𝗀 𝗁 𝗈 𝗌 𝗍 | | 𝗌 𝗍 𝖾 𝗏 𝖾 𝗋 𝗈 𝗀 𝖾 𝗋 𝗌

𝖿 𝗈 𝗎 𝗋 𝗍 𝖾 𝖾 𝗇

    

⍟ 𝟣𝟫𝟦𝟥, 𝗅𝗈𝗇𝖽𝗈𝗇, 𝖾𝗇𝗀𝗅𝖺𝗇𝖽 ⍟

"THERE'S NO WAY YOU TWO actually kissed." Bucky said, seated on Marta's bed as she got herself ready to go over equipment with Howard.

        Marta rolled her eyes, braiding her hair over her shoulder. "You're right, I'm a liar." She glanced at a picture of her and Rebecca on her dresser as she spoke.

        Bucky chuckled. "I just find it hard to believe. Steve's been waiting almost fifteen years to be with you." Bucky stood, kicking the back of Marta's knees, making her stumble. She swatted him with her hand.

        Marta tied off her braid, straightening her dark green blouse which she paired with black pants and her high heels. "What was he waiting for? It's not like any of my relationships were going anywhere." Marta walked towards the door of her room, opening it and leaving with Bucky in tow. He handed her her gun, which she took and placed in the band of her pants.

        Her brother shrugged. "You know Steve. He's the example of waiting too long." Bucky said, hands in his pockets as he walked next to his sister through the halls of the SSR.

        Marta sighed. "It feels right, Buck. Like I've been waiting for the right person, and I finally found him." She looked over at Bucky, who smiled.

        "Hey, you're preaching to the choir. I've been waiting for this for as long as you have." Bucky said, bumping shoulders with Marta.

        She glanced over at him. "You're not going to play the 'protective big brother' card?" Marta questioned, teasing Bucky. He had always protective over her when it came to men.

        "Don't worry, it's been played quite a few times with that punk." Bucky assured Marta, bidding her goodbye as they arrived at Howard's lab.

        Marta walked inside, quickly finding Steve and Howard in a deep, seemingly intense conversation. Steve seemed to be hanging onto every word Howard said. "What are you gentlemen talking about?" Marta asked, leaning against a table with her hands balancing her weight.

        "You." Howard said bluntly, Steve's cheeks immediately flushing red.

        Marta smirked. "I'm flattered. What's this equipment you have for us?" She said, winking at Steve, whose face grew even more red.

        Howard beckoned her over, leading Steve to an array of shields. "Carbon polymer. Should withstand your average German bayonet. Although, Hydra's not going to attack you with a pocket knife." Howard said, Marta standing across from them on the other side of the table.

        "Well, you never know." Marta said, watching Howard shrug as he led the two to Steve's original, flimsy shield.

        "I hear you're kind of attached." He patted the thin shield as he passed.

        Steve followed him after letting Marta walk in front of him. He was still awkward around her, even after kissing her multiple times and sleeping in her bed. "It's handier than you might think."

        Howard stood at a table with many different shields laid upon it. "I took the liberty of coming up with some options." The scientist began naming traits to each of the shields, but Steve had found another one under the table.

        "What about this one?" He asked, picking up the circular shield.

        Howard shook his head. "No, no. That's just a prototype." He tried to brush Steve off.

        Steve lifted the item into his hands, showing it to Marta. "What's it made of?" She asked, knocking her fist against the material.

        "Vibranium. It's stronger than steel and a third the weight," Steve fit his arm in the handle of the shield. "It's completely vibration absorbent."

        Steve took a clear liking to the shield, playing around with it while Marta loaded her gun. "How come it's not standard issue?" Steve questioned, glancing at Marta out of the corner of his eye.

        "That's the rarest metal on Earth. What you're holding there, that's all we've got." Howard said, and Marta and Steve both nodded as Peggy walked into the lab.

        "You quite finished, Mr. Stark? I'm sure the Captain and the Lieutenant have some unfinished business." Peggy said, a toying smirk on her face as she looked at Steve and Marta. Steve's cheeks flushed and Marta rolled her eyes.

        Peggy passed through the lab and Steve faced Marta, smiling as he held his shield. "What do you think? Do you like it?" He asked hopefully.

        Marta cocked her gun. "Everybody duck, Steve hold your shield in front of your face," Marta warned, waiting five seconds before she shot four bullets at the dead center of Steve's shield, amazed as her bullets crumpled to the ground, almost completely crushed on impact with the shield. "It should do." Marta decided as everyone working in the lab nervously stood from their hiding spots.

        Marta placed her gun back in its previous spot as Howard walked slowly up to Steve. "Damn." Howard muttered.

        Turning around, Marta directed herself to a table ridded with explosive materials and design patterns. "I am going to build a lot of bombs, please do not disrupt me," She said, turning and walking backward, pointing at Howard. "And if you make me a uniform that makes me look like a little girl, I will blow you up, Howard Stark." Marta warned, continuing forward on her path.

        Steve and Howard watched Marta walk away with looks of fear and amazement on their faces. Marta and Thomas ended up spending the morning crafting bombs. Marta forbade Thomas to help her because he was still hungover, so she listened to all of his stories of him and Elizabeth, very invested in their dramatic relationship.

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