Anya Antonovna Romanova Stark (anyastark) wrote in marvel_nextgen,
@ 2011-11-01 14:45:00

Entry tags:

After the Party
Anya entered the luxury suite her family always had reserved at the Four Seasons and went straight for the bar. She grabbed a glass and a bottle of vodka. She poured herself some and downed it one gulp. Her hands were shaking and she poured herself another glass and downed that one as well.

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	treadlightly 2011-11-01 04:22 pm UTC (link)
	Buck has stayed with her the entire time, ever since the incident. He hasn't urged her to talk about whatever happened, leaving that until she felt like talking, just being a presence and making himself available if she needed to talk or a supporting shoulder. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	anyastark 2011-11-01 04:26 pm UTC (link)
	"Well that sucked mightily," she said. "Sorry for ruining the evening. You can go back downstairs if you like. I don't want to keep you from enjoying yourself." She set the glass down. Her head was starting to swim from the champagne and the vodka. The good thing was that she wasn't shaking any longer. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	treadlightly 2011-11-01 04:31 pm UTC (link)
	"Anya, come here." he replied, patting the bed next to him. "I'm here for you, not to get in some ballroom dancing practice, and I'm already with the most beautiful girl here. Besides, I get the feeling you could use some company. You didn't ruin anything. You can tell me who that was if you want, or don't. But I'm staying with you." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2011-11-01 04:34 pm UTC (link)
	Anya sat down next to him and leaned against him. "That was Temujin," she said quietly. "The new Mandarin. He...." The words got caught in her throat. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	treadlightly 2011-11-01 04:45 pm UTC (link)
	He pulls her in to his side, holding her close, turning into her a bit to bring his other hand across to rest on her hand. "Bastard." he hissed at the intrusion. "I've read the reports, Anya. I know. Don't worry, I'll stay with you. He's not going to get to you, I promise." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

anyastark
2011-11-01 04:54 pm UTC (link)

She put her head against his chest and soaked up the warmth and safety he offered. "I don't think he was trying to grab me. Otherwise he would have just tried. This was more of a 'I'm still here' thing. Letting me know he's still around."

She sighed and wrapped her arms around him.

"Just when I think I'm rid of him he crawls back out from whatever rock he's hiding under."

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	treadlightly 2011-11-01 04:58 pm UTC (link)
	He seems quite content to just hold her for a little while. "Hemay have had it scouted out, or he may just be trying to mess with you and torment you. The Skull and some of his folks do that now and then in my case too, when I've run into them. While you're up here, we'll make sure the Avengers are on high alert and looking for him." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2011-11-01 05:14 pm UTC (link)
	Anya sat up and pulled back a bit. "No. Please don't," she pleaded. "Dad will...he'll freak out and I'll be confined to the mansion for a few days. Temujin just wanted to mess with my mind and I let him." She was quiet for a moment. "I'm sorry you go through this too." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

treadlightly
2011-11-01 05:23 pm UTC (link)

He nods at the first. Ok, that he gets, not wanting people to get worked up. "Ok, fine. I won't say a word, but I'm sticking with you until we get you back among the TBolts. We can tell your dad we had such a great time, we're going to do a little more sightseeing together." He figured he could get that concession out of her, anyway.

"And it happens. Its a tough business, our dads have enemies... we have enemies. I've mostly put it behind me. Their taunts don't really bother me anymore."

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	anyastark 2011-11-01 05:26 pm UTC (link)
	Anya nodded and then leaned back against his chest. "How do you deal with it all? How do you deal with the nightmares every night?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

treadlightly
2011-11-01 05:43 pm UTC (link)

He supports her weight readily, a solid surface to lean against, arms around her. "For a long time, it was one day at a time. My mother had also been through brainwashing before, so there was some background and understanding there. I got counseling, went to Dr. Samson, was given a lot of time to get back to the things I liked doing. It wasn't easy, it took a lot of time. But eventually, the nightmares went away."

He bites his lower lip, and adds a qualifier. "Mostly. I do have the occasional bad night, but on those, I can just wake up, go down to the gym, and work on a heavy punching bag or run myself to exhaustion. I'm not entirely certain it will ever go away... but it does get better if you get some help."

