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“Hey. New student?”
Tony looked up from where he sat, wearing the saddest, most glum expression Scott had ever seen on another person. Big brown eyes like a doe’s looked wet like the other kid had been trying not to cry (and failing at it spectacularly).
“I guess. At least, till I get myself kicked out and Howard sticks me in some...terrible military academy somewhere in the far reaches of the Arctic Circle or something,” Tony muttered as he lowered his head and swiped at his eyes.
It was bad enough he had to come to this school for weird kids out in the middle of nowhere, but he didn’t need to get picked on for crying.
When he looked up again, he stared at the tall, lanky teenager in front of him wearing jeans and a t-shirt with the long sleeves pushed up to his elbows; it was tucked into a smart-looking pair of jeans, but the guy just wore socks as if he had no intention of going anywhere outside in the miles of snow that stretched in every direction. What really caught Tony’s attention were the red-lensed sunglasses the guy was wearing inside.
“Bit bright in here for you, shades?” Tony snarked, giving Scott a half-grin to show he was playing and didn’t mean anything shitty by it.
Scott adjusted the glasses on his nose and smiled back a little.
“Oh yeah. Way too bright in here all the time,” he teased back, his hand shooting out in front of him in offering. “Scott Summers. Resident bean pole and nerd. Professor Xavier didn’t mention we were getting someone new over the holidays,” Scott added.
Both smiles widened when Tony stood up and grasped Scott’s hand, feeling a little less like Oliver Twist now that someone had acknowledged him as something more than a nuisance.
“Tony Stark. I’ll see your nerd and raise you a geek and destroyer of grade curves,” he greeted as a little warmth spread through him.
Scott liked the feel of the hand that grasped his, and he laughed at Tony’s comment.
“Oh great. I’ve got another Hank on my hands,” he pretended to grumble, but his grin couldn’t hide his amusement to have another genius around.
After all, he’d heard of Tony Stark and knew the guy was probably slated for big things college-wise. Tony had already gone to college at a young age, so Scott was a little confused as to why he was here exactly. Given what he’d gleaned about Howard Stark, however, he suspected that Tony’s father was a hardass, especially on Tony.
“Hank?” Tony asked before actually catching sight of a stocky guy with a huge pair of Converse on, following a redhead up the hallway somewhere off screen. “Oh, shit. Hank McCoy’s here?” he almost squeaked before he reined in his fanboy gushing.
Scott followed Tony’s stare to where Jean and Hank were headed toward the library with Warren trailing behind them. For a second, he half expected to see Bobby tailing Warren, but when the youngest of them didn’t materialize, he assumed the kid was somewhere doing something way more fun than watching his crush moon over the only girl at the school.
“Yeah. That was him. And Jean, Warren, and...well, Bobby’s probably hanging out in his room or out making snowmen,” Scott answered and tried not to appear wistful since he’d realized that no matter how many dates he and Jean had gone out on, he just wasn’t her type and Warren was.
“Worthington, right?” When Scott nodded, Tony did, too, and added, “Yeah, Howard knows Warren’s dad, so Warren and I have hung out a few times. He’s okay, but...not really into the same stuff I am,” and shrugged, returning his attention to Scott.
It was about that point that business between Charles Xavier and Howard Stark must have concluded because the door to the headmaster’s study opened, and the whir of wheels announced their presence. Howard followed behind Charles, and they were both laughing over something one of them must have said.
“You and Maria have no reason to worry about Tony while you’re in Europe for the rest of the season, Howard. We’ll take good care of him,” Charles was saying and then smiled wider to see Tony and Scott together.
Howard’s smile at the two older teenagers stayed plastered on his face, but Tony knew it was bullshit. How many of Howard’s fake looks at him had he endured while in the presence of others?
Too many.
“Thanks a lot for this, Charles. Maria and I really do appreciate you taking on our most prized creation here,” Howard said in that voice that sounded quippy and like any obnoxious dad, but Tony was fully aware that he was being reduced to a thing and one that his parents current found to be a burden while they went off to party with the other elite in Europe for the holidays.
Charles, too, knew what wasn’t being said because he could easily read Howard’s mind and was fully aware that Tony’s father was less than stellar at the role.
“It really is nothing at all,” Charles insisted, keeping his voice measured and pleasant as he smiled warmly at both Tony and Scott. Even if he couldn’t read every thought, he could feel the tension between Howard and Tony, so Charles started to wheel in the direction of the door with the intention of seeing the elder Stark out.
