fandomhigh | Debate, Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Steve was up at the front of the room as usual, standing behind a star-spangled rostrum...which was new. "Hello, class."

He wore his spangles out of self defense, kids. It was purely out of self defense. Tony's version of that was a smile that leaned a little toward the plastic end of the sincerity spectrum. Which would be what he had going right now. Because apparently both of them were incapable of saying no to a challenging topic. "We're starting you off in the deep end of the debate pool now that introductions are over with."

Aren't you all lucky?

So lucky!

Steve squared his shoulders. "We decided who would argue each side through a coin flip," because a tickle fight was just undignified, "I am against. Tony is arguing pro. Today. As we mentioned before, arguing for a side you may not agree with can be helpful as well."

"It can cut down on some of the emotions involved when you feel strongly about a topic," Tony added. "It also prepares you for the ability to see an alternate point of view. You don't have to agree with it by the end of the class, but it can help you later on in formulating arguments."

Steve nodded. "We'll give you some time to get through the research on both sides, and then you get to debate with us. Should it be okay all the time? Some of the time? Only when the interrogation can't be traced back to you? How high would the stakes have to be on a scale of localized explosion to alien invasion?"

"Should there be rules? Is it a violation of international treaties? Does it work as a deterrent or encourage retaliation?" Tony chimed in. "We've provided tablets for you to do your research on. Please don't throw them at your teacher or anyone else you're debating, okay?"

Steve nodded. "We're starting with something important and controversial--" and painful for both teachers to talk about, honestly, "--because we think you can handle it. If it doesn't go well, we'll have to scale back to debating about the quality of food in the dorm fridges or something, and no one wants that."

Seriously, no one wanted to debate that.

"Keep it civil," Tony said because it hilarious without him realizing why.

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"My father was Howard Stark." And he left it at that.

"Peggy told me a story of trying to track down a blonde Russian spy that Howard had...been friendly...with that ended up with Jarvis getting slapped up and down New York City as they tried to track down which girl it was," Steve said.

"...why am I not surprised by this?" Tony asked dryly. "At least it's not the Hellfire Club."

"Remind me again how that one goes? I can tell it to Peggy next time."

"It's this... old boys' club. Waitresses in lingerie and all that," he said with a sigh. "I went once after he died. That was enough for me."

Steve wrinkled up his nose. "Not my kind of crowd."

"No? You sure?" Tony asked. "Not even you without your memories?"

Steve burst out laughing. "Oh, in that case, I'd be working there."

Tony expression went through a bit of a gamut of things at the mental image of Steve dressed up like one of the women there.

"Only if you like wearing a garter," he settled on because showing embarrassment was for the weak.

Steve laughed. "I've never tried."

"Let's assume not then," Tony replied. Because choosing sanity was important.

Debate, Wednesday, September 7, 2016

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Re: Talk to Steve and Tony