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	anyastark 2011-11-01 05:59 pm UTC (link)
	"I've been seeing Doc Samson since I came back the first time," she said. "It helps, but I still have nightmares. Tonight's incident will probably trigger a fresh bout. Looks like I'll get time in the lab to finish some projects I was working on." She lifted her head and gave him a kiss to his cheek. "Thanks, Jimmy." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	treadlightly 2011-11-01 06:10 pm UTC (link)
	He nods, taking a few moments to consider something. "Anya, work is good, and you need to do it. But you need sleep too. Do... would you like some company tonight? Nothing scandalous, just someone to be there, hold you, help you sleep?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2011-11-01 06:19 pm UTC (link)
	"I sleep, Jimmy, I've just never been really good at it. Ask my parents. I get three to four hours a day, even with the nightmares." She gave him a small smile. "But yes, I would like the company." He was warm, comforting and offered a sense of safety. Things she needed right now. The run in with Temujin had shaken her to the core. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	treadlightly 2011-11-01 06:24 pm UTC (link)
	He nods. "I know, but I figured tonight, maybe tomorrow, you could use a little extra security blanket. I'll stay with you tonight, see how you're doing tomorrow, we'll go from there." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

anyastark
2011-11-01 06:38 pm UTC (link)

She smiled a little more. "Please don't tell Toni about this. I love that girl, but she won't let me out of her sight for the next month or let me get more than three feet away from her."

Her head swam from the alcohol and from the million and two thoughts that were always running around in there. Though one thought did stand out a little more than the others.

She put a hand on his cheek and kissed him lightly on the mouth. "You're the best."

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	treadlightly 2011-11-01 06:57 pm UTC (link)
	"Don't worry, I'll keep it just you and mmmmfff....mmm." the kiss takes him off guard, but he doesn't resist it. A couple seconds later, he's kissing her back, if lightly. "I try." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

anyastark
2011-11-01 07:11 pm UTC (link)

She was a bit surprised at the return kiss. She didn't expect him to freak out about her kissing him because it was just a light friendly kiss, but she totally didn't expect some return kissing. Did something new get added to the equation?

"You don't have to try," she told him. Her brain was still trying to wrap itself around him kissing her, but she was just going to chalk the whole thing up to him being him and offering comfort.

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	treadlightly 2011-11-01 07:27 pm UTC (link)
	He's not sure what to make of her surprise. He had expected her kisses on his cheek as friendly gestures. Kisses on the lips, apparently something more, at least in his associations. He doesn't press it, or try again, just holding her and leaving it at that for now. "You're worth the effort." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2011-11-01 07:31 pm UTC (link)
	"Flattery sir..." she said and maybe waggled her eyebrows a bit. She couldn't just let it go. "Things aren't going to get weird now between us, right? We've known each other forever and...I'll just shut up now." It had to be the alcohol talking. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

treadlightly
2011-11-01 07:40 pm UTC (link)

He shakes his head. "Why would they get weird? We've known each other a while. I like you... you're beautiful, good company, and I'm rather fond of redheads. So... if you want there to be, maybe there's something there. But I'm in no hurry, and if there isn't, I'm rather happy with being friends. Either way, the offer to stay with you tonight was just that. I'll stay fully clothed, just hold you and be there if you have nightmares."

When she did. He knew how this went enough to know they'd be there. But he can be optimistic, out loud.

"Either way, slow is good."

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anyastark
2011-11-01 07:58 pm UTC (link)

"The kiss. Sometimes things get weird after two friends...you know, or so I've been told." Anya had been out on dates in her life, but most of those were with boys who just wanted to be seen with her because of who she was. The paparazzi was like a second shadow. The one time she got intimate with a guy, well that didn't go well at all.

"I mean it was just a kiss and not like...." Heat rose to her cheeks. She had an unnatural ability to keep digging herself deeper the more she talked sometimes. "I've always thought you were hot and all and since that burger and subsequent ones, but you're you and I'm me and there's bound to be a heart attack on one side or another and...."

She sighed.

"Oh hell. I'm babbling."

She could stand in front of a group of people and talk about zero point energy until she passed out, but she couldn't even finish a damn sentence tonight. The alcohol probably didn't help, but the longer she sat here the clearer her head became and even that wasn't helping her any.

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treadlightly
2011-11-01 08:27 pm UTC (link)

He smiles, a bit of the Rogers confidence coming through. "You kissed me, and I thought it was... yeah. And maybe it could be something. I've thought you were hot since before the burger, and you're fun to be with. This doesn't have to get awkward though. We kissed, a little. I can deal with that. And if it becomes something... I can deal with that, too. But now isn't a good time for anything to start. For tonight, let's just say we're friends, who've kissed, and we'll work it out later."

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anyastark
2011-11-01 08:34 pm UTC (link)

Anya breathed a sigh of relief. Genius she was when it came to software and computers, not to much in other areas.

She smiled. "Deal. Now I believe there was an offer of holding on the table. I think I'm going to take you up on that. We can order some room service, put on a movie and curl up."

If they were extremely lucky not have any psychotic stalkers show up and they would both be able to sleep tonight.

She gave him another quick light kiss. "Thank you."

	anyastark 2011-11-09 01:34 am UTC (link)
	((END)) (Reply to this)