Return to Malibu - PSL for Arthur

[starknaked]

After certain delightful interludes in the office, as well as teasing the pointman rather mercilessly on the plane ride back to Malibu through teasing looks and comments that wouldn't mean much to anyone but him and Arthur, Tony found himself ready to do nothing but avoid work.

Which left him in a precarious position because he wasn't entirely trying to avoid Arthur.

Sleeping in, he had taken calls he couldn't avoid, made one to Mal that revealed nothing but was designed to ensure she wanted to know more. Having planted that idea in her head, he considered his options. In the end, he went down to the lab.

Surrounded by work, by Dummy and parts and things that could well explode, the chances were good that even if Arthur did seek him out, this would not be a place for the sort of work they were meant to do. It wasn't that he didn't want his mind militarized and protected to keep the suit safe. It was that he was certain that Arthur would do his job, do it quickly and efficiently, and he wasn't quite sure he was ready to let him leave his life. Not yet.

Comments

[specification]

Arthur chuckled and could barely hide his amusement. "I am looking forward to seeing the look on Dom's face when you walk in with me on Friday," he admitted with a little grin. It was amazing to him how much he was truly enjoying Tony's company in ways that weren't just sexual in nature. Their lives were completely different and yet, they had just enough in common that it gave them something to relate to each other with.

[starknaked]

Tony considered that, head canting to the side as he closed his eyes, imagining it. "He's going to have a heart attack. Maybe literally," he teased. "I'll do my best to save him," he teased, smirking brightly at the idea even as his eyes stayed closed a moment.

"I kind of like the idea too because of us, out together. I feel really kind of cheesy saying that. It's a new thing for me. Caring I'm seen with someone, rather than not seen with them." Even if they had to be careful about that too.

[specification]

"If you don't, Mal will be very upset," Arthur teased before he chuckled. "You know how much she loves her husband."

It would be the first time in longer than Arthur cared to remember that he was out with someone and even longer since he's been to a dinner with friends and a date. But he liked it. Liked that they were doing this and giving it a shot. "I do too," he admitted with a smile. "I enjoyed myself today," he said, resting his head on Tony's shoulder, slowly closing his eyes.

[starknaked]

"Trust me, I'm aware. I just never could figure out why," he said, being completely honest. "I mean, I get what he sees in her but I never, ever got what it was she saw in him." He shook his head, and despite sounding like a dick, he was being completely honest.

Tony wrapped his arms around Arthur, holding him close. "I did too. More than I can remember enjoying myself without work." Not in a while. Ever. "Well, at least since college."

[specification]

Arthur felt a little smile curl on his his lips. "He's intelligent and has made her his entire life," he said, looking up at him. "She could have done worse," he said and the important factor to him was that Mal was happy. Exceptionally so.

"Same here," he admitted then couldn't resist the urge to grin. "Sounds like we're not too different when it comes to work -- that work becomes part of who we are or is who we are."

[starknaked]

Tony snorted, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, he's that. Sure." Making a face though it didn't last before he grinned. "Worse, maybe, better? She does have us in her life," he pointed out. Not that he would have dated her. Been with her more than once but dating was something else entirely.

"Which brings to mind. How long before you leave," he asked, arching a brow.

[specification]

"Mm, she does have us - a man who loves himself and a man who see's her like an older sister that he never had," Arthur grinned, his tone taking on a teasing hint though as he pressed a kiss to Tony's chest. He loved her and adored her but as a sister, as someone who loved and cared for him when he needed that person in his life.

He traced his fingers over Tony's chest and glanced up at him. "I gave myself at least two weeks to militarize you. So two weeks before I go to Germany."

[starknaked]

"Hey. I might have loved her once upon a time," he said with a snort. "I do love her for her." Which was more than he thought of most people." He leaned in, stealing a kiss at Arthur's temple. "And you'd be better for her than he is. Sorry, I get you like him. I just... don't. I don't like him at all," he said with a nose wrinkle.

Two weeks. He considered that before nodding. "Okay then. I can handle that." Two weeks. By then he'd likely be done with it all, after all.

[specification]

Arthur felt a little smile curl on his lips at the kiss Tony pressed to his temple. He shrugged a shoulder with a chuckle. "Don't have to be sorry to me - it doesn't matter much to me if you like him or not. Not under any delusion that everyone is going to get along. It does mean, though, that we'll have an interesting time on Friday."

He nodded. By the end of two weeks, he'd have Tony out of his system and go on with his business. "Agreed," he said, pressing a little kiss to his chest.

[starknaked]

"I will be nice. I always have been when I've been around him. He has Mal. He knows that. If he's jealous of what we had, that's on him, not me," he said, shrugging. "I shall be a good boy. Not for him but for you and Mal."

And for them he would behave.

He wrapped his arms tightly around Arthur. He'd gotten more attached to him than he had anyone in months of time together. Two weeks and he would either be done with him.

Or a goner.

[specification]

Arthur nodded silently and relaxed into his embrace. "But still enough of a bad boy that we can play footsie underneath the table and maybe take a trip to the bathroom around the same time, right?" A little smirk curled on his lips, a little teasing and a bit serious at the same time.

He tightened his arm around Tony in return and breathed out a silent breath. Tony wasn't the only one feeling the attachment, Arthur was too and fuck if it wasn't different than what he had experienced before.

Two weeks.

