Anya Antonovna Romanova Stark (anyastark) wrote in marvel_nextgen,
@ 2010-09-07 18:08:00

Entry tags:

Tied Together With a Smile
Anya gulped down the last of her champagne and put the empty glass on the tray of a passing waitress. Normally she would pace herself, but tonight she just didn't care. She grabbed a full glass from a passing waiter and took a drink. She wasn't drinking to become numb, just the opposite. She was drinking to be able to forget the numbness and emptiness inside of her.

A deep sigh escaped her and she looked around the room. It was a fundraiser for the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Pepper had given her a heads up about the event if Anya wanted to go and Anya hadn't planned on going, but the Russian Embassy had asked her very politely to attend on behalf of the Embassy and the Royal Family. There was a collection of Russian art going on display and tonight was the opening night. Anya almost told them to go stick it, but they were making a effort to abide by her request not to be set up on play dates. She could do a formal party at a museum. She had done many before and could do this without much thought or effort.

She could put a smile on her face and make others think she was having a good time. It was easy enough. Or so she hoped. The dress she wore was new, a Van Dyne Original, as well as her shoes and jewelry. Some major retail therapy had been needed and Anya indulged. The amount she spent on that shopping trip had been obscene even by her standards.

Another drink and the glass was already half empty. Her head was already swimming. Maybe she should slow down, or better yet leave. She had made her appearance and had been seen by the people who needed to see her. The Embassy would have to be satisfied.

Anya took another drink and started to make another round of the room.

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	anyastark 2010-09-17 03:34 am UTC (link)
	"That's good. Boston's a nice city. I'm enjoying living up here, but I do miss New York." "Do you ever miss where you grew up?" she asked. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_citizen 2010-09-17 03:43 am UTC (link)
	Austin's expression is a little wistful when he remembers home. The parties, the bikes, the fun...the girls. "Yeah, Ah do, but Ah left because it was that or never see the rest of the world, and Ah couldn't live with that." he tells her. "Do your parents come and see you often or do you go and see them?" he asks. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2010-09-17 03:46 am UTC (link)
	"I can understand that," she said. "I wouldn't be able to stay in one place for the rest of my life. I love traveling and seeing new places." "They came up just before Labor Day. With Mom being a high risk pregnancy, they don't travel much. I do go New York quite frequently." It was only about a 20 minute flight. "Do you see your brother at all?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_citizen 2010-09-17 04:10 am UTC (link)
	"That's good, then. You get to see your mom and know she's all right and your dad takes pretty good care of her, I assume, so it's all good." Austin says. "No, we don't talk anymore. He took it pretty bad that I left our hometown. He feels like Ah sold out and he wants nothin' to do with me." Austin says sadly. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2010-09-17 04:21 am UTC (link)
	"He does and they're happy. Which makes me happy. I worry about them." "I'm sorry to hear that. My brothers drive me crazy at times, but I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't see them. They're dorks by I love them." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_citizen 2010-09-17 12:37 pm UTC (link)
	"Yeah, my step-dad and Ah have some issues but he takes care of my mom and my brother, so we're square on that end." Austin says, shoving his hands into his pockets. "My brother's always been the wild one. Ah always had to chase him down and stop him from zappin' himself in an electrical socket or somethin' else crazy." Austin chuckles. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2010-09-18 12:19 am UTC (link)
	"So you were the good boy until you moved away?" she asked. "I'm the wild one in my family." They reached the converted firehouse and Anya punched in the security codes to open one of the bay doors. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_citizen 2010-09-18 12:41 am UTC (link)
	"Yeah, somethin' like that." Austin says. "Why am Ah not surprised that you're wild, Anya?" He laughs as they arrive to the bay doors. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2010-09-18 12:53 am UTC (link)
	Anya grinned. "Because maybe you've been reading tabloids?" The bay door slowly opened and Anya motioned for him to step inside. In that bay sat a Black Tesla Roaster (modified of course) and next to it sat the '62 Panhead. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_citizen 2010-09-18 01:17 am UTC (link)
	Austin whistles in appreciation. "Damn. Those are some seriously fine pieces of hardware." he says. "A woman who knows her vehicles. Do you have any single sisters?" he asks jokingly. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2010-09-18 01:34 am UTC (link)
	"They're nothing compared to Dad's cars," she said as she traced a finger over the Tesla. "I modified the Tesla. She doesn't just run on electric anymore." "Eliza is dating someone, I think, and I'm not sure about the new one." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_citizen 2010-09-18 02:56 am UTC (link)
	"Ah was jokin', Anya. Really, Ah was." Austin smiles. He looks appreciatively at the Panhead and decides he's going to find one of his own and rebuild it. It will be a special project to get him through the holidays. "This...is a pretty big garage. Lots of space for just you. Your dad owns this one?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2010-09-18 03:07 am UTC (link)
	"It used to be a firehouse," she said. "No. I suspect the others living in the building will get cars, but right now I'm the only one with a car." She grinned. "Hey, you never know. My sisters could probably stand to get out a bit." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

