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

[starknaked]

"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.

And end there?

[starknaked]

A slow, steady breath was released, glad that Arthur had agreed. He'd hold him until the morning, realizing he wanted that though he tended to push away all efforts for cuddling.