ＳＬＡＴＥ ◼ STEVE ROGERS◼

ＥＩＧＨＴ

Steve was, safe to say, completely out of breath. The rest of the recruits had made it to the flagpole well before him, but his short stature and lack of physicality was making it slightly difficult for him to keep up with the rest of his group.

"Squad, halt! That flag means we're only at the halfway point. First man to bring it to me gets a ride back with Agent Carter. Move, move!"

The entirety of the squad ran for the flagpole, trying to make their way up the pole. Hodge was slightly close to getting at least a foot up it, but he was still failing just like the rest.

Steve took the chance to steal a glance over at Agent Carter, who was already looking back at him. She had delivered Lottie's second letter to him this morning, which was full of stories about how annoying Howard Stark really was. Steve knew for a fact now that Lottie was definitely at Camp Martino. He also realized that getting that flag wouldn't just be his shot at riding back instead of running, but also hearing from Agent Carter directly how Lottie was doing in her program.

"Come on! Get up there!"

"If that's all you got, this army's in trouble! Get up there, Hodge! Come on! Get up there! Nobody's got that flag in 17 years! Now fall back into line! Come on, fall in! Let's go! Get back into formation!"

Steve ignored the rest of the recruits, walking up to the flagpole and examining it.

"Rogers! I said fall in!"

The entire squad, along with Peggy in the car, watched as Steve walked up to the flagpole. He examined it for a moment before leaning down, pulling the pin from the bottom. The entire pole fell to the ground, along with the jaws of the recruits. Steve plucked the flag from the ground, walking over to Sergeant Duffy.

"Thank you, sir," Steve said, handing the flag over before climbing into the back of the car.

Peggy had a smile on her face as she watched Steve. He met her eyes, tipping his helmet to her before looking back at the rest of the squad as they began to drive back into the heart of the camp.

"Spit out the question, Steve, I know you're dying to ask," Peggy told the man in the back of the car. She spared a glance at him, catching his eye before he quickly looked away. She shook her head, facing forward again. "Do you not know how to talk to a woman?"

"Lottie is the only one that gives me the time of day," Steve admitted, looking out at the trees that passed them. "This might be the second longest conversation I've had with a dame- a woman! An...agent?"

"Lottie definitely exudes more confidence in situations then you do, Steven," Peggy mused with a smirk. She looked back at him once again. "She's doing rather well, by the way. The serum is working quite well. She's a genius."

"She already was one," Steve muttered, looking out at the trees as he thought about the girl that wasn't so far away, but the distance felt like a thousand miles. Peggy smiled one last time, practically seeing the love that Steve harbored for her pouring out of him, before turning around and leaving him in his head to think.