Chapter Sixteen: Disney World Part 1
Title: Calling a Truce: Disney World Part 1
Authors: destinyawakened and mjls
Rating: pg-13
words: 4000
Pairings/Characters: Tony Stark/Bruce Wayne, Alfred, Dick and Tim.
Summary: Tony's coming around and Tim's having a birthday. Bruce doesn't like this idea.
Warnings: spoilers for Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and Iron Man
Disclaimer: We don't own or claim to own the characters or settings, the books mentioned or make any money.
Song: Unbirthday Song - Alice in Wonderland Parts: One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven | Eight | Nine | Ten | Eleven | Twelve | Thirteen | Fourteen| Fifteen|
A few months passed and Tony slowly came around (or at least stopped wallowing in his self-pity and talked to people). No one spoke of the War after it was done (the Registration passed to an extent, and just as Tony promised he kept the JLA out of it), no one mentioned Captain America (especially around Tony) and soon things melted back into place. Everything seemed normal again, or as normal as they could be for Bruce Wayne and Tony Stark. There was always the abnormalness of Gotham calling and the crazies that made their way out of the woodwork once the war settled down.
But, on this particular day Bruce was discussing with Tim what he wanted for his birthday. The boy was turning fourteen and Bruce knew birthdays were big for kids and wanted to do something special. It wasn't Tim's answer that surprised Bruce, it was Tony's input.
"Why not take him to Disneyworld?"
"...Disneyworld?"
"Everyone likes Disneyworld! Dick and Tim would like it!"
Tim was nodding his head excitedly. "That would be so awesome! I've never been there!"
Bruce looked from Tony to Tim, both looked really excited about it. "Disneyworld?" he repeated. "Tony you didn't even want to go to the zoo, but you want to go to Disneyworld?"
"Disneyworld is way more awesome than the zoo, Wayne. I mean. Dude. It's ...Disneyworld for Christ's sake!"
"Fine, I'll get Alfred to book the hotel room and buy the tickets," Bruce mumbled.
-----
A few days later Bruce found himself in front of the giant castle of the Magic Kingdom, Disney helpers next to them as they helped carry their bags to the room that Tony insisted Alfred book: The Cinderella Suite that was actually in the park itself. Bruce was trying so hard not to cringe, to let Tony and the boys have their fun. Tony was schmoozing with a few of the helpers as they walked into the elevator leading to the room. Alfred smiled at Bruce patiently. Bruce looked him over again, still surprised to see Alfred in shorts and button down shirt and loafers. Vacation or not, Alfred had never dressed that way before. Seeing that Bruce was staring at him, Tony grinned and winked at him before leading the boys upstairs and warning them not to break anything. Even if they could afford to replace it.
They reached the top and the helpers put their luggage down and left. Alfred started to unpack Dick and Tim's suitcases into drawers and Tony was looking out the windows. Bruce flopped down on one of the bed and threw and arm over his face. Maybe he could fall asleep and they would just leave without him...
"Oi. No sleeping here Bruce. That's my side of the bed. Besides, we're going out to explore!" Tony said, kicking Bruce's foot.
Bruce mumbled something under his breath and rolled to the other side of the bed, but didn't get up.
"Master Wayne..." Alfred sighed, putting the last of the boys clothes away and starting on Bruce's. He threw a pair of shorts and a t-shirt at him. Bruce peaked out from underneath his arm. Was Alfred serious? Shorts?
"I'll catch up later," Bruce murmured, pulling a pillow over his head.
"Nu-huh, I need you to keep me at least a bit sane around here, besides, as much as I trust you to keep the bed warm. I'm not letting you here alone in the room with people surrounding you and probably ready to rape your sexy ass," Tony said in the most serious and explaining voice he could muster at that moment, his eyebrows going up and disappearing in the big mass of black messy hair on top of his head. He pulled on Bruce's arm, tossing the pillow away and making him stand. He handed Bruce the shorts and t-shirt.
"I hate you," Bruce said as he stumbled to the bathroom.
"I love you too snugglebear!"
Bruce returned a few minutes later dressed down and looking more normal, and probably a little dorky. "Happy?" he asked, seeing Tony had dressed down as well to almost the same thing. They looked like horrible tourists. "Is this necessary?"
