I guess the only blessing I have left to my name...
Music blared in the small joint as people danced on unsteady feet and laughed at drunken jokes that no one seemed to understand but everyone cackled at anyways. The crowd moved with drunken joy as the music's volume increased and neon lights flashed in the darkened bar. The walls vibrated with the force of the bass that boomed from the large speakers of the room, thudding against the chests of the floor's dancing occupants.
Women wore skirts that were too short and shirts that were far too low cut and revealing. Men wore t-shirts and jeans with sneakers. Everyone's shirts were wrinkled and ruffled from dancing and/or brawls. Each person cheered or laughed, not giving a care about anything in the world aside from the people they grinded against and the liquor that they continuously refilled.
Yet while everyone was dancing and having a good time around him, Anthony "Tony" Stark simply sat. The long-since retired billionaire was perched at the bar with a shot glass in his hand and his blank eyes staring unseeingly at his newly replenished drink. A strong hand rolled the glass in circles on the smooth countertop before he downed the bitter liquor, his thoughts centered on a single woman that he knew he'd never see again. It wasn't anyone's fault aside from his own; he should've been there for her when she had needed him.
Glass again met the smooth surface of the marble bar as his eyes found the last drops of the drink that his lips had missed. The man, once known as Iron Man, only saw the same beautiful color of [Name's] eyes in the bottom of that glass. Her eyes had once been filled with wonder and joy, love and happiness. What he wouldn't give to see that glow again.
Then again, the billionaire had already given up everything for the woman. He had given his business to some new and upcoming scientist and had retired to live peacefully with the woman who had, unbelievably, stolen his heart. He had stepped away from his title as Iron Man and given the responsibility of protecting the townspeople to the rest of the Avengers team. He had even hung up his suit and stored it away where he wouldn't be tempted to tinker with it. Yes, as hard as it was to believe, once Tony had found the only woman who could handle him, he had given up everything just to have a peaceful life with her.
The former hero's hand gripped hard onto the glass, turning his knuckles white as his thoughts darkened. Why? Why had the world- no- why had God gone against him and taken away the one thing that meant most to him in this world? Why had he taken his only love away? Hadn't he served his purpose as Iron Man long ago? Hadn't Anthony Stark done all that had been needed to be done?! For crying out loud, he had even given half of his money to charities around the world! Wasn't that enough?!
No. Instead, God had decided to play a sick trick on him, just to see how much he could endure in his lifetime. There had been a reason that he hadn't believed in a God before he had met [Name], and for a short time after meeting her, he did believe. Now that he had lost her- to some petty fire, of all things!- he saw no need to believe in such an entity anymore. He had lost all hope when the beautiful luster in his love's eyes had diminished and become nothing but a blank abyss. The moment her hand had fallen from his and onto the white sheets of the hospital bed had been the very moment that he had given up as well.
Weeks that felt like lifetimes had passed by since then, and he had yet to find purpose in his life once more. He still had a lifetime of wealth and fame, but what good was all of that without someone to share it with? Tony stark didn't know, so he did the only thing he could do:
He ordered another round.
...is not knowing what we could have been.