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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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.

He would have said something more, maybe something more comforting but he needed that kiss more than he could have predicted. Arthur exhaled a soft breath before kissing Tony back, licking at his bottom lip.

"How about we go lay down somewhere...," he suggested after a long moment. "We don't even have to sleep." He doubted Tony would sleep, to be honest.

Not after today.

He hated this, hated facing the reality of the attacks that came since he'd fallen from another realm to his death.

Sleep didn't happen. Hardly at all. Naps when he passed out came from time to time. Lost in another time and place, those happened as well. He just did what he had to, doing everything he could just so he wouldn't have to sleep. He had no desire to sleep. Ever. Nope. Not when he closed his eyes and he remembered it all.

"Let's go then," he said, nodding. "Bedroom sounds good."

They had both been through a lot over the last 48 hours what with Tony's extremely-near-death experience and Arthur's near-limbo experiences. It wouldn't surprise him in the least if either of them slept at all. At least now, they had each other.

Arthur nodded and leaned in to press another kiss to his mouth before taking Tony's hand and heading toward the elevator. "Which floor is clean of debris," he asked with a teasing curl of his mouth, glancing at Stark.

He knew eventually he had to sleep but already there was a new suit made and two others planned and designed. He paused though, considering that. His gaze lifted, considering.

"Uhmmm, there's... no. Maybe..."

He made a face. "Okay. I know a floor with beds and all. Well, a bed. Come on," he said, taking the lead as he pushed a button for the elevator. It was only a moment before it opened. He pulled Arthur in with him, pulling him close.

Arthur walked into the elevator with him and wrapped his arm around the other man's waist. "I don't need anything fancy," he assured him. "Just a properly working bed that isn't broken." He had slept in worse places over the years and this was definitely steps beyond that.

"Pepper will know where to find us, no doubt." Know where to find them and get them up in time for whatever Tony needed to get to in the morning.

"You're asking a lot right now. And, I'm going to tell you, whatever they say, this happening here was not my fault. " He was not a diva, dammit. Loki, on the other hand, defined it.

He leaned into Arthur though, rubbing his hand along the other man's arm.

"Jarvis will tell her. He tells everything on me," He said, rolling his eyes.

He hummed at both Tony's words and the feel of Tony's hand on his arm. Fuck but it felt right being back here with the older man. Arthur knew that Tony had his diva moments but he didn't hold it against him. Sometimes he even found it attractive in some ways.

"He's a handy one that Jarvis," he said glancing at him with a little grin. Arthur could feel himself leaning into Tony's side as the elevator made it's way to its destination.

Right now, in this moment with a completed job on one side of the country and the completion and ruins of a city on the other side, Arthur felt safe with Tony. Felt safe and almost like he could fall asleep right there just leaning against Stark.

"He's a snitch and we're going to continue talking about the fact that he needs to let me have my secrets." And yes, he said that knowing that he was being heard by Jarvis as well. He wouoldn't change his opinion whether he knew or not. Of course, in Tony's life, Jarvis heard every single thing he said and did. More so than anyone else, if he was being honest.

"So. What shall we talk about? Pretend both of us haven't had the worst time of our lives recently?"

He knew he didn't need to tell Tony that Jarvis was listening in or would be able to hear every single thing that came out of his mouth. Those two had a special understanding and you can bet that it amused him. Even now.

Arthur glanced at Tony and let his mouth quirk up. "Think we both wish we could just pretend." He was just glad they were both still here, alive and well. Relatively speaking in any case.

The elevator came to a stop and Arthur straightened from leaning against him.

It was part of his life, part of what Tony did. They both handled it well, Jarvis mostly because he was an AI, after all.

"We could get really drunk and that would help," he noted, moving to slide his hand along the open door, gesturing for Arthur to proceed him. "Really drunk can make you forget a lot and definitely makes pretending easier."

And he had a lot of years of experience where that came from.

"We could get really drunk," Arthur agreed and stepped out of the elevator before him. It would make the eventually passing out part easier as well. "I think for now, I will pass. All I really want is to lay down with you."

Of course, Tony was more than allowed to drink to his hearts content if he wanted.

Arthur's entire body felt out of whack if he was entirely honest. Alcohol, he had found, didn't exactly work with him when he felt this way. But later... tomorrow, yeah, he would have that drink or two.

"And you have a better answer than really drunk," he noted, smirking at him. "Most of it is cuddling. Or it would be if Tony Stark actually cuddled. Which I don't," he said, even as he reached out to pull Arthur to him.

"Come on. Undressed, into bed. Later I think I may drag you into the hot tub," he murmured.

"No, Tony Stark only cuddles when we're stuck in a snow storm," Arthur teased him with a smirk even as he leaned into him, walking into the room he had lead them to. "Mm, hot tub later," he agreed and looked at him with a smile and nodding his head.

He stepped away just enough so he could undress from his suit, folding the clothing neatly like he normally did and setting them aside.

"Shhh, that was survival," he said, grinning at him. "Survival is not the same as cuddling," he pointed out. "So it was just survival. Nope. Nothing more," he said, unable to let that go. "Though curling up in the hot tub, for survival, sounds like a plan later as well," he noted, amusing himself as much as he hoped he was amusing Arthur.

But he started undressing, tossing things over a chair. He needed this, just like he needed the cuddling he denied, and all that he'd done without for longer than he ever had before, all because Arthur hadn't been there.

A lot of it had been for survival but he'd seen Tony cuddle. He'd experienced it first hand, the Stark cuddle. Arthur smirked in amusement, looking over at him. "If that's what you want to call it, Mr. Stark," he teased him and stepped out of his boxers before walking over to Tony. He was amused - it helped being with this man who could make him, at least for the moment, forget about everything else going on in the world (and galaxy) and focus on simply being with him.

"We'll have some survival cuddling in the hot tub later. For now, I just want you and me, in a bed." He took Tony's hand after he had fully undressed and lead him over to the bed. He released the other man's hand long enough to pull back the blankets then slipped in.

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