forallyoucare | The Last Temptation

The Last Temptation

It ought to be said that Jesus Christ is his own worst enemy. Nothing can be closer to the truth when he tells the Twelve and the others close to him that he will not return to their camp that evening. "I have made a promise to help a man on the brink of his own destruction find a better way."

"And you're gonna do it just one night?" Judas, as always, is skeptical and bats at Simon to put his iPad away. Not everything has to be recorded.

"I should like to try. Don't move camp further into the city until I return tomorrow morning," Jesus says and with Peter left to mind the flock, heads off to Stark's home. He is singularly unimpressed by what he sees...or rather, he simply doesn't notice the luxury. His mind is more pure. With a single satchel over his shoulder with samples of shampoo and a change of underwear and socks, Jesus waits to be told he can go to Tony. Some people in the lobby recognize him from Youtube, from Matthew's blog. Others find him to be a little ratty and a little out of place here.

((Continued from here))

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It takes a lot to make Tony Stark stop thinking of sex and even more to strike him speechless, but yep, this'll do it. Those words coming out of that mouth with that expression, he just can't even begin to process or figure out where this is going. He blinks at him in open confusion.

"...yeah. Why?"

What is even happening.

"Take me there."

Hands still locked, the way ought to be easily sought out and Jesus, ever eager, will begin to unbutton his shirt with his free hand. This is not an invitation or a suggestion, Tony Stark. This man with you is an innocent, his calling is different from your own and his approach to life, sweetness and goodness, will not be what you are expecting.

Even if the man's managed to keep himself quite fit while sleeping in tents and cheap hostels along his way.

Tony's bathroom is bigger than it really needs to be, but his claustrophobia after Afghanistan hadn't really faded entirely. If he was going to be near water the area couldn't be dark or small. It didn't end well for anyone.

Still, he's surprised at the fact Jesus is undressing. Tony isn't bothered by it, and his eyes do yet another once-over, because, well, he's him, but it just doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Tony loosens his red tie, puts it aside, still not sure what exactly they're doing. His hands pause over his own shirt. The light of the reactor can be seen through the fabric. It stares back at him, a reminder of all the things he did, all the crimes, that led up to needing it.

In the bathroom, Jesus kneels to start the water, hands running over gilt fixtures. Judas would find this entire space to be terrifyingly extravagant. He'd be cataloging each and every inch of space and giving it a monetary value to purchase bread or to donate to a shelter for the poor. His dear Judas, as materialistic as Tony, though on opposite ends of the spectrum.

He might think on it later and tell it as a parable to his flock. They might enjoy the comparison but likely miss the message. So many do. Even the Twelve do at times. He tries so hard not to let it dishearten him.

"You mentioned waterfalls, from a song you admire? Let me begin. Let me cleanse you."

Tony's jaw actually drops. And as much as he'll deny it later, his hands cover up the reactor like a woman might cover her breasts. It's different, though, because while in Tony's opinion breasts are great, the arc reactor is most definitely not.

The familiarity of the golden fixtures, the marble tub, the cool colored red of the walls and brightness of the lights make him manage not to panic entirely. The key word is entirely. He bites his lip, looking away.

"It's not exactly a song I admire. Just one I listen to. One that sticks with me. And I'm pretty sure it was meant to be a metaphor. Not something to actually be attempted."

He keeps his hands over the reactor, as if it's somehow going to offend the other man. Like it's a testimony to how much he does not deserve it.

((OOC: But if he did...haha. He'd probably be amused.))

Jesus watches him from where he kneels on the step leading up to the basin. His smile is still gentle even as Tony's becomes more and more unsteady.

"A man once took me to a river and poured water over my head to wash me clean of sin." As if he'd ever sinned. Jesus' only sins have been of late and those, perhaps, are forgivable. A metaphor, just as your song states, but the physical presence of the actual water serves as a reminder, a physical reminder for what God can do."

He lifts his hand towards Tony, fingers curling towards himself. Beckoning.

"There is nothing about you to look so ashamed by, Anthony."

Tony slowly takes a deep breath, and comes closer. This shouldn't be so hard. Since when has he had an ounce of shame? He usually didn't have an issue with being naked in front of someone, let alone just letting one person see the reactor glow through an entire layer of clothing. He's being stupid and ridiculous. But he can't quite meet the other man's eyes, looking anywhere else instead.

