[ does it seem fair enough? in another context, maybe, but tony doesn’t want to too easily agree with anyone that hasn’t proven themselves to him. ]

Neither, duh. I don’t want to give it to some lady I don’t know, but I don’t want to be responsible for a bunch of people I don’t care about, either.

[ which is part of the problem he sees in going to meridian—that would be bringing back a lot of people he doesn’t care about, and who actively disdain his existence. neither move seems like the best one here. ]