Hopeless Matter (Tony Stark FF)

School/Worklife

On a day when she could memorize her booklet from the first letter to the last and nor did her phone or her MP3-player have battery, she figured, she could go on an exploration tour again. On the floor above her aunts' office, she found a little bar. The seventeen-year-old approached the desk hesitantly and asked if they had a charger. The bartender, who also gave people the keys to the hotel gym locker room, looked at her skeptically at first, he gave in under the condition that she'd charge it right there. She thanked him and handed over her dead phone. The man plugged it in right under the bar and set it next to her at the counter. Aurora sat down.

-

„We also have other things than just water, " the man behind the counter remarked after a long day.

„I know, I just like water," she said silently, looking away slightly embarrassed. Who comes to a bar and only orders water?

„I would recommend the strawberry colada, " he said, turning to his work. His short light brown hair, with some white hair sprinkled in, did not move through the process, the reason was a big amount of hair gel that kept his hair in its place. He had a light three-day beard and had a kitchen towel thrown over the black dress shirt.

„I'm fine, thank you" she denied, but couldn't help to feel bad. In an attempt to shut him out, she quickly went on her phone, noticing his charger again.

„The strawberry juice is homemade. No alcohol and not too expensive" he tried to convince her further, taking the time even though it was slightly busy. Already having a guilty feeling, she gave up. He wouldn't stop nagging her otherwise, she concluded. She watched him prepare the drink to see if he was adding something that didn't belong. He smiled as he set the pink drink in front of her and watched as she cautiously took the first sip. She didn't like it but didn't have the heart to tell him that it's too sweet, so she nodded with a smile. He smirked and went about his business. Aurora started to like the bartender. He had an easy vibe, talking to strangers so effortlessly, obviously doing it for some time now.

Later that evening when pepper texted her, she wanted to pay, he refused. She was perplexed when he told her that he noticed that she did not like it. She let the ice in it melt and only then began to drink it.

"I'm so sorry" she immediately blurted out.

"Nothing to be sorry for, I dragged you into it" he laughed and took the charger after she unplugged her phone from it. She thanked him again, getting less tense. "I actually didn't pick up on it at first. Last person who could pull that on me was Jessica. You need that when working the front desk, big time"

"I guess I should work there huh"

He watched her laugh slightly and remembered that they actually are searching for staff. On that note, he asked her if she was working around the tower already. When she denied he proposed with a simple "do you want to" - she shied repeatedly. Looking at the clock again and saw that she was supposed to be downstairs already. With a quick goodbye, she promised to think about it.

--

Coming back a day later she finally chose something else, and they didn't talk about it for a while what happed the first time she was here. It must have been over a week later before he asked her anew. Not having spoken with Pepper over it yet, she could give him a straight answer.

„Before you decide, I have arranged a testing day. You can see if you like it afterwards," the older man said fully of excitement.

„Sure, yeah" she grinned back "It's not like I had anything better to do", she beamed full of sarcasm and was about to open her textbook. Paul looked up from his apron with a fat smile plastered on his face, not expecting her to be this sassy all of a sudden.