Chapter Text
Chapter One
Avenger High School opened with five pupils aged 13, on May 1923, the first batch of students each belonged to a pioneer of the society, the legacy of their name earned them position in the first luxurious preparatory school in United States of America. There were only two boarding houses at that time divided among the students of the school, Cratus and Apeiron both were in the western part of the mansion. The following term, Hephaestus was formed in the eastern wing after receiving a generous donation from one of the pupil’s father, Mr. Stark. The intension of the school was to instils the pupils to provide the best traditional education and shape them into eminent figure of the future, the school grew in property and size as the original pupils on graduating and setting their own foot in the world became the trustee. They invested in the school as their vision succeeded when the school became the most elite school, a place everyone wanted to be at but they only wanted to accommodate the most elite of all, it was never open for all and the number of the students remained significantly low due to their strict admission criteria. The art school and sports pavilion flourished under the second generation of Mr. Potts, he was among the very first pupil of the school, his family invented a spinning machine in the 1780. His family did upgrade their business model with time, it allowed them to have an influence in the garment manufacturing business, Mr. Potts himself had invested in a new shoe company run by track athlete and his coach in the University of Oregon.
The prestigious faculty of the school could be a credit given to Count Ivan Niklayevich Romaoff, his family came from a line of royalty in Russia, their rumours of his extravagant parties and scandals filled every newspaper. Mr. Leonard Stone came from a very long influential family of politicians in England, and in his early adult years he was also the captain of England’s rugby team and his involvement in the school helped them to procure a large portion of the Beacon Hill, where the campus stands till this very day. Mr. Henry Strange inherited an automobile company from his father that catered to the need of the middle class under him, initially he was met with a lot of criticism but his brand grew tenfold under him. The last pioneer and one of the most important man of that century was Mr. Edward William Stark, he was the man who provided weapons to the world, his family had been in the business of weapon ever since the caveman had sought to fight with stones and stick.
The admission rules relaxed after the second world war when they lost most of their alumni in the war, the involvement in the war also shifted dynamics amongst the board as the Stone and Russian royalty decided to respectfully give up their position. Those positions were never fulfilled out of respect for them but the new board decided to give privilege during admission to rich families with a history of fighting in the Second World War. The board again changed it to any war because the first time framing the clause they were unaware of the in numerous wars their country would fight in the near future. The war broke the economy of the country completely, it forced the strong Avengers to bend over as they relaxed their admission process further to allow even the ones that came with new money, they needed it to survive.
The brainchild of this policy was Mr. Anthony William Stark, the war profited his business but he understood the need of education for all, he decided that from the next term he would elect fifteen student from the public schools with extraordinary merit and pay for their education. The decision was again faced with a lot of criticism but Anthony had been the only strong pillar of the board at that time, the founders decided that they would never disobey two crucial rules which was build on their friendship. The first that their children would always be welcomed in the school and the two board seats lost to international politics would never be filled by any one else. As young teenagers there forefather had taken an oath for the same and it was inherited to their children with their legacy. The school at presents attends to 250 students including day and boarding students, also with the children of the original five and royalties from all over the world, the honourable military families, the newly rich and lastly the fifteen batch of students that grew into impressive thirty under one of the current board member, Mr. Howard Stark. The school have transformed itself adjusting to the need of the world, the traditional education is replaced with a free environment for the children to grow safe, bulling is a strictly punishable offence and every kid there finds themselves in a safe environment.
His own son is among the senior most batch, a year shy away from starting in MIT, Anthony Edward Stark, the seventeen year old junior wanted to start his college after receiving acceptance when he was fifteen year old, his father protested against it. Howard did not want his son to grow up soon, so he pleaded with his son and Anthony or as he preferred to be called Tony decided to stay back a few more years. He loved his father and after losing his mother at the tender age of five all he had was his father, Howard did not even want to send his son to the boarding school but the blood oath taken by his forefather almost forced him too. The house had been empty since the young boy left and he finds himself with more reason to visit the campus on official trustee business which is just an excuse to see his son. Tony does not mind, he is very much unlike boys of his age, he is extremely sensitive and he loves people with their heart so even if he gets teased by his overbearing father he never let it show to his old man.
