[He raises an eyebrow at Tony, but acquiesces, feet coming to rest on the ground before he bends to sit outside Tony's arc of papers. Immediately, it feels awkward and childish to be seated like this.] How can you possibly be comfortable doing your work down here?

[He sighs. It doesn't matter. Tony's assurances that he is not the first to fail in communicating with the Maximoffs, while kind, is of little comfort.] I understand Pietro's past was...troubled. It may have made him difficult to connect with, but the mistake was still mine. I don't know what possessed me, honestly. It never occurred to me that he could be here with no knowledge of what happened. That no one would have told him.

[He stares down at his hands. It is easier than looking up at Tony.] I am having trouble conceiving of any way to fix this.