String Theory

Chapter 9

It takes him a moment to shift his attention to Tony, and he replies, "We have to be able to trust each other."

Steve gives a little scoff. "That rules you out."

"And you," Harry spits back. He clenches his fist at his side. "You fight for yourself, Rogers. You're selfish. Unempathetic. You're only here because it stands to benefit you."

"Oh, here we go," Tony mutters, turning away.

"Are you still —" Steve cuts off, giving Harry a disbelieving glare. "Is Siberia really what we need to be talking about right now?"

"No," answers Tony uselessly.

Steve ignores him, continuing. "With respect, Hart, you weren't there. You don't know the extent of the circumstances. I did what I had to do."

"You did what you wanted to do," Harry corrects. His tone tips into venomous. "And when the situation escalated beyond politics, you faced the consequences for prioritizing one friend over another, rather than treating them as equals. You chose your side, and now you complain about being held accountable for it? I'd call that hypocrisy."

This argument is going in circles, and all it's doing is bringing thoughts of Bucky swimming to the surface of Steve's mind, and he feels a little sick to his stomach. The thought of his friend in a metal cage, strapped down and being questioned for a crime he didn't commit makes Steve's skin crawl. Harry has the audacity to use this against him? That's pushing Steve's limits. He sets his jaw. "I'd call it loyalty."

Harry raises his brows. "Loyalty to what? Your own desires?"

There's a moment of silence, before Steve laughs, quiet and incredulous. "You just don't want to see any side other than your own, do you?"

"What I see," Harry says carefully, "is that you had a team who would have helped you, had you asked them. Instead, you chose to take your own path. Perhaps your decisions were theoretically correct, but their execution was disastrous. Your refusal to compromise led you into a blind war that tore apart the Avengers."

Tony looks up, silent, quirking one corner of his lips downward. He doesn't even want to ask how Harry knows all that. It's his job to know, Tony supposes, especially when the Avengers are a matter of international defense. It hurts to hear. Every word from their mouths feels like a hit to the jaw, to the chest; like he's being battered around in the suit again.

Steve remains silent, staring into the floor, and Harry's voice is stern. "You lied to your teammate, and now you ask for his trust. Imagine if it had been the other way around."

"So did you," Steve replies, looking up sharply. "Don't pretend you're not in the same boat I am. He shouldn't trust you any more than he trusts me. You really want to make this a competition, Hart? Because you're going to have to get off your high horse if you want to go a few rounds."

Exasperated, Tony drags a hand through his hair and turns on his heel. "That's enough."

Tony's voice goes unheard. Harry's ears are ringing, and he balls his fist, taking a hard step forward. "I never said that I didn't lie," he growls. "But if you think this is better settled by force—"

"I said that's enough! " Tony barks, shoving himself between them. One of his hands rests on either of their chests, pushing them apart. He's looking between the two of them, expression knitted into something that's between desperation and sadness. Both Harry and Steve fall silent, watching the smaller man between them. The contact calms Harry — one of his hands instinctively goes to rest on top of Tony's knuckles. Steve remains perfectly still.

"I shouldn't, alright? By all rights, I shouldn't trust you. Either of you." Tony pauses, swallowing the lump in his throat. "But I do."

That hangs in the air for a moment. Steve's mouth presses into a thin line. Of course Tony would settle the peace like this; by giving them both the second chance that neither of them deserved. It was better than letting them tear each other to shreds in his defense. Tony's eyes are brimming with panic, and his voice wavers, words spilling out quickly. "We all lost someone. Someone who needs us right now. Peter— is out there somewhere, scared and alone and I have to help him. Okay? Me. I have to help him, and you have to help Bucky, and you have to help Eggsy, so we need each other. And I — I need you. Both of you. But you're seriously stressing the hell out of me right now, so just— fucking—- stop. Alright? Can you do that? Can you stop, please, for me?"