Bucky fell silent.
That silence was the answer.
Tony nodded and turned to leave.
He did not look back, nor did he say another word.
Steve did not learn about it until two hours later.
When he rushed to Bucky's apartment, the door was open.
Bucky sat in a chair by the window, still clutching the tablet, his expression as though every trace of life had been drained from him.
"Bucky, Tony came here?" Steve walked over and crouched in front of him.
Bucky did not answer. He merely handed the tablet to Steve.
Steve took it and looked at what was on the screen.
The instant he saw the video, his expression froze.
He had learned the truth from Nick Fury long ago.
He knew Bucky had killed Tony's parents. He knew Howard and Maria had died because of Hydra's plot. He knew his best friend's hands were stained with the blood of another best friend's parents.
But he had not told Tony.
He had thought about telling him many times.
But he did not know how to begin, how to tell Tony, "Your parents did not die in an accident. My best friend killed them."
He was afraid—afraid Tony would break down and hunt Bucky down at any cost.
He chose silence. He chose to protect Bucky. He chose to bury the truth, believing that as long as he said nothing, things would not get any worse.
He had been wrong.
"Bucky, I'll go find him. I'll explain it to him." Steve's voice was soft.
"Explain what?" Bucky raised his head. "Explain that you knew the truth but chose to hide it from him? Explain that you let him live in a lie all these years just to protect me?"
Steve could not speak.
"Steve." Bucky's voice was