Ned smiles, ducking his head, oddly pleased with himself. After all the chaos and drama and fear and pain of the last few days (and, to be honest, of all the days since he arrived here) it is nice to relax a little, to be able to share good things with an appreciative stranger, to spend some time with simple joys like flower chains and peaches.
There is something simple - wonderfully simple - about the way the Hulk expresses his approval of Ned which makes it easy to answer simply. "I like you too." There's something about interacting with Hulk that is not unlike interacting with Digby, or any other animal. For many people, that comparison would probably be an insult, but it isn't to Ned. He's never thought of animals as being and less alive, any less complex, any less worthy than humans. It's harder for him to see that difference, when he lives with Digby, sees his moods and preferences and personality. It's also harder because his powers work on animal and human alike: alive is alive, and dead is dead.
What distinguishes humans, as far as Ned is concerned, is their hypocrisy, their insecurities, their tendency to use abstract philosophies and goals to justify cruelty on a scale that is inconceivable for other animals.
Ned thinks it's probably a good idea not to bring up... anything about what's gone on between himself and Tony. So instead he offers, "If you want more, there's plenty. Help yourself." Ned gestures at the bower around them, the various fruit trees with their trunks entwined by honeysuckle. There are apples and apricots, pears and plums, kiwis and kumquats.
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There is something simple - wonderfully simple - about the way the Hulk expresses his approval of Ned which makes it easy to answer simply. "I like you too." There's something about interacting with Hulk that is not unlike interacting with Digby, or any other animal. For many people, that comparison would probably be an insult, but it isn't to Ned. He's never thought of animals as being and less alive, any less complex, any less worthy than humans. It's harder for him to see that difference, when he lives with Digby, sees his moods and preferences and personality. It's also harder because his powers work on animal and human alike: alive is alive, and dead is dead.
What distinguishes humans, as far as Ned is concerned, is their hypocrisy, their insecurities, their tendency to use abstract philosophies and goals to justify cruelty on a scale that is inconceivable for other animals.
Ned thinks it's probably a good idea not to bring up... anything about what's gone on between himself and Tony. So instead he offers, "If you want more, there's plenty. Help yourself." Ned gestures at the bower around them, the various fruit trees with their trunks entwined by honeysuckle. There are apples and apricots, pears and plums, kiwis and kumquats.