“Why don’t you walk me out, Tony? Say bye to dear ol’ Dad before I’ll be gone for the next few months?” Howard asked and moved closer to Tony, letting one hand fall onto his son’s shoulder.
Instead of traversing further down the hall, Charles paused and turned his chair around, watching the father and son before glancing up at Scott. His first student wasn’t easy for most people to read; easy to mask his feelings since his eyes were always hidden behind the glasses he wore all the time. Charles could feel Scott’s concern, however, the moment Tony let an obviously fake grin hide the grimace when Howard squeezed his shoulder a little too hard.
“Scott, why don’t you help me in my study for a moment while Tony sees his father out to his car, and then Tony, once you’re back inside, come back here, and Scott can take you to your room and show you around. He can always introduce you to the others then, too,” Charles suggested, his chair whirring softly on his way back to his study.
Scott could more than take a hint, but underneath his shades, he wore a calculating look. He reached out and gave a friendly pat to Tony’s back.
“Yeah, Tony. When you’re done, come find me, and I’ll get you settled and then show you all the ways there are to get into trouble here,” Scott replied, both in jest and in seriousness. He watched as Tony’s interested grin turned into a serious expression under Howard’s scrutiny.
“Will do, Scott,” Tony agreed then worked to keep on his feet when his father gave an insistent nudge toward the entrance.
Standing by Charles’ chair, Scott shoved his hands into his pockets and watched the two Starks walk away.
“I get the impression that Tony and his dad don’t get along super great,” Scott mused once the others were no longer in ear shot. He stared at that empty space for a moment longer before following Charles into his office.
“Your impression is quite right, Scott. There’s been tension between the two of them for many years. I think Howard assumes that I’ll keep Tony fairly busy and out of trouble...or that I’ll resort to using my telepathy to subdue his antics,” came Charles’ response. He was aware that he and his first student would have plenty of privacy until Tony returned as the other four were otherwise engaged with other things.
Scott dropped into the chair across from Charles’ desk after the professor had maneuvered around it to his usual spot.
“I don’t remember reading that Tony was a mutant, so if he is, it must be hush-hush,” he remarked.
Charles pretended to fuss with things on his desk, as if organizing its already neat and tidy surface while he thought about Scott’s observations.
“Tony is a mutant, but at this point, his mutation is so mild and blends in with his genius and his enjoyment of building mechanical and technological things that I’ve never really mentioned it to Howard,” he responded finally and met Scott’s hidden gaze across the desk.
“Gotchya...so he’s essentially someone who can what? Physically or mentally manipulate...metal or tools or...”
“I’ve never been able to truly pinpoint his abilities because I haven’t spent that much time around him. Howard isn’t anti-mutant, and he knows what this school is, but I don’t think he’s ever wondered about his own son being a mutant, so he’s never asked me directly to test him. I just know that it’s there, and since it hasn’t manifested in a dangerous way, I haven’t stepped in,” Charles furthered his explanation.
Of course, Scott had a million questions, some about Tony’s small flickering mutation that somehow aided his genius and his skill with building creations out of scraps – as the papers said about him. Other questions pertained to why Charles wouldn’t inform both Howard and Tony of this mutation, why he wouldn’t insist that Tony come to this school where such brilliance could be guided and trained.
He remained silent, though, and never once questioned the Professor in his decisions. After all, this was the man who rescued him and brought him here and gave him a chance at a good life.
“So, I take it when Mr. and Mrs. Stark return from their trip, Tony probably won’t stick around,” Scott finally offered up, but Charles never looked up from whatever he was typing on his computer.
Meanwhile, outside, Tony walked his father to the car they arrived in. Jarvis leaned against the driver’s side door, taking in the beauty of the school grounds in all its winter glory. Everything nestled under a vast blanket of white; even the hedge maze was a wall of snow hiding its twists and turns.
It was quiet here, peaceful. Tony thought he’d go a little mad, and he hoped for the residents’ sake there weren’t a bunch of roque mallets in a shed somewhere. He liked the Professor, and so far, he really liked Scott. He’d hate to go all Heeeeeeeeeeere’s Johnny on everyone, especially when they were being kind enough to babysit him while Howard and Maria were off traipsing through the Alps for the next two months.
Or wherever the fuck they were going.
