I'd practically leapt from bed the next morning, throwing on an, unsurprisingly, olive pair of trousers and an off-white t-shirt. I was eager to avoid Peggy and her inevitable probing on the events of the previous day, hence why I had woken before dawn had even risen and decided to make my escape. I pulled my hair back out of my face, securing it in a bun at the back of my head. I didn't bother with any fancy styling as it would only get ruined during my morning plans anyway. Once I was satisfied I was suitably ready, I pulled on my rarely worn cargo boots and crept out of the bedroom, careful not to wake my roommate.
I sucked in a deep breath as the cool early morning air hit my face, closing my eyes for a moment to enjoy the silence that hung over the camp. As much as I loved being around people, my alone time was just as precious to me as anything else. Finding myself able to allow myself time like this had become a rare occurrence as of late, and I planned to cherish every second of it. I set off at a slow jog, heading along the path that the recruits would follow later that day. I didn't plan on running the full length of the track, not eager to engage in that much strenuous activity this early. I ran at a steady pace for a few minutes before I reached a nearby hill, increasing my speed to a sprint as I ascended the slope. I slowed to a stop once I'd reached the top, allowing myself a moment to breathe as I observed the view.
The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon, its rays bouncing off the metal flag poles and bathing the camp in a warm glow. While it wasn't the most conventionally pretty view, it still offered some semblance of beauty as it stretched out before me. I thought back to yesterday, finding the first thing that came to mind to be Howard and his irritating charm and annoyingly captivating smile. I chuckled as I recalled his insistence on taking me dancing, allowing myself to imagine the scene should I ever say yes. I frowned, biting my lip as I realised that perhaps I actually wouldn't mind very much, being in Howard's arms as we moved together on the dance floor. Though whether I minded or not, I would never give him the satisfaction of becoming another name on his long list of women. I'd seen the way he'd completely forgotten the name of his receptionist, a woman who he must encounter quite often. How long until he forgot my name? The distant sound of movement and voices alerted me that the camp was beginning to wake. I forced down these thoughts as I broke into a jog, my legs carrying me back towards the camp and the day ahead of me.
"Early start Eve?" I exited the bathroom, my body wrapped tightly in a large bath sheet as I rubbed at my damp hair with a smaller towel. I dismissed the pointed stare I was receiving from Peggy, focusing on getting ready for the day.
"I woke up early and thought I'd go for a run," I explained simply, my gaze focused on my reflection as I fought to ignore the woman watching me from behind.
"Right, so you weren't just trying to avoid me then?" She laughed, easily guessing my motives.
"Clearly I didn't do a good enough job of it," I grumbled to myself, to which Peggy frowned with a quiet chuckle. Thankfully, her need to get ready for the day saved me from any further probing. For now, anyway. I threw my towel onto the bed, content that my hair was suitably dry, before watching my reflection for a moment. My face appeared to be going through a healthy period, my cheeks painted with a fresh glow and my skin blemish free. I sent myself a small smile before pulling a brush through my tangled hair, tugging at the strands until they resembled something less like a birds' nest.
As we'd only be assisting the recruits today on their training, there was absolutely no need to get all dolled up, resulting in me pulling my hair back into the same style as I had donned this morning. It sat neat and tidy in a tight bun, away from my face apart from a few wispy strands that fell over my ears and cheeks. I opted to simply apply a light layer of moisturiser to my cheeks, relishing the feeling of a makeup-free face. I spared a glance to my usual outfit, that olive skirt suit monstrosity that was yet to grow on me. After my day spent all dressed up and looking pretty yesterday, there was nothing I wanted more than to be comfortable today, which is what led me to climb back into my earlier trousers and a fresh white t-shirt. I was just slipping my feet back into my cargo boots when Peggy emerged from the bathroom, her hair styled femininely to perfection and a slick of red across her lips. She was dressed in our usual uniform, buttoning her jacket as she observed me.
"Someone's having a comfortable day." She commented, eyeing my casual and masculine outfit choice. I rolled my eyes, finishing lacing my boots where I sat on my bed.
"This is an army camp Peg, not a fashion show," I remarked, earning a smirk in response, "besides, I'm sick of these men looking at me like some sort of prize cow at the county show." This comment earned a loud laugh from my friend as she dropped onto her bed, still giggling as she slipped her feet into her shoes.
"Well, I suppose it's not like you're aching to impress any of them..." Her comment was mumbled just loud enough to hear, and I folded my arms over my chest whilst shooting her a questioning frown.
"What is that supposed to mean?" I had a terrible suspicion that I knew exactly where she was going with this.
