Cogman shot him a look. Cogman seemed surprised that Steve was the disruption and let it slide. Man, new guys got all the luck.

"The minute that guy showed up he took charge of this place, and I haven't seen the principal since," Tony pointed out, "I can't even remember his name."

"Are you one of those conspiracy theorists?" Steve sounded amused.

"No." Tony scowled. "I'm just saying it's suspicious, is all."

"He's probably just very efficient."

"He's weird. Have you talked him yet?"

"In passing."

"Talk for more than a minute, and I guarantee he'll find a way to work his signed Cap cards into the conversation."

Steve made a strangled sort of noise as he tried not to laugh.

"I'm serious! He actually got that yutz sign them, god knows how—"

"Did you just call Captain America a yutz?" Steve was staring at him now, and Tony suddenly found himself rather self-conscious in a way he hadn't been in a long time.

"Uh." Steve's stare was more surprised than are-you-mental, thankfully. "I don't know, I figure you kind of have to be to run around in red white and blue tights for a living."

Steve gave a startled laugh, clapping a hand over his mouth when Cogman turned to him with narrowed eyes.

"Something to share, Mr. Robinson?" Cogman raised an eyebrow.

"No, sir." Steve ducked his head, blushing from the tips of his ears all the way down the back of his neck. Tony wondered how far down it went.

"Phineas is fine." Cogman gave a satisfied little nod, though he still seemed suspicious.

Tony didn't like the look he was giving Steve though, all disappointed and critical. Steve looked upset by it, like he'd done some great wrong, and Tony figured the least he could do was try and get that look off Steve's face.

"Phineas, dear?" Tony raised his hand. "I have a question."

"That's Mr. Cogman to you, Stark," Cogman informed him crisply.

"Are you picking favorites here, Phinny?"

"Yes. My favorite is everyone in this room whose name doesn't begin with Tony and end with Stark."

"Now, see, I feel…" Tony glanced down at the bullying pamphlet he'd been handed at the beginning of the meeting. "A decreased sense of self-esteem, the urge for self-destructive behavior, lack of interest in my daily life…yep, I'm definitely being bullied here. I'd better report it to a teacher or other responsible adult. Psst, Steve!"

"Yes, Tony?" Steve sighed, trying to look disapproving, but Tony could see the hint of a smile playing on the corner of his lips.

"I need to repor—ow!"

"Go on, Phineas." Pepper smiled innocently at Cogman while Tony rubbed his shin and swore.

"Good to see you've been paying attention to the bullying protocols, at least." Cogman gave an irritated sigh, "Now, if we could all refocus our attention—"

Tony sullenly zoned out for the rest the meeting, which was fine, because he'd already gotten the highlight: Steve turning in his seat just enough to shoot Tony an amused, grateful smile. When the meeting was finally over, Tony stretched his back until it gave a satisfying pop, then caught up with Steve. He slung an arm around the man's ridiculously broad shoulders as they all headed out to the parking lot.

"Woohoo, Drunk Friday here wee!"

"Drunk Friday?" Steve raised an eyebrow at him, but didn't shrug off his arm.

"Well, yeah." Clark sidled up next to them, Natalie and Pepper one step behind. "Your BFF Stark didn't tell you? Every Friday, to celebrate making it through yet another week of high school hell, we get smashed!"

"Well, Clark and I get smashed," Tony amended, "Pep's our designated driver and Nat drinks us under the table, then they vent about our idiotic antics while we roll around on the floor trying to remember how to work our legs."

"Best part of the job." Clark grinned.

"Agreed." Natalie smirked.

"Only thing keeping me sane." Pepper sighed, though Tony could see the tell-tale twitch of an amused smile.

"But I can't get dru—" Steve started, then stopped speaking abruptly.

"What?" Tony raised an eyebrow. Steve was making a face like he'd swallowed a fly, and Natalie and Clark were both giving Steve A Look. "Hey, what's that? What's the look for, are you okay?"

