Steve Rogers's heart pounded against his ribcage, sweat trickled down from his forehead, his breath escaped from him in ragged pants as he continued to push his body forward. Around the corner, down the short straightway, around another corner and along the elongated end of the Lincoln Memorial Reflection Pool, Steve went, pumping his arms and legs, increasing his speed by the second.
The icy wind blew sharply against his cheeks, the only thing buffeting him against the speed at which he was traveling. Eyes set in a squint of concentration; Steve tucked his legs to the side and turned the corner once more. His footsteps were the only thing accompanying him that day, there were no others around. No one able to keep up with his pace. No one had been able to keep up with him for a majority of his life, the life he knew he had now. Being thrust into such a different era of time, he was still getting used to the things he had missed while being frozen, being able to have some time to himself.
Time to push everything out of his mind, having a time where he could just run, to just be himself.
Steve Rogers.
Not just Captain America.
Steve increased in his pace until he was running at top speed. Anyone he would have passed at that moment would have just seen a quick blur moving by him. He would have called out a quick warning that he was passing by, as he did most mornings. That morning he hadn't been able to fall upon the same routine, as he was running by himself. He had fallen into running with Sam Wilson as of late and this morning he hadn't seen the slowpoke.
The slow development from common courtesy to an emotion that rested on borderline murderous was usually enough to put a spring in Steve's step as he continued to run. Sam's voice tinged with annoyance each time Steve would go racing by him with the call, "on your left" rang through his head, causing the slight tug at the corners of Steve's mouth.
Steve's eyebrows slammed together as he took yet another lap around the pool. One more lap to go and he was done for the day. Steve brought a hand up to wipe sweat off his forehead, seconds before a whistling sound caught his attention. He felt his muscles tense. What could it be? A new threat? Was he under attack once more?
Steeleing his muscles, Steve's body automatically moved into the fight response that was second nature to him now. Instinctly, he was ready to turn and raise an arm to shield himself of the blow that would inevitably land on his head, but all he received was a sudden shove against his side before he splashed into the water of the pool. Disoriented, Steve thrashed around for a few moments before popping his head above water, gasping for air, shaking water off his head with frantic jerks of his head. His eyes darted around.
What had hit him?
Who was it?
It was then sound that was the peal of laughter and a loud cry of "on your right!" reached his water logged ears.
Steve turned his eyes upward and with a smile of disbelief, watched as Sam, mechanical wings extended, flew around the Washington Monument before disappearing from sight.
A/N: I saw a post on tumblr how someone wanted to see a fic where Captain America was out running and then Falcon came flying up on his right, pushing him into the pool while yelling "on your right" to get back at him from the scene at the beginning of the second film. So here's my attempt.
Cheers,
-Riles