Tony stood awkwardly by the passenger side of the car – the front – as Howard, of course, made his way to the back. He glanced over in time to see Jarvis jump to and move briskly around to open the door for Howard; his long-time friend and surrogate father spared him an encouraging smile. If it hadn’t been for his and Anna’s much deserved vacation, they would’ve stuck around so that Tony wouldn’t need to be ferried off to this school in the middle of Westchester nowhere, but even Tony wouldn’t begrudge the Jarvises time away. They more than deserved it.
“Right...so, Dad, you and Mom have a great Christmas and uh...you know, New Year’s, and –“
“Tony, don’t screw this up. Charles Xavier and I have been friends for a while, and I don’t want you disturbing his routines here or those of his students. They’re good kids, and they don’t need you getting them into trouble with your antics,” Howard interrupted with the tirade that Tony was surprised he waited until they were outside to express.
“I’m not going to screw up,” Tony protested and caught the sympathetic look on Jarvis’ face along with the gentle warning in his eyes to not rile Howard up. “I’m almost eighteen, and I really didn’t need to be tossed out here with your friend, who I’m sure didn’t want to be a babysitter to your disappointment of a kid.”
Howard just eyed Tony with that patented annoyance, and he pointed at Tony over the top of the open car door.
“Don’t start. I don’t want to be late getting back to your mother. We fly out tonight, and we don’t need anything to get in the way of that,” he snapped. “Just try and have a good time but stay out of trouble. Maybe you can learn something while you’re here about being a dedicated student who follows the rules. Hell, Tony, you’ve got Hank McCoy out here to trade science ideas with, so that, at least, has to make you happy.”
For once, Tony took Jarvis’ cautious look and went with it.
“Sure, Dad. That’ll be awesome,” he forced a compliant tone, his hands shoved into the pockets of his jacket, digging his nails into his palms.
“Great! You try and have a good holiday, kid. Your mom and I stuck some gifts into one of your suitcases. I’m sure we’ll be in touch here and there. I know your mom’ll want to keep up with you and what all you’re doing here,” Howard replied, his tone shifting from stern asshole to happier just because Tony gave him what he wanted. Obedience.
“That’ll be cool, and maybe you guys could send me postcards from each place you go,” Tony tried without much hope in his voice. When he glanced at Jarvis again, he saw the butler-driver give an approving nod.
“Sure, we’ll try, Tony.”
That was about all Tony could expect – they’d try to remember that they had a son back in the States shut away in a boarding school while they partied across Europe.
Jarvis shut the door and reached out to squeeze Tony’s shoulder.
“Try and have a good time, Tony,” he told the young man he’d had more than a hand in raising. He and Anna never had children of their own, and they were both so very proud of Tony – and were saddened by Howard and Maria’s refusal to see what a great kid he was. “Anna and I will certainly send you plenty of postcards from our vacation, and if there is anything you need...within reason...we’ll see that you have it.”
While Howard was already engrossed in whatever business proposals he’d brought along with him to review for the trip overseas, Tony reached up to squeeze Jarvis’ hand.
“Thanks, Jarvis. That means a lot, but I’ll try and get by with what I brought,” he promised, and for this man, his smile was genuine, and his promises weren’t just meant to avoid conflict.
For Edwin and Anna Jarvis, Tony would do his best to not be a problem where they’d be expected to cut their time off short to put up with him.
“I know you’ll try, but I mean it. Even if it’s just to send a care package of your favorite treats, we’ll do our best to get them to you. Maybe a bit extra to share with your new friends,” Jarvis encouraged. He patted Tony’s face then walked around to the driver’s side of the car and climbed inside.
Tony stepped back as the engine revved and started to move around the circular drive and away from the school.
He sighed and turned to go back inside, not wanting to be that kid who watched his dad drive away from him until he couldn’t see the car anymore.
Okay, so the kids at Xavier’s knew how to throw one helluva snowball fight, Tony thought to himself as he grinned and changed out of his wet clothes and into a pair of flannel pj pants and long-sleeved Ozzy Osborne concert t-shirt. He slid his feet into a thick pair of fuzzy socks and called that as dressed as he was going to get.
I hope they don’t dress up all fancy for supper because that ain’t happening.
He’d unpacked his bags after he’d come back in from saying goodbye to Howard and Jarvis and found a few wrapped presents with his name on them in his mom’s elegant handwriting and another flatter wrapped present with Howard’s scrawling letters that Tony could already tell was a pile of cash. Both parents had already made sure he had plenty of money – like a real stupid amount to have just in paper bills.
