“So it’s been a light day,” Tony agrees. “And I see through your deflection. It’s fine. One day you’ll like me enough to share the parts of you that make you so amazing.” Tont ought to write inspirational greeting cards. Most of them would be boozey and terrible of course but sometimes he comes up with a few winner. A selfless Tony Stark is a rarity but Bruce sees more if it than most people.

Tony has never been so open with anyone else. It’s a testament to the other man. Or maybe it says more about where Tony’s mindset is the majority of the time.

He still thinks of himself as a remarkable judge of character. And Bruce is the best person he knows. Better than Cap, that’s for sure.

“And hey. Listen. I was game for alien jar babies. We would make some beautiful and smart kids.”