Alex isn't going to comment on the disarray of the superhero outfit. He probably had to go fight crime or something and hasn't had time to wash it. Being a hero is a lot of work; he's kind of amazed Steve isn't more tired or grumpy after dealing with criminals and aliens and maybe vampires or something. (He makes a mental note to ask Steve what kind of bad guys he's fought later, when he feels better.)
"Uh-huh. He's a neuroscientist. Sometimes he guest lectures at universities and stuff; he's kind of a big deal back home. I mean, he doesn't think so, but I think he's just mad at himself that he can't fix me." His dad is a complicated person. There's a lot of perfectionism there, which Alex gets because he can get that way, too. At the same time, it's not like his dad hasn't helped him out a lot as is.
He smiles weakly, trying to downplay the growing agony in his skull. Alex has spent a lot of his life telling people it's okay, usually when it isn't. "I've been dealing with this stuff since I was seven. So you don't have to worry about me - I'm used to it. My mom says I'm 'tiny but tough'." He always groans at her that he's not tiny, he's just overdue for a growth spurt, but it's that last word that's most important. "Cocoa is okay if there's not caffeine in it. Thanks for helping me out. I'm sorry if I worried you. I'll be okay, really."
He's not about to explain what caffeine does to him since 1. it's weird and 2. he wants to look cool in front of an honest-to-God real life superhero, but the implication that it'd mess with him is still pretty clear. And he's definitely not about to explain that being okay can be more of a temporary state of being than anything, not when Steve already looks super concerned.
no subject
"Uh-huh. He's a neuroscientist. Sometimes he guest lectures at universities and stuff; he's kind of a big deal back home. I mean, he doesn't think so, but I think he's just mad at himself that he can't fix me." His dad is a complicated person. There's a lot of perfectionism there, which Alex gets because he can get that way, too. At the same time, it's not like his dad hasn't helped him out a lot as is.
He smiles weakly, trying to downplay the growing agony in his skull. Alex has spent a lot of his life telling people it's okay, usually when it isn't. "I've been dealing with this stuff since I was seven. So you don't have to worry about me - I'm used to it. My mom says I'm 'tiny but tough'." He always groans at her that he's not tiny, he's just overdue for a growth spurt, but it's that last word that's most important. "Cocoa is okay if there's not caffeine in it. Thanks for helping me out. I'm sorry if I worried you. I'll be okay, really."
He's not about to explain what caffeine does to him since 1. it's weird and 2. he wants to look cool in front of an honest-to-God real life superhero, but the implication that it'd mess with him is still pretty clear. And he's definitely not about to explain that being okay can be more of a temporary state of being than anything, not when Steve already looks super concerned.