Chapter 2
“Now for our first lesson I believe we will make a circuit to make a light bulb go on,” Stephen says and one of the students raises their hands.
“Yes Alexander?”
“Mr. Stark already taught us that,” the fourth grader says and the other kids nod their heads.
“Well then, you should be able to do it,” Stephen says and there’s a knock on the door Stephen looks up to see Tony standing there.
“Give me one moment and I’ll hand out the materials,” Stephen says and opens the door.
“Hey...I just realized that I should have given this to you this morning but with all the coffee craziness...well you saw,’ Tony says and hands Stephen a piece of paper that outlines all the lessons Tony handled teaching.
“Thank you. This is very useful. Would you like to sit and watch?”
“Thanks but I can’t Rhodey is watching my kids for me and I have to relieve him so he can catch a nap before these guys have to go back to him,” Tony says motioning to the class who are chattering amongst themselves.
“Does he often hide in your classroom?” Stephen asks and Tony’s mouth quirks up.
“Every day since we started working here,” Tony says.
“How long have you worked here?” Stephen asks and Tony shrugs.
“Fifteen...maybe sixteen years,” Tony says and Stephen blinks.
“Did you always want to be a teacher?” Stephen asks.
“I…” Tony starts to say but is interrupted by a voice.
“Tones, your kids are getting restless without you,” the man in the wheelchair, that Stephen now knows is Mr. Rhodes, calls from the door to Tony’s classroom.
“Coming Honey bear!” Tony says and Stephen’s eyes widen.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize that you and he were…” and he trails off when Tony starts laughing.
“We’re not. Rhodey’s like my brother,” Tony says and Stephen can feel the man in question watching him like a hawk and it’s unnerving but Stephen is used to pressure, he can handle a stair.
He thinks.
“Anyway I gotta get back to my ducklings,” Tony says and heads back to his classroom.
“Mr. Doctor Strange? Can we wait a minute before we start the lesson?” one of his students asks and he’s about to ask why when he hears piano music, soft and light, filtering through the hall coming from Tony’s classroom.
“I love when Mr. Stark plays the piano,” one of the kids say and Stephen’s eyebrow quirks up. It seems like Tony is full of more surprises than he lets on.
“I like it better when he sings,” another student says and just as she says that Tony’s voice starts coming down the hall.
“Mr. Doctor Strange...you can’t tell him that we can hear him or he’ll stop doing it,” another kids says and Stephen bites his lip. On the one hand he wants to be able to hear Tony sing and play but on the other hand if the man really is that shy then he'd be mortified to find out that people were listening to him sing and play the piano.
“Alright, if you all behave and do your homework I won’t tell him,” Stephen says and pretends not to notice the line of teachers, some not even from this floor, at the water fountain. It looks like nearly every teacher is there minus the office staff and the fifth grade teacher Miss Romanov. Stephen can't help but wonder if they are all down here then who is watching their classes. He highly doubts all of their classes have lunch at this time. Considering the day has only just begun.
"He is a very good singer," Stephen says and the kids not excitedly.
"Yes he is and he'll only sing for the students, never the teachers or parents. We've been trying to get him to do the music for our school play but he never answers," another student says and Stephen smiles. Even students not in his class seem to love him. As far he is concerned that's a good sign in a teacher.
“Alright now back to the lesson,” Stephen says when the music's over and the teachers have dispersed. The kids behave well enough and Stephen is proud at the work they did. Which makes him wonder…
...Why is Tony teaching kindergarten when his credentials scream that he should be a professor at a big name college?
It’s a mystery that Stephen wants to solve.