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He tried hard to not bitter about any of it. He did really. He hadn't wanted to bitter at Steve for choosing Bucky over him in the end.
It was a mask that he hated, yet one that he had gotten to know very well throughout his life before the birth of Iron Man in his captivity, Steve Rogers, and the Avengers.
But it was part of the plan that they had come up with when Tony's electronic feelers had gotten wind of what Ross was attempting to do against the supers that were on the rise and with SHIELD falling apart from the inside. Coupled with the not so tiny facts of the matter that Thanos was coming for Earth soon and they weren't ready for him.
So they had come up with a plan to neatly divide their forces and build up defenses in other parts of the world. It would have to be enough for now, even if Tony was somewhat bitter about the choices that they had to make, some of those decisions that his husband would have to make without his input.
Or him without Steve's input.
"Tony?"
Tiredly, Tony glanced up from his screens to meet Natasha's impassive gaze as she stood nearby, checking her weapons. He forces himself to smile slightly, trying again to hide the bitterness that he felt that she would be with Steve and Tony wouldn't.
Couldn't, he reminded that traitorous, unhappy little part of his mind that protested the idea still. There was, after all, appearances that needed to kept and Tony Stark had to appear like on a different side of things now to Steve.
"Keep your eyes on him, yeah?"
"Of course," She answered calmly, looking at him. "Try not to get into too much trouble without us nearby alright, Tony?"
"Do my best, Nat. No promises, though."