"Tony really thinks it's wise to throw a party when he just finished the renovations?" Todd asked me.
I was fixing myself up in the standup mirror in my room. I saw Todd's reflection. He was dressed semi-formal. For this party, you couldn't appear in baggy clothing. Besides, Stark had insisted that I come in something dressy, and not the "Asgardian drapes" that I was used to.
I had, reluctantly, gone out shopping. I didn't spend a lot of money, but it looked like it was expensive. It was a deep red number, which brought out the red in the lipstick that I had applied. My hair was curled and pulled over to one side, a waterfall of ringlets while the other side was pinned. The dress had one shoulder strap and stopped at my knees.
"He's a man of celebration," I told my roommate. "Besides, I'm curious to see the finished product."
"But you've been going there for a while now."
"I haven't done a tour of the tower, Todd. I've only been using one room to enhance my fire power." I spun around, and Todd's eyes filled with adoration.
"Guess I'll have to act as your bodyguard tonight, because I'm sure you'll attract all sorts of guys." He chuckled.
I rolled my eyes. "You keep thinking that. I can hold my own, even in these shoes." I picked up one foot. The heels were a few inches, but it had been a long time since I had worn any shoes like these. It felt like this was my first time again. "Come on, let's grab a taxi. We're going to be late."
Todd kept by me as I wobbled a few times. Gentlemanly, he helped me down the steps of our apartment. Todd whistled, gesturing for a taxi. One pulled over right away, and he got the door open, gesturing for me to get in first.
"Where to, folks?" asked the driver.
"Stark Tower," I said.
"Oh, nice accent you've got there. I've always appreciated the English accent."
I was about to comment that my accent wasn't "English," but Asgardian, but Todd shut my mouth with a look.
The taxi pulled out onto the streets, and my eyes wandered the lit up buildings in the night. I rapped my fingers on my thigh, wondering how far Stark's invitation got extended. Members of S.H.I.E.L.D.? Any Avengers? It would be nice for a reunion, since some I hadn't had contact with since our departure all those months ago.
When the taxi pulled up, Todd paid the driver, and the driver wished us a good night as we climbed out.
"Whoa," Todd murmured.
Our eyes took in the new Stark Tower. Well, now, I guess it could be considered the Avengers Tower, since there was a big "A" instead of "Stark". It had a sleek, metallic look to it. It didn't look like it grew taller than before.
"And this is just the outside..."
I led Todd by the arm to the bouncer, who let us in when I told him my name. The entrance alone was full of people, strangers to myself and Todd. I searched the crowd for any familiar faces, but I failed to see any.
We took the elevator up once we got through the throng of finely dressed people. I felt like I blended in more than stood out. Surely, there were famous reporters and newscasters here in the tower, I just didn't bother to focus on faces to know for sure. Todd and I were joined in the elevator by a few others. We kept to ourselves in one of the corners.
Once the ride up was over, the doors opened, and this, I could tell, was the hotspot of the evening.
Music was playing at a decent level. There was a billiards table where a group of people were. Most sat on the furniture or remained standing, drinks in hands, chatting the night away. To my left, there was a bar, bartender, few people on stools, and a plethora of bottles of drinks behind the bar. I almost felt like we weren't in Stark Tower, more like a high-end restaurant without the food and the fancy tables. There were a few caterers, I saw, though.
"Kiara!"
"Pepper!" I greeted Pepper Potts with a hug. I pulled away. She was dressed in a black and white number that complimented her orange hair and complexion. "It's so good to see you!"
"I'm sorry I haven't been able to see you, I've been so busy with the company. You look great!" Her eyes saw Todd. "And who's this?"
"Oh, Pepper, this is Todd, my roommate. Todd, this is Pepper Potts, company runner of Stark Industries and perhaps the only stable girlfriend Tony Stark has ever had."
"Nice to meet you," Todd said politely, shaking Pepper's hand. His brown eyes looked around. "This place turned out nice."
"Thank you. Well, enjoy yourselves! I've got to go make sure Tony hasn't wandered off and done anything...well, Kiara knows what I'm talking about."
I let go of Todd's arm, waving him away. "Well, go on, socialize!"
"And what are you going to do?" Todd raised an eyebrow.
"See if I can find any other familiar faces."
I branched off from Todd, all the chatter lost in my ears. I thought about reaching out through my mind ability, but I wasn't sure I would be able to concentrate with all of this chatter in the air.
"Well, look who it is!" crowed a voice.
I spun around, and a smile broke out onto my face. "Agent Barton."
"Clint," he said. "Please."
"All right, Clint. You decided to take a break and have a little fun, huh?"
"If you can consider this fun, sure." He shrugged.
"Where's Romanoff?"
"Probably making new friends." Clint looked around like I was. "So, what's been new with you?"
"Oh." I snatched a wine glass off of a nearby caterer. "Not a lot. I've just been readjusting, like the rest of us." I took a sip, gagging a little. "Must be an acquired taste." Clint chuckled. "The rest of the gang here, do you know?"
"Well, you know Thor isn't around. Not sure about Banner. I think Hill might've come, but I'm not too sure."
I remembered Maria Hill. I didn't have a lot of interaction with her, but she seemed like a good enough person to get along with. "What's been new with S.H.I.E.L.D.? Any big international, worldly crises I need to know about for the near future?"
