A/N: Hello everyone! I want to say a huge thanks to everyone who has favorited/followed. While we're not quite full sail angst, do bear in mind that the story was bumped up to an M rating. When we get to that point, I will mention it in the notes as a fair warning.

Some of the stuff in this chapter is silly stuff I Wiki'd, like the number of representatives/etc. Basically, Tony is being a smartass, but I no longer remember what it was about. Cookies to anyone who spots a movie reference!

As always, a big thank you to my beta BigTimeHiddlestoner!

Tony's third period was the one he hated the most. It was all the 'honors' kids clustered into one room, with a disturbing concentration of assholes. US Government shouldn't have been home to some of the worst moments in Tony's life, but it was.

He wondered what the fuck his old teachers were thinking when they dropped him in all honors classes. He scraped by with B's, usually C's, though it was easy to 'study extra hard' and pull up his grades when he needed to.

Mostly, his presence pissed off the teachers who were there for the kids that 'really wanted to learn'. Tony was only a disruption before class and at the end of class, and kept to himself. He figured that the 'Disappointed Teacher' look had a patent pending, because they were all pros at whipping it out when Tony least expected it.

It kept him awake at night, unable to sleep for the images of sand, sun, and blood and the disappointment of everyone he'd ever met weighing on his shoulders.

His only saving grace was that both Pepper and Rhodey were in class with him. Sometimes, they weren't enough to keep Hammer and his cronies from harassing him, but it went a long way.

Even though he'd stayed a little late in chemistry, Tony still had enough time to go and switch out his chemistry stuff for his government textbook, notebook, and issue of Newsweek that Ms. Hill passed out every Friday to be reviewed through the next week.

Government was on the same floor as his locker, so it was only a short walk before he entered the classroom.

Ms. Hill's desk was in the far corner, and from the door, Tony could see that everyone had split into their cliques. Hammer and his cronies (Ty Stone, Amora Eckerson, Victor Doomsbury) sat in the middle of the room, making it difficult for anyone to escape their attentions. Up front sat Peter Parker and Harry Osborn, Hank McCoy two seats down and looking mildly bored (politics wasn't his thing, apparently.) On the far wall by the window was the 'Blond Trio', consisting of Steve Rogers, Thor Odinson, and Clint Barton, who was currently aiming a rubber band driven paper football at Tony's head.

Tony scowled, but kept his temper as Clint's football smacked him right on the nose. He caught it and stuffed it in his pocket, making his way towards the opposite corner. Clint whined, but Tony couldn't make out what he said as he walked to the back of the classroom. The seat in the back of any room was usually considered Tony's, and in most classes the seats around him would be empty.

Instead of sitting by himself, Tony was flanked by Pepper Potts in front and James 'Rhodey' Rhodes to the right, Tony's best (and sometimes only) friends. Pepper turned around in her seat once Tony sat down, her lips pursed and her brow furrowed.

"You really shouldn't be late to Dr. Banner's class, Tony. You know how he gets."

"Like 'SCIENTIST SMASH!'? When he goes berserk and clears an entire lab?"

"Exactly like that. And then you couldn't even pay attention!"

Tony blushed a bit at that. He hadn't meant to zone out. But he was so close to a breakthrough with his coding, and Dummy the Roomba was only the beginning. Shaking off his excitement for his project, Tony shot for sheepish and knew he'd pulled it off when Pepper's expression softened.

"I'm sorry, Pep. Sometimes it just goes right over my head and I just start to designing birdhouses and shit for shop class," he said with a helpless shrug.

Rhodey looked over, an eyebrow raised.

"'Birdhouses', Tones? Really? I've seen some of the stuff that Mr. Yinsen displays. It is 100% legit, and I know that Hammer isn't responsible. No one spends as much time as you do in there."

Tony shrugged again, feeling a small burst of pride. The stuff Yinsen displayed was just stuff he fiddled with while working through a problem in his head. But his friend's praise meant more than Rhodey could know, so Tony grinned at him.

"I can neither confirm nor deny," he said with a wink.

Rhodey huffed out a laugh, and was about to respond when the bell rang. As one, the entire class shuffled and turned forward, except Tony, who was fiddling with his bookbag. Ms. Hill was a taskmaster, and really fucking scary when she wanted to be, so no one dared to cross her path. Except Tony.

She hated Tony.

So when she barked, "Stark! Front and center!", Tony wasn't really all that surprised.

Tony trudged to the front of the room, shoulders slumped and head bowed. This was the start of Hill's tri-weekly Stark Shaming, and it did not bode well for Tony.

"Stark, why don't you write the three branches of government up on the board?" She said, her voice saccharine sweet and her eyes cold as she handed him a dry erase marker.

Tony wanted to list every US Senator and their pet dog's names up on the board (because that was something he happened to know), but instead he scribbled EXECUTIVE, JUDICIAL, and LEGISLATIVE up on the board. He decided to forgo misspelling, because Hill would eat him alive and make him stand there all class trying to find his error while she went on teaching.

Hill raised an eyebrow when Tony turned to face her, glaring in challenge. She smirked, the expression fleeting before she spoke again.

"How many US Senators are there, Stark? Quickly now," the harpy said, tapping her wristwatch.

Tony groaned internally, because he was really tired of these stupid fucking games. But he had to make a show of an attempt at mental math, before writing a shaky 98 up on the board.

A few snickers rose up behind him, and Tony knew it was mostly Hammer & Co., but there were others. He glanced back at Rhodey and Pepper, who looked ready to come up and defend him. Rhodey had a hand on Pepper's arm, and Tony was pretty sure she was ready to go to Fury and demand that Ms. Hill stop playing favorites.

"Wrong, Stark," Hill said, her voice filled with glee. "How many representatives are there, not including Senators?"

Hatred fill Tony's chest, because this woman was cruel. She was cruel and vindictive, and Tony despised playing this role. But when he allowed visions of the dead and dying to overcome him, he was reminded why he was doing this.

He considered being spiteful, but decided to err on the side of caution, with a hint of mischief thrown in. He raised his marker and scribbled 535, which was most definitely wrong, but caused Ms. Hill to peer at him in suspicion.

"Also wrong, Stark. Have a seat."

Tony shuffled back to his desk, ignoring the jeers and calls for Tony to join his 'Special Ed' friends. Pepper touched his hand as he walked by, and Rhodey clapped him on the shoulder before they turned to their notebooks. Tony dragged his out and pretended to write, but instead drew a vaguely demonic looking cat and scribbled GATO! underneath.

Settling in his seat, Tony hated the fact that theirs was the last lunch shift. They endured an entire hour and a half of Ms. Hill's lecturing before they all rushed out the door as the lunch bell rang. Tony both loved and hated lunch, as it was always a free for all.

Thanks for reading! As always, reviews are welcome! I adore hearing from everyone, and Tony would sure appreciate some love.