Two weeks later . . .

Tony couldn't believe he let his dad talk him into coming to this stupid function. It was boring as hell and anyone of the people that he came across wanted to talk about Politics or sports, neither of which he found fun topics. But this wasn't about fun, this was about better his skills as a business man, or that's how his dad had put it.

-x-

*ring….. ring…..* "Hello?"

"Hey Bambi, how are you?"

"Oh! Hi Dad, I'm good, things are finally slowing down at school again. I was taking a nap and didn't check the caller ID."

"Oh god, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you…" He felt bad waking his son up, he probably didn't get enough sleep these days with all the work he was putting in for his projects.

"It's okay dad, I missed you, it's been a few days since our last phone call." He heard rustling over the phone, probably Tony moving into a more comfortable position. His heart swelled, hearing that his son not only missed him, but admitted to missing him. He must be really tired if he's saying stuff like that.

"Oh Tony I miss you too. I was actually hoping you'd be free next weekend?" He really hoped with Tony's tired state that he would ask to many questions.

There was a pause from the Tony's side, "There's nothing important happening, and I should be finished with some of my finals right before then." Howard sighed in relief, this was turning out to be easier than he thought. "Why? What's up?" Maybe he spoke to soon….

"Well I was hoping that we could spend some time together, you haven't been home in a while and I miss my Bambi." He tried to keep it as sincere as possible but his son always saw through him.

"Okay dad, what's really going on? You're acting sentimental, which means you're hiding something because you think I won't like it, so what's really going on?"

"So there might be a gala I want you to attend with me but it's only one and just for a few hours…." He rushed out, hoping getting it out faster would be easier somehow.

"Daaaaaaad, why? You know I hate going to those suits parties." Tony trialed off, probably thinking over the few galas or events that Howard had managed to drag him too.

"Please Tony, there's a few people I need you to meet and then it'll be beneficial in the long run. If you're ever to become CEO one day, these parties are going to become a necessity whether you like it or not, so the more practice you get in now will make it easier on you for the future." They've discussed this before, Howard wanted to show Tony how to handle these types of events, learn to mingle with the sharks of society while working out relations and prying money from their pockets all why being charming in the eye of all attendees. Normally he was slacker with pressuring Tony into going to these things but they were both getting old and he might have an ulterior motive for this one.

"Fine, fine, I'll go." Tony gave a great sigh over the line but Howard was elated he didn't have to fight him harder on this.

"Excellent, I'll even come myself to pick you up Friday evening? Is that too soon?" He didn't want to sound too excited but this was perfect, he couldn't wait to call T'Chaka.

"No, that's fine. I'll see you next Friday Dad, love you."

"Love you too, bye son."

-x-

So that's how Tony found himself sulking at the end of the bar. Sadly he wasn't legal yet but he could still sip at a soda and try to ignore everyone. His dad had introduced him to a few people already, most some wealthy people that were looking to invest their loads of cash. The others he was introduced to were the new partnering companies that Stark Industries had been recently contracting with to build better medical equipment. Eventually Howard got pulled away by an urgent phone call leaving Tony to fend for himself. He lingered on the floor for a bit but after politely talking his way out of the third consecutive conversation about golf he made his way to the bar where he could brood in the corner.

He was tearing up a napkin, ignoring the subtle glares the bar tender was sending him for the mess when someone cleared their throat behind him. "Is this seat taken?"

He turned around and whoa…. An alpha, maybe a few years older than him was standing next to him. He's tall with dark chocolate skin that was being mostly concealed but nicely accented by a charcoal gray suit that fit him well. His skin was flawless, a strong jaw and chin framed by a lite coating of fuzz. His hair cut down but looked good and then there was his eyes, they were sparkling at him and filled with amusement.

"Oh, y-yeah. I mean, no it's not, you can sit there." He blushed, the man only spoke four words to him and he was stuttering like a pre-teen with a crush.

"You seem bored, sitting here by yourself." The man beside him quickly flagged down the bartender, giving him a sweet smile that twisted his stomach in knots, warmth spreading through his body.

"That obvious?" He gave a weak smile, he didn't want to scare the other man off but he was so nervous and wasn't sure what to say. "I'm, uh," The man had been facing the bartender who was delivering him a drink but then turned his attention back to the omega when he spoke, Tony felt weak under the other's undivided attention, "I'm Tony."

"T'Challa, nice to meet you Tony."

He held out his hand, Tony scrambled to untangle his to return the hand shake. He couldn't help marveling at how soft his hands felt, even though there was power behind the shake and calluses on the pad of his hand. "Likewise."

"So, if you don't mind me asking," he paused and Tony nodded his head, gesturing for him to continue, "I'm guessing you're not very interesting in talking about politics with these gentlemen."

"Yeah, I understand it and know it's necessary but I'd rather avoid the guys that get overly passionate about the subject. They can go on for hours and then it never fails that someone joins in to get a debate going."

He chuckled and Tony glowed with pride and getting that smooth dexterity to crack, "Yes that is quite common, but that brings be back to my question. What would you rather being talking about. Or what are you passionate enough to get into heated debates about?"

"Science." His answer came quick and automatic. He coughed to ease some of the awkwardness he felt, "mostly engineering and physics, but I wouldn't mind talking about other subjects."

"Well, you mentioned engineering, are you an engineer?" T'Challa looked generally interested and it made some of the anxious knots loosen up inside him.

"Well, since you asked…."

-x-

"….. and then Rhodey came storming in, fire extinguisher foam covering him head to toe, Dum-E trialing behind him still trying to dose him with the empty can." They both laughed. The night had been going great once T'Challa came over. They had easily got talking about MIT, T'Challa's own college experiences and a few failed experiments here and there. Tony was finally enjoying himself, T'Challa was really ease to talk to once they got on a subject more familiar to him and it helped that T'Challa understood what he was saying and was able to throw in his own stories.

He was saddened when they had to part ways, a woman had come over and told T'Challa that his father was waiting for him. Tony tried not to let the disappointment show on his face but he must not have done to well.

"Tony," he looked up at the other man, "can I have your number? I'd like to see you again and hear more stories about Dum-E, he sounds like quite the character."

"Oh, yeah, yes. Here." He quickly gave the other his number and then beamed up at him, unable and not caring to hide the smile that won over his face. T'Challa smiled back at him and then left with Tony's cell phone number and a promise to call soon.

Tony was so caught up in staring dreamily after the alpha that he nearly jumped out of his skin when a hand landed on his shoulder. He spun in his chair to see his father, hands raised in surrender. "Sorry Tony, didn't mean to scare you like that."

Once he got his breathing under control again, he lightly punched his father's shoulder, "Jesus Dad, don't sneak up on me like that."

"I didn't sneak, I walked over here like a normal person, you were just too busy making heart eyes at that young man." Tony blushed hard and his dad's shit eating grin didn't help the situation, "Well," he looked at his father who seemed to be containing himself from squealing at him like an excited fan girl.

"Well what?" Howard released the breath he had been holding and instead let his hands fall to his hips.

"Tell me who he is!" Tony was surprised by his father's excitement. But then again, Howard did get really weird when it came to Tony dating anyone.

Tony let himself think about the past hour, how easy it was to talk to T'Challa and how the alpha had promised to call him, the promise of a date. He smiled, "A potential date." He smiled into his soda, ignoring his father's pleas for details and how cruel he was being for leaving his old man out of the loop.