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 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.

[starknaked]

"Was that obvious," he asked, arching a brow. "Am I being obvious? So you can be dressed and I'll be naked," he said, pushing a bit further because he liked when Arthur gave those smiles like that.

He wasn't sure where he was going with this. He liked Arthur. Not just as an insanely sexy lover, but as a friend. A man he could share projects with and yet not have him kissing his ass either. He liked that about Arthur.

He glanced back at Arthur, curious. "You coming," he asked, resisting the urge to reach for his hand once more.

[specification]

"A tiny bit," Arthur said, holding his index finger and thumb close together and chuckling. "Well, you being naked wouldn't exactly surprise me, you hedonist." Arthur sent him a teasing smile.

Whether they had anything set in stone or not, Arthur found himself liking Tony, a lot more than just a mere lover or partner for a short time. It was the fact that Tony pushed, unafraid that Arthur would shoot him in the face, or the fact that the man was brilliant but still very much human regardless of what that shining light in the middle of his chest might insinuate.

"Yeah, I'm coming," Arthur said, giving him another small smile before he started toward the entrance. He wanted to take the other man's hand but instead, he dug his hands into his pockets in order to keep his hands to himself. "So what is your favorite kind of art," he asked, opening the door up for the older man.

[starknaked]

"You don't seem to mind me being obvious," he pointed out. "In fact, I think you enjoy it," he added, stroking inside. "And you're right. I'm a hedonist. And..." He smirked widely. "Your boss. Don't I set the dress code?"

He smiled, watching Arthur move closer. He grinned as they entered. "Honestly, I don't know if I have a preference. I tend to buy things to annoy people. I don't like the speckled stuff," he added, nose wrinkling. "Dummy can do that on his own."

[specification]

Arthur smirked. "No, can't say I really mind you being obvious," he said. His eyebrows rose as he pretended to consider that, humming softly. "Mm, no you don't get to set the dress code." He gave Tony an equally wide, and amused, smirk. "If you had it your way, I probably wouldn't be wearing clothing," he teased - glad that there wasn't anyone around to hear them.

He knew exactly who Tony had been thinking about when he mentioned the speckled paintings and found himself laughing. "I agree there," he said, his lips curling up into a grin. He took out his wallet to pay for whatever the entrance fee was.

[starknaked]

Tony gasped, looking stunned and shocked as he put a hand to his chest. “You wound me, Arthur. That is not true at all. I would entirely have you wearing clothes right now,” he said, though he paused. He took a long time looking Arthur over as if he was imagining him naked right then and there. “No, not nude in public. Back at the house, that would be another story.”

Tony gave Arthur a glance. “Put that away. I am a benefactor.” He was known and didn’t tend to worry about those things, especially not in Malibu. “What about you? What art do you like?”

[specification]

Arthur truly couldn't help it, he started to laugh at the shocked and stunned look on Tony's face. "I meant more specifically while we were at the house or working," he said with a wide grin. But the face...it really had been fairly priceless.

"I didn't want to assume anything," he said and tucked his wallet back into his back pocket. But of course, it was Tony Stark so he really should have assumed that he was a benefactor. "I like a lot of post-war art -- especially abstract expressionism, performance art and post-modernism. I enjoy a wide range but those usually rank high on my interests," he said, his lips curving up. He knew post-modernism wasn't everyone's thing, and honestly he was very particular about it himself -- there were a lot of artists calling themselves post-modern when in reality, they were just finding or making anything out there and calling it 'art'.

[starknaked]

He actually got his lower lip to quiver, wibbling at Arthur. "Even there? What purpose do clothes serve? Not to mention that it is a detriment to sleep and dreams," he said, as if it wasn't a matter of drugs and not physical exhaustion.

"And I appreciate it. Most just assume I'll pay for anything and everything," he pointed out, actually touched by Arthur's offer.

"Performance art? Really? Like what? Mimes," he asked brightly, needling at him once more. "Not a lot of money or investment in that. Done once and gone," he pointed out as if the only thing that mattered in art was money and investment. "Really though? Post Modern?"

[specification]

"No, I meant that you would consider the house and/or working at the house something different and perhaps want me nude," Arthur said. He was amused, more than anything.

Arthur shook his head. "I wouldn't want someone to pay for everything of mine," he admitted. He was an independent sort of man and while he was okay with allowing Tony or others pay for him on occasion, it was nice after all, he could very well afford his own things in life.

"No not just mimes -- performance art can be anything from music to dance to theatre to poetry and video," he said and chuckled. "You know, art isn't just about the money or investment opportunities," Arthur teased. "I'm very particular about post modern art. It has to make you question and talk about it beyond 'what the hell was the artist thinking.'"

[starknaked]

"But it is different," he said with a snort. "It's home and alone and why do you need clothes there," he asked, knowing he was only pushing this because Arthur had told him no.

"No insult intended, Arthur. Just kind of how my world can be. I'll make you this deal. Next time something actually has to be paid, you can pay," he offered. He might have paid for burgers but this he hadn't technically paid for.

