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rookthorne · 9 months ago

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I am... speechless. like I can't even fucking formulate words that can live up to this... I don't even know what to say, I am just blown away that you did this for me, because I... fuck

There have been so many things I enjoyed about this, so I hope you will enjoy my thoughts on this, and I apologize in advance for the long read 💜

I SWEAR TO GOD YOU HAVE GIVEN ME A GIFT WITH YOUR THOUGHTS ON MY FIC! MY FIC!

I don't know

please

please just can I hug you

⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂ 𝐁𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐥𝐲'𝐬 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐭

The first step was always the hardest one to make, even if it was only a baby step, it was forward. And forward was the direction you were determined to go.

჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻ 𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 ❥ Personal Trainer!Bucky Barnes x F!Reader

჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻ 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕 ❥ 1.9k

჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻ 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 ❥ Fluff, angst (body image issues), comfort ჻჻჻ TROPES: Meet Cute

჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻ 𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔 ❥ I am gonna admit that I teared up writing this. ❥ I wrote it with a Plus Size!F!Reader in mind, but it is not descriptive.

჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻ 𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 ❥ Would That I by Hozier

჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻ 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒕 ❥ @buckybarnesevents Into an Alternate Juneiverse 𝗖𝟮 — Personal Trainer AU — Masterlist

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

It was a simple step, in retrospect. A simple phone call, and then an appointment, and then you were part of it – it was meant to be easy, a smooth transition.

So, you had to ask yourself: why in the hell was now the time to hesitate? Just outside the double glass doors of the Howlie’s Gym, tote bag over your shoulder, and clothes that were certainly not made for athleticism – if the other women in the gym were anything to go by.

“You can do this,” you muttered to yourself, looking down at your fit – simple leggings and an extremely oversized shirt, the perfect size to not cling to the curves and plains of your body. You preferred it that way. “Baby steps.”

Steeling your resolve, you reached for the door handle, and paused. The cold metal of the handle was freezing against the heat of your clammy palm. You were slightly early for your second appointment – more accurately described as an ‘orientation’ – but you figured being early was better than being late. Good first impressions, after all.

The door swung open, and the sounds and sights and smells of the well kept gym slammed your senses. It was clean, and if you had to put a few words to it, it was homey, welcoming, and spacious – people were smiling and laughing at one another, trainers were praising and encouraging patrons to complete their sets and reps.

“Hey there,” a voice said next to you, and you looked over to find a tall blond, his smile wide and eyes bright. “I’m Steve, you must be–?”

“Oh, hello,” you greeted, taking his offered hand and offering your name.

“Ah, yes, you came in to see Sam the other day, right?”

You recounted back, and nodded. Sam had been the receptionist slash lead trainer that day of your appointment to sort your membership. “Yeah, he booked me in and did all the paperwork.” As you spoke, the sounds of clanging metal weights and grunts of effort bled into the background – Steve’s presence was comforting and soothing, even when he looked like he could bench press you, and more.

“Perfect, that means less work for me,” he said happily, reaching for a clipboard on a shelf next to him, and he looked down the list. “Looks like you’re paired up with Barnes. When that’s done, he’ll walk you through the gym, and if you’re comfortable, he’ll begin planning your regime.”

“Okay, cool.” You smiled, the line wavering nervously.

Steve pointed at a long row of cubby holes. “Put your bag wherever a free space is, and then I’ll introduce you to Bucky–Barnes,” he offered, seeing your sudden confusion.

Slowly, you walked over to a free space, depositing your bag with a sigh. The atmosphere was charged with competitiveness, and you weren’t sure you could keep up – having joined purely to better yourself, and build your strength, not to mention stop the huffing and puffing from climbing flights of stairs.

Biting the bullet, you turned back around and found Steve glancing at the clipboard, his gaze focused. “Baby steps,” you reminded yourself quietly, and you walked over to be in his eyeline.

“Ready?” Steve asked, and you nodded. “Alright, come with me.”

The walk through the gym was surprisingly easy – people smiled at Steve, greeting him with handshakes and then grinning and nodding at you, welcoming you into the community like you belonged there. “Everyone is so nice,” you whispered, suddenly unsure.

“‘Course they are, darling,” Steve piped up. His smile tampered the nerves down to a low simmer, and you couldn’t help but blink at him. “We take pride in being welcoming, you’ll not find any assholes here–promise.”

“I dunno about that, Stevie,” a different voice replied. You searched for the source, and it was all you could do to not gasp quietly at the sight of the man before you – tall and handsome as hell, athletic shorts covering his hips and upper thighs, and muscle tank exposing his toned flanks. It was like being in the presence of a God, but more… Charming. “You’re here, aren’t you?”

“Shut up, punk,” Steve groused, shaking his head. “This here is your new client.” He offered your name, and you only just got it together in time to shake Bucky’s outstretched hand. “Alright, love,” Steve said, looking at you. “I will leave you in Buck’s capable hands.”

That should not have been as much of an innuendo as you hoped, you hastily thought, watching Steve’s retreating back with mounting trepidation.

“So,” Bucky said softly, and you whipped your focus back to him to see him smiling warmly – his posture open and inviting, as though he was making his stature smaller to be less intimidating. “Why don’t we move this to the office, and you can tell me a bit more about what you’re after?”

“Sounds good,” you answered quietly, your hands fidgeting. Willing your heart to slow the pounding against your ribs, you reminded yourself that it was an appointment – it was Bucky’s job, he was meant to get to know you and your goals, hell, you were paying the membership for this. Taking a deep breath, you stepped to the side a little. “Lead the way.”

