A Broken Promise

The quality of the video was poor and grainy but he could still make out Steve. It would be hard to miss which one was Steve, given he was the one strapped to the chair. A Harsh bright light illuminates the scene from the left. It causes the left side of the video to white out around the edges slightly.

Tony's fists clench at the hard determined expression on Steve's face. He is looking straight at the camera unflinchingly. His is covered in large dark bruises and is bloody but it didn't seem to impede his strength of will one bit. Steve sits straight and sure in his bonds.

Some of the lackeys were visibly disturbed by this. How after what was evidently a brutal beating, Steve still stood proud. But that was Steve, always fighting the good fight.

Tony chocks back a sob looking at him. The blood, so much of it, that covered him. The dark bruises and the raw open wounds. His uniform was nearly unrecognisable. The star on his chest was roughly cut away with a blade, and what remained hung off him in tatters. It was seeped in blood, colouring it dark. His gloves and boots were gone too, as was his helmet.

A tall man walks towards the front, the leader of the group "Stark, I know you are watching!" Tony bites down hard on his lower lip when the man addresses him with the demands "You will send us the codes! Time is running out for America's drumming boy. You have an hour. If you fail to give us the codes, he dies. If you call the rest of the avengers, he dies. If you pull any other of your tricks, he dies. You hear me, Stark? This is your choice."

The leader's demands are loud and clear in the dark room. The sound quality of the video was high in contrast to the visual.

Steve calls out to him, his voice raw and broken "Tony, Listen, don't. I can handle this. The codes can't-" Steve cuts off with an agonizing scream and the second in command shocks him with a high voltage prod. His body twists and contorts. Even with the low quality camera he can see the way Steve's restraints and the chair he sits on buckles; strains to contain him. Blood and spit froths from his mouth as his screams choke off into a fit of retching coughs.

The second in command lets up, leaving Steve slumped and panting in his restraints. But he sits buck up stubbornly. "Tony, please.... Lis'en. I- I have the serum. I'll be ok-ay. ...Please... I-"

Tony recoils as Steve was struck with heavy pipe to silence him. He runs the back of his hand over his face to wipe away his tears.

"Look at him, Stark! It is no secret you love him. Can you be the one to let this happen to him? Can you abide by his torture? It is your choice: The codes or dearly beloved?" The leader shouts at the camera.

Tony pitches forward onto the cold steel table before him, grasping it tightly in his trebling hands. His breath coming in hitching shuddering gasps. Tears stream freely down his face and he has no power against it.

"I'm sorry" He hears himself say in the recording, "You are not getting those codes"

"-ony... love you... so m-much..." Steve whispers. He smiles a bloodied grin at the gunman approaching him like he just won. In his mind, he probably had, hadn't he? Steve was probably proud of him.

A horrific crack sounds in the room as the gunman in the video pulls the trigger, and Steve falls lifeless in the chair.

"Off!" Tony calls to JARVIS and the recording goes. He stands there motionless in the dim room for a moment, sniffling.

"How could you?" he whispers into the silence.

Tony looks down at Steve where he was laid down before him on the steel table. Cold and lifeless.

"How was this fair to me Steve?" He asks, knowing the will be no answer.

"HOW?!" He screams. "HOW COULD YOU? HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME? MAKE ME CHOOSE?" His voice breaks under the strain. "YOU SAID WE WOULD BE TOGETHER FOREVER, STEVE! YOU GOT ME A FUCKING RING! YOU SAID-..."

Tony sits down into the chair weakly, grabbing Steve icy hand and entwining their fingers. He gives the hand a tight squeeze. He turns their hands over and looks at the engagement ring Steve gave him only a month before.

He whispered brokenly into the silence, "You promised me, Steve. You promised."

THE END

NOTES: For the Cap-IronMan Tiny Reverse Bang/ Code Name: Prime
Inspired by skyeedom's artwork "What If"