Not like Tony would turn it down. He might not have a car here, but he figured if he really wanted to get out of the Overlook for some much-needed sanity shopping, the Professor wouldn’t deny him the way into town.
Now just because he was often called spoiled and entitled by all the gossip rags and his own father didn’t mean Tony wanted to be an ungracious guest. He quickly made his way downstairs and followed his nose to what he was pleased to find was a cozy nook inside the kitchen itself where everyone was gathered for dinner. It surprised him a little that he wouldn’t be ushered to a fancier dining room, but this was better; it reminded him of meals at home with the Jarvises rather than the stuffy occasions with Howard and Maria, often with Stark Industries’ CEO Obadiah Stane right there across from Maria while Tony was relegated to the far end of the table so that the grown-ups could talk.
“Smells good,” Tony announced his presence and stepped further in, hesitating a few feet away from the table, as if waiting for a proper invite to the table.
Bobby, who Tony thought was just the coolest since he’d made the snowball fight a true challenge in his snowman self, waved him over, his mouth already full of a snuck bite of pizza. (Tony had expected something posh for dinner in that stately dining room, and he was extremely pleased to find pizza on his first night at Xavier’s.)
“Come on in, Tony, and get some before the endless stomach eats it all,” Hank said, passing plates around to each of the places at the table.
“Hey!” Bobby protested after swigging down a huge gulp of his soda, “I’m a growing boy! I need to eat!”
A toss of a red ponytail over the upturned shoulder in Bobby’s direction preceded the snark, “What are you growing into, Bobby? Montana?”
Tony narrowed his eyes at the only girl of the bunch; he liked her fine overall, though he preferred the company of Scott and Bobby, now that his science boy-crush over someone like Hank McCoy had passed once he saw the guy clearly forget he weighed more than the narrow branch he’d hung from to fling as many snowballs as he could to hit all the rest of them.
Still, he was getting the lay of the land here, and what he saw was...well, to be fair, it was pretty typical. Three of the guys crushed on the girl; girl crushes hardest on only one of the guys while teasing a flirtation at the other two. Of course, Tony had quickly picked up that the girl – Jean – had started to turn some of that flirty behavior toward him after Scott had introduced him to the others. So, it would seem that while Jean was incredibly smart and savvy in a few subjects, she could still be driven by money, as her hard crush was at the other richboy in the mansion.
“Come on, Red. Don’t pick on the Snowman. Proven in nutrition science, Bobby should be eating plenty because he’s burning it off. If he doesn’t eat as much as his body tells him he needs, he’ll burn off too much and get really sick,” Tony defended as he finally sauntered toward the table and claimed the chair right next to Scott.
Jean merely hmm’ed and gave Tony as big a smile as she could for being called out on her usual playful attitude with the boys. Well, he was new here, so he’d have to be eased into the way things worked around the school.
Everyone was silent for a moment, watching – waiting – to see if Jean would deliver a mental slap toward Tony or Bobby for her being chided about her teasing, but when nothing happened, they dug into the pizza that Bobby had already helped himself to.
“So,” Tony started as he reached for a slice of the ‘everything’ pizza, “you think the Professor would let us drive into town or something? I know my dad gave me a bunch of cash for the holiday, and he’d very seriously advise me not to spend it all in one place, so I really just want to spend it all in one place.” He grinned at his sass right before taking a big bite of the slice full of toppings and stringy cheese.
Warren even puffed up like a bird that Tony would later tease him about being, and he grinned that wide and unfazed grin of the spoiled and wealthy. Tony knew a dozen or more guys like Warren, and let’s face it, he could be that if he really wanted to be.
“I’ve got a car, Tony. I can drive you anywhere you want to go,” he bragged.
Tony would swear the guy’s teeth actually gleamed like one of those toothpaste commercials. He winced a little when Jean giggled and leaned against him, as if just the idea of Warren’s wealth made her hot and bothered. Of course, now he wanted to rescind his question, especially when he noticed Scott quietly eating beside him, not really engaging in any of it.
“Several of us have cars,” Hank tossed out and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.
“I don’t have one,” Bobby pouted, but then he brightened up and thumbed a gesture toward Scott, “Scott’s got his own car.”
