Everything Tony's saying makes sense, but Bruce has never... thought it, or said it to himself, or even let himself believe it for a second. The Hulk might hate Bruce as much as Bruce hates him -- that makes a lot of sense, but the idea that the Hulk might just want Bruce to accept him? He's compared himself to the scientist who poisons himself and spawns an evil alternate identity, but -- well -- the one where the scientist makes the monster has never seemed as apt. Because that story, the real story, is about the monster being the one with the feelings and the scientist being the mad one.

Bruce's eyes drift past Tony as he reconsiders his role in all of this. He doesn't think he's wrong or crazy; the Hulk does hurt people. But if he accepted him? Would that lessen... anything?

"Okay," he says, nodding, coming back into the moment. "Okay. I see what you mean. I'll try." And he finds a smile for him as he tries to shake off the discomfort of the realization that maybe he really has been more of a monster than he even knew.

"And he told you all this? You must've had some conversation."