The only sounds that fill the gym are my heavy breathing and the sound of my fists hitting the punching bag. I've spent all day training: there's only so much you can do when you're suspended. While anyone who would walk in would hear my breathing, I can't hear any of it. The whole time I've been training, I've had music playing in my ears from my wireless earphones. I only stopped to eat lunch, and since no one was around I haven't taken them out after I put them in.
I know anyone who knows I train in the gym a lot say I do it to keep a body. Honestly, it's just a bonus side effect of keeping healthy and having the literal 'super soldier' as a dad. The truth is that it simply makes me feel better. While others might spend all day reading or even relaxing on the beach, I train in the gym. It takes my mind off shit.
An alarm goes off. I forgot: Aunt Nat set an alarm so that I would stop training at 2:00. She knows how much I train and knew I wouldn't stop at the end of the day, so she wanted to stop me herself. I try to ignore it, not wanting to stop yet. Not when I'm in the mindset.
♪"Show and tell, I'm on display for all you fuckers to see"♪ begins to play through my earphones. At first I think it's another song playing, then remember that this is the middle of a song and that it's my new ringtone. I press the small button on the side of my left earphone, answering the call with my typical 'This is Blythe', given I don't know who the caller is.
Mikayla's voice filters through the earphones, and I begin to unravel the hand wraps and tape surrounding my hands. I listen to what she's saying without saying a word, packing up and grabbing my phone before walking up to my room via the inbuilt stairwell. Throughout the whole ten minute call - Mikayla talks a lot - I've only gotten a couple words in. By the time she's stopped talking, I have taken my gym clothes off, had a quick shower - the earphones are waterproof Stark Tech - and pulled on a knee length skirt paired with bike pants underneath, a simple shirt that worked well with the skirt and studded boots.
"Mickey." I interrupt her. "What did you actually call me for? It's been ten minutes solid of you talking, and you haven't gotten to a point. Spill."
"Oh, right. I wanted to know if you were interested in coming to visit Vivian. She's four now and really wants to see you. You could take the alleyway to get here. It'll save you like ten minutes."
I remember what happened yesterday afternoon. It was probably just a freak mugging. "Sure, I'll come. But I might get caught up, cause both Dad and Papa have stuff going on."
"Oh, please Blythe! My family hasn't seen you in ages!"
"It's been a month. But fine. Give me maybe...thirty minutes. If I don't show up, don't worry. I probably just got held up by someone but didn't have time to text you."
With that, I hang up the call. I look around my room to see if there's anything to do, remember that my earphones are still in and take them out, placing them on my bedside table. I grab my sunglasses in response, ones that have F.R.I.D.A.Y. built into them. She greets me how she usually does. In case you're wondering: Papa built F.R.I.D.A.Y. into most of my things. She's in my motorbike helmet, my phone, my earphones, even my sunglasses. I walk out of the Tower and head towards the alley shortcut.
"Are you sure that you wish to follow the shortcut today, Blythe? I heard you talking to Mikayla about it. Is that not where you were attacked yesterday?"
"F.R.I.D.A.Y., it will be fine. That was just a freak mugging." I turn into the alleyway, and it goes unnervingly quiet. The end of the alleyway is too far away, and as I turn my head to see where I just entered off the end of the street, I see that it's metres away and completely empty. Something is definitely off. "Nothing's going to happen..." Even as I say this, I'm not sure anymore. I turn back to keep walking, and I see sudden movements in the shadows.
I duck just in time to see a punch thrown at me, and the arm throwing it becomes lodged in the brick. I back away and gasp in horror to see that the arm isn't flesh: it's pure metal. The owner of the arm exits from the shadows with a small laugh. "You shouldn't have done that." The owner of the arm looks normal. That's the scary part about him. Nothing about him should be normal, and yet he could be considered incredibly attractive.
"F.R.I.D.A.Y." I whisper quietly. I know I need help, but that all of the Avengers are busy. But school's just gotten out for the day... "F.R.I.D.A.Y. call Peter. Now. Tell him I need help. Tell him where I am." I then turn to the man. "Who are you? What do you want?"
"Oh, so cliche Stark." I notice that his voice has the ever so slight Scottish drawl to it. Just another thing that doesn't suit him.
"Sorry, but it's Rogers."
"Right. Daddy dearest is the super soldier, correct? He isn't gonna come and save you now though."
I honestly have no idea what to do. Yesterday with the muggers, I could at least fight them. But I don't know where to start with this person.
"But if you must know...call me Dylan." He throws another punch, this time with his normal arm. I catch it and twist it, but in the moment his other arm reaches up and takes my sunglasses off, crushing them in his hand. I look at him with fear in my eyes...and he matches it with a smile. I try to run, but I go nowhere in my surroundings.
I decide to try and fight him, already knowing it's the wrong decision. I land a few blows on him, he lands more on me. I'm already tired and weak, suddenly regretting training for 10 hours straight. I put up a fighting stance but he swings at me. The swing is harder than the other ones have been, and this one throws me into a wall. I barely have time to respond when I'm being lifted into the air and pressed against the wall.
I am now slightly above Dylan's eye level, and there is complete and utter fear in my eyes. I'm struggling to breathe and gasping for air. He seems to take pleasure in these things. He smiles at me, but it isn't a friendly smile. It sends shivers down my spine. My feet scrabble against the wall behind me to try and keep high enough to breathe. His arm is strong, and it isn't even his metal one. That scares me.
"Father said he wanted your head on a platter," Dylan smiles. My already raggedy breaths catch. "But he said I could have my way with you before I did. So I shall." It clicks what he wants to do, and I try to fight it. My hands work harder at trying to pry his hands from around my neck, but he's too strong. "I'm going to kill you anyway, really. This is a fun way to get back at Kai though." The pointer finger of his metal arm turns into a claw. He reaches up to brush some hair out of my face. I wince in pain as he then uses the claw to cut a line into my cheek.
The warm blood trickles down my cheek and I can feel it moving onto my neck. My vision is starting to go black, and I can't focus on him. I don't want the last thing I see to be his face. In an instant, I'm on the ground. I weakly look up to see Peter fighting Dylan as Spider-Man. I cough, taking oxygen in a bit too quickly. I would stand, but I can tell that I don't have enough strength.
Dylan seems to give up, at least for the moment. "I'll be back, Rogers. Be sure of that." I vaguely register what he says, my vision and consciousness almost gone. The last thing I see before I black out is Peter running towards me and taking his mask off, calling my name.
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