The teasing mostly comes from his best friend, Virginia Pepper Potts, the daughter of the trustee and with her mother completely taking over the small company started as an investment by her second generation she comes from money but is the most humble person. Pepper have a big life but her dreams are limited, she too is on her final year but after school she plans to pursue fashion in New York University, she have never said it aloud to anyone other than Tony and Rhodey. The one being her best friend since childhood and the other the love of her life, she trusted them with her own life. Her mother is keen on her following the footsteps of business but she has alternative plans and her mother not being the most supportive person makes her nervous, she has not even disclosed her relationship with Rhodey after being in relationship with him for more than three years. Her mother is the most brightest women Tony had ever seen and watching his friend breaking herself to fit into the shadows makes him miserable. Rhodey, legally known as James Rupert Rhodes was among the newly rich, his father Chief Joseph Adelyn Adenuga Rhodes is a Nigerian billionaire, he owned the first indigenous oil company. This is Tony’s tribe, his friends, he had known Rhodes since the first day at Avenger and something about the kindness in his eyes assured Tony that he would be a perfect match for Pepper, since then he had been playing a cupid and his plan was succeeded when Rhodes asked her out for the winter formal dance before three years. They have been together since, Rhodes, Pepper and Tony the three Musketeers, Rhodes also play in school Rugby team.
Stephen Vincent Strange is another little boy carrying the weight of his legacy, he is two years junior to them but he posses an intellectual sight and a sharp tongue, he mostly loves to maintain an air of solitude but his luxury was destroyed when his classmate, Thor Odison, a Norwegian royalty took a liking to him and have been trying to woo the young man since. Natasha Alianova Romaoff, finds the whole arrangement hilarious, she is not exactly a peer as very much like Stephen she treasures her solitude but every now and then you can find her popping by every group and being involved with them. She was once asked by a curious Clint, why was she so indecisive about her friends and with her signature smile she replied she had no friends, she was here to observe and report. He did not question her further, no one ever does, the small junior has a dangerous aroma around her, she is not to be messed with and the biggest prove is when she refuses to be address by her title. Clint Barton is the opposite of Natasha, he comes from nothing, he was from Iowa and his parents died in a car crash when he was still a child, he had been under the care of his aunty ever since. His education have been sponsored by Howard but the man always treats him like family, inviting him over for holidays and vacations. Tony too was a brother to him until they parted away when the group of friends fell apart and he choose someone else over Tony. Whenever they found themselves alone they fell into the comfortable relationship of siblings, Clint was in the same year as Tony, he was an exceptional archer and the captain of the school archer team. His skill bought him close to Natasha, it was during one of his games he noticed her for the first time and he had been smitten by her since. He after a lot of encouragement finally asked her for date and she replied she does not do labels, at the age of thirteen she had been so strong and firm. Ever since they have this complicated thing where Natasha threatens murder on a senior flirting with Clint but does not acknowledge her own feelings for him. This was a complicated bunch of people, for example James Buchanan Barnes, he was the second generation to be educated in the Avengers, his grandfather was a merchant navy officer and after his early retirement founded his own line of luxurious cruise line. This young man was nicknamed Bucky and the one who gave him so was his families arch rival the Wilsons, Samuel Thomas Wilson was the son of the top competitors of Bucky’s family business. Their fathers could not stand in the same room, there relatives were also against each other throats at all time, Bucky’s aunt and Sam’s uncle is in the New York Police force and they are constantly competing. Bucky was prepped to hate Sam, but the moment his eyes fell on the young charismatic man he lost his heart, the feelings had been reciprocated and they have been together for five years. Their families do not even have a clue of this unusual relationship as they maintain their charade but among the school they are known as Romeo and Juliet. They are also in their final year and apart from worrying about their college they are also worried about the future of their relationship, there common friend and their captain in the Rugby team promises to help them cement their future.
