It wouldn't surprise him that Bruce had tried to force a power. Ultimately, that's where the Big Guy came from in the first place - at least Rhodey's always figured as much. That drive to figure things had laid more than one person low in their world; Rhodey wasn't immune to it, even if it wasn't the trait people identified with him first. The military put a veneer on him that was tough for most to see through.

"He is terrible at social occasions and puts a real damper on all sorts of regular interaction possibilities." He pauses a beat, and this time when the metal moves, it's with a little less wild uncertainty. "Funny, I could be talking about Big Green or Ross. I think he was born an ass and got extensive plastic surgery." He lowers his hand and glances back at Bruce. Truthfully, one of the first things he and Tony ever had in common was an innate ability to couch messier emotions in jokes and quips. Sometimes Rhodey has to remind himself to stop doing that. "You're a good guy, Bruce, and I liked you from the start. I wasn't going to bend over for that lily-livered pissant who'd gotten himself on a presidential cabinet. At least, not any more than I already had."

Duty's a funny thing, he thinks. Hard to let go of.