"Hello class. You've probably found out by now, but I guess I should introduce myself anyway. I'm Doctor Bruce Banner, your guest speaker for the week."

Half the class erupted into whispers. Bruce sighed tiredly.

"Yeah, I'm also in the Avengers. I'm sure you all know the… Other Guy." A rare, playful smirk graced his features. "Listen attentively and don't get me angry. You won't like me when I'm angry." The students chuckled nervously, and the doctor began his lesson by writing on the whiteboard.

He smiled to himself, writing distractedly. He had finally found a job, one that he liked, where his being part of a superhero team would not interfere.

Turning back to the classroom, the man's smile only grew broader. Nothing could mess this up for him.

His grin fell abruptly.

Except Iron Man hovering just outside the window.

Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose with an annoyed groan. Before the class could question his sudden personality change, the peculiar clunking sound of metal footsteps was heard across the hall, and their door was flung open with vigor.

"Hey, kids!" The suited form of Tony Stark walked confidently into the room. "…Huh. You weren't joking about the whole teaching thing. I expected them to be much younger, though."

"Tony, just what – you do realize this is a university, right?" Bruce asked, incredulous.

"Meh. They all look the same to me."

Some of the students smiled, as others rolled their eyes. Most, however, stared at the red-and-gold armor in awe and admiration, as well as gazed on in anticipation at the unfolding scene. Two Avengers were in the room, and so the students awaited the inevitable, important news concerning the fate of New York.

"Tony, what are you doing here?" The doctor struggled to keep his calm voice from breaking into a hiss. Tony, however, was oblivious to his friend's inner turmoil, and sauntered across the classroom, raising his faceplate in the process. He stood behind a few (madly blushing) female students and scanned their notebooks.

"Gamma rays, huh? Nobody knows them like Bruce, that's for sure. You could say he lives on 'em. Kinda like how I live on my gorgeous looks and ability to make any girl swoon." To prove his point, he winked at the woman nearest him, who ducked her head in order to keep her increasingly red face from being seen by her peers. "See what I mean, kiddos—"

The class simultaneously jumped at the loud boom of Bruce slamming his hands on his desk. Tony blinked at his friend, who was currently directing a green-eyed glare at the metal-suited man, and shrugged.

"Okay, I can tell when I'm not wanted." He began a slow, noisy stride toward the front of the class, skillfully placing business cards onto students' desks along the way. The metal boots stopped before the doctor, and the class was plunged into a nightmarish silence.

Tony stared down his teammate, before adding seriously. "Look, I'm sorry for disrupting your little class and all, but we've got an hour to take down a horde of plant monsters in Central Park before they multiply like third grade math." Before Bruce could protest, Tony held up a hand and continued, "I've already planned and rescheduled an extra day for you to teach here, but as for now, you're relieved of your duties," he turned to the students, "and class is out. The rest of the team is ready and waiting outside, and this isn't a fight we can win at half strength. We need everybody in on this. In other words…

"…Suit up."


This was probably the first semi-serious fanfiction I wrote, back in 2012. Hope it's legible!