"Well, it's just that you don't need to impress any of the soldiers when you've already got your eye on someone." I narrowed my eyes as she sent me a devious grin, her comment hitting right on the mark as I shook my head at her before she could continue.
"If you say another word, I will smother you with your pillow while you sleep." I threatened, fighting back the smile that attempted to break across my lips before grabbing my own pillow and throwing it across the room at her. She narrowly avoided being hit, raising her hands in defeat with a laugh.
"I'm just saying, you seemed awfully cheerful when you got back last night, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that at all." I rose to my feet, grabbing my jacket and sliding my arms into the sleeves before buttoning it up.
"I am leaving right now, I will see you when you're finished talking nonsense." I glared, slipping out through the door and practically marching towards the meeting point for this morning's training. I wasn't sure why Peggy's words had irked me so much, considering nothing happened yesterday and nothing was ever going to happen. Yet the more I thought about it, the more I realised that yesterday, despite having to deal with the excessive flirting and sarcasm had, in fact, left me in a wonderful mood. And despite my denials, I could swear that I could still feel the pleasantly warm tingle on my skin where Howard had placed his hand on mine. But I would never let Peggy or anyone else know that.
I silently watched the recruits as I waited patiently for Peggy to arrive so we could begin the mornings training. The men stood casually, laughing and chatting to each other as they waited for their instructions. They all seemed exceptionally cheerful this morning, the warm sunshine casting a bright and light-hearted atmosphere over us all. A small smirk worked its way onto my lips as I thought about how much they would come to resent the sun's rays once they started training. A cough behind me alerted me to someone's presence, the men slowly falling into line, not in much of a hurry as Peggy approached. She raised an eyebrow at their nonchalant attitudes, crossing her arms over her chest as she shot them a baffled expression.
"I'm confused, I thought this was an army camp, not a stroll through the park. Fall into line!" One or two of the men who hadn't been paying attention practically jumped out of their skin as she raised her voice, hurriedly stumbling into line and standing to attention. All but one.
"Hodge," I called to the man who slouched lazily in the line, an arrogant smirk on his face. "I'm sorry, did you spontaneously lose your hearing overnight? Or do we need to tell you again?" His smirk fell as he watched me warily before straightening.
"No ma'am," He responded, offering the enthusiasm of a cat in a bathtub. I sent him one last glare before turning to walk away before a quiet mumble stopped me in my tracks.
"What was that recruit?" I asked calmly, standing confidently before him despite his obvious height advantage.
"I was just wondering why you decided to dress as one of the men today, ma'am." A few of the less intelligent recruits snickered at this, the smarter ones remaining silent. I offered him a polite smile, no trace of the hostility I was feeling visible on my face.
"I thought perhaps I'd join in on the fun today, go for a little run with you boys." He raised his eyebrows at this, clearly amused as he snorted out a laugh.
"No offence meant ma'am, but I don't think you'd be able to keep up." His cocky smirk quickly fell from his face as his eyes shot over my shoulder, quickly standing to attention. I turned to see what was going on, quickly understanding his actions as Colonel Phillips approached, observing our interaction.
"Having a bit of trouble with the recruits Agent Moore?" He asked with amusement, his eyes flicking between Hodge and I as I shot him a wide smile.
"Not at all Colonel, I was just thinking that I might join the recruits on their morning run," I explained, noting how even Colonel Phillips appeared sceptical at the idea. "But I think Hodge was worried that a woman might embarrass him." He watched me carefully, a silent conversation between us as he considered my idea, finally relenting with a small shrug.
"Perhaps you can show these ladies how it's done." He raised his voice as he spoke, an uncharacteristic smile on his face as his eyes scanned the recruits before him. I released a satisfied hum of approval before shooting a dazzling smile at Hodge over my shoulder. I practically strode towards the rucksacks all recruits were required to carry on their run, slinging the straps over my shoulder and throwing another towards Hodge, who caught the bag with ease.
"Shall we get started then?"
My earlier thoughts were considerably less amusing now that I was in this position, my leg muscles burning as they fought to carry me up the steep incline whilst the sun blazed down above me. Though every muscle in my body was protesting, and the heavy straps of my rucksack dug into my shoulders, I powered on. I would not give Hodge or any of his meathead comrades the satisfaction of seeing me fail. I would drag myself to the end of this course on my hands and knees if I had to. My physical fitness had always been over-average, especially for a woman, and even more so considering my petite stature. But when you had an attitude like mine, overachieving was the only option. I released a sigh as I spotted the flagpole in the near distance, indicating we had almost reached the halfway point. My relief was quickly replaced with concern as I heard a familiar wheezing sound from behind me. I glanced over my shoulder, slowing my pace slightly to allow myself to fall into step with the one recruit I wasn't surprised to see holding up the rear. He offered me a pained smile as he noticed me, his breathing obviously laboured as he struggled to keep up. Yet, he continued to run, pushing himself and his body to near breaking point.
"Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth," I suggested, a little out of breath myself as I used precious oxygen to talk. "And take longer strides, your legs will thank you for it." He nodded in thanks, choosing wisely not to respond with any words as we approached the rest of the men who were slowly coming to a stop, yet he took my advice and began to inhale through his nose and out through his mouth, lengthening his strides as best as he could, given his vertically challenged stature. The loud and repetitive calls from the drill sergeant had continued throughout the run, prompting the men to pick up the pace, and occasionally scolding a recruit for falling behind. Understandably, Steve Rogers had been mentioned on more than one of these occasions. I came to a stop behind the group, offering a gentle and reassuring pat on his shoulder to as he doubled over, struggling to catch his breath.
"That flag means we're only at the halfway point, the first man to bring it to me can ride back with Agent Carter. Move, move!" I watched in amusement as the group scrambled to reach the pole before anyone else, launching themselves into the air and attempting to climb. I stifled a laugh behind my hand as, one after the other, they tumbled back to the ground, defeated by the task.
"How about you ma'am, you gonna give it a try?" One of the recruits called over to me where I stood, a smirk plastered on my face.
"Oh no, no. Watching you lot is much more amusing." I laughed, reassured by the fact that I knew full well I could scale that flagpole if I wanted to. I noticed a quiet chuckle from Peggy and the rarely seen amused expression the drill sergeant had adopted. "Plus, I'm quite enjoying this run, it's quite invigorating, don't you think?" I had easily caught my breath by this point, remaining the picture of composure as I fought against my aching muscles. I'd throw myself under Peggy's car before I allowed any of them to witness any weakness from me.
"They barely have a brain to share between them," I muttered under my breath, the only person hearing my words being Rogers who had finally caught his breath, releasing a wheezy laugh from beside me.
"Nobody's got that flag in seventeen years! Now fall back into line! Come on, fall in! Let's go, get back into formation," the drill sergeant ushered the man back into line, waving them away from their fruitless efforts to scale the pole, "Rogers! I said fall in!"
I had been so distracted watching the recruits fall from the flagpole that I hadn't noticed Rogers stray from my side, strolling over to the pole with a contemplative look on his face. He paused for a moment, ignoring the orders being barked at him, busy assessing the situation in front of him before leaning down towards the floor. I grinned, realising immediately what he was going to do, laughing as he pulled the pin from the base of the pole. He watched calmly as the pole teetered before crashing to the ground, throwing the pin to the side and approaching the spot where the flag end of the pole had landed. I watched on in delight, sharing a proud and knowing look with Peggy as she glanced over at me, fighting the grin that threatened to grace her lips. The other recruits simply watched on in silence, either too irritated or too amused to comment. Rogers offered a quick, "Thank you sir", handing the flag over to the drill sergeant before hopping into the back of the car. Suffice to say, he had a markedly more pleasant trip back to camp than I did, though my exceptionally wonderful mood and Hodge's arrogant face pushed me to complete the two-mile run in record time.
I slowed to a stop as we reached the end, taking a moment to catch my breath before sending the drill sergeant a friendly nod and thanks as he praised me for how I'd managed to do better than most of the sorry excuses for men we had here. It wasn't long before Peggy found me, shooting me a proud smile as she approached.
"Do you think Hodge is going to have to beat someone up in an attempt to regain his masculinity after that?" I laughed, clutching my chest as my lungs begged for me to stop wasting oxygen. "You did great though Eve, looked like you barely broke a sweat." I reached out to her, clutching her arm dramatically.
"My God Peg, I'm dying." I groaned, blowing a puff of air towards a strand of hair that had escaped during the run, and massaging out a stitch that had reared its ugly head during the final stretch.
"Perhaps we should get you some lunch," She suggested, throwing an arm over my shoulder and leading me away, "and also maybe a shower." She added, her nose crinkling as she glanced over at me with a sniff, laughing as I batted her on the arm with a frown. As much as I hated to admit it, she was right, and her words had me heading straight back to our room to wash away all traces of the run and soak my aching muscles.
