"You're a lab rat, Rogers. Everything special about you came out of a bottle!"
It had been almost a year since this whole incident in New York with Loki had happened. Almost a year since Tony had said this words to Steve. Almost a year and Steve was still not over it. Sure, in the meantime, they had gotten friends, Steve had moved in in the Stark Tower, and Tony had never said something like this again. But the sentence had really hurt Steve. Not, that he had showed it. He had acted as if he didn't care, when in reality it haunted him ever since then.
He couldn’t forget it; couldn’t get it out of his mind.
Because it was the truth.
There was nothing special about Steve. Everything that made him special, or worthy, or even just someone, was coming from the serum.
It wasn’t him, who people liked. It was Captain America.
Steve’s fists hit the punching bag with more and more aggression until the chains eventually gave in and it flew against the wall, where it ripped open and spilled sand all over the floor.
“Easy there, big guy,” Steve suddenly heard Stark’s voice from the door. “Not gonna destroy my gym, are ya?”
Steve shut his eyes, lowering his head. “Not now, Tony,” he sighed.
But Tony – of course – didn’t back off. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
Steve, surprised by the soft tone of the billionaire’s voice, turned around and looked at him.
“Nothing,” he mumbled, even though Tony really looked like he cared.
“Yeah, sure,” Tony scoffed sarcastic. “Nothing. That’s how it looks like.”
“I was just… thinking about something you said once,” Steve said then and regretted his words immediately.
“Awh, c’mon!” Tony stepped closer. “I didn’t mean it when I said your ass looks saggy. It was a joke.” He slapped Steve’s ass when he walked past him, what made the Captain flinch. “It looks great.”
“I didn’t mean that,” Steve murmured and rolled his eyes.
“No? Well, what then?”
Steve shook his head. “I don’t wanna talk about it.” He wanted to walk away, but Tony held him back. They both knew Steve could easily pull away if he wanted to, but instead he just stared down on Tony’s hand on his upper arm.
“I know I may act like I don’t give a fuck about anyone, but that’s not true. You’re my friend and I never intended to hurt you. So please tell me what I said that hurt you.”
Steve felt a sting in his stomach when Tony said friend, but he could also see that he was honest.
So Steve gave in.
“It’s just… when this whole thing with Loki happened… you said something to me that I couldn’t let go. I know we fought a lot back then, but this one sentence in particular didn’t let go of me anymore.” Steve hesitated for a moment. “Because it’s the truth,” he whispered then, his voice broken and barely audible.
Tony sweared under his breath. “What did I say?” he asked then, his voice sounding as if he was afraid of the answer.
Steve rubbed his neck. “Well… you said… everything that’s special about me… comes from a bottle.”
Tony’s head jerked upwards as if Steve had hit him. “Steve…” he chocked out rough. “You… you didn’t just…” He scoffed and shook his head in disbelief. “You can’t really think this is the truth.”
