Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang (Teacher-Student Romance Robert Downey Jr.)

The Winner Takes It All.

"Please tell me you won't make it weird."
He looks at me surprised.
"Why would you say that?"
I try to arrange my dress, carefully pulling the fabric. "Because you always do."
Downey frowns. "I literally never make things weird. For all you know I've done this a thousand times."
"We both know you do and we both know you didn't," I reply and flash a grin.
His hand rests on my lower back, applying a soft pressure. "If you continue to be this cocky I will have to bend you over."
I start to laugh. "If you want me to start calling you Daddy now, we will have to talk."
Downey grins, mischievously. "Why? Would you like a spanking?"
"Would you?" I reply.
"I think it's supposed to be the other way around."
"Oh is there a manual? Did you read it?" I ask.
Downey leans into me and chuckles.
"You're making it very hard for me not to explain it to you."
"Should I be scared?" I ask and open my mouth to say some other sarcastic comment. But Downey's lips stop me from pursuing that idea. His mouth covers mine and I delicately give myself to it. When our tongues meet, I can't help but softly moan into his lips. I feel his smile against me and let my mind fall into this parallel universe.
To my dismay, he parts from me.
"We should get back out there."
He holds my chin between two fingers and looks at me hard. "I won't make it weird. I promise."
I nod, turning my head to kiss his open palm. "I.."
And right in that moment I really want to say something that I've never said before. Something that I've never felt before.
But Downey just smiles at me softly, giving me a tingly feeling in the pit of my stomach.
"I know," he says. "Let's go."

