"Adolf Hitler," Adam says, as if Z is very stupid.

"We were going to go with Adam." 

"...Adam's a pretty good name. But you can pick another one whenever."

"I want to be named Laser T. Rex Universe."

"...alright, Laser T. Rex Universe." 

These are good people.

"Yeah. You know what's up, Laser."

"Do you like cartoons?"

"I totally do. I spent like a week binging My Little Pony once."

NO SHAME.

(He's curled up against Marlo's shoulder, face turned down, as quiet as he can be.) 

"Do you want to watch cartoons with me?"

"...honestly? Nothing I want more."

He settles in next to him, and tries to forget about everything else.

Laser T. Rex Universe sits in Z's lap!

"This is the SECOND CARTOON I have seen in my WHOLE ENTIRE LIFE."

"Fu––wow, really?"

"And afterward I am going to have pancakes and then get tortured."

"...nobody's gonna torture you, kid. Promise."

"My programs were right about the sky being really big and planes existing so I think they're right that if the Avengers ever catch me they would torture me."

"You are not going to get tortured." He has an arm around Sasha's shoulders. 

"They also said you would lie to me but it's okay because I like cartoons."

"...okay, listen."

He looks down at him.

"If any of these guys tries to torture you, I'm gonna kill them."

"...Pinky swear?"

He hooks his pinky in Laser's.

"I'll even bite an ear off."

He very solemnly pinky swears with Z.

"Okay. Let's watch Amethyst eat a burrito, yeah?"

"What's a burrito?"

"...oh, no."

He looks around the room, horrified.

"Okay, listen – burritos are delicious food wrapped in a tortilla, and sometimes they have sauce on them, and I'm gonna get you one as soon as we're not on a plane."