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.

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[starknaked]

Standing there, one hand on the door of the closet and looking utterly comfortable with himself and what they had between them. He was utterly comfortable with himself, especially with Arthur. The man had been in his head, seen more than literally anyone. He found that made him more at ease with Arthur rather than less. He hadn't been sure about that in the beginning.

He nodded, glancing back at the closet. "You know... There's a lot of space in here. I mean, not that you have to but if you wanted to, you could always leave a few things here. Make traveling easier."

[specification]

A slow smile grew on Arthur's lips when Tony offered to let him keep some of his stuff there. Apart from the places he owned and went back to, Arthur didn't keep his stuff just anywhere else. He watched Tony as he said it and knew it meant a lot if he was offering it.

In a moment of indulgence, Arthur wrapped his arms around him. "It would make traveling easier," he admitted and looked at him. "I'd like that," he said, softly.

Tony was the first in a long time that Arthur had allowed himself to grow close to - close enough where he felt this sense of okay with leaving some of his stuff here. Where he was more than okay with having a committed relationship with the older man.

[starknaked]

It was new for Tony. He was, after all, Tony Stark. Playboy Millionaire. He had a dozen women in and out of his place. Hell, he knew he was going to have to either start faking a few things, come up to admitting the truth, or find a way to talk with Arthur about where they stood. The tabloids were starting to notice that he wasn't playing around as much as he had before. They were talking someone finding a permanent place in his heart and home. They weren't wrong, that much he could admit, but he couldn't tell them either. Not yet. Maybe not ever with Arthur's job.

"Good. I'll make you a tiny spot. Maybe a shelf," he teased, pulling him that bit closer, kissing him softly. "Seriously though... I would really like it if you left things here. If only so you're more comfortable during your time here."

He realized then how much he wanted this, how comfortable he himself was with the idea.

"If you want, that is."

[specification]

"Oh? A shelf," Arthur teased him in return, moving in closer and returning his kiss with a chuckle. "I don't know, if it's just a shelf," he said slowly, giving him a faux considering look before dropping the act and tightening his arms around him.

It was only after Tony said it and after he gave it a moment of thought that he knew what he wanted. "I'd like that,' he said, sliding a hand up to rest on the side of Tony's neck. "I'd like to keep my things here." Things he wouldn't always need but would want if he were staying with Tony for a little bit.

[starknaked]

"Keep it up and you'll get nothing more than a drawer," he scoffed, snorting as he glared at Arthur. None of it lasted though as he leaned in, kissing him softly. Just a quick, tender kiss.

"Good. You're welcome here, Arthur. I want you to know that." He'd never done that. Not with anyone, yet with Arthur he was finding the idea of him there more and more as a good thing.

[specification]

"You'd at least have to give me a half dozen hangers for various suits," Arthur said, giving him a cheeky little smile in response to the glare. The smile turned into a grin when Tony leaned into kiss him. He sighed and leaned up to press a kiss a little more firmly against his lips.

He knew. If he wasn't, the suit probably wouldn't have been left here and would have been located in a guest bedroom somewhere on the first floor or elsewhere. He nodded his head. "I know," Arthur said, having at least figured as much. "Glad for that," he admitted and slid his hand over Tony's stubbled cheek.

[starknaked]

He leaned back, looking over the closet. Folding one arm over his chest, he braced the other elbow in his hand, cupping his chin as if giving it hard and serious thought.

“I guess I can do that,” he finally allowed, rolling his eyes a bit and making a face. “Maybe even a full rack,” he teased. “I would only have to get rid of a suit or two.’ Given the wardrobe he had, it wasn’t too much to make room. Not for Arthur.

Smiling, he turned a bit toward Arthur and leaned into his touch, sliding his arms back around him. “You scare the shit out of me,” he said brightly, as if he was talking about the weather.

[specification]

Arthur allowed himself a full blown smile as he moved in closer to him. "You may have to give up half of the closet," he teased in return.

"Why," he asked though had the feeling he knew why Tony did just as much as Arthur did with Tony. To have someone that important to him, in a career that Arthur did -- it was scary as fuck and not something Arthur normally did. But he couldn't find it in himself to have that regret, to have become as close as he had with Tony. He cared for him more than he had found himself caring about anyone else before.

If he didn't, Arthur wouldn't be here when he needed to lay low for a little bit and take a breather. He would have gone to one of his safe houses - Paris, Montreal, Prague.

[starknaked]

"I may have you your own closet built," he allowed, still not quite smirking entirely. Not with those words and that admission he'd made.

"You're here. That's scary. We're talking closet space and things kept here. We've gone on dates to the home of friends. We have a life together, Arthur. I've never shared that with anyone but Pepper, and that doesn't count entirely the same, does it? Then there's you and this and intimidating to me. I won't ever repeat that to anyone else."

[specification]

Arthur stayed quiet. No one had offered him a closet before. Hell, he never stayed around enough to justify a closet being a built or anything like it. He nodded as Tony talked, understanding the feeling perfectly. "I feel the same way," he admitted, looking at him openly and honestly.

