Chapter 15: The Ties That Bind Us
"Elena, no. It's too cold." Mika said from beneath her pile of blankets. She'd stationed herself on her couch an hour or two before, resolved that really, this time, she was going to stay in.
"You didn't even let me finish!" Elena said, dramatically laying on top of the mountain of linens that housed her friend.
"I know what you're going to say - 'you never come out anymore! The busy season starts soon and I'll never see you! Why do you hate me?' For the record, I don't hate you." Mika countered, not moving from her position in the warmth.
"Ah, but you forgot the most important part." Elena whispered close to Mika's face in a conspiratory manner, even if it was just the two of them in the apartment. "Hans has finally made his first batch of homemade cider for the season."
Mika paused. That changed things. "You should have led with that." she murmured, making Elena hoot in triumph.
"So you'll come out then?" she asked, looking incredibly hopeful. Mika mulled it over for a moment.
"For one drink. Wait, two drinks." she finally conceded. "I have to get up early in the morning."
"Again?" Elena said, looking confused. "What are you doing this time?"
"Working out." she said. She purposefully left out that it was with Bucky, knowing how quickly her friend could jump to conclusions. She was hoping Elena would leave it at that, but knew better. As expected, she let out a suspicious noise.
"So this is a regular thing, you and Bucky working out?" she asked, a certain tone coloring her voice. Of course she remembered her neighbor's name, and that they had worked out together last weekend. Amazing what she could remember if she really wanted.
"Maybe." Mika replied, trying to keep her answers short. She tunneled out of her blanket stack, going into her bedroom to get ready and trying to distract Elena with clothing choices. Unfortunately, she was very good at multitasking, especially when she put her mind to it.
"Don't you 'maybe' me. This is how it starts. First you - no, not that one - first you just casually hang out, maybe work out together or go to the movies. And it's casual and easy and - yes, that one looks better - and then boom! You're drinking wine and making sweet love and staying in bed for three days." she said, making exaggerated hand motions to amplify her words. Mika pulled her shirt off, changing into the one her friend had selected.
"You're crazy. Bucky is just a friend. Let the man live." she said, switching her pajama pants for her jeans. She'd be damned if she was going out in a skirt in this cold.
"The man is very handsome and can live in my bedroom if he so desires." Elena retorted, making Mika throw a random shirt at her.
"You're a mess. What happened to the blonde from last week?" Mika asked, smoothing her hair into a sleek ponytail. Elena wasn't the only one with a great memory.
"She is a wonderful person, but we agreed that we would keep our time short and sweet." Elena said, checking her own reflection in Mika's bathroom mirror and touching up her makeup.
"You don't believe in short and sweet." Mika pointed out. Elena shrugged nonchalantly.
"Maybe it wasn't short, but it was very, very sweet." she said suggestively, returning to her side of the room. "Ready to go?"
"Ready as I'll ever be." she replied. Truth be told, she was getting the knot in the pit of her stomach that only used to appear before big tests and important presentations. She didn't want to go to the pub, not really. But Hans' homemade cider would make the trip worth it. Elena clapped her hands, pushing Mika towards the door. She made sure to grab her keys and her purse before slipping her heavy coat on, preparing herself to brave the elements.
"So, two drinks and home by eleven, right?" Elena asked as they began their trek down the street.
"If you don't mind." Mika replied, suddenly feeling sheepish. She didn't want her friend to have to change her plans, didn't want to ruin her night. She wanted to feel brave and strong and confident - but the idea of walking home alone made her even more anxious.
"Of course I don't!" Elena said, as if the contrary were preposterous. "Maybe I need to leave early too. Maybe I'm planning to work out before the crack of dawn like you."
Mika let out a very lady-like snort. "The only time you've been up before dawn is if you've stayed up until dawn."
"I'm turning a new leaf, starting tomorrow." she insisted, holding her head up in a proud manner.
"Absolutely. I'm proud of you." she agreed, hooking her elbow through Elena's as they continued through the cold.
The pub was warm and inviting, a welcome change to the bitter winter winds that were slowly making their way into town. The air smelled of impending holiday seasons, and Hans had already festively hung lights across the bar front.
"You're late!" Nicolae called from their favorite booth as they walked in.
"A woman is never late or early. She arrives precisely when she means to." Elena quoted, waving to Hans as they slid into their seats across from their friend. Mika reached across the table, sliding Nicolae's half-empty plate to their half.
