[I'll meet you in the Red Room]

[tothebalkans]

WHO: Anyone involved in the auction. If your character wasn't, they have to make a donation of at least $25 at the door. Don't forget to tag yourselves in!
WHERE: Lensherr-Maximoff Castle, Rhinebeck County, New York.
WHEN: 7 PM, tonight.
WARNINGS: Anything can happen, so I'd tread carefully.
SUMMARY: The Lensherr-Maximoffs hold a masquerade ball in

Comments

[liverletdie]

Clad in probably one of the finest tuxes money could by, Tony was more than willing to get into the spirit of the event, to a certain extent. He was well aware his identity was more than easy to pick up. After all, there were very few men who could pull off facial hair like he could.

Making an appearance at the event was relatively important for someone like him, who thrived on name recognition, although he pointedly avoided the areas where alcohol was served with smooth side-steps and the occasional twist of a subject while he moved through the room.

[youmakemesmall]

Wanda had been very generous in buying Jan a dress that she probably couldn't have even afforded even back when she had a stable job. She probably could have gotten something like it for free from her designer mother but Jan did so hate to depend on people. Tonight, though, she just wanted to relax and enjoy having skin that was healed for the first time in forever.

"You should have at least gotten a full mask to hide that goatee of yours, Stark," Jan said dryly, sipping on her soda. Her own mask did little to cover her face. "I mean, really. Who else but you and maybe a select few villains have facial hair like that?"

[liverletdie]

Tony's lips curled up in a small smile, and he tipped his head in Janet's direction. "Really? I thought it was the color selection that made it obvious," he quipped, before turning to give Janet a full lookover.

"Wow, that dress looks fantastic on you, Jan," he complimented, and appreciative smile spreading across his face.

[youmakemesmall]

"Thanks-- the zipper is hidden, by the way, in case you were wondering where it was," Jan joked. No doubt Tony had probably figured out a way to open zippers with just a thought after her last joke about it. Or a flash of his hefty wallet.

"You clean up nicely yourself."

[liverletdie]

"The thought hadn't even crossed my mind," he countered, the smile on his face saying the complete opposite. Well, he was never anything but Tony Stark, and that meant he had figured out just how to open up her particular dress, not that he would of course. He had more class than that!

"Occasionally, I try and make the effort."

[youmakemesmall]

Since she had a good ten pounds to gain back, Janet was very happily digging into the chocolate fountain and fruit. She loved chocolate so much she could probably go into wasp form and just swim in it. For now, she would just have to settle for a strawberry.

"This is kind of fun but I'm about ready to ditch and go to a bar."

... after a few more chocolate covered strawberries.

[liverletdie]

Tony just laughed in response. "I'd tell you to drink one on me, but I think that wouldn't be nearly enough," he mentioned.

Tony picked a little bit, pulling a cracker out before placing into his mouth.

[youmakemesmall]

And this is why she liked Tony-- he could joke about past addictions and then some. Anyone who was as self loathing as she was (and really, he was-- underneath all of his wealth and bravado), was okay in her book. Maybe she didn't go as far as JOKING about her bulimia and spousal abuse but it was the same premise.

"I still can't believe you dropped a cool ten mil. on a woman," Janet paused. "Actually, I can. I bet Pepper just loved that."

That poor woman. How the hell did she put up with Tony on a regular basis?

I bet she drinks. And drinks a lot.

[liverletdie]

Tony just shrugged with a small smile. "It was for charity," he mentioned. "I'm sure StarkTech would have provided a similar amount from the get-go, so what's wrong with betting it on someone to enjoy the evening with?" he questioned.

Mind, Selina actually didn't like him. It was a challenge for him, someone to woo over through nonconventional means. She could be an ally in this city, if he could help her realize that he was making an effort to save the world, instead of just having a good time like he was sure she assumed he was.

"Pepper has no say. I still pay her paychecks," he mentioned. That was...callous of him, yes. However, she didn't have that much power over him. Never would, actually. He couldn't allow that. It would just end in heartbreak.

[youmakemesmall]

Jan had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. Tony really could be so heartless sometimes. No wonder he was such a good businessman. It could just be the fact that he was infamous for terrible relationships and that could make a man cynical... at least, the Tony in her world, anyway.

"The next time you feel like giving to charity, maybe you could actually find me a decently paying job," she said dryly, sipping her soda. It needed rum. "Looking at Banner's face every day is making me depressed."

[liverletdie]

Tony just shook his head. "What is it you did in your world? StarkTech is always hiring brilliant minds, Jan," he prompted.

This was really why he had come to the dance. Networking, recruiting, and making connections with other people. It was necessary, and he would have loved to whittle the night away just dancing with every lovely woman in the ballroom, but he was more important than that. He had things he was required to do.

[youmakemesmall]

She wasn't sure, exactly, how she felt about Tony being the one to sign her paychecks, but she supposed beggars couldn't be choosers. "Baby, I was the best scientist researching mutant genes out there-- second to maybe only Dr. Banner, but you know, he's pretty unstable, so..." Yeah...... she had kind of stolen his job without meaning to. Her and Hank, that is.

Thinking about it, it was no wonder Bruce hated Hank so much.

"Using my mutation, I figured out how to implant mutant DNA into regular people to give them powers. I grow small, right? So Hank and I messed around with his DNA and so, he can grow big," Jan explained, giving the very watered down version of the story. "We told everyone that Hank was the one who made me mutant but... that was wrong."

[liverletdie]

"Wow," he said, his eyes growing a bit wide from beneath his mask. "Janet, you do realize what this means?" he questioned, his voice lowering to a very hushed tone.

"This could be..." he paused, his mouth going hard as he looked about the crowd of the ball. "I don't want to say anything now, not with everyone around, but this could be a venue to look into, not to give powers, exactly," he mentioned, his eyes shifting one way or another, before he closed in, his mouth nearing her ear in as his lips curled into a coy smirk.

All for the show.

"We might be able to figure out one of the keys to the porter," he said, his voice a soft whisper, although the excitement in his voice was palpable.

[youmakemesmall]

"Well, boss," Jan turned her head so their mouths were only inches apart, "I do believe that means I'm entitled to a big ass office second only to my big ass paycheck."

[liverletdie]

Tony's lips curled up as they continued their little play, his lips closing in on hers slowly, his eyes sparkling with some sort of mischief. "I think that could be arranged."

[youmakemesmall]

Before their lips touched, Janet moved away in one fluid motion. "My soda is lacking proper alcohol and this needs to be fixed. But we'll talk details later, Stark. You can count on that."