Rhodey had finished his tale as they entered his home. Tony took the time to kind of look around and process what he had been told.
"That's…" Tony doesn't really know what to say to that. There are thousands of things he wants to say, but none of them sound right. He wants to know why. He wants to know how everything got so bad. He wants to know why the Steve Rogers of this world was like that. Why he did what he did.
Though, Tony could kind of understand. If it had been Rhodey in Sergeant Barnes' spot, he would probably do the same thing. However, at the same time, Tony would ask for help. He wouldn't defy the wishes of 117 countries. He knows his Steve would have done the same. The James Barnes of his world had gotten help years ago. The triggers were gone and he wasn't a threat to anyone.
"Tony?" Tony blinked out of his thoughts. Rhodey was looking at him with concern in his eyes. "You alright? You got this kind of far away look in your eyes." Tony nods and smiles at him.
"Just thinking it through," Tony told Rhodey all of his thoughts on the situation. "In the case of my parents, well, anyone would react that way. The thing is though, if someone's distressed like that and they lash out, you shouldn't attack them back." Tony whispers, letting Rhodey guide him to the couch. He sits gently and listens to the soft whir of Rhodey's braces as he sits as well. "Don't they know that?" Rhodey chuckles and Tony quirks an eyebrow at him.
"When it came to Barnes, Rogers only had him as a priority. Our Tony had attacked Barnes. It didn't matter if he was in distress. What mattered to him was Barnes." Tony swallows and nods, thinking again about the matter.
"In Steve's mind, that makes sense." Tony shifts and looks around the room. His eyes catching on photos, but not really wanting to dwell on them. "Pepper told me a little about what happened to everyone else after um, Thanos." His eyes lock onto Rhodey's. "I know you're Tony died, but what happened to everyone else?" Rhodey sighs and shifts on his spot on the couch.
"Natasha-"
"Is dead. Yeah." Rhodey squeezes Tony's shoulder and shoots him a soft smile.
"Um, Bruce Banner is a weird circumstance. He merged himself with the Hulk? Does that make sense?" Tony quirks an eyebrow and Rhodey delves deeper into an explanation that Tony laughs at.
"He would do that." Rhodey smiles a little wider at him.
"Clint Barton is back with his family. Thor is somewhere."
"Pepper said he was with someone group called the Guardians of the Galaxy." Rhodey shrugs.
"That makes sense. Carol Danvers, uh Captain Marvel is out in space somewhere."
"Captain Marvel? Wait, Carol Danvers! We had her on my world! She kind of...glowed." Rhodey lets out a loud laugh and nods.
"That she does."
"You two were going to get married," Tony whispers. A thick silence follows that statement. "Um, sorry. Please continue." Rhodey does, but only after making sure Tony is alright.
"Wanda Maximoff is off somewhere too."
"You have no idea where she is?" Tony asks in a rush of breath. "But she's-" His breathing picks up and shortens.
"Tony?" Rhodey grasps Tony's face in his hands and instructs him to follow his breathing. When Tony's breathing slows, he collapses in on himself and Rhodey holds him tightly. "It's ok." He rocks the man softly. "I'd ask what happened but I don't what you to panic again." Tony wraps shaking hands around his friend and swallows thickly.
"Maybe another time," Tony whispers, not really wanting to come out of the protective hold his friend has on him. Rhodey continues rocking him until the shaking stops. When it finally does, Tony is reluctant to leave the hold, but he does so. He sits up and his eyes are red-rimmed and Rhodey's heart breaks at the sight. "You can continue."
"Stephen Strange is still protecting our reality." Tony snorts at the sentence.
"I've met him. Had a thing with him a long time ago. Haven't seen him in a while though."
"Other than that, Peter Parker is still Spiderman." Tony blinks at him and there's no recognition in his eyes.
"Am I supposed to know who that is. Wait, Spiderman? What kind of a name-"
"You don't have a Spiderman in your universe." Tony shakes his head.
"We had a Peter Parker, but he died years ago. A plane crash. He was an intern. I worked with him a few times, but never really got to know him." Rhodey's silence strikes something in Tony. "Let me guess, that's not how it is here."
"Peter was almost like a son to you. You taught him quite a few things. He really looked up to you." Rhodey blinks. "Or him. Our Tony. You know what I mean." A corner of Tony's mouth flicks into a smile before disappearing.
"Everything's so different here." Tony's mouth breaks into a yawn. He blinks in surprise before red colors his cheeks. "Sorry. I guess I'm more tired than I thought." Rhodey pats him on the shoulder, then squeezes it.
"It's been a long day. Why don't we turn in for the night?" Tony nods and leans his head against the back of the couch. His eyes closing against his will.
"Sounds like a plan." Rhodey snorts and shakes his head.
"From a different universe, but he can still fall asleep anywhere. Some things never change I guess."