"I felt that you deserved to know that you were the object of affection, whether it be misplaced or not. My hope is that it will fade in time. I would not expect it returned, or an attempt to be made on your part. My exposure to people in this form has been limited after all, and you have been a partner and a friend to me for long enough that you could be trusted with such things."

Logically, he felt this was for the best. He looked back at Bruce and gave a very Tony-like shrug, then set about filling the pot and finally turning the stove on to heat it. It was good to have things to do with his hands, something to distract him from the dull sort of ache in his sternum, behind where the arc reactor rested. He refused to be ruled by unreasonable emotions.

This was making it a bit easier to understand a few actions he'd witnessed over the years, though. He would treat it as a continuing learning experience.