Friends are the roses of life;

[rule_britannia]

WHO: Arthur Kirkland and Tony Stark
TONE: General - Introspection, probably snark, possible mild angst
RATING: G
WHEN: September 5th, night
WHERE: Slytherin common room
WHAT: Arthur wakes up after a nightmare, and finds Tony sitting up in the common room. Talking ensues.
STATUS: Ongoing

---

Arthur woke up with a start and a choked off gasp, the kind that only someone well practised in holding in the first yelp after a nightmare can make. He breathed out slowly, rather glad to find that Eriq was, for once, sound asleep and not watching him, and when it became quite clear after a few minutes that he wasn't going to be able to get back to sleep, he shoved the covers back and got up, pulling on his dressing gown and quietly leaving the dorm room with a book in his hand.

The Slytherin dorms always had a strange chill and it was more noticeable at night. He was wishing he'd put on some socks as he padded near-silently up to the common room, intent on curling up next to the fire until he felt like he could sleep again. It was with no small amount of surprise that he realised he wasn't alone.

".. Stark? What are you doing up?"

Comments

[rule_britannia]

"Hm, alright then. You are an arse, by the way, just to get that out in the open."

He grinned slightly.

"Bruce vouches for you, so that wins you points right from the off. He'd not associate with you if there wasn't a decent person somewhere in there. A lot of people would have launched for me had I elbowed them in the stomach like I did to you, but you didn't. You taunt people, without being overtly cruel, and I have this sneaking suspicion that you're not asking me what I think of you out of simple curiosity."

The boy shrugged.

"Could be wrong, of course."

[arrogantalloy]

"My being an ass has never been in contention."

He grins back. Then listening to him he simply nodded.

"I guess it's just how I wasn't raised. Why would it be anything other than curiosity? I know how I am, I just don't know how people see me."

[rule_britannia]

Arthur covered a yawn with the back of his hand, and slid down a little more in his seat.

"Being curious about it implies that you care what people think. Otherwise, why ask?"

[arrogantalloy]

"I live in a world where image is annoyingly important to staying in that world."

Tony stares up at the ceiling as he speaks.

"People see you in a certain way, and you're expected to be that way. And I am favoured to become the next Howard Stark. So, I have all the expectations to be a charismatic, inventing powerhouse, who is an incurable flirt. So really. I'm just trying to make sure the mask is still tight to the public."

[rule_britannia]

"Huh.."

It sounded like more trouble than it was worth, though he could see the appeal. Arthur's personality didn't really lend itself well to such things, however.

"Expectations aside.. what do you want to be?"

[arrogantalloy]

He's quiet for a moment.

"I want to be an engineer, I want to work for and own Stark Industries. Keep the world safe with what I produce?"

[rule_britannia]

Arthur considered that, looking over at the younger boy with something of an appraising expression.

"'Keep the world safe'. That's noble."

[arrogantalloy]

He clears his throat.

"It's not noble, it's just good business. And there's enough ... Yeah."

He feels a bit silly for wanting to say that he thinks there enough suffering and that something needs to be done about it.

[rule_britannia]

"Enough what?"

Arthur watched him curiously, drawing his knees up to his chest again. He was a bit of a fidgeter by nature and it didn't help that it was starting to feel cold in here.

[arrogantalloy]

"Needless suffering"

He shrugs and shifts, feeling a bit dumb for saying it.

"Dad's company does a lot towards helping muggle and wizard kind. And I want to continue that"