Welcome Back [Heart in a Knot] - for Starknaked

[specification]

It had been two months since Arthur had seen Tony. Two months of text messages, phone calls and stolen moments over web cam while Arthur worked a job in Moscow. It was supposed to have been done weeks ago - simple extraction but of course, it never goes the way it should go despite his every precaution. Sometimes, the mark just doesn't want to do what you mentally will them and expect them to do.

He was finally in Malibu again without a tail on his trail and at least a week before he was off to the next job. It was 5:30 in the morning (5:34 a.m. to be exact) and he knew that when he walked into Tony's house, Tony would be asleep. Instead of entertaining himself for the next several hours, he knew he would rather be at Tony's Malibu mansion and in the man's arms than anywhere else. And he knew, without a shadow of a doubt, Tony would prefer the same.

It was 5:50 when he pulled up to the house in the rental car and it took hardly any time to get inside with what he needed (PASIV, messenger bag and suitcase), using the key Tony had given him so many months ago on that first job. He left everything resting inside of the doorway (he wouldn't be needing them right away) and locked the door before heading up the steps to Tony's room - keeping silent as he did so as to not wake anyone else.

Arthur felt a smile tug on his lips when he stepped into the older man's bedroom and shut the door gently behind him. Not completely silent so as to completely startle Tony but still keeping it quiet.

Fuck, but he had missed him.

He toed of his shoes and socks, removed his suit jacket and rested it over a chair before undoing the buttons on his waist coat. The entire time, he kept his gaze on Tony's form underneath the blankets. Knowing him, he had probably only been asleep for only an hour or two at most. They were very much alike in that regard.

Before long, Arthur slid underneath the blanket next to Tony with only a pair of boxers on.

Comments

[starknaked]

"Were those seconds before you remembered that I might have Jarvis monitoring your flights," he asked, possibly teasing and just maybe telling the truth.

He arched into that touch, though he snorted softly. "I have you. Who needs sleep?"

[specification]

Arthur chuckled and raised his eyebrows playfully. "Jarvis, does Tony have you monitoring all my flights?" Even if he was, even if Tony was, Arthur couldn't find it in himself to truly care or be upset by it. To be honest, he wouldn't be too surprised if he was. "But no, it wasn't that," he said with a soft smile. "I just rather be here with you than entertaining myself in LA."

"Mm, me probably," he teased and found his eyes slowly lowering. "Assuming Pepper will be keeping you busy today?"

[starknaked]

"He has me monitoring your known aliases, the ones you have told him. I knew of this flight but he needed his sleep," he said, making Tony groan.

"Why is it you two and Pepper conspire against me?" Asked as he gathered Arthur in for a long, slow kiss, sighing as he broke it.

"Jarvis, cancel any plans I have today. Nope. Nothing busy today."

[specification]

"I cannot agree more," Arthur said with a slow grin. He was fairly sure the fact that Tony kept tabs on him should make him feel a little on edge but if anything, he could feel a warmth fill his chest. "Thank you, Jarvis. I wanted to surprise him anyway."

He chuckled and allowed himself to brought in closer, sighing softly when he pulled away. He licked at his lips and moved in as close as possible to him. "If you need to do something, I'll be fine," Arthur said, needlessly perhaps.

[starknaked]

"Yes, please. Work against me instead of for more," he muttered, rolling his eyes. "Who made you anyways," he asked, sounding all grumpy as he rolled onto his back, arms tightening to bring Arthur with him.

"I don't want to do anything but you," he murmured. "Besides, she's used to me cancelling on her. I do it a lot."

[specification]

"Please, sir - may I have some more," Arthur said dryly, trying his best to hold in his chuckle. That lasted all of a minute and Arthur found himself laughing softly, laying half on top of Tony and half on the bed, resting on his side. He pressed a kiss to Tony's chest, resting a hand there. He had missed this -- missed being held by Tony.

His lips curled up into a smile. "Good, because that's what I want as well." He wanted to spend all the time he can around Tony that he could.

