sip. He cocked his head to the side.
"Your friend? Dark, curly hair?" he asked. Mika nodded.
"The one and only." she said. She cut herself a chunk of coffee cake that she'd baked a couple days before, offering him a slice. He shook his head.
"Didn't introduce herself. Just invited me for drinks." Bucky explained. She shook her head.
"Yea, that sounds about right." she said. She went around to the other side of the island, hopping up to sit on it while he sat at the tall chair to the side. "She was right, though. You should definitely come out with us sometime."
"Got work." he replied, sipping his coffee. He seemed more at ease this week, actually leaning against the back of the chair instead of sitting up straight like he usually did.
"Every night?" she asked, giving him a pointed look.
"Maybe." he answered, his tone having just a tinge of sass to it.
"Don't you lie to me," she said, trying to sound intimidating. Considering how little of a threat she was, it fell flat. "You must have at least one night off."
"They're usually during the week." he admitted, though Mika noticed he didn't give full details. His finger was tapping ever so slightly against his floral mug, the slightest tell that his nerves were starting to pick up.
"Well if you ever have a weekend night off, consider it." she said, trying to close that part of the conversation before he got too antsy. "Is it hard, working nights?" she added, trying to steer the conversation to something more subjective, rather than interrogative.
"Not really. Don't really sleep much anyways." he said with a shrug. "Plus, it helps me avoid people."
"People are the worst." she agreed. He lifted one eyebrow.
"I'm not sure you mean that." he said suspiciously.
"I like approximately four people in this world. Well, five now." she replied, gesturing casually towards him. He straightened up at that point. "Anyone else is extra."
He didn't respond for a minute, and finally said, "Well, I'm glad I can be ranked so highly in this competition."
"It's very prestigious. You should be honored." she said, hopping off the counter and taking her plate to the sink. He waited until she stepped away before going to the sink himself and rinsing out his empty mug. She leaned against the island, still nursing her coffee.
"Off to get groceries again?" she asked. He nodded.
"If I hurry, I can get there before everyone else." he expanded.
"Well better get going then." she responded. She could tell he was ready to leave. "Thank you again, for the lesson this morning."
"Same to you." he said, giving her another nod and going to her door.
"Oh! I have something for you." she said, just as he opened it. He paused, turning back to her.
"What?" he asked, his surprise from earlier returning. She grabbed her purse and put it on the countertop, digging through until she found what she was looking for.
"I put a bunch of movies on a USB for you." she said, proudly pulling out the little stick. He looked surprised, startled, and confused all at once. It was possibly the most expressive she'd ever seen him.
"A what?" he asked, eyeing the drive as if it might be dangerous.
"A USB? Thumb drive? You plug it in your computer, it'll pull the movie files right up." she explained. She knew he lived somewhat under a rock, but she figured he'd know what a USB was.
"Don't have a computer." he said, as if the idea were preposterous.
"What?!" she exclaimed. How did he function without a computer? "Well, you don't have a phone, so I guess I shouldn't be so surprised."
"Not big on technology." he said, as if that were explanation enough. She held up a finger, asking him to hold on. She pulled open a drawer full of extra odds and ends and rifled through it until she found an extra piece for the USB.
"Here, now you can connect it directly to your TV through an HDMI port." she said, clicking it onto the USB. He was silent, looking slightly chagrined. "No, don't tell me…"
"Don't have a television." he said softly. He tried to sound ashamed, but his grin gave him away. She let out a noise somewhere between shock and rage, which only seemed to amuse him further.
"You're such a hipster." she said, rolling her eyes. "Okay, fine. When's your next night off?"
He looked as if he didn't understand the purpose of her question. "Tomorrow night. Why?" he asked. She noticed how defensive he looked, how unsure. She toned her response down, reminding herself that he wasn't as excitable as she was.
"If you're not busy, I'd love for you to come watch a movie. We can order food and make a whole night of it." she requested. He took a moment to consider her offer. She waited with baited breath for his response.
"Okay." he agreed. She had to keep herself from jumping in excitement.
"Excellent! I'll be home all evening, so you can just come over whenever." she said, trying to seem nonchalant about it. She was still surprised that he'd agreed to work out with her on Saturday mornings, let alone hanging out with her just to watch a movie. She didn't want to scare him away.
"Six o'clock?" he asked. She realized he, like most people, probably liked having a schedule.
"Works for me." she said. She internally decided that she would pick the movie.
"Until then." he said, giving her a small smile and ducking into the hallway. Mika smiled as he softly closed the door behind him. Bucky was completely different from any of her other friends, but she was glad to have him. She hoped he was happy to have a new friend too.
Thank you so, so much for all the wonderful feedback for this story. I never thought that anyone would read this little adventure that we're on, and I am so thankful for everyone who's taken a moment to check it out. Y'all are the best.
Please let me know what you think of this installment!