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It is mid-July when (Y/n) meets Sam Wilson for the first time.
The sun is blazing down even though it's nine in the morning, and honestly, she thinks it horrible weather to be out running of all things, but there Steve is- running so easily that she feels jealous from her spot in the shade of a tree.
His athleticism makes her nauseous, she decides, watching him speed past with an envious glare, her mind running horrible flashbacks of the pacer test and physical diagnostic tests.
(Y/n) thinks she's okay at sports, but looking at Steve is making her want to tuck herself into a ball and roll right into the lake.
On the bright side, at least she's not the guy who was trying to keep up with Steve, but now, is just struggling along behind the blond, looking like he wants to just keel over and die.
She's tempted to go and offer for him to join her in rolling into the lake, but she doesn't know this man beyond the fact that he's apparently Steve's friend, so she refrains and waits in her shady spot instead.
Steve offered to treat her out to breakfast for the day, and (Y/n) likes being on time, so she finds herself at the park a little earlier than planned. He's noticed her, she's sure, but he was too busy making the other guy feel miserable to stop and greet her properly.
(Y/n) isn't offended. She doesn't get insulted too easily, and she's a little preoccupied with feeling pity for the guy who decided to take Captain America on in running.
Now, after finishing his lap and ensuring that his friend is still breathing, Steve crosses over to her, his running buddy in tow.
She stands up, and instead of saying hi to Steve, tosses her water bottle to the other guy. "You're a true hero," she tells him seriously, and he looks confused but takes the compliment and bottle anyways, proceeding to empty half of its contents in one, large gulp.
She's impressed.
"Good morning to you, too," Steve speaks up, evidently amused.
(Y/n) turns to him seriously. "I never want to see you run again," she informs blankly, making his eyebrows rise. "I got tired just watching you."
"You have no idea," Steve's friend wheezed from behind the blond. "I'm Sam, by the way."
"Hi," she waves, taking back her bottle and tossing it back into her tote bag. "I'm (Y/n)."
Sam looks openly curious about what she's doing there, but he holds back from asking because he doesn't want things to get weird. What if she turned out to be an alien or something? He doesn't need that in his life- Sam likes being a regular guy, and (Y/n) looks like she could be an alien with how detached and simultaneously aware she seemed.
"She's my neighbor," Steve supplies, and Sam accepts that without any questions because it sounds relatively normal.
(Y/n) turns to Steve, impressed and curious at the same time. "I didn't know you had other friends."
