Viper

Chapter 15: The Test

Next morning

"Buck, I'll come find you when I'm done."

"Okay, Doll."

I walk through the bunker and find Howard talking to Chester so I continue toward the reception desk, but I see Peggy yelling so I stop.

"Captain," Peggy is saying: "We're ready for you if you aren't otherwise occupied." She walks my way so I duck into the nearest doorway.

"Agent Carter! Wait a second," I hear my brother say.

"Looks like finding a partner wasn't that hard after all."

I gasp.

"Peggy, that wasn't what you thought it was."

"I don't think anything, Captain. Not one thing. You always wanted to be a soldier. Now you are one. Just like all the rest. I wonder what Adelaide would say."

I chuckle softly.

"Well, what about you and Stark? How do I know that you two don't—fondue?"

"You still don't know a bloody thing about women," Peggy huffs before storming down a corridor. I step out of my hiding spot and find myself standing right behind Steve. Howard pops out where Peggy just walked off.

"Fondue's just cheese and bread, my friend."

"Really? I didn't think—"

"Nor should you, pal. The minute you think you know what's in a woman's head is the minute your goose is well and truly cooked. Me, I concentrate on work. Which at the moment is making sure Lady and your men don't get killed."

I walk to Private Lorraine's desk and see her fixing her lipstick. I kick her chair away from the desk, and she quickly looks away from her compact to see me fuming at her on the other side of the desk. She closes her compact with a sickeningly sweet smile, and I just smirk villainously. Her resolve begins to break under my glare, and she finally opens herself up and tries to punch me. I block and quickly push her back into her chair.

"In case it wasn't clear, you're fired. You just attacked a general with no probable cause. Pack up your desk and get out."

"Yes, ma'am," she gasps.

I head back to the hallway and find Howard and Steve. Sensing a break in their conversation, I start walking toward them. I think it is obvious that I'm upset by this point, but I just want to make sure that's clear.

"Steven Grant Rogers!" I yell. He slowly turns around. "What were you thinking!?"

"I—uh—"

"Wasn't? Yeah, that'll go over with Peg really well. I'm disappointed in you, Steven."

"I know. It's not like I expected it—"

"But you sure didn't try to stop it. You're worse than Bucky was being last night."

"What do you mean?"

"You! —You really don't pay attention do you?" I say accusatorially before walking off to find Peggy. I helped Howard develop the new tech anyway so it's not like I need to be there to see it. I find Peggy sitting at her desk.

"Where are you coming from?" she asks.

"The lab," I reply.

"Did you—"

"Yep. I saw everything, I argued with and fired Private Lorraine, and I yelled at Steve. Now, you wanna teach him a lesson?"

"What do you mean, Ady?"

"Yes or no, Pegs."

"Of course, yes."

"Good. Come with me."

We get to the lab, and Steve is holding the shield that I just knew he would pick.

"How come it's not standard issue?" he asks Howard.

"It's the rarest metal on earth. You're holding all we've got."

I smirk knowing that he made my suit out of that same metal.

"Are you about finished, Mr. Stark?" Peggy asks.

"Yes, I'm sure my brother has some unfinished business," I continue.

Steve just smiles and holds up the shield. "What do you think?"

I grab a gun from the side table and shoot at him. He blocks the bullets with said shield.

"Yes," I smirk. "I think it works."

I turn and walk away with Peggy quickly following me. I walk back to my room, and Peggy goes to her desk.

"Steve is an absolute idiot," I tell Bucky as I get in the room. "Love, are you okay?" I ask once I realize he's just staring at me.

"Yeah, I just—you're so beautiful."

"Oh, Love."