Angels || Steve Rogers¹ ✓

𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙚 | 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙖𝙙𝙚

NEAR THE END OF THE WEEK KALLIE AND PEGGY WERE LEADING THE MEN THROUGH THEIR DRILLS, and had them down for push-ups, something Steve didn't quite excel at, though he tried, bless him. 

"Faster, ladies! Come on." Peggy called out.

"My grandmother has more life in her, god rest her soul." Kallie commented. 

"Move it!"

Kallie caught sight of Erskine approaching alongside the Colonel, the latter looking rather irritated, as though they were arguing. She gave the doctor a nod when he spotted her. The two had spoken in depth about the candidates here in the past week, and she knew his heart was set on choosing Steve. She wondered if that's what had Philips' skirts in a knot. 

"Up!" They were quick to jump to their feet, moving into jumping-jacks. Kallie, as usual, took note of their movements, her eye seeing deeper than anyone else's could, practically staring right into each man's cells, watching for instability or an indication of some ingrained flaw. That was something they most certainly did not want to boost with this serum. They'd put in too much hard work to put it to waste. And while Steve wasn't the strongest of them, his cells were certainly stable. "Come on, girls."

Then, from behind them, something rolled past underfoot, right into the rows of men. "Grenade!" Shouts rang out as men scattered and Kallie's heart lodged itself in her throat. She lunged forward but before she could get there, another, smaller body threw itself over the massively destructive little ball. Steve. 

He curled into it, intending to take the fire and flailing an arm at Kallie. "Get away! Get back!"

Her mind caught up with her instincts, a heavy breath leaving her when she realised it should have gone off by now. They were safe. 

"It was a dummy grenade." She heard an officer say. "All clear. Back in formation."

Her lips parted slightly as she looked back to find Erskine smiling proudly. She tilted her head at Steve, beyond impressed. He was willing to die just like that to save a bunch of guys who didn't have a shred of respect for him. The idea was so foreign to her... but her own respect for him was growing faster with every passing day. 

"He's still skinny." She heard the Colonel say, and she almost wanted to laugh.

*Steve POV*

Every night when he went to bed, Steve would replay his day, the best parts and the worst. He would think of Hodge's attempts to drag him down. He would think of the shouts of Officer's who couldn't possibly ever believe in him. He would think of the Colonel's not-so-subtle comments that were not directed at Steve, but meant for him nonetheless. The other part of him thought of Erskine's encouragement, the little smiles and nods of approval. But mostly, he thought of Kallie Johnson. Doctor Kallie Johnson as she was called here at camp. He thought of the way she smiled, the little wink she gave him when he pulled down that flag, how calm she looked when he was reading and how she stomped bullies like Hodge back in their place. 

There were things he disliked about her too, though. Things like how she sometimes looked to be daydreaming of someplace far away despite the fact that she was meant to be studying the candidates, or how she seemed a little too at ease despite the fact that this was a time of war. He couldn't quite put his finger on why it bothered him so much, but it did all the same. 

Tonight though? Tonight he couldn't sleep at all. 

*Kallie POV*

Kallie couldn't sleep. She supposed it wasn't surprising, but it was irritating. She considered it rather lucky that her body didn't run on sleep like most. When she rolled over, She found herself facing Peggy, whose eyes were also wide open. From across the space between their beds, they smile at one another.