I released a forlorn sigh, resting my hands on my hips as I observed the recruits before me. We had arrived back from our short lunch, and my shower break, around 30 minutes ago, a lunch which I had spent most of tidying myself up after my second run of the day. Sweat dripped from the recruit's brows as they fought to keep up with our instructions, some faring far better than others. In their defence, it was a warm day and they'd been at it for a while. But we couldn't afford to cut them any slack. The Germans certainly wouldn't.
"Come on ladies, pick it up! This is truly painful to watch!" I yelled, barely suppressing a groan as yet another collapsed to the ground. I strolled through the middle of the men, a smirk lighting up my face as I crouched beside a familiar face. "What's wrong Hodge, getting a bit sleepy?" I spoke softly with a sympathetic pout of my lips.
"No ma'am." He breathed out, blowing a puff of air from his lips as he dropped into another press-up. Looked like he was still bitter about my success this morning.
"Good," I responded, standing tall again and turning to address all of the recruits, "You can rest when you're dead!" I turned away, trudging over to Peggy and offering her a dismayed eye roll. "Honestly Peg this is painful to watch."
"Tell me about it," She mumbled, her arms crossed over her chest as she nodded her head towards the group, "Richards looks like he's about to have an aneurysm." A short burst of laughter escaped me at this comment, followed by a frown and a nod of agreement. I turned my attention away from Richards and towards the one recruit who had captured my attention since the beginning. He certainly seemed to be struggling, his breath coming out in loud wheezes as it had earlier and sweat dripping from what seemed to be every inch of his body. Yet he didn't stop. How his scrawny arms could even support him let alone allow him to complete a press-up was beyond me. I flicked back through the files I had kept tucked under my arm, searching for the medical information on Rogers. I eventually found what I was looking for, releasing a low whistle when I noticed the lengthy list of ailments under his name. My finger drifted down the list, searching for the one thing which I was certain would be on there, coming to a stop when my suspicions were confirmed. Asthma. That would explain the terrible wheezing sound he was making. Note to self: find the poor kid an inhaler asap. I tucked the folder back under my arm, watching him curiously. Despite the long list of things holding him back, I had a strong suspicion that Steve Rogers was going to be one to watch.
"Faster ladies, come on," Peggy called out, leaving her spot beside me to stroll amongst the recruits, hoping to motivate them a little more. "My grandmother has more life in her, God rest her soul. Move it!"
A familiar voice pulled my attention away from the recruits as Colonel Phillips and Doctor Erskine approached, talking between themselves. While I couldn't hear every word they were saying, it was easy to figure out exactly who they were talking about when the words "90lb asthmatic" were mentioned. I frowned at the Colonel's quick dismissal of Rogers, clearly seeing for myself exactly why he was the perfect choice for project re-birth. From what Erskine had told me, it wasn't a soldier we needed, but a good man who could tell wrong from right and always fought for the latter. I turned my attention back to Rogers, wincing at his floppy excuse of a jumping jack. I edged closer to the Doctor and Colonel, subtly decreasing our distance so that I could listen in to what they were saying. I almost marched over there and gave them a few of my opinions when I heard Hodge's name mentioned, but contained myself allowing only a slight smirk as Erskine offered the perfect description of him. A bully.
I watched curiously as the Colonel reached into the back of the truck they stood beside, grabbing something out of a crate before turning back to the group. I quickly realised what he was about to do as a small metal pin was discarded over his shoulder and he tossed the device towards the men.
"Grenade!" He yelled as the dud rolled across the grass, sending the men scattering in all directions. All except one. Scrawny little Steve Rogers launched himself on top of the grenade, surrounding the device with his body to minimise damage at the cost of his own life. My brow quirked slightly as I noticed Peggy take a few panicked steps towards the man, not realising that the grenade was a dummy. I covered my mouth to hide my knowing smile, watching as the rest of the recruits peered cautiously out of their hiding spots. Everyone had fallen into silence, waiting with baited breath as Peggy glanced at me, my smirk informing her what had happened. She frowned, resting her hands on her hips and tapping her foot against the grass as Rogers tentatively unfurled himself from his spot on the ground, glancing around in confusion. It was impossible to miss the glint of pride that flashed across Peggy's features as she regarded the man at her feet.
"Is this a test?" He queried, his panicked breathing beginning to slow. I took a few slow steps towards the Doctor and the Colonel, chuckling as Erskine shot him a 'told-you-so' look.
"He's still skinny." Colonel Phillips grumbled before turning on his heel and marching away. I approached the Doctor's side with a pleased smile.
"It's him, isn't it?" I asked, already knowing the answer I'd receive.