"Yep, sure, let's go, where are we going, have I mentioned I don't know where we're going or how to get there?" Steve was talking at lightning pace, and Tony wondered if this was what it was like for other people to be around him.

"Slow your roll honeybear, you can ride with us. We all carpool with Pepper on Fridays so we can get drunk anyway." Tony just laughed, gesturing to Pepper's car.

They all slid in, Pepper and Natalie up front, Clark squeezed against the window with Steve in the middle.

"The fuck, man?"Clark grouched. "How big are those muscles of yours? I can barely breathe over here."

"I can take my motorcycle, it's fine, I'm not going to drink—" Steve started, but Tony just rolled his eyes and didn't let him out.

"Don't be ridiculous, hell yeah you're gonna drink, it's your first week! Clark's a grown man—sometimes." Tony snorted. "He'll get over having the window seat every once in a while."

"I see how it is, a hot piece of asses along and you just throw me under the bus," Clark grumbled. Steve flushed bright red, likely at the hot piece of assment, and Tony just chuckled; how was it possible for a grown man to be so freaking adorable?

"Don't be jealous, muffin." Tony patted Clark's hand in reply. "You're still the one I'll be singing 80's songs with at the top of my lungs until they kick us out."

"You know it, princess." Clark gave a grudging smirk.

"So how was your first week, Steve?" Pepper asked as she started up the car.

"Counting down the days til retirement yet?" Tony grinned.

"Not exactly." Steve chuckled. "Are you?"

"Nah. Even without my SI stocks I'm loaded, just not billionaire loaded. I could retire whenever, but I've got to find some way to spend my days, don't I?"

"What's SI?" Steve questioned.

"StarkIndustries?" Pepper raised an eyebrow at Steve in the mirror.

"The number one weapons developer in America. It funds numerous military programs." Natalie informed Steve drily from the front seat. "Such as SHIELD."

"Oh, right." Steve blinked. He had a thoughtful little frown on his face, like he was piecing something together. "Wait, StarkIndustries? Is that yourpany?"

"Was, past tense." Tony faltered, glancing over at Steve. "Had a bad experience. Steve, do you not know who I am?"

"Um. Tony Stark?"

"No, I mean…had you not heard of me before we met in my classroom?"

"You know, you're really not as famous as you think you are—" Clark seemed eager to intervene, but Tony shushed him.

"Oh please, yes I am."

"You've really never heard of StarkIndustries?" Pepper narrowed her eyes at Steve, and Tony recognized that look all too well. It was Pepper's I Am Suspicious Of Your Intent look.

"Relax, Pep, he's not some corporate spy out to assassinate me. Those days are over, remember?" Tony reassured her.

"He is Amish," Clint interjected again to remind them both.

"Yes, Amish." Steve looked ufortable. "Is it a bad thing, that I don't know?"

Tony did feel mildly bad about making Steve feel self-conscious about the whole Amish thing—Steve had explained during one of their talks that it was just how he'd been raised, it wasn't like he'd had a choice—but any guilt was currently buried under a massive amount of something damn close to euphoria. Tony had never run into someone who hadn't at least heard of him. He was so used topensating for people's prior opinions and navigating expectations, it was second nature.

He knew there was a reason he'd liked Steve so damn much.

"No!" Tony answered hastily, "Not a bad thing. It's a good thing, a great thing. Don't feel bad, seriously, this is awesome. Just don't go researching me or anything."

"Why?"

Something about the way Steve asked it was…not innocent, exactly, but earnest. Tony could tell he honestly didn't know, and he decided immediately that he liked it better that way.

"Let's just say it's not often I get to make a real first impression."

"If you say so." Steve seemed amused by Tony's general existence at this point, and Tony aimed to keep it that way.

Could it really be possible that this man didn't know a thing about him? That this perfect, funny, eous man had just appeared out of nowhere and seemed to genuinely like him for reasons that had nothing to with money, fame, or reputation? There had to be a catch. There was always a catch, but Tony found himself putting his overactive paranoia to the back of his mind just this once.

Just this once, he let himself hope instead.

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