Office Hours, Monday

[screwyoumarvel]

Steve was holding a special set of office hours this Monday, the better to lecture the hell out of at least one teenage costumed hero. Possibly two, if that blonde girl showed up, but he didn't know who she was and was pretty sure she hadn't known who was behind the Captain America uniform, so he wasn't really betting on that one.

But if Tony Stark didn't show he'd go and find him.

((NFB due to sekrit identities, please!))

Comments

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

Like almost sending a train into a crowded intersection? Oops.

"I can't just stop," Tony replied, gripping the arms of the chair. "I know this isn't a game and that I can really get hurt. I figured that out when someone killed my dad in a plane crash. But I can't just let--people get away with this."

He was using emphasis, Steve. Fear him!

[screwyoumarvel]

"You could die," Steve told him. "And you can't do anything, or fix anything, if you're dead."

Barring certain circumstances, conditions may vary, consult your universe's rules.

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

"I should be dead now," Tony snapped. "But I'm not."

Familiar issues? Maaaaaybe.

[screwyoumarvel]

"So, what, you've decided to court death?"

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

"No, I've decided to do something to protect what I have left."

By recklessly placing himself in danger. WAIT UNTIL HE MEETS THE HULK.

[screwyoumarvel]

"By dressing up in a robot suit and going off half-cocked and getting yourself killed."

Don't ask how Steve knew Tony was going off half-cocked. He just did. He knew Tony Starks too well to expect anything else.

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

"I've done just fine so far." A beat. "Other than the A.I.M. thing."

[screwyoumarvel]

"Uh-huh," Steve said, totally not buying that for a moment.

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

Damn it. "I'm getting better."

[screwyoumarvel]

"Uh-huh," Steve said again.

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

"Well, it's not like I'm expecting crazy guys in weird costumes to show up." He came from a normal wor--ahahahaha. Oh, oh man. Almost managed to type that.

[screwyoumarvel]

Steve almost went with 'uh-huh,' again, willing to let Tony talk himself into a corner, but he couldn't resist pointing out, "You thought that once you had a costume no one else could?"

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

"...I don't really think I started the trend, to be honest," Tony replied. "S.H.I.E.L.D. has been following the Tong for years and that Mandarin guy has mentions way back when I was a kid."

Which he wasn't anymore. He was an adult. Yes.

[screwyoumarvel]

"You're still a kid, Tony."

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

"I'm a kid as much as you're just a teacher."

[screwyoumarvel]

"You're a kid, and I'm a teacher," Steve said calmly. "I never said I was just a teacher. I am, however, a whole lot older than you."

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

"And I'm smarter." Not winning any arguments here, Tony.

[screwyoumarvel]

"Then start acting like it."

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

"By doing what you say?"

[screwyoumarvel]

"Yes, actually." Steve? Not an idiot.

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

"No."

And Tony was a teenager. Deal with it.

[screwyoumarvel]

"Why? Because I'm an adult so I'm wrong?"

Yes, Tony's being a teenager was the whole point of this discussion.

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

"No, you're wrong because you don't know best for me and I really don't have to listen to you."

YOU'RE NOT HIS REAL DAD.

[screwyoumarvel]

"And that's where you're wrong," Steve begged to disagree. "You do have to listen to me. I'm your teacher. And I do know what's best for you because I know what I'm talking about. I have been around this block a few times. When I say, 'you could die,' what I mean is, 'I have seen kids die.'" Bucky. "And I know you in three different universes now."

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

"And could you have stopped either of the other two me's?"