[Steve just huffs when Tony apologizes. He would have sacrificed so much more to bring him back that being sapped of his strength seems like a minor consequence. At one time, it would have meant everything to him - but Tony's life means more. Besides, he'll recover with time. They both will, he's sure of that.]
Stop trying to be humble, Tony. It doesn't suit you.
[He's teasing, and he softens the words with a smile. Mostly, Steve's bad at accepting gratitude. He doesn't need to be thanked for anything he does - he just does it, usually without considering the consequences beforehand, because it's the right thing to do.]
And like I said, it's more important to have a guy who can look forward than someone who's stuck in the past. [The shrug Steve gives is a little self-deprecating, but he means it: Tony is more important to the world than he is. They need minds like his, because there's a whole universe out there - a whole lot of universes - and Tony's the only one who can handle that particular brand of thinking. They'd already proven that.]
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Stop trying to be humble, Tony. It doesn't suit you.
[He's teasing, and he softens the words with a smile. Mostly, Steve's bad at accepting gratitude. He doesn't need to be thanked for anything he does - he just does it, usually without considering the consequences beforehand, because it's the right thing to do.]
And like I said, it's more important to have a guy who can look forward than someone who's stuck in the past. [The shrug Steve gives is a little self-deprecating, but he means it: Tony is more important to the world than he is. They need minds like his, because there's a whole universe out there - a whole lot of universes - and Tony's the only one who can handle that particular brand of thinking. They'd already proven that.]