Had Steve realized Stark had an entire list of points to get through, he might have tried harder to not be so entirely bowled over by Stark's opening. As it was, his jaw dropped open halfway through Stark's speech, his face lax with shock. This admission far exceeded anything Steve had hoped for, let alone anticipated he might actually hear, and then Stark apologized - simple and straightforward, no disguising it with snide additions and a condescending tone. Steve forced his mouth shut, his teeth meeting with a quiet click, and it was probably a good thing Stark wasn't looking at him right now; Steve had no idea what was all over his face.
"Thanks," he said after a beat of silence. "That's - " Steve's mouth curled into a bittersweet smile. "Someone told me recently that you shouldn't apologize for things that aren't your fault, you know." Because there was no mistaking the truth of Stark's words, that was something Steve knew down to his bones now. And it wasn't that Stark was trying to claim responsibility that wasn't his to bear - the weapons might have been Stark's, but the fact that they'd been turned on the crowd, that was Steve's burden. But still, that sort of sympathy wasn't something Steve would have expected from the man sitting across from him.
"But I appreciate that," Steve continued quietly. "It's - it's nice to know."
He brought his glass up again, dared another swallow of the fiery alcohol, and then added, "I think you saved my life. I mean, you mentioned them wanting to get a rise out of me - they probably just wanted a reason to shoot me, and if I'd stayed on that stage, I'm sure I would've given them one." That would have been easier in a whole hell of a lot of ways, and maybe, just maybe it would've spared that girl her life. But maybe it would have only added fuel to the fire, and maybe it would have turned a riot into a massacre. Steve had no way of knowing.
There was a drop of liquid that had spilled over the rim of his glass, and he pressed his thumb to it, traced it back up to the lip. "So, thank you, for that," Steve said quietly. "And for trying to stop it in the first place."