"This isn't about me, Pepper, and I'm not trying to inflate my ego. What I want to know is what has gotten under your skin so much that it's taking five minutes for you to get this look on your face like you want to punch a hole in my head. If there's something you want or need to say to me, then here I am. I'm not going to leave because you pointed a finger at me to get out. Just give me a headstart to put the body suit back on so I can at least defend myself against any cannons that might drop from the ceiling to fire on me, because I'm not going anywhere until you tell me." He didn't need his ego inflated. Tony Stark was capable of that on his own, but it was like whatever approval or disapproval she had for him right now just had to be squared away or they were never going to move past this. "Just trust me to do the right thing. Is that too much to ask? I used to never have to ask you to trust me. You used to do it without a thought."