The car jerks as it hits a pot hole in the carpark, an old one, maybe as old as the building itself… it had certainly been here longer than he had. Tony winces as the unwanted shift in momentum, his whole body aching with the pain from last night.

The Wrecking Crew had decided to attack a large bank, again, there was nothing to be said for the originality of villains like these. The Avengers had been called in to handle them. The battle was longwinded. Not for any talent on the Wrecking Crews part, but their strength and unwillingness to give in. He had taken quite a few heavy hits in the Iron Man armor… and he was feeling it.

He parks the car in his spot, does a quick check of his appearance in the rear-view mirror and then gets out with a groan. He quickly grabs his briefcase from the backseat and swiftly makes for the building, locking his car behind him.

Tony takes the steps of the school two at a time. He was late to work again. Whenever he is called out on Avengers business he is always late to work the next day. No matter how loud or obnoxious the alarm.

Renea from her spot at the front desk doesn't even look surprised when he rushes though the front door. She smiles in understanding, though she will never truly understand. "The dean isn't in yet, Prof. Stark, you're fine" she says.

Tony feels himself relax at the words. He gives her a quick smile and heads over to his office to put his stuff down before the staff meeting this morning.

The corridors are dark in the morning light, but calm and somewhat soothing. Without all the students milling about it takes no time at all the reach his office, even as he takes him time.

He walks into his office and the wonderful smell of coffee fills his senses as he puts his case down by his desk. A large red ceramic travel mug full of coffee sits on his desk, a post it note full of similes stuck to its side. He knows who was responsible, that man always seems to know when he was going to have a bad morning. Though to be fair they normally coincide with staff meetings and his late night work on personal projects. Or when he says he will be working late on his projects, instead of his secret life as Iron Man. But either way, trust Steve to both A) listen to him, rants and whining all, and B) be on time as to put the coffee on his desk.

The mug is still warm as he takes a long sip. He groans as the bitter flavor of the coffee hits his taste buds.

With mug in hand he wonders down the hall to where he knows Steve's office is. The door is slightly ajar, and he knows it was left open for him. Steve looks up from his notes with a smile as he slips inside his office.

"Hey, you" Steve greets. "Long night?"

"Like you wouldn't believe." Tony leans down give Steve a chaste kiss to the cheek before moving to take the seat across from him. "I think it would be slightly more beneficial in the long run if I diverted my efforts to developing an alarm clock that would actually wake me in the mornings rather than my current projects… but only slightly."

It kills him every time he has to lie to Steve like this. One day maybe he could reveal the truth, he only hopes that Steve would be understanding of him.

He leans back in the chair with a pained groan, his body reminding him of a practically good hit Piledriver had gotten in.

Steve looks at him with concern from across the desk.

"Hey, no. I'm fine, just too long spend bent over a desk working…" he says and Steve looks no less relieved. "I'd have much rather been bent over the desk by you"

Steve gets up from his chair with a playful scoff at his joke and moves behind him. Strong hands kneed his back and shoulders, making him feel like putty is the Steve's hands. Steve's wonderful wonderful hands. Tony moans appreciatively. There was nothing this man could do with his hands in his opinion.

There is a sharp knock at the door and they both look over. Prof Becker is standing there, watching them with a knowing look. "The meetings in five," she says before leaving.

"I guess we better get going" Steve says, removing his hands from Tony's shoulders. He sighs sadly. Steve gives his should a light squeeze in apology, "Maybe we could get dinner after work?" he asks.

"Sounds great" Tony says, getting up from his chair. Maybe he could get Steve to bend him over his desk actually. Now there was a plan.