"We're on vacation! Of course it is!"
"Besides, we don't want to attract attention to ourselves by running around in a pitch black suit and make children think we're from 'men in black'," Dick mentioned, "although, I'm sure I can score with a few girls with that."
Bruce looked pointedly at Dick who just grinned at him. "Let's go..." he sighed, allowing Tony to grab his hand and practically drag him out of the room and down the steps of the castle. Downstairs they gathered at the bottom, and Tony was looking at a map, intently trying to decide where to go first.
"We're already in Fantasyland," Tim said, "let's just explore here first."
"These rides seem too little kiddish," Dick complained.
"So?" Tim asked.
"Let's start Bruce out on something easy. Don't want to scare him," Tony teased, pointing in the direction on the map of something called 'It's a Small World'. So they started in the direction, moving their way through the crowd. Fortunately for them they were given complimentary fast passes (for deciding to stay in the Cinderella Room and being such big spenders) to all rides. Their wait time wasn't that long.
Tony pushed Bruce onto the small boat. Bruce peered over the side. "This doesn't seem that safe."
"What? Afraid it will sink and you'll drown in the two feet of water?" Tony smirked, "Well don't worry, we got...oh wait, we don't, that must've been the other ride," Tony frowned, "never mind then."
Bruce crossed his arms over his chest. The boat started to move. A little tune started to play as the boat entered a building. Bruce looked around at the horrifying amount of mechanical dolls singing a the song 'It's a Small World After All'. He looked at Tony, who was apparently very amused by this. Dick and Tim both groaned behind them and Bruce could have sworn he heard Alfred humming along.
"Tony?" Bruce whispered. Tony leaned his head towards Bruce's but didn't look at him.
"Hm?"
"Why do they look like Joker made them?" Bruce scrunched up his nose and looked around as if he was expecting the villain to jump out of somewhere all of the sudden.
Tony looked at Bruce out of the corner of his eye. "What the hell is wrong with you? Can't you just relax a little?"
"...Their smiles. They're like the Joker's..."
"Bruce, cupcake, relax. These dolls were designed years before that clown came around." Tony took Bruce's hand and squeezed it reassuringly. The ride when on for ten, long, awful minutes and by the time they go to the exit, Bruce had jumped off the boat and was shaking his head.
"We are never doing that ride again. No! The cheerful singing and dolls that look like they were mutilated by the Joker... I thought we were on vacation, I don't need reminders."
"Oh don't start," Tony rolled his eyes, "next thing you'll tell me 'Beast' reminds you of the Scarecrow for some fucked up reason. You need to relax Wayne."
Bruce sighed, "Let's just go on to something else, please."
"How about Peter Pan's Flight?" Tim asked, pointing to the ride.
"Yeah, Bruce, you aren't afraid of ten year old boys and pirates are you?" Dick teased, which got him an angry glare from Bruce. He tolerated it from Tony, he wouldn't from Dick. That ride didn't end up being as bad. No creepy little dolls that reminded Bruce of the Joker.
"That was almost as much fun as actually flying," Tony said, "almost. Real flying is way more fun. And you know...real."
"Let's move on to Liberty Square! They have the Haunted Mansion over there!" Dick exclaimed.
"Oh, yeah!" Tim agreed. Tony shrugged, falling back a few spaces to walk with Bruce as they both watched the boys and Alfred keep up a good pace to the next ride.
"Cheer up, buttercup!" Tony said suavely, "it's only an amusement park full of pink buildings and singing dolls."
"It's my dream come true, Tony," Bruce chided, sarcasm evident in his tone.
"Quiet, Bruce," Tony said. "You'll like this next ride. It's dark most of the time. Maybe I sneak in some groping..."
"Tony..."
"What? They gonna kick out two people who are spending more than five thousand dollars a day here? I don't think so."
They waited in line with Alfred and the boys, and when it was time to enter the house they were ushered into an elevator looking shaft and a creepy host. They were given some background story about the mansion, however untrue it sounded, and then lead down a hallway to some moving 'doom buggies', as they were called, and Tony and Bruce sat in one together. It was dark, just as Tony, most of the light was coming from black lights and neon colors or things that glowed.
