Patience [Clint Barton]

2. Running with the wolves

"On your left!" Steve Rogers shouted to his friend Sam with a stupid grin on his face. The two men and Clint Barton were running in Central Park early in the morning, trying to get some exercise. Natasha and Wanda had called dibs on the gym, so the boys were left to their own devices. They debated about going to the public gym but, Steve shot that down.  Not many other people were out and about at this time meaning not too many by standers. (Then again it was only 5 AM) Also they didn't have to pass many people and they didn't have to stop once to not run into another. T Well, except for when Clint said he was going to "die" and slowed to a stop, begging for a break. Sam also agreed with the archer, breathing heavily. 

"Can."  Sam breathed.

"We." Breath.

"Stop?!" Wheezing. Steve laughed and walked up to a bench in the park, that was positioned in the shade. He sat down on the bench and tipped his head back. Clint followed and laid on his back on the ground, breathing hard. After a few minutes of labored breathing, the men began talking again. Trying to catch up from the past couple of weeks, since Steve had been on a long mission. 

"So, how's Bucky?" Clint finally sat up and put his elbows on his knees and chin in his hands.  

"He's doing good. Much better than before really. He can actually sleep at night and not wake up screaming."

"That's fantastic! I'm happy for him. You know when you told the team about him being alive. I never really imagined it turning out like this. How's Breana doing with this?" 

Breana is Steve's girlfriend for two years and is very understanding and compassionate. Her intelligence and open-mindedness captured Steve and they automatically hit it off. After a month of being friends, he finally gathered up the courage to ask her out on a date. Breana works as a scientist at SHIELD and often explains the new technology to her man from the past. Steve laughed and rubbed the back of his neck, turning a slight pink. 

"Good, good. Better than I expected."

"I figured she would."

"Yeah I guess. What about you? How's your girlfriend?" Sam laughed awkwardly, rubbing his hands together and biting his lip. After a few seconds he let out a breath, relenting to tell his friends the truth. 

"Uh.... not so well. Leigh is mad that I talked to this girl in a coffee shop. Mad that I'm cheating or something."

"Are you?"

"What?! No of course not, never! I was just trying to pass time while standing in line. Besides I was thanking the woman. She's an American hero for gods sake!" Steve and Clint put their hands up in surrender and shot each other a quick glance with raised eyebrows.

"I was just asking. Not accusing."  Clint quickly shot back, trying to calm his friend. Sam let out a long breath and nodded at the men in forgiveness. Leaning his elbows on his knees, he set his head in his hands.

"Sorry, dude."

"Its fine. I understand.... What do you mean by hero though?" Clint raised his eyebrows at him, laying back down in the grass.

"She's a solider. Air Force and something like Infiltration or something." he shrugged, looking at a squirrel running up an oak tree. The furry creature chittered and another squirrel joined him.

"When was this?"
Sam was about to reply when they heard a splash and a shout. They all looked at each other and stood up, rushing over to the pond. When they arrived they paused at the scene before Sam barked out a laugh.

"Wer hat nun das gemacht ?"

"Oops, Ich wars!" Blythe and her friend Kailey were running when Kailey made a bet and Blythe pushed her into the pond. Her jaw dropped at her friends shocked shriek and the proceeded to lean on her knees to laugh at the red head. The pond happened to be fairly cold for it being July and Kailey was not expecting that, since they had been running and sweating their asses off. So when she came back up at the surface she shot her friend a quick glare.

 Blythe laughed with her hand over her mouth as they spoke German, leaning over to catch her breath yet again. She turned on her heel when she heard a mans voice chuckling.

"Is everything alright?" Steve asked the two woman concern written all over his face and eyebrows drawn together. Blythe turned to look at the blonde with a smile.
"Oh yeah, everything is quite alright."

"Hey Blythe." Sam straightened up and waved at the woman standing on the dock. Her eyes widened in recognition as she waved back.

"Hey, Sam!" Steve looked at Sam confused as the man waved, turning to look at his friend. Clint, who was standing behind Sam, leaned forward and looked past Sam with raised eyebrows. Blythe turned and went to help her friend out of the water but, instead got pulled in her self. She rose to the surface coughing slightly with an offended look on her face. After a few seconds, she splashed Kailey with a small laugh. Clint laughed from the edge of the water and soon the other two joined in.

"Man! Even I saw that one coming!" Soon Blythe and Kailey were in a full out water war, trying their hardest to make the biggest splash while, the three men watched in mild amusement. Kailey grabbed Blythe and ended up tossing her over her shoulder and back into the water. When Blythe surfaced again her hair was out of her ponytail and slopped over her face. Resembling the likes of a swamp monster. 

"God this is just like training!" Blythe laughed and then choked slightly on the water that was pushed at her. Clearing her throat she shoved more water back.

"Yeah, minus the freezing cold ice water!" Kailey tripped in the water and fell back into the pond making Blythe to pause and the continue laughing when she emerged.  Clint laughed at the girls, clutching his chest as Sam turned to Steve. Steve looked over to his friend with hesitance in his eyes.

"What should we do?"

"If we can't beat them, join them!" Sam splashed at Steve as he stood their in shock near the shore. After a few second he retaliated by hoisting the shorter man over his shoulder and throwing him off the dock. The two girls and Clint both froze before a fit of laughter continued and the splashing went on. Clint cannon balled next to Sam and then pushed him back under. Kailey jumped on Blythe and soon they were playing chicken and Sam and Clint won. 

"Yes!!!! Victory is ours!" The two men high fived and laughed but, were cut off when Steve pushed them both over.  While they had been basking in their glory the girls were conspiring with Steve. They both toppled back into the water and both girls high fived the muscular blonde. 

"Payback boys, payback." Kailey laughed as Clint sent her a glare and demanded a rematch. This time Blythe went on Clint's shoulders and Kailey on Sam's. No body has to know that the archer and solider mix was bright red by time they managed to win.

A phone rang on the shore making a flock of pigeons stir. The ID showing up as Leigh but, nobody cared. Sam heard the well known ring tone but ignored it, opting to tackle Steve as payback from before. They were to busy having fun splashing each other and acting like a rowdy pack of wolves to give a damn. They were given a few looks as the morning went by in a blur but, they were quickly ignored by the group of five.