Fic: There is no 'I'... Epilogue
Epilogue.
Tony smiled his very best not-really-but-trying-to-be-humble smile at the Senator and nodded his way out of the crowd. More medals to give to Pepper for the glass case being installed in the mansion. The thanks of a grateful nation that was awesome and flattering but nothing when compared to the seventeen funerals he’d attended in the last two weeks.
The memorial garden was almost empty now, delicate posies of flowers cuddled against the clear, stone plaques. Immature roses with hopeful blooms would become a brilliant cascade in a few years, shading the small garden and the memories placed within. On the north side of the area the earth was still bare, the final border hedging in place for the ceremony but only just.
Adjusting his sunglasses, Tony dropped his jacket onto a stone bench and wandered out of the garden to a couple of picnickers under an oak tree.
“Can I give you five dollars for that bottle of water?” He asked, glad he now carried some cash for the occasional small purchase of hot dogs and the like.
“What? Five dollars? Are you…? Oh man Tony Stark!” The guy took on a pole-axed expression that meant Tony was going to be signing something very soon.
“Sure you can Honey, here.” The woman set down a squirming baby onto the blanket and tossed Tony one of the bottles from a cooler. “Don’t even think about it.” She waved off Tony’s money. “Least we can do to say thanks, you know?”
Tony smiled his own thanks and mentally promised to send Thor over later with Mjolnir just to make her husband’s brain explode from fannish joy.
Back in the memorial garden, Tony headed towards to the north border. Twisting the cap off the bottle, he offered the water to Cap as he crouched over a small seedling. The great shield was sitting just so to protect the tiny plant from the blazing midday sun, Steve’s hair glowing and literally getting lighter as Tony watched.
“Thank you, Sweetheart.” Steve emptied half the bottle onto the determined little green shoot, waiting as the dry earth swallowed the fluid before offering the rest.
Tony rolled his eyes at the endearment, but he managed to restrain himself from complaining. To Steve, Tony was his sweetheart, his baby and his darling and as long as he never called him any of those names in front of an enemy or a congressman Tony was okay with that.
“Could you actually be anymore saintly?” He asked with affection. “I mean, savior of innocents and small children all well and good, but plants as well? Are the Avengers going into eco-management now?”
Cap tilted his head to the side thoughtfully. “We should, but I think we’re a bit busy for that don’t you?”
“Some of us are,” Tony countered. “Some of us just punch bad guys and lay around drawing obscene pictures all day.”
“Like you hate being my model.” Steve chuckled before standing up, a living flag with a pleading smile. “Do you think you could maybe put something together so that…”
Tony looked to the bright blue heavens. “Yes, I’ll make a sunshade for your little flower Cap.”
“Thanks Sweetheart.” And then Steve was descending on him, all big hands and dangerous lips and they couldn’t make out in the memorial garden except they were. After a minute Tony broke away. “You have a couple of Generals and Senators wanting to shake your hand.”
“I know. I’ll be back soon, it’s just…” Steve looked at the seventeen neatly arranged plaques.
“We’ll be faster next time.” Tony promised, because he was working on a new notification system with Jarvis that could scan any incoming 911 calls.
“We will.” Steve agreed before guiding Tony back towards the throng awaiting them.
The end.