specification | [Heart in a Knot] We're on the cusp of something (w/ Tony)

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[Heart in a Knot] We're on the cusp of something (w/ Tony)

The news of Maurice Fischer's death hit Arthur's radar within minutes/hours of it happening.

It didn't take long for Arthur to pack up what he had and be on the way to the warehouse to warn Cobb, getting there at the same time as Saito's driver pulled in.

After that, it was a flurry of activity. To get Eames and Yusuf to the warehouse, to make sure all documentation of the job was burned and to clean the warehouse of any fingerprints or discriminating evidence of their actions.

Saito assured them that he had the best team on it but Arthur preferred to do his own clean up. To make sure what needed to be burned was burned, etc.

Soon, they were all at the airport as they waited for the flight that would take them to Australia to meet up with Robert Fischer.

Arthur sat with a cup of airport coffee resting on a knee held onto by one hand and his phone in the other, flipping through news reports for something to catch his eye. After a few minutes, he typed out a text to Tony.

We're on the move. If all goes as planned, I'll be in LA by the weekend.

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It was a lot to have either of them dealing with, and Tony feared it wasn't ever going to slow down. Loki might just be the beginning, and his own personal life was going to begin to change if he was doing things such as taking Arthur to such debriefings. It was time to suck it up and live his life, as he wanted to live it.

"Oh just how a couple of gods travel through time and space. Probably will be anticlimatic as all get out but I won't miss the chance to see that bastard little worm taken away." He'd killed Coulson and Tony felt Loki owed his brother everything that they hadn't just slit his throat and been done with it.

"You don't have to go if you don't want to. I can meet you back here."

It said a lot to Arthur that Tony wanted to take him to a debriefing and wanted him there with those that he was working with. He felt a little smile tug on his mouth when Tony gave him a perfect out if he wanted to take it but found himself shaking his head.

It was a little surprising, to be completely honest. Arthur never figured himself to be the type, or have the kind of relationship where they could share things like this. But now that Inception was done and as he was starting to think of it as, a start of something new and different, Arthur wanted to take that step and stand by Tony.

"No, I'll go. I want to go."

He suspected they knew, even if they didn't know who. He had avoided women and the limelight, yet he and Pepper hadn't shown the intimacy they once had. Not in that sort of way. Everyone "knew" he had someone else in his life though most had yet to truly figure out who. The Avengers wouldn't reveal the truth, though they might make their lives miserable in their own caring, harassing way.

He smiled when Arthur agreed. "Good. I mean, I said you didn't have to but I might have cajoled, and even pouted, if you hadn't. I can introduce you as the head of my security, if you want. Tell them Happy has given over to you." Which was mean but could be funny too.

He wasn't sure if anyone in his line of business knew. At least, other than Saito and that one he'd have to check in on - see just how much the billionaire knew. If there was some speculation from any others, they didn't approach him about it. Which was handy, more often than not.

Arthur chuckled and raised his eyebrows in amusement. "You definitely would have pouted," he said, having been on the receiving end of those before at least once (or twice). It was a little mean, Happy was a good man, all things considering.

"How public do you think this will be...?" He wanted to make sure his bases were covered. It was one thing for Saito to know and it was another for the rest of the community to get wind of it. At least at this point.

With that being said though, Arthur was at the point (and it could very well be the exhaustion talking) where if Tony wanted to introduce him as his SO, then he would be okay with that too.

Tony would wonder if the man had his own secret, a person in his life that he hadn't wanted others to destroy because of being with him. It was the worry that Tony had about Arthur in his life. Yet he'd lived without so many fears and now he had one, a new one, a fear that clutched at his heart since the moment he began to feel. He'd never felt anything like this before. Not the fear. Nor the emotions he had for Arthur, ones he felt that he couldn't hide. Not anymore. Even if he tried, but he knew then that he didn't want to try.

"I only pout with you, you know," he murmured, mouth twitching in the slightest curve of a smile. "This isn't public. It's just the Avengers and Loki. Maybe Fury will be there. Out in public but no one should notice. I mean, only a God or two, a few super heroes, and a popsicle," he pointed out. "Arthur, honestly. You don't have to go,' he said, meaning it. "You're not expected to be part of this, nor to out yourself. I know you don't want to out yourself with you and me and this."

Arthur's lips twitched up into a little smile at Tony's murmured words. "Is that right," he asked, his voice soft. He did like knowing Tony only did certain things with him, showed certain sides of his personality to Arthur that he wouldn't show anyone else. Arthur did much the same in the terms of Tony Stark. There were sides of himself that no one else had a clue about that only Tony had seen before.