nextgen_citizen
2010-09-18 04:06 am UTC (link)

"Oh, no. Ah wouldn't inflict my life on any woman who wants to have a normal one. After the first paparazzi swarm, most girls either steer clear of me, or they come back because they liked it. Ah tend to steer clear of those types." Austin says.

"Do you get along with your roommates or do you inspire them to indulge their inner troublemaker? Ah get the feeling it's number two." he says.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2010-09-18 04:46 am UTC (link)
	"Please. People in my family don't get normal lives. My one sister is on the Champions down in New Orleans and the other is an Avenger." She smiled. "Oh they don't need me to help them get into trouble," she said in her most innocent voice ever. "Each one does that fine on their own." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_citizen 2010-09-18 07:30 pm UTC (link)
	"Sure they don't. Ah believe that like that Ah believe you don't have a thing for spillin' things on actors." Austin smiles. "What are you doin' tomorrow, if Ah may ask?" he asks. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2010-09-18 07:37 pm UTC (link)
	"I don't have a thing for spilling things on famous actors and no one in my family leads a normal life. I swear on my computer." "As Rick would say I never make plans that far ahead," she said with a grin. "But I am planning on locking myself in my lab and writing code. Did you have something in mind?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_citizen 2010-09-19 01:22 am UTC (link)
	"Well, if you aren't terribly busy, Ah'd like for us to hang out. Maybe we can go riding. My Harley's here in the city; Ah love ridin'. So maybe we do that? Or maybe Ah come by and get that study on writin' code done?" he asks. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2010-09-19 01:41 am UTC (link)
	Anya smiled. "Tell you what. If the weather's nice we'll go riding. If the weather's not nice, I'll teach you about computers. Deal?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_citizen 2010-09-19 01:53 am UTC (link)
	"You got a deal, as long as Ah'm not gettin' in the way of anythin' you had planned, Anya." Austin says. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2010-09-19 01:59 am UTC (link)
	"You're not," she said. "I get yelled at when I spend too much time in the lab. So you'd be doing me a favor by making me get out." Anya smiled a bit. "Maybe you can help me think of names for these two while we're at it." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_citizen 2010-09-19 02:43 pm UTC (link)
	"Sounds good. We wouldn't want you gettin' yelled at or trapped in the lab." Austin says, still looking over the vehicles. "What else have you done with them, if Ah can ask?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

anyastark
2010-09-19 08:00 pm UTC (link)

Anya grinned. "Let me show you." She opened the car door and popped the hood. "Only three people on the planet have seen what I am about to show you. You're number four." She moved around to the front of the car and opened it.

"She doesn't run on batteries like a normal Tesla," Anya said. In the middle of the front compartment where a normal internal combustion engine usually sat was a small device. It glowed a bright blue. "That's an Zero Point Energy Module. The future of power generation."

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_citizen 2010-09-20 12:45 am UTC (link)
	Austin feels very honored to be one of those four people, but he wonders just what Anya could show him that's so amazing. As she shows him the Zero-Point Energy Module, Austin blinks in surprise. He's never seen anything like this before. "This...this is amazing! How does it work?" he asks, genuinely interested. "Will it end our dependence on foreign oil?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2010-09-20 02:47 am UTC (link)
	"It's very complicated to explain, but to put it simply it pulls vacuum energy from subspace," she tried to explain. "It's clean energy and virtually limitless." She smiled. "It's many years out, but it should make oil obsolete." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)