Chapter Text
Looking back on his life, Steve wasn't really surprised that he'd ended up here due to sheer spite. He knew he looked stupid, standing in the middle of the rundown apartment in 1942 and staring at the letter in his hand. An acceptance letter welcoming him to a brand new job, one he had never expected to get.
It had all started back when he was in eighth grade in Brooklyn. He'd returned to school after a horrible bout of pneumonia, escorted by an overprotective Bucky, only to discover that they were taking a math test.
Now, Steve had never been great at math. Mostly because he was already missed so much school and never really received any instructions on how to do well with math. Bucky had been the one to teach Steve most of what he knew about math, staying up late at night to help Steve through the steps and equations. Ma Rogers and Barnes often joked if they couldn't find Steve fighting someone, they would find him learning arithmetic from Bucky on the fire escape.
But this round, Steve hadn't been able to prepare so he had failed the test pretty badly. That was part one of how this happened.
Part two came from their asshole teacher, an older alpha who was a patronizing ass. He always looked at Steve with pity in his eyes, called him names like sweetheart and darling. All because Steve had presented as an omega a few years ago, so he was obviously frail and delicate and needed to be protected (Ronny Jenkins had laughed so hard he'd hurt himself the first time the teacher said that to Steve’s face while Bucky had to pin his arms down so he didn't stab the guy in the eye).
So it was not a surprise when the teacher handed back the test with the red F on top, gave Steve a patronizing look, and explained loudly to the class that of course he hadn't expected Steve to do well because his fragile omega mind couldn't handle a complex subject like math, which was for alphas sweetheart. So wouldn't it be better to settle down soon and stay home?
Steve, of course, was fuming by the time the jackass moved on. His teeth were grit, eyes narrowed dangerously as he watched the teacher moved.
“Stevie? You alright?” Bucky asked hesitantly, nervously watching his best friend. Now, normally Bucky wouldn't hesitate to check on Steve. But he was an alpha and didn't want his friend's justifiable rage turned on him due to that issue.
“Oh, I'm more than alright,” Steve hissed, and everyone except Bucky leaned away from him in fear of what was coming next. They had survived years of Steve Rogers in the classroom and picked up on when to bow their heads in submission because Steve was terrifying for anyone, not just an omega!
“I'm going to become a fucking math genius Buck,” Steve snarled out, “And then that fuck is going to see whose mind is too delicate for the subject!”
Bucky just sighed, “As long as you don't stab him, I'm all for it.”
And that was part two of what led Steve here to this moment. Some asshole back when he was a kid challenged him so Steve had thrown himself into learning everything he could about math. Hours had been spent in the library, on stoops, in the classroom with a math book tucked under his arm. Illness hadn't stopped him, he'd continued to read and learn even when hospitalized, bringing the books with him to keep learning.
So it really hadn't been a surprise for anyone when he'd graduated and been offered a scholarship to study math. By that time he'd already been mated to Bucky (no one was surprised. Ronny actually won twenty dollars for guessing the right day in the betting pool) and Bucky had worked overtime at the docks to put Steve through college before his high grades had earned him a full ride for his masters in mathematics.
Bucky had been stupidly proud, loudly exclaiming to everyone that his baby doll was a college graduate. The whole block had been proud as well, Steve being the first one to go to college and graduate (twice!). Overnight he went from that kid you did not emulate because he picked fights to the kid you wanted to be when you grew up because he had a college degree.
Which led to part three. The conversation that had Steve start leaning.
“It’s weird,” Steve grumbled one evening when Bucky had taken him out dancing.
“What’s weird,” Bucky murmured, tugging the slight omega closer when a cold wind blew through the buildings.
“Mrs. Dotting was telling her kids to be like me when they grew up,” Steve complained, “Buck, she hates me. She always said I'd go to hell and drag you down with me.”
“She said what?! Damn bat needs to mind her own business…”
“But since I got that degree, she's been acting like I'm the best thing ever,” Steve let out an annoyed sigh, leaning into Bucky’s side as the alpha grumbled under his breath, “But that degrees worthless cause I don't had a job.”
