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“I need to talk to Tony.” Steve insisted for what felt like the millionth time. Just like the previous times and all the times before that Colonel ‘you will refer to me by my title Captain’ Rhodes looked incredibly unimpressed.
“Why?” Rhodes asks. “Tony is not responsible for you or your equipment, he isn’t team leader as that role belongs to myself and Captain Marvel, and if you have an issue with the accords you would take it up with the panel. Why do you need to talk to Tony Stark?” Steve resents the exasperated tone, and the way that Rhodes hasn’t stopped typing up whatever he’s typing to give Steve his full attention.
“It’s a personal matter.” Steve says, and again it feels like the millionth time, he could practically quote Rhodes’ reply.
“Then why are you coming to me? This is a workplace environment personal matters are to be taken care of on your own time, using your own resources.” Rhodes explains, and he still doesn’t understand. Steve would love to handle this on his own, he just needs to talk to Tony.
“I will handle it, I just need a chance to talk to Tony.” Steve explains, and he would swear that Rhodes is rolling his eyes.
“Captain Rogers, as you can see, I am working. If you have a complaint that is actually handled by a team leader feel free to drop in. If not the door is there,” If Steve didn’t have super hearing he probably wouldn’t have heard as Rhodes tacked on “As you damn well seem to know.” He decided to be the bigger man and let it go, he would just have to find some other way to talk to Tony.
…
Tony wouldn’t say he had been avoiding the Rogue Avengers since their return, he wouldn’t say it but it was definitely true. Things were tense, and Tony still had nightmares about Steve Rogers holding that shield above his head. He didn’t want to see them at all and had a series of alarms set up through Friday to warn him if any of them were getting to close, as well as an unofficial buddy system.
When they had arrived back at the compound it seemed as if they were waiting for him to apologize. Friday had heard them mentioning forgiving him only after he groveled. They didn’t regret a thing they had done, and their pardons only served to convince them they had been right. It had taken a while for the fact that they would not be getting any sort of apology from Tony to sink in, and his obvious cold shoulder hasn’t stopped their desperate attempts to talk to him in the slightest.
Rhodey’s blatant refusal, a recording of Tony’s refusal, and the Accords Panel informing him that Mr. Stark was not required to speak with him had done nothing to dissuade him. Steve Rogers could not but a hint, he’d somehow convinced Natasha to run interference, the spy rushing Rhodey off due to an emergency in the training room, no doubt manufactured by her best friend Clint Barton. It was the first time he’d been left alone in a common area and there Steve was looming in the doorway.
“Hey Tony,” Steve greets, his voice is friendly, but his body language tells a different story. He’s blocking the entire doorway, arms crossed over his chest and that same determined set to his chin. The look on his face leaves the words I could do this all day ringing in Tony’s head.
Hello Captain Rogers, I don’t believe we have an appointment.” Tony says, doing his best to be cordial. He’s small compared to the Captain and the memories of the man looming over him, shield held high, make him feel even smaller. “And I am afraid I have other obligations, so if you’ll excuse me.” He stands to leave refusing to sit in front of this man. Rogers doesn’t move, and Tony hides shaking hands in his pockets.
“No.” Steve says, and honestly Tony shouldn’t be surprised he’d been hoping it would be that easy but it never is with Rogers. “Tony,” And there it is that reprimanding, I am your commanding officer voice. “This has gone on long enough, we need to talk.”
“No.” Tony says, and Steve fails to cover his shock. “No, we do not need to talk, not right now, not later today, not this week, not ever.” He takes another step, and Steve shifts to better block the doorway.
“Tony,” And there’s that reprimanding tone. “We do need to talk you’re being childish.” Steve scolds, and Tony is seeing red. “Can’t we just have a conversation?” He’s being childing, and here he thought Steve was doing his best impersonation of a middle school bully.
“Okay fine, you want to talk, let’s talk, but first you are going to listen, and answer a few questions for me.” Tony says, trying to think of the best way to phrase things. “You know a lot about bullies, right?” Steve nods, relaxing slightly.
“Yeah, yeah I do.” Steve assures him, and there’s that classic Brooklyn proud smile on his face, Tony wants to punch it off of him.
“Well I could use your help, see one of my interns, we’ll call him James,” He says reaching for a name Steve will feel sympathy for. “I found him and another intern in one of the labs the other day, James looked really uncomfortable, he’s a small kid, smart but not the strongest you know?” Steve nods, and he seems invested in the story. “He had his bag on looked like he wanted to leave, but this other kid was standing in the doorway.” Steve frowns at that, clearly picturing poor helpless James trapped in a classroom. “Now James has had injuries before, at the hands of this other kid, but that was in the past.” Tony continues.