"Excuse you, that's mine." he said, trying to reach across and reclaim his chips. Elena smacked his hand, making him recoil reflexively.
"But we're late, and we're hungry." Mika countered, taking a chip and popping it into her mouth despite his protests. Elena joined along, digging in to the previously untouched pile.
"I hate you both. I hope you realize that." he said, crossing his arms and pretending to be angry with them.
"You can't fool us. We know you don't even eat these." Mika said, mouth full of potato.
"Then why would Hans bring them to me, hm?" he asked aggressively. At that moment, the man himself arrived with steaming mugs of warm cider, setting them down on the table.
"Because Hans knew that these two would be here soon, and would finish the plate for you." he said, speaking in the third person. "I always have a plan. No one seems to realize that."
"Of course we do." Elena objected, gesturing for him to come closer so she could place a fat kiss on his cheek.
"We would be nothing without you, Hans." Mika added, pulling one of the mugs towards her with glee. Hans' homemade cider always signalled the beginning of the holiday season. It was also warm, and sweet, and completely perfect for these frigid nights.
"You'd be fine. Just a little hungrier and a little more sober." he said, flashing them a grin before heading back to his post. Mika took a sip of her drink, the sweet apple and cinnamon warming her from the inside out. Maybe coming out wasn't such a bad idea after all.
Two hours later, and her tune had changed. It was nearing ten o'clock, and she was regretting agreeing to stay out an hour later than this. The week was catching up to her, and she was acutely aware of all the people in the pub. The cider had lulled her into a state that made her more ready to go to bed than to rally for the rest of the night. The rest of her friends were back in the corner, playing a game of darts. She was sitting at the bar, nursing a forbidden third glass of cider and idly chatting with Hans whenever he had a free moment. Her eyes kept flicking to the clock above the liquor shelf, counting down the minutes until she could leave.
"You look miserable." Hans said, leaning his elbows on the bar.
"'Miserable' is a strong word." Mika replied, giving the best smile she could muster. "But would I rather be at home under a pile of blankets? Yes."
"At home?" Alexei asked, sliding onto the stool next to her and throwing his arm over her shoulders. "But the night is just getting started!"
"I'm tired," she replied, trying to shrug his arm off. He made sure it stayed on. "and my night is almost over."
"At least come play one round with us." he said, jerking his head towards the dart board. Mika grimaced.
"I'd rather not. I'm gonna just sit here with my cider and hang out." she said. She could tell he'd taken shots earlier. Multiple shots.
"Come on, one round." he tried to convince her further, but she shook her head.
"Don't take my one friend away from me." Hans said, taking her hand and giving Alexei a relatively serious glare.
"Just one game!" he replied, finally letting go of her shoulders. She let out a sigh of relief, until he grabbed her ponytail and started pulling. "It'll be fun, I promise."
"Alexei, I don't want to. Let go." she said sternly, trying to contort so she could escape. Hans' hand slipped from hers. Alexei was laughing, still holding onto the edge of her hair and trying to drag her in the direction of the rest of the group. Mika felt a sense of panic rise within her. She knew he was just kidding around, but she didn't like it. She didn't like that she couldn't get out of it. She didn't like that he wasn't letting go. Hans looked helplessly from behind the bar, unable to reach them.
"If you just try, you'll get into it." Alexei said. Again, she knew he didn't mean his statement in the way it came across. But it still didn't sit well with her. She was able to turn enough to take a hold of his wrist, fixing him with the coldest glare she could muster.
"Let. Go." she said, trying to channel the sternness her mother used to use on her and her sisters. She felt demoralized as Alexei just started to laugh.
"Come on, it's just a bit of fun." he said, giving her ponytail an extra tug for good measure. She felt her panic turn to anger. She wasn't one to get angry quickly, but he was pulling on her last nerve.
"Dude, she said let go." Hans said. Alexei laughed, jerking her head again. She couldn't get his hand to loosen. When did his grip get so strong? Was every man she knew freakishly strong?
"Hands off my woman!" Elena said, sharply jabbing him in the ribs. He finally let go, and Mika took a few protective steps away from him. Elena turned him and shoved him back in the direction of the dart board. "You, go back over there. You're in time out."
"Thank you." she said, rubbing her arms. Elena put her hands on her cheeks.
"Are you okay? I thought he was going to accidentally snap your neck." she said, her hands going to her shoulders. Now that Mika thought about it, her neck was a little sore.
