Quentin wasn’t exactly sure how he got into this situation or more like; he wasn’t sure how Peter Parker got into that situation. He was having lunch alone at his little office shared by three other teachers, casually munching on his sandwich when he felt like there is something or rather someone dangling outside of his window. Out of curiosity, he turned his head to look over his shoulder, and he wasn’t expecting to see this. He wasn’t expecting to see his student’s body, Peter Parker, dangling outside. On the second floor of the school’s building. On the damn second floor. Quentin was merely staring in shock at the body that was seemingly still to be alive, and the moment Peter Parker managed to climb down and cling as in sticking – how does he do that? – to the window pane and their eyes met, Quentin let out one of his loud panicked screams that he could ever recall.
He doesn’t even scream often.
That’s one life event he wished to never see again.
So, there he was, sitting at his desk with Peter Parker sitting across of him with a glass of water to calm his nerves down rather than Peter’s because god knows how close he was to getting into a panic attack. They were both waiting for Peter’s guardian to come over so that they could have a talk. He knows that both of Peter’s parents passed away and that his aunt is busy working at the office so the only one left in the contact list is someone that sounded familiar. He wasn’t exactly sure why it had a familiar ring to it but what can he say? He isn’t exactly that kept up with the news of these past several months. Quentin stares at Peter who was being a nervous wreck and he wasn’t exactly sure why but if he had to pick a point, it’s most probably because his teacher just caught him hanging around the windows literally.
“Uhm Mr. Beck…? I don’t think it’s necessary to call in uhm- I mean disturb him. He’s a busy man,” Peter stopped in the middle of his speech, thumbs twiddling nervously as he takes in a breath and he smiles up at Quentin, trying to make it seem convincing at least and continues on, “Aunt May can actually make time. I’m sure of it. I just need to talk to her and let her know what’s going on, and she will swing by!” There was a short moment of silence between them with Quentin staring at his student with worried eyes and brows pulled into a knot.
Quentin wasn’t buying it.
“Look, Mr. Parker, I called your aunt and she said she couldn’t make it, and that I should call Mr. Stark instead since his contact number is in your emergencies.” Quentin heaves out a sigh as he rubs the spot between his brows with his two of his fingers, not sure on how to continue on with the conversation, and as if god had heard him, the door swings open with a loud thud from the bang against one of the student’s desks, “Peter!” The shout shocked both of them equally, their eyes widened and head turned towards the source of it, and it’s safe to be said that both of their jaws are hanged open for completely two different reasons. For Peter, he was shocked by the fact that Mr. Stark actually came over to his school from one call of his teacher for getting in trouble despite being busy with his Stark Industries and Avengers stuff, and for Quentin, it was because of the dishevelled look and hair that is probably caused from the running, and those damn beautiful eyes.
Wow. Okay. Keep it together Quentin. No dating with your student's... father figure.
Tony seemed to be in a frenzy when he stalks over to Peter, and the scolding that occurs in front of Quentin happens like a whirlwind and he can't seem to catch up the words thrown in a worryingly fast pace. Jesus Christ, when does he even breathe? Quentin was thinking of interrupting their bubble but the moment Tony and Peter shared a look, he paused and stares at them with concern yet curious eyes. With a clear of his throat and the ugly screech of his chair, Quentin stands up and offers a handshake to Peter's guardian, "Hi, Mr. Stark. It's nice to uhm finally have you here with us. I'm Quentin Beck. Peter's homeroom teacher."
It took an awkwardly painful five seconds of Quentin's hand stranded mid-air waiting for the other man to take his hand before Tony returned the handshake with a rather confused look in his eyes. This man is like an open book. It's odd how Quentin still feels like he had heard his name from somewhere. It just never rings a bell in his head. "It's good to see you, Mr. Beck. My apologies for the kid's mess." That received a small "Mr. Stark!" from Peter but they both decided to ignore the student and continue on with the basic introduction before settling down with Tony and Peter sitting across his desk, Quentin's hands feeling clammy for no reason, and yet a small voice in his head is telling him it's because of the way Tony was staring at him. It was weirdly a distraction, and Quentin really wishes that he would stop staring at him so that he could focus on the job here.
