Steven Rogers was on another countless double date with his best friend, Bucky Barnes, and two girls he was able to pick up earlier in the day. Granted, it was more like Bucky was on a date with both girls and Steve was just awkwardly following them around. It was fine though since he was far too used to be invisible to the female population. He'd tried to talk to some girls before with some encouragement and lessons from Bucky only to have the girls laugh in his face, think he looked like a child as he was more than a head shorter than he was.
Women didn't see him and that was just something he would have to live with until or even if the right one ever came along. The Modern Marvels Exhibit was truly something all kinds of booths were set up with different inventions set on making the world a better place, making life easier but Steve wasn't sure if he bought all that. On the main stage stood Howard Stark talking about his new flying cars. The girls squealed at the thought as they hung off Bucky's arms while Steve was genuinely unimpressed with it all given there was nothing wrong with the cars with wheels on the ground he didn't understand why you would fix something that wasn't broken.
Steve leaned forward to offer some of his peanuts to the blonde he was supposed to be on the date with only to have her look at him disgusted with a scoff. Unphased Steve dropped his offer and looked around at the exhibit and all the people who had shown up to witness the flying car as his eyes caught an Uncle Sam poster with arrows towards the recruitment office. Without a word to anyone, Steve slinked off away from the crowd with the hopes that this would be the final one.
He walked up to the soldier mirror where people would stand on the small step and look at themselves in a uniform only his face didn't nearly reach the correct spot, feeling a rush of dejectedness in him it was easily cut off when the sound of a beautiful laugh came from down the hall. He turned to look at where it had come from only to stop short at the sight of the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen standing at the front desk talking with the woman behind it. Her auburn hair was curled down to her shoulders and she was dressed in her nurses uniform though with striking red shoes on her feet instead of the normal white nurse's foot attire but it was her laugh that had drawn him in.
It was loud and tinkly like the chiming of a bell and her red lips pulled back to show off the most pearly set of white teeth. Steve had seen many girls in his life, but this one⏤she was unlike anyone he'd ever seen before and he had to know her. It was as if everything else in the hall had drifted away and all he could see was this beautiful nurse who was laughing at some joke that Steve craved to hear.
With a sudden stroke of confidence, Steve went to walk towards her only to get clapped on the back and pulled back by Bucky who'd finally found him after his disappearing act.
"Come on, you're kind of missing the point of a double date," Bucky told him, his uniform shinning even brighter in the light of the office making Steves' stomach clench, "We're taking the girls dancing." Steve didn't like the sound of that, as every girl he'd ever asked to dance with turned him down on the account that they were afraid they would step on him.
"You go ahead, I'll catch up with you," Steve told his best friend feeling a bit bad given this was Buckys last night in town before being shipped off and Steve wouldn't be there to spend it with him. But Steve had to get enlisted he needed to be there with Bucky not just waving goodbye to him.
"You're really gonna do this again?" Bucky asked the two boys unaware that the girl next to the counter with her red shoes had noticed their conversations and could hear every word that carried over to her.
Steve shrugged his lanky shoulders, "Well its a fair, I'm gonna try my luck."
Bucky shook his head completely exasperated with the boy, "As who? Steve from Ohio? They'll catch you or worse they'll actually take you." Steve knew that Bucky meant well but the fact that he didn't believe in him shattered his heart in a way that he couldn't explain even if he tried. Bucky had been looking after him like a caregiver, a protector for all these years so it's not necessarily shocking that he wouldn't want him in a war where he wasn't there to cover his ass, he preferred him here at home in Brooklyn.
"Look, I know you don't think I can do this⏤"
"This isn't a back alley Steve its war," Bucky stressed to the short boy as an older gentleman made his way to the auburn-haired girl in red heels listening on the conversation she had motioned her head too. She didn't know the full story but she was getting the gist of it all, and well to say she was intrigued was an understatement.
"I know its war."
"Why are you so keen to fight? There are so many important jobs," Bucky explained wishing Steve would finally just take no for an answer and settle down helping the effort in some other, safe way.
"What do you want me to do? Collect scrap metal, in my little red wagon?" Steve scoffed at the idea of doing less than his part and imaging himself ever being okay with it. He didn't see it, his father fought in a war and he knew that he would be disappointed in him for not fighting alongside everyone else.
"Yes, why not?" Bucky asked, not seeing where he was coming from, granted his motives were more on the selfish side he'd prefer to know that Steve was at home safe and away from the trouble because he wasn't sure how well he'd be able to fight if his mind was constantly worried about his best friend fighting a fight in the next country over.
"I''m not gonna sit in a factory Bucky. Bucky c'mon man there are men laying down their lives I got no right to do any less than them. That's what you don't understand, this isn't about me."
"Right," Bucky bobbed his head not fully believing him, "Cause you got nothin' to prove."Florence looked over at Doctor Erskine sharing a look of amazement and discovery at the young man who'd struck their fancy. After being recruited by Colonel Phillips and working with Dr. Erskine she'd come across many soldiers and the most of them were arrogant and brash wanting to fight for the glory or the women, wanting to just kill Nazi's for the hell of it but this man felt as if it was his duty to his country and the other men fighting. Florence had never met a man like this.
"Hey, Sarge!" A girly voice called from behind them, "Are we going dancing?" the two girls laughed together as Bucky turned around.
"Yes, we are," He called back to the ladies before turning back around to face Steve, "Don't do anything stupid until I get back," He told him as he walked backward away from his best friend.
"How can I?" Steve answered, "Taking all the stupid with you," he joked as Bucky shook his head walking back towards Steve to pull him into a hug.