"If it's the last thing I ever do."
I hunched over my desk, my fingers rubbing circles into my temples as I squeezed my eyes shut. I'd been pouring over these notes for what felt like hours, the room growing dark around me as I worked. Colonel Phillips had grabbed me in passing earlier, loading my arms with manila files containing an excessive amount of German and Italian codes that he expected me to decipher and translate. While I was extremely good at the translating half of the work, the code-breaking part was giving me a bit more than a little trouble, and my lack of progress was beginning to drive me crazy. I groaned, dropping my head ungracefully onto the desk, not caring that it would most definitely leave a visible mark on my skin.
"Long day?" The door swung open behind me as Peggy entered our room, sliding her arms out of her jacket and slinging it onto her bed. I twisted in my seat, my lips pressing together in a pout as I released a distressed whine.
"The longest day of my life. When will it be over?" I complained, shoving the files away from me in disgust.
"It will be over as soon as you close those folders, come over here and tell me all about your glaringly obvious, and frankly adorable crush on Howard Stark. I straightened in my chair, freezing for a moment before turning back to my desk, busying myself with my folders.
"I don't know what you're talking about Peg," I replied in my most dismissive tone. My files were quickly snatched from beneath my hands and tucked away, despite my protests. She grabbed my hands, pulling me to my feet before leading me to her bed, grasping my shoulders and forcing me to sit.
"Evelyn Rose Moore, I will not accept your lies any longer." She scolded as she took a seat beside me. "Tell me the truth. You have feelings for him, don't you?" I narrowed my eyes at her, holding my ground as I refused to respond. If she didn't want to listen to my lies then I would just remain silent. We fell into an intense staring match, neither of us willing to relent as we held our ground against the other. I couldn't admit that I felt nothing because there was definitely something there. But I wasn't ready to consider the option that this something may hold romantic undertones. I held my own as long as I could, but eventually, I relented with a sigh, shaking my head as I considered what to say.
"Honestly Peg, I don't know what I feel." I chose honesty, realising that I sorely needed someone to talk to about this. "Yes, I enjoyed being around him and yes he is wonderfully charming. He smiles at me and my heart stutters, he touches me and leaves my skin tingling." I paused, blushing at the smirk creeping over Peggy's lips as I spoke. Perhaps a little less truth would be better. "He opens doors and he buys expensive food and it's all lovely and wonderful. But he does that for every woman. He lures them in with his kind acts and charming words... and then he bores of them and moves onto the next."
Even I didn't miss the slight tone of disappointment that accompanied my words, frowning as Peggy sighed, offering a sympathetic smile. I brushed off her response, shaking my head with a stern look.
"Yes, he is an arrogant sod who has a habit of charming every woman he passes, but I think perhaps there may be more to him that what the tabloids like to print," She suggested, disregarding the questioning way in which I raised my eyebrow at her. "I can't believe I'm saying this but perhaps if you give him a chance, he might surprise you, Eve."
"I find that very hard to believe," I laughed with a small shake of my head before I squared my shoulders and painted my face with determination. "I'm not falling for him Peg, and I'm not upset that he doesn't want me as more than a fling," I argued, my words sounding slightly surer than earlier. "I'm not interested in becoming another notch in Howard Starks' ridiculously expensive belt. I have far too much respect for myself to let that happen." Peggy nodded slowly, appearing thoughtful as she digested my words. She took a breath before scooting closer to me, locking my gaze with hers.
"You won't lose respect by admitting you care, Eve," She spoke softly, placing a comforting hand on my knee. "I know you would never let yourself be used and discarded like that, but it doesn't mean you're not allowed to care." I didn't respond in words, my shoulders deflating slightly as I realised she was right.
"Why does caring about people always get you hurt?" I sighed, chewing at my lip as I glanced sadly at her.
"You get hurt only by people who occupy a large part of your heart. The more it hurts, the more important they are." I considered her words for a moment before rolling my eyes with a smirk.
"Thanks, Shakespeare," I giggled as she batted me on the arm. "I think that's enough wise words for me today. My brain needs a rest."
"Nothing changes then." She quipped, prompting me to grab her pillow and swing it at her in retaliation. As much as her constant prying irritated me, she knew what she was talking about. Her words, as cryptic and laced with riddles as they were, had succeeded in putting my mind at ease. For now, at least.
So this is a very short chapter and I know literally nothing happens which is crap, but I promise there's some good stuff coming, including a bit more Howard/Eve! Please remember to review and let me know what you think about the story, the characters etc. Thanks! - E.H.