[There's a lot of things Bruce could say to this, a lot of different reasons or justifications for why he likes having him around. Why he in particular is valuable to him, distinct from every other Tony Stark he's met. The truth is, they've only known each other for one conversation, less than an hour. Most of the reasons Bruce has to offer are ones that, push come to shove, don't apply to him. Reasons that he learned from one of the others, that he's applying by extension here.
He knows instinctively that's not what Tony wants to hear. Instead, he unfolds his arms, straightening up and opening his posture toward him as he stands and watches him put the tools away.]
You know me, [he says simply. Taking on a wry, self-mocking tenor, he goes on,] You know me, and apparently that's enough to be friends. That doesn't really happen very often.
[There's not a trace of self-pity; it's a plain fact. A statement on how rarely Bruce gets to be honest with anyone in his life, which is almost never before coming here, and since then not that often either.]
no subject
He knows instinctively that's not what Tony wants to hear. Instead, he unfolds his arms, straightening up and opening his posture toward him as he stands and watches him put the tools away.]
You know me, [he says simply. Taking on a wry, self-mocking tenor, he goes on,] You know me, and apparently that's enough to be friends. That doesn't really happen very often.
[There's not a trace of self-pity; it's a plain fact. A statement on how rarely Bruce gets to be honest with anyone in his life, which is almost never before coming here, and since then not that often either.]