Tony hisses at Steve. His hand is clutching his cheek, probably searing with pain, and Steve knows that he is so screwed.

"Sorry, I-I didn't mean—"

"Fuck off."

"Tony, I'm sorry—"

"No you're not!"

Tony hisses again and removes his hand, and now he's leering at Steve with this look in his eye and Steve Rogers doesn't feel quite as brave and sure in his muscles anymore.

"Tony."

Tony laughs lightly, a fire dancing in his eyes and he's standing still, poised like some sort of predatory animal.

"Yeah?"

And his tone is so tense, lined with disgust, that Steve takes a step back.

"Look, I'm sorry, okay? I was trying to—to compare—"

"Yeah."

And Steve stops talking. Tony has this smile on his face now, this crazy smile.

Steve tries to swallow.

He tries again.

"Your father—"

"MY FATHER!" shouts Tony, and suddenly Steve is against the wall and Tony's hand is on his throat.

"My father," Tony whispers, and he doesn't let go of Steve but he loosens his death grip.

Steve won't run away.

Tony knows that.

"My father was an arrogant bastard who spent his days dreaming, dreaming, instead of loving me, looking after me."

Steve knows this is about him.

"My father was too busy imagining a future about a perfect world in which nobody died and people were happy to worry about my fucking happiness!"

Steve prepares himself for what's coming next. He can see Tony's eyes watering and wonders, fleetingly, if the man is too proud to cry.

"My father," and this time Tony slams Steve's head back into the wall, making Steve grit his teeth together and willing himself not to break eye contact.

"My father only talked about you, his great achievement. You, his divine work of art. You, the one he regarded as his real son."

Steve can see Tony breaking down inside before him and he doesn't, can't feel or do anything.

"You fucking stole my childhood. So now, when you accuse me of being an asshole—"

"Those weren't my words exactly—"

Fuck, fuck, FUCK, he is an idiot.

Tony slams him up against the wall.

And he kisses him.

A long, searing, painful kiss, and it's uncomfortable because Tony is pressing his nails into Steve's collarbone and neck. Steve's head is spinning from being slammed back too many times.

He can't even tell where the kiss is headed, because Tony isn't allowing him to kiss back.

Then Tony pulls back.

Steve desperately tries to recover his breath.

"Tony—"

And he is slammed back against the wall yet again, Tony stalking away.