"You haven't gone and broken anything, have you, love?" Peggy asked with genuine concern, her eyes scanning Penny up and down.
"Nah, I am not that fragile—" Penny said as she patted her chest, but then hacked into a coughing fit. "Cough, cough—ugh, okay, maybe just a little fragile."
"Perhaps you ought to sit down for a moment, just to be on the safe side," Peggy suggested with a wry smile tugging at her lips.
"Yeah, no arguments there." Penny gave in, her legs wobbling like jelly as she lowered herself to the side of the track. "Ugh. You can go back to your speedrun or whatever. No need to hang around for my dramatic collapse," she added with a tired grin.
"Oh, I have no pressing engagements. All the time in the world, truly." Peggy sat beside her with an easy grace. "And I daresay I don't mind fancying a bit of a breather myself."
"Breather?" Penny side-eyed her, eyebrows raised. "Lady, you are not even winded. For real, are you like the new gym trainer here or something?" She glanced over at Peggy's sculpted figure, suspicion tinged with awe.
Peggy paused ever so slightly before replying with a small smile. "Ah, yes. I suppose you could say that. Though I must admit, I haven't seen many others in this place, it's rather quiet here. So I make do, training on my own. Honestly you are the first person I have come across here."
"Yeah, who else would be sent here to suffer but me," Penny says with a dry chuckle.
"So then, young lady—do your parents work here?" Peggy asked curiously, her tone warm.
"Oh no no, like my Aunt does work in the Watson Group, but I myself am an intern here" Penny replies with a smile.
"My word, aren't you quite young for working?" Peggy raised an impressed brow. "Shouldn't you still be in school?"
"Yep, I am in school. I come here mostly after school and on weekends" Penny said with a little smirk.
"Good heavens," Peggy laughed softly. "Supporting your family already, and as a young woman no less—that's truly admirable." She gave Penny a light pat on the back.
"Thanks—cough—but I think you have got the wrong idea," Penny replied, forcing a wry smile as her whole body seemed to ache from what had felt like a gentle pat. "I work here because I am a genius, and I actually like what I do. My family's fine—money's not an issue." She added flashing a proud but sheepish smile.
Peggy's eyes widened slightly in understanding. "Ah, I see. So you are one of those child prodigies, are you? Quite impressive." She tilted her head, curiosity lighting up her face. "Tell me—are you, by any chance, related to Antonia Stark?"
"Toni Stark?! No way. I mean, I wish! That would be epic. But nope, no relation." Penny waved her hands dismissively, though a hopeful glint remained in her eyes.
"Still, very well done, Penny. It takes real mettle to pursue your passion with such commitment." Peggy smiled warmly, resting a hand on her shoulder.
"Thanks," Penny said softly, feeling strangely flattered. There was something about this woman—something calm, cool… maybe even a little inspiring. "You are like... surprisingly motivational for a gym lady."
Peggy chuckled, not offering more than a knowing smile.
"So… as my very official personal trainer," Penny continued with a cheeky grin, "think you could turn me into, like, even one percent of that?" She motioned to Peggy's figure with exaggerated reverence.
Peggy raised a brow, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Hmm. Well, why don't you stand up for me, love… Let's have a look at what we are working with."
"Sure thing," Penny said, standing up with difficulty.
Peggy then began to circle her like a seasoned drill sergeant sizing up a fresh recruit. Then came the surprise—she began to actually touch her. Her hands pressed gently along Penny's arms, waist, even her thighs with professional precision.
Penny went beet red.
Her brain short-circuited, feeling extremely self-conscious and shy. She knew this wasn't a flirty thing—Peggy was clearly assessing her muscles and posture like a total pro—but no one had ever touched her like this before. And now all she could think about was how strong those hands felt, how stupidly gorgeous Peggy was, and how she somehow managed to smell like old books and sunshine both at once.
Her eyes drifted down—No, do NOT look at the cleavage, Penny!
"This will definitely need a bit of bloody work, I would say," Peggy's crisp voice cut through her spiralling thoughts.
"Ah—I—I'm s-sorry!" Penny stammered, mentally screaming. Why am I like this? She's just a hot—no, nice—no, professional gym lady!
"No need to apologise," Peggy said with a warm chuckle. "All you need is a touch of consistency, regular exercise, and a proper diet. No shortcuts, mind you."
"Does that actually work?" Penny asked, skepticism clear in her voice. "'Because I have been on the whole 'get fit' train for, like, years, and honestly… this body's still in beta testing."
"Oh, it does work," Peggy said confidently. "I have seen chaps scrawnier than you transform into right solid blokes. One young man, in particular, couldn't lift a crate without toppling over—and after a year? Marvellous strength. It's all about the grit, darling. Keep at it, and don't you dare give up." She gave a small pump of her fist, her tone full of earnest fire.
"Well… if you say so," Penny replied, still a bit doubtful but kinda wanting to believe her.
