[He laughs. It makes his throat hurt, that sound.]
It is without meaning.
[That much has been made abundantly clear to him by both Pepper and Tony.]
As it always has been. It is one more lie.
He shakes his head, still laughing at the sheer ridiculousness of it all. It's funny. Hilarious, really, that this has any power over him, that it tears and tears. He shakes his head, seeking refuge in the old anger, the old wound, because this is just more of the same. He blinks a tear from one eye.]
I do not need these things, and I should not want them. I will excise this... this disease from myself. I am shamed that they have even this much power over me.
[In that moment, he's not even certain if he means the invaders, or Tony and Pepper. Perhaps both. He needs to keep repeating this to himself; if he does it often enough, maybe he'll finally be able to believe it, deep in blood and bone where this lie, this notion of family seems inescapably rooted.
Let him have his lie, Billy. It's all he has, now, and he knows it.]
aaaaand there it is.
It is without meaning.
[That much has been made abundantly clear to him by both Pepper and Tony.]
As it always has been. It is one more lie.
He shakes his head, still laughing at the sheer ridiculousness of it all. It's funny. Hilarious, really, that this has any power over him, that it tears and tears. He shakes his head, seeking refuge in the old anger, the old wound, because this is just more of the same. He blinks a tear from one eye.]
I do not need these things, and I should not want them. I will excise this... this disease from myself. I am shamed that they have even this much power over me.
[In that moment, he's not even certain if he means the invaders, or Tony and Pepper. Perhaps both. He needs to keep repeating this to himself; if he does it often enough, maybe he'll finally be able to believe it, deep in blood and bone where this lie, this notion of family seems inescapably rooted.
Let him have his lie, Billy. It's all he has, now, and he knows it.]