dear_mun | (no subject)

It could be worse. Everything considered... It's not a total loss.

[He's not a hundred percent convinced, but he's trying hard to be.]

You and I aren't killing each other.

There's one victory down, at least. A million more to go from there?

A million and one on my last count. But that's our job.

That's what heroes are for.

Heroes, huh? I guess that's true.

[Yeah, Bruce totally doesn't consider himself as one.]

Heroes. It's that catch-all word for people we like.

[Yeah, nice try. Tony's danced around this one before.]

We do what other people don't or can't. It's easier to fit into that term than you think.

Maybe for your world.

[Not for where he comes from though. It's different.]

For people. But it's not just about the word.

[Don't even.]

I'm not saying there won't be naysayers and critics. But what you do now matters, and that's the point. If I didn't believe that much, then I'd have no business doing any of it. We're making things better. You're making things better.

Heroics aren't all about publicity.

Its not really the publicity and critics that I'm worried about.

[Its just, you know. Himself. How can he be a hero when he just hurts people?]

You're not allowed to skip over this, Banner.

You make a difference. A good one. I don't put myself out on a line just to watch everyone else give up.

There's hardly anything good about me.

Bullshit.

Sorry, but I'm not just going to let an Avenger from any world play it off like that. People need you around. Look, it's easier to run away. I get it.

It's also... something you'd regret.

[A small smile.]

I've been regretting a lot of things in the last couple of years. This won't be the first.

Then I'd regret it.

Don't you like it? Doesn't it feel good to know for once people have your back on something?

[Yes, he does like it. Which is really kind of the problem.]

All the more I don't want to hurt them.

You're dodging the point here. Don't dodge.

Don't you think that the chances are much better for you if you have people to trust?

Trusting them doesn't guarantee than I won't hurt them when the time comes.

Maybe you need to trust them to know what to do when the time comes.

I know what they'll do, Tony.

[And that's the part that worries him.]

[Tony needs to pause to rub his head a little. Okay, so that's a valid point. But still.

...A drink would be great. Ugh.

-Moving on.]

It's what we do. We're Avengers. And more than that. Give them a little credit.

Who's to say I'm not?

[Its for their own good1!!]

Me. I would know.

[Check.]

...alright, you have a point there.

[A sigh. He'll just never win at this argument, will he...]

[He's not letting him get out of it that easily, anyway.]

They can do it. As tough as it feels, that's what the Avengers are good at. Give them the chance to prove it to you.

You really believe in it, huh?

[A smile as he says that.]

[Ah. Ouch, Bruce.]

I do.

I don't really believe in much, but I believe in them.