Chemical Poison . Howard Stark

Chapter 22

Walking by Howard side, her elbow linked with his was like a fever dream. It was simple, it was exhilarating and she had no idea why she banished the thought before. It was nice, too nice. Being able to idly stare around the construction, light fixtures being tested and performances practiced. This was nice.

Of course, nice came at the price of wearing Howard's brown blazer to hide the mark he left on her neck. Nice came at the price of ruining her entire outfit. She wasn't a big fan.

Howard tapped her hand while they walked around, stopping every few minutes to speak to someone new. Discussing if the set up will be ready by five for the doors to open, and eight for his own opening night presentation. Anneliese wasn't sure how she managed to get herself here, but she was more than happy to walk across grass in heels, slumping against Howard when the cement was slightly too slippery to walk across due to polish. 

This was nice.

Arriving at the main stage, one that Howard would be presenting his not-so-secret master piece to the public, Anneliese's nose crinkled.

"They didn't fix the green."

His whisper was quiet, silent - for Anneliese's ears only. His breath warm against her cheek as Howard leaned in closer to her face, a grin threatening his face. "The green looks fine."

"It's disgusting," Anneliese replied, her mouth turning sour as she stared at the four panels coloured in green. She hated green.

He was suddenly all she could see, Howard moving to be completely in front of Anneliese, his eyes twinkling dangerous. "You're going to love the outfit I choose for you."

"Absolutely not!", Anneliese cried in the make-shift office from before, her hands in the air in frustration. Swiftly turning to see Howard reading paper work, he didn't seem at all interested in the tantrum Anneliese was throwing - or soon to be throwing.

He raised his eyes from the documents and stared at her. Especially when she continued to huff louder and louder each second. He regarded her with painful curiosity for almost a full three minutes and Anneliese felt like she was being evaluated by his blasted terrible taste of fashion. Potentially scanning through his personal system within his mind. What was he looking for? Maybe a new taste of fashion, Anneliese thought bitterly.

She didn't break his gaze, as if by doing so will change his opinion on the monstrous outfit he had decided on, ready to challenge him if he tried pulling rank. She would resign over the clothing that was staring at her, tugging at her heartstrings until she was compulse to just simply die.

He sighed, placing down his documents and moved up the reading glasses he had placed on. The damn reading glasses.

"The dress is fine-", He begun.

Her eyes were probably bulging, "Fine?", she screamed. She stormed over to Howard, her heels long forgotten and the soft tip-tip-tip made her approach all the less intimidating. "Fine?! This dress is by far, the most horrid green I've ever seen! And don't get be started on the length, I'm not some whore to be put on show."

The door opened. Alexander.

"Who is the whore?", He asked as he took a seat next to Howard. Anneliese knew his eyes landed on the dress as a cackle left his lips, "You're trying to get Ana to wear that? Good luck."

Throwing her hands in his direction, leaving the worlds unsaid: At least Alexander gets it. Howard stared her down, and even as he sat lowered than her, he was all the more intimidating. Crazy so. She felt incompletely small in front of him, and Anneliese didn't know when and how she allowed herself to be subjected to this.