Logan Howlett set his beer down on the table in the teacher's lounge, ignoring the odd looks he was getting from the rest of the faculty and especially not paying attention to Stark's eye roll as the principal rummaged through the fridge.
Kurt Wagner strolled in, glancing around before dropping into a chair at the table. He grinned at Logan, "Still drinking on school property, my friend?"
"It's still allowed," he replied, lifting the can in half a salute. "How many of the newbies do you think I'm gonna frighten this year?"
"Based off past records?" Tony said, taking a seat at the table with stolen food. "All of them."
Kurt laughed, "You can be charming when you take it into that head of yours to be so. If you wanted to, I'm sure there is at least one or two you could avoid terrifying."
"If I wanted to," Logan smirked. "Oi, Stark. Don't you have your own private fridge or somethin'?"
"You're assuming if I did, that it's stocked with food," Tony replied.
"He just misses our company, I'm sure," Kurt answered, glancing toward the door and his brows rising as the new English teacher entered. "Well, what have we there?"
Tony's eyes snapped over and Logan just groaned at the pair of them. "Ms Pryde," he said, kicking out the chair next to him, which would put him between her and the other two. "Enjoying your first week?"
Kitty Pryde glanced at the principal and history teacher before taking the chair Logan had offered, "Well, so far it's not much worse than when I was student teaching, but..." She shrugged, "I guess we'll see as the year goes on."
"You just have to learn to show people you're the boss," Logan said with a grin, taking another drink as Tony gave him a dark look across the table.
Kitty watched him, her hazel eyes wide, "Are you supposed to be drinking that here?"
That earned a sharp bark of laughter from Kurt, "The first thing you need to learn, Katzchen, is that Logan does as he pleases when he pleases."
"What he said," Logan said with another smirk.
Tony sighed. "It's a special deal with the Supe. Don't ask."
She just blinked at them, shaking her head, "Okay, I won't ask again then."
"You learn not to question things here," Tony informed her. "Especially when they're short, stocky, and Canadian."
Kitty bit her lip to hide her grin. Leaning against the table and cupping his chin in his hand, Kurt offered her a charming smile, "So, Kitty, you're settling in well and the students are doing well by you so far then? Any of them stand out?"
"I would almost say it's too early to say," she answered, a faint blush tingeing her cheeks at the grin he offered.
Logan stomped on Kurt's foot. "Any ideas?"
The history teacher yelped slightly at that, causing an alarmed look from Kitty, "Are you okay?"
"Fine, just bit my tongue."
She eyed him but turned back to Logan, "There are a couple of boys in one of my classes, really smart from what I can see, but I don't know if one of them will ever actually talk in class-which is really too bad."
"Which one?" Logan asked. He was always mildly interested in what sort of people were passing through the school.
The young teacher sought the names for a moment, "Erik Lehnsherr's the quiet one. Charles Xavier's more vociferous about what he thinks...sometimes too much."
"One of those, huh?" Logan asked and laughed.
Kitty shook her head, "I'm just worried the others won't talk and just let him do so."
"You might want to mention that," Logan said. "After all, if they don't break the habit early, they never shut up," he added, eyes straying toward Tony. "Ain't that right, Stark?"
"I'll have you know I can be perfectly quiet," Tony rolled his eyes.
"We don't believe you," Kurt tilted his head back to grin at the Principal.
"I'll talk to him," the youngest teacher said. "He seems mostly reasonable at least."
"Don't fall into the trap of thinking that about any teenager, Katzchen," the history teacher advised.
"None of them are reasonable. Some people don't grow out of that either," Logan said.
Kitty shook her head, "They can't be that much worse than adults."
"You are closer in age to them than we are, you should have clearer memories. Were you reasonable at that age?" Kurt asked her, arching an eyebrow.
"Okay, point," she conceded.
Logan glanced over at Kurt. "Speaking of reasonable people... have you heard from Warren yet today? The last I saw he had flowers."
Kurt laughed at that, "Then you are behind the times. He is attempting chocolates this hour I believe."