Two weeks, he could give it two weeks and after that - they could walk away from it. Right?

[starknaked]

Oh but that got a wide grin from Tony. "I said I was nice to him, I didn't say I had turned into a saint," he pointed out. "I plan on rubbing it in, even if he doesn't get it but she does," he noted, more than amused by the entire idea. And not just because of the gorgeous man in his arms.

"You know, eventually, one of us is going to pass out," he noted, smirking.

[specification]

"Of course you plan to," Arthur mused with a wide grin. Still, he had to admit that he was looking forward to it if even just a little bit.

He hummed and pressed a kiss to the side of Tony's neck. "Eventually we will," he smirked, pressing in closer to him before he started to sit up, leaning back on a hand. "Before that happens, I'm going to grab a wash cloth."

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"And you're not? You're bringing me as a date to his house," he pointed out. "Don't even try and play innocent with me, Arthur. I know better. Well, I like to believe I know better," he teased, knowing he didn't know him well enough to say for sure but on this, he was pretty certain.

"Mmmm, efficient too. I knew I liked you for a reason."

[specification]

Funny thing was? On this, Tony was right. Arthur wasn't completely innocent by any means. He shrugged a shoulder and still had that grin on his lips. "Won't deny that," he admitted. "I'm looking forward to it.

"It's a gift," he drawled before slipping from the bed and walking toward the bathroom, not self conscious at all about his nakedness.

[starknaked]

"And yet I'm the wicked one," he bemoaned, as if that had actually been said. Which it hadn't. "I see how it is. Making me the bad guy," he sighed, looking put out. "Though I do wonder... How did Mal know I would go for you," he asked. "I mean, she might have guessed my type in men but how could she have known I would take the chance?"

He had to admit he wouldn't stop wondering that. Not for a while.

Tony rolled over, watching him walk away with a sound of appreciation.

[specification]

"I think she might have just taken a shot in the dark," Arthur said with a little shrug. He knew just as much as Tony did, if he were honest. How did she know that he would go for someone like Tony or want to do this with a man like Tony Stark? "We can ask on Friday."

He felt a grin curl on his lips as he walked into the bathroom, hearing Tony's pleased, appreciative sound. He found a washcloth easily enough and got it wet before starting to wash himself off. "I'm glad you approve," he mused, poking his head out of the bathroom to flash Tony a little wink.

[starknaked]

"I want to," he admitted. "I want to know what she saw. Arthur, I haven't been intimate with a man since high school. She knew that. She knew I had put that behind me," he added, chuckling softly. "Then I saw you there in that suit and all I could think about was taking you apart."

And he had. In so many ways.

"You're damn pretty," he added, laying there, eyes closed and just listening.

[specification]

"I want to know too," Arthur admitted, cleaning his stomach and groin off before rinsing out the washcloth and taking it back into the bedroom and walking over to the bed. "Mm, and you did - thoroughly," he agreed, slipping back onto the large bed and cleaning Tony off.

He felt a smile curl on his lips when Tony said he was pretty. He wasn't sure what to really say to that other than the typical 'thank you' so he kept it at that. Arthur leaned down and pressed a kiss to Tony's chest before sitting up and taking the cloth back into the bathroom.

[starknaked]

"I admit, there is something about taking apart such a beautiful well put together man," he admitted. "More so knowing that you want it, all of it," he murmured, reaching for Arthur even as he cleaned him up. "You know you don't have to do that for me. Despite what the public and the media think, I am capable of caring for myself."

That didn't mean he wasn't enjoying it though. It was nice having someone to care for him and to care for. It was something he hadn't ever had.

Leaning up, kissing him with a sigh. "While you're here, I think you should stay here," he said, making a sudden decision.

[specification]

Arthur moved in closer to the other man when he reached for him and allowed a little smile to curl on his lips. "Is that right," he mused, looking at him as he washed him off. "I know you are capable of doing it for yourself." He just wanted to. For his own reasons.

"I think you're going to have to be a little more specific, Mr. Stark," Arthur said with a little smirk, after returning his kiss and moving into the bathroom to rinse the cloth out and hang it up.

[starknaked]

He smiled then, glad to know that Arthur didn't see him as weak. That was a positive he hadn't counted on, since Arthur was there to teach him self defense, after all. "Well then, I definitely won't stop you. Nope, not of a mind to stop you," he added, smiling as he watched him walk away again.

"I mean you staying here, in this bed, with me."

[specification]

People weren't typically trained to have their subconscious defended so it didn't mean, to Arthur, that Tony was weak in any way. He had seen the reports and news coverage covering Iron Man's plights. "Good," Arthur said, flashing him a little smirk.

"Yeah," he asked, crawling back onto the bed and laying down next to Tony. He liked that Tony wanted him to stay here with him, in his bed. "I'll have to move my things in the morning."

[starknaked]

"Good. You do that. In the morning," he agreed, moving to wrap his arms around Arthur and pulled him close. "There we go. Yep, this is how it should be."

He nodded, eyes closing as he smoothed his fingers along the length of Arthur's spine. "You fit well here."

[specification]

Arthur smiled. A genuine, honest to god, smile as he slowly closed his eyes and rest his head on Tony's shoulder. "Yeah, I do," he agreed softly and felt himself relax fully into him. "Yeah, I like this." And he did. He liked Tony's arms around him, holding him close.