"I wouldn't have this thing in my chest if I hadn't earned it. I was part of a system with zero accountability. I was, to quote multiple people, 'the most famous mass murderer in the world'. So I'd say this is something to look ashamed by."

Jesus finds it curious. He stands, slowly, pushing himself from the ledge around the bath tub. It occurs to him that this bashfulness might have something to do with him. And that's just ridiculous. "If you've ever felt shame around another, if you've ever felt shame for what I know keeps you alive, you need not have it with me, of all people."

Jesus doesn't judge, or tries very hard not to. He's gotten on a few of members of the Twelve from time to time for judging but he's forgiven them right away. Jesus, a man without blame, seeks only to forgive those others might blame instead.

At Tony's side, he lifts his hands to undo the button-down shirt.

"There is nothing under God's sky that could possibly be unforgiven. You must learn to love yourself, love you for your flaws. Not a man among us is without them." Even Jesus, in his perfection, is still human. "This glow is beauty. I will make you see it."

Tony's breath hitches when Jesus touches him. It takes a lot of restraint not to reach up and grab those hands before he can unbutton a single button, see the glow up close and in person. He looks at him, tries to focus on his face, see any trace of lying, any indicator he doesn't really feel that way about this.

He can deal with lies. Lies heal and truth hurts. Or at least, in this case truth is making him confused and a little breathless and he can't help it, he kisses Jesus before he can think of how inappropriate that is. It's not a sexy kiss. It's a thank you, without words. He pulls away quickly.

"I don't know if I can love me. I can love you, though. Easily."

Many people say that they love Jesus and the return is simple as well. He smiles at Tony, not an ounce of malice in his voice or in his eyes. "I already love you," he promises. Romantic love might be something needed to be taught, but there's no time for that.

He loves Tony in the sense that he loves humanity, that he loves everything that God has created. And that includes this disc of glowing metal over Tony's heart keeping him so effortlessly alive.

Once it is revealed, Jesus places his hand over it. Cool to the touch, not even a hum. It's really quite amazing.

"That's a poorly thought out decision," Tony points out, and then a hand's on his reactor and he freezes. He remembers Stane pulling it out. Remembers the way it went out once in a fight. Remembers the pain involved in carving a chunk out of his chest to put it in.

He can't speak. All his focus is on shoving the memories down as much as he can.

"To love is to trust," Jesus continues, fingers finding the edge of the reactor without a single thought to pull it out. He's not cruel and though he might be considered innocent of it should he try -- curiosity is a terrible thing -- he knows well enough that it gauges his heart.

And he would not endanger that.

"I would have you trust me, if you are able."

"...okay," Tony says very quietly, hesitantly. "I think I can do that. I'll try. So... what do we do from here?"

He tries to think of this with a critical eye, like it's a project, something that he can break down into components and objectives to meet. But he can't, really. Mostly he just feels like he's stepping out onto a ledge and waiting to see if he'll fall.

"Feel it. You won't need to ask then." The water in the bath is warm and has risen enough for Jesus to lean over and turn off the taps. He undresses down into his underwear -- neutral, revealing and perhaps a little bland in all honesty. Shoes must be taken off by sitting on the edge of the bath and it gives Tony time to really look at him if he wishes.

For a man with rough hands, the rest of his skin seems impossibly soft. There are no scars. He's never been injured. Never even sick.

"Would you like help undressing further?"

Oh, he looks. He looks hard. It's tempting to just put every move on him that he knows right now. But part of trust is not taking advantage of that trust... at the moment. Give him time, Tony'll break pretty quickly. He carefully takes off his clothes, down to his red silk boxers, and folds his clothes before putting them on the sink's granite countertop. If he lets Jesus undress him, it'll involve more chances for him to touch the reactor.

Damn it, he's way too old to be giving a crap about what some guy is going to think of his looks.

Long legs pull Jesus into the water and he stands there as his cousin had, welcoming those into the cleansing waters. They may shine just a little more than they ought to, but that could just be a reflection of the gold fixtures. Jesus once more holds his hand out to Tony.

No one has likely tried to have a religious experience in this tub before. It seems only fitting for Jesus to guide Tony to his first.

