Anya Antonovna Romanova Stark (anyastark) wrote,
@ 2012-02-10 23:52:00

Anya leaned back in the large leather desk chair and rubbed her eyes. She blinked a few times and tried to focus on the clock on the far wall. It was already eight pm and she had been in the office since six am. To say it was a long day was an understatement. Ren Tech ate up almost all of her time and caused a mountain of stress.

She opened the bottom drawer and pulled out a bottle of vodka and a glass. One glass to help her relax and then she'd head home to do some more work before heading to bed. The vodka had become a nightly thing. It helped her relax a bit. Sex did too, but dammit she didn't even have time for that.

She filled the glass and gulped down the clear liquid. It slid easily down her throat and settled in her stomach. Warmth filled her stomach and slowly started to spread outward.

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iron_hide
2012-02-11 04:25 am UTC (link)

As he'd asked, they'd let her know when she'd been in the office past her scheduled eight hours. The eight hours they'd talked about that Anya /promised/ she wouldn't let slip past her. Justin normally wouldn't have let Anya staying overtime bother him, because she used to do it all the time before Ren Tech started.

But that was also before she started drinking.

The drinking bothered Justin for more reasons than he could name, the least of which being that this was the way his Uncle Tony had died back home. He'd done so much damage to himself with the drinking that he'd pushed away his friends and family for a long time before he got clean. When he got clean, it was too late.

Coming to this dimension and finding out that Mr. Stark had also had issues with his drinking (and that his parents had had to deal with them) was also upsetting, but Mr. Stark was in much better shape here and had been sober for years because of his family.

Now Anya was going down that path and Justin couldn't take that. Luckily, he was in New York for a conference, so it was nothing to stop in to Ren Tech and check on her.

He walks into the office and stops as he finds her.

"Anya...we need to talk." Justin says.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

	anyastark 2012-02-11 04:28 am UTC (link)
	"Justin," she said and tilted her head in a bit of confusion. "I thought you were supposed to be in...LA this week." She thought it was LA. His schedule was about as crazy as hers with Ren Tech and Cambire business to handle. "What happened?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	iron_hide 2012-02-11 04:36 am UTC (link)
	"No, Anya." Justin says quietly. "I'm here for the announcement about setting up the ZPE grid in District X. I don't think you're going to be in any condition to talk about it in the morning." he says. He steps into the room a bit further and looks at her sadly. "How much have you had, Anya?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2012-02-11 04:39 am UTC (link)
	"One glass," she said giving him a strange look. She hadn't had time to have more. Some nights she finished off a bottle before going home. "I'll be fine in the morning." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	iron_hide 2012-02-11 04:42 am UTC (link)
	Justin isn't sure if he believes her but decides to let it lie for a moment. No use in getting into an argument. "I think you should sit this one out, Anya. I know things have been rough for you lately. You're not sleeping and you're in the office more than you're out of it. What happened?" he asks. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2012-02-11 04:45 am UTC (link)
	She sat up in the chair and leaned forward. "What do you mean sit out of this? Dammit. I am not sitting out of anything when it comes to Ren Tech. I've put just as much blood and sweat into this company as you have. I'm /not/ going to sit out." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	iron_hide 2012-02-11 04:48 am UTC (link)
	"You need to sit this out, Anya. There's some concern about your performance lately." Justin says. "I've heard about the drinking, Anya. I want to help you but you can't be involved with the company if you're head isn't in the game. Your dad would say the same thing." Justin says. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2012-02-11 04:50 am UTC (link)
	"From whom?" she challenged. "My performance is fine. My head isn't anywhere but in this damn company. I have no social life, I barely see Toni and I can't remember the last time I got laid." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

iron_hide
2012-02-11 04:54 am UTC (link)

Justin clears his throat. He and Anya were business partners and friends, but they'd never gone into TMI territory before.

"What about Steve? You and Toni go out all the time, though she mentioned you canceled the last meet-up." he says.

"The drinking isn't going to make any of that better. I mean, how good is sex when you're drunk?" he says, trying to distract her.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2012-02-11 04:56 am UTC (link)
	"Steve and I have been having scheduling problems lately," she admitted. "He either has Avenger stuff or I'm working or have TBolts stuff. Toni...I haven't seen her in a month." Anya sighed. "The drinking is not a problem." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	iron_hide 2012-02-11 05:02 am UTC (link)
	"Anya, people in the office are noticing. That's bad enough." Justin says. "Do you really want to put us in the position to have to explain a misstep?" he asks. "Look, let me handle tomorrow and you go see Toni or Steve. Take a week off. Two, even. I can handle the work." he says. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2012-02-11 05:04 am UTC (link)
	"No, but it's not a problem. Sure I have a drink or two," or more, "before I go home, but it's not a problem. I can't take a week off. I'd go nuts. Stark raving mad." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	iron_hide 2012-02-11 05:09 am UTC (link)
	"Maybe it's time you went nuts, then. You can't keep this up, Anya. If I'd gotten here ten minutes later, you'd be drunk." he says. A disturbing thought crosses Justin's mind. "Anya...have you ever used your armor while drunk?" he asks. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2012-02-11 05:12 am UTC (link)
	"No," she said defensively. "I don't drink and fly/fight. When things settle down around here I'll take some time off. Promise." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	iron_hide 2012-02-11 05:15 am UTC (link)
	"No. You're not staying here. I'm calling your dad to handle the presentation." Justin says. "I'm taking you home to your place and then we're flying to a relaxing spot where you will do no work for the next twenty-eight days." Justin says. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2012-02-11 05:17 am UTC (link)
	Her eyes narrowed. "I am not going into rehab. I don't need rehab. I can handle the presentation tomorrow. Then I will take /a day/ off." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

iron_hide
2012-02-11 05:20 am UTC (link)

"I didn't say you were going to rehab, per se. I said you're taking a twenty-eight day vacation and this isn't negotiable." Justin says.

