She can't hear that agony in his voice and not try to mitigate it; she moves forward the same step he'd taken back, stubbornly holding his gaze. "Okay. Let's break this down. If it's not about what you think you deserve, then it's one of two things:
"One, you think maybe you'll try to kill me again. Or two, you want to punish yourself for all those sins HYDRA heaped on you, the things you did and can't change. Which is it?"
She advances on him slowly, like he's a wounded stray as likely to bite her from fear as listen to her voice. "I'm in no position to tell you or anyone not to feel guilty, and I know that even if I don't blame you, you blame yourself. I'm just – asking you to see it the way I do. Just for a second."
no subject
She can't hear that agony in his voice and not try to mitigate it; she moves forward the same step he'd taken back, stubbornly holding his gaze. "Okay. Let's break this down. If it's not about what you think you deserve, then it's one of two things:
"One, you think maybe you'll try to kill me again. Or two, you want to punish yourself for all those sins HYDRA heaped on you, the things you did and can't change. Which is it?"
She advances on him slowly, like he's a wounded stray as likely to bite her from fear as listen to her voice. "I'm in no position to tell you or anyone not to feel guilty, and I know that even if I don't blame you, you blame yourself. I'm just – asking you to see it the way I do. Just for a second."