[He snorts like she's said something funny, and it's the bitter edge on it that keeps it from sounding properly amused by the idea. Jason's no Peter Parker. He shows his age less in his concern over his civilian life (what civilian life) and more in the way he defaults too sharply back to defensive, shows his teeth more than warranted at the offered advice.]
You get that one out of a fortune cookie, sensei?
[Wow, for a guy who'd been bitter about a lack of transparency, he sure is touchy about the opposite, too. But apparently he'll bite.]
How's that approach been working out?
[He reads the network—even if he wasn't on Zeta-12 during Tony's little Avengers advertisement, he's seen it after his little side-mission had wrapped up—but even then, connecting point A(venger) to point B(lack Widow) isn't a leap he's going to make without actual grounds. Still, she did say "us," that's enough admission on certain professional levels to put it out in the open. (So much for letting the plausible deniability stand on that guess. His feelings on the hero kind of thing are complicated.)]
you're a far stronger soul than I
You get that one out of a fortune cookie, sensei?
[Wow, for a guy who'd been bitter about a lack of transparency, he sure is touchy about the opposite, too. But apparently he'll bite.]
How's that approach been working out?
[He reads the network—even if he wasn't on Zeta-12 during Tony's little Avengers advertisement, he's seen it after his little side-mission had wrapped up—but even then, connecting point A(venger) to point B(lack Widow) isn't a leap he's going to make without actual grounds. Still, she did say "us," that's enough admission on certain professional levels to put it out in the open. (So much for letting the plausible deniability stand on that guess. His feelings on the hero kind of thing are complicated.)]