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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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."

[specification]

"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.

[starknaked]

He frowned at that, shaking his head. "Doesn't happen often to me," he admitted. "I mean, the falling in dreams. I actually don't dream that often," he added, though he could imagine why. Alcohol and passing out. It was likely the main reason. Or that he didn't sleep deep enough, not without Arthur there now.

"So not training and cheating me out of time?"

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Without Tony needing to say anything, Arthur knew why Tony didn't dream often and the alcohol played a part in it he was sure. "No, doesn't happen to me much either. But for those who do dream, it does and can happen." Arthur felt his lips curl up as he shook his head. "No, not training and cheating you out of time. If I was, Jarvis would have alerted you."

[starknaked]

"I don't know," he said, smirking as he fell back into his regular behavior and attitude. He recovered quickly. He'd had to in his life. "I think he likes you better than me. Same with Pepper."

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Ah and there was the self assured attitude that Arthur was used to seeing. He felt a grin tug on his lips as he pressed his lips to his chest. "Well, can't blame him for liking me a little better," he teased. Though he could certainly see where Jarvis would like Pepper more.

"Probably should get up so we can get ready for that party." He paused. "Jarvis, what time is that party supposed to start?"

[starknaked]

"Oh can't I," he asked, arching a brow. "I made him. What does he know of you? That you make me not do things he hates," he asked, laughing with a small grin. He definitely liked teasing him.

"Ms Pepper expects Mr Stark to be there by seven."

He rolled his eyes.

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"Mm, he probably knows just as much about me as he does you because you've had him look me up," Arthur grinned, teasing him in return. He liked how they could dish it back and forth to each other without the other coming to the wrong conclusions.

"So we have a few hours. Where is the party being held?"

His lips curled up when Tony rolled his eyes. At least they had both gotten some extra sleep and for that, he was pretty thankful. "I'll have to get one of my suits ready to go." Even though he agreed to stay in the conference room that no one normally would enter other than Tony - he was still determined to look his best.

[starknaked]

"Nownow. Are you accusing me of spying," he asked, trying to sound stunned as he put the nightmare behind him. "I see how this is. How dare you be right," he said with a snort.

"I notice you point out our time," he said with a smirk. "And Stark Enterprises. Not far from here," he assured him.

He made a pout at that. "So many layers to get rid of."

[specification]

Arthur snorted. "Course I'm wright - know you too well. Besides, he did admit to you watching for my flights under my known aliases."

He smirked and shrugged a shoulder. "Well we did agree that I'd go and stay hidden," he said, moving in closer to him. "Just for you, I'll leave off the waistcoat -- then it's one less layer," Arthur said with a teasing hint to his tone.

[starknaked]

“What? Am I supposed to let you arrive without being welcomed? Or take chances with you,” he asked, mostly serious. “I would like to note this is not a reason to get new aliases either,” he pointed out, serious in that.

Tony smirked, though his expression warmed as he watched him. “Why does that make me think that, with you, that is practically being naked?”

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Arthur's lips curled up into a smile and shook his head. "No. You wouldn't be Tony Stark if you did," he said. To be honest, Arthur did the same thing when it came to Tony too - kept track of where he was and what he was doing as much as he possibly could. "What, you're saying I shouldn't get new aliases to surprise you with," he asked with a teasing smile. He wasn't in the market for new aliases though - his current ones were all clean, relatively speaking.

"Because it might as well be," he asked with a smirk. Though to be honest, he didn't always wear a waistcoat -- just when the situation warrant it or he felt like wearing one.

[starknaked]

Keeping track of Tony though was so much easier. He was a larger than life man who made sure the world knew who he was and where he was. That was part of what he enjoyed as part of being who he was. "I don't know. Surprises mean you never know who you might catch me in bed with."

Except, that was the thing, he hadn't had anyone there. Not in a lot more weeks than Tony was entirely comfortable thinking about. It meant thinking about how much he'd changed.

"Such a wicked thing then, aren't you?"

[specification]

It was much easier than it was in Arthur's case where his alias changed dependent on the job he was working and where he was. His eyebrow quirked up as he smirked. To be quite honest, he couldn't remember the last time he slept with anyone who wasn't Tony. It had been quite awhile. While they never exactly said out loud that they were monogamous, Arthur hadn't even looked at another man or woman since they started this. Course - Tony was Tony but he knew, somehow, that Tony hadn't been with anyone lately either. "Mm, is that right? I'll just have to keep that in mind," he mused with a teasing little smirk.

"Always. It's one of the things you like most about me."

[starknaked]

He said it, not thinking about how it sounded. Yet then, as he lay there, silent and comfortable, he worried he'd said the wrong thing. Where did they stand? What was it? They hadn't talked about it. It just happened and they had something. What it was though, he wasn't sure what to think about that.

That Arthur didn't seem upset by it made him feel better than he suspected it should have.

"One of them. Shows that sharp, wonderful mind you have," he noted, realizing the compliment he was giving him.

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Arthur felt the smirk slide into a genuine smile when Tony complimented him on his mind. Coming from the billionaire genius, it was a compliment that Arthur didn't take lightly. He was pleased that Tony thought so and felt that way. "Coming from you, I will take that as a high compliment," he said, pressing a kiss to his chest softly.

[starknaked]

"Not many minds that can keep up with mine," he said in a low voice. "So definitely a compliment."

Despite his ego, and that inflating so much of what he said and did but he knew he had a sharp mind and he wasn't he least bit bothered by the fact that Arthur not only kept up with him, he was smart enough to get Tony on the intellectual ropes from time to time. It was titillating and exciting, if he was honest.

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He would be lying if he said he wasn't inwardly proud that he could mentally (and not to mention physically) keep up with Tony Stark. "Definitely a compliment," he agreed softly and lifted his head so he could kiss Tony with a grin.

[starknaked]

Kissing him back, slow and deep,enjoying even just that simple touch that they shared. "I suppose you're going to tell me soon I should do things to get ready," he said with a sigh. "I know how you are."

And that was a truth as well. He was really starting to learn how he was.

[specification]

Arthur pulled back from his lips and watched Tony with amusement. "Well, yes -- soon I think you should start to get ready for this party," he said. "But we do have a little bit of time that we can lay here and not move before that happens." He paused. "So long as Pepper doesn't come looking for you in the meantime."

Truth was, they were both starting to know and learn their quirks.

[starknaked]

"Ready for the party. You know, I keep making this case to Pepper. The party literally doesn't officially start until I'm there. There is no party without me. So when I show up, there will be a party. Then, when I hide to have sex with you, the party will go on because they all know I'm there somewhere."

It was obvious Tony had put too much thought into this.

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He could tell that Tony had put quite a bit of thought into that and couldn't help his chuckle. "That is definitely one way of seeing it," Arthur mused with a grin. Though, when it came to Tony and the parties that he was known to have and attend, it was more or less true. Especially ones held at Stark Industries. "Regardless, we get there on time and the sooner you can have me in that office," Arthur teased him with a grin. He knew it would take a little while for Tony to make the rounds enough to please Pepper but that was why Arthur would bring something to entertain himself with until they could indulge in each other.

[starknaked]

"Oh now that's just cheating. Really? You're using sex logic to get me to do what I'm supposed to," he asked with a snort. "Now that it just cheating. Mostly because it's going to work," he admitted, a low rumble of a chuckle in his voice.

"What will you be doing while you wait for me?"

[specification]

Arthur laughed. "I don't call it cheating," he said with a smirk, watching his reactions. "How can it be cheating when we will be getting exactly what we want?"

"Mm, haven't decided yet. Maybe bring a book with me."