Chapter Text
Steve was starting to wish he had never been found as he listened to Director Fury explain all that had been going on while he had been asleep for the past seventy years. It honestly sounded like the world had gone to shit the moment the war had ended. What with the US and USSR filling the power vacuum left by Nazi Germany’s fall and starting a Cold War, mutually assured destruction via nuclear war hanging over everyone's heads, and then the power vacuum left by the collapse of the USSR and the rise of terrorism in the middle east.
He absently wondered, if nuclear war had occurred, if he would have been able to hear the bombs going off in his icy prison. Probably, peace didn't seem to be in his cards.
He was glad that he had been asleep though, as selfish as it sounded, he got to skip out of fighting in the Korean and Vietnam wars. The government would have no doubt wanted him to fight on the front lines of those wars too if he hadn't driven the Valkyrie into arctic ice at the steepest angle he could.
Steve was not afraid to say that he was very comfortable with the thought of dying. He had to get used to the possibility very quickly growing up with how many chronic and potentially fatal diseases he got as a kid. As such, he was a little peeved to find out seventy years later that he once again had been robbed of it.
Steve zoned back into the conversation, and was a little disappointed to find that Fury was still talking. The man had been nothing but nice since Steve’s little stunt in Times Square but now he just wanted to go back to sleep. Preferably to never wake up again.
“As for your employment,” A pit of dread opened up in Steve’s stomach as soon as the word employment was uttered, “- you have a few options.”
“Excuse me, I just want to make sure I heard you right, did you just say employment?” Steve watched as the stoic man's eyebrow raised and the bad feeling he was practically drowning in at the moment increased.
“Yes, as you are probably well aware, the US government would very much like your services back and Shield has also made you an offer-”
“The US Government? The same government that didn’t even consider showing up or having a person stationed at my bedside when I first woke up?” Steve enquired, and then watched as a vaguely uncomfortable look briefly flashed over Fury’s face.
“Yes, that would be the one.”
Steve hummed disappointedly, “Yeah, I'll pass on that. I did my time and got rewarded by falling into a coma for seventy years.”
Steve also wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth. While he was insulted that they just sent an employment offer and didn’t bother to show up and give it to him in person, it also presented him with a way out. One he would gladly take. Banking on loyalty was a bad idea, he hadn’t joined the war out of loyalty to the United States government, he had joined because people were being hurt and he’d be damned if he’d let Bucky go into that hell hole alone. His father was killed by German mustard gas in World War One, he knew how dangerous war could be.
“I will make sure to give them your regards then.” Fury said and Steve was already mentally calculating how much a lawyer probably cost in this day and age. Wait… on second thought…
“Make sure you mention that they owe me backpay for all the years I spent frozen in ice, in my experience the government likes to weasel their way out of paying for things if it doesn't benefit them.” Steve said and he saw a flicker of something dawn in Fury’s eyes.
“Ah yes, the depression.” That…wasn’t all of what Steve meant but he would let Fury blame it on that if that’s what made him sleep better at night.
Steve gave Fury a vague hum in agreement in response and the man took that as his cue and pressed on. “And your thoughts on Shield’s offer?”
“How can I agree to something when I don't know what's being offered and for what services?”
Fury huffed a laugh and slid what Steve assumed was the job offer over to him. “Pretty thick pile of papers for a job offer.” Steve said as he read through the document.
“We wanted to make sure all the bases were covered.” Fury said and Steve ignored him in favor of reading what was starting to look like another government trap to keep in service. Really nice pay and benefits, especially considering Steve wouldn’t have been guaranteed anything but money back in the day, but it wasn’t what Steve was looking for in a job. He was done with the front lines, he wasn't joking when he told Fury that.
Steve handed the document back, “I think I’ll pass. I'm done with fighting, I got my lifetime supply of that in World War Two with Hydra.”
Fury raised an eyebrow and Steve wondered if they had thought he would join back up the moment he woke up. Honestly, they probably did.
“Are you sure I can't offer anything to make you reconsider?” Fury leaned forward, probably hoping the admittedly imposing figure he cut would make Steve change his mind. Unfortunately for Fury, Steve had to deal with Colonel Phillips back in the war and Fury was nothing compared to him.
“Unless you can bring back the dead in this new day and age, then I think I’ll pass.”
Fury pursed his lips but fortunately didn't press him anymore.
“Well, it's going to take the government some time to get you the backpay you’re owed, let Shield at least help you get back on your feet.” Fury offered and now Steve raised an eyebrow at how easy they were seemingly letting him go.
“You’d do that? Free of charge? Shield doesn't want anything from me in return?” Steve wasn't stupid, he knew he was still the only successful super soldier ever created. No matter how much Fury tried to avoid the general populace on their way up to his office Steve wasn't blind or oblivious to the looks that were very blatantly thrown his way.
