If it were anyone else, Tony would have jumped to his own defense. Xavin simply called things as she saw them.

Tony took a long swig off his sweet, blended drink and tapped the counter. "I let them go. If someone gets hurt, that's on me. Just sitting back and letting things play out--I can't do that. Extra accountability has to come in somewhere. Even if it's just making yourself a friendly face to dissuade any...ugliness."

On both sides. His chipperness with Loki was still largely performative, but it was steadily growing less so.