“That piece of shit?” Warren snarked and laughed. “No offense, buddy, but your baby’s not ready to be seen in public yet. It’ll take you years to get her all right.”
Be nice be nice be nice be nice, Tony thought to himself. It was his first night, and he didn’t need to piss off one fifth of the student body here. Or two-fifths with the way Jean was clinging to Warren like plastic wrap.
“My car’s a work in progress, Tony. You’d be better off going with Warren or Hank,” Scott replied, very sober and did what he could to keep his shoulders from dropping down to his knees.
“Scott, your car is a classic Corvette! You’ve already got her purring like new. She just needs that new paint job and a few other things,” Bobby gushed, ignoring the way Jean and Warren rolled their eyes. Yeah, he’d have to rethink his crush because there was no way Warren would ever look at him, and now he wondered if he’d ever want him to if his preference was for people like Jean.
The Stark prodigy turned in his chair to level his gaze at Scott. Tony already thought the guy was cute and worlds nicer than the other two who might as well go off into the sunset together in whatever fancy car Worthington’s father bought him.
“Classic Corvette? I am intrigued, and you’re refurbishing her yourself?” he nearly purred and hoped he hadn’t just drooled on himself in the process. Wouldn’t do him any good to look like a weirdo to the cute guy with the cool shades and apparently his own classic set of wheels.
“It’s a 1973,” Bobby blurted out and reached for another slice of pizza.
Scott shook his head and corrected, “1970, and it’s a convertible.”
He actually felt the tips of his ears crisping to a lovely apple-red under Tony’s scrutiny with Bobby’s bragging on him just pulling more and more of their new student’s attention. Scott wasn’t used to this much attention.
“Honestly, Tony, that car is probably years away from being finished. If you need a ride into town, you can go with Jean and me, and – “
But Tony barely acknowledge what Warren was saying. He focused entirely on Scott.
“Year I was born,” Tony commented and grinned. “If you want help...working on your girl, let me know. I’m more than happy to throw in my experience and hand you all the tools you need. I love working on cars...on anything mechanical. It’s relaxing. It’s peaceful – “
“It’s really messy,” Jean fussed and wrinkled her nose.
“It’s meditative,” Scott added, staring into Tony’s big brown eyes that hadn’t left his face the whole time, even to acknowledge that Warren and Jean had said anything.
“YES!” Tony exclaimed. “Absolutely meditative,” he agreed and patted Scott on the shoulder.
Scott chuckled and felt warmth pooling in his belly in a way it really hadn’t before. It was a deeper feeling than the crushes he’d had before, including the one he was still putting behind him for Jean.
“You want to help me, I’ll let you. Bobby tries to, but –“
“Eh. Mechanical stuff isn’t really my thing, but I like watching Scott work. It’s pretty neat how he took a car that was nearly scraps and turned it into a car. It’ll be gorgeous when he’s done with her,” Bobby replied with a shrug then kept eating.
“What color are you gonna paint her?” Tony asked, setting his elbow on the table, totally forgetting all the manners Maria had been teaching him since he was five so he wouldn’t embarrass her and Howard when they had guests over for more formal dinners.
“I was thinking –“
“Scottie doesn’t see colors,” Warren scoffed and pointed at his own eyes, as if to remind Tony of the ruby lenses Scott was forced to wear so he wouldn’t blow the roof off the school.
“...blue,” Scott went on, ignoring the doubt and chiding from the other end of the table. “Before I had to wear these things, before I hit my head and my mutation literally erupted, blue was my favorite color, and I can still make out blue to some degree.”
It was a good thing Scott kept talking over Warren because Tony was about to wear out his welcome the first night by telling the other richboy to shut the fuck up. Besides, Scott really was cute, even if the guy didn’t realize it, and something told Tony that Scott had no clue.
“Show me after we eat?” Tony begged and brought his slice of pizza to his mouth, pausing to add, “Your car. Show me your car after we’re done in here?”
Even without seeing his eyes, Scott’s face was expressive enough to show his surprise and disbelief that someone like Tony Stark would want to see his fixer upper out in the huge garage, especially when once out there, he’d see Warren’s brand new state of the art Porsche and even Hank’s gently used BMW.
There was something about the way Tony looked at him, though, that made Scott feel warm and gooey all over. It was weird because the last time Scott felt that was when Jean was miffed at Warren for something, so she decided to turn her flirting toward Scott just to make her choice guy pissed and jealous. This was deeper, though. Went past the skin to dig deep into his muscles.
