"How'd it go?" Natasha glanced over from the spot in front of the TV.
"He's talking to me."
"Talking? Just talking? Is that it?" Natasha scoffed. "Noob."
"It's a start. I need to work my way into his mind. He's deceptive, we all know that."
Thor stood. "I should speak with him. He is my responsibility."
"No no no, not wise." Steve placed a hand on Thor and eased him back down onto his seat. The seat quivered at the weight.
"You're the big red button, big guy. Arms rule: we don't pull out the big guns" Tony squeezed his arm, "until we have to."
"What's the next move?" Hawkeye was recalibrating his bow delicately.
"I'll go back tomorrow and try to go deeper. Odin's court will be harsh on him, but we have to know the truth. I mean, aliens? Government agents the world over as overrun with work now. Why attack Earth's population when he wanted to rule over it?"
"Good question" Bruce added although he hadn't moved an inch for about an hour. He was staring at his hands.
"Maybe he thought we wouldn't put up a fight?" Steve shrugged.
"Why bring an army if you're not gonna use it?" Natasha countered.
"Show of numbers." Steve rebuffed.
"There is an answer, I can feel it." Tony pondered with palms pressed together.
"You think there's something else up his sleeve?" Bruce said with minimal interest.
"I don't trust our victory. It felt too easy."
"We outnumbered him." Thor added sadly.
"Numbers don't mean shit. I'm just worried he outsmarted us."
Thor laughed. "My brother is many things, but long-sighted is not among them. He underestimated human forces. Given the Asgardian education of historical human incompetence, I'm hardly surprised."
"He's smarter than you." Tony shot back.
"What are you proclaiming, Midgardian?"
"You don't underestimate humans. It seems like too big of a glaring omission for him. I dunno... I'm uneasy and I don't like it."
"Tony Stark with his feathers ruffled. Someone tell the papers." Natasha remarked droll.
"I could be wrong-"
The team gave him incredulous looks. "Who are you and what have you done with the real Tony?" Bruce analyzed from afar. Hawkeye raised his bow to Tony's direction in warning.
"I hope I'm wrong, is what I meant to say. Can it really be that simple? Does no one find anything wrong with that?"
Bruce walked over in understanding and put an arm around Tony. "Trouble with people like us Tony, we search our whole lives for complicated answers. We crave them after a while. We need them. But our feelings on the subject are clouded by the very intelligence we rely on. You've gotta remember, some things really are that simple. And people especially. People can really be that dumb."
"He's a God."
"Frost Giant."
"He's immortal" Thor added.
"He's a God then" Tony replied.
"Gods are people too, Tony." Bruce half-hugged him.
"I dunno."
"Live with the uncertainty. Relish the simple answers. The universe is full of them." He peered at his hand again.
"I need to think. I'll be in my lab." Tony always shuffled off to his land of metal and code where everything was simply and nothing hurt, when he needed some thinking space.
"Great, I'll come with you." Bruce grimaced.
Tony knew he was only coming along to prevent ruminating.
Steve narrated as they walked out of the living room "Science Bros, off on another daring adventure." The team sniggered. Thor was playing with Hawkeye's phone. Natasha switched off Supernanny and went to lie down. She hadn't felt right knowing Loki was nearby, after he'd threatened her. Skills in fighting were useless against spirits and magic.