Bucky growled a little, jostling Steve’s shoulder, “Not worthless. You're a little genius. That degree just proves it to the entire world.”
“That degree is just a scrap of paper, and we need money for rent or food,” Steve grumbled back, “And no one wants a brainy omega working for them with a fancy college degree.”
“Someone is going to hire you, they'll realize just how great you are and then have to fight them to get you back.”
“Sure they are Buck, you keep thinking that.”
After that conversation, Steve hadn't been able to let it go. He wanted to be able to contribute to their home instead of relying on Bucky’s dock job. Especially because it was the only thing he could do. Steve was sickly, and everyone just knew he was going to die before he reached thirty. He caught every illness, struggled to breath when dust hit his face.
And worse still, he was pretty sure he was barren. A barren omega was seen as being worthless in the eyes of society, especially a male omega. People always muttered about how the only good thing a male omega could do was bare his alpha children. And Steve couldn't even do that right!
So Steve had been working hard and applying to every job he could find so he could contribute something, anything to their home. Every job, no matter how degrading and humiliating it could be. Stereotypical omega work as a secretary, a teacher, anything that could let him work and make an income.
And then Steve got a reply. An acceptance from one of the jobs he'd applied to on a whim when he saw it in the paper. A job he had never thought he would get, and was now informed he would be starting there Monday of next week.
“Oh dear lord,” Steve wheezed, collapsing into the rickety kitchen chair, head in his hands. He struggled through an asthma attack, eyes unfocused as they stared at that damn paper.
He was still sitting there when Bucky came in through the front door, calling about what was on for dinner. He froze for a brief moment at the sight of his mate collapsed on the table and rushed over to him. Fluttering around, Bucky fussed over his Stevie and gently pulled his tiny mate into his arms. “Doll, you alright,” Bucky murmured, pressing kisses to golden hair, “Come on doll, talk to me.”
“I got a job Buck,” Steve gasped out, eyes wide, “I start work next week.”
“What? Stevie, that's great,” Bucky let out a delighted laugh. He gathers Steve into a kiss before breaking off to press more over still too pale cheeks, “I'm so proud of you darling.”
Steve let out a strangled moan, struggling out of Bucky’s arms. He threw himself onto the table ignoring Bucky’s confused questions to grab the letter and shove it back into his alpha’s broad hands.
He buried his face in his hands when Bucky started reading, he refused to look up when Bucky's eyebrows rose and his mouth dropped open in shock. “Steve,” Bucky said slowly, “This says you’ve got a job in Langley.”
“Uh huh.”
“Langley, Virginia. As in not Brooklyn or even New York. Virginia. As a…”
“Mathematician. I know.”
“But Steve,” and here Bucky couldn't help himself. He started to grin, “You hate math.” Steve let out an agonized groan even as Bucky started to laugh. “You got a degree and masters as a fuck you to our old teacher and then announced that you were quitting math forever. And now you're a mathematician?”
“Yes Bucky,” Steve snapped back. His angry tone was downplayed by the spectacular blush covering his face, “I am aware of how ridiculous this is.”
Bucky howled with laughter, tugging his fuming mate back in for a kiss. Even with all of his annoyed grumbling, Steve returned the kiss and snuggled in close when Bucky took a seat and tugged him into a warm lap.
“Why did you even apply there?” Bucky demanded gently.
Steve sighed, “Honestly? Because I didn't think I would actually get the job? Who the fuck hires omega mathematicians to work for them?”
“Langley apparently,” Bucky snorted, “Which is in Virginia. Where you've never been before.”
“Neither have you jerk,” Steve grumbled, “Does this mean I have to move to Virginia?”
“No, it means that we’re moving there,” Bucky announced, “Like hell you're going there by yourself. You'll pick a fight with everyone if I'm not there to watch you.”
“So we’re moving to Virginia,” Steve let out an annoyed sigh, “Virginia, Bucky. Ma is rolling in her grave.”
Bucky snorted, “Only you doll. Only you would do this. What are you even doing in this new fancy job anyway?”
“No idea Buck. I have no clue what they're doing at Langley.”