[...ah, Maker's Balls. Tony exhaled, slowly, before he leaned his head on his arm, so he could look at Bruce's profile intently. What was it about that stupidly handsome, quiet look that just made Tony want to be a better man? The kind of better man he wasn't entirely sure he could ever be?

So yeah, it softened his ire. Especially since, hey, he knew exactly what Bruce was going to say, so he said it for him.]

...I know you don't lie to me. Not unless it's going save my life. Or at least, if you believe it's going to save my life. But you telling me that you don't want to be with me is not going to kill me, Bruce.

[He scratched his head.] ... It will be extremely painful and I will probably drink my way through the poor whiskey selection at the Rest, but it won't kill me. I won't break if you tell me the truth about us.