[starknaked]

“Keep it up,” he muttered, rolling his eyes as his fingers stroked down the length of Arthur’s spine. “Both of you can be reprogrammed,” he said, as if he could with one, or would with the other. “Dammit, Arthur. You have to not go away so much,” he said, as if it hadn’t been only a few weeks. It scared him that he’d missed him that much.

“Good. Remember that when I tell her that you’re the reason I won’t be doing whatever it is she wants me to do.”

[specification]

"Mm, you like us too much to reprogram us," Arthur said with a chuckle, not believing for a second that Tony would do that to Jarvis. He breathed out a soft sigh and nuzzled at his chest with his nose. He'd never have thought he'd miss Tony Stark this much -- this fast in their relationship. "I know," he said, his voice soft. "At least I'm here for a little while." At least a week -- if not two. It depended on the job.

"I will. I'm sure she'd drag me along with you if she could get away with it." They had to be careful about public events like that.

[starknaked]

"You keep believing that," he murmured, half being cranky and smiling as he was cuddled close. He did enjoy this, something he hadn't had in so long. "So it's not just a night," he asked. In truth he had worries this was little more than a layover and nothing more. So glad to hear it might be more. "How long are we talking," he asked.

"Oh that could go over so well," he admitted with a laugh.

[specification]

"No, not just a night," Arthur responded, resting his chin on his hand as he looked up at Tony. "Here for at least a week -- week and a half." As far as Arthur was concerned, it was a fair question to ask. He normally didn't have time to stay around for long -- that weekend in the cabin had been only a weekend thing before he had to go and take the job in Moscow.

He chuckled and returned his head to Tony's shoulder and slid a leg in-between Tony's. "I can imagine it now."

[starknaked]

Arching slightly, staring down at Arthur with a fond look and his eyes barely open though, still half hovering between awake and sleep. “A week and you came here and trusted time with me? Are you sure we won’t have a hurricane?” He wasn’t sure. Not after what he had been through.

“We could wear matching tailored suits,” he teased. “And then? Then Pepper would quit,” he added with a chuckle that rumbled through him.

[specification]

"I think we'd have a greater chance for an earthquake than we would a hurricane in California," Arthur mused with a soft smile. He slid his fingers through Tony's hair and sighed softly. "Get some sleep, Tony," he whispered and pressed a kiss to his chest as he closed his eyes slowly -- knowing Tony was tired and still in that space between sleep and being awake.

Arthur chuckled and moved in closer to him. "Probably but she loves this job too much to quit on you. Besides, if I went, she'd have to watch out for the both of us and not just you."

[starknaked]

"And the snow storm," he asked, smiling though as his fingers slid along Arthur's shoulder in a lazy, comfortable gesture. Truly he was enjoying that touch, just this right now.

"Mmmm. Sleep. Sleep sounds good. You're staying here," he asked softly, already drifting out.

"More work for her. That'll go over well," he teased, sighing softly.

Figure once they sleep, we can go to when they wake up! I can imagine Pepper coming in... LOL!

[specification]

"We were in the mountains and it was still cold out, mother nature," Arthur said, smoothly with a smile. He wasn't going to think it was a freak of nature or out of the realm of normality until something else freakish happened -- like snow in California, a hurricane or tornado. He enjoyed the comforting touches, how Tony's fingers continue to drift over the skin of his bare back and shoulder as though he couldn't get enough of it. "Staying here," he reassured him with a smile. "Be here when you wake up."

He chuckled softly and closed his eyes fully, breathing in deeply. "Mm, she'll probably forbid it," he mumbled and found himself drifting off -- thoughts of his phone, the PASIV -- everything else being downstairs removed from his mind. He had a week with this man and he was going to take full advantage of it.

[starknaked]

Knowing that he would pass out soon, he shifted once more, curling in closer to Arthur. Normally he loved having that massive bed to himself but then there was Arthur’s sleek form in his arms and he could be content with that. “Good.” He could sleep then if Arthur was staying with him.

“Wouldn’t she though,” he agreed, falling asleep and amused by that thought.