"Right. So mimes," he said, more than amused and not willing to let that go. Not when it was fun for him. "Yeah, I'm aware. Just never studied it. I was learning to make bombs." Which was the truth, nothing more and nothing less. "But they all make me think that," he pointed out.

[specification]

"Do you normally walk around your house without any clothes on," he asked, curiously with a smirk.

Arthur sent him a smile. "I didn't take it as an insult," he said. "But, it's a deal." If Tony was the one to normally do all the buying, Arthur was at least going to buy something for him. Well, except dinner because Mr. Stark had done the inviting and talked about buying out a restaurant for them. Could this day be any more surreal? This wasn't exactly what he had expected when signing up for this job.

He laughed and shook his head as they walked further into the museum. "No, no mimes personally." Mimes didn't do anything for him in the least. "Now those are fun and interesting," he said, sending him a grin. He did like a man who was capable with firearms and self defense...if you could call bomb making self defense. In his line of work, he sure did.

[starknaked]

“No. Rarely. Never. The paparazzi have telephoto lenses,” he pointed out. “Why you should do it,” he added, teasing. “Then no one would look at your face and not recognize you.” He was only half teasing about the press as it was.

“Good. I don’t tend to insult people over money. I have some, I like to share it with people I like,” he pointed out, sliding his hands into his pockets as he strolled along.

“Good. I don’t like mimes,” he said with a shudder. “Creepy and speechless and no,” he said, glancing at Arthur and smiling. “Are they? Only in the right hands. Sadly I put them in the wrong hands for a lot of years.” Well, Stane had but he hadn’t paid attention enough to stop it.

[specification]

Arthur chuckled. "Mm, tempting but no." He knew very well that if someone wanted to get the dirt and photos on someone that they could do so with some ingenuity. Arthur was proof of that. Arthur slid his hands into his pockets as they walked further and looked around as they did. For a Sunday afternoon, it was fairly busy but not overwhelmingly so, thankfully.

"I don't either," he agreed, his lips quirking up and sharing a quick grin with Tony. He liked the fact that Tony wasn't the type to insult a person over money. He was learning quite a bit about the man behind the mask -- both literal and figurative.

He really couldn't help himself, Arthur laughed. "No, mimes are bad," he agreed then nodded at the part about the bombs. "Only in the right hands," he said. "Anything else is just asking for trouble and guilt."

[starknaked]

"Yes, you are tempting," he said, yet again turning Arthur's words around on him a bit. In truth, he wanted to avoid such things as the reporters and scandalous pictures but that didn't mean he wouldn't use it to tease the other man a bit with his tight shoulders and straight laced mannerisms.

And it was nice sharing those things. It was a part of why he wanted to plan to spend more time together in New York.

Tony stopped then, looking at a painting. He wasn't even seeing it, just staring at the strokes of oil on canvas as if his mind couldn't put together the entire image. Not that he was trying. Those words had hit much too close to home.

Not even thinking about it, his hand moved to his chest. He had found a way around the trouble, the guilt though, that he just pretended to have a leash on.

"Problem is judging those hands," he said, glancing upward.

[specification]

His lips curled up in amusement as he looked at Tony. "And you're a unapologetic flirt," he said, his tone teasing. He liked it. He couldn't do anything that might be noticed by anyone watching.

When Tony stopped, Arthur stopped a step later and raised his eyebrows. He looked at Tony, then at the painting then back to Tony. He wasn't sure what it was he might have said -- no, he took that back. He had a good feeling what it was he said that made Tony stop. Arthur glanced down to where his hand was on his chest and frowned slightly. "Judging and trusting those hands is a difficult task. Once it leaves the facilities, it can be placed in just about anyone's hands...and those are the ones to watch out for," he said. Arthur knew it wasn't exactly comforting but there wasn't really anything that was comforting about the situation. It was too bad they were in a public place.

[starknaked]

"Whyever would I apologize," he asked, looking utterly stunned as he put a hand to his chest, looking as stunned as he might. "Who would apologize for that when they're me?" Ego and flirtation and he was happy with the man he was.

"No, they were very intentionally put in the hands that they were," he said, turning his head to look at Arthur and not pretending that it was any other way than them being honest. "I didn't let the world know. Not directly, but Stark Industries really did provide them. I just didn't realize what we were doing until it was much too late." When so many had died for his weapons. Himself nearly included.

"You don't have to make excuses, Arthur. Or retract your words with kindness. I allowed it to happen by my own averted attention and I pay the price, though not in the way many have."

[specification]

"Exactly my point," Arthur said, watching him with amusement.

Arthur wasn't exactly sure what to really say and honestly, he was glad that Tony told him that he didn't have to retract his words or make excuses. He wasn't the sort to usually give any falsehoods. Arthur was realistic like that. Still, Arthur couldn't imagine having a guilt like that on your conscious. "I know," he said, looking at him. He couldn't physically reach out and touch the man, offer some sort of comfort but all he could do was look at him with a small amount of affection.

"So, since you are a very important benefactor, I am trusting you to give me the grand tour," he said, attempting to lighten up the atmosphere.