"Are you having fun yet?" Tony asked, his voice a whisper as he leaned his head near Bruce's ear.
"What if I said no?" Bruce replied in the same whisper soft voice.
"Then I guess I'd be forced to make you have fun," Tony said. Bruce felt Tony's finger's creep up the leg of his shorts, his lips against his ear softly. "Come on, Bruce, we're in the happiest place on earth. Won't you be happy for me?"
"I don't see the arousal of being groped in a horror mansion."
"You don't see the fun in all of this, but I do. Now just try and enjoy yourself okay Bruce?" Tony whispered in Bruce's ear before planting a soft kiss right under his earlobe. It was one of his weak spots and made Bruce grunt and look away from Tony into the surrounding darkness. Tony sighed and removed his hand from Bruce thigh, instead taking the other man's hand in his own and enjoying the rest of the ride.
They then wandered over to Frontierland where Bruce was forced to watch an awful animation show of bears and were singing. He was then forced onto a ride called Splash Mountain, where Tony promptly put him in the front of the canoe/boat/whatever it was, and was surprised at the end by a huge drop that caused him to become more than a little wet from the water. Tim and Dick laughed at him while Alfred looked him over, trying to suppress his own grin.
"At least you weren't wearing a suit," the elder gentleman commented.
"I could've handled that quite fine, thank you," Bruce grumbled as Tony giggled and ruffled his black hair dry. Bruce smoothed back his own hair and continued to wring out the damper spots of his shirt and shorts.
"Adventureland is over this way!" Dick said. "They have that pirate ride you were talking about, Tony!"
"Oooh! Pirates!"
"Pirates?" Bruce asked, glaring at Tony as they walked toward their destination.
"Yes, pirates. Men of the sea. Jack Sparrow. Parrots on their shoulders? Eye patch? Dirty scum that rape hookers?" Tony looked at Bruce in the hopes to see some sort of recognition in the man's eyes, "also known as sea devils? I heard they eat bats!"
"Well, as much as Pirates are exciting," Alfred butt-in quickly, "I'm going to sit that one out and go the Jungle Cruise just over there." Bruce looked at the direction Alfred was pointing. It didn't sound quite as exciting as Pirates and a bit more relaxing than Tony and the boys getting more hyper from it.
"I'm going to go with Alfred," Bruce said, and Alfred actually rolled his eyes in Tony's direction and Bruce frowned at him.
"Don't be such a bore snugglebear. You're missing out on all the fun!"
"I'm not that fond of... pirates," Bruce said, even though it was evident that it wasn't true. Honestly, he wasn't in the mood for all the 'fun' Tony was wanting him to have. Bad enough he got talked into Disneyworld as it was.
"Christ Wayne. We should take you to the infirmary and get some dramabiotics before you die of angst-sepsis."
Bruce, who had started to walk to the cruise boats with Alfred, stopped and turned around. Alfred kept going. "Maybe if you weren't so busy trying to get me to have so much 'fun' it might actually happen."
"Ouch. Burn," Dick muttered to Tony who looked actually sad for a moment as Bruce caught up with Alfred.
Alfred looked pointedly at Bruce, stopping him for a moment. "I'm starting to regret never bringing you here as boy," the man said.
"Why?"
"Because you're turning into, as the boys say these days, a 'fuddy-duddy'."
"Excuse me?"
"Master Wayne, as much as I do love spending time with you, honestly. I need my vacation, too. And Master Stark has set this up so nicely and you're ruining his fun and your relationship with him. Now, unless you want to spend the rest of your days alone with me, I suggest you go back there and apologize."
"So you're saying I should go and kick some pirate ass, kiss Tony a lot and leave you over there at the bar to drink some tequila's?"
"Yes. And don't go sending young master Timothy after me to spy on me. Now beat it." Alfred went his own way. Bruce turned back and jogged to catch up with Tony and the boys, standing in a long line.
Bruce sneaked up behind Tony, and against his better usual judgment, wrapped his arms around his waist and whispered into his ear, "I'm sorry," and then kissed the back of Tony's neck softly.
