A Quiet Bar
Tony Stark first met the god of mischief when he was at a bar.
It wasn’t an uncommon event for the man of iron. He visited the New York bar in question weekly, if not more often, and he even had his own unofficial seat that, while not always empty, would be swiftly vacated if he entered the room. Someone had carved “I <3 Iron Man” into the back of it, which Tony internally found a bit off-putting but simply accepted it good-naturedly.
That message had appeared months ago, and was the last thing on Tony’s mind as he slammed the empty glass on the table. Someone behind him clapped, and Tony turned and winked in that general direction. His hair was slightly ruffled and his tie a bit askew, but other than that he looked quite sober.
“You know,” commented the bartender, leaning over the bar slightly to talk to the businessman, “I’m always surprised by how much alcohol you can take.”
Tony Stark grinned. “After all this time?”
The man shrugged, a half-smile crossing his face. “Most businessmen, in my experience, can’t handle more than a sixteen-year-old would before losing their intellect.”
Tony pulled a pair of sunglasses out of his pocket and slid them on, a smirk sliding on with them. “Well, I’m drinking for two men.”
“Cheers to that!” called out someone, and there were cheers of agreement. There was a clinking of glasses and a couple sputters from people who chose an especially strong drink.
There was a scraping sound next to him as someone pulled up a stool next to him. Tony turned his head to see who it was.
A woman with long, wavy dark hair met his gaze boldly, her head ducked just the smallest bit so that she looked up at him. She wore a blue dress which shape Tony rather appreciated. A slow smile spread across her face, and she lifted a finger to twirl into her hair.
“I’ve always wanted to meet Iron Man.” Her voice was lower than Tony had expected, but it was in no way unpleasant.
“It’s your lucky day then, isn’t it?”
She smiled, her deep red lips a contrast to her dress of deep blue. “Oh, no question,” she agreed. She paused, letting her elbow rest against the table. “Care for a drink? It’s on me.”
Tony raised an eyebrow at her. “That’s my line, sweetheart,” he replied. “But how can I say now to a beautiful lady like you?”
She smiled again. “You flatter me.” She tapped the countertop sharply with her knuckles. “Two drinks. A bellini for me, and...what would you like, handsome?”
Tony leaned forward and let his hand brush hers slightly, smirking as he saw her shiver in reaction. “A martini,” he replied. “The usual mixing.”
The bartender nodded. “You got it. Who’s paying?”
The woman slid two twenties over the countertop. “That would be me.” She paused, then added, “Keep the change.”
The man nodded, taking the money and slipping it into the register. “Your drinks should be coming right up,” he called.
The woman turned to look at Stark, letting her chin rest on the back of her hand. “I don’t believe I’ve introduced myself,” she said.
Tony tilted his head. “You haven’t.”
She laughed. “Well, there’s no question you’re Tony Stark,” she commented, and Tony wasn’t sure what she meant by that. “My name is Lillian.”
“Nice name,” Tony replied. He pushed his sunglasses up slightly on his nose, causing her to smirk slightly in response.
“You wearing those for a fashion statement?” she asked, gesturing to his face.
“No, I felt like I’d go blind if I looked at you directly.”
Lillian’s cheeks almost seemed to flush slightly, but with the lighting, Tony couldn’t be sure. “Why don’t you take those off and let me heat you up?”
Tony knew that she was flirting, that she meant nothing by the comment, but the words heat and the image in his mind of the blazing sun caused a blinding pain to shoot through his head. His throat was suddenly dry and scratchy, and he swallowed before clearing his throat. “I would’ve thought you were water with that gorgeous dress you’re wearing,” he said, trying to regain his composure.
To her credit, Lillian seemed to have noticed that something about her words had rubbed Tony the wrong way, as an expression of worry and almost fear flashed across her face for the briefest of seconds before switching back into a self-confident smile. She twirled a curl of hair around her finger and asked, “So, Iron Man, got your suit with you?”
Tony tapped the briefcase under his school lightly with his foot, about to respond honestly, then remembered that he’d only just met this woman. “No, it’s getting a couple paint touch-ups,” he lied smoothly.
Lillian pouted. “I was hoping to see you in action.” Her posture and expression were of exaggerated disappointment, yet her voice was light and teasing.
Tony smirked. “You like trouble?”
Lillian laughed lightly. “More than you could ever imagine.”
“Well, you’re hanging around the right guy,” Tony informs her.
She lets her chin rest on her hand. “I certainly am.”
The drinks were suddenly in front of them, and Tony reached for his almost without looking. He smiled at Lillian and took a swallow of the alcohol--probably more than he should have--and the rest of the bar seemed to follow suit. There were clinks of glass on the counter as several people finished their drinks, and a couple of drinkers called out to the bartender, who still stood in front of the businessman and Lillian.
“Coming!” The bartender turned to Tony Stark and gave him a mock salute. “You’re good for business,” he commented.
Stark winked, downing the rest of his drink in a single gulp. “That’s my job, isn’t it?”
“Want another drink?”
Tony gazed at the empty glass in front of him before shrugging. “Why not?”
There was a crash from outside, and Tony spun around to look out the window. For a moment, he thought he saw a flash of multi-colored light, but it vanished almost immediately.
“Cancel the drink,” he told the bartender, waving his hand.
Lillian laughed lightly, though Tony could have sworn her gaze darkened as he pulled out his briefcase. “I guess I will be getting my wish.”
“Ah, duty calls,” the man replied. “Good luck, Iron Man.”
Tony laughed, popping the case open with the back of his foot. He stuck his hands into the gloves and stepped into the foot smoothly, letting the armor cover his body quickly. “Since when do I need luck?”
The mask of the man of iron slid shut, the lights of the eyes turned on, and Iron Man shot out of the bar to investigate the source of the crash.