It really was the perfect out. No, he didn't want to out himself or Tony or any of this and yet, at the same time, he wanted to take this chance. After all, it meant a lot to him that Tony wanted him to be there - had asked him if he wanted to be there.

"I want to be there."

"Only you," he repeated, kissing him once more, soft and delicate. "I don't trust anyone else to see me like that." Of course, another time and place and he wouldn't have admitted this. Not before he had plunged to his death. That Hulk had saved him didn't change he had fallen to his death.

He smiled then. "I'm glad you want to. Any time you don't want to though, tell me. Anything we want to do. I understand that your career means we have to be careful."

"I have no qualms about telling you no," Arthur said, teasing him a little with a smile. "Besides, you know how I can be if it was something I didn't want to do."

He leaned up the small difference in height and kissed Tony again with a hum. "How are you doing," he asked, more seriously and considered the man pressed against him. He had after all fallen out of the sky from what all the news reports were saying.

"You get all line face," he admitted, smirking. "I never knew that people actually did that. Not even Cap does that," he added, smirking and more than amused with his words, with the coorelation. He did like amusing himself, just because he could and at Arthur's cost in the sweetest ways. If he didn't play with him, what was the point?

"I'm... I'm doing." He knew that wasn't an answer but he wasn't sure of what exactly to say. "It's been interesting. I lived through saving the world but when I went up into that portal..." He hadn't expected to come back. It changed how he looked at a lot.

In response, Arthur couldn't help but all how face to go to that 'line face' but his eyes gave him away and soon he couldn't help but let it slip and grin instead. Over the duration of their relationship together, they had gotten into a familiar habit of bantering and teasing each other at each others expense all the while knowing it was in good humor.

Arthur nodded. He truly could only imagine what Tony was going through. While he had been through his own turmoils over the last ten-twelve hours, Tony's had been in real time...real life. There wasn't much he felt like he could say so instead, Arthur wrapped his arms around him in a tight hug. "Wish I could have picked up that phone call..." Not that it would have changed anything at that point.

Laughter and sarcasm were good with Arthur. Tony felt he could be himself. Arrogant and egotistical, and loving and caring at the same time. With him there were no faces he had to put on, no masks.He could be himself, and it seemed to be all that Arthur wanted from him.

And that was all he needed more than anything else. That hug. Pressing in close to him, closing his eyes as he took a slow deep breath. "I was just glad I could make it. In case I hadn't fallen back through. Or Hulk hadn't caught me." Either way he would have been toast. "I'm here though, and that's all I need."

Arthur wasn't sure how he would have reacted after waking up and finding out Tony Stark was... no, okay, he wasn't going to say the word. Or let alone even think the word.

"I was glad too," he admitted in a soft tone and tightened his arms around him.

Hugging he could do, at least where Tony was concerned.

Admitting out-loud feelings he definitely had was a little harder. But, he cared and he felt Tony knew that. That was the thing (and something he truly valued), he felt he could be himself around Tony just as much as Tony could be himself around him.

"You're here and I'm here, that's all I need too."

There was so much going on here that neither of them wanted to talk about. Not about the fact that Tony could have died. Not about the fact that if Inception hadn't gone as well as it had, Arthur may have never woken from the dream. The two of them had been pushed to the limits and somehow they emerged alive and well on the otherside. Or, at the very least, alive. Well was a damn good question and one they likely wouldn't know the full answer to without time.

"Tell me you'll stay here for a while," he whispered softly. "I want you to stay with me. I'll... If you're supposed to have a job, I'll buy you out of it. I'll... Whatever I have to do, please stay with me."

He was begging, and he knew it. He couldn't help himself. He wanted Arthur here with him. "I'll even buy you new suits," he offered, teasing.

The fact that neither of them wanted to verbally speak of it wasn't surprising. Neither of them were exactly... emotional speakers of any sort or the type to talk about said emotions. Unless, of course, you were facing certain death then some things were mentioned. Like it had been.

"No job lined up. I'm yours for a while," he whispered softly in response. His mouth curled up, listening to what Tony was offering him if he stayed. "You know I'd never turn down any new tailored suits," Arthur teased him. "But they're not a requirement.

Arthur's head found it's way to Tony's shoulder as he took in this feeling of being surrounded by him again after five long months. At least for now, there weren't any phones calling either of them or people demanding anything from them... they could just have this.

Tony was bad at this,and he knew it. He couldn't speak emotionally. He'd never been capable of it. All he wanted now was to keep Arthur close and not feel at a loss. He wanted not to think about dying, about falling to his death and not having told Arthur how he felt. He took a deep breath.

"Good. I want you here. We need to talk," he murmured, trying to get himself just to say it.