"Nah. Anything that tries to pose a threat a small team takes care of." Clint shrugged. "You been working on your powers? Last I saw you, you looked a bit worn out."
"Oh, yeah, been hard at work with it. It's getting better, my nose isn't bleeding as much." I laughed uncomfortably. "It's a work in progress."
"Sorry, bad question to ask?"
"A little bit," I admitted shyly.
"Look, don't blend into a corner of the room. Mingle. There're sure to be a lot of...men vying for your attention." Clint nodded towards the bar.
I looked apprehensively over. Only one of the various people there was looking at me. It wasn't a predatory look, more like a...curious one. Not an innocent curious, though. "Don't tell me you're trying to put me on a blind date with someone."
"Oh, I'm not trying to do anything. I'm just saying. Let yourself relax; you're really tense, Kiara."
"I am?"
"Breathe, it'll help."
I didn't realize how tense I had become until I felt the sag in my shoulders and my entire body posture shift. "Thank you...I think."
Clint offered me an encouraging tiny smile before leaving me alone to my devices. I couldn't spot Todd anywhere, nor anyone else I really knew. I wasn't about just popping into a group and listening in on the conversation.
I made the best decision possible and awkwardly migrated over to the bar, taking a seat on one of the stools. I turned around, leaning my back against the bar, watching how simple life was for most of these people. Whether they were invited or not, I couldn't begin to guess. I bet Stark didn't care. The more the merrier, right? That's what people said normally, right?
"Here." On my left, a drink was slid to me. I eyed it suspiciously, then the man who pushed it in my direction to begin with. I hoped I didn't look as though I wanted to burn him with just a look. I couldn't help but feel a little guarded. "You look like you need it."
I took the drink carefully, eyeing it.
The guy laughed. "It's not drugged, I promise."
"Thank you." I took a cautious sip. "What made you think I need this?"
He was stirring the contents of his own drink. "You look stressed. Uncomfortable."
"That's one way to put it, I guess."
This man had a very suave feel about him, from the way he looked to the way he dressed. His dress shirt was a dark red, dark hair combed back slick. And those eyes...eyes that were so dark brown that they were almost black. He seemed like the cliché bad boy the cliché female protagonists sought after in movies and books.
"You have a lovely accent, by the way," he noted. "Don't hear it much around here."
I snorted a laugh. "You crashing the party?" I asked casually, trying to get past this awkward situation. I wasn't feeling any effects, so far this drink I held was clean.
"Why are you asking just me?" he teased. "You know I'm not the only one."
"Well, you didn't deny it." I smiled timidly. "What? Hoping to use a fake story to take one of the lucky single ladies home later?"
"That's labeling." He grimaced slightly.
I shrugged. "Well, prove me wrong, then."
"I snuck in to socialize, and truthfully, I've never been to one of Stark's parties before. I've heard a lot about them. This seems like a tamer one."
"Yeah, you'd think since he just finished rebuilding the tower it'd be a bigger occasion to celebrate." I crossed one leg over the other.
"What's your name?"
"Oh, wouldn't you like to know."
"I would, actually."
"Kiara."
"Kiara." He let my name roll off his tongue. "Pretty name."
"Thank you," I said politely. "But you're not getting my number. Name is all you'll get." He couldn't get my number even if he wanted to; I hadn't gotten a new phone yet.
He smiled. "That's all I wanted." He paused thoughtfully. "Actually, not true. I just want one more thing from you."
"Oh?" I set my drink down on the bar. "And what might that be?"
"One dance. Then I swear I'll stop bothering you."
I pursed my colored lips. He rose from the stool, offering a hand out to me. I knew this was where my mind was telling me that I hardly knew this person, and that I knew better than to do this. But I'm old enough to make my own decisions. Besides, if he tries anything, I'll break his bones. "One dance," I said. "Only if I get a name out of you."
"Seth. My name's Seth."
Gentlemanly, Seth helped me down from the stool. Some of Stark's guests were dancing, creating a small crowd in the center of the room. The music was fast-paced, something I was hardly used to. The crowd seemed to have a rhythm to follow. My dance partner sure knew how to move, although some of his moves were borderline suggestive, which made me move a few inches away from him to give me some space.
"Come on!" Seth shouted over the music. I kept getting nudged back towards him by blind bodies. "Let the music move you!"
I didn't pull when he grabbed my hand. I started out awkward, this wasn't exactly my type of thing. But with quick observation, I tried to mirror what some of the women nearby were doing, you know, minus the kissing the random stranger part and grinding against them.
"There you go!" Seth encouraged as I let loose a little bit.
I laughed, not feeling the pressure of any wandering eyes. I spun around, letting out a whoop of happiness. All of my worries, buried or not buried, disappeared. This was no Asgardian celebration or festival, but it had the same effect as one all the same.
I found myself getting closer to Seth, and the crowd was making the air around me stifle. I accidentally knocked against him, and he ended up catching me. I could guess what was coming next, from the unbreakable eye contact and the subtle thumb brushing on the corner of my mouth from him.
I felt nothing but adrenaline when we kissed. The music's bass and my pulse thundered in my ears. But past that, I heard other noises. Screaming. And not like screaming as in happiness.
No, like screaming as if something was going wrong.