Tony’s life has been an emotional rollercoaster – largely self-inflicted – since Steve’s disappearance. He hasn’t slept much. He hasn’t eaten much. The only thing he’s gotten much of, besides exercise, is alcohol, and it’s doing nothing for his emotional stability. The guilt at somehow losing Steve to whoever’s abducted them in the first place has been eating him alive and the last thing he needs right now is another round of the neverending Rogers-Stark battle.

That’s what he tries to go. And that’s why he grits his teeth on a snarl when Steve catches up to him. He wants to find himself someone who actually can help him, someone he wants to deal with. He can’t do that if Steve persists in following him. Taking a deep breath, he lets it out, counts to ten, and tries not to exacerbate an already touchy situation.

Steve’s likely been through hell. It won’t kill him to stop thinking about himself for once and show a little compassion.

“I’m trying. I tried.” He doesn’t brush him off, just glances up at him from the corner of his eye. “Since you disappeared, I’ve been looking. Every day. I didn’t get anywhere. There wasn’t any sign of you, but I didn’t stop. And I didn’t let anyone take your room either, because I knew you’d need it when you came back.”