Marvel Avengers Fan Fiction ❯ Clarity ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )

The music was really loud and upbeat, making the atmosphere overwhelming, but he liked it this way. Usually the turbulent sounds and the fast paced atmosphere would drive the stressful thoughts out of his head. It made him forget the unsettling hole in his soul and heart that just grew after the events with Obadiah Stane. Tony Stark needed this relief very much, but it wasn’t coming.

As he sat there at the bar, in his own little corner, Tony Stark couldn't help noticing the lack of businessmen around, and how empty it was. There would usually be a flock of young girls surrounding various playboy businessmen. The girls weren't lacking. Just his fellow millionaires. Tonight, there were just young drunken college studs trying to show off to the said girls.

Tony just merely shrugged it off, his brown gaze traveling to a passing girl. The philanthropic billionaire just smiled lustily at a passing girl, receiving a shy, flirtatious smile in return. It was strange. He didn't much feel like picking up on the cute, sexy brunette that walked by, as intriguing as she was. He just wanted to sit here and chill.

Am I sick? He thought to himself, but still, Tony shrugged it off and continued to sip his drink.even his drink didnt appeal to him. It tasted good, but it didn’t feel as exciting as it usually did. The drinik still gave him a little buzz, the more he drank of the alcohol, but it wasn’t all that enjoyable.

A frown tugged at the corner of his lips. Even his drink didn't have any appeal to it. Is this what they call a rut?

Sure he's been stuck on projects before but things were never this bad. A good romp and a good drink or two would be enough to get his muse back and Tony would be back in the saddle, ready to demonstrate yet another defense mechanism to the U.S. military, with promises of top-notch machinery and safety for the country. But tonight, he was just off his game.

That's gotta be it. the man thought sourly, placing his shot glass back onto the table. His mood was beginning to plummet even more now. Tony started to get antsy now as minutes passed. He was barely on his third glass of wine when something caught his eye.

Sitting across the room in a booth were a group of three girls. Two of the girls looked like the type of girls he'd usually have a one night stand with. But the girl sitting in the middle appeared to be the opposite of the other ones. As a matter of fact, she looked like she was talked into coming to this place by her friends. And he could only guess that she was the designated driver for when her friends got drunk.

"It could be worse," Tony muttered to himself as he watched two of the girls slide out of the booth and wander out onto the dance floor, leaving their friend by herself. Two guys walked over to the girl a few minutes later. He watched as they attempted to talk to the girl, but she ignored them. Tony chuckled at the defeated looks of the amateurs as they gave up in frustration and walked away.

Amatuers. the billionaire thought, but he had to admit, watching the two guys get shot down by an out of place girl made him feel intrigued.

Deciding on making an attempt at conversing with her himself, the man downed the last of his drink, smoothed out his rumpled hair, and gathered the last of his wits before making his way to the lone girl.

--
Catmint sat there by herself, ignoring the music and all the other people in the room. She didn't know why she was here. The bar and nightclub scene never appealed to her. In fact, it made her feel a bit nervous. Her friends dragged her out here (not completely against her will of course) with the promises of a fun girls' night out and maybe a new boyfriend. But it was all just an excuse to have her be the designated driver because Catmint wasn't a party girl or a drinker.

She was just Catmint, an average young woman, a waitres, who did nothing but work and keep to herself. At least that's how she saw herself.

As she sat there, taking the occasional sip on the water she had ordered, Catmint's brown gaze turned back to the phone she held in her hands. As she mindlessly scrolled through the e-book she was reading on her phone, a voice spoke from close by, startling her from her activity.

"Do you often sit here all alone like this?”

When she looked up she saw a dark-haired man, who she swore could pass himself off as a Tony Stark look-alike. After she’s heard a few stories of men passing themselves off as Tony Stark or some other rich celebrities, only for the girls they lead on to find out they’re not the real deals. Then those imposters would be shown up by the real deals, or just tossed in jail.

But whoever this guy was, she'll just hear him out, humor him a bit then she'll just go back to ignoring him and the other guys that try initiating a conversation with her.

Catmint just shrugged, casting a quick glance to her friends. Sarah and Lacy were flirting with a few half-drunk guys before dragging them out onto the dance floor. Catmint just sighed before finally shaking her head, her new acquaintance glancing in the direction she was just looking at.

"Ah, let me guess, your friends brought you here with promises of a girl's night out and maybe you'd meet a nice guy or two, but instead you're the designated driving friend. I am correct, aren't I?" The man's word sounded a bit sarcastic but otherwise, Catmint could tell this man was just trying to make polite conversation.

"Pretty much, I'm just the babysitter, like always." She replied.

"And you're not the partying and drinking type." This sounded more like a statement than a question and again, she nodded.

"Yep, and you can go away now."

The man just chuckled, watching her as she turned her attention back to her phone. This girl was going to be so much fun. He could see it already. Clearing his throat, he sat down on the opposite side of the booth. Catmint looked up at him once again, only this time they pretty much at eye level. Well, the man was a bit taller but still.

As she sat there, trying her best to ignore this new acquaintance of her’s, Catmint felt his gaze lingering on her. It almost felt like he was waiting for her to say something, or maybe he was expecting her to comment on how much he looks like the genius inventor and millionaire, Tony Stark. It was just unnerving and unnerving having someone stare at her so intently. The longer she sat there, the more she realized he was going to leave like the other men.

"And you're not leaving," Catmint muttered, finally pressing the side of her phone with her thumb, the button putting the phone on sleep mode. The woman finally sat straight and sighed. "Any reason why you haven't left yet? I mean all the other guys gave up after I started ignoring them."

Something about this guy's smirk was irritating her. Maybe it was because he thought he was so damn cool, looking almost like Tony Stark or maybe it was because he knew he caught her attention. Whatever it was, he wasn’t leaving and something about that arrogant smirk was irksome.