A Dim-Witted Form of Genius
By Sinead

Author’s Note: A bonus chapter, more leading up to the next plot-line. Please be patient for one more chapter. The kindling will turn into a greater flame. Right now is the slow burn; the bonfire is on the way.

Chapter Four

.o.

“What is all that going on over there?” Risa Kishimoto pulled her long, black hair up away from her face, tying it back as she watched what seemed to be a lot of media and press people swarming around the cafeteria. The first-generation Japanese girl from New York turned around and looked to her friend, a native Californian who had a droll outlook on life and a deadpan outlook on the media.

“Like we care?” She didn’t even look outside the window. “It’s probably just another celebrity that stumbled onto campus drunk as a skunk.”

“Iunno . . . there’s something different about this. It’s paparazzi, no doubt about it.”

“Drunk A-lister. Watch.”

Shaking her head at Liddie’s distaste for the celebrities on the West Coast, Risa turned and looked out her dorm window again. Frowning, she saw other people starting to flock outside just because of the crowd already formed, trying to figure out what it was that was going on. Jumping up and rummaging under her bed for something that she had gotten as a redundant Christmas present. Hands wrapping around the smooth cylinder, Risa pulled the binoculars and darted back to the window, opening it to lean outside and focus the instrument upon the eye of the media storm. “Huh. I don’t see drunkards.”

“Of course I’m wrong. Super-skinny wanna-be Disney Princess?”

“All I’m seeing are guys in black suits.”

“Bodyguards.”

Keeping silent, the younger of the two looked at the way that the crowd swirled outwards as a way to make room for the group of bodyguards and possibly a celebrity somewhere in that mix to move forward, towards the building that Risa and Liddie’s room was in. Pulling the binoculars away from her face to see the bigger picture, Risa sighed.

“They’ll go away, don’t worry. You’ll get to work on time.”

“I don’t have work today. And believe it or not . . . they’re actually coming to this building.” Risa looked through the binoculars just in time to see the turmoil happening within the ranks of men in black suits, then moving and peeking out between one big burly man and his buddy, smiling winningly at the photographers who were taking the initiative to snap as many pictures as possible, was a young woman, accompanied by a man whose back was facing Risa. Slowly, slowly, those who got their pictures moved away, and others got their chance. But when Risa looked at the clock, only fifteen minutes had passed since the lady had showed her face to the paparazzi. “Nn. Sou desu ka?”

That got Liddie’s attention. Her roommate never spoke her parents’ native tongue unless it was out of the ordinary circumstances. Standing, the plum-haired young woman walked over to look out the window. “What’s up?”

“They stopped to let the media take photographs. And it looks like she’s answering questions.”

“So then who’s that guy with his arm around her? Do you know who either of them are?” Liddie pulled her curls back into a messy bun, away from her face.

“No, no idea. Wait! Oh! That’s why!”

“What?”

“Look!” Risa handed the distance-viewers to her roommate.

Liddie almost dropped them. “That’s Tony Stark!”

“Then that woman has to be the lady he proposed to!”

The pair looked at each other, then down at the entrance of the building just in time to see the group enter. Risa drew in a deep breath. “This is going to be a very interesting semester.

.o.

“I don’t like how they’re glaring at you.”

But Rebeckah Fahey chuckled and darted her hand up to ruffle Tony’s perfect hair, but was deflected by his hand going up to ward her off. They sparred very, very lightly, almost just batting at each other in play for a few moments. The woman broke it off by poking at her love’s stomach, grinning. “I’ve dealt with worse. I just have a semester here to get the degree.”

“I’m glad that I’m allowed into the dorms.”

“Yeah, like that’s not going to cause media scandals.” Pulling out her new set of keys, Becka opened her dorm, a single-occupant room. Happy looked into the drab interior and winced inwardly, looking at the young woman as another group of young women walked past, identical shrewd and ridiculing looks on all their faces, each seeming to sport the same straight, light-brown to blonde hair, and he knew that only a few of them had their natural hair color.

Turning back around, Becka smiled brightly and then spotted the group of girls. Nodding to them respectfully, she looked to Tony and grinned brightly to sweeten her words. “You’re not spending a grand on this room. I’m spending the money, and it’s not going to go anywhere near two hundred for the fringe items.”

“And if I just want to spend that money on you?”

“There are better things to do for me, and you know it. Save the money for a rainy day, for example.”