"I'm fine. He was just...being annoying." she said. She looked at the clock above the bar again - how was time moving so slowly? She was over this whole thing. "I think I'm just going to go home."
"Yes. Let's go." she agreed, giving her a gentle pat on her shoulders.
"Wait!" Hans said, holding his hands up. The two women turned to him, confused and challenging looks on their faces. He held up his first finger, gesturing for them to stay as he ducked down behind the bar. He re-emerged with two glass bottles, both filled with a warm amber liquid. "I made a little extra."
"Aw! Thank you!" Elena cheered, taking the bottles with a look of pure joy that had not been seen in a while.
"Now I'm pretty sure it's illegal for alcohol to leave the establishment so put it in your purse, and if you get caught I'm going to say that you stole it." Hans said shortly, wiping the surface of the bar and giving them a pointed look. The girls did a little dance as the bottles went into the purse, giving him the most conspiratorial looks they could make.
"Got it, boss." she said, tucking the bottles into her bag before hooking her elbow through Mika's. "See you next time."
"Have a good night. Be safe." he said, sending them off with a wave. "Oh, text me when you get home, yea?"
"Of course!" Mika said as they walked to the door. They waved at their other friends from across the building, ignoring their jeers for leaving early and the vague pleas for them to stay. The silence outside was welcome after the volume of the pub, the only noise being the clicking of their shoes on the concrete. Elena's arm was still looped through hers, the contact comforting in the cold night air.
"I'm getting really sick of Drunk Alexei's shit." Elena said after a while. Mika wasn't surprised; Elena was very quick to anger, though it usually burned fast and bright before fizzling away.
"He was extra annoying tonight." Mika agreed. She could still feel how lopsided her ponytail was from him tugging on it, a solid chunk of it flying free. She wanted to fix it, but didn't want to leave the comfort of her friend's arm.
"He's on probation, I've decided." she said definitively, stopping in front of Mika's building.
"I second that motion." she said, gathering her friend into a hug. Elena squeezed her tightly for a moment before pulling away.
"So it's carried. Excellent. I'll alert the group." she said, pulling one of the bottles of cider from her purse, handing it to her. "Enjoy this, and don't have too much fun tomorrow. Or do. Live your best life."
"I will." she said with a laugh, scanning her fob to the building and opening the door. She paused before ducking inside. "Text me when you get wherever you're going, yea?"
"Yes, mum." she answered sarcastically, sticking her tongue out before turning and walking away. Mika went into the apartment building, slowly beginning her ascent to the top floor. Her annoyance had faded slightly, probably thanks to the cider. Now, she was just ready to crawl back under her blankets and sleep.
Once back in her apartment, she had to force herself to go through her nightly routine instead of faceplanting on her bed and passing out. She needed to be fresh and have her shit together the next morning, cause she knew Bucky would. He was the very definition of always ready. So she showered and brushed her teeth and hair, making sure to drink a large bottle of water before finally sliding under the covers to sleep.
Her alarm went off entirely too early, but she pulled herself out of bed anyways. She went through her motions - clothes, teeth, coffee - before packing up her bag. She started to braid her hair, but changed her mind, arranging it into a ponytail instead. She added a few extra layers of clothing, the morning weather report having informed her that it was well enough below freezing that snow might be a possibility. If that were the case, she'd need better cover than a sweatshirt and leggings. Now ready, she stepped out into the hallway to meet Bucky. As expected, he was already waiting for her, giving her the half-smile that seemed to be his customary greeting.
"Good morning." she sang, handing him his cup of coffee. He took it, giving her a nod in thanks. This time, he barely hesitated before taking a sip.
"Good morning." he replied softly. She gave him a bright smile, heading down the stairs without hesitation.
"Come on, let's go before I change my mind with this cold." she said. She suddenly felt a little silly in her big coat - Bucky was only in his jacket and a long sleeved shirt - but as they stepped out onto the sidewalk, she had no regrets. The air hurt her face, and a sharp wind was cutting through in every direction. She let out a squeal at the temperature, and could have sworn she heard a low chuckle rumbling from her companion. She sent a glare his direction, but he'd already schooled his face back to it's careful neutrality. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, and she could swear she could see the corner of his lip twitching. If she didn't have to pull her scarf away, she was ready with a snide comment about ice giants. She decided to store it away for another day.
