𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗘𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗧𝗢𝗢

𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣 𝗜𝗦 𝗠𝗔𝗚𝗜𝗖

AEI: yes, the title is a MLP reference. not only do i think i'm hilarious, it also vaguely relates to the chapter, so everyone give me a round of applause for thinking of two good titles in a row. 

The air is clean and cool as Steve Rogers sets out for his early morning run, and the city is quieter than it usually is. He likes that.

Steve's been seeking quiet ever since he got defrosted, really. The future is a lot noisier than he expected. Cars, trucks, TV, aliens, the whole shebang. According to the internet, there's about five billion more people on the planet than there was when he was last walking around, and it's definitely taking some getting used to.

Besides, there's a lot going on inside his head. Trying to get peace for the last year or so has been like trying to breathe underwater, when everybody apart from you has somehow miraculously adapted to have gills.

It's a lot to take in. After all, the 21st Century is a culture shock like no other, and the information that's been crammed into his head since arriving here is enough to drive anyone insane.

Steve's just been trying not to think about it.

So, he laces his shoes and sets off running, letting the fresh air blank his brain out for a little bit, and before he knows it, he's three laps around his usual route and doesn't even feel tired. God, if his younger self could see him now.

He doesn't know whether it makes him happy or sad.

As he rounds the loop again, he edges to the side so he can pass the guy in front of him, who he's been past on the previous round too. Like he did the before, he calls "on your left," as he jogs ahead, and the guy rolls his eyes good-naturedly.

"Uh-huh. On my left. Got it."

Steve grins as he turns the corner.

It's nice to smile. He hasn't done it a lot since he got pulled out of the freezer like a bag of frozen peas, but he's been kinda busy trying to find something to smile about. Well, that and the aliens that took up a pretty big portion of last year.

But there's other things to worry about, now. Things that he's been shoving to the back of his mind, and things that he went on this run so he didn't have to think about. They've got a way of haunting him, though; clinging to his back like the devil on his shoulder that got uprooted.

Before he knows it, the guy is in front of him again, and Steve wants to keep smiling, so he speeds up a little and glances sideways at the man as he passes him.

"On your left."

"Oh, come on!"

Steve almost laughs as he races down the sidewalk, the guy behind him panting and groaning as he tries to keep up. Almost laughs. Then, the thoughts in his head are back, and he is reminded of just what it is that's stopping him.

He kicks up his pace a little and tries to focus on his breathing, the clear feeling of his lungs, and how much his pre-serum self would cherish this moment.

Eventually, once the thoughts are less insistent, he comes to a stop, walking it off as he comes towards the main road. The guy from before is now slumped against a tree, out of breath, and feeling a little bad but also amused, Steve wanders up to him.

"Need a medic?"

The man laughs, squinting up through the sun at him. "I need a new set of lungs." He jokes. "Dude, you just ran like 13 miles in 30 minutes."

"I guess I got a late start."

"Oh, really? You should be ashamed of yourself. You should take another lap."