Tony's brow twitched.
"Uncle?"
"Yeah."
"Your uncle is better than you?"
Ian looked at him, as if seriously considering how to answer that question.
"He's the closest thing to omniscient and omnipotent out of everyone I know. He can infer whatever secret you're hiding from the smallest detail, know what you're going to say before you open your mouth, force you into a corner and still make you feel like you walked there yourself. He can even defeat God."
It obviously sounded like bragging, but it was also an indispensable part of goading someone.
Tony leaned back in his chair and folded his arms.
"Your uncle defeated God? Which God?"
He clearly didn't believe it.
"Can you use a lie detector? I'll prove it to you!"
Ian's tone was utterly certain.
Tony fell silent for a moment, then gave a very soft laugh. "No need. Next time there's a chance, have your uncle come over. I'd like to meet this relative who can even defeat God."
He still didn't know that the uncle Ian mentioned wasn't in this universe.
Tony stood in front of the workbench, head lowered, turning a screwdriver in his hand as if he were still thinking about their conversation just now. A few seconds passed before he spoke.
"Drop the goading. I'll look into the time travel thing." He didn't raise his head, his tone casual. "But I can't guarantee results."
Ian looked at him.
"Treat it like it matters."
At that, Tony's fingers paused. He lifted his head and looked at Ian with the kind of gaze one used on someone being a little unreasonable.
"I said I'll look into it."
His tone was helpless.
"Treat it like it matters," Ian repeated, his tone a little heavier than before. It wasn't urging so much as