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 finished off his burger before throwing the wrapper away. "I'm sure that you do," he said, sending the man his own wink in return.

He shook his head with a grin. "No, wouldn't want you to do that...again. Are you ready," he asked, standing from his seat and finishing off his soda.

[starknaked]

Wiping his hands on his slacks, Tony rose and gave Arthur a jerk of his head. "Come on then. Let's get this tour on the road. Literally," he said, amused with himself for the joke.

"Good. I'm kind of against that," he admitted. "Still hurts late at night and all," he said, making it a joke, though it really wasn't much of one to him.

[specification]

After dumping the rest of the trash, Arthur walked toward the car with a shake of his head and a grin. "Where are we starting," he asked, looking at the other man and slipping his sunglasses back on. "The Getty, the beach or the pier? Or this private spot you talked about," he could help asking with a teasing smirk.

He settled in his seat before looking at him. Despite Tony making it sound like a joke for all intents and purposes, Arthur knew that it still had to hurt a little bit. "Was it hard to get used to?"

[starknaked]

"I was thinking the Getty. I know most don't realize it, but I do have an appreciation for art. Just don't tell Pepper," he said with a grin. "I like confusing her with what I do and don't like so she never has a clue what to invest in for my tastes, rather than just for investment," he admitted, amused with himself as he slid into the car.

"This one, not as much," he said, rubbing it. "The one I made in the cave... every night I had to fight not to rip it out just as I was falling asleep. Good thing I didn't sleep much, huh?"

[specification]

"I had been hoping you would choose the Getty. It's been a while since I've been," Arthur admitted, shooting Tony a smirk. He chuckled and relaxed in his seat. "And you two have never...?" It perhaps wasn't exactly his place to question the relationship between Tony and Pepper but honestly, the man had asked, on multiple occasions, the nature of his relationship with Mal. It was only fair.

He nodded and glanced down at where he was rubbing it through his shirt. "Yeah, it's a good thing you've found something that doesn't hurt nearly as much as well."

[starknaked]

“You could have made a choice. I may be acting as tour guide but I’m finding myself indulging you, as I’m certain you may have noticed.” He backed up, pulling out into traffic. For a moment he looked almost confused. “We two… Pepper and I? Oh.” He laughed. “Not for lack of me trying but she needs someone stable in her life to balance working for, well, me,” he said brightly, definitely amused. “Maybe with time it might have happened but just never did.”


“I figure it keeps me alive, I’ll deal with what I must to get through it,” he said. “I like that living part, you know,” he teased, weaving carefully through traffic.

[specification]

"I know I could," Arthur said. "You just look like you've enjoyed playing tour guide and thought I would give you that." Besides, he was enjoying himself and it didn't exactly matter to him where they went to first. He was just enjoying the company and the sights.

He was silent as he watched Tony as he spoke and nodded. "That makes sense," he said, that making him a little relieved though he wasn't about to say so. It was far too soon to say something like that. Besides, he liked Pepper, he had talked to her a good deal on the plane ride out to Malibu when Tony wasn't teasing him and trying to make him flustered.

"I don't know, I think I like the living part as well," Arthur grinned.

[starknaked]

"You know," he said, pausing at a light to pull down his eyeglasses as he looked at Arthur. "I am enjoying myself," he admitted. "More than I thought I might. Not with the company but just for sight seeing," he admitted. "But then I definitely think it's because of the company."

He grinned. "No need to be worried about my bed having anyone else in it. You're the first person in a lot of years to make it to the second round," he pointed out.

Then he hit the gas, racing along towards the Getty.

[specification]

"I'm enjoying myself too," he admitted. "Because of the company and the sight seeing." He paused for a minute to take in the city around him. "But mostly because of the company," he finished.

Arthur felt his chest clench when Tony said that and grinned. "It's the same with me," Arthur admitted, looking at him. "There hasn't really been a person I've been with more than a night or two for a long while."

He grinned and relaxed in his seat even while his hand on the door tightened a little. He wasn't really afraid, it had just been more out of reflex than anything else.

[starknaked]

"Good. I'd hate to know the city was prettier than me," he said, driving like a man with the knowledge that he wasn't going to have to answer to anyone. Not the police. Not other drivers. But he drove well, safely despite his speed.

"If I bring them home, they're out by morning," he admitted, looking at Arthur as the heavy flow of traffic slowed them down. "Pepper sees to it. It's actually literally in her job description," he said, smirking at the admission.

[specification]

"You're the prettiest of them all," Arthur said, sending Tony an amused grin. He watched him drive with that air of confidence that one had when they were confident in themselves and what they were doing. It was something that had always been attractive to Arthur.

Arthur chuckled and looked at him. "Has that always been in her job description and what did she think of that?" He really couldn't help but ask because if part of his job requirement was to get his bosses one night stands out of his bed or out of his house the next morning, he would probably have to question it.

[starknaked]

He lifted his chin, grinning and preening. "So glad you've noticed. I'd hate to have to try harder. Especially when you've already seen me in a tux. Not much better I can do," he teased, turning off the freeway and onto another one.

"It was and is," he admitted, laughing. "At first she hated it, but then she started having fun with it," he admitted. "It isn't all of them and doesn't happen all the time but enough she has it down pat. Only been a couple that refused to leave at all."

[specification]

Arthur laughed. "As if you doubted it for one moment," he said, sending him a smirk.

He started out a couple of days ago thinking that this will be just a job - he'd come, do what he did best and leave. He'd spend some time with Mal, with Dom and with the kids then call it good and go onto the next job, whatever that was. But now, this was something different and had been since Friday night but again - they had discussed this not very long ago. It was all just very...unlike the Arthur most people knew from the community. He loved it.