"So, Mr. Parker here has always been a good kid. He excels in most of his classes, and is known around by the teachers for being kind and polite," Quentin paused with a small lick of his lips, his fingers itching to move around to ease his nervousness thanks to someone's eyes staring at him, and he settles with scratching his growing beard that has far surpassed being stubble but not quite yet being a full blown beard, "but I'm just... concerned to Mr. Parker's tendency in climbing... windows. You know, windows that are above the first floors?" It sounded weird now that he put it in those words. It probably doesn't even make sense to Tony. So, he rephrases himself with a small twinge of embarrassment that crawls up to his face, "I meant that I caught him hanging on my window. I mean- this window. Right here. On the second floor."
That sounded even worse than he thought it would be.
After his short rambling, he watches as Tony looked over at Peter with exasperated eyes that he still couldn't put a finger on what they were "talking" about with their eye communications. Should he be concerned that maybe Tony and Peter can actually read minds? Oh god. Oh god. Is that why Tony was staring at him like that? Did Tony read his mind about how pretty his eyes are the moment he stepped in? He is so screwed. Why is he living a life of full painful awkwardness? God, please save him from his own misery, please.
"Listen, Mr. Beck," Tony shifts in the sad rickety chair, leaning forward with his fingers laced together and resting his weight on his forearms, their eyes then caught each other into a stare, "I'm not sure how to put this into words without making it sounded crazy." From the corner of his eyes, he sees Peter fidgeting in his chair with his mouth slightly open at first before he voices out to interrupt Tony, hands reaching out to put them around Tony's arm, "I don't think this is a good idea- Mr. Stark, please. Mr. Beck- he doesn't need to know about-"
"Peter is learning how to parkour."
"He is what now?"
"P-parkour, yes"
There was a short silence in the room before Tony was shrugging his shoulders and waving his hand around, "You know, teenagers, they like doing all of those new things they see online. It is a trend now. Kids doing whatever viral things they watched online to look cool." Quentin stares at the man across him with his own lips parted this time, unsure if he should really believe in it but the quick glance towards Peter who was a blushing mess makes him feel like maybe he should, to save his student from dying in embarrassment for being caught doing trendy things online. Quentin isn't much of a social media person. He barely has any social media accounts. The only one he has is a Facebook account that he rarely uses.
"Right," he said in a terse manner, unsure if he should really continue on with the conversation but he is Peter's homeroom teacher albeit the boy looking a little pale and fidgety, "Parkour. Okay, parkour. Uhm I don't really use social media much. That explains why I don't know what kids are doing these days I guess." Quentin musters up a small laugh that turns out to be awkward before realizing how weird it sounded like when a grown man like him doesn't use social media often. He doesn't even log on to his Facebook account for years. Great. He sounds like an old man who sits on a rocking chair and knit sweaters on his pass time now. For some odd reason, his brain is telling him to justify himself. Explain yourself, Quentin. Explain yourself to Mr. Stark.
Quentin fumbles a little in his chair, unsure of where to look at or where to start his sentences to begin with, and he somehow ended up looking at Peter who looked like he was slowly getting concerned over the fact that his teacher is acting like a fish out of the water. No, don't look at the kid. Look at Tony. Tony? No, Mr. Stark. Keep it professional. Maybe listening to his chaotic thoughts is not exactly the best idea, considering he kind of blanked out when he landed his eyes on Tony. The man looked older than him. He would probably say a solid five years, seven years maximum but god, Tony looks mighty fine in whatever current age he is. Is he married?
"-eck. Mr. Beck!"
The called man snapped out from his black hole of thoughts, his eyes fleeting between Peter, the source of the calling, and Tony who seemed a little amused by whatever he is amused of. It took some time but he hears the distant ringing of the school bell, indicating that lunch time is over and that he would be late for a meeting if he doesn't move soon enough. "Oh god. I'm so sorry- for suddenly- I should- I should get going. I'm gonna be late for a teachers meeting. Peter is going to be late too," Quentin rambled while moving about the desk to gather his things and the lecture materials in his arms, almost causing his water to spill as it sloshes dangerously from the rattled of his desk, "Thank you so much for coming, Mr. Stark. I'm sorry that this has to end in such a manner. I'm usually not like this."