"Right then, love. Why don't you walk me through your current routine? Let's see what we have got to tweak." She asked with a grin.
"Oh, I have got it on my phone, one sec," Penny said, pulling out her device and tapping through to the updated workout plan.
Peggy accepted the phone with both hands and held it like that. She peered at the list, slowly scrolling down with her thumb, lips pursed in thought.
"Bloody hell," she muttered, handing the phone back. "This is some routine for a young lady like you. Who on earth came up with it?"
"Pretty sure it was D.A.I.S.Y.—Watson Tower's resident AI." Penny rolled her eyes in mirth. "Honestly? That freaking AI has some Major Villain Energy for sure"
Peggy blinked. "Pardon?"
"Y'know… like, she has got supervillain vibes," Penny explained with a grin. "I bet she monologues to herself when no one's around."
"Ah. I see… vibes," Peggy repeated carefully, nodding as if testing the word. "Yes, I think I… understand."
Penny could tell that she absolutely didn't.
"Soo… should I, like, add more to this routine, or am I maybe doing way too much and need to dial it back?" Penny asked hopefully.
"Hmm. Let's finish this lap first, shall we?" Peggy said, hands on her hips. "If I am not mistaken, you have already tackled the weights, and there is only one more bit left after this, yes?"
"Yeah," Penny muttered, dragging her feet. "But do I have to?" she asked with a whine.
"You have started, darling. Best see it through to the end," Peggy said with a patient smile.
"Ugh, but there is still so much more left," Penny said with a groan.
"Come now, chin up. I will do the lap with you, all right?" Peggy said encouragingly. "First, fix your posture. Arms up, shoulders loose—tension is wasted energy." She gestured for her to start jogging.
"Like… this?" Penny asked as she broke into a light run, Peggy strolling alongside her as if it were nothing.
"Better. But mind your arms—swing them, don't flail about. You are running, not battling windmills," Peggy said, her voice firmer now.
"Yes, ma'am," Penny replied instinctively, adjusting her form with a determined nod.
"Good girl. In through the nose, out through the mouth. Keep it even—steady now. You are not storming the beaches of Normandy, you are jogging." Peggy kept pace, her steps measured, voice calm and motivating.
---
Moments later…
"Haaaa… haaaaaa… haaaa… Did… it…" Penny wheezed, bent over with her hands on her knees, feeling as if her lungs were on fire right now.
"Deep breaths, slow and steady," Peggy instructed, crouching slightly to watch her with a reassuring smile. "Lower that heart rate. You did well. Keep at this, and you will have a decent enough stamina in no time."
"If… if I don't drop dead first," Penny said between gasps, sweat pouring down her face.
"Don't talk. Just breathe, sweetheart," Peggy said, shaking her head fondly.
After a moment, Penny mumbled, "I need an energy drink…" and shuffled off like a zombie towards the vending machine.
Peggy, looking curious, followed after.
"Want anything?" Penny asked as she wiped her face and pressed number 8 on the keypad. She swiped her ID card across the scanner, the cost automatically deducted from her pay—convenience at its finest.
Peggy blinked in fascination as the machine whirred and dropped the drink into the tray. "Well, I will be… That's rather ingenious," she said, eyeing the machine as though it had just performed sorcery.
"Peggy? You sure you don't want anything?" Penny asked, looking over her shoulder.
Peggy hesitated, glancing around conspiratorially. "Erm… a beer, perhaps?"
Penny raised a brow but shrugged. "Alright. Kinda weird mid-training, but hey—you do you."
She punched in the number, swiped her card again, and handed the cold can over.
"Much obliged," Peggy said, accepting it with a small, satisfied smile.
"I still can't believe you were keeping up with me walking while I was out here dying," Penny said, cracking open her energy drink. "But yeah, before you were running laps in what seemed like seconds, so I guess I shouldn't be that shocked. Are you, like, secretly an Olympic athlete or something?"
Peggy, who had been eyeing Penny's can with mild fascination, blinked and quickly replied, "Oh, er—yes, well—no, not exactly."
Penny raised an eyebrow. "So, what, you just trained for the Olympics or something?"
"Something rather close to it," Peggy replied cryptically with a grin. She reached for her beer can and casually pulled the tab—only for the entire top to snap clean off with a sharp crack.
"Damn, okay! You are freakin' strong," Penny said, wide-eyed.
"Yes, well, I have been told that a fair few times," Peggy said with a wry little smile before lifting the beer and downing it all in one smooth gulp. "Mm. Splendid flavour. A touch of lemon, I daresay."
"Uh… yeah," Penny said slowly, feeling odd as she had never seen someone drink the whole can in one go. "That was... impressive and slightly terrifying."
Peggy smiled politely, brushing her hands together. "Now then, shall we proceed with the final exercise?"
"Yep. Let's get it over with," Penny sighed, tossing her empty can into the bin.
