"Don't you know, don't you know, true friends stab you in the front." - True Friends by Bring Me The Horizon. Characters : Tony and Rogers #Musical Weekend
There’s a moment of awkward silence as T’Challa discreetly leaves the room. One that is predictably broken by Steve.
“I’m sorry,” he blurts out, eyes wide, like maybe he didn’t mean to lead with that, but plows on regardless because when has Steve Rogers ever known how to stop? “I’m so sorry, Tony. I should have told you about what happened to Howard. I should have told you about Bucky. I should have--I should have trusted you. You’re my friend, and I should have treated you like one. I’m just--I’m sorry, Tony. I really am.”
He looks painfully earnest, the pinnacle of a trustworthy boy scout, and Tony has never wanted to punch a face as hard as he does in that moment. He doesn’t know where he gets the self-control from to keep his reaction down to a thin, unamused smile, but somehow he manages.
“Don’t,” Tony says, and his voice isn’t sharp enough, will never be sharp enough to hurt as he wants to hurt. “I don’t need your apologies,” Tony cuts through the beginnings of Steve’s protests. “We weren’t friends, Rogers.” And some time during the past two years those words have stopped carving him open from the inside out. “You were my friend. I was your tolerated colleague. A misconception on my part, but it has since been fixed.”
The words are too cold to fully conceal the lingering bitterness, but Tony doesn’t care. Takes great satisfaction in watching Steve’s face fall, as though he has a right to Tony’s forgiveness. At this point, it’s not even about right or wrong anymore. It’s about finally hitting back in a way that will actually hurt.
With a casual air he doesn’t feel, Tony smoothly throws the infamous shield over the long conference table.
“Take up your shield, Rogers,” Tony says grimly. “We have work to do.” And with those words, he turns on his heels and makes to leave the room.
When Tony has almost reached the doors, he slows. Turns to look over his shoulder once more. “One last thing,” he says quietly, eyes narrowed on Steve’s impossibly hopeful expression. “Next time you put me down, make sure I stay down. You’ll not like the consequences if I get up again, Rogers. Consider this your only warning.”
