Chapter Text
Tony waited until Thanos' corpse was disintegrated by Gamora and Nebula to ask to speak Steve alone. He found an empty room on the far end of T’Challa’s palace.
"What is it?" Steve was bloodied and dirty. He had his arms crossed and a mildly disapproving look on his face. Tony was tired of that look so he quickly pulled back the sleeves of his shirt and showed his wrists to Steve. Two names on each hand, in dark ink that was impossible to remove. Steve's mouth fell open.
"I got yours when you woke up but we didn't like each other at all and things were already hard enough for you with the whole losing seventy years," Tony explained. "Barnes' would come and go. I'm guessing it was because they were constantly freezing him almost to death. Again, it was kind of hard to bring it up."
"I'm confused," Steve said frowning. He removed the top half of his suit. Barnes' name was written over his heart and Tony's was curled over his right ribcage. "Why didn't you say something? I thought you were Pepper's all this time. It's what I told Bucky."
"Well, the past three years have been very unconducive-"
"We could have worked it out!” Steve exploded suddenly. His whole body was trembling. “There's so much we could- we had time, Tony. And Bucky, he was so torn up because he had your name on his arm."
Tony almost shrugged but he did not want to give the idea that he didn't care. It had been hard biting his tongue. For a long time, he thought Steve would cringe away and maybe laugh at the idea of Tony and him. After Thanos, after feeling Peter turn into ashes, after holding Rhodey again for what felt like years, Tony decided he'd risk the humiliation.
"Sorry, I-"
"Didn't think," Steve finished for him. "I know we have problems, Tony, but to use this to hurt Bucky for something he had no control over? I don't know if I can forgive that."
Tony nearly told him about arguing with his father the day before his death because Barnes' name appeared on his skin and he was sure it was that Sergeant Barnes.
"I wasn't punishing anyone. There was never a right time," he said instead while covering his wrists again.
Steve uncrossed his arms. He looked so tired and old for a moment before it was replaced by steely resolve. "I can't deal with you today or tomorrow. I don't know when but just don't show up. I'll tell Bucky. It's better he hears this from me."
"Sure," Tony said like his chest wasn't hurting.