Re: Steve and Tony
It was true that Steve wasn't always the best at reading people, but there was no mistaking Stark's obvious displeasure with being waylaid for a conversation. A conversation that was likely to be unpleasant, considering what had come out of Stark's mouth at dinner and the obvious tension in the curve of his mouth. Still, it was a conversation that needed to be had, and Steve simply squared his shoulders and straightened his spine as he followed Stark through his grandiose house, none of which he'd seen on his last visit, seeing as he hadn't gotten any further than the dining room. It was precisely what Steve would have expected a few short months ago - more style than substance - but now that he'd spent some time in Stark's company, none of these rooms felt right.
The library, for instance, was obviously unused, what with its lack of books and a conspicuous absence of comfortable, inviting furniture. Steve couldn't imagine Stark spending any time here. This was a room for showing off (much like Steve's house in District Eight's Victors' Village was) which meant Steve found himself wondering about the rooms where Stark actually lived. Steve had his apartment, after all, a space he'd carved out that actually felt like home. He'd have been curious to glimpse the kind of space that was for Stark.
He wasn't likely to get to see it now, considering where this conversation was likely headed.
Despite Stark's pessimistic outlook, Steve shut the door behind them anyway. There wasn't anything he planned to discuss that was a secret, exactly, but he didn't want eyes on them while they hashed this out. Didn't particularly want a peanut gallery, either.
Still, when he turned to face Stark, he paused for a minute, radiating tension as he stood there. "When you texted me," he finally said, voice short and sharp and betrayed, like it hurt him to say the words, "I thought - you made it sound like you gave a damn about whether or not we screwed over the Districts." He raised his eyebrows expectantly, inviting Stark to respond. "You said it yourself the first time we spoke about this - the Districts aren't ready, and not only do we need a plan, but we need to get things in place. How the hell are we going to accomplish all of that before the Quell?"