p • r • e • s • s • u • r • e

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"What?"

"Or," Bruce holds out his hands, "or, you could just flag him down like a normal person."

Tony shudders at the thought.

But then...

The scientist holds out his hand and the waiter, talking to customers at a table a few feet away, walks up to them.

"Can I get you anything?"

"Yeah, can you get him some more orange juice?"

The redhead nods and asks if there's anything else they need, then retreating back to the hidden world behind the swinging double-hinged doors.

"Was that so hard?" Bruce feels as if he's talking to a child.

"It's scary..." he mumbles. Mostly just as a joke. Mostly.

"So I've been thinking-thank you," he says to the waiter, and hands Tony his orange juice.

"I've been thinking that maybe, we should put retroreflection panels on the Quinjet."

"No..."

"Yes, Tony. It's time."

"But they're ugly. Besides-I told you, I would figure something else out."

"Yeah but you haven't."

"Not yet-but I'll get around to it."

"In the meantime, we run the risk of being harassed by the local government wherever we go, or being tailed, or being shot at-"

"We have shields for that," Tony interjects, taking a shaky sip of juice.

Bruce opens his mouth to speak, then narrows his eyes.

"Tony, when did you last eat?"

He breathes, holds it in, and lets the air erupt slowly through pursed lips.

"Uh.."

The scientist pinches the bridge of his nose.

"Fantastic. Just...great."

Tony looks genuinely sad.

"No, wait-I had that pancake thing."

"You threw it all up."

"'Still ate it."

"Doesn't count."

"Okay...I had a banana yesterday."

"Also doesn't count. I mean a meal."

"Well, I guess it's been a few days, then."

"Tony you gotta stop."

"In my defence, I snack all the time."

"No you don't."

"I actually do. JARVIS, tell him."

"Not really, sir," his glasses say.

"Wh-you're supposed to be on my side, J."

"Respectfully sir, so are you."

Tony shrugs at that, shrinking back when Bruce shoves a piece of the newly-arrived calamari in his mouth.

"Bruce, I'm gonna throw up again."

"I know, so just take it slow."

The scientist swirls a piece in the marinara sauce.

"So how's your family?"

Bruce freezes.

"My what?"

"Your family, Bruce."