“I mean, sure. I’ll show you. Not sure I feel up to working on her tonight or anything, but we’ll go,” Scott replied. Having a handicap in some ways with his eyes not seeing the same way everyone else’s did, he had developed stronger senses in the other four – especially hearing, so he caught the impatient sounds Warren and Jean were making together while they clearly judged Tony for ignoring them to pay attention to him and Bobby. Especially to him.
“Great! And no, I wasn’t thinking of working on your car tonight, but I think I’d sleep easier in a strange place with the familiar sight and smell of a gorgeous car in progress of becoming the perfect lady, you know?”
Bobby giggled and said, “Tony, you’re kinda weird. You’ll fit right in here.”
“Yeah,” Scott agreed in a voice that almost cracked a little under the funny feelings in his stomach, “you’ll fit right in.”
Tony beamed a smile first at Scott then Bobby. He leveled that smile at Hank, whom he did want to talk science with at some point for sure. The other two – well, they could have each other, as far as Tony was concerned. He didn’t suspect he had anything in common with either of them, even if he and Warren both came from wealthy families and dads who were hyper-jerks.
“Well, that’ll be a first,” he said and finally dug into his pizza.
Scott had shown off his car-in-progress, and Tony cooed over her appropriately. They were in the garage for about fifteen minutes before Bobby came running out with their shoes and jackets, begging for a moonlight snowball fight. Tony and Scott were happy to oblige as long as they weren’t out too late, and Hank joined them.
The other two didn’t, citing that they were going to watch one of the many Christmas movies on cable.
Hank declared himself ‘out’ of the snowball fight twenty minutes in, and it wasn’t long after that the other three dragged themselves inside. They changed clothes (again), and while Scott and Tony built a fire in the library’s hearth, Bobby made hot chocolate with plenty of marshmallows.
“You think we should drag him upstairs and put him to bed?” Tony asked and gestured toward the loveseat where Bobby had folded himself up as small as possible after he’d finished his hot chocolate.
Scott looked over at the youngest of them, smiling at the way Bobby passed out like a well-sated pup. He chuckled.
“Nah. Not yet anyway. Unless you’re ready to go up and pass out yourself, we can leave him there. Worst he can do at this point is drool all over himself,” Scott answered and turned his smile to Tony, softer this time. The feelings in his stomach hadn’t gone away yet; or at least, whenever he looked at Tony, they were there, fluttering like a million butterflies.
The two older teens sat side by side on a bunch of pillows on the floor; they leaned back against the couch, and while neither acknowledged it, they were close enough for Scott’s right arm and Tony’s left to touch. Body heat radiated between the two of them, warmed further by the crackling fire they aimed their sock-covered feet at. They’d finished their cocoa not long after Bobby had curled up on the loveseat, and now they just enjoyed the comfort of hearth and each other.
“I’m glad you’re here, Tony,” Scott confessed after a long silence between them. “You’re nothing at all like the tabloids portray you,” he added and half-grinned when Tony laughed at that.
It was a little louder than he’d intended, and before he spoke, Tony glanced over at Bobby, who’d jerked a little at the sudden noise before snuffling himself back to sleep.
“The tabloids love drama, and the Stark family is very good at drama when it wants to be,” he admitted, “but thanks. I’m really glad to be here, too. I...”
Tony sighed and rubbed his face with both hands before he leaned even more against Scott. He let one hand drop until it practically balanced on both their thighs.
“I didn’t think I’d want to be here. It was just enough place my parents exiled me to while they went off to have fun. Usually, I get to spend the holidays with the Jarvises. Uh. My family’s housekeeper and butler. They’re great. Kind of like second parents who actually...parent, but they’re off on their own holiday vacation, and I can’t begrudge them for that. They deserve the time away.”
When he looked over at Scott, their faces pretty close, Tony smiled a little. He tried to see Scott’s eyes through the shades he wore, and he thought he could make out the outline of them, but it was hard to tell, especially with the only light around them the fire. Still, he liked what he saw of Scott, especially the pale smattering of freckles on his cheeks.
“But I like it here. The quiet will take time to get used to, but I do like it. You guys are all really accepting, especially of someone who’s...not really like you,” he added.
It was on the tip of Scott’s tongue to tell Tony that he was more like them than he realized, but that would be breaking the Professor’s confidence. As much as he really liked Tony
(and that like seemed to grow deeper and deeper into something more than like the more time he spend with Tony)
he didn’t want to lose his mentor’s trust.