[starknaked]

He pulled him close, kissing him slow and deep. It was more of the emotions than he could find words for. He wanted to say more but he wasn't sure how, so he turned it to kisses. Emotions he could do... through sexuality.

[specification]

He smiled and returned the slow and deep kiss, stepping in closer as he slid a hand into Tony's hair. He had no problem with this way of communication. He had learned over their time together that when Tony didn't have the words for something, that he allowed his actions to speak for him. Mostly, those actions were sexual in nature and for the life of him, Arthur couldn't find it in himself to be bothered by it.

[starknaked]

Breaking the kiss, he leaned back to look Arthur in the eyes. This was crazy. he knew that. His life didn't allow for protecting someone who needed a life of secrecy. Yet he would find a way. He wasn't sure how or what but he was going to find a way.

"Arthur... I think it's time for us to determine a way to have this and protect you at the same time," he said softly. "I've had some ideas, though I'm not sure how many of them will be feasible."

[specification]

There was a moment of silence from Arthur as he considered Tony's words. "What are your ideas," he asked, his voice softer than normal as he looked up at him. He wanted to do what he could to help make this work even when his situation was what it was.

[starknaked]

Those soft tones made him nervous. He could be asking too much and it was a hard thing for Tony to want something and face not being able to have it. He wanted this, and so in his mind this should work.

"My first thought was to create you a new identity and officially hire you in some respect. The downside would be anyone that you had worked with might recognize you, though we could use some things such as glasses and makeup to try and do our best to mar your looks from those that might have seen you before."

[specification]

Arthur thought about what he was saying for a long moment and nodded. "That's a possibility," he admitted. He wasn't sure he was able to officially call his career in dream share done but it was a possibility that he would at least have a cover when he was with Tony and they didn't fully have to hide. He could still be near Tony under other pretenses. He'd of course want all the details but so far, there was a good possibility that it could work.

"What was another," he asked, primarily out of curiosity.

[starknaked]

He blinked, not sure he had expected him to agree with this or not. He wasn't even sure exactly what he was doing, or the chance he was taking but he felt he had to take it, do this and try.

"The other is that you get plastic surgery. I'm against this one."

[specification]

He wasn't saying that it was going to work one hundred percent or that he was completely up to the idea but it was worth a thought or two and perhaps they could find something that might benefit the both of them. "I'm not saying that I'm completely ready to give up dreamshare but I want to give us the best shot we can. And, it could be a good cover for when I visit. It would require a lot of thought and a new identity," he admitted, allowing his hands to touch and his fingers to trail over Tony's side.

Arthur frowned just a tiny bit at the thought of plastic surgery. "I'm voting against that one too," he mused with a little grin.

[starknaked]

"Arthur, you misunderstood," he said, shaking his head. "I'm not asking you to give up your work. I'm looking to find a way to let us have a life when you're in town. A reason to be seen together. Even if... Even if eventually that reason isn't business."

He hadn't thought to say that and then the words were there, and he was offering that and he didn't even know what to think.

[specification]

Oh.

Arthur couldn't remember a time before that he was so willing to go this far to have a relationship with someone, let alone that person wanting this as bad as Arthur did. He leaned in and pressed a slow kiss to Tony's lips with a soft sigh. "I want us to find a way to have a life together while I'm in town," he said softly, looking at him. "We could roll with that - we could figure out an identity," he said, his finger tips continuing to trail up and down his side as he considered everything.

[starknaked]

He smiled at him, liking that he moved in for that kiss. Holding him close, he splayed his hands over his back, wanting to just keep him close like this. Letting his lips trail over to the corner of his mouth and along his jaw.

"Is that what you want? I'm only going to ask once," he admitted, maybe teasing. Maybe not. It was Tony Stark, after all. "After that, if you agree, I'm keeping you."

[specification]

"Wait, you're asking," Arthur asked with a little smirk and his eyes widening a little in a teasing manner. Arthur tilted his head to the side for Tony's mouth. In reality, it said a lot more than the surface words suggested. It meant that Arthur didn't mind the thought of being kept by Tony or being his.

[starknaked]

"Guess not. Offers off the table. Now it's an ultimatum," he said, giving him that Tony Stark is mad kind of look.

And then he kind of froze.

"Oh God. I'm dating someone," he said as if that had really only just hit him right that minute.

[specification]

Arthur allowed himself a full blown grin before leaning in and pressing a slow kiss to his lips. "I've had worse ultimatums," he said against Tony's lips before biting down on his bottom lip and tugging on it.

He pulled back from his lips and hummed. "And you're supposed to be the billionaire genius out of the two of us," Arthur said in a tone that was too fond to be truly mocking.

[starknaked]

"OH. Haha. I'm still those things. You forget the other word. Playboy. I guess that's out the window," he said, with a smirk.

"Sir," JARVIS began. "That has been the rumour for weeks now."

He paused, blinking at that. "Wait, what?" He looked at Arthur. "Did you know this?"