Chapter Text
Feet pound through the obstacle course, all of the newly recruited soldiers bathed in a thick layer of mud, Steve trying desperately to regulate his breathing, the ever present feeling of his asthma and weak heart choking the life out of him increasing with the straining of his limbs against the obstacle course. Hodge kicks the pole in front of him out and the heavy weight on his back doesn't help his already painful and erratic breathing, the barbs dig into him and one digs into his neck right beside his mating gland as the young omega tries to fight through his inability to breathe for his mate and to be able to prove himself to the omega doctor, beta agent and everyone else. He manages to turn his head to the side to get his mouth and nose out of the mud in time to see himself being shouted at
"get my rifle off the ground Rogers"
The anxiety pulsing through him, alongside the pressure in his neck near to where the pain from his scoliosis normally begins, the panic caused by the inability to breathe only steals his remaining hearing, leaving him to flinch when a gentle hand is lain on his back, Peggy and the colonel having pulled the shaky man out of the mud and onto the grass where Abraham has knelt next to him, assessing his neck neck wound and rubbing the man's hair softly before helping him up, only to see the doctor talking to Phillips about the incident, Peggy frowning at the sergeant that pushes the young man in the direction of the other men, the other man wearing the same uniform he last saw his mate decked in, reaching the next obstacle though he throws himself at the wall and manages to scramble over as he would when Bucky punched whoever was behind the latest fight his beloved mate was involved in.
Lunch leaves Steve still struggling aimlessly to breathe whilst his thick soup stares him down, barely able to catch a single breathe as he eats the whole amount although the heavy feeling still makes the grieving omega uncomfortable. The heaviness reminds him of birthing a dead foetus, but the need to hide his designation causes Steve to push the feeling rooted deeply in his subconscious away. Through the whole meal he can almost feel Hodge's eyes drilling venomously into the back of his skull, even with agent Carter having handed his pride on a plate several times over their brief time in training so far, her reasoning her willingness to hurt him as of how he uses any opportunity against Steve.
Said Agent sits with Abraham, the older man humming to himself in the tune akin to a lullaby that Peggy is accustomed to the man accompanying himself with, his hand brushing against the mating mark covered by a thin amount of grey hair, the silence between the two understanding and calm, Peggy knowing she can't do much to help the upset omega.
"Abraham?"
She uses the start of a conversation as a distractor to the man she knows grieves with most steps he limps through.
"Yes agent Carter?"
she smiles fondly at the older man, saddened only by the fact that she knows his continued use of Agent no matter how friendly they become is due to his severe and understandable distrust of authority.
"how are things coming along with Howard?"
"I am confident in his abilities, however, as a friend I am worried of his growing alcohol dependence"
Peggy nods, grimly knowing of how badly alcohol dependence can effect people, especially those like Howard, an immigrant with still occasionally confused English and with his parents having died in a tuberculosis outbreak in the small tenement they had to live in in order to send their son to university for him to help them all out of poverty that followed the Italian family after the war resulting in their desperation to leave for a new hope in America.
"I'll make sure to keep an eye on him then, is all the equipment ready for next week?"
"Of course mine is, you expect me to be as disorganised as our dearest mister Stark?"
She laughs, keeping a wary eye however on the lonely omega struggling to breathe as he swallows down his clumped soup, it undeniably better than the three of them have had in the years since the depression though, with the Nazis and even with Peggy's position as an agent.
"Howard is aware of my designation, yet is happy to help me. I am debating weather to ask Steven if for project rebirth he would be happy to disclose his designation to him, I might ask him to make hearing aids aswell to make the process easier as I believe that may be the one thing the serum can't fix."
Margret nods and squeezes the beta presenting man's forearm gently under the table, understanding how uncomfortable he is surrounded by so many alphas, paired with his fear of their reaction to his heavy accent whenever he talks to one of them and she sees the uncertainty Phillips still holds for him and she finds it painful knowing he was almost hunted out of his homeland having refused to help Schmitt even further, leaving him a traitor to his own people.
"Are you choosing Steven?"
"Undecided but likely, Phillips wants me to choose Hodge but he is a bully and an aggressive alpha who is bigoted and will go nowhere as anything other than an aggressive police man or a soldier dangerous to himself and others. I fear Steven will not allow himself to be appreciated after his latest miscarriage and I do not know what the serum will do to his fertility, Another reason why he many not accept my offer."
