The mass of noise as they returned to the camp that afternoon made Charlotte's head immediately turn.
It was coming from the edge of the camp- where she had spotted some disgruntled soldiers putting together the stage under the critical eye of Phillips earlier that morning.
"I need a volunteer."
Charlotte felt her heart stutter as she heard Steve's voice projected on the microphone from where he stood on the platform.
One of the soldiers who made up their guard muttered something crudely under his breath about how that was why he was stuck in the godforsaken country. The others snickered.
"I already volunteered!" somebody yelled from the crowd as Charlotte and Howard drew closer to the presentation. "How do you think I got here?"
The crowd erupted in laughter.
A man clad in the red, white and blue Captain America uniform, holding a brightly coloured shield on his left arm stood on the wooden stage. Stands with golden eagles on them, and blue curtains as the background made the stage stand out more than it needed to- a stark comparison to the soldiers watching, who were clad in khaki uniforms and covered in mud.
"Bring back the girls!" another person shouted. "All we've got here is Charlie!"
Howard glanced at Charlotte, who had grimaced at the mention of her name.
Steve took a step back. "I think they only know one song, but, um. I'll see what I can do."
That was typical Steve behaviour. He truly did care about making others happy, about pleasing them.
"You do that, sweetheart," one of the soldiers closest to where Charlotte was standing yelled. She recognised him as a Mulgraves, a member of the 107th, as he shared a tent with her after he had returned a few days earlier.
"Hey!" Charlotte said sharply, garnering their attention. "Knock it off. If you were up there, you wouldn't be doing any better. Especially you, Mulgraves, you stutter the moment anyone of rank speaks to you."
Mulgraves turned a shade of red as the soldiers around him snickered, but quickly fell silent under her glare.
"Nice boots, Tinker Bell!" another person called, and the crowd laughed.
Steve just stared at them in frustration, and his shoulders visibly drooped. "Come on guys, we're all on the same team here."
"Hey, Captain! Sign this!" A soldier from the middle of the crowd stood, dropping his pants as he exposed himself to Steve.
The crowd cheered, as this was the height of entertainment.
Another person stood and threw a whole fruit- or vegetable, Charlotte wasn't able to determine it from where she stood- at Steve on stage.
He held his shield up to protect him from the projectile, as another person threw something else at him.
"Bring back the girls!"
The dancers came back on stage to thunderous applause and cheering as Steve exited. They were wearing small dresses and dolled-up prop helmets, and even though Charlotte couldn't see them, she knew they were covered in goosebumps from the chilled air.
"Well, I guess the show is over," Howard murmured to Charlotte quietly. "Shall we go and brief Phillips while he's not too busy?"
Charlotte shook her head. "I want to run a few tests and then we can go annoy him. And you owe me a coffee."
Howard sighed. "I suppose I do. I'll meet you at the tent in a few minutes."
"Howard," she said sternly, raising her eyebrows at him. "If you just want to watch the show, you just have to say so."
YOU ARE READING
Coffee, Courage and a Captain
FanfictionCharlotte Red is eccentric at best, unconventional at worst. Working as the head technician of Stark Industries' R&D Department since she was sixteen, and with two PhD's under her belt already sets her apart from most other nineteen-year-olds- not...
