"Okay, don't swear at the AI please, you'll hurt her feelings. I was out on lunch break when they grabbed me. Knew I shouldn't have given in to the siren call of the taco truck."

The jokes were flat. Tony was busy thinking. He moved his hand up to Peter's forehead. It was clammy but warm.

"I can't stop you from going out there, kid. And I'm smart enough not to try, because it'll just piss you off more in the end, and it won't work, and I'll end up remodeling another building."

He dropped his head to rest his chin on the crown of Peter's head.

"But at least promise me you won't do it alone. You don't have the experience yet. Take someone. Okay? Promise me."