Welcome Back [Heart in a Knot] - for Starknaked

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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

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"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.

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Arthur chuckled and slowly peeled back the blanket from his face so he could look at Tony. "Mm, she knows everything," he said with a chuckle. He hummed and nodded his head in agreement. That was certainly a plan Arthur could get behind, much like the first time that happened. "I know we can," he said, sliding his hand along Tony's neck. "Just a matter of taking all opportunities to get in past the photographers and anyone else who may know my face for one reason or another."

"We really need to shut these curtains," he muttered - loving Tony's room but it did let in a little too much sunlight when you wanted to sleep in late.

[starknaked]

"Well, there's always you in the office before the party starts," he offered. "A bottle and some music and wait for me," he suggested, thinking it didn't sound like the worst idea ever.

He smiled, pulling Arthur closer. "Jarvis? The curtains?'

Slowly they slid closed.

"There. Better?"

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"That isn't a bad idea," Arthur said after a long moment. It would keep him out of the public eye and those kinds of things weren't exactly his style anyway -- least not now that he made his money by stealing from these kinds of people.

Arthur smiled and pressed his body flushed against Tony's, a hand resting on the small of the man's back, right above his ass. "Mm, much better," he said, leaning in and nuzzling at his throat. "Go back to sleep or are you awake now?"

[starknaked]

"Would keep you safe, and no one would know why I was in there," he pointed out. "You'll just have to be careful and not scream and beg for it too loudly," he teased.

"Your hand keeps inching down and I'll definitely be awake," he chuckled.

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"It would," Arthur agreed and in fact, he would probably prefer that. "I think that might be the route we should take." Under normal or rather unnormal circumstances, being what they are, he wouldn't mind attending these sorts of things with Tony. If only because he was sure, if he did, it would be a repeat of that first night they met and what would most likely happen that night.

He chuckled. "My hand is staying right where it is," he said, his hand resting just on the waistband of Tony's boxers. "Unless you want me to inch it down further --," he teased him.

[starknaked]

Tony was trying hard to make sure that things stayed protected for Arthur. If they were going to keep this going on, Arthur couldn’t be found out. Tony might survive it coming out, but given the work Arthur did, he couldn’t say the same for him. “We’ll work it out. After times here. Much later,” he said, snuggling Arthur closer.

“You’re a tease,” he muttered, trying to sound pouty though his eyes weren’t quite open. “Bad boy.”

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Arthur was thankful that Tony considered what they could do to protect his identity from the media sources that were drawn to Tony around like bees to honey. He nodded and snuggled in closer with a soft sigh.

He chuckled and allowed his hand to slide down to pinch at one cheek through his boxers. "No, now that was being bad," he teased. "Besides, you love it."

[starknaked]

Arthur was important to Tony and he'd stopped trying to hide that. At least between them anyway. So it was he would make sure they could have their time together and keep him safe. Whatever it took.

He gave a small yelp, not having expected that. "So bad. Damn you," he said, no heat in his words as he rocked his hips, morning wood becoming a bit more.

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After that snow storm they got caught up in weeks ago, they had both since stopped trying to hide the fact that they were important to each other. It had been a turning point, he felt, if not an extreme dire kind of turning point in their lives. Arthur resisted the urge to grin, his eyes closed again as he rocked his hips against Tony's. "Mmmhm, I know," he said. "So -- sleep," he asked with a cheeky tone to his voice.

[starknaked]

"Damn, you are a cruel tease," he sighed. Except it was Tony and his lips curved into a smile, not trying to hide how content he was with things in that moment.

"Fine. Sleep. Only because you'll need your strength later. NO telling me you're too tired from jet lag to get out of ..." He paused then, frowning. "When was the last time you slept?"

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"Mm, course I am," Arthur said with a small smile. He was content and comfortable and he didn't need anymore than this right now.

He stayed silent for a moment after Tony asked him when the last time he slept was. "I was sleeping when Pepper came in," he said, by way of not answering the real question, yet. Still, Arthur couldn't imagine telling him he was too tired to not do anything.

[starknaked]

Tony shifted slightly, one eye opening as he moved to look Arthur in the face even if the other man had his eyes closed. He was the master of that kind of subterfuge, the kind that meant telling the truth to hide you're lying out your ass. He was the king.

"Right. So when you weren't with me," he asked, arching a brow.

