Guarded Hearts (A Team Iron Man Story)

Chapter 4

A/N: Hey guys! This chapter is going to be a little bit shorter than the others because school has started and it's really stressful. On a side note, I just recently started watching anime and reading manga and I'm already obsessed with it! Let my know if you have any recommendations! <3

T'Challa felt a grin stretch across his face as he watched the Captain and Rhodes stare each other down. When Rhodes had called him about what the Captain had said, asking for permission to enter Wakanda, T'Challa hadn't hesitated.

Even as he observed the betrayed look on Rogers' face, he couldn't bring himself to regret the decision he'd made. Hearing that the man he'd come to respect had declared Stark's abuse to be nothing made him angry enough that he'd broken his word to the Captain and his team. And breaking his word wasn't something T'Challa did lightly. 

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Rhodes?" Steve asked incredulously as Rhodes aimed a repulsor at the Captain's head. 

"Do you have any idea what you've done?" Rhodes spit, fury lining his expression. "I've known Tony for a long time and this is the worst shape I've ever seen him in. And it's your fault! You did this to him!"

"Okay, okay. Everyone calm down. Fighting isn't gonna solve your problems!" Sam exclaimed, looking more than a little intimidated to be on the receiving end of the War Machine's repulsors, especially without his suit to protect him.

"I know that. But it'll make me feel a hell of a lot better to beat Rogers' ass!" Rhodes shot back.

"You can't really believe the crap they're spreading about Howard!" Steve cut in.

"I've known about Howard's abuse for a long time, Rogers. I've seen the effects of it myself."

"You didn't even know Howard. How do you know Stark isn't just making a big deal of nothing?"

"Making a big deal of nothing?! Clearly you just in denial that your old friend is really an abusive asshole!"

"Whatever. Stark just needs to get over himself and stop whining about his daddy issues!"

T'Challa watched as the room dissolved into a screaming match between the Captain and Rhodes. In any other circumstances, it would have been almost comedic, but all he could focus on was how wrong he'd been about Rogers. He typically thought himself to be a good judge of character, but this was throwing him for a loop. Despite what most people thought, Steve Rogers wasn't perfect and this situation was bringing the Captain's flaws to light.

The rift between the two sides was becoming irreparable before his eyes. The Captain and Rhodes would never be able to work side by side again. It made him question if letting Rhodes into Wakanda was really a good idea. But the Captain needed to be taught a lesson. He needed to be knocked off his high horse. Rogers was recognized as a hero of the highest caliber, but he needed to learn that there were other heroes now, and they deserved the spotlight as much as him. He may be the leader of the Avengers, but that didn't make him better than anyone else.

T'Challa pinched the bridge of his nose, grimacing at the headache forming between his brows. Rogers and Rhodes had been arguing for nearly 10 minutes now, with Sam hopelessly trying to act as peacemaker.

It all happened so suddenly.

He didn't hear what was said, but suddenly there was a Rogers-shaped hole in his wall and a fuming Rhodes standing there with his fists raised. Apparently, he'd hit the Captain hard enough to send him flying through a wall.

T'Challa only sighed, not having the energy to try and break up the fight. After all, he'd let Rhodes into Wakanda knowing something like this would most likely happen.

Sam seemed to have given up as well, taking a seat as far away from the action as possible and settling in to watch the fight.

He'd already alerted the Dora Milaje to clear the area of any citizens in preparation for a fight like this and Wanda and Clint had been blocked from this area. As long as he didn't step in, they could keep fighting for as long as they wanted. After all, he suspected they both had a lot of things to get out of their system.

The rubble shifted as Steve clambered up from his position on the ground, wiping dust from his hands. His eyes burned with an inhuman rage and his mouth was set in a hard line as he stepped back through the wall Rhodes had thrown him through. Despite the fire in the Captain's gaze, Rhodes just looked unimpressed.

"So, are we gonna get this fight started?" Rhodes asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Oh yes, T'Challa thought.This'll be one hell of a fight.

A:N: I know this chapter is short, but I wanted to get you all an update by this weekend. Hope you like it! There will be lots more action in the next chapter, don't worry.