The look of awed reverence was something that was reserved for few things in life, and in the case of it being directed at a person it meant that there had to be a certain level of propaganda involved. The propaganda surrounding Steve and his Captain America persona was already strong back in the forties and Steve had seen those looks directed at him before, though primarily in children. These, however, were different. These held way more hero-worship and reverence then they did back in the day, and it was adults that were looking at him that way now. That told Steve all he needed to know. That the blood he had given to the scientists throughout the war had not resulted in anything, that there hadn't been a replacement for him in the seventy years he had been gone that could eclipse him in popularity, and most importantly, that he was hopelessly alone.
Fury seemed to understand some of this as his countenance shifted into something softer, “Yes, free of charge. What you have done for this country cannot ever truly be repaid and I hope you know that we are all supremely grateful for the sacrifices you made in service to this country. I cannot make you fight and I cannot ask that you give us anything of yours in return. I am well aware of the amount of blood you have given not only to keep our nation standing but also in allowing scientists the chance of recreating the serum that flows through your veins. I will not ask that you give anymore, no matter how much upper management wishes I do so.”
Steve gave Fury a brief smile at that, “Thanks, that means a lot.” More than the man probably realized.
Fury nodded at that and leaned back into his chair, “If you don't mind me asking, what do you want to do? When you get back on your feet, that is.”
Steve huffed a laugh, “Before the war I wanted to be an artist. I think, instead of selling my art, I’ll open an art store. Maybe host some art classes for kids who want to learn.”
Fury gave what Steve thought was the first genuine smile he had seen out of the man the entire time they had been sitting in this office, “That would certainly endear the public to you. Art classes with Captain America, I can think of quite a few people who work here that would kill to get the chance to attend one of those classes.”
Steve smiled at that, “I hope not literally.”
“Oh I could think of a few.” Fury said before moving on, “One of my agents owns an apartment building in New York, I can have you set up there if you want? We have other places elsewhere in the country as well if you don't want to stay in New York.” He offered and Steve had to fight down indignation at the thought that he would want to live anywhere else. Even with how much New York has changed Steve would rather die than live anywhere else.
“I'd appreciate it if I could stay in New York. I'll at least be able to find my way around since I don't think they would change the entire street layout in the time I’ve been gone.”
Fury nodded, “We’ll also give you a shield issued card, which is an alternate form of payment then paying with cash, so that you can buy yourself everything you might need until the government gets you the money you are owed.”
It was Steve's turn to nod now, “I assume it's not too hard to figure out how to do that?”
“No, all you need to remember is a four digit code that you will need to input to get purchases to go through.” Fury said, and Steve hummed in acknowledgement.
“We’ll also have some books and pamphlets for you to read once you get to your apartment, fully furnished by the way with some basic necessities already provided so you don't have to go out into the public.”
“Does the public know that I was found or that I am even alive?” Steve would prefer to know what fresh hell he was about to be confronted with on his first trip out in public. Or how long he would have to hunker down for.
“They know that you were found but we withheld the fact that you were alive because we didn't know if you would keel over on us the moment we defrosted you or if you’d remain in a coma for the rest of your life and we didn't want to get their hopes up. Though, I’m sure they suspect something now with our stunt in Times Square.” Fury answered and Steve grimaced. Isolation it was then, hero worship could be both a blessing and a curse. More often than not it was a curse.
“Good to know, when will you be releasing that information?”
Fury sighed, “Well, considering how fast rumors spread nowadays, I am sure that there are already news articles being written speculating on what went down in Times Square and that they are already comparing pictures that they captured today to your likeness back then and are drawing conclusions.” Fury rubbed his head in stress and Steve mused he should probably feel sorry for his part in the conundrum that was Times Square. Shield, however, tried to trick him the moment he woke up so Steve was finding it a little hard to feel sorry at the moment.
“There's probably already been numerous breaking news segments on TV as well since we were right in front of their news offices.” Fury continued, looking more and more like he’d rather just die and leave whatever shit storm was about to occur to whoever would be forced to take his place.
“So, probably in the next few hours unless you want to look like you're withholding information on something that happened in an extremely public place.” Steve summed up while pushing down a faint grin that wanted to form on his face at the sight of Fury’s pain. Steve loved karma sometimes.
Fury gave another long drawn out sigh, “Fucking vultures.”
They sat in silence for a while more before Fury spoke up again. “We should probably get you to your apartment now. Unless you want to stick around for the press conference?”
Steve gave Fury a small smile that didn’t reach his eyes, “No thank you, I think I've already reached my lifetime quota of those.”
Fury pinched the bridge of his nose and Steve smothered a faint laugh. Oh, he already wanted to go back to sleep.