captivity suits you ill

[greatdealofbravery]

The part is a Saturday night. Arthur was supposed to meet Tony on a Monday. He's almost silent all the way until then, aside for his first rush of cooperative information, lapsing into a quiet that borders between sullen and shocky.

The thing about Arthur, of course, is that his mind is a million years older than his body. Days, months, years of dream time and the skinny shoulders of a twenty something. When Bruce comes too near him he punches out, pure reflex, and so spends most of the time alone in his room, ignoring food trays and refusing to sleep, totem rolling between his fingertips.

Comments

[lasiurus]

He leans in the doorway and looks at Arthur. He's wrestled with this decision the past few days, muttering his concerns to Ricki or Alfred, but seeming not to notice any of the answers. It's one of the most unethical things he's ever done, and--Alfred hopes--it will mean that he's going to come through it with a better understanding of what's right.

"I won't force feed you."

[greatdealofbravery]

Arthur looks up at him, startled by his presence. The cool professionalism has crumbled a little more, his second night without sleep. He's left twitchy and unhappy, bruised up, stalking the room angrily.

"I'll break your nose if you try."

He's already come close.

[lasiurus]

"I'm going to let you go."

He'll be followed, of course, at least as far as Bruce can before other obligations call.

[greatdealofbravery]

He stops his pacing, finally, looking up at him with bright, mistrustful eyes.

"In exchange for what?"

[lasiurus]

"You never take a job involving me or mine."

He has a tiny circle of people he cares about; it won't limit Arthur much.

[greatdealofbravery]

"I don't know anything about who you or yours are. One MI6 agent named Ricki, one Tony Stark? Or am I off every party guest on that list?"

Accusing, furiously, which is maybe not the most tactful thing or the right way to play this, but Arthur is sometimes direct where he shouldn't be.

[lasiurus]

"Are you targeting anyone on the party list?"

Bruce retorts.

"Alfred Pennyworth and Bruce Banner. Me, Tony, and Ricki."

That's all, or at least all the names he knows he'd hunt Arthur down for.

[greatdealofbravery]

"None of them."

Arthur assures him, long hands twitching.

"Let me go. Please."

[lasiurus]

Bruce looks at him a moment, and then steps back, goes to the entrance, and opens the door for him. He still can't tell if this is the right thing to do, he doesn't know if this will mean misfortune for someone he loves, and so he says nothing.

[greatdealofbravery]

Arthur watches him warily, and then moves to pick up his jacket. His shoes are still gone, but he pads out in his socks, moving to roll his shirt sleeves down.

He keeps a careful few feet between them.

[lasiurus]

Bruce leads him up the stairs, his back to Arthur though he listens for any sounds of attack. They're home alone right now, so it's not like he can call for help if Arthur pulls something.

At the top of the stairs Arthur's phone will get reception again if he turns it back on. And whenever he does, there will be a few texts from Tony, one confirming in Stark's own way that they're still on for Monday, the other asking if he has the right number.

[greatdealofbravery]

Still in his socks, Arthur pushes past Bruce as soon as he sees light, not trusting him enough to wait to be shown the door. He remembers the way in, makes the front hall, and is at a run when he sees the light, already dialing.

[profiteering]

Bruce shuts the door behind him. Tony picks up on the third ring; it's late afternoon and he's working in the lab.

"I was starting to think you were blowing me off. Or is this an official 'Dear John' phonecall?"

[greatdealofbravery]

"I'm sorry."

Says Arthur, out of breath, running on gravel, he can't get enough distance from this place quickly enough.

"I'm so sorry. I'm not okay, I'm in trouble, I know you don't know me at all, but I wanted you to know I was sorry."

[profiteering]

"What? Arthur, what's happened?"

He's up immediately, going for car keys--pausing, maybe the suit is better.

[greatdealofbravery]

"I've been held prisoner. I'm near Wayne Manor, except it's December and I'm not wearing shoes."

A frantic little laugh.

"And I'm sure he's following me. I can't go to the police."

[profiteering]

"...What the hell? I'm on my way, hang tight."

If Bruce is following him, Tony doesn't have a lot of time. He suits up, and switches the call to the display in the helmet.

"Tell me what happened."

He packs a backpack with shoes and a coat and some money, too, since they'll need to get a car (he can't fly Arthur home on the suit).

[greatdealofbravery]

"I don't know. I wasn't on the right list, I was too suspicious, my past isn't- the cleanest, I guess."

He's finally stopped running, and is loping down the main road, where the slushy tire tracks will keep him from being too easily traced.

[profiteering]

"Are you hurt?"

And he's on his way, though of course there's no wind or road noise to give any hint that he is. It's an hour's drive from New York to Gotham, a mere five minutes by flight. The tricky part will be finding Arthur.

[greatdealofbravery]

"Just tired."

He says, just walking now.

"And cold. It's raining, Tony. Doesn't that figure?"

[profiteering]

He chuckles.

"I should've brought you an umbrella. I need a landmark--I know, it's Jersey, it's all trees, but tell me where to find you."

[greatdealofbravery]

"Do you know the main road?"

He asks.

"The one coming from his place. I'm walking down it, back towards the city."

[profiteering]

"Yeah...I think I see you."

The road is completely empty, until Iron Man drops out of the sky. He hands him the backpack.

And notices the bruises, the scratches.

"From the party?"

[greatdealofbravery]

Arthur startles badly at the swoop down, looking stunned. Touched.

"Thank you, Mister Stark."

[profiteering]

"I don't know your shoe size, so I just grabbed what I could from my closet. Jarvis, will you send a text to my personal James Bond and ask him what the hell?"

He doesn't use Ricki's real name if he can help it. Or Peter's, but he has a different 'code name' in Jarvis's system.

"We need to get a car."