“It’s a gift,” Tony replies with calm assurance. “It’s not an experiment. I don’t want you to take it for a trial run and report back your findings on if it turns into a rogue, murderous appendage or anything. It’s yours. Use it or don’t. And call me if you need tweaks. I keep meaning to come out to New York more anyway.” Like most rich men, Tony is fine with giving away potential millions to his friends without blinking an eye. He hasn’t worked on this arm to revolutionize the quality of amputee life. This isn’t some next big thing in Stark Technology. He just wants to help someone that helped him.

And that can’t be wrong.

Steve’s sitting on the sofa as Bruce goes about his unpacking. His knees are together and his hands are folded on top of them. He watches Bruce carefully, trying to read each stride and what it might mean for him.

“I’m thinking that there’s something wrong with me. And that there’s something wrong with you too. I’m thinking it has to do with the attack because I was bleeding when I went to the hospital. Bad. And now I’m actually losing scars, not gaining new ones. I’m feeling... hot. Really hot. Like I want to lay on the hardwood floor without clothes on. Normally that would give me a kidney infection for just thinking about it.”