“Eh. You’re more like us than you probably think,” Scott finally said. “You’re a science nerd like Hank, you and Bobby have this huge thing for sweets, and you like fixing cars like me,” he went on, keeping it safe, keeping it Professor-approved. “The other two...”
Tony gave a dramatic shudder and then used that to cuddle closer to Scott.
“I’m a spoiled rich asshole like Warren, and uh...I don’t know. I probably look good in a dress and heels,” he teased then peeked up into Scott’s face again. Those lips were right there. So close, so tempting. Don’t piss off one of your only friends here, moron, he told himself. Then he had to think about it. Aside from Rhodey and Pepper, his best friends, he really didn’t have friends other than the new ones here.
That made Scott laugh, which he tilted his head so that he could muffle the sound against the top of Tony’s shoulder. Neither of them wanted to wake Bobby up; the kid deserved the rest after dealing with the nightmare that was his parents, who didn’t like having a mutant son.
“Well, maybe while you’re here, we’ll have to sneak into Jean’s room and borrow one of her dresses and a pair of her heels for you to try on,” Scott boldly suggested.
That was a level of mischief he never would’ve suggested in the past given that he knew Jean could crush his mind or body with just a thought.
He admired the sparkle in Tony’s deep dark eyes, almost like a winter night with the North Star to light them up.
“Maybe, but...let’s not piss her off either,” Tony replied, and thought that Pepper and Rhodey would be shocked that he turned down a chance at mischief and petty crime to keep from making a girl mad.
Scott rested his cheek on Tony’s shoulder and looked back at the fire for a moment.
“That really is the smartest move around here. Pranking Bobby and Hank is generally harmless, other than they will get you back. Warren fluffs up his wings and pouts if you prank him, and Jean...” He shook his head. “Nah, better leave that one alone.”
The two fell into another moment of quiet, and Scott realized that his hand felt really warm. When he glanced down, he saw that Tony hand slipped his hand into Scott’s and locked their fingers together. It would explain not just the heat but the exciting jolt that made its way from Scott’s palm up his arm to tingle in his shoulder. The fluttering in his stomach built up again and then settled as if the butterflies finally made their way home.
“But you’re game for an escape into one of the nearby towns if I promise to put gas into your car?” Tony asked, feeling tingly all over as well at the prospect of going out with Scott. He figured they’d take Bobby, too, but Tony could pretend it was a date with Scott. Couldn’t he?
Squeezing the hand holding his, Scott turned his head again and met those Bambi eyes. As much as he could.
“Absolutely. There’s even a town in one direction that’s got a pretty good movie theatre and selection of places to get food that’s entirely bad for you,” he promised. “Bobby might want to go, and I’d suggest taking him with us at least a couple of times we go out. He could use getting away from the lovebirds for a while, but we don’t always have to take him. I’m sure we can get away just the two of us.”
Scott felt the blush rising up his neck to his cheeks at his suggestion, almost like he was saying they should go on a date
maybe he was saying that
and he started to say something, anything, whatever it would take to keep Tony from being weirded out by him.
But Tony stopped those words before they could come out by pressing his mouth to Scott’s.
It wasn’t even a sexy-sexy kiss, open-mouthed and tongues testing the waters of each other. Still, they could both taste each other’s hot chocolate in that gentle press of lips, and that was enough for now.
Scott reached behind him, having to stretch until his stomach was taught and peeking out underneath his t-shirt, to grasp the afghan folded across the back of the couch. He pulled it down and managed to cover them both up with it one-handed until Tony helped out with his free hand.
Neither wanted to let go of the hand they clasped, and now, under the warmth of the afghan, they twined two of their legs together.
When Tony pillowed his cheek on Scott’s shoulder, Scott turned his head just enough to kiss the top of Tony’s head where then he rested his cheek, memorizing the scent of the other teen’s shampoo. They needed nothing else in that moment: the blazing fire, a cozy winter night, bellies full of cocoa, hands held and kisses exchanged with the promise of more.
(And Bobby lightly snoring off to the side, utterly oblivious to what was going on just feet away from his sleeping form.)
It had been a long time since Scott or Tony had had a truly happy holidays, but this year, it would seem it was their turn to get what they wanted, even if it didn’t come wrapped in a box with shiny paper and bows.