He is a man of his words, the ideal student, the school head boy, the star pupil Steven Grant Rogers, he is adored and loved by everyone. He was already famous even before coming to the school, his father Joseph Rogers was a big name in the New York real estate market and his mother was a former Victoria secret model and present socialite, Sarah Rogers. There was a family perfect on papers but only his close friends Bucky and Sam knew the tortured little boy, he found his new family first in Sam and Bucky and then his group extended to Tony, Pepper, Rhodes and Clint. They would never be seen apart specially Tony and Steve, they had been the best of friends, Tony realised that Steve’s mother had never been for him so he took the role of mother hen. The boy at his early teenage was a sickly asthmatic boy, he was still cocky and extremely popular for his beautiful features, girls and boys fawned over him and he was a tad bit guilty of enjoying the company a little too much. He was the first to loose his virginity at thirteen year old to a senior at another school, he loved the attraction but failed to notice that his own best friend, Tony found himself fall over him. Tony did everything for Steve and he never felt guilty of using Tony’s attraction to his advantage, his homework were done, if he needed anything even at the death of night Tony would procure it for him, if he needed a shoulder to cry, Tony would be there for him. The boy worshiped the very ground he walked, Steve was his first love and Tony patiently waited for him to see him but Steve never did, he liked Tony as a friend but too immature did not realise he was breaking the boy’s heart.
The famous winter formal dance three years before that established so many relationship among the friends group proved to be devastating for Tony, he had moped the entire evening on the corner watching Steve with a beautiful girl. He was heartbroken and left the party early retiring to his room which he shared with Rhodes, who had not returned that night, there was a knock at the door and when he opened there Steve stood still in his tux looking handsome as ever. He walked inside as Tony brewed him a hot cup of tea knowing well that something had gone wrong in Steve’s evening, after thanklessly receiving the tea he finally unfolded the reason. The girl he had been dancing was Margaret Carter, the head girl of the school and he had been developing feelings for her which Tony knew as did the entire school, Steve had very publicly wooed her. The new acquired information was that Margaret was going back to England for college, Steve was heart broken or at least he felt at that moment. Tony consoled him, telling him all the great qualities he admired about Steve, as the blue eyed boy looked into his friends eyes and suddenly crashed his lips against his friends. Tony was beyond shocked, he had no way had thought that the night would take this turn but never the less, he did not object instead he let Steve be his first. At the age of fourteen Tony lost his virginity to Steve in his dorm room, he was naive and in love and so the next morning when he woke up to an empty bed he was disheartened. He did not care for cold and travelled to the other end of the building but found Steve missing from his room and the campus, Bucky later informed that Steve had already left for his holidays.
Tony was sad, he did not understand why would Steve leave without a goodbye, he walked back to his room. Tony did call him later and spoke but Steve never mentioned anything about the night to Tony or to anyone else, so neither did Tony, he realised that he had to move away from Steve because he would never feel the same for Tony. The summer was the hardest for Tony but the next term would be a sledgehammer through his personal life, Steve returned with a new body, he was no more the bones but the muscle and the abs, he looked older and broader, he had some intense training done during his vacation and the result clearly showed. Tony knew he was screwed the moment the blonde looked at him, he started aggressively avoiding his former best friend not that it ever was a problem for Steve. He started playing Rugby and his chain of girlfriend and boyfriend paraded around him, anyone who did not fit into the popular category was dismissed, the way Steve discarded Tony, Pepper and Rhodey really filled him with anger. Bucky, Sam and Clint also remained reluctantly to this new boy who was a ray of sunshine to others but was mean and cruel, he no longer shared anything but crude jokes about his partners.
Bucky at times questioned their friendship, while the other maintained a formal friendship with him. Tony was so devastated by this new Steve that he aimed at leaving the school and starting his college early but his father intervened and that stopped before it started, none of his friends understood why Steve turned into a passive aggressive jerk and Tony who had always been a moral compass for him kept his distance. That was a secret they both had kept, Tony thought he could never fall in love again but during the holiday before his last term he met the enigmatic genius Robert Bruce Banner. He was a first year college student in Harvard, there campus were at a close distance of thirty minutes and so after the term started there relationship grew stronger, Tony spent his weekends at Bruce and enjoyed the company of the mature and intelligent man. Tony found his laugh again with Bruce and within three months of their relationship Tony could find himself falling for Bruce. Steve had met him briefly and disliked him, he did not say so but his intrusive and rude question about his interest in Tony made everyone around the uncomfortable. They never met again, Steve wilfully avoided Tony and his beau after that until the Valentine Day that year. Bruce had to been in Ireland, so Tony was among the few staying in the campus, the other being Steve whom he very unfortunately met at the school cafeteria, they exchanged a few words there and before he knew he was in Steve’s room playing video games. Tony cursed himself for still being in love with Steve and still not having the power to say him no, he did not need to know where he would go after death because he was already there in his living hell. Then out of the blue Steve looked at him and asked,
“Wanna makeout?”
