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.

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[specification]

He was completely out of his element in this but he knew, logically and realistically that he wasn't the only one and for that he was thankful. Arthur looked up at him and smiled when Tony kissed him. "I'm not exactly great at them either," he admitted.

Arthur watched as Tony brought his chair in closer and allowed his lips to curl up. "Will you?"

[starknaked]

“Great. My first possible long term relationship in a while and I end up with a virgin,” he teased, knowing it was a bad joke but unable to resist. “Guess I’ll learn to live with it,” he said in the tones of one long suffering.

He nodded though at that question. “I will. Over the phone. Not in shoe range.”

[specification]

"You say that as though you yourself are not a virgin," Arthur shot back, good natured. He chuckled and took a sip of his drink before setting it down and picking up his fork. "Yes, you will have to learn to live with it," he smirked and took a bite of his appetizer.

He nodded, thinking of how she would respond. "Tonight," he asked, after swallowing his bite and glancing at Tony. They had decided to call her tonight after all.

[starknaked]

"I'm Tony Stark. I think it's a crime to talk about me and that word in the same sentence," he teased, taking another bite. "I supposed I can learn. I'm told I'm actually kind of a genius."

Taking a drink, watching Arthur. "She's going to be fine with it," he said, assuring one of them. He just wasn't sure which one.

[specification]

"Being Tony Stark, genius playboy, doesn't exempt you from this," Arthur chuckled and took another bite. "I have faith that you will."

He nodded and looked up from his plate to look at him. "Yeah, she will," he agreed. And if she wasn't, then she'd have to learn to live with it because he was wanting to try this out between them.

[starknaked]

“Of course it does. Built into the term playboy, I believe,” he said as if this was a serious conversation around their meal. The appetizer was cleared as dinner was served table side with Beef Wellington and all the details.

“Cobb though, he’s going to have a fit,” Tony said, relishing the idea.

[specification]

The Beef Wellington looked amazing as did all the fixings and details to go with it. Arthur pulled his gaze away from the food and looked at Tony with a half grin. "And you love that," he surmised. If anything, he sounded downright amused. As he saw it though, what Cobb thought about his relationships didn't particularly matter to him. It was Tony and himself in this relationship, not Cobb and he liked Tony.

He really liked Tony.

[starknaked]

"It makes me happier than you can imagine. Though close to when you agreed to this date," he said, almost looking embarrassed to make that admission.

"I'll even try and behave," he said, emphasizing try. He didn't promise he would, after all.

[specification]

Arthur lifted his gaze and gave him a smile. "The date has been fun - a lot of fun so far," he admitted. It had been a very long time since he could say he had been on a date, let alone, an all day date like they'd had.

He chuckled and took a bite of his food. "And by behave, you mean...," Arthur asked with a quirk of his lips, arching an eyebrow in Tony's direction.

[starknaked]

"I've enjoyed the entire day," he agreed, raising his glass before taking a drink. "And I suspect, while you're in town, it won't be the last. Of course, that does encourage me to try and find where you are and follow you to wherever you are," he tease.

"Not taking you here," he said plainly, taking another drink.

[specification]

He liked hearing that. Liked knowing this wouldn't be the only time they did something like this despite them both knowing it'd have to be kept secret and hush-hush. "I don't know, you could be lucky and I could even tell you where I am once or twice," he teased. "We could even meet up somewhere else after I'm done with a job."

Arthur picked up his glass and took a drink from it. "So you won't be taking me here and I'm going to have to wait a little longer," he asked with a teasing quirk of his lips. They had been waiting all day and while that in itself wasn't really hard, he enjoyed Tony's company for what it really was, he had been looking forward to Tony taking him. If it didn't happen here, he was sure it would happen later, after the phone call, back at the house. Arthur wasn't worried.

[starknaked]

"Tell me? You mean like a call and possibly coordinates and a roof top I could land on and then not have a device to get out of the suit," he teased, knowing he would take a plane, but he liked the idea. "I think we should do that. Maybe a mountain trip?" He did like snow and roaring fires, he couldn't deny that.

"POssible. I do kind of like the idea of having you in a bed," he admitted. "Something new and surprising," he added with a smirk. "Depends. Before we call Mal or after?"

[specification]

Arthur made a soft considering 'hm' under his breath. "I was thinking more specifically coordinates. A puzzle to figure out," Arthur sent him a small teasing smirk. He liked the idea though, all teasing aside. "Mm, I like that idea. Alone in a mountain cabin with you - with a fire going and keeping each other warm."

"Then back at the house, in bed," Arthur said. He didn't mind that idea, not in the least. "We should probably call Mal before we hide ourselves away in a bed."

[starknaked]

"Oh a puzzle. You know I have a suit, and Jarvis, right?" And if that failed, he had Pepper to boot. He was grinning though, liking the sound of this and all it could mean. "A bottle of scotch, no phones. Just us," he said with a nod.

