[Nightlight]

[seeagreatergood]

So things got awkward and Auggie moved his stuff back out of the Stark household into Milliways.

And he's been totally fine with it. Honestly. It's been kind of a relief not to have to keep such a close eye on himself the last three or four days. Milliways is kind of anxiety-inducing, but less anxiety inducing than living in a house with those two young men.

Of course, he misses the easy camaraderie. But it's not like this is the first time he valued safety over friendship.

Comments

[toblameforit]

"He'll be okay, but—did you know what you were saying when you told him it'd fuck you both up more?"

[seeagreatergood]

--Wait, what? That was the dick part?

"Apparently not."

[toblameforit]

He leans against the back of the couch without sitting down.

(He smells very faintly of Obadiah's cologne now. Most of that half hour was spent cuddling.)

"You were saying you think he's fucked up, you think you know what's in his head better than he does, and you think the only thing you guys can do is hurt each other."

[seeagreatergood]

"You're both sleeping with a man you know is a murderer! What part of that is not fucked up!"

[toblameforit]

"Jesus Christ you work for the CIA I should not have to tell you there is such a thing as a gray area!"

[seeagreatergood]

"This is not a gray area, this is insane!"

[toblameforit]

"I saw him get sucked into Hell," Tony snaps. "I was the only person at his funeral who even liked him. And then Sherry told me he killed my parents and had a crush on Dad and wanted to screw me. And maybe I should've stopped loving him, but I didn't. And maybe I shouldn't have kissed him when he showed up in Milliways, but I did. It was pretty fucked up at the start, for sure, but you know what? He had a bunch of vampires kidnap him and use him as a snack for a couple days because he thought that was a better way to get the other Tony in line than killing him. And when the other Tony got kidnapped he was right there with the other Sherry to rescue him. He loves me. So I'm okay with loving him back, and you do not get to tell me how fucked up that is."

[seeagreatergood]

Auggie doesn't say anything right away.

After a few moments he leans forward, elbows on his knees, and rubs his eyes with the heels of his palms.

"I don't get you," he says, quiet and hoarse. "I don't get you or Sherlock. I don't get how you can put that much faith in someone you know is a shitheel. Where does that even come from?"

[toblameforit]

"It comes from loving him," Tony says quietly. "It comes from knowing he loves me. I know I can't trust him the same way I trust other people, but we're okay, I swear we are."

[seeagreatergood]

"How long has this been going on? Since before you met me, I'm guessing."

[toblameforit]

"Like a couple months before, I think," he says, trying to remember.

[seeagreatergood]

"And you've felt safe. The whole time. Honestly safe."

[toblameforit]

"Yeah, or I wouldn't have done it. I mean, if it comes to it either one of us could probably kick his ass, and I didn't start getting kinky with him until I really knew he was okay."

[seeagreatergood]

"Jesus."

He rubs his eyes again.

"I see."

[toblameforit]

"Do you actually get it or are you just saying that?"

[seeagreatergood]

Rather clipped: "I understand the facts of the situation."

[toblameforit]

He sighs, comes around to the front of the couch, and sits.

Plaintively: "Now can I hug you?"

[seeagreatergood]

"Yeah." He sighs, shoulders slumping. "I guess so."

[toblameforit]

Tony scoots closer, wraps his arms around Auggie, and very gently leans on him.

[seeagreatergood]

Auggie doesn't reciprocate, exactly. He's still keeping his hands to himself, resting on his knees now.

But he does lean back, a little.

[toblameforit]

He lets out a breath, and all his tension with it.

"I'm not mad at you," he says, nestling his head on Auggie's shoulder. "I know how it looks. I just... I wish I could make you and Sherry okay."

[seeagreatergood]

"Yeah. Well. So do I."

[toblameforit]

"I'll help you figure it out," he offers. "I'm good at Sherry."

[seeagreatergood]

He sighs, straightening up and reaching for his tequila, dislodging Tony's arms a little in the process.

[toblameforit]

"You want me to get drunk with you, too?"