Of Hearts and Shields

Just Run

"Oh no." Sam shook his head when he somehow ended up in middle between you and the Captain. "I am not listening to on your left the entire time!" He told Steve with a pointed glare. "[Y/N], you gotta switch places with me."

"Okay." You shrugged. "You guys should know, I don't normally run."

"It's alright." Steve smiled. "We'll go easy on you."

"Yeah, this coming from thunder thighs over here!" Sam laughed. "The day we met he ran about 13 miles in 30 minutes. I don't think he knows easy."

"Alright, why don't you show me how it's done, bird man?" Steve asked. "We'll start on my count?" You and Sam both nodded.

Once Steve counted you down, you each took off. Even sprinting as quickly as you could, Sam and Steve were yards ahead of you in less than a minute. You tried not to take it personally. They were both retired military men and Steve was a super soldier. But still, you couldn't stop your natural reaction to swing your arms a little bit more and pick up your knees a little higher.

"Don't push yourself too hard, [Y/N]!" Steve called out as he lapped you in the lane to your left. You didn't even make it all the way around the track before you had to slow your pace to a jog. By the second go around you'd completely given up and were trotting along at a barely a speed walk. Your chest was on fire and you were starting to think that maybe Bucky was right, running with theses two might kill you. Steve and Sam continued looping a round the track at the same pace they'd started.

"You guys are machines!" You panted, finally giving up on moving all together. You leaned forward and placed your hands on your thighs as you gasped for air. "How...do...people...enjoy this?" You asked as Sam whizzed by you.

"You doin' alright?" He questioned over his shoulder as he trotted by.

"Hey, [Y/N]?" Steve came jogging over to you. "You don't look so good. You should drink something," He forced his water bottle into your hands.

"Oh, no." You waved him off, even as you accepted the bottle. You unscrewed the cap, put the bottle to your mouth and guzzled down the cool liquid. "I'm...I'm fine." You combed your fingers through your hair even though it was mostly tied back in a ponytail. "This stuff, is some really good water." You waved the bottle at him in appreciation.

"See, I warned you." Sam had now joined Steve by your side. "He doesn't know how to take it easy."

"It's alright guys." You smiled now that you were finally able to breath normally. "I don't feel like I'm gonna die anymore."

"That's good, because this is no place to die." Steve gestured around at the otherwise empty track. "It's okay if you need to take a break, you know."

"No." You shook your head and screwed on the cap to Steve's bottle. "People love running, right. There's like runners high and stuff. Yeah, I want to try it."

"Really, because you look like you want to lay down and never get back up." Sam chuckled.

"Well I kind of do." You agreed. "But, I also want to do more than just work in the lab with Tony and Bruce. Will you guys work with me? You know, teach me the right form and stuff?"

"Of course!" Steve agreed right away.

"Sure, whatever you need." Sam agreed at the same time. "You know, I just remembered," Sam looked down at an imaginary watch. "I was supposed to do couple things this morning. Rogers, why don't you keep working with, [Y/N], I'll take the next shift."

"It is just me or..." You asked Steve as you watched Sam literally run away.

"I think he was trying to get us alone together." Steve agreed. "This whole thing, was a ruse to get out here by ourselves."

"I wish he would stop trying to fix us up together." You groaned. "I'm so obviously not your type."

"What does that mean?" Steve titled his head like a golden retriever.

"You know, like the type of girl you would be interested in." You explained. "I'm sure your type is someone athletic, good a running and lifting weights, a bit of a history buff." You added the last bit with a wink.

"I don't know that I have a type." Steve disagreed. "How about you?"

"Me?" You didn't dare hope for a second that Steve was implying that you were his type.

"Yeah, what's your type?" He wanted to know.

"Hmm, I guess I never really thought about it." You paused. "I like a man with a good heart." You decided. "I've got a thing for blondes and ice blue eyes." You grinned.

"Okay, now you're just teasing me." Steve chuckled.

"No! You insisted. I'm not!" You rushed to assure him. "I like older guys too."

"Yeah?" Steve asked, rubbing the back of his neck. "How about fossils?"

"Perfect." You smirked. "Maybe Sam's got the right idea after all. Maybe we should give dinner and a movie a go sometime?"

"How about we race for it?" Steve suggested. "If I win, we'll have that dinner and a movie."

"Okay Rogers." You nodded. "and what if I win?"

"You'll have to catch up to me first!" Steve said, taking off on the tack without another word.

"That's...cheating!" You called out before chasing after him.