The kid at the front desk of the gym looked even nearer to asleep than usual, his head resting on his arms and the hood of his sweatshirt pulled up. He gave them a half-hearted wave as they entered, but didn't really look at them. The bikes in the corner were vacant today; Mika supposed the two old ladies had foregone their workout due to the cold. They were smart. Bucky slid off his jacket and backpack, carefully placing them next to where she'd dropped her bag. He stood patiently waiting, a ghost of a grin on his face as she peeled off layer after layer until she was left in her tshirt and leggings.
"Ready?" he asked, his tone barely betraying a hint of sarcasm.
"Don't you judge me. It's not my fault I wasn't built to withstand arctic temperatures." she replied, rubbing her arms to warm up. Though the gym was heated, it was not heated near enough to keep her warm at baseline.
"It's not that bad." he said with a shrug. She made a face at him, but couldn't come up with a better response than that. With a smug look of triumph, he changed the subject. "Do you remember what we went over last time?"
They spent a few minutes reviewing before Bucky had her lay on the floor again, going through the same weird warmup game that he'd shown her the week prior. He made it a lot harder this time, that same half-smile on his face as he tried to trip her up. She spent most of her brain power either trying to follow his movements or trying to control her breathing, the subtle expression on his face giving away how competitive he was with this. When they finished, he gave her an impressed look, once again complimenting her performance before pulling out his notebook to consult for today's lesson.
"Actually, can I make a special request for today?" Mika asked, her heart hammering in her chest. Between the exercise and asking him for yet another favor, it was impossible to lower her heart rate. He looked vaguely surprised at her question, but when he spoke, his voice was as even as it always was.
"Of course." he said, carefully closing the journal and turning his attention to her. She faltered, his blue eyes suddenly making her feel self conscious. She cleared her throat, looking down at the floor to gather her thoughts. It suddenly seemed so stupid and embarrassing that she almost thought to say "nevermind" and let him get on with his previously planned lesson. But he was looking at her with quiet concern, and she reminded herself that he'd never judged her for anything before. At least, not that she could tell. The panic she'd felt last night was very real, and she needed to address it.
"Last night," she started, and immediately his posture changed. He was standing straighter, his eyes sharpening. She held her hands up, trying to show that nothing bad had happened. "when I was out with some friends, one of them grabbed me by the hair, as a joke? But I couldn't get him to let go. How do I get out of that?"
Bucky's shoulders relaxed ever so slightly, his brows furrowing as he considered her question. He flipped open the journal, thumbing through the pages until he found his lesson plans. He reviewed the list a few times before he looked back to her.
"I...I didn't think of that." he replied after a moment. He seemed disappointed in himself, which immediately made Mika's heart break.
"That's okay, we don't have to today. It was just something to add to the list." she said, trying to backtrack. The last thing she wanted was for him to feel bad. He'd already been so incredibly helpful so far, way more helpful than she deserved. He shook his head, his eyes looking into the middle distance instead of at her. He was thinking.
"We can do that. I just need to figure it out." he said, his hands opening and closing as he worked through the situation. A few minutes later, he looked up with his mischievous expression. "Do you think you can throw someone over your shoulder?"
"Uh, is there like, a beginner version?" she asked hesitantly. Throwing people? She was strong, but she wasn't that strong. "Remember, I don't have your superhuman strength."
"Perhaps not. Although, you don't need superhuman strength for that. It's all about leverage." he said in a calculating manner, though the glint was still in his eye.
"Square one, Bucky. Maybe next time." she said with a grin, shaking her arms out.
"Maybe next time." he agreed, giving her one of his wider smiles.
"So, if I can't throw an adult human being, what's my next best move?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips. He took a breath, moving to the middle of the room and placing his hands on the back of his own head to mime what she was to do.
"You want to grab the wrist or hand with both of yours, then duck and turn. It'd be difficult to maintain their grip on you when their shoulder musculature tears or if the bone breaks." he explained, going through the motions.
"Again, I feel like you think I'm way stronger than I am." she said, shaking her head.
"Leverage. It's all about working smart, not hard." he murmured, pushing his hands back into his pockets. She noticed he was actually using his left hand some today - she wanted so badly to ask about the prosthetic, but knew that would not be a good idea. She may have some trouble when it came to social etiquette, but she knew better than to ask how someone lost an arm and gained a highly functional neuroprosthesis.
"Alright, smarty pants, let's try this then." she said, stepping up to him. He gave a brief huff of a laugh at her name calling before going very still. She was used to his pauses before speaking - she figured he was taking a moment to translate everything in his head. But this seemed different.
