Let me start off with an apology for not updating this fic in so long. I've been so busy, and I use that as an excuse for everything but this time I mean it in the sense that I had very important exams to go through which I needed to focus on a lot, followed up for the fact that I e spent the start of my summer going to concerts, sleeping and watching tv shows.
I'm also in the process of finishing fics so then I can focus on ones like this! So I'm working on that at the moment!
Being good with people isn't on the top of Tony's agenda, and that's mostly for the fact that Tony Stark may be a social butterfly but that does not mean that he is good with people. There's a reason why Tony has shaved down the number of people that he interacts with on a daily basis to 3 people ( and even at that, apparently Butterfingers doesn't even count as people because "Robots aren't people, Tony!" )
It's not like Tony doesn't like people - because yes, he's a teenager and no, lets not refer to the common belief that all teenagers hate everyone - because in retrospect, he actually does like a lot of people. Tony has just never presses the right impression onto people, especially people that know of him or through him and even worse the type of people that do only want to get to know him so they can have access to SI secrets and maybe a piece of Tony's little body while they're at it.
A prime example of people like that are Tiberius Stone, a fellow MIT student 5 years older than what Tony is. It hadn't taken long for Tony to understand that all of Tiberius's flirty gestures and free drinks was all for the sake of getting into Tony's pants, all and hoping for Tony to scream out SI secrets in bed. It was a pity that Tony found out that Ty was a spy for his own father, especially when he's so hot.
Although, it didn't stop Tony from enjoying the fun while it was being handed to him, he always just made sure to never end up in bed with him, or even yet, let him in the dorm or workshop. It works out, because Ty Stone is non the wiser that Tony knows who he is and Tony gets his unlimited supply of illegal drugs.
Turns out, Steve's friends aren't as bad as Tony had feared, mostly because Steve barely lets any of them utter a word as he introduces Tony to them individually like Tony is some sort of prized poodle that has to be shown off.
"You doing okay?"Steve comes up behind Tony unexpectedly in the kitchen. He'd gotten up to get himself a drink in an act to clear his head and to get away from the commotion of so many people gathered in the livingroom. 5 people actually. Tony, Steve, Thor, Natasha and James.
He was introduced to Thor first who seems like a decent guy, even if he does talk like there's a megaphone stuck in his throat and seems to have no personal space boundaries. But it was good, Tony didn't want to meet anyone would be dancing around him, unsure what to say and Thor didn't seem like the guy that would anyway.
James ( which by the way, Tony already knows a James and doesn't need to know another one but whatever ) had been less comforting, more in the sense that he had been sulking in a corner for a good part of an hour before Tony had noticed him. James looked like the kind of kid that would've hissed at you in elementary school but is now hot and emo in his teen years.
Natasha had been unnerving, although strangely kind and almost sympathetic whenever she had approached Tony, as if she could see everything that he's been through and more. It was unsettling to say the least but she hadn't brought anything up and instead thrusted a bottle of vodka into his hands with a smile and left to annoy James.
"Steve, you don't have to follow me everywhere that I go."Tony tries for a smile but it was getting a little annoying to have Steve jumping up from the sofa every time Tony went to cross his legs or following him from the livingroom to the kitchen.
"I know, I know, I'm just trying to be a good host."Steve explains, his face tinged pink in embarrassment. He really does want Tony to have a good time tonight, not only on his part but also for the sake of the whole group.
"And you are. Your friends mean no harm, I mean okay I know that James hates me and Natasha is a little unnerving but it's fine, they're fine."Tony shrugs his shoulders, opening the sods cam and taking a drink from it.
"Bucky doesn't hate you! He's just..."
"Emo?"
"Jealous was more the word I was looking for but..."Steve pulls a face, leaning against the fridge and making it shift in its place, something that makes Tony's eyes widen. Standing in the small kitchen makes Steve look even larger than what Tony thought he was and okay, Tony might have a thing for blondes with muscles, sue him.
Chill it Stark
"Jealous?"The of me is silent but there as he looks at Steve wide eyed and confused because what is there to be jealous of? Not in the sense that Tony isn't attractive because he damn well knows that he is, but James isn't too bad looking either, and dare tiny say it even better looking. And yeah okay, apart from scrape ups, a couple of scars and the arc reactor built into his chest, Tony has a pretty good body of muscles himself.
" I don't kno-"
"Holy shit! Who owns that bitching car outside!"A shrill voice is screaming throughout the house, followed by a chorus of 'shut up's and harsher profanities which the voice obviously doesn't give a crap about as he continues on."It's a v12 Aston Martin, don't shush me!"
"It's mine actually."Tony chimes, making himself known in the livingroom where 3 new guests stand. The shouting blonde spins to turn his attention to Tony, mouth agape at the confession because Clint may have a thing for cars, very cool sport cars to be exact."Well my dad's car, so it's kind of mine."
"It is so fucking beautiful."Clint whispers in awe, wide eyed at Tony who shrugs his shoulders, going to dig around in the pockets of his jeans for the car keys, throwing them at the blonde with a shrug and a smile.
"Take it for a spin around the block if you want."Tony offers because if this guy is more interested in the car than Tony is, somebody might as well enjoy it. The look of happiness that beams over Clints face is almost manic before he turns and runs out the open door without a second thought to anyone else in the room or a thank you.