The next thing Tony heard was the clack of heels and a then a sound of disgust.

“Could either of you pick up after yourselves,” she muttered, throwing back the curtains and letting the light in.

[specification]

It wasn't until Pepper threw back the curtains and sun shined on his face that Arthur woke with a groan. it was surprising that he hadn't been up before now but considering what time he got in -- 5:30 -- it wasn't that surprising. He shifted and threw the blanket over his head in response. Another five hours of sleep would suffice.

For the first time in two months, Arthur felt warm and completely safe (safe enough that he didn't feel the dire need to slide a handgun underneath the mattress) in Tony's bed. "Sorry, Pepper," he mumbled. "Got in," he paused. "Early."

[starknaked]

The sunlight brought the same reaction from Tony. No, not true. It brought worse. He made a hissing sound, then mewled, rolling away from the sun and pressing into a tiny, kitten like ball in the middle of the bed, clinging to Arthur to get away from it.

"Make the evil thing go away."

"I do hope you mean the sun and not me."

"Meant the sun," he muttered back to her. "You're just a plaything of the evil thing," he added.

Something thumped off the blanket. Likely a pillow off what she thought was Tony's head.

"You have a meeting in thirty. With Rhodey."

"Cancel."

"No."

[specification]

Arthur chuckled when Tony clung on to him and talked about the sun in that way. He moved his hand down to one of Tony's and gave it a squeeze. "Mm, can go meet with him - I'm going to stay right here." Which meant underneath the blankets and the sun blocked out of his field of vision.

"What time is it?"

[starknaked]

"Not going. He's just going to whine and bitch about me being ahead of schedule and not sharing. Not my fault. If I come in before their deadline, they'll keep expecting it," he said, muttering against Arthur's shoulder.

Pepper smiled at that, carefully folding their clothes on a chair.

"Just past noon. Or so says my master out the window."

[specification]

He chuckled softly. "Such a hard life you lead, Mr. Stark," Arthur said with a small grin, pressing back against him before stretching his legs out slowly with a yawn. "Maybe in that case I should be getting up." Still, he had no will to move from right where he was, surrounded by the warmth of Tony and his arms around him.

[starknaked]

"Keep mocking me and stop encouraging her," he pouted with a low growl and a grump. "You're on my side, not hers," he noted, arms tightening around Arthur and pulling him to him.

"There's no getting up," Tony said with a yawn. "Bed. All the bed. Rhodey wants to meet, it's in bed. I declare that now."

[specification]

Arthur laughed and turned in his arms so he could cuddle up closer to the older man. "Always on your side," he said, slipping a leg between his before pressing his forehead against Tony's warm shoulder.

If it had been him and a business meeting, he would certainly not have it in bed. However, this was Tony and he liked doing things his own way. Besides, Arthur was all in favor of staying right here with him. "Have to admit, I'm in agreement on this."

[starknaked]

“Good. Glad I don’t have to lay down rules between you two,” he teased, sighing as he held Arthur clothes.

Pepper watched them, a small smile on her face. Tony was still Tony, but he was something more with Arthur around. Something more bearable as well. “I’ll cancel the meeting. I’m not cancelling tonight. You two can pretend not to know one another and bang in the office if you want, but you’ll be there,” she said, storming out of the room with a clack of heels.

[specification]

"I think she knows us a little too well," Arthur said with a laugh once the door shut behind Pepper. "What do you say - do a little banging in the office again," he asked, teasingly. Though this time it was in Malibu and not in New York. Like last time though, he would avoid the cameras to the best of his ability. There were ways to do this inconspicuous relationship-thing.

[starknaked]

Tony lay there, quiet and then he just couldn’t help himself. He laughed.

“Leave it to her to know that,” he said with a chuckle, shaking his head. “I think that should be our plan,” he agreed. “What can she say if we do exactly what she told us to do,” he asked, knowing he would put it to her just like that as well. “I think we can work things out and make sure that you’re not seen,” he said softly, guessing exactly what it was that Arthur was worrying about.