His jaw clenches shut so tightly as Steve speaks while he paces that it's a real wonder that he doesn't crack some teeth, but at least he doesn't say anything. Because what he's ready to spew out would not be conducive to any of this and he knows that. And, while he is generally not the type to hold back when he's in this particular mood, Steve isn't wrong. He's not setting out to hurt him, no matter how much he is hurting, and how much some part of him wants to just lash out completely.
His resolve almost cracks, though, when Steve tells him to stop and Tony looks like he's full on ready to shout that, no, he will not fucking stop. But then he's moving, and Tony unconsciously starts to take a step back, but Steve's too fast. He's suddenly there, with his arms wrapped around him.
No. He doesn't say it, but he shakes his head as he moves slightly as if to push him away. There's no real force behind it, though; it's mainly just an unconscious reaction from how hurt he still feels, how he's trying to protect himself before he lets Steve further in, but then Steve starts speaking again and there's finally some emotion in there that makes him actually pause. He shuts his eyes as he speaks, because he wants to say he doesn't believe him - and on some level that's actually not a lie, even if it makes something in his heart crack at the realization - but at the same time he knows Steve. He knows in that mind of his that's really how he had worked this whole thing out and, as much as it infuriates him, it's just...him. It's that same level of stubbornness that had made them clash so hard before, isn't it?
God, he feels dizzy.
Stop making me feel that way, then, he almost says, he even opens his mouth to do it, but he stops. The pause doesn't last for long, though, before he speaks almost too quietly but, considering how Steve is holding him, it's not like he'll have much problem hearing him. "...it felt like we were back in time. Like it all... Like none of it happened."
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His resolve almost cracks, though, when Steve tells him to stop and Tony looks like he's full on ready to shout that, no, he will not fucking stop. But then he's moving, and Tony unconsciously starts to take a step back, but Steve's too fast. He's suddenly there, with his arms wrapped around him.
No. He doesn't say it, but he shakes his head as he moves slightly as if to push him away. There's no real force behind it, though; it's mainly just an unconscious reaction from how hurt he still feels, how he's trying to protect himself before he lets Steve further in, but then Steve starts speaking again and there's finally some emotion in there that makes him actually pause. He shuts his eyes as he speaks, because he wants to say he doesn't believe him - and on some level that's actually not a lie, even if it makes something in his heart crack at the realization - but at the same time he knows Steve. He knows in that mind of his that's really how he had worked this whole thing out and, as much as it infuriates him, it's just...him. It's that same level of stubbornness that had made them clash so hard before, isn't it?
God, he feels dizzy.
Stop making me feel that way, then, he almost says, he even opens his mouth to do it, but he stops. The pause doesn't last for long, though, before he speaks almost too quietly but, considering how Steve is holding him, it's not like he'll have much problem hearing him. "...it felt like we were back in time. Like it all... Like none of it happened."