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Arthur felt Tony shift and move after he said that. He sighed softly and opened his eyes slowly to look at the other man, turning his head away some so he could yawn into his shoulder. "I've slept. A little --," he started before really looking at him. "Forty two hours ago -- give or take," he said this time, seriously. Before that -- he'd had a few hours to sleep, four to five hours per night depending on the night and how much work he had to get done.

"Couldn't sleep on the plane from Moscow to Tokyo and definitely didn't sleep on my layover or on the flight from Tokyo to Los Angeles..."

[starknaked]

Staring down at him, he could imagine the answer he was going to get. They were cut from the same cloth in that regard. Neither slept, neither took care of themselves like they should have. "Sleep, Arthur. You're worse than I am," he said, kissing him softly. "I won't even ask before that." He could guess, after all.

"Just stay here and sleep," he murmured, snuggling in against him once more.

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He would protest that he wasn't worse than Tony but they were very much the same - they hardly ever slept like normal people. And besides, Tony kissed him and he liked that. Arthur gave him a soft kiss in return and nodded. "Best not ask -- it wasn't much even on the job," he admitted.

"I can do that," he said softly and curled up into him, allowing his eyes to drift shut again. "You'll sleep too," he murmured, formulating it into a question but it wasn't really. Tony probably needed the sleep as well.

[starknaked]

"So I want you to sleep," he murmured, leaning down and tenderly kissing Arthur's brow. Gathering him close as he settled in beside him, stroking his side with a light touch.

"I will. Not going anywhere because you're right here," he admitted, and right now this was what he wanted. To be with him.

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Arthur fell asleep not long after with a small little smile on his lips. He'd probably never admit it out loud but it was times like these that Arthur found himself yearning for when they were separate. As it was, they were never likely to take care of themselves - never eat properly or sleep properly but if there was one thing they did, it was taking care of each other.

It was verging on late afternoon when Arthur shifted and allowed his legs to stretch out with a soft sigh. He slowly opened his eyes to take inventory of where he was, where Tony was and what time it was.

[starknaked]

Asleep Tony dreamt of Arthur, things much more wicked than their shared snuggling, moments more romantic than he often felt safe sharing, and odd things like somehow flying with the other man.

He came to though with the thought of falling, jerking away with his chest aching as if there was a hole through the middle of it.

He fell back against the bed, panting no with a sensual moment but panic.

"Arthur," he whispered, reaching for him, suddenly panicking that he wasn't sure he was actually there or not.

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When Arthur felt the sudden movement next to him, Arthur sat up a little only to watch Tony fall back onto the bed. He rest a hand on his chest. "Hey, I'm here," he whispered, frowning a little at the panicked look on Tony's face. "You ok?" He laid back down next to him and propped himself up on his elbow.

It had only taken a split second to clear his mind of the fuzziness that sleep had left him with; concentrating more on Tony than he was of himself. He didn't like that panicked look - didn't like the clenching in his chest as a result.

[starknaked]

His chest heaved with each rapid pant, eyes wide but unseeing for a moment. Trying to think, to clear his head and yet remind him where he was and yet what the dream had been at the same time.

"I just... I was dreaming and then I was falling, that's all," he said, hand moving to curl around Arthur's wrist. "Sorry about that. They happen from time to time," he admitted. "Just... You know that moment when you're falling and then you wake up just before you hit? Just that," he said, though his free hand rubbed at the center of his chest once more.

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Arthur nodded silently. The funny thing was, he could completely relate to that. It was the very real physical action of falling that could make a dreamer wake up. "Like a kick," he nodded and watched him, sliding his thumb over a patch of skin.

Every once in a while, Arthur would have a dream or more commonly, a nightmare, but they were few and far between. He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to Tony's lips before laying down on his stomach. He left his hand where it was on Tony's chest and allowed his breathing to calm down. "Have no reason to be sorry - it's normal. Just glad you're okay," he said, that it hadn't been anything else.

[starknaked]

He nodded, thinking about the things he'd learned about it. "Yeah." He frowned, not liking that at all. "But it wasn't, was it," he asked softly. "I mean, you wouldn't let that happen unless I was up for it, right," he asked in a low voice, definitely not sounding the least bit thrilled by the idea of coming out of a dream like that he wasn't aware of.

Sighing, he reached to put an arm around Arthur as best he could. "Right. Course you wouldn't. Why you're here."

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"No, it wasn't a literal kick," Arthur said, softly, watching him. "It's a natural occurring phenomena in dreams. We just use it to our advantage when we need it." Arthur would never do something like that to Tony unless they had discussed it before hand. Arthur moved in closer and allowed his finger tips to trace irrelevant patterns on the other man's chest.