Grabbing A Drink (IvanXTony)
I didn't venture out into the city much nowadays - too much to do, too many ideas ricocheting around my skull and this itching to make a better model of suit before the bad guys showed up again. It was like I was in an arms race with myself, spurred on by the knowledge that, no matter how good I got, the other guy was still better.
I didn't like thinking that the other guy was better. It wasn't good for my reputation - or my sleep habits. So bad, in fact, that Pep had begun to worry, and I'm pretty sure that she started putting Melatonin in my bourbon.
I wasn't complaining. I needed the sleep. I didn't like being drugged, but she did what she thought was best and that's what mattered. She kept showing me that she cared. I was happy for that.
But I needed to take the next step: Get out of Stark Tower. For a night, at least. Two hours. Maybe half an hour.
"Do I have to go without the suit?" I'd asked Pep as I was heading out.
"Yes, Tony, without the suit."
I rolled my eyes as I left.
I walked around the town in a hood pulled over my eyes, mostly to keep off the paparazzi. They'd been foaming at the mouth since I'd started hiding out in my tower - I was almost surprised they hadn't started calling me Rapunzel - so I just did everything that I needed to do to avoid them.
When I got downtown, I realized I didn't know what I wanted to do. The Avengers were disassembled, spread across the world - and, most importantly, not here. No women anymore - I was engaged now, needed to keep my promises. So that cut the vast majority of my contacts.
I slid into a bar that I didn't know, hoping they wouldn't know me. It was surprisingly quiet as I slipped a twenty to the bartender.
I thought for a moment. Pep would kill me if I came back early. I puzzled over my predicament for a while before pulling out my phone.
It took two rings before he answered. I leaned back on the bar stool, lounging and very happy he'd actually picked up.
"Hey, Ivan. Want a drink? I'm already here. Get here fast."