A/N: This is really just a stand-alone one shot of Civil War and the aftermath of it, so feel free to fill in the blanks :)

"I didn't ask for this, any of it," Steve said coldly. He was just so tired of fighting. He put down his shield. "I'm done."

"Wha- Steve?" Tony dropped his repulsors and flipped the faceplate up. "Do you think I want to fight? What are you talking about? All we want is for you to sign the stupid paper."

"No," Steve said, shaking his head. "I'm done. I didn't ask to be Captain America. I didn't ask to be in the future. I didn't want to be a superhero. I don't want to be a figurehead. And I don't want to fight you, Tony." He pulled off the helmet, the jacket, and the gloves. He handed his shield to Tony. "I'm going home to my wife. If our friendship meant anything, you'll know what do with this."

Tony watched, dumbstruck, as Steve walked out of the building and slipped away through the crowds, just a normal guy. He turned to the unconscious Bucky, and knelt beside him. "Hey." A poke in the ribs. "Hey. Wake up."

Bucky woke up in a flash, grabbing the Iron Man's wrist tightly. "Where's Cap?" he asked warningly.

"Calm down. He's gone."

"What do you mean gone?" Bucky seethed.

"I mean he literally walked out. Went home to Amanda." Tony sat down next to Bucky, the shield supported on his knees. He looked at the scratched paintwork and sighed, tipping his head back to clink against the cement divider. "This is yours now."

Bucky took the shield hesitantly. "What are you saying?"

"This is what Cap wanted, and frankly, it's the only way to get out of this. All this," he gestured around, "it's not worth it. Let's just go home."

That was how the Winter Soldier officially died, and Captain America and Iron Man walked out side by side. "Captain America is under my protection," Iron Man declared to the assembled SHIELD and government forces. "Nobody touches him."

On the way back to Stark Tower, "Captain America" escaped and then "died", giving both superheroes an easy out.

-A-a-A-

Steve arrived home, dirty, tired, but lighter than he'd ever felt in his life. "Honey?" he called.

"Steve!" Amanda was at his side in an instant, hugging him tightly. She'd been crying. "Steve, oh my goodness, what are you doing here? I was watching the news, they said Bucky was dead, how did you get here? Are you okay?" She buried her face in his shoulder, overwhelmed with relief.

He wrapped his arms around her, and breathed in the smell of her hair conditioner. "Everything's going to be okay, doll," he said softly. "I'm done."

She lifted her head to stare at him. "What are you talking about?"

He explained what had happened. "I'm not Captain America anymore," he finished. "I'm just plain old Steve."

She cupped his cheek, smiling slightly. "Plain old Steve," she echoed. "I think I can live with that." She stood up on tiptoes to kiss him. "But what happened to the others?"

Steve shook his head. "I don't know."

-A-a-A-

Once the story came out, Steve Rogers was officially declared dead, and the Avengers were scattered across the world. But the war was over, and the superhero registration act had died a quick death.

Tony appeared on their doorstep a couple years later. "Hi," he said, when Amanda opened the door. He eyed her rounded belly. "You've swallowed a planet."

Amanda gave him a cautious smile. "Yes I have. It's good to see you, Tony."

"Yeah, uh, you too." He gave her a quick hug. "Your husband home?"

"Why do you want to see him?"

Tony sighed. "I just want to see my old friend."

Amanda stepped back from the door. "Come on in. He's out back." She sat him down at the table and went to the back door. "Steve! Company!" She came back and poured three glasses of lemonade. "How's Pepper?" she asked.

Tony shrugged. "Amazing, as usual."

Steve came in from the back yard, a healthy sheen of sweat on his forehead from mowing the grass. "Stark," he said, surprised, and glanced around cautiously.

"I come in peace," Tony said, raising his hands. "Just me. Hi, Steve."

"Hi, Tony." He picked up a glass of lemonade and wrapped an arm around Amanda.

"You never came to your funeral," Tony said abruptly. "It was good. Full military honors and everything. People cried. I, uh, might have made a speech."

Steve nodded silently. He would never admit that he'd watched the full thing on YouTube, and possibly shed a tear at Tony's words.

"But anyways, enough about that, you two have been busy." Tony gestured to Amanda's baby bump. "When's the mini-Capsicle due?"

"In April."

"Nice. Congratulations."

"Thanks."

"How's Bucky?" Steve asked quietly.

"He's good. He, uh, he's living up to the name Captain America."

"That's good."

"Yeah."

Amanda punched Steve lightly in the shoulder. "For Pete's sake, guys, just hug it out. It's been two years."

They exchanged a brief grin and did so, sharing a brotherly hug. "We good?" Tony asked, stepping back.

Steve nodded. "We're good."

Tony stepped back. "Well, I've got to go. I, ah, I have a thing, in a couple hours, kind of have to be there." He gave Amanda a smile. "Tell me when the kiddo's born, I'll send you guys a state-of-the-art Stark baby monitor."

"Thanks, Tony."

-A-a-A-

A/N 2: I highly doubt I'm going to update this story again, so, everyone lived happily ever after, The End.

Thanks for reading! :D