The lab was quiet. Bruce and Y/N were each occupied with their own tasks. He was cleaning some test tubes, while Y/N was engrossed in a new book. It was nice.
“Hey, Y/N!” It was nice. Y/N turned to see Tony strutting through the lab doors looking like a man on a mission.
“Yes, Stark?” She turned her attention back to her book. Bruce merely glanced up from his work to acknowledge his friend’s presence.
“So, here’s the thing.” Tony pulled up a stool and sat next to her, plopping down a donut box. She glanced up at him over her glasses before resuming her reading. Propping his chin on his fists he leaned his arms on the table. “I’ve been having a little problem deciding something and I was hoping that you could solve it.”
“Hm.” She gave a barely perceptible nod.
“Who do you think is the sexiest avenger?”
“That’s what you spend your time thinking about?” She looked up at him and reached her hand into the box for a donut.
“Come on, Duchess, treat it like a serious question.”
“Well,” She pulled off her glasses and closed her eyes, taking a bite. “That depends on several variables.”
“Such as?” Tony inclined his head towards her in interest. They were now long gone to the world, absorbed in the mathematics of it.
“First, from a male or female perspective? Second, do you want an objective statistical answer, or my subjective opinion? And third, person or persona?”
“From the female perspective, objective fact, and person.” She pulled a face at his use of ‘objective fact’.
“Well, objectively, and from the research I’ve conducted on this,”
“You’ve seriously researched this?” Tony’s eyes lit.
“It’s Y/N, she researches everything.” Bruce cut in, pretending not to be interested in the second-hand conversation he was witnessing.
“As I was saying,” Y/N gave Tony a look. “Steve Rogers.”
“Your subjective opinion.” She fought a smirk at how quickly he had decided he didn’t like that answer.
“Oh, that’s easy.” Y/N turned her attention back to her book. “Bruce Banner.” The distinct sound of clattering glass could be heard from across the room. Tony’s eyebrows shot up and he whirled around to look at his friend. Bruce stood there staring at everything and nothing at once while trying to find something to do with his hands.
“Banner?” He jerked his thumb towards the poor man. Y/N merely nodded and continued reading. Tony stared at her, attempting to will her into looking up at him and giving him a reasoning. When she didn’t, he stood and wiped his hands off on his pants.
“Now,” Y/N drawled out slowly. Tony turned to look at her with renewed interest. “If you had asked who I personally thought had the sexiest persona, I’d have said Iron Man.” Putting down her book she gave him a sideways glance. He just stood there blinking for a moment, processing what she’d said. With a chuckle Y/N gathered up her book and left the lab before either of them could come back to their senses.