The two of them made their way to a side room—a spacious hall with a row of flat-screen televisions mounted neatly along one wall. Penny grabbed two yoga mats, laid them out, and selected a yoga routine from the touchscreen display.
As the warm-up poses began, Penny glanced sideways. "How is your body this flexible with all that muscle? Like seriously, you are built like a tank, but you move like a gymnast."
"In truth, my body still feels rather stiff to me," Peggy replied calmly, glancing back at the screen. "Come along, I will help you with this part."
Penny immediately regretted agreeing to this arrangement.
Peggy, it turned out, helped her with the precision of a drill sergeant and the mercy of a boot camp instructor. Every pose was corrected, every limb aligned, every angle bent into submission.
"Freaking fu—ugh… A body's not meant to bend like this," Penny groaned as she collapsed flat onto the mat, as soon as all the poses were finished, her muscles screaming. "This hurts worse than the weights and the running combined."
"Quite invigorating, isn't it?" Peggy said, hardly out of breath. "It is my first time trying yoga, but I must say it's rather effective. It enhances flexibility, activates multiple muscle groups. It's quite innovative."
"First time really?... Could have definitely fooled me… You sure are one heck of a trainer, Ma'am." Penny stared at her, half-annoyed and half-in-awe.
Peggy chuckled and gave her a sideways glance. "Oh, do stop with the Ma'am business. Makes me feel like I have gone grey overnight." She motioned to the TV. "All I did was follow along with that contraption there."
Penny opened her mouth to sass back— thatshe definitely does talk like an old grandma—but she didn't want her head to pop off like the beer can did. So she just smiled weakly instead.
"The world has come along so quickly... I daresay, it feels as though humans might no longer be needed." Peggy said softly, seated on a nearby bench, her gaze distant as she stared at the television screen.
"I mean, yeah," Penny replied, flopping up on the mat. "AI can do stuff now that people wouldn't have even believed possible, like, five years ago. And it's only gonna get crazier from here."
Peggy leaned in slightly, lowering her voice as she looked around. "But isn't that rather dangerous? I mean… wouldn't that mean the machines shall replace us altogether, in due course?"
Penny chuckled. Right now, Peggy really did sound like someone's grandma worrying about the robot apocalypse.
"Yeah, I mean, people have concerns, sure. But that doesn't mean we just slam the brakes on progress. It's kinda the whole point of innovation." She replied with a grin.
Peggy didn't look entirely convinced, her expression tight. "I suppose so…" she murmured, her tone uncertain.
After a moment, Penny turned to her, curiosity bubbling up again. "So, uh… where are you from, Peggy?" The more time she spent with her, the more Peggy seemed like someone who has spent her life in some backwater village, like a place with no tech—or maybe no internet access.
Peggy's expression brightened. "Oh, I was born in Hampstead. That's in London, dear. Though I have spent a fair bit of time travelling about Britain, and I have seen some of the States too."
"Seriously?" Penny blinked in surprise.
"And why does that astonish you?" Peggy asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No offense, it's just… you don't really seem, like, super familiar with modern tech and stuff," Penny admitted with a sheepish smile.
"Ah, that," Peggy chuckled with a rich, lilting laugh. "I must confess, I have never been terribly fond of these modern contraptions. In all honesty, I only began exploring them… perhaps ten-eleven days ago."
"Is that so…" Penny murmured, narrowing her eyes a little. It sounded like a bit of a stretch.
Peggy smiled and stood up. "Well, never you mind that. Come along—shouldn't we hit the showers? You have worked up quite a sheen."
"Oh, yeah. I am totally wrecked," Penny said as she dragged herself to her feet. "But thanks a ton, Peggy. Today was actually kinda awesome."
"You're most welcome. Will you be joining me again tomorrow?" Peggy asked as they walked towards the showers.
"Yeah, probably. I am usually here an hour or two earlier, but I got caught up at the robotics club today," Penny said, rubbing the back of her neck.
Peggy looked at her curiously. "Aren't you a touch young for clubbing?"
"Not that kind of club!" Penny laughed. "It's a school thing. We build stuff. With circuits and sensors. You know—robotics."
"Ah, yes, of course," Peggy nodded thoughtfully. "Then we shall meet here tomorrow. I will make sure to arrive early."
"Cool, thanks. Hey, why don't you give me your number?" Penny said, pulling out her phone. "Just in case I am running late or something."
"Oh, my number—yes," Peggy said, patting her pockets. "I have it written down somewhere…" She retrieved a small, notepad from her pants and flipped to a page. "Here we are. Do take this down."
Penny blinked at the sight of the literal handwritten number but typed it in anyway. "O...kay. Got it." She looked back up. "So I should save it under 'Peggy'?"
Peggy hesitated for a beat, then met her gaze with a small, knowing smile.
"Save it as Peggy Carter."
***
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