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Chapter 7: Competence at the cost of comradery

Chapter 7: Competence at the cost of comradery

The aftermath of Civil War had left a bitter taste in Tony Stark's mouth—a taste of betrayal, fractured trust, and unresolved anger. The rift between him and Steve Rogers had deepened into an abyss that seemed impossible to bridge. As Tony buried himself in his work, fortifying defenses and preparing for the looming threat of Thanos, his animosity towards Steve simmered just beneath the surface.

One evening in the Avengers Tower, as Tony tinkered with a new prototype suit in his workshop, Steve Rogers approached cautiously. The air between them crackled with tension, each step closer to confrontation feeling like a walk on thin ice.

"Tony," Steve's voice was measured, his tone attempting to strike a conciliatory note, "we need to talk."

Tony didn't look up from his work, his hands moving with precision over the suit's components. "There's nothing to talk about, Steve. You made your choice."

Steve's jaw tightened, his frustration mounting. "It wasn't an easy choice, Tony. But we had to do what we believed was right."

Tony finally turned to face him, his expression a mix of resentment and defiance. "Right? You tore the team apart, Steve. You tore us apart."

Steve took a step closer, his voice low but resolute. "We had to take a stand. The Accords—"

Tony cut him off with a sharp gesture. "The Accords were a disaster. You think you're above the law, above accountability?"

Steve's eyes hardened. "It's not about that, Tony. It's about freedom, about doing what's best for—"

"For who, Steve?" Tony's voice rose, his anger boiling over. "For your friend Bucky? You let him tear apart everything we built!"

Steve's fists clenched at his sides, his own frustration mounting. "Bucky didn't have a choice! He—"

"He killed my parents, Steve!" Tony's accusation echoed in the workshop, the weight of years of betrayal and loss hanging heavy between them. "And you knew."

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Steve's expression faltered, guilt flickering in his eyes before he regained his composure. "I didn't know it was him, Tony. I swear—"

Tony's laugh was bitter. "But you knew. And you still chose him over all of us."

Silence settled over them, thick with unspoken accusations and the remnants of shattered trust. Tony turned back to his work, his hands shaking with suppressed emotion.

"You made your bed, Steve," Tony said quietly, his voice cold and distant. "Now lie in it."

Steve stood there, grappling with the weight of Tony's words and the irreparable damage their rift had caused. He had once believed in the Avengers as a symbol of hope and unity, but now he saw only division and resentment.

As Steve turned to leave, the divide between them felt insurmountable. Tony's hatred burned like a smoldering ember, fueling his determination to protect Earth at any cost, even if it meant pushing away those he once considered allies.

In the days that followed, Steve and Tony's interactions remained strained and terse. The Avengers, once a beacon of heroism, now stood fractured and divided. Tony's focus on preparing for Thanos's return became a solitary obsession, his distrust of Steve and the others cemented in place.

Steve, for his part, wrestled with guilt and regret, knowing that his choices had fractured the team irreparably. He had fought for what he believed was right, but at what cost?

As they faced the looming threat of Thanos together, the shadows of Civil War loomed large over them. The wounds inflicted upon the Avengers ran deep, scars that threatened to tear them apart when they needed unity the most.

And amidst it all, Tony Stark's resentment towards Steve Rogers burned like a fire, casting a long shadow over their shared struggle to protect the world they had sworn to defend.