As soon as Steve gives him an indication of what he wants- better yet a direct place- Tony pulls out his own phone so he can start working up an order. "So, enough pasta to feed an army?" Teasing him just lightly where it would feel nice to fall into their usual cadence. He's feeling highly out of sorts and it at least gives him something to do. Something to put his immediate focus on. Ordering food is a small thing but it'll at least get them on the road to somewhere.
That is at least until Steve offers him his phone to look at. It's a small gesture. Incredibly small, and he doesn't even have to do it. He could just tell Tony he asked and Tony would believe him, regardless of anything that just happened. But Steve offers anyway and that too soothes Tony's nerves if only a little. It might also be no secret that he can't help himself, scrolls up a little because he's just nosey, until another text comes in.
Her asking why. Something he stares at for a little longer than he means to. Very suddenly he's handing Steve back his phone. In a rush, "I don't know what to tell her, but not this. Not yet. Please." Not that he has to beg Steve for anything but some part of him is very quickly feeling a clawing desperation. There's nothing he can do about this yet, is there? So no one else should know. Except maybe he could. There's no guidebook to how to handle a situation like this.
What does one do when they're alerted their parents death was actually a murder? Should he put out a statement? Does he alert the company? He doesn't have any family left, not like that, so there's no one personal that should be told. Maybe Rhodey...
It's all such a mess and before he realizes it for what it is, he feels that black pit of grief and sadness slam into him full force. "I don't want- I don't want to keep secrets from the team, about what we're doing, if we do it. I just- I don't know what to say about it yet." He tries to steady his expression, school it into something neutral, but as he goes back to his own phone to try and go through and order food, his eyes, ever open and expressive, give just about everything away. The menu eventually fades into as much background noise as the rest of it and he's left staring at his phone.
He doesn't know what to do yet, but he always figures it out. This time won't be any different, right?
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That is at least until Steve offers him his phone to look at. It's a small gesture. Incredibly small, and he doesn't even have to do it. He could just tell Tony he asked and Tony would believe him, regardless of anything that just happened. But Steve offers anyway and that too soothes Tony's nerves if only a little. It might also be no secret that he can't help himself, scrolls up a little because he's just nosey, until another text comes in.
Her asking why. Something he stares at for a little longer than he means to. Very suddenly he's handing Steve back his phone. In a rush, "I don't know what to tell her, but not this. Not yet. Please." Not that he has to beg Steve for anything but some part of him is very quickly feeling a clawing desperation. There's nothing he can do about this yet, is there? So no one else should know. Except maybe he could. There's no guidebook to how to handle a situation like this.
What does one do when they're alerted their parents death was actually a murder? Should he put out a statement? Does he alert the company? He doesn't have any family left, not like that, so there's no one personal that should be told. Maybe Rhodey...
It's all such a mess and before he realizes it for what it is, he feels that black pit of grief and sadness slam into him full force. "I don't want- I don't want to keep secrets from the team, about what we're doing, if we do it. I just- I don't know what to say about it yet." He tries to steady his expression, school it into something neutral, but as he goes back to his own phone to try and go through and order food, his eyes, ever open and expressive, give just about everything away. The menu eventually fades into as much background noise as the rest of it and he's left staring at his phone.
He doesn't know what to do yet, but he always figures it out. This time won't be any different, right?