[ Coulson came and went by too, he's just realized. It was a hilarious rotating ensemble there for a while, and he tries not to think about the fact that he seems to be the central character. He's always the central character, and it generally seems to have this sort of result. The new AI is also relatively, well, new. So mostly him and JARVIS and Ros.
He's uneasy until he feels her hand settle on his arm, glances at it and then her a little more properly because he wasn't sure how she was going to take that, doesn't typically share that much all at once, but it was the thing he needed to do, just then. She felt like she was going to leave and he couldn't handle it and he is capable of changing things, sometimes, to keep ahold of the things that he feels are important. It doesn't mean he's any more comfortable with that level of apparent vulnerability, but Pepper of all people has always been the person he trusted the most with his weak points.
He doesn't want to look hopeful at her words, because that would be stupid. That would be so many levels of stupid, because she can't promise that she's going to stay here, and he knows that, but it's nice to... read the words anyway. He can basically hear her saying them in his head. Pepper's voice is one he hears often, although usually it's not being so reassuring. Usually it's just sighing and saying 'No, Tony.' ]
We're from almost the same time then, I think. Probably not exactly, but near each other. That's -- good. That's good. [ One thing at a time. Processing still. ] It'll be okay. I'm fine, look. All in one piece, no new scars. Well, no big new scars.
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He's uneasy until he feels her hand settle on his arm, glances at it and then her a little more properly because he wasn't sure how she was going to take that, doesn't typically share that much all at once, but it was the thing he needed to do, just then. She felt like she was going to leave and he couldn't handle it and he is capable of changing things, sometimes, to keep ahold of the things that he feels are important. It doesn't mean he's any more comfortable with that level of apparent vulnerability, but Pepper of all people has always been the person he trusted the most with his weak points.
He doesn't want to look hopeful at her words, because that would be stupid. That would be so many levels of stupid, because she can't promise that she's going to stay here, and he knows that, but it's nice to... read the words anyway. He can basically hear her saying them in his head. Pepper's voice is one he hears often, although usually it's not being so reassuring. Usually it's just sighing and saying 'No, Tony.' ]
We're from almost the same time then, I think. Probably not exactly, but near each other. That's -- good. That's good. [ One thing at a time. Processing still. ] It'll be okay. I'm fine, look. All in one piece, no new scars. Well, no big new scars.