( it's not really something he's at the point of denying anymore — the west coast avengers was good when it was good, but it'd turned into an extended train wreck of their marriage dissolving, slowly and loudly, he's aware he could have been better in a lot of ways, aware that his reaction in front of their friends. to the phantom rider thing left a lot (lot) to be desired, and it'd taken him a long time to even understand what he did wrong. how unsupportive he'd been.
he may not have grown much, may not have always grown in the right way, but at least he'd managed to get some perspective on that.
he's not going to say bobbi was blameless — they'd gone to marriage counselling for a reason — but the split's not fifty-fifty. he doesn't point it out, though, not when she says it's on her too, because self-flagellation doesn't feel like it's the right response and he's never been very good at it, not outwardly. he thinks they both know where most of the blame sits, especially when she says she'd meant what she said.
but then she keeps on talking and it's worse, actually, than her telling him it was all his fault. than telling him that his stupid hypocrisy and inflexibility is why they've never been able to make it work; worse than asking him why he can't just accept people as they are because she tells him that he's too good for her, and he doesn't think he's ever heard anything more wrong in his life.
his gaze lingers on her for longer than necessary as he takes in the imitation of a smile, the way it doesn't reach her eyes. the way it's anything but happy. )
Come on, Bobbi. Look at my life. We both know that's not true.
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he may not have grown much, may not have always grown in the right way, but at least he'd managed to get some perspective on that.
he's not going to say bobbi was blameless — they'd gone to marriage counselling for a reason — but the split's not fifty-fifty. he doesn't point it out, though, not when she says it's on her too, because self-flagellation doesn't feel like it's the right response and he's never been very good at it, not outwardly. he thinks they both know where most of the blame sits, especially when she says she'd meant what she said.
but then she keeps on talking and it's worse, actually, than her telling him it was all his fault. than telling him that his stupid hypocrisy and inflexibility is why they've never been able to make it work; worse than asking him why he can't just accept people as they are because she tells him that he's too good for her, and he doesn't think he's ever heard anything more wrong in his life.
his gaze lingers on her for longer than necessary as he takes in the imitation of a smile, the way it doesn't reach her eyes. the way it's anything but happy. )
Come on, Bobbi. Look at my life. We both know that's not true.