Tony simply shook his head as he stands up, urging Peter to gather his stuff as well and ushers him to head over to class in which Peter apologizes for everything and stumbled his way out in a rush. It was only just them and as much as Quentin was panicking on the inside for being close to being late for a meeting, he couldn't help but stop by the door with Peter's guardian standing next to him. "Thank you again, Mr. Stark," he paused in between his sentences when the addressed man interrupted him, "Please, Tony would be fine. Mr. Stark is what the people who works for me calls and you don't work for me. So, Tony, is fine, Quentin, and thank you for taking care of Peter all this time."
Mr. Stark sounds oddly familiar still for him but he still couldn't quite put his finger on it. However, Tony sounds nicer in his ears, and might have rolled a little too smoothly off his tongue when he tested it out for once which earns a smile from him. Quentin may have swooned a little but whatever. He is still Peter Parker's guardian. He really shouldn't be ogling eyes at an older hot guy who is his student's father figure. Time is ticking, Quentin. He reminded himself before he smiles a little and let both of them out, locking the door to his office. Tony is still there next to him as if he is waiting for Quentin to finish up before they said their goodbyes.
There was a small silence between them that wasn't awkward, at least for him in his opinion. He took several peeks at Tony with curious eyes, and somehow, he is stubborn on the thoughts of Tony Stark sounding familiar in his head. Quentin has lived for three whole decades, and curiosity still gets the best out of him. "Is it just me or does your last name sounded familiar?" That question seems to surprised Tony, and eliciting a short laugh that sounded a little breathless to his ears. "You really don't know, Quentin?" Tony looks up at the teacher with an amused smile on his lips as they walked down the hallway to where the staircase is to send Tony off or is Tony sending him off instead?
Quentin merely shakes his head with a confused frown on his lips, and he swears the smile that grows on Tony's lips is amused with a tad bit predatory. It brings a small shiver down his back. Tony didn't say much except putting out a hand, asking for his phone in which Quentin did in the end after a few quizzical looks. It is a sad muted blue flip phone, taped with duct tape around the edges, only because Quentin only uses mobile phones for calling and texting people. Tony seems like he wants to make a comment but he didn't in which Quentin is thankful for that because he had an earful of it already. After what seems like a minute, Tony's phone goes off but he ignores it, and returns Quentin's phone back.
"I've saved my private number in your phone. It's easier that way. Just call me up whenever uh Peter is in trouble or when you need me," Tony smiles widely with a crinkle at the corners of his eyes that captivated Quentin's heart, backing away and down the stairs as he said his goodbye, "And it's Anthony Stark! Go do your research, honey." Quentin stands there with his flip phone still clutched in his hand as he waves back at Tony in confusion and at the same time, enchantment? He looks down at the number saved in his phone, cursing quietly under his breath as he realized that he is already late to the meeting and dashes upstairs to the third floor.
It is easier to say that that night, after he got home from work; he wasn't sure if he should search about Tony. He did say that I should made research about him. Quentin taps his fingers on the side of his laptop as he contemplates about his life choices for a few minutes, bundled up in blankets at the sofa. In the end, he decides to screw it and keys in Anthony Stark in the search engine as he was told to by Tony himself. He reaches over to grab his mug of warm peppermint tea in his hands, nursing it to keep himself warm, then his eyes fleets over to the screen as he brings the mug to his lips.
Wait.
Quentin chokes on his tea and coughs onto the screen of his laptop, grimacing at the state of it before he quickly wipes the screen with his sleeve to read it properly about this Tony. Oh wait, he meant Anthony Stark, the father figure of his student named Peter Parker; the sweet and awkward boy who apparently sticks onto walls for parkour practices. He leans into the screen and rereads again the title of the article that first popped up on the search results.
"Stark Industries' President, Anthony Stark, Has Donated 1.5 Billion Dollars to the Foundation of Iron Hearts"
"Oh, my god. Wait. Fuck. What the fu-"
Quentin just scored a multi dollar billionaire's phone number and he doesn't even know it until now.
Worst part of it all, how can he not know that Tony Stark is literally Iron Man?