Tony should have rejected the offer, told him no and bolted for his room, there were a thousand reasons for rejecting one being Steve was a huge asshole who would only break his heart again and second he was in relationship with Bruce and did he mention Steve was a huge asshole. So Tony analysing everything gave his reply,
“Yea sure”
They did not stop at just the above the shirt, they had sex, again, and as Tony laid beside a snoring Steve still confused as to how he had reached at this point sweating and promising to come clean to Bruce and never repeat this act of sleeping with Steven Grant Rogers again. He could not keep his words as a few days after when Rhodes was again out he found Steve at his door, before he could ask the blonde crashed his lips against the smaller brunette and there it was again, Tony did not even feel guilty about it. He realised as Bruce was never going to sleep with him until he was eighteen this was a good way to release his pent up sexual energy, he was going to turn eighteen in a few months and Steve could fulfil his lust till then, no one had to know, it would be there secret. Tony felt awful even coming to the conclusion, he felt himself grow into a smaller and weaker boy every time he slept with Steve but he always felt pulled towards him. In weird turn of events he found Steve gravitating around him again in the public and he welcomed the man into his life, soon enough it felt as though no time had passed at all, Steve no longer had anyone other than Tony, and the boy genius even after warning caution from his friends assured himself that he was not falling for Steve. He loved Bruce who at this time was in a foreign country for an entire semester, their time difference and distance made it difficult for the couple but it would end soon and then he would end this arrangement with Steve too. It was going to be simple, but Tony was cursed and his life was made to be complicated so the night he planed to confront Steve he ended up sleeping with him again and he consoled himself that it would be the very last time he did sleep. As he watched Steve walk around the empty room as Bucky had been camping in Sam’s room for an entire week, where was Director Fury when the students needed him. His strictness and need for discipline would come handy and prevent his students from breaking rule and literally fucking each other all the time, Tony stared blankly at the ceiling and wandered what exactly his forefather would think if they could see the condition of this school. Steve caught his spacing out and so he called out his name with the ever sweet voice and Tony turned towards him with a smile, Steve kneeled on the ground with his thump drawing pattern on Tony ’s cheek as he said,
“I am ready to tell everyone”
Tony went alert as he stood up pulling the blanket covering his chest and lean arms and asked suspiciously,
“What are you talking about?”
Steve looked up at him with his hands on Tony thighs as he said with the command in his voice,
“That you are my boyfriend”
“You are not my boyfriend Steve, I have a boyfriend Bruce. Did you think we were paired, why would you think we were a couple?”
He asked completely shocked while he watched Steve’s jaws clenched as he stood in full height and Tony felt himself smaller and insignificant in front of this man, he looked at Tony and explained to him like he was explaining a child,
“You are my boyfriend Tony, we have been dating since Valentine Day when Bruce left you by yourself. I have been spending every single waking moment with you Tony obviously you are my boyfriend, I don’t know why are you acting so stupid”
Tony at the mention of being called stupid stood up dropping the blanket as he fished his boxers from the ground wearing it with struggle because everything in his body ached, curtesy of Steven fucking Rogers. His voice high and extremely angry, he looked up at Steve said,
“We are nothing, we had not been dating, we had just been fucking each other and that is it. Also you know what, this ends today so it is better you find someone else to wet your dick with, you fucking asshole”
Steve stood there speechless as Tony rushed around the room picking out different item of his clothing and trying to rush out of the room a better man would have rushed out naked but that was not his style. Tony held the knob of the door in his hand relieved at Steve’s silence assuming he had given up the fight when he felt the same pair of strong arms around his waist and heard Steve whisper into his ear with a soft voice,
“I am sorry to call you stupid, love, you are the most intelligent person I ever met, you are a genius, you are my genius and I love you so much”
Did he say he loved Tony? Steve loved him, he finally loved him, Tony had waited for so long to be loved by Steve and Steve finally did, this had to be a dream. Tony felt all his anger melting away as he turned towards Steve looking at his, his face was torn in pain and Tony would have done or said anything for Steve to smile again, he loved that man, so he said,
“Fine, but don’t say anything to anyone until I clear everything with Bruce?”
Steve nodded obediently as Tony let himself be carried to Steve’s bed where he undressed the teenager again leaving him only his boxers and then getting under the cover spooning his boyfriend as Tony let himself sleep beside Steve, consequences could wait for another day.