“Only as long as you’re there with me.”

“Wow. That was sappy.”

“I tend to be like that occasionally. Not often. Don’t give me that look. Yes, I know I was lying. Deadly sin and all that. Can we bring your stuff up now?” He waited, waited, waited, but then followed her gaze to the group of young women staring at them. Putting on his professional face, Tony popped a stick of gum into his mouth, watching the young women get more than a little uncomfortable.

“So the socialites in training are really deer stuck in headlights. Move, blondes.” The deep purple hair cut a canyon through the peroxide blondes as she walked up to the couple with an unflinching manner. “I know you’re new to the school, but being a celebrity isn’t going to get you any special privileges or whatever. Don’t mess around.”

Liddie was shocked when the young woman walked a step closer, her gaze serious and earnest. “I’m not here to party, and I didn’t mean to draw attention to myself. I have one more semester to go through to get my degree, and I made the choice to live on campus because of the high security here, and the environment that’s conducive to learning. I’m not here to party, or to get into a sorority that will consume time and money.”

“Uh-huh. You? I’m not so worried about.” She pointed to Tony. “The womanizer on the other hand, well . . .”

“Are you the RA?” Tony asked quickly, quietly.

“That responsibility falls to me,” replied one of the sorority girls.

“Good grief, how old are you?”

“Old enough for you.”

“Ugh, tell me when she’s done flirting with you, Tony. I’m going to get my stuff from the truck. Happy, where’s Bruiser?” Rebeckah turned away from her fiancé and the young woman, knowing just what was going to happen.

“Right here, ma’am,” Bruiser, a former boxing buddy from Happy’s early days, smiled and shook his head. “Going to trust Mister Stark to take of this?”

“He’s had women throw themselves at him before in the last several months; I think that he can handle a college chick.”

Ten minutes later, Tony and Happy caught up to the pair and helped them with the load they were bringing into the dormitory. When they reached the hallway that Rebeckah would be living off of, only the first woman and another unfamiliar young lady were waiting by her open door. Putting the bag down, she held her hand out. “I’m—”

“Rebeckah Fahey. You’re famous. Almost a household name because of your abduction and return with the infamous Tony Stark.” The blonde shrugged, then indicated herself and her Asian friend. “I’m Liddie Johnson and this is my roommate Risa Kishimoto. By the way, Stark, that was a great dressing-down you gave to the RA.”

Rebeckah gave her man a sidelong glance. “Really. What did he say.”

“I think I’d better let him tell you.”

Shrugging, seeing the smug look on Tony’s face, she nodded towards the Japanese girl, not even pausing in her greeting. “Yoroshiku onegaishimasu, Kishimoto-san.”

The young woman blinked, then grinned brightly and replied, “Hajimemashite. How do you know my language?”

“Anime fan, and wanted to see how accurate some of the translations were. Please, just call me Becka.”

“Great. Another anime freak.”

“It’s called good luck,” Risa joked.

“Fine. Let’s help the new outcast in with her crap. Men wouldn’t know how to move into a new place if the techniques bit them in the ass.”

Tony watched the two women walk off and then drew in a deep breath. “I think visiting you is a bad idea, love.”

Eyeballing Tony and moving into her room to shove a few of the bags around closer to where they were going to be unpacked, Becka asked, “What did you say to the RA, and how is it going to affect my time here?”

“Oh, nothing.”

“Why don’t I believe you?”

“Because you probably know that I’m lying.”

“Right. What did you say?”

“That if I haven’t gone for the expensive and refined whores, why would I go for one who was still learning how to be a socialite?”

Dropping her bag in shock, thankful that it was only clothing, Rebeckah looked to Tony with shock upon her face. Biting her lip, she grinned and walked over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist, leaning into his touch as he held her close, smiling. “That was very mean of you, Tony.”

“Mm. But it got the desired effect. Stay here for a while.”

As the bodyguards went back for a second run, Happy staying behind as the only one to keep an eye out on the duo. Even then, he had his back to them. Rebeckah reached up and rested her hand upon the Mark Three ARC reactor before pressing her cheek against it and closing her eyes. “You’re really stepping into the shoes that Yinsen prepared for you.”

Tony’s reply was soft as he tried not to let the emotions into his voice. “You think so?”

“Mm-hm. I really do.”

“Thank you.”