Tony steps into the water, gingerly, taking Jesus' hand. He doesn't know why this still feels so weird. Jesus clearly means this to be a positive thing, and he radiates good intentions. But it's not as easy to trust someone as it is to say it. He has to make a conscious effort to relax, to let whatever the heck is happening happen, and just breathe.

For a moment, they just stand facing one another and a moment later, Jesus kneels slowly in front of Tony. This would be a position the playboy is use to, supplication in its finest form, but the other tugs Tony down with him. They will kneel together. Pray together.

Jesus smiles all the while, the golden tinge of the water and the arc reactor's reflection glowing in his eyes.

"There is hope for all of us, Anthony," he says as he cups his hands and dips them into the bath. Baptism, it seems, is Jesus' idea.

Seeing the arc reactor reflect in Jesus' eyes is more striking than anything else. For a fleeting second Tony thinks it's beautiful before the guilt of how he got it pushes that thought away. It's a struggle in his mind as he kneels down in the water, which is a touch too cool for Tony's sake. He was waterboarded in cold water in Afghanistan, and his showers and baths are always scalding hot to counteract the memories of trauma.

"Have you ever heard the term 'moral event horizon'? It's a scientist and nerd phrase. 'An act that puts its perpetrator beyond any chance of redemption' is the simplest description. And if you put that term and my name into Google, you can find dozens of moments people say and know I'm over that horizon."

Water trickles down thin wrists (who could ever want to torture him badly enough to drive nails through?) to elbows as Jesus does not for even a moment pause, his smile so effortlessly in tact. "I have heard such a thing be said, yes." He hangs out with hipsters and punk rock revolutionists. Throwing around terms like these is natural to them.

His hands stay cupped about level with the reactor, eyes focused solely on Tony, waiting for him to bow his head.

"I don't believe such a thing is possible. God would not allow it and if it was true, He would not have sent me with his message of love."

Tony doesn't have a response for that. But he hopes and desperately wants to believe that Jesus is right. That it's not impossible to be saved even after having done things that place him well over the horizon. He wants to be better. Be someone he can be proud of. He thought being Iron Man would do it.

It hasn't. There's still a void inside him. He bows his head cautiously, hands balled into fists, hoping this won't remind him of being drowned in that cave in Afghanistan. Nothing would be worse than to break down in front of Jesus. It would be more humiliating than he could probably take.

There is nothing horrific about this experience, not with Jesus there to soothe him, to stroke his damp hair once the water collects in his bangs and beads over the edge of his forehead. He pulls Tony close, he allows him to rest against his chest, a thumb rubbing circles in the back of his neck.

"You are clean, Anthony, though I know it will take nothing so simple for you to realize this. In my eyes, in God's, you are clean."

He feels a peace settling over him, even if it has to battle still with his doubts. Tony presses kisses to Jesus' chest, his collarbone, soft brushes of his tongue against skin. He doesn't know if he's trying to be romantic or if he just needs physical contact to confirm this is happening. Maybe it's both.

"Define 'clean'," he says, with only a touch of snark. Because even now, his thoughts aren't exactly pure.

"You define clean," Jesus says with a laugh, settling back on his heels so Tony can come with him. Wet skin is certainly an interesting experience during an embrace like this and Jesus finds his heart fluttering slightly as the water rises to the level of their chests. His nose lightly presses against the shell of Tony's ear when he sighs. "I know I am meant to teach, but I can't give you every answer or you will never be able to stand on your own when I am gone."

And it's getting closer now. He'd seen Judas staring at the posters the ones that plaster over his own across the country, that blot out their 'Believe' message.

"Don't talk like that. I can keep you safe," Tony murmurs, shifting to kiss and nip at the other man's neck. He moves until he's more or less straddling him, which puts them about eye to eye, and kisses him. This time it's very much with the intent to be romantic and seductive instead of just being a sudden action. He presses closer, opening his mouth, flicking his tongue at Jesus' lips.

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Link to the song in question, in case you're interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDhzRUfdH_Y

Jesus is just a special little lamb (oh the puns) and hasn't listened to such things

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I have to go to bed now, I'm so sorry. I'll tag you the second I wake up.

Good night!

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