[Gene smiles. It's less a smile than a wounded animal baring its teeth, but the rictus could potentially pass for a smile. In the dark. To someone blind.]

That's a start, [he says, getting to his feet. But yeah, Tony...never gonna happen. You wouldn't give up your armor, would you? Nah. Didn't think so.] I'm going to need it back later. When...when it's time to fight what we were brought here to fight. We're going to need all the firepower we can get.

But I can't have it right now, [he says, far less shakily than he did before.] I can't handle that kind of power the way I am now. You've seen the proof yourself, [he says nastily.] I'm working on it. I have people who are helping me. [The 'which is more than you ever did' is wisely left unsaid.]