coming in from the cold

[watchesthewatchers]

He's gone for a month, and then he's back again, sitting on Tony's balcony, lighting one cigarette off the next, eyes closed.

Comments

[watchesthewatchers]

"I'll invite him anyways."

He admits, softly.

[profiteering]

Tony melts.

"You really like them?"

He kisses along his jaw slowly.

[watchesthewatchers]

"Both of them. Pepper and I were mistaken for brother and sister last week, did I tell you?"

Willowy strawberry blonds, the same height with her in her shoes? No wonder.

[profiteering]

"It's been years since I had twins. I'm just going to tuck that thought away."

Tony laughs.

"Not to sound too sentimental but I'm really lucky to have you three."

[watchesthewatchers]

"Thank you, Tony."

He admits, quietly.

"I feel as though you bring a great deal of light into my life, through them."

[profiteering]

"You have no idea how good it feels to hear you say that. To hear them saying the same things. I know this is not...the usual affair people have. A lot of people would duck out of it and I guess I keep expecting one of you to throw up your hands and go."

[watchesthewatchers]

"Not me. Not yet. Not unless your lives depend on it."

Is Peter's simple promise.

[profiteering]

"So hopefully never. Bruce is invincible and I'm Iron Man."

He reminds him with a small smile, a hopeful smile.

[watchesthewatchers]

"Hopefully never."

He agrees, very quietly. It's the reason he's still here.

[profiteering]

"Look, whatever thoughts you're having...I want you to remember that you're saving lives. And when I have to see things go wrong, I hope I can have the same strength of conviction that you do."

[watchesthewatchers]

He looks up at him, and smiles.

"I didn't know you understood so well."

[profiteering]

"Well, being me isn't all photo ops and sex."

He teases, but there is some degree of honesty in it.

[watchesthewatchers]

"Shush."

He says, leaning his forehead against Tony's arm.

"I've never thought that."

[profiteering]

"Never? Because I work really hard to get people to think that."

Still being honest.

He grabs his jacket off the back of the couch and drapes it over Peter.

[watchesthewatchers]

"You also work really hard to keep them from hijacking your planes."

Peter points out, softly.

[profiteering]

He hums softly, amused.

"If I hadn't been just back from Afghanistan I would have taken you to the private room and ridden you until we landed."

[watchesthewatchers]

"No, you wouldn't have. I was too annoying."

Reminding him.

"If I'd wanted to honeypot you I'd have done it differently."

[profiteering]

"Show me sometime."

He smiles.

"So I was thinking about what Bruce was saying, about the collar..."

[watchesthewatchers]

"Which one? Remind me."

Striving to remember the conversation.

[profiteering]

"That it was really--dangerously--visible. I have to hide mine when I wear it to press conferences, and no one would be able to do anything to me if they saw. If they knew. You have more at stake."

He nips Peter's ear.

"But maybe I could cuff you, instead. With a watch or bracelets. Probably a watch--no one would know what it was but us."

[watchesthewatchers]

He smiles at him, eyes closing.

"Watches are complicated, Tony."

[profiteering]

"What? How?"

Tony shows him his, a beautiful copper piece.

"Look how simple that is."

[watchesthewatchers]

"It would just need to be a cuff you wouldn't mind my taking off."

Would be all.

"When I'm a schoolteacher, or when I'm a diplomat, when I'm a ditch digger. Not that I do much of that these days, but I shouldn't like to make a promise I can't keep."

[profiteering]

He nods.

"I don't wear my collar all the time either. As much fun as it would be to have you cuffed all the time, wherever you were...it's not practical. I know."

[watchesthewatchers]

"Then I'd wear a discrete, moderately priced watch."

He gives, smiling at him.