"That's us never seeing Clint again."Phil dumps his dufflebag by the couch before falling onto it, stretching out his limbs tiredly. Sleep is the only thing on his mind right now, sleep and coffee if he's being honest but a video game night never concludes with sleep and therefore, he's fucked in that department.
"Unless he comes back in handcuffs, that is. He's going to drive your beautiful car through a warehouse, he'll be all over the news."Bruce sighs, directing his attention to Tony and then to the rest.
"Well Clint will love that, he thrives to be famous. His only ambition in life is to be famously known for some hideous prank that will probably cost the lives of millions."Natasha stretches out on the couch beside James ("Only friends call me Bucky."), her finger nails scratching at his scalp.
"There are worse ways to be famous, y'know."
"There are also better ways."Thor says from his place on the ground, trying to connect the PlayStation to Steve's television which always seems like a difficult situation even though it's something that happens at least three times a month.
"You get remembered for the things you did badly, not the ones you did good. Take Hitler for example, we remember him for being at fault for the Holocaust, but nobody ever remembers him as the artist."Tony shrugs his shoulder, sitting on the edge of the sofa that Phil had collapsed on.
It's a weird conversion starter but he guesses he can go with the flow. Tony has been stuck in worse and weirder conversations before and this is by far the best on that list.
"Okay lets not compare Clint to Hitler."Steve glares at everyone but especially at Tony for dragging along the conversation. Tony just shrugs his shoulders and snickers into his can of soda because when Steve tries and acts all father like it's actually kind of amusing."And the reason why nobody remembered Hitler as an artist is because he couldn't even draw a stickman."
"Stevie over here thinks he's the best artist around since Picasso."
"Picasso' paintings focused on cubism, collage work if you will. I focus more on still life or realism."Steve mutters bashfully from his place in the doorframe of the connection to and from the livingroom and kitchen. Tony bites his lip at the way that Steve brushes all over, it's adorable how bashful he can be.
"Well I'd love to see your drawings some time."
"Nobody ever sees his drawings. They're sacred."Bruce mutters, pushing up his glasses as he looks at Tony with a hand outstretched."Bruce Banner."
"Tony Stark."Tony grins, a smile that he only brings out when he has to be extra polite and greet people welcomingly. It's dazzling and charming, just like everything else is about Tony Stark. Bruce seems to hesitate as he goes to shake Tony's hand, looking like he has something to say and Tony swears that his heart nearly stops beating in his chest for that moment.
"I hope you don't mind me asking, but your arc reactor..."
"What about it?"Tony asks because he's heard more than enough questions about it. He'd been dragged around his parents party like a rag doll, poked and prodded by wondering fingers and pushy old bastards. How does it keep you alive? How much was it? What material is it made out of? How long will it keep you alive until you die?
Okay, Tony is making the last one up but he swears he heard one of Howard's business partners ask that to Howard behind his back.
"Did you design the specs yourself? I had done research awhile ago on Paladium but I was never able to wrap my head around it."
"What makes you think I designed it myself?"
"I know intelligence when I see it, Tony."And it's then that Tony's stomach sinks at the realisation that Bruce knows who he is, that he knows of his father, his intelligence, his name, his worth. And Tony isn't sure what to do about it because what is there to do about it? The thing is, Bruce just smiles at him, gives him a wink in a way that almost says I'll keep your secret safe.
"I didn't, but I'm working on improving the element. Research shows that paladium in the long run give off more bad news than good news which isn't helpful in my age."
"Holy shit, I think Bruce found his soulmate."Bucky whispers from the otherside of the room, watching how Tony snatches up a pen and napkin that had been sitting on the coffee table and starts to doodle on the napkin as he talks to Bruce."Tough shit on you getting in his pants, Stevie."
"Fuck off, buck."Steve nudges harshly at the dark brunette, watching as Bruce and Tony get fully into their conversation, almost pushing Phil off of the sofa as Tony slides into a seat and Bruce sits on the arm rest.
There's an odd type of feeling in his chest as he watches the pair interact and he isn't sure why. It's not like there's anything to get jealous of, Steve couldn't expect Tony not to get on well with anyone, especially not Bruce since they are born so interested in science. It's just, he hadn't expected Tony to hit off so well with someone and now Steve feels almost jealous at the fact that Tony isn't paying all the attention to just him.
"They're talking so fast I don't even think they're speaking English anymore. It's like watching Phil talk about taxes."Thor comments, eyes going to the pair on the sofa as he grabs a remote control to set up the PlayStation for whoever is playing.
"Leave them alone, it's good to see Bruce so happy. He's been so upset since Betty left."
"She left a week ago, he can't be that upset."Bucky looks at her in disbelief.
"I swear I saw him sniff at her lab coat in chemistry today and tear up a bit."
"Ouch."All three wince in sympathy because that's the closet that Bruce will ever be to getting in touch with his inner emotions. Bruce and Betty had been a big deal, especially for Bruce who had a lot of problems with letting people into his life. They'd been dating for 2 years when Betty announced her early graduations and going off to university in Europe. It'd struck Bruce hard, even if it didn't look like it did.
"Maybe Tony will be good for him. Have himself a science buddy now that Betty is away. What do you think, Stevie?"Bucky looks at Steve who seems to be caught staring at the two, more jealously flaring in his stomach whenever Tony's eyes light up in awe at something that Bruce has said, followed by a laugh.
"Yeah, sure, whatever."
This was a short chapter but an update is an update!
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