fandomhigh | Working with Jerks, Wednesday, Period 3

"In every working situation," Steve said, "there's at least one person who has difficulty focusing on the task at hand."

No, he wasn't side-eying Tony! Why would you think that?

Tony just smiled and pretended he didn't notice Steve's complete lack of subtlety. And his ability to focus was legendary. His ability to multi-task as well. It just looked like he was goofing off sometimes. Honest. "These days it can be due to social media. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram... whatever. Because almost everyone has one of these," he said, holding up smart phone that might have had 'Stark' written on it. "And sometimes this also features sharing things that are wrong to anyone with half a brain."

"Like inspirational photos with egreigous misspellings on them," Steve said, "or stories about history that aren't close to being true."

"Or supporting political candidates that who are basically corporate Hitler. And I'm not even using that in an internet context of winning an argument," Tony added quickly. "You will have coworkers who like to share these uncomfortable things with you and be faced with the very real choice between saying something or ignoring them."

He wasn't going to judge either choice here because it wasn't exactly a black and white scenario if you asked Tony. Steve on the other hand...

Yeah, they were getting the Jaw Clench of Righteous Indignation. "Of course you say something," Steve said.

All capitalization necessary for it! "You're not always in a situation where you can say something," Tony replied, turning his focus away from the class. This would end in an argument, kids. Maybe it was time to duck and cover?

...and this was why Steve spent most of his pre-serum days getting the stuffing kicked out of him. "Like when?" he demanded.

"Like lower income households, like with women, like with people of color, like with any group who don't have power over the situation," Tony replied, narrowing his eyes at the tone. "It's not an ideal situation, but when it's between unemployment and ignoring some assh--jerks, it's not so easy."

Steve, not shockingly, had been fired a lot. He frowned thoughtfully, then nodded slightly. "But if any of you run into these jerks in real life and you feel like you can't call them on their idiocy, call me. I'll do it for you."

If he wasn't on 4chan starting fights.

Tony just threw his hands up in the air at that, turning away as he mouthed 'oh my god' to himself. "Okay, today you get to decide how to respond to this kind of situation. No starting a fist fight."

Steve.

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Who are probably not still fighting. Probably.

Tony wasn't fighting anyone. Don't be silly.

Okay, that was a lie. He was just at the mental equivalent of (งಠ_ಠ)ง while trying to look chill about it.

And Steve's jaw would do that clenching thing if he looked at Tony too long.

Good becomes great, bad becomes worse, stubbornness becomes pure pigheadedness...

He was going to crack a molar with righteous indignation one day. "Just say what's on your mind already."

"I completely understand what you were saying about vulnerable demographics not always being able to say what's on their minds," Steve said, "but you and I have an obligation to tell people when they're wrong, or else they'll take our silence for agreement."

Well that just made Tony grin. "I don't disagree with you there. There's just a disparity in the influence we have versus what maybe our students have and placing that sort of pressure on them doesn't always help the situation."

"This is the time in their lives they're finally starting to notice things are wrong," Steve said. "They should express it."

Steve got beat up so much, Tony. So. Much.

Yeah, that did not surprise Tony in the slightest.

"They've noticed before now," Tony replied. "Trust me."

Said the guy who'd been in a STEM career, academia, the rich old boy's club, and dealt with the military all his life.

"You just can't assume everyone will follow your idea of the right way of dealing with this."

"What other way is there to deal?" Steve asked. "Ignoring it doesn't work."

"And moral high ground doesn't keep people fed." He took a breath. "Not everyone is comfortable with a confrontation. It doesn't mean they don't deserve one. I'm just saying you need to think about that."

"Fine," Steve said, jaw still clenching. "I'll think about it."

This was the kind of argument Bucky's had weekly. Usually when fixing a black eye.

Tony needed to buy the Bucky in town a drink.

"Uh huh."

He totally believed that with the jaw clench of resolve going on there.

Working with Jerks, Wednesday, Period 3

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