"I know," Gene says, nodding wearily. "I know, I'll...keep trying, I swear."

He lets out a heavy sigh. "I should have told you before. I was being a coward, like I'd said. I..." His voice breaks, and he swallows hard. "You shouldn't trust me. I haven't earned that back, I haven't earned the right to be trusted. What I did was wrong, and I hurt you."

When Tony says that he still intends to hold to what he'd said in the Dreaming, there's a lump in Gene's throat, and he turns his head away slightly, looking down so Tony won't be able to see the tears pricking at his eyes. "But I just keep hurting you," he says lamely.