"So... I'm not saying this for any reason, except what happened and it made me realize I felt this way and that if I died... that's why I was calling you, to say this." Yep, he was nervous and not sure. "You know what I'm trying to say, right?"

The words 'we need to talk' weren't always comforting ones but in this context, with Tony after all they've been through in the last 24-48 hours, they were just fine.

"I want to be here," he admitted and slid a hand up and into Tony's hair. Arthur let Tony talk and felt his mouth quirk up a bit as he talked.

Arthur nodded and lifted his head to look at him. "I know, Tony." He paused. "I feel the same way."

Tony slumped when Arthur agreed, saying he knew how he felt and what he was trying to say. Nodding his head, glad that Arthur was going to make this easy on him because he had no idea how to actually say the words. He hadn't heard them often enough in his lifetime to say them in return. Not unless you counted drunken declarations and he wasn't.

"Good. I..." He kissed him then. Tender, so much emotion in the kiss as his fingers cradled the other man's cheek.

Arthur smiled against Tony's mouth and kissed him back with a soft sound. He cupped the man's cheek and exhaled a breath after slowly pulling away. "I think we both need a vacation," he murmured then paused. "Without a snowstorm this time."

It was doubtful, considering who both of them were (more-so Tony than himself) that they would get said vacation but it didn't change the fact that it was something he felt they both could use.

He paused, considering that as he leaned down. His mouth tenderly brushed against Arthur, taking those words in and enjoying them. "I think that would be a delight," he murmured softly. "You and I and somewhere not where," he added, chuckling. "And with no snow," he agreed, smile widening.

"Where? Where do you want to go?"

He knew it would be madness to offer, that people would object, but for Arthur, he would try.

"We don't even have to go anywhere," he admitted with a little smile. Arthur leaned up again to brush his mouth over Tony's with a hum. While he knew as well as anyone else that Tony wasn't fond of doing what others want, he was also equally sure that he'd have to be there for whatever was left of protocol.

All he really wanted was some time where it was just the two of them.

"I know it's going to be hard for you to get away." Especially with everything happening and as it is, this was probably the best place for Arthur because he doubted (aside from Saito and Cobb) anyone would even think to look here.

Oh but Tony rather liked that answer as well, he had to admit. "Well that is an option. I do own an amazing house, a private jet, and I have you here. There's a lot we could do without going anywhere." He was saying it, considering it. Definitely something that they could consider sharing, just to have time together. Both of them alive.

"Nope. It won't. I'll call off all press conferences. I'll tell Fury if he comes calling, I'll quit. I risked my entire life for these people, for this town, and I will have my chance to spend time with you. Alone. Just so we can celebrate that I'm not dead. We're both not dead. They'll give me time," he said, voice hard and fierce. He was going to do whatever he had to so he and Arthur could have time.

"You do," Arthur agreed with a smile. It would give them some much needed time to spend together after five months.

He chuckled, hearing the hard and firm tone to his voice. The fact of the matter was that he felt Fury and his crew couldn't exactly afford to lose Tony as part of the team. Even if the man could be hard to handle at times, in the best possible way (in Arthur's opinion), he was damn good at what he did and brilliant.

"If you can, I'd say we deserve it. Celebrate the fact that neither of us are dead or a vegetable, hooked up to machines." Arthur wasn't one to willingly take vacations but his relationship with Tony had changed things for him. That and they had both nearly lost their minds or died within the last forty-eight hours. He felt they deserved some kind of break for that.

It was a reality that Tony had known could happen. Yet when he heard Arthur saying it like that, he felt the tightness starting again. The way his chest constricted because he could see that in his mind's eye, see Arthur pale and wasting away on a bed and knowing that this was one thing he couldn't fix.

Making a small sound, he worked to take a deep breath, to try and make himself breathe and not panic as he tried to think about anything but that possible reality.

"Talk to me," he managed to whisper softly. "About anything."

To be honest, it hadn't crossed Arthur's mind that his words would have an adverse side effect to Tony. But that it did made sense. Tony admitted himself that he cared.

His arms tightened around Tony as he pressed a soft kiss to his jaw before doing as requested. "I'm home, Tony and I'm not going anywhere for a while. We'll have a vacation, just the two of us and a phone connecting us to Pepper in case something happens." He paused and looked at him with a soft smile. "I'm okay."

The panic attacks came and went and he was learning to adapt to them, to get past them. That didn't make them any easier, especially when they came without the memory of falling, that sudden jerk that made him feel was falling in that moment.

"This... it's the first time it's happened without falling," he admitted. "I tripped once and had one. But you..." He murmured that softly. Now it was a different fear, another sort of panic even if they were linked. "You're okay. Yep. I know. You are." He kissed him again. Needing that more than he could have ever imagined.

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