"Warren?" Kitty glanced between them.
"Tall, blonde, and handsome," Kurt clarified.
"Oh, Warren! Flowers for?"
"Betsy," Logan laughed. "He's been trying for two years now. We almost never see him at lunch."
"And she's never said yes?" Kitty's eyes were wide as though she thought the other woman had to be at least a bit crazy.
"It may have something to do with his reputation... and the time her brother visited from England and nearly chased him out of town," Tony replied.
"That..." She considered and then nodded, "That could do it."
"He's pretty, but he doesn't have a whole lot else going for him," Tony added.
"Look who's talking," Logan snorted.
"I could fire you, you know," Tony replied mildly.
"But you won't," Kurt retorted. "Fury would have your hide."
"I can still dream of the day," Tony shrugged.
"Stark, everyone here knows the only reason you sit in here during lunch is in the hope that Rodgers walks in."
"Rog-"
Kurt answered the question before she could finish, "Tall, blonde, handsome, and muscled. Teaches PE."
"Alright, almost everyone," Logan amended and Tony just narrowed his eyes.
Kurt grinned at the Principal, "It's not my fault that everything I just told her is true, there's no need for that look, Tony. We all know you're trying to figure out how many ways to ask him out without violating some code or other that Fury has in place."
"Fury has a lot of those," Tony sighed.
"I think there's also something about improper relations between a boss and their employee?" Logan offered and Tony waved him off.
"But when has that had the right to stand between Tony Stark and what he wants?" Kurt asked, grin sharpening.
"Exactly," Tony said.
"He was being sarcastic," Logan huffed.
"Doesn't make the point any less valid."
"Fury will kill you if you cause a lawsuit," the history teacher reminded.
The principal just shrugged. "I could probably pay the entire thing off anyway."
"Bribing your way out of trouble, how noble," Kurt smirked, tilting back in his chair.
Steve Rogers chose that particular moment to make an appearance, "Afternoon, all."
Tony's face almost instantly broke out into a smile and the stocky math teacher just rolled his eyes, glancing over at Kitty.
Kitty was doing her best not to stare at the PE teacher as he moved over to the fridge. Kurt shook his head at her and she offered him a sheepish smile. The history teacher finally offered Steve a grin, "How are classes today, my friend?"
"The same as ever, Kurt. Yours?"
"As they were last year, but with new students," he replied.
Logan laughed. "We have quite the interesting batch this year. I'd almost like to see how they handled the physical side of things."
Steve shook his head, "They'll get the hang of it eventually. Some are built for it, others aren't, like always."
"Yeah, but of them are so skinny," Logan said. "Like that one genius in my class, McCoy or something? He looks like a twig."
"He also ran the mile faster than any other kid here this year," the blond teacher responded, finally finding what he was looking for and closing the fridge.
"You're kidding?" Logan blinked at him. "Well. A man of layers then."
"McCoy?" Kurt looked from one to the other, "A math genius, you say, Logan?"
"Yeah," Logan shrugged. "Some freshman already in the highest math class we have. I have no idea what they're planning on doing with him the next three years."
"College classes?" Kitty suggested. Kurt had fallen silent for once, simply nodding.
"Something like that," Logan agreed, taking another drink from the beer can.
Steve settled into one of the remaining chairs at the table, "Well, we're headed toward the second weekend of the year, think we'll all make it again?"
"I think it would take more than a snotty group of teenagers to take us down," Logan snorted.
"I don't know, I think germs might be able to take you down," Tony drawled, shifting a bit closer to the PE teacher.
Kurt laughed at that, though his blue eyes tracked Tony's movement, "I think we're all a shade too hearty at this point for that to work all that well."
"I live ever in hope."
"Please," Logan shook his head. "I'll probably outlast all of you." That got a sharp look from Tony.
Steve glanced at the beer in Logan's hand and looked a bit skeptical, but didn't comment on that. Kitty glanced at the clock and rose, "Well, I'm gonna head back to my room I think. See you all later."