"Do you...is it...I…" he started a few sentences, but didn't seem to know exactly what he was trying to say. Mika tilted her head to the side, trying to read his mind and decipher what he wanted to communicate. A few moments later, a lightbulb flipped on in her mind as she remembered their previous lessons, how he always seemed to ask permission before touching her.
"Oh, go ahead." she said, trying to sound as casual and nonchalant as possible as she turned her back to him, flipping her hair so that the entirety of her ponytail was hanging behind her. He took a half step closer, and she could practically feel how hesitant he was.
"Are you sure?" he asked. He hadn't reached up to take hold of her hair yet.
"Absolutely. I trust you." she added for good measure. He was quiet for a long time before murmuring some sort of affirmation, reaching up and gently grasping her hair. He took another moment before speaking again.
"Now, grab my hand, duck, and spin." he instructed. His voice was softer than it was previously, and she wondered if he was nervous about this. Mika suddenly felt bad again, wishing she hadn't changed his plan for today. She should have just asked later, so that he would have time to organize a lesson. She shouldn't have asked to do something different. But she already had, so she needed to make the best of it.
"Like this?" she asked, gently placing her hands over his one. She could feel the tendons at his wrist, holding fast to her hair. The muscles of his hand were obviously very strong, reminding her how manual his work was and how strong he was. She locked her hands around his as well as she could, dropping herself down and trying to turn away from him. She found she couldn't move very easily - he was holding her back, not allowing her to turn.
"Turn towards me. That makes the muscles in the back of the shoulder take the force, and they're much weaker than the ones in the front." he said. She turned the other way, and this time he allowed her to move. She twisted around once, and felt his hand release. She stood up as he did, shaking his arm out ever so slightly as it rotated back to its resting position.
"Did I hurt you?" she asked, suddenly alarmed. He did mention tearing muscles and breaking bones. She didn't think she had it in her, but it was one of her bigger fears to accidentally hurt Bucky during one of their sessions.
"No, I'm fine." he said. He seemed confused, though not necessarily because she thought she'd hurt him. He almost seemed surprised that she was worried about him.
"Oh. Okay, good." she said lamely, not knowing what else to say. How could she explain that she worried about hurting him when all he'd given her was the subtlest of cues? Even now, she questioned whether or not what she was interpreting from his vague reactions was actually what was going on in his head.
"That was a good first try." he said, giving her one of his more encouraging smiles. He didn't seem as uncomfortable now. Maybe he was okay with her little snafu from earlier? Or maybe now that he had a plan, he was able to focus on its implementation, rather than the spontaneity.
"Can we try again?" she asked. He nodded, and she moved into position before he had to ask her to. "Okay, ready." she said, hoping he would take that as her permission for him to initiate contact. Luckily he did, once again seizing hold of her ponytail. She grabbed hold of his hand and wrist, ducking and turning slowly again. Bucky's arm twisted, and he let go of her hair as she completed her circle. She knew he was letting her win, but she was okay with it. It seemed much more likely for her to hurt him today than it had been any other time before this. The last thing she wanted was to rip his shoulder out of its socket.
"Better." he said, giving her an approving nod. "Try it a little faster now."
This move took a few extra tries to build her confidence, mainly because she was so oddly concerned about hurting him. She figured it was because she couldn't see him as she spun - in their other exercises, she could keep an eye on his face, really see where they were moving. But now she only saw the ground and his legs as she sweeped down, she couldn't monitor his upper half at all. He kept assuring her that he was fine, even going so far as to cryptically say that he had "healed from injuries much worse than anything you could inflict." Somehow, that didn't make her feel any better. But Bucky had shrugged off the comment as if it were commonplace, as if she wouldn't worry about what had happened to her friend in his past and if he was okay.
He was starting make more remarks like that, she noticed. A few months ago, he never said one more word than he needed to get his point across. Now, even if it was minimal and vague on the details, he was starting to offer up little bits of himself. He was becoming more open. He was becoming more comfortable. Her heart suddenly swelled a little bit with affection for him; when she'd moved to Bucharest, she had no one. Her sister and her mother were still at home, Elena was off traveling, and she had moved into her tiny apartment and new job on her own. She was a small town girl in the big city, and for the first time in her life she felt shy and small and alone. Most of the time was spent at home, and when she wasn't at home she was either at work or at the gym. And she was okay with that, she was content with that. It wasn't the most exciting time in her life, but it could be worse. At least it was quiet, and uneventful. A welcome change from what her life had been like before.
