AN: Hello There. It's been an exceedingly long time since I last wrote something and while I was washing dishes this story manifested in my mind. Please let me know what you think.
Prologue
Principle Pepper Potts had been incredibly understanding when Mr. Rogers asked for personal leave as he filed for divorce. Under normal circumstances he concluded that he'd probably have had to work through such an emotionally challenging time. As it were though, it was probably for the best he avoided the school while his soon to be ex-wife Peggy flaunted her new relationship in the staff room with the head of the politics department, Daniel Fucking Sousa.
It's not like they ended their marriage on good terms. Oh no. Steve happened to step into the supply closet for some more charcoal pencils to find Sousa's tongue down his wife's throat. His wife of five years who he had loved dearly and devoted himself to.
She, however, clearly didn't feel the same.
She'd tried to tell him it wasn't what It looked like, she was caught unawares, that he came on to her and she was about to push him away. With a flushed face, and an unbuttoned blouse exposing her elegant black lace bra, he knew differently.
"How long?" Was all he asked, his face void of any emotion while his voice wavered slightly.
"We haven't," Peggy began, as Sousa timidly replied,
"Two months." At the same time.
Walking away without punching the bastard had been an achievement in Steve's eyes. He wanted nothing more to leave the vicinity with Daniel fucking Sousa clutching a broken, bloodied nose, but he had refrained, walking himself directly to the principal's office where he had explained the situation and was granted paid leave.
He knew Daniel had moved in a week after he had moved out. Bucky had told him so. His best friend and colleague had offered his couch while Steve got himself back on his feet, revealing the information over dinner the day he'd found out. Swirling his mashed potatoes around his plate w, he shrugged at his friend.
"They can do whatever they like. I'm done with her." He had replied dismissively, even though his best friend could see the pain behind his eyes.
The divorce took only two months to finalize. Steve Rogers had let her keep almost everything to make it easier. He didn't want the house they shared, nor the furniture that would be left as a constant reminder of the woman who broke his heart. He was happy to take his half of their savings and leave everything else to her.
With the proceedings over, Steve decided it was time to return to work. He knew that the sub they'd brought in to cover him would have been adequate at teaching Art to his classes, but with exams coming up he wanted to make sure he was the one to support them through the stressful weeks they faced.
A chorus of "WE'RE GETTING MARRIED!" greeted him as he stepped into the staff room for the first time in nine weeks. Before the door had closed behind him, he was on the other side of it again, his feet taking him as far away from his ex-wife and her now fiancé Daniel Fucking Sousa.
Bucky found him shortly after, scuffing his shoe against the wood flooring of Bucky's history classroom, broken and dejected.