"You're going to get your head back on straight. We'll gamble, hit the beach and do a bunch of other things that crazy young people do when they have more money than they need."

"Bring nice stuff to wear and a swimsuit or something."

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2012-02-11 05:29 am UTC (link)
	"I can't take almost a month off. A week," she said. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	iron_hide 2012-02-11 05:32 am UTC (link)
	"I'm taking a month off, too. We've got capable people running the place, too." he says. "Three weeks." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2012-02-11 05:33 am UTC (link)
	Her eyes narrowed. "Two. That's as much as I'm willing to go." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	iron_hide 2012-02-11 05:36 am UTC (link)
	Justin knew she'd try to bargain her way out of a month, which is why he set it so high. He figured that getting her down to two weeks would be pushing it. "Two weeks, nice clothes and swimsuits. You know what, screw packing. We'll buy stuff when we get there." he says. "Let's go." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2012-02-11 05:38 am UTC (link)
	"I'm not going anywhere without Steve," she said not moving a muscle to go. "I will talk to him tonight and tomorrow we can leave." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	iron_hide 2012-02-11 05:39 am UTC (link)
	"Call him now, Anya." Justin says. "I know you're looking for reasons not to go. Come on." he says. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2012-02-11 05:42 am UTC (link)
	"I will call him on the way home," she said as she grabbed the bottle and glass to return it to the drawer. Forced vacations weren't really vacations. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	iron_hide 2012-02-11 05:45 am UTC (link)
	"All right. My car is downstairs. I'll be waiting." he says. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2012-02-11 05:46 am UTC (link)
	"Fine," Anya said. She put the bottle and glass back in the drawer and locked it. "I'll be down in five." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	iron_hide 2012-02-11 05:50 am UTC (link)
	Justin leaves the office and goes downstairs to wait for her. He gives her a few minutes to get downstairs. When she comes downstairs, Justin is standing by the car. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2012-02-11 05:51 am UTC (link)
	Anya shut down her laptop and grabbed whatever other files she'd need in the next two weeks. There was no way she could go the whole two weeks without doing some work. She met him at his car in four minutes and thirty nine seconds. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	iron_hide 2012-02-11 05:55 am UTC (link)
	Justin opens the passenger door and lets her get in, then goes and gets in on his side. The car pulls out and they head to the airport. "How do you feel about Macau?" he asks. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2012-02-11 05:58 am UTC (link)
	Anya realized where they were going. "I told you, I am not going anywhere tonight. Tomorrow morning is perfectly fine. I am going to spend tonight with Steve." "I was thinking Tahiti." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	iron_hide 2012-02-11 06:09 am UTC (link)
	"Tahiti it is." he says, continuing his drive to the airport. "Are you really going to be with Steve, Anya?" he asks. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2012-02-11 07:05 pm UTC (link)
	"Yes," she said. "Why wouldn't I be with Steve? Damn Justin. I said I would be with him. Since when have you ever known me to break a promise?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	iron_hide 2012-02-14 03:42 am UTC (link)
	"I just don't want you to mess up your life, Anya. I want you to be happy." Justin says. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2012-02-14 03:45 am UTC (link)
	Anya laughed. "My life's been messed up since the day I was born. I'm a Stark. That means my life is fucked up. But you know what? I am happy. I have Ren Tech, a great guy and a great team. I can't ask for more. Except maybe a few more extra hours in a day." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	iron_hide 2012-02-14 04:15 am UTC (link)
	"Your life doesn't /have/ to be fucked up. You can be more than just a Stark." he says. "I want you to promise me that you're done with booze, Anya. I told you about my Uncle Tony. I don't want to see you go down that road." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2012-02-14 04:19 am UTC (link)
	"Justin, I love you like a brother, but being a Stark does mean your life is fucked up. I promise I will limit my alcohol intake to no more than one drink. Will that suffice?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	iron_hide 2012-02-23 02:46 am UTC (link)
	"Anya, I think you should really tone it down. How about you agree not to drink for the next week and we talk after that?" he suggests. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2012-02-23 02:51 am UTC (link)
	"You're acting like I have a problem. I don't. But I'll agree to not have a drink for the next three days and then we'll talk." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	iron_hide 2012-02-23 02:55 am UTC (link)
	"Three days it is, Stark." he says, driving her to the airport. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2012-02-23 02:58 am UTC (link)
	"I thought we agreed that'd you take me to my husband and then we go on vacation?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	iron_hide 2012-02-23 03:15 am UTC (link)
	"That's what I'm doing. I told him I do wife-delivery these days. He's waiting at the plane for you." Justin smirks. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2012-02-23 03:16 am UTC (link)
	"Oh," she said. "I guess that's okay and at least you're not delivering babies." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	iron_hide 2012-02-23 03:19 am UTC (link)
	"Somehow, I think a Rhodes will be responsible for bringing at least one Stark into this world in the near future." he says. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2012-02-23 03:21 am UTC (link)
	"There are two ways one could take that and even though you're incredibly hot, but I'm going to go with delivering a baby. I will do my best to get the hospital on time for you and Toni's sake." (Reply to this)(Parent)

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