Logan waved to her as Tony glanced back over at Steve. "Anything new in the wonderful world of sports?"
Steve glanced at him, "Not really. Practices for cross country are going pretty well. We've got a solid team this year."
"Well, that's, that's good," Tony said, planting a smile on his face. "Any new members this year?"
"A couple. At least one transfer as well." The blond offered him a bit of a grin, "How goes the administration side?"
"You've heard the phrase, herding cats, I assume?" Tony replied.
That garnered a laugh, "Yeah, I'm familiar with that one."
"Well, it's worse than that," Tony deadpanned. "You people are so lucky I find this mess my calling somehow."
Kurt chuckled, but kept his mouth shut as Steve offered Tony a smile, "Thanks for that."
"Well," Tony amended. "There are some bonuses and some worthwhile people to herd."
The PE teacher grinned, "Yeah? Well as long as you like parts of the job, right?"
Tony's eyes widened slightly and he nodded as Piotr Rasputin can into the room, looking around.
Kurt looked up as the chess team coach entered. His grin turned sly, "Looking for someone, my friend?"
"What?" he asked.
"She came and went," Logan informed him, cracking up into his beer.
The history teacher leaned back in his chair, still grinning, "You only missed her by about five minutes. If that."
Piotr sighed, heading for the fridge. "Wait, did someone take my lunch?"
Kurt shrugged, "I don't know, I haven't checked the fridge except to get mine. Did someone?"
Logan gave Tony a long look. "Aren't you rich enough to buy your own damn food?" he hissed across the table where Piotr couldn't hear them.
"Usually, yes," Tony replied. "I was trying to get away from Natasha earlier."
Logan rolled his eyes. "You owe me for this," he muttered, leaning back again. "Hey, kid. You can share mine today if you need to."
Steve offered Tony a reproachful look, "I've got some left over too, if you want it, Piotr."
"Oh, no," Piotr started and Logan gave him a long look.
"Kid, do you notice how much food I have?"
"Yes?" the Russian returned.
"Eat," Logan said, planting him in the seat that Kitty had been in earlier.
Kurt grinned a bit at that, "Don't question Logan. You should know this rule by now."
"Point," Piotr said after a moment, sitting down.
"So, I have to ask," the history teacher watched the younger man across from him, "Why do you not simply wait at her classroom, you would certainly be able to say hello at least then."
"Oh," Piotr replied, eyes going wide. "I mean, I'm not... that is..."
"Try it tomorrow," Logan snorted.
Kurt grinned, "After all, you then do not have to worry about missing her at lunch, since you seem to consistently do so."
"I get distracted," he mumbled.
"Exactly. So, stop by her classroom," the other teacher encouraged. "I am sure she would appreciate it."
"If you think so..."
Tony nearly banged his head against the table, but it wasn't like he was entirely better.
Steve finally spoke up, "If we're talking about Kitty Pryde, then yeah, he thinks so. And he's probably right."
"Yes, this is one of the few times I'd advise you to take Wagner's advice," Tony said.
"Thank you for that vote of confidence, Tony," Kurt drawled. "I'm almost hurt."
"But only almost," Tony said. "So I'll take that."
"And if I was hurt?"
"But you aren't so it's wasted speculation," Tony said, standing as he looked at his watch.
Kurt grinned, but glanced at the clock, "I suppose I had best bid you all good afternoon and head back to my classroom."
"You mean in time for the kids to swarm?" Logan asked.
"I hope to get there before them, my friend."
Logan snorted. "You might want to run then."
Grinning again, the history teacher rose gracefully and offered a bit of a bow to the others, "Good day then."
Looking at the time, Piotr's eyes widened and he bolted toward his own class room, Logan following at a more sedate pace.
The next day, Tony Stark bought lunch for the entire staff room.
Hello all! We bring you the first glimpse of the Teacher's Lounge and a handful of the staff. Apologies for the short update, but we figured a short one was better than none. We are still working on this one, slowly but surely, and revising our plans as we go.
We look forward to hearing from all of you and what you think! Thank you for reading!