"They're running after lunch, Halfway is the flag test. I'll make sure to let you know if anyone spots it."
The doctor smiles and gets up slowly, old injuries from Hydra still hindering him unhealed, he is aware they will probably haunt him and his memories for the rest of life, the pain both physical and mental and has been so for years. The taxi into New York City lets him watch the familiar concrete jungle, that he now calls home, the doctor still rubbing at his hip as he pays the driver and steps out in front of the antiques shop Howard is working at the finishing components for project rebirth in, Andrea behind the counter greets him will a small hug and smile.
"Is our friend still in the back?"
"Of course, the poor man works himself to death. He is worried they will deploy him if he stops for lunch."
Abraham frowns and walks through the back, knocking on Howard's office door, the man having washed away his scent blockers after leaving the base, letting Howard recognise the familiar scent of his omega friend.
"Doc! Come in"
His Italian accent is fading unlike Abraham's, the alpha wrapping his arms carefully around the other man who is obviously in pain, and after he lets go the hurried man motions for the older to follow him down to the large space surrounded by various knobs and dials, a large hospital bed in the middle with cylindrical sides that can close and straps obviously designed to prevent someone thrashing no matter their strength.
"Almost finished her, you got anyone in mind?"
"Yes, but I need your help to work out the effects it will have on fertility, if he continues as he is going; I have my eye on an omega, but I am trying to determine if the boy still wants children."
The young alpha has a screwdriver between his teeth as he listens to the doctor, laying under the machine as he takes it out to speak.
"what was Schmitt's designation, sorry I know you don't appreciate that barrel of crap doc"
"alpha, he was the alpha that every omega fears when they are taught what can happen to us by our mothers, the one that believes his designation puts him above us weak and tiresome omegas who have no personality apart from needing to please an alpha in order for life's fulfilment. The kid I'm thinking of is riddled with health problems aswell: asthmas, scoliosis so bad its visible, heart weakness, nerve issues, he's mostly deaf and realise on lip reading, he has a shockingly bad immune system and has rather bad chronic pain. His mate can't help us either as he was shipped out as a sergeant with the 107th."
"I would be surprised if you don't pick this kid Abraham, Do we know what conditions the serum will fix?"
"The only one I am worried about is his hearing, improved eyesight should make lip reading a lot easier though."
The older man helps with some equations whilst the two genius immigrants sort through the selection of men they have left, taking care to go through each small detail.
"Rogers, that's who you are thinking of?"
"Yes, he is a good man."
The pair work in silence for a while longer, the comfort of the gentle alpha knowing his designation relaxing him into the ability to work better, it reminding him of his eldest pup poking a curious nose over his soldier when his work was brought home,
"Howard?"
"yup, That's the name?"
"Do you think you would ever have pups?"
The alpha smiles to himself, thinking of having the same conversation with both his mother and Edwin Jarvis, both fearing the man being alone.
"I think so, not for a while though, I'm only in my mid twenties. Crazy isn't it, poor old immigrant kid me getting out of college by eighteen I mean the education system is tilted against us after all. But I would love to have a little pup running around, I would love to help them in the garage or the lab if they wanted and give them the start we both wanted."
Abraham smiles and lays a hand gently on his friend's shoulder, the older knowing he needs to look after his pup-figure but he worries about impending alcoholism and his goodness being taken advantage of by the higher classes that flit around wanting a hand in how the genius pends his time and money.
"Well, I hope I get some grandchildren than, you are a good pup Howard."
The young man blushes, leaning his head on the older man's shoulder and holding an arm around his waist.
"Cheers doc, fancy a beer after we've finished up?"
"No I'm alright, but how about we have a nice meal out"
"Course, I'll pay doc"
"no, dear I invited you."
the millionaire laughs and rubs his friend's back, kissing his temple gently.
" If you say so doc, it'll be a cold day in hell when I don't steal the check to pay though."
They spend dinner sketching out the details of Steve's hearing loss and improvements to hearing aid designs, making sure they will become almost invisible when on, Howard drives him back to base where after a day filled with pain the doctor pulls out his single salvaged nesting blanket and tucks it around him as carefully as possible to not cause more pain to his aching joints, relishing in the lingering scent of his mate, the nest on his bed as the doctor knows that without the hand of his mate getting up from the floor will be near impossible.