Walking behind Bucky, however, wasn’t a clever idea in hindsight. Seeing up close how his muscles shifted as he strode towards an open door by the entrance of the gym did no favours for your imagination – and his ass in those shorts… You couldn’t be blamed for the furtive glances sent towards it, or his thighs. Fuck, pull it together, you scolded yourself.

“Here we are,” Bucky said suddenly, and you stumbled as you came to a halt in the open doorway. It didn’t look like an office at all – one wall had a two-seater couch, a coffee table in front of it, and then two recliners on the other side. A water tower sat in the corner by a bunch of towering potted plants, and the room was cosy with warm lighting.

If you didn’t know any better, you would have said this was someone’s living room.

“You okay, doll?”

“Oh, sorry, I was just- Uh, taken aback,” you rushed, stepping into the comfortable space. The urge to fidget disappeared suddenly, a sense of calm sweeping your being in the peaceful room.

Bucky closed the door with a soft click and gestured to the two-seater couch. “S’alright, a lotta people are shocked when they see our ‘meeting’ room–I don’t blame ‘em, to be honest,” he admitted, a hint of laughter in his words. “After all, it’s not often your local gym takes comfort into consideration.”

“You can say that again.” The words fell from your lips before you could stop them, and your jaw snapped shut. “Sorry–”

“Hey, no, you’re fine,” Bucky soothed, grabbing a pad of paper from a shelf next to the door. “It’s the truth–I know that much, doll.”

The recliner huffed as Bucky plopped heavily down onto the cushion, and his demeanour shifted to someone with insatiable curiosity. “What we’re gonna do today is just mainly talking, and if we have time at the end, I’ll walk you through the gym and get a feel for where you’re at, and start on making your regime.” He stopped when he caught the widening of your eyes, and he held a hand up. “You’re not expected to do anything strenuous today, doll. You can take a breath of relief.”

Such heartfelt reassurance made the traitorous thundering of your heart to slow a fraction, enough to not be incessantly beating against your ribs with enough enthusiasm to leap free. You took another deep breath, and looked around the room once more while Bucky fiddled with a pen and his phone.

“It’s nice here.” Bucky looked up, eyes searching, so you continued, “I-I mean, I’ve been to many gyms, and this one is just… nice.”

“I’m glad.” Bucky grinned, and put his phone back in his pocket. “Let’s begin with why you’re here, at Howlie’s–what’s got you through the doors?”

“Um…”

Bucky smiled that soft smile again, and nodded encouragingly. “Take your time, doll. This appointment is a long one.”

“Well,” you began, fighting down the urge to bolt from the room. “I, um- Well, I haven’t always been the most fit.” The faltering flow of your story only served to make you more nervous, but Bucky seemed nonplussed, pen poised and moving as he began to take notes. “And I guess, I just want to be stronger. I’m tired of, y’know-” You gestured to the whole of your body. “Being the way I am.”

“Alright, I’m gonna stop you right there, sweetheart,” Bucky cut in, and you met his fierce, but fond stare with wide eyes. “This… journey will help you to learn to love the way you are. Sure, your strength and endurance will get better with my help, and the right exercises, but, doll,” he sighed, his brows furrowing in thought. “I know it’s not my place, or maybe it’s not appropriate, but I think you’re beautiful just the way you are. And it is my job–and passion,” he emphasised, “to get you to be the best you can be–and that’s what I’m gonna do.”

“Oh, boy,” you breathed, your throat tight. “I don’t know what to say–”

“That’s fine. You don’t need to say nothin’, doll. Let’s continue, yeah–not dwell on it?” Bucky offered, writing something down on the pad of paper.

With yet another deep, wavering breath, you plunged on – explaining how you wanted to be fitter, stronger in your body and confidence, even going as far as to say you wanted a ‘bikini ready body’, while trying to ignore the raised brow from the man across from you, as though he wanted to protest. “And that’s it,” you concluded, more exhausted than you thought you’d be.

Bucky smiled, nodded once, and looked up at you from the paper that he finished writing on. “That’s a really good start. I want to begin with your strength–the rest will come naturally as we progress.”

“That sounds like a plan.” You rose from your seat as Bucky did. “So, what do we do now?”

“Now I take you on a ‘tour’, and see where you’re at with the equipment.” Bucky smirked, and opened the door. “Ladies first.”

“Such a gentleman,” you simpered, and Bucky barked a laugh, his nose scrunching.

It was unusually easy falling into antics with Bucky – his easy nature and kind words making it hard to not feel at ease and comfortable in his presence, and you admitted privately to yourself that he wasn’t bad to look at, either.

The two of you walked around the equipment, Bucky stopping every now and then to help a patron to adjust a set of weights, or correct a posture, but he never strayed too far.

Each and every piece of equipment that you tried (and sometimes failed at), he was right there, helpful advice and encouraging words aplenty.

“Thank you, Bucky,” you said finally, out of breath and standing at your cubby hole. “I appreciate the kindness and sincerity–”

“People haven’t been kind to you about this, have they?” Bucky asked quietly – not unkindly, like he was scared you’d spook. But it made no difference. The burn of tears started before you could stop them. Bucky clicked his tongue, and placed a hand on your shoulder, squeezing comfortingly. “That’s alright, you’re here now–and I will take a’you. You’re safe here, okay?”

For once, in a place that you had felt like you stuck out – didn’t fit in, or were welcome to be in the past, you felt safe. And you smiled for it, because, beneath all that fear, you believed him. You believed Bucky.