Tony got quiet, fingers touching his pocket. "We could now. Then head back to the house."

[specification]

He chuckled. "I know," he said and took a sip of his drink. He swallowed heavily, his eyebrows raising. "No phones," he repeated. "You realize how hard that one is going to be, don't you?" There was a twinkle in his eye though - it would be nice to not be reached for a weekend.

Arthur noticed Tony touching his pocket. "We could," he agreed. "Are you done eating?"

[starknaked]

“It’s going to be nearly impossible and honestly, it means I still have to have one phone but it’s a Pepper only phone,” he said. Tony gave him a sheepish look. “I’m no longer allowed to go places without there being some way for Pepper to be able to make contact.” But that would be it. He was offering to cut himself off from everyone else.

He looked at his plate, considering it before nodding. “Might need a bite later but I’m good if you are. Only if you are.”

[specification]

"It will be nearly impossible," he agreed and grinned. "Then a Pepper only phone - that's it." From what he had read and researched, he wasn't at all surprised that Tony had a Pepper only phone in case something like it happened again. Arthur too, surprisingly, was willing to cut himself off from everyone, including even Mallorie. Just a weekend away - not answering questions about people, places or jobs. Just a weekend with Tony in a cabin far away from civilization. "I'll turn off my phone and keep it in the car," he said, with a smile.

He nodded. "We can eat later then but I'm good now."

[starknaked]

"I'm sure you believe that but it won't stop me from trying, from doing what I need to." What he needed to so he could spend time with Arthur. He loved the idea of just that. "So only the Pepper phone," he said with a nod. "When there's a stop between your work and mine, we'll find a cabin and the mountains and maybe snow. you ski," he asked, arching a brow.

He considered that, pulling his phone out of his pocket and turning it over and over again in his hand. "Shall we?"

[specification]

Arthur grinned. "It won't stop me from trying either," he said and finished off his drink. "Like the idea of just the two of us." He nodded and sat the glass down. "I haven't been skiing in years but I know how," he said, his lips curling up. "When's the last time you've gone skiing?"

Arthur sat down his napkin and stood from the table and picked up his jacket off the back of his chair. Once they were both standing, he moved over and pressed his lips to Tony's in a gentle kiss.

[starknaked]

“How about this. We leave the phones in the car. That way we have them but they’re not interfering.” Probably, eventually, he would move them wherever they were staying but he was actually making the effort. All for Arthur. He paused, considering that. “Snowboarding last winter, skiing the fall before. How about you?”

Rising, he moved to pull Arthur to him. “Should we get back to my place? In the car? What do you think?” He grinned at him cheekily. “Asking about calling her, not taking you.”

[specification]

Arthur's lips curled up as he nodded in agreement. "They can stay in the car then." He tilted his head and thought about it. "Think I was twelve when I last went skiing on a family vacation."

He went in willingly and wrapped his arm around Tony's waist. He was just about to ask for specifically what but then Tony continued and he bit out a laugh. "Let's do it back at your place," he grinned.

[starknaked]

“Twelve? You poor deprived thing,” he said, tasking as he slid an arm around Arthur. That was new for them and he liked that they were sharing those things. “We’ll definitely have to fix that. Even if I want to keep you in the cabin with me.”

And he would, for a long time.

“My place works,” he said with a nod, leading them out and to the car.

[specification]

"Told you, it's been years," Arthur said with a chuckle. He wrapped an arm around Tony in returned and arched a brow. "So we'll leave long enough to ski for a little bit, then return to the cabin and warm one another up?"

He liked that idea.

Arthur licked his lips and allowed him to lead them out to the car. "Thank you for dinner," he said, giving him a quirk of his lips. They hadn't eaten much but that was okay - it was really the thought that counted the most.

[starknaked]

"So many things you've deprived yourself. Someone is going to have to see to that," he pointed out, thinking about a lot of things. All of them hedonistic, though not all of them sexual. "There will be skiing and toddies and a fireplace. Promise," he said, hand skimming over Arthur's hip.

"Thank you for being here with me," he said, leaning down, nearly kissing him before stopping himself. Instead he opened the door for Arthur just as he stepped back. It was in time for someone to call Tony's name. They were cutting it close and he'd been so caught up in Arthur, he hadn't even realized.

[specification]

"I hope that by 'someone' you mean 'you' specifically," Arthur said with a grin. Though he was sure it did and he was proven correctly when Tony continued on about skiing and hot toddies and fireplaces. "I holding you to your promise, Mr. Stark."

He was sure that Tony would kiss him then and there but when he didn't, Arthur breathed out a soft sigh. They were in public and he was thankful he had slid into the car just as Tony's name was called. That was close. Probably a little too close if he was honest.