Work This Out

Chapter 3 ~ On your left

It's been a few months since Steve and I moved to D.C. So far no casualties and school has been going great.

"(Y/n) wake up." Steve shakes me awake. I groan and turn over in my bed. I open my eyes a little to check the time.

"It's five in the fucking morning leave me alone," I say and try to go back to sleep. He sighs and picks me up. He places me down somewhere, but I don't care as long as I get to sleep.

I feel cold water hit my face. I shoot awake and thrash around. "TURN IT OFF! TURN IT OFF!" He turns the showerhead off and I glare at him, drenched in cold water.

"Good you're awake." He smirks. He's wearing some type of workout gear.

"Can you please explain what is more important than my twelve hours of sleep," I growl at him.

"I'm going on a morning run and I don't want to leave you here alone." He says.

"I am a responsible teenager with super speed and you can't leave me in the house alone?" I question him unbelievably.

"I can leave you alone, but I don't want to." He says. I understand now, it's his protective father side of him coming out.

I sigh. "Fine." I speed out to change out of my drenched pajamas and into something more comfortable. I run back to the bathroom. "But you're carrying me while you run."

He smiles. "I'm always up for a challenge."

                                                                             ...

"On your left," Steve says as he runs past a guy with me on his back. He's running really fast, but I manage to hold on as I try to fall back asleep.

The man says nothing as Steve passes him.

Steve comes up again to the same guy after a quick lap. "On your left." He says to the guy again. I snicker at him as we pass.

"Uh-huh, on my left. Got it." The man says as he continues running like a turtle.

Steve comes around again after another lap.

"Don't say it! Don't you say it!" The man says as Steve comes up behind him and fast.

"On your left!"

"Come on!" The guy tries running after him but is unable to keep up.

Steve keeps running laps and stops when he sees the guy sitting by a tree. He walks over to him.

"Need a medic?" He asks as I look at the man over Steve's shoulders.

The man laughs. "I need a new set of lungs. Dude, you just ran like 13 miles in 30 minutes."

"I can run that in five seconds," I mutter.

"Nobody likes a showoff," Steve says to me with a smile on his face. I snicker. He looks at the man. "Guess I got a late start."

"Hm, really? You should be ashamed of yourself. You should take another lap." He hesitates before saying, "Did you just take it? I assume you just took it." The man says sarcastically and I laugh.

"What unit you with?" Steve asks.

"58, Pararescue. But now I'm working down at the VA." He holds his hand out gesturing for Steve to help him up. "Sam Wilson." He introduces himself as Steve helps him up.

"Steve Rogers. This is my daughter, (Y/n) Rogers." Steve introduces us. I wave at Sam. He smiles at me.

"I kind of put that together. Must have freaked you out coming home after the whole defrosting thing." Oh no, I know how Steve hates when people mention that.

"It takes some getting used to. Good to meet you Sam." Steve says, turning to leave.

"It's your bed right?" Sam asks. Steve turns around.

"What's that?"

"Your bed, it's too soft. When I was over there I'd sleep on the ground and use rocks as pillows, like a caveman. Now I'm home, lying in my bed, and it's like..."

"Lying on a marshmallow. Feeling like I'm gonna sink right to the floor." Steve finishes for him. Sam smiles and nods. "How long?"

"Two tours. You must miss the good old days, huh?"

"Well, things aren't so bad. Food's a lot better, we used to boil everything. No polio is good. Internet, so helpful. I've been reading that a lot trying to catch up. I also have (Y/n), she's been an angel and helps me get caught up." Steve looks back at me and smiles.

"Damn right!" I smile back.

Steve shakes his head. "She's an angel when she's not swearing." He corrects.

Sam looks up in thought before saying, "Marvin Gaye, 1972, 'Troubleman' soundtrack. Everything you've missed jammed into one album." Sam suggests.

Steve pulls out his notebook with a list of things he needs to catch up on. "I'll put it on the list." He starts writing it down. Some stuff is already crossed off thanks to me. Star Wars is crossed off, I made him sit through all the movies one night.

"I never heard of that myself," I speak up.

"Well it's from before you were born," Sam says.

"I listen to old music. Michael Jackson, the Jackson 5, Queen, Bobby Brown, New Edition, Backstreet Boys." I list off. "I love me some Backstreet Boys."

Sam points at me. "She has good taste in music." He tells Steve.

"So I've been told." He smirks.

Steve gets an alert on his phone and takes it out. I peek over his shoulder to see what it is. 'Mission alert. Extraction imminent. Meet at the curb. :)'

"You get a mission alert but I don't?" I whisper to him.

"You have school, remember." He whispers back then turns to Sam. "Alright Sam, duty calls. Thanks for the run. If that's what you wanna call running." Steve puts me down and they shake hands.

"Oh, that's how it is?"

"Oh, that's how it is."

Sam laughs. "Okay. Anytime you wanna stop by the VA, make me look awesome in front of the girl at the front desk, just let me know."

"I'll keep it in mind."

"Okay."

Just then Natasha pulls up in a car by the curb and rolls down the window. "Hey fellas. Either one of you know where the Smithsonian is? I'm here to pick up a fossil."

"That's hilarious," Steve says sarcastically as I laugh. He raises a brow at me. "You think that's funny?"

"Hilarious." I continue laughing. Steve hops in the car as Sam gives Natasha and her car an appreciative look.

"How you doing?" Sam asks in greeting.

"Hey," Natasha says.

"Can't run everywhere," Steve says to Sam.

"No, you can't."

"I can," I speak up.

"Fuck off Rogers jr," Nat says jokingly and flips me off. I laugh.

"Run your (little/thick) butt to school, how 'bout that," Steve adds with a playful smile on his face.

"When will you be back?" I ask.

"Hopefully in a few hours. Go straight home after school."

"I know Steve, I know."

Sam and I watch as they drive off.

"It was nice meeting you Mr. Wilson." I shake his hand.

"You too and please, call me Sam."

I smile and wave at him as I run off to school.