Through the Cosmos

One

November 24, 2012

Steve Rogers was never one to sleep in. He had been in Washington D.C. for roughly 18 hours. The temporarily assigned housing had the basics, nothing that would qualify to be a home. So when he woke up at 4:00AM he started to wonder around the new city. It had been six months since Loki's attack or as the media had declared "The Battle of New York". Steve having no plan after the Avengers' first assembling so he stayed in his hometown and tried to help repair as much as he could. Working alongside New Yorkers to rebuild and coming together as a community to ensure everyone who had made it out, continued to do so. But Fury had called and asked him to be a liaison for S.H.I.E.L.D. What that meant for Steve Rogers? He had no idea, just like he had no idea what his life was going to look like when he dethawed in 2011; better yet, he didn't know what his life would be whenever he was recruited to be a science experience during the war. He's walked a few miles at that point and was circling the reflective pool in front of the Washington Monument just pondering on how he could give himself some sort of routine. In New York it had been regular visits to the old school styled boxing gym or reminiscing on runs throughout the neighborhoods and alleyways he had grown up in. Where or more like what was he going to find for himself in Washington DC. He hadn't been here since the USO tour all those decades ago. 

Steve's thoughts had been interrupted when someone had yelled, "On your right!". It had been quite early in the morning and he hadn't expected anyone to be out. When he heard this, rather than moving slightly over to the left to allow the runner to breeze by... he stepped right. A smaller frame ran, full force, into his back. Steve had stumbled forward just slightly and quickly turned to help whoever had run into him to catch their balance and avoid falling into the water. 

"Oh! I am so sorry! I thought I had yelled loud enough so this wouldn't happen!" A woman said apologizing for the accident. 

"Please, don't apologize. You were plenty loud enough, I just misstepped the wrong way." Steve countered. 

The young woman, with dark raven curls and eyes that beamed almost a grey hue looked up the Steve. He just pondered why his reflexes, that were usually so pristine had failed him. 

"Well, again I'm so sorry for the accident. Are you sure you're okay?" She asked. 

"All is well ma'am, I assure you. Not even a fumble. I apologize if I've interrupted your run." Steve reassured her. 

"Please no need for any 'ma'ams'. I'm Veronica, V to my friends." Veronica said making room to introduce herself. "And no interruption, if anything you let me know I wasn't running fast enough. You barely stumbled one step." 

"Steve, Steve Rogers. I'm a bit larger in frame and it takes a bit more than most to knock me over ma-" Steve halted himself from using 'ma'am' again. He smiled at her noticing how charming this short conversation had been. 

"Well, Steve, Steve Rogers, it was nice meeting you. I don't see too many people besides the partiers making their way home this early in the morning." Veronica finding something to say to create space for more conversation.

Steve couldn't help but smile at the way she had mimicked him introducing himself. He also couldn't help but wonder if she hadn't known who he was. Everywhere he went he felt that there were eyes and onlookers staring at him or trying to thank him for the events of New York. He didn't mind that, but this felt like a normal conversation for the first time in the last six months. 

"I'm usually up this early, force of habit and routine I suppose. I've actually been trying to find a good running trail or a gym that doesn't have the fancy new technologies, something old school I suppose." He replied, finding himself enjoying this conversation.