Captain America and Black Widow (c) Marvel Studios

November 11

All cemeteries always had a melancholic ambiance around them. Even well-kept government funded ones. The rows upon rows of white headstones, laid out in an organized fashion, against viridian grass with colorful flowers at their base from visiting loved ones; picture-perfect postcard image. Every year the President would place a colorful wreath at before the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier; the Marines standing sentinel every hour of the day all year long. Even when it rained, like it was this afternoon.

Nobody noticed him. Nobody wanted to notice him. Dressed in jeans and an unremarkable grey t-shirt and a brown jacket. The grey ballcap on his head read back to back world war champs. Tony thought he'd find it amusing. He sat beneath a tree that overlooked the vast national cemetery. He didn't take his phone, didn't take anything that could be traced. Today he wanted to be alone. The rain wouldn't let up, soaking through his clothes and he began to shiver, but he ignored it. He took his cap off and brushed his wet blond hair back to keep the water from dripping into his eyes. Once the section of the cemetery he wanted was deserted he stood up and walked to a headstone and sat down in front of it. He traced the name and the date of death of the man he never met.

His father.

"Uh… hello… Pop," he said. "You… probably don't know this, but it's me… your son, Steve." He looked down at his pink hands, shaking due to the cold with rain drops speckling his skin. He clenched and unclenched his hands. "You didn't get to meet me because… you were killed. Mom took care of me though, until… until she died too. I turned out alright though. Hope she told you about me when she found you again in Heaven. Hope she knows how much I miss her."

He shifted his weight, the soggy ground squelching beneath him. The scent of mud and wet grass drifted up and he wiped the rain away from his eyes. "I joined the army, when the second world war broke out. I know the one before that was supposed to be the War that Ended All Wars." He gave a derisive snort. "That obviously didn't happen." He looked around at all the headstones. So many wars after and so many more yet to come. There was nothing noble in dying for a religion, an ideology, for a country, for another man… death always won in the end. No matter what men said about the outcome of wars, Death was always the victor. "I was selected for a secret project and… well… I became a hero."

The men he cheered up on his tour. The hope he instilled in everyone's heart. Now that… that was something to be proud of. Hope for a better tomorrow. He liked that. And when he finally got to the front, to fight. The men he saved. It eased the weight a little. "I became a hero to a nation. And I… I've done good things, Pop. Things you would be proud of. I… I stuck by my morals, like Mom said you always did and…" he bit his lip trying to figure out what else to say to a man he never met. "I hope you are proud of me," he whispered.

The sky darkened sooner than it normally did due to the weather and nobody really wanted to make him leave since it was Veteran's Day. He knew he'd have to leave soon, the cold was starting to get to him, and the rain, and the gothic gloom of the cemetery, and… the ache in his chest.

The rain suddenly stopped, the drumming of the drops on nylon canvas echoed around his head instead. He looked up to noticed the black umbrella over his head. He looked over his shoulder to see her. "Natasha, what are you doing here?" he asked, standing up with a grimace. His legs were stiff from the cold and sitting for so long.

"I followed you."

"Yes, but why?"

She gave a little shrug. "Felt like the right thing to do," she said. "Didn't want you to be alone."

"I wanted to be."

"Just because you wanted to be, doesn't mean you should," she countered, a half smile appearing on her face. He nodded, admitting her point was fair. "Come on, let's go before they kick us out."

"They wouldn't dare. I'm Captain America, and its Veteran's Day. Can you imagine the headlines that would cause tomorrow?"

"Yes." She began walking, taking the umbrella with her. He trotted a little to catch up, giving her a small smile when she held the umbrella over him as well. "Coffee or do you want to eat? I know a nice place that gives free meals to vets today, all you have to do is show proof."

"Does being Captain America count?"

"Maybe." She shrugged. "Worth a try."

He laughed. "Alright, let's go. I'm starving anyway." They left the cemetery and crossed the street before entering the city proper of Washington, D.C. He stopped, the crowd surging around them and not paying any mind; he grabbed her arm. "Nat—"

"Mm?" She looked at him, an innocent expression on her face. They both knew she wasn't innocent anymore. They didn't have the luxury of such things anymore. It was their cross to bear and they bore it gladly. So that others could have the luxury of innocence.

"Thank you."

She took his hand and gave his icy fingers a squeeze. "You're welcome," she said and let his hand go, heading off towards the restaurant. He gave himself a little shake and followed her into the rainy November night.

*gently sets this down*

Nice fans. Enjoy.

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Nemo et Nihil