"That I have no doubt of. I don't know, if I was told part of my job was to kick women out of my bosses bed in the morning, I would look at you like you were absolutely nuts."

[starknaked]

“Doubt my looks and charm,” he asked with a snort. “Never. Even if I did, would I ever admit to such a thing,” he asked, affecting such an expression and tone of mock horror over the very idea.

Nothing about this was normal for Tony, and he was finding himself enjoying it. That was actually the most shocking. How could he be so gleeful at something that was becoming, slowly but surely and he couldn’t deny it, something resembling a relationship?

“Well, good thing then that your job doesn’t include but very is being a part of your boss’ bed,” he teased.

[specification]

"No, I'd never suspect you to doubt something like that," Arthur smirked. It really was quickly turning into something resembling a relationship and that in itself was surprising.

Arthur laughed and sent him a grin. "I admit, I prefer being a part of my boss' bed than being kicked out or kicking someone else out." Least, if he had to choose. It wasn't like he was given the option every day. Even if he was, Tony would be the only one that Arthur would want to choose.

[starknaked]

"Good. You're stuck in my bed for a while now," he pointed out, not thinking about how that sounded as he said it. "And promise you're on the list of those cleared with Pepper. You're cleared for the house, honestly," he admitted, pulling off the freeway and through beach streets.

[specification]

Arthur watched the streets go by as Tony drove along and allowed a grin to curl on his lips at what Tony pointed out. "Hm, I should hope so - after all, we have to work together whether or not I'm in your bed," he said, looking at him with an amused smile. His eyebrows rose at the part about the house and instead of saying anything, Arthur allowed his hand to return to Tony's thigh.

"When do you and Pepper plan to return to New York," he asked, mainly out of curiosity.

[starknaked]

It was all intimate and cozy and Tony hadn't realized how much he had not thought about having something like this and yet desired it all at the same time.

The hand on his thigh made him smile, glancing at Arthur and grinning. "This work? We can do from bed, can't we," he teased.

The smile faded, though only slightly. "Honestly don't know yet. Two weeks maybe? A lot of the work wasn't done, despite the party. When they finish. Any reason you ask?"

[specification]

"Wherever is more comfortable for you," Arthur said, looking at him with a grin. "There really was no reason why they couldn't use the bed. Typically, he used whatever kind of chair he could find but for militarization, they could work wherever they wanted to.

Arthur nodded. "I was curious," he admitted with a smile and small shrug of his shoulders. "Whenever I have time off, I typically live in New York City. I grew up there," he admitted.

[starknaked]

"So in other words naked and in bed,' he said with a bright smile, knowing he was pushing the limits and loving it. It was part of what made life so much fun for him. Pushing those limits and seeing how far he could make them bend.

"So you want to get back and, what? Know if I'll be around," he asked, glancing at Arthur. He liked the idea that Arthur might want him there.

[specification]

"Now, I never said naked," Arthur smirked. "Working out of bed...yes but naked, no." He knew where that one would go and he was fairly sure neither of them would get much done if they were naked and in bed. Besides, he couldn't, in his right frame of mind, truly consider the thought of working naked while in bed.

Arthur was silent for a moment before he glanced over at him. "Yeah -- pretty much," he said. He wanted to be close by Tony -- so long as this worked out longer than the week...two weeks. But honestly, he was undoubtedly sure that it would.

[starknaked]

"Why does naked or not matter," he asked, pulling into a parking space at the Getty. "If we're already in bed, and we're working, why does what we're wearing matter," he asked, doing his best to sound as innocent as he could. He was working hard at it, wide eyed and everything.

"Well then... If you're going to be around New York, I suppose we'll have to make sure we're back in New York as well," he said, making it sound as easy as that.

[specification]

Arthur looked at him silently before he shook his head with a laugh. "You may enjoy working naked but it would be a little weird for me," he said, fairly sure Tony was just pushing and trying to see what he could and couldn't get away with. It was amusing though. Arthur slid out of the car, removed his sunglasses and placed them in his back pocket before walking around the car.

Tony made it sound so very simple but he knew it might be a little harder than that. He would be in Germany in two weeks time for a job and that was bound to take a few weeks in of itself, the next time he was in New York would probably be in a month to two months. But -- they would figure out a way for this to work if they wanted it to work. "I'll be back in New York in about a month or two."

[starknaked]

Sitting there in the car, Tony turned to look at Arthur speculatively. "Why would you find that weird? Clothes are entirely a delightful and wicked construct of mankind," he pointed out, smirking though because he knew just what he was doing and the games he was playing with Arthur.

Slipping out of the car, he moved up to stand beside Arthur, nudging him with his shoulder.

He considered that, watching Arthur from behind sooty lashes. "So, definitely make sure everything is in place and set up in a month or so. Got it."

He nodded as if that was a done deal, heading for the entrance.

[specification]

"Weird in the sense that it would be work for me and I'm always dressed when I'm working," Arthur mused. "To not be dressed -- seems wrong." He noticed the smirk on Tony's face and allowed a similar smirk to cross his lips. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Although it was formulated like a question, it really wasn't one and they both knew it.

Arthur nudged his shoulder in return and allowed his lips to quirk up. He was a little surprised when Tony said what he did and blinked before watching him head toward the entrance. He hadn't honestly expected that. He figured Tony Stark had his own agenda and time line but the fact that he said it though, as if it was a done deal...it was different. It took him only a moment to walk and head toward the entrance with him.

Today he didn't feel like a dream criminal, he didn't feel like someone wanted from certain groups of people -- he just felt like a man who was enjoying a day out and that in of itself was feeing and wonderful.