“That’s still not okay!” Steve blurts, incensed at the plight of poor ‘James’. He’s in lecture mode now, the same one for those videos he did for the schools. Tony wants to laugh at his blindness.
“Now this person is forcing James to stay in the room with him, he says he just wants to talk but he’s using his size advantage to prevent James from leaving.” Tony explains. “He assures James he isn’t here to hurt them, but they have to talk.” Steve scowls at that.
“It doesn’t matter, he shouldn’t be doing that to James, if James doesn’t want to talk to him he doesn’t have to. This kid has no right to force James to speak with him.” He’s ranting now, full Captain America mode. Tony barely manages not to laugh.
“So you think the other kid is bullying James? Even if he doesn’t hurt him?” Tony asks, Steve is nodding before he even finishes.
“Absolutely, he has no right to do that.”
“I see, so what if I told you that James is actually an adult, and so it the person trapping him, does that make it okay?” Tony asks, hoping Steve won’t catch on. He doesn’t.
“It’s still bullying and it’s unacceptable. Age doesn’t matter.” He scoffs, as if Tony is dumb for thinking otherwise.
“Thank you, now Steve what are you doing right now?’ Tony asks, and Steve stops short looking confused. Tony gestures for him to speak.
“I’m talking to you?” Steve says, but it comes out more like a question his shoulders dropping slightly. Tony nods agreeably.
“And where are you standing right now?” Tony asks, a simple question. Steve looks down at himself, and then it seems to hit him. There’s a moment of guilt quickly lost to indignation.
“Tony that’s not fair.” He insists, sounding like a petulant child. “I just wanted to talk to you.” The lack of self-awareness is astonishing.
“Yup, you just wanted to talk, and in order to get what you want you are willing to use physical force in order to trap me here to talk to you. You do this despite the fact that I am visibly uncomfortable and asked to leave.” Tony says, talking right over Steve’s attempts to protest. “You aren’t the little guy from Brooklyn anymore Steve, you’re an enhanced human who is currently using his enhanced strength to physically keep me from leaving this room with the implied threat of violence should I try and force my way past you.” Steve looks like he might be getting it, but Tony really wants to drive his point home, “You said it yourself Steve.” He makes a gesture and Friday knows what to do.
“It’s bullying and it’s unacceptable.” Steve’s voice rings out from the speakers, and he ducks his head a bit like the words hurt him.
“Friday, be a dear and play that for the Captain as a reminder the next time he thinks forcing me or anyone else to speak with him is a good idea.” Tony says, taking advantage of Steve’s moment of guilty shock to push past him into the hallway.
“Tony wait, it’s not like that.” Steve attempts, but it’s weak. Hard to defend himself when it is in fact like that.
“Steve I am still healing physical injuries from out last confrontation, I do not want to talk to you at all, and I certainly don’t want to do it alone. Any attempts to force me to do so are, by your own definition, bullying.” Tony says, not turning back to look at him. “You’re a bully Rogers.” Tony says, and then he walks away leaving Steve in the doorway of the common room. His hands haven’t stopped shaking, and he can feel his breath catching in his lungs.
“Fri, call Rhodey.” He requests, ducking into the closest closet. The panic attack is building in his chest.
“On it, Boss.” Friday assures him, but Tony knows it won’t be quick enough, he’s already shaking. He locks the door, knows Friday will open it when Rhodey get’s here.
“If Rogers trues to open that door I want him knocked out until Thursday.” Tony demands, and then he can’t breathe, no matter how much air he pulls into his lungs it feels like the panic is choking him, drowning him.
“Rhodey is on the way Boss, you’re safe. You’re safe Boss, Rhodey is coming.” Friday tries to reassure him, starting a steady count to help him breathe, and then Rhodey is there. There’s a soft click as he closes the door behind him and then there’s a presence sitting at Tony’s side.
“I’m here Tony. I’ve got you.” Rhodey assures him, and Tony sniffles feeling like a child for panicking. “I’m sorry I left, they lit the range on fire you know? What assholes.” Tony snorts at that. “Friday told me what happened, you did good Tones. You did good. You stood up to that asshole.”
“I did.” Tony says, glaring at the door. “I fucking did.” He settles then, calmed by Rhodey’s presence and the knowledge that even without him he’d been okay. “I’m okay.”
“Yeah, you are.” Rhodey agrees, and they sit there in the closet for a while, just breathing together. They’re okay.