We walk out of my former office. It is impossible that no one will ask where we were all this time. What we were doing.
What we really should not have been doing in an office space.
As we step back into the party there is a different feeling around the room. And as we walk further and mingle with the crowd, I can sense something unfamiliar. No one is looking at us and that makes me sigh, relieved. But something else is going on that I just can't quite put my finger on.
I turn to my right and lean against his shoulder. "Is something weird or is it just me?"
He frowns and shakes his head. "No, do you think they know?"
I deny in return. "They're not looking at us."
Downey smiles at me reassuringly. "Maybe somebody just had a little too much to drink. Happens every time."
We laugh and look at each other. That strong pull in my stomach gets so intense that I have to look away. His hand wanders to my back and runs his fingers down.
I want him to continue to put both of his hands on me, like he did before. But when I see Mr. Lockwood walking towards us with a look on his face that tells me something isn't right, I immediately step away from my lover.
"I'm so sorry, Robert. I had no idea," he says and Downey frowns.
"No idea? Of what?"
My boss reaches for his arm and starts to pull him away, but Downey stops in his tracks immediately. Chuckling, a little nervously.
"What's going on, Colin?"
Mr. Lockwood sighs, "She is here."
Now we both look confused.
„Who?" Downey replies, but then he looks at something behind me and everything on his face starts to tense. Every single muscle flexes and his jar tightens, as if he is getting ready for a fight.
It makes me turn around. And in that moment I wish I never did. That I never did go to that party and sleep with him in my office. That I didn't wear that dress and spend my evening falling all into him again.
Because when I turn around and look at her, I know exactly who the woman, walking towards us, really is. She wears a tight violet dress. Her neatly cut hair falls messy onto her naked shoulders, giving the idea that she just stepped out of a helicopter.
And as she comes closer I can slowly, step by step, see her beauty. Her soft features, the wide smile, framed by rosy lips. You couldn't possibly guess her age. There is no hint of anything but liveliness. She radiates youth, warmth and even though it doesn't quite fit, sex.
My brain can't quite process what my eyes are perceiving. My head turns to Downey, who is just standing there, staring at her.
She stops right in front of him, flashing a smile.
„Don't you look dashing."
Her voice as sweet as peaches and soft like velvet.
He doesn't reply, just keeps eying her. Then Lockwood brakes the silence and steps in.
"It's good to see you, Susan. You look lovely."
So it is her. My heart wasn't wrong. And the funny thing is that I've never even wasted a thought on her. I never stayed up late to wonder how she looked or the way she used to touch him or make him laugh. How she was able to love him out in the open. It never even crossed my mind. I was so caught up in my own drama. Until now.
"Thank you, Colin. How are the boys?" She doesn't look at me. Her eyes are just dancing between Lockwood and Downey.
"They're doing great. We just started them on soccer and they're loving it."
"I'm glad they're doing well," she says, meaning it.
Now he starts to talk.
"What do you want?" His voice is hostile, but quiet. Almost as if he is about to reply to a question he doesn't know the answer to.
Susan smiles. "I wanted to see you."
He inhales, sharply and I can tell he had expected her to say something else.
"You weren't invited."
But she isn't at all intimidated by it.
"We both know the party doesn't start until someone crashes it."
"Enjoy the food then," Downey says and intends to walk away. But she softly puts a hand on his chest, making him freeze.
„Please, Darling. I just want to talk."
Downey doesn't think and risks a glance at me. That's when Susan looks to her right for the first time and her piercing eyes land on me.
"Oh, I don't think we've been introduced. I'm Susan Downey, Robert's wife."
A big, fat, ugly bubble bursts inside my heart. And everything goes to shit.
The only thing that's replaying in my head over and over again is one word.
Wife. 
She's his wife. He is her husband.
I feel like I'm watching a movie in a foreign language and somebody just turned off the subtitles. I don't understand anything.
I don't reply, just keep staring at her. So she starts to frown.
I manage clear my throat. "Aria Hart. I'm Mr. Lockwood's intern."
Susan smiles and I can detect a little relief as well. "How nice. And you're in college I assume?"
"Starting this fall," I say and try to be as calm and friendly as I can.
Downey is starting to shift uncomfortably next to me.
"So you've worked with my husband? I hope he's not too hard on you," Susan jokes. „He tends to be difficult sometimes."
"Oh," I say, not quite keeping my cool,"he can get pretty hard."
Downey starts to cough and I pat him on the back. "Are you alright, Sir?"
He shoots me a stare and gives a fake smile.
"Yes, thank you, Miss Hart. Just something caught in my throat. I think I need something to drink."
"I always think it's best to connect with your boss. You know, really get to know them not just as colleagues," she tells me.
I nod. "Sure, from my experience Mr. Downey is quite keen on connecting."
And again, I get a raging stare from him. But at this moment I'm kind of enjoying this situation.
Apparently, Susan didn't pick anything up, because she just continues to ask me questions about my time here.
"And how old are you?"
"I'll be turning 21 in a couple of weeks, actually."
"Oh," she sighs, reminiscing. "I remember turning 21. What a wonderful time that must be in your life right now." 
"It's alright," I reply.
She leans over and asks me if I have a boyfriend, giving me a wink. Trying to form a female bond with this new girl she isn't able to quite evaluate.
I can sense Downey's eyes fixated on me, anticipating my answer.
But I shake my head. "No, nothing serious at the moment."
"But there is someone?" Susan presses.
"Isn't there always?" I answer her question with a question and she seems to think that's funny.
"You know women that age, they're not mature enough for a serious relationship," Downey interrupts and now we both look at him astonished.
"And is that statement based on personal experience or just fantasy?" I tease and he sneers.
„Would that make any difference?"
„Why don't you tell me, since you seem to know so much about women in their twenties."
"Have you maybe thought about the fact that women that age are finally realizing they don't have to put up with men's behavior just because they're women? And that's the reason they're not committing themselves to someone who isn't ready to appreciate and love them in a way they deserve?"
That makes him shut up. I can tell that he is extremely pissed off now, but I am not going to stand here in front of his wife, pretending.
"That's not what I meant," he says and even though I know deep down that he didn't, I do not care in that moment.
"They never do," I murmur and then, turn my back to him. Because I have to get out. I have to leave this party. Him and her standing here, so close together makes it hard to breathe. My throat seems to close up and I cannot form a clear thought.
„Thank you for the lovely party, Mr. Lockwood. I will see you tomorrow for the last briefing."
Lockwood shakes my hand, firmly and smiles widely.
"It was a great pleasure, Miss Hart."
"Mrs. Downey, it was nice meeting you. Enjoy the rest of your night," I say and before I go I turn towards my former lover to say one last goodbye.
"Goodnight, Mr. Downey. I hope you'll figure out what you meant." 
And without further ado, I turn my back on them and walk towards the elevators.
It's weird how in the split of a second, everything can change. How one single person is able to shutter everything that you've carefully build up. And maybe not even on purpose. But some things weren't build to withstand that kind of pressure. Some things are just there for a certain amount of time, looking pretty. And when it's time they slowly crumble.
So this is how love runs out, with thunderous applause. 
The button lights up when I press it and soon there is the familiar sound, telling me my lift has arrived.
It opens and I look into a pair of warm eyes.
"Hey."
Warm eyes, even warmer voice.
"Are you okay?" Morgan asks, looking worried.
I step into the elevator, standing next to him.
I sigh. "Do you wanna get fucked up?"
He starts to laugh. "I thought you'd never ask."
"Shitty Party?"
I shake my head.
"Shitty boss?"
My head jerks up and I look at him surprised.
"Jesus, do you really think I'm that stupid?" Morgan asks me. "You could see that thing from ten miles away."
I frown. "You knew the whole time?"
He shrugs. "I guess since that night I played at the pub and we went out after. I saw you guys dancing."
"And you didn't say anything?"
"I mean," he leans against the wall. "It's not really any of my business. And I wasn't sure at first. But then he started giving me these really intense glares whenever he saw us talking."
I cover my eyes with my hands. "Oh god."
"It's fine. He's a man in love. And I'm devilishly handsome."
I push back my hair and chuckle. "You might be right about yourself, but I don't know about Downey."
"You wanna talk about what happened?"
My phone starts to buzz and I can see Professor lighting up on my screen. Two missed calls already. I turn off my phone and bury it in my bag.
"I'd rather just get morally questionably drunk, if that's okay."
„Sure thing," Morgan nods. The doors open and he directs me out of the lobby. „One intense hangover for the lady. Coming right up."
As the spring air hits my face I try to push the thought of him out of my mind. Of the way his name sounded coming from her mouth.
I know I've played all my cards and that I don't think he's got any ace left up his sleeve.
And I know that I was a fool to play by the rules. But that's what a little love can do, right? Making you do things you never thought you would. Like having sex with him on your office desk.
A low point? Maybe.
Morgan pulls me down the street into a cab and faster than I can object, he has dragged me into a bar.
For the first time tonight I feel at ease. He starts to talk about his time in college and some funny story that involves a duck at a party. But I'm only listening halfway. Of course my head is circling about the fact that he has been married that whole time. The fact that I've committed adultery is only one small piece of the horror that's brewing up inside of me.
After my first drink I start to find it funny how fucked up this whole situation actually is.
With my second I realize that I've put myself into this mess.
And for my third one, I toast to myself, the loser, who has to fall.
And of course to the winner, who takes it all.