This time, Tony didn't know how to interpret the contact, trying to relax his shoulders but only getting more tense as he tried to work out how to argue less. He already wasn't doing anything. He took a deep breath, and started to try another nod, sure, in case, only to freeze as his whole system seemed to fail around a phrase he was not prepared to comprehend. He definitely couldn't meet Steve's eye then, and shrugged him off, shoulders hitching like his skin was crawling. It took him some time and hands splayed out to try to find the words, because it wasn't Steve's fault that it felt like he was a stranger wearing a friend's face. The best Tony could produce was a straightforward, "I've never heard you say that," to explain why he had to start to collect himself and retreat.