"Yup, just fine." Kae started to chop up some vegetables. "Just thought I'd get dinner started."

"Uh huh," Elaine said as she listened to Kae chopping things with more force than usual. "I know bullshit when I hear it."

"I should know better than to take anything Tony says seriously. Or personally." Kae paused for a moment. "Even when he's hauling me out of his lab."

"What did he say?" Elaine asked. Whatever it was, it had upset Kae, she could tell.

"He said I was a liability to his lab and I wasn't allowed in." Kae grimaced. "Very loudly. And repeatedly. While towing me out of the lab by my arm."

Elaine pressed her lips together and debated going to get her cane. She knew her way around the inside of the tower by now, so she didn't usually need her cane anymore, but this once she was willing to take it from 'seeing things stick' to 'hitting Stark stick'.

Kae shrugged after a few moments. "It's fine though. I mean he's just worried about his stuff." She went back to chopping veggies with notably less force.

"It's not fine," Elaine repeated. "He shouldn't be saying things like that to you." Mind made up, she went back into the other room. Marching over to the couch, she listened carefully for the hum of the tiny ARC reactor before reaching out and smacking Tony in the head.

Tony swore and nearly dropped his drink. "Hey! What the hell was that for?" He ducked away from her, glowering at her even though he knew it wouldn't help. Kae just turned to watch, hovering somewhere between amused and aggravated.

"If you have to ask what it was for, Tony, you're not as smart as you think you are," Elaine replied.

Tony frowned at her and then tried a diversionary tactic. "Okay, fine, how did you get over here and hit me so squarely in the head? Unless you suddenly miraculously got your vision back and you're just not telling us."

"Tony, your reactor makes noise," Elaine pointed out. "I told you that before."

"Yes but that does not necessarily make for accurate aiming." Tony rubbed his head, even though it didn't actually hurt.

"Diversionary tactic failed, Tony," Elaine said. "Just let it be known you deserved it."

Tony huffed and his eyes narrowed but he didn't actually say anything else, just watching her go and trying to figure out what he'd done wrong.

Bruce watched the entire exchange and sighed. May as well help Tony out a bit.

"Tony," he said, "what exactly did you say to Kae earlier?"

"That she needed to get out of my lab." Tony frowned at Bruce. "You agreed about that too!"

"That's not what upset her, though," Bruce pointed out. "Try to recall exactly the words you used."

Tony was quiet for a moment before he blinked. "Oh." His voice was quiet. "I guess that was... a little harsher than necessary."

"And what do you think you should do now?" Bruce prodded. Honestly, sometimes talking to Tony was like talking to a small child.

"Make it up to her somehow?" Tony shrugged. There weren't many people that mattered enough to him that he felt he had to try to make it up to them when he pissed them off. "Maybe I should get her a kitten. I bet she'd like a kitten. Think she'd like a kitten?"

"Try an apology first," Bruce suggested, giving Tony something of a Look. "And you can't possibly think a cat is a good idea."

"Sure it is! Why not? Don't all women like small furry animals? I know Peps does." Tony looked at Bruce, blithely ignoring the suggestion to apologize. Because he was Tony Stark. He did NOT just apologize to people.

"Tony, a cat isn't a good idea," Bruce said firmly. "They demand things like care and attention. And they don't like to share those things. A lot like you, really. What is a good idea is apologizing to your cousin."

Tony pouted. "Can't you do that for me?" he whined. "You two are already all close and snuggly and stuff."