"You're forgiven if you promise to wear this pirate hat all day!" Tony grinned, turning around in Bruce's arms and put the pirate hat on Bruce's head. It was one of those more expensive ones but it had 'Mickey Mouse' ears coming out so it looked ridiculous on Bruce.
Bruce gave Tony a little grin, gazing into his eyes. "Fine. I'll wear it. But only if you buy me a matching sword later."
"Deal. Now let's go and explore the pirate cave! Maybe they got bats that they haven't found yet. You can save them and take them home!" Tony grabbed Bruce by the wrist and pushed some people out of the line to get more to the front, shoving his fast pass in their face as if that would solve anything. The four of them stepped on to one of the boats, the boys in the row just in front of where Bruce and Tony sat in the very back row.
"I hear they redid this ride recently," Dick said. "It has Jack Sparrow in it!"
"Who?" Bruce asked.
"Okay. Dick, get out the goat, we need to make an animal sacrifice to the pirate gods to let Bruce in even if he's so ignorant to the pop culture from the past ten years."
Bruce rolled his eyes. "Sorry that I've been busy and was gone for seven of those 'ten' years. Some of us have better things to do than rot our brains with movies and television."
"..Okay fine, we'll make it a cat instead of a goat," Tony smirked as he threw his arm around Bruce's shoulders and pulled him in a sideways hug, "those only count for missing eight years of pop culture."
Bruce didn't even question it anymore, he simply let Tony awkwardly hug him as the boat started to move forward. The lights got dimmer, and there were sounds of crickets and banjo, which Bruce looked strangely over at Tony about. Tony shrugged, grinning. They continued forward, passing fake houses, and more animations which Bruce knew was going to the a theme here. They stopped behind a few other boats under a tunnel where a talking skeleton head was talking to people about pirates. They were then suddenly dropped a few feet down where he heard the singing of "A Pirate's Life For Me".
They sailed through different pirate scenes as the music continued through the whole ride, which lasted ten minutes. Bruce didn't want to admit to Tony he was actually enjoying it. Dick and Tim were pointing out every time they saw the Jack Sparrow character and laughing, while Tony sort of gaped at it and made comments about how he could 'make these robots more life like'.
"You can make anything better than what they got in here, Tony," Bruce mumbled while Tim started pleading for Tony to make him his own 'Jack Sparrow' robot so he could put it in his room. Dick on the other hand asked for a 'hooker robot' but Tony dully noted that he would never end up finished one of those because he'd be too distracted by the female anatomy of it and end up keeping it himself.
Bruce crossed his arms and glared at Tony for that comment, narrowing his eyes. "Oh really?"
"Want me to make you a robotic version of me so you don't feel lonely anymore?" Tony batted his eyelashes at Bruce.
"You're an asshole," Bruce muttered, suddenly sinking back into his bad mood from before.
"This must be how Alfred feels all the time. Unappreciated and unloved. Poor bastard," Tony said as the ride came to a stop. Bruce quickly jumped off the boat, the boys and Tony coming along slowly behind him as he walked out of the building.
Tony started to sing the song from the ride and Bruce quickened his pace. Dick and Tim started to join in and Tony jogged to catch up with Bruce, throwing his arm around Bruce's shoulders as the three of them sang and Bruce wished hard he could just disappear.
"YO-HO YO-HO A PIRATE'S LIFE FOR MEEEEEEEEEE!" Tony bellowed out loudly, and it echoed down the buildings around them, many other guest of the park turned around and started to giggle and gawk.
"Tony please stop," Bruce begged.
"And really bad eggs!"
"Tony..."
"Oh lighten up," Tony said leading them into the gift shop and picking up a few of the plastic swords and taking them to the counter. "I promised you a sword. I'd get you the one I had in mind but...we're sort of...in public. So why don't you hold onto this one until we get back to our room eh?" Tony winked at him and Bruce shook his head. It was hard to stay mad at Tony for long.
Bruce took the sword from Tony, handing the boys the ones he bought for them. Bruce smiled lopsided at his lover. "Thanks," he mumbled as Tony grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the shop.
"Let's go find Captain Sparrow and take pictures!" Tim said as he and Dick raced off to find the character.
"Boys be careful! He might be a drunken lunatic in a costume!" Bruce yelled after them.
