Chapter Text
And he didn’t have to wait long.
Sam had just lowered himself back onto his bench when the sound of heavy footsteps hitting the concrete reaches his ears. Sam has just enough time to sit up when the man passes by in a flash. All Sam could do is gape and watch as the blond man makes the corner and jogs towards the other side of the park. Damn he was fast. Sam looks up at Ellon in the tree to see how she was faring. The little girl looked completely at ease giggling and swinging her feet off the tree branch. She looks content to stay up there a little longer, so Sam doesn’t mind waiting for the running man to come back around. In fact, Ellon reminds him a little of himself looking so peaceful up in the air. The tree in his family’s backyard was his happy place growing up. His dad turned it into a tree house just for him and used to spend all his free time in there. He had the best view in the neighborhood, and everybody knew it. That was around the time the bird jokes from his siblings about started too. Too bad for them, he got the last laugh when Falcon became a national icon.
The sound of thundering footsteps reaches his ears again, and this time, Sam is ready. He’s up on his feet when the man starts to slow down scanning the park grounds with a confused look on his face. He was dressed pretty strangely for a man in the park. Sam didn’t know anyone who went jogging in a 3-piece suit and tie. The park was getting more crowed as people tried to take in some fresh air during their lunch breaks, but there was something about this particular man that drew Sam’s attention. And he was actually kinda hot. Sam walked slowly over to the man and cleared his throat. “On your left.”
The man jumped back in surprise a small squeal exiting his mouth. Try as he might, Sam couldn’t stop from chuckling at the sound. Mr. buff and beefy was staring at him like he jumped out of a horror movie. A gaping mouth, large blue eyes, tempting lips still shaped in a small ‘o’ combined with the 3-piece suit made for an interesting picture. Sam grins moving closer to the shocked man. If anything, this just made Sam want to get to know him more. He liked interesting people.
“You’re-“ the man paused looking Sam up and down once, twice. “I mean-you’re…”
“Captain America”
“Yeah…yeah that.” He drops his hands on his knees and leans over panting. He lowers his head and holds it between his spread legs. Sam moves closer again. He can hear the man’s heavy breathing, not as heavy as Sam would expect from someone who lapped the entire park, but still noticeable. Those blue eyes were shut tight in a way that almost looked painful. They suddenly opened and he quickly raises his head up jumping again when his gaze locks onto Sam.
The ‘o’ was back.
“Surprised,” Sam teased. “What did you think? That I was a mirage? A vision originating from heat stroke?”
“I’d guess angel if you had the wings on,” he raises to his full height and gives a crooked grin at the man. He looks much calmer now as he sticks his hand out with a friendly, “Steve Rogers.”
“Sam Wilson.” He grins back. As their hands connect Sam takes a real good look at the man. He must have been distracted by the man’s speed not to notice the resemblance between the stranger before him and the girl hiding in the tree behind him. His grin widens and he squeezes the blonde’s hand before letting go. “Lose something?”
The stranger tilts his head to the side, “What makes you ask that?”
“Oh, just a feeling. You don’t see a blonde blur lapping the park twice in a suit every day.”
“I wasn’t that fast.”
“Trust me, you were.”
“You’re faster.”
That had his grin stretching even further, “are you a fan then?”
“Of course.” The answer came from those lips easily. No shame or hesitance present. As if being a Sam fan came as easily to Steve as breathing.
Very interesting indeed.
“It’s sort of my job to know about you anyway.”
“Government?” Sam guesses snapping out of his daze. When he receives a head tilt again in response, he clarifies, “the suit dude.”
“I forgot I was wearing it.” Steve admits taking the jacket off and folds it placing it on a nearby bench. Thankfully, its not the one hiding the jetpack. As Steve turns Sam takes the time to admire the way his buttoned-up shirt was tight around his arms and chest. “But no, you’re wrong. Sort of.”
Sam raises an eyebrow at the cryptic answer unbeknownst to Steve. The blonde was walking around the park bench eyes scanning it and all the others in the area. His lips press into a frown when he fails to find the figure he was hoping for. He glances back at the still unbelievable sight of Sam Wilson standing before him and curses his luck.
“You were right about one thing, however. I am looking for something. If you’re not in a hurry though I can-I mean I’ll be back if you’ll still be around. I know you’re probably tired from the mission but-“ Steve cuts himself off. He goes quiet for a moment before rising quickly walking towards Sam. Before Sam could call out to him, he hears it too. Steve comes to a stop near Sam as both men jerk their eyes up towards the little girl giggling in the tree.
The ‘o’ was back on Steve’s face only this time Sam had the pleasure of seeing it up close.
“How did you…” In a blink of an eye Steve was climbing up the tree going from branch to branch. He reached Ellon quickly but was noticeably more careful when it came to climbing back down with her in his arms. It’s once they both were safely back on the ground that his mind starts swirling. He glances between his grinning mini-me and a slightly surprised Sam Wilson putting two and two together. When he and Ellon share a look and matching smirks, Steve crosses his arms. “Lose something” he parrots back at Sam sarcastically. The esteemed Captain America just gives him a brazen wink.
Ellon throws herself at the legs smiling wide up at her father, “You’re the one who lost dad. Didn’t I hide good?” Her father smiles and ruffles her hair. “You did hide good,” he looks back up at Sam and adds, “with help.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Sam says innocently. Steve rolls his eyes and Ellon turns around to face him, “Winners get ice cream! You eat ice cream right? You should come!”
Sam hesitates glancing over at Steve only to find the blonde man looking at him hopefully. “I know you’re probably tired but…if your up for company, we’d love to have you.”
Sam smiled feeling warmed by the two encouraging faces staring back at him. His plans of sneaking through the park and catching an early afternoon nap faded in the promise of some interesting company. “Well anything for my number one fan.”
The three leave the park, Sam’s jetpack in hand, to the tune of the father and daughter arguing over their number one Sam Wilson fan status and Sam’s laughter.