"You're a punk,' Bucky told him as they clapped one another's back tightly as they tried not to think about how this could be the very last time they saw one another.
"Jerk, be careful," Steve told him before calling back to him as he walked away once more, "Don't win the war till I get there." Bucky gave him a salute before wrapping his arms around the two girls and pulling them off towards the dancing hall. Steve let out a sigh and walked passed the desk towards the back where the physical tests were done, not realizing that the girl he had fawned about only moments ago was following his movement.
"What do you think?" Florence asked looking towards the doctor who bobbed his head.
"I 'Zink you found 'Ze one," Doctor Erskine pointed out in more meaning than one as he saw the way the girl's eyes followed the short man intrigued that was far more than just for science. "Come on, let's go," Abraham instructed the girl as he walked back towards the medical rooms hearing the familiar clack of red heels following after him.
Steve sat in the doctor's room waiting to be examined as he took off his clothes only to stop short when a familiar nurse walked in halting his movement. Florence looked over at the man, who she now knew was called Steve given the eavesdropping and his paperwork that Abraham had filed together. She gave him a sweet smile as her dimples indented into her cheeks before turning away not catching the scarlet blush that worked its way up Steves' neck and towards his cheeks at her recognition.
Florence leaned in towards the doctor, "Doctor Erskine has asked for this one," She told him as the man nodded his head in understanding before she flurried out of the room only barely hearing the doctor tell Steve to wait.
Steve could all but hear his heart pounding as paranoia started to get to him as he read the sign that said 'it is illegal to falsify your enlistment papers' scared that the police were about to come in and take him he quickly dropped off the exam table and started putting his articles back on. The curtain to the door was pulled open showing a military police officer making Steve freeze at the sight that is until an older looking man entered as well being trailed by the nurse that made Steves heart thump faster.
"'Zank you," Doctor Abraham told the police officers who nodded to both of them and walked off allowing them the room closing the curtain behind him as he did so.
"So, you 'vant to go overseas," Abraham opened his file while Florence walked around him to take a seat on the bed her short legs not reaching the ground as she rocked them back and forth, "Kill some Nazis."
Steve looked at the man and the nurse who was absent-mindedly kicking her legs unphased by the man's brash statement, "Excuse me?"
"Dr. Abraham Erskine, I represent the Strategic Scientific Reserve," He explained shaking the small man's hand, "Zis is my partner, nurse Florence Beaumont."
Florence smiled sending a finger wave over to the boy who nodded unable to keep his eyes from the beautiful woman who was openly acknowledging him, "I prefer Flora."
Steve nodded his head, rolling the name over in his head before answering back, "Steve Rogers," He told them both as the doctor walked over towards the bed placing the final down next to Florence who looked down at them all reading the words upside down, "Where are you from?"
"Queens," He answered swiftly making Florence snort a laugh at his words, "73rd Street and Utopia Parkway, before 'zat Germany. 'Zhis troubles you?" He asked while Florence watched him carefully looking for any kind of tell though she doubted the boy would really care given that Abraham could have had the MP arrest him on sight but, for the moment being he seemed okay.
"No," he answered swiftly and truthfully.
"Where are you from, Mr. Rogers, hmm?" Abraham asked looking at the different forged forms, "Is it, New Haven? Or Paramus? Five exams in five different cities."
"That might not be the right file," Steve spoke up his nerves starting to raise.
A small laugh came from the bed, "Why because there should be more than five?" Florence asked with a twinkle in her eye making Steves' eyes fall short on her.
"No, it's not the exams we're interested in, its the five," he paused looking at Florence, "Or more tries. But you didn't answer my question. Do you want to kill Nazi's." They waited for the answer that they were both certain would be answered correctly but Steve looked at them both in confusion and slight fear.
"Is this a test?" He asked.
"Yes," both Florence and Doctor Erskine answered together as they waited for the words they needed to hear, the ones they were all but 100% sure he would say.
Steve shook his head, unsure exactly how to answer the test question,"I don't wanna kill anyone I don't like bullies I don't care where they're from," he went with the truth hoping it was something they wanted to hear.
"You know I've met a lot of men in this war and they're all big, they're strong," Florence started feeling a bit bad when Steves' head dropped down shamefully, she continued, "But we have yet to win the war so perhaps the big men aren't as great as they think they are. Perhaps its time we change this up."
Abraham nodded his head, "Maybe what we need now is a little guy," Steve's eyes brightened at their words hope shining through as the doctor continued, "I can offer you a chance, only a chance." He told Steve as the three walked out of the room and towards the desk where Abraham pulled out his paperwork and some stamps.
Without missing a beat Steve answered, "I'll take it"
"Good, so 'vhere is the little guy from, actually," Abraham asked to fill out his form correctly.
"Brooklyn," Steve answered seeing Florences' eyes light up at his words.
"Me too," She told him with a grin.
"Ahh neighbors with Maus how nice," The doctor trailed while Steve looked at the nurse in shock that she was from Brooklyn as well, he couldn't believe he'd never seen her before today and if he had he wouldn't have forgotten her. Florence Beaumont was not a woman you'd forget about.
With a final stamp Doctor Erskine passed the paperwork proving he was accepted while Florence looked at him with a glistening smile, "Congratulations, you are now a soldier of the United States Army." And with that, the two medical professionals turned and walked out of the room leaving Steve in still silence as he stared at the papers that he'd seen say no time and time again and they finally said yes.
AN/ oooooooh so exciting man how do you guys feel about the steves 3rd person point of view or would you rather it all be seen from Florence's pov ? -bwh