"If he is! Kick him in the nuts and yell for pedobear!" Tony added, grinning widely. Bruce actually laughed at that, trying to hide his wide grin with his hand.
Dick and Tim found the Jack Sparrow character and called Bruce and Tony over to take pictures with them. Tony dragged Bruce along, and when the character put his hand on Bruce's shoulder for the picture Bruce grimaced.
"Have any of you guys...seen me rum?" the guy asked, pulling up his nose and sniffing as he found an empty water bottle on the bench.
"Okay I'll take it back. He's not a drunken lunatic, he's a drunken baboon hobo." Bruce pursed his lips together. Jack didn't seem bothered by it and kept on with the act, which Tony was laughing his ass off at.
"The most disturbing thing is that he reminds me of ... me. How fucked up is that?" Tony giggled as he lead Bruce away from the Jack Sparrow talking to Tim before the man would hit someone for doing their job. Bruce had more than enough from being pulled around the place so he grabbed Tony by the arm and the two boys by the shirt collars and dragged them toward Main Street.
"Where is Alfred?" Tim asked, looking around
"I'm hungry."
"Well, Alfred wanted some alone time," Bruce said, looking around at the shops around them. Tony pointed at a building.
"How about that place, I have a good feeling about it. It's named after me after all."
Bruce looked at the sign, the place was called 'Tony's Town Square Restaurant'. Bruce sighed and nodded. "Fine. After this we'll figure out what to do next."
----
They finished up the day with Tomorrowland and riding Space Mountain. They walked back to the room in the Castle, where Alfred was napping on the bed. He opened his eyes and looked at them as they all piled into the room. He took the book off his chest and placed it on the nightstand, before slipping off the bed.
"Alfred!" Tim exclaimed running up to him. "We met Jack Sparrow and Bruce nearly took his head off! It was sooo awesome!"
"I didn't even touch him!"
"If looks could kill, we'd be down in the pond hiding Jack's body right now," Tony smirked, "I think Bruce took him a bit too seriously."
Alfred raised an eyebrow at Bruce. Bruce sighed. "I'm used to idiots like that being escapees from Arkham! I can't help if he rubbed me the wrong way."
"What? He should've touched your other shoulder then?"
"You know I like my space," Bruce said. Tony looked like he was ready to respond to that when Alfred piped in.
"Master Wayne, why don't I take the boys to one of the light shows they have going on in the park tonight? You and Master Stark can get your alone time," Alfred hinted.
"Yeah, we don't want to be here for that," Dick said, looking like he wanted to gag.
"Just don't get blinded. Those lasers can go the wrong way and five seconds later we're in the ER..." Bruce winced.
"That's not going to happen, Brucie. The people here are trained professionals," Tony chimed in.
"Still," Bruce grumbled before realizing the boys and Alfred already left the room and he was alone with Tony. And before he had a chance to say anything else Tony whacked him in the arm with one of the plastic pirate swords. "Oww..."
"Don't be such a fairy."
"I'm not a fairy," Bruce muttered, snatching the sword from Tony's hand and tossing it aside.
"You're a pirate!" Tony grinned, inching closer to Bruce until there was no more personal space to mention, "rawr."
Bruce placed his hand on the side of Tony's neck, thumb caressing his jawline. "I thought it was 'arrrrr'?" Bruce whispered, pushing Tony backwards until his back hit the wall.
"That's the Bruce Wayne version. I'd rather go for the Tony Stark one. It involves something like...this," Tony bit his lip and ripped open Bruce's shirt, not even caring some of the buttons fell off and on the floor, as long as the garment was off his lover's shoulders. Bruce tossed his shirt to the side, tracing his fingers at the edge of Tony's shirt before grasping it and pulling it over his head, and tossing it as well somewhere across the room.
Bruce tipped his head slightly and slowly pressed his lips against Tony, holding the other man's face in his hands as he did, not wanting Tony to move to ruin the moment. He pressed his own body against Tony's, pinning him against the wall. Tony raised his hand from his side to place it on the back of Bruce's neck and deepened the kiss. Slow kisses were shared between them as their hands roamed over each other's chests, scars and bruises. Appreciating the fact that they were both still alive (after all they've been through) and together.