Nicolae was her first friend. He started two months after she did, moving into the cubicle next to her with a boisterous greeting and an immediate invite to a local pub. She turned him down at first, multiple times. She just couldn't picture herself out in the world like that again. But he was friendly, and honest, and persistent, and eventually she agreed to hang out with him and his friends. She met Hans and Jonas that night, and a few months later convinced Elena to settle in the city as well. She remembered what it was like to enjoy life again, to enjoy the company of other people. She remembered there was more to life than just making it by.
So she listened to Bucky, making her moves a little more forceful, a little more intentional. She wanted to show how she trusted him, how she valued him. She wanted him to know how good of a teacher - of a friend - he was. And everything was going fine. Fine, until she moved too forcefully and too intentionally. She stopped as soon as she heard the deep pop from above her, holding her awkward position.
"Bucky?" she asked lowly.
"Yes?" he asked in return. She had the distinct feeling he was purposefully keeping his voice level.
"Was that your shoulder?" she continued the question trend. He paused for a moment, slowly untangling his hand from her hair.
"...Yes." he replied. Now that she wasn't in danger of making his shoulder pop again, she snapped back into standing.
"Did I hurt you? Oh my god, I'm so sorry." she exclaimed, her hands going over her mouth before going to his shoulder. He stiffened slightly at her touch, but didn't move away.
"I'm fine." he said, standing very still. She realized that she was probably too far into his personal space, and pulled her hands back. She squeezed her hands together to keep herself from reaching out and mothering him again.
"That was like, a loud pop. A really loud pop. It sounded really loud and really painful." she continued. Her stomach was turning. She'd done it now. One of her worst fears was coming true.
Bucky, however, was cool as a cucumber. He gave her a nonchalant shrug. "I'm really fine. It didn't hurt. Just a little crack." he raised his arm up, his shoulder moving in a slow and controlled fashion. Mika narrowed her eyes, focusing on his face.
"Lift it again." she said, staring at his eyes. She thought she saw a little twitch before, and she was determined to see if he was lying. Bucky may be pretty good at hiding most things, but she was determined to see the truth. He raised his arm up and down again, his face staying perfectly neutral. Too neutral.
"See? Fine." he said, lifting one corner of his mouth in a grin. She stared at him a moment longer.
"Promise?" she asked, crossing her arms and trying to look stern instead of breaking down into tears, which is what she actually wanted to do. She had the inkling that his shoulder was hurt, but he was finding a way to play it off. Bastard.
"Promise." Bucky replied, giving her the serious look that made her heart skip a beat. She cleared her throat, looking down at the ground before looking back to him.
"Okay. Good. Well, I think that's a good place to end then, cause honestly if your shoulder made that noise again I think I'd throw up." she said, putting a hand on her abdomen. He gave her a brief chuckle, putting his hands in his pockets.
"Okay." he agreed. She nodded, taking a deep breath and going back to her bag. "No yoga today?"
She paused, turning back to him. "You still wanna do yoga?" she asked. He hesitated; it seemed he wasn't prepared for her to question his question.
"Yes. I enjoyed it last time." he said quietly. She dove into her bag, searching for the gloves she'd thought to find earlier in the week.
"Well then of course we're doing yoga." she said, pulling the gloves out and handing the left one to him. His brows knit together as he looked at it.
"What's this for?" he asked, cautiously pulling his own glove off and slipping hers on. It was a little small, but it would work. It was odd, seeing the metal fingers like this again. He usually kept them covered nowadays.
"So your hand doesn't slip on the mat." she said, taking off her shoes and socks. He looked surprised that she'd given it to him, and she was sitting on the mat with her legs crossed before he even started to move to untie his boots. She smiled as he sat down across from her, folding his legs underneath him like she did.
"Ready." he said, taking a deep breath. She tightened her ponytail, putting it back where she wanted it.
"Alright. Do you remember what we went over last time?" she asked with a smile.
Thank you so so so much for all the wonderful birthday wishes and comments! I am so grateful for every piece of feedback y'all leave, it really makes my day to hear that people are enjoying this story as much as I am. For those of you wondering about Civil War, I wanted to let you know that it'll be in about a year and a half of story time...so buckle up, cause there's a looooot that's gonna happen before then!
Please take a moment to let me know what you think! I love to hear from y'all!