The employee appraisal
After a new employee had worked for a couple of months at the school, principal Tony Stark always used to invite to a meeting. He wanted to know if she or he was happy, how the work was going and if there was anything the school could contribute to make things better.
Of course, the newly hired teacher, Mr. Steve Rogers, was no exception. Unbeknownst to the other, it was something that occupied the minds of both teacher and principal during the days (okay, let's be honest... weeks) before the meeting was set to be.
Naturally, it was especially the principal's task to prepare for such a meeting, but Tony's preparations this time were a little out of the ordinary.
The day had come. He came to work as usual, greeted his colleagues as usual and chatted a little with his assistant Wanda as usual. Everything was as usual. Nearly.
Wanda certainly possessed female intuition, and realized that there was something to it when her boss came to work that day.
Luckily, it seemed like something positive. Could it be that Tony had actually fallen in love?
Wanda knows about Tony's terrible relationship with Brock. She has pretty much made it her mission to look after her boss. She looks for him when he walks into the office, and wonders if she is right. Has Tony met a new man?
Tony closed the door behind him and took a deep breath. It was only 08.00 and there are still two hours until the meeting with Steve. Two very long hours, but at the same time two very short hours.
He sits down at his desk and starts working as usual. Fortunately, there is plenty to do. If he had just sat and thought, he would have gone crazy! "You're actually crazy," he thinks. "Sitting here like a nervous teenage boy going on his first date". "This isn't even a date, you fool," he mutters to himself.
Right now, there is nothing he wants more than that. A nice, romantic date with the handsome and always cheerful and polite Steve Rogers.
Without him noticing it himself, Tony's thoughts had drifted away. He thought of nice things. Despite the misery with Brock, Tony now had more good than bad thoughts and feelings. Thanks to Steve Rogers' existence.
Tony imagined having Steve right in front of him. That he could look straight into those gorgeous blue eyes, and then feel Steve's warm, soft lips against his...
Suddenly there was a knock on the door and no one but Steve looked in. "Excuse me, Mr. Stark. Uh, Tony.
I'm sorry I'm a little late. One student fell and hurt himself. Fortunately, nothing serious, everything is fine now", he explained.
That's exactly how Steve was. Thoughtful and committed when it came to his students. He was already, after two months, a well-liked teacher and colleague.
When there was a knock on the door, poor Tony really jumped. He had managed to dream away, and the one he was thinking of was of course none other than Steve Rogers.
The man who was standing in the doorway of his office right now. Tony swallowed hard, quickly got up from his chair and walked over to Steve. They shook hands and greeted each other.
Steve hoped Tony wouldn't notice how nervous he was.
He had been standing outside the door of Tony's office probably a minute before he knocked. He felt like a complete idiot. Why should he be nervous? What if he said something stupid or did something strange? Did he really think Tony would notice? That he would care about it?
Of course he wouldn`t. The only thing Tony would notice was that Steve was late. But he couldn't just leave the student who had fallen and hurt himself. He sighed deeply and knocked on the door. Opened slowly and looked inside.
They sat down each in their own comfortable armchair. Tony thought that a desk between him and the other might seem too serious. He preferred the two comfortable chairs he had bought with his own money.
It was important to him that his visitors was comfortable.
Then they began their meeting. After some hesitation, it actually went very smoothly. Both thought the other was nice to talk to. The conversation became easier and easier, and they could even laugh together.
After the meeting, they stood up at the same time.
Their eyes met.If someone had stood there and looked at them now, he or she would have seen that there was a real sparkle between them.
The idea and courage suddenly struck Steve. How it actually happened, he could not actually answer.
He just saw his own hand reaching out and somehow it found Tony's cheek. His own hand was stroking the other man's cheek! He felt the warmth of his skin against his fingers.
"Forgive me, Tony," he heard himself whisper. "I... I... like you. I've liked you from... the first time I saw you. I really understand if you want to fire me here and now.. I really, really do.
I just had to tell you," he said in a trembling voice.
Tony felt Steve's hand against his cheek.
A soft, warm and, above all, kind hand. A hand that belonged to a man who cared about him. Not one who hit him and wanted to hurt him.
He heard the words coming from Steve's mouth. Kind words.
"Steve...", he heard himself say. He gently raised his arm and let his hand stroke the soft, smooth cheek of the other man.
"I've been longing to hear you say this, Steve...", Tony whispered back.
Their faces slowly approached each other. Now none of them hesitated anymore. Suddenly, their lips met.
The two of them stood there in Tony`s office and held each other close while they kissed.
Right then and there, nothing else mattered at all.