I'm not the boy you remember [Locked to forgess]

[cantletyoutouch]

Arthur had been gone for a few months with no way of contacting Eames. No cellphone reception that was their norm... nothing. It hurt to not have her there to help him through the rough patches. Through his parents having some kind of fight and his old man leaving them. So when he does return he won't be the same as his best friend remembers

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[forgess]

Eames watches him as he walks to the car, his spine ramrod straight and his limbs barely moving at all by his sides. He looks like he's walking away from the scene of a crime, unperturbed by the dust that rises in the aftermath of utter chaos. He folds into the passenger seat and Eames slips behind the wheel, getting them out of there as fast as possible.

She doesnt ask where they're going, just picks a direction and goes that way figuring if Arthur thinks of a place he wants to go specifically he'll let her know. For now they're just driving, in any direction that signifies "away."

As always, Eames has a total of one hand on the wheel at any given time, her right hand unoccupied and she kind of needs it to be. She flicks on the radio, finding a station Arthur wouldn't normally side-eye her for, and then brushes her hair back, behind her ear, before letting it fall back to the space between them. There's a lot they could say, but there's also a lot that could be left unsaid.

[cantletyoutouch]

He lets his eyes close and lets the sound of the car, the sound of her breathing and the radio sooth him. Sooth him as much as possible anyway. To be honest he's not satisfied. There's no telling what would or wouldn't satisfy him right now. All he wants is... hell, he doesn't know!

When her hand falls between them he reaches over and threads his fingers through hers. It feels... right. Though if she expects a specific place out of him then she won't be getting one. Hell they could go back to her place for all he cared. Her mother would just have to watch out because he's liable to snap at any moment.

[forgess]

Only about one and a half eyes on the road, though that too is her norm, not that she advertises the fact, Eames watches Arthur from the corner of her eye. He looks like he's learning how to relax after three months of being in the same position, holding the same neutral pose so everything doesn't come crashing down upon him like the gigantic shit show his life's turned into.

She really should have fucking been there for him.

About to start that strange cocktail of anger and self-pity and frustration, Arthur's fingers slip through hers. She shoots him a smile from behind her fringe and taps out the tune of the radio on his knuckles, not giving a fuck where they end up because they're together again and that's all that really matters to Eames. It might matter later, where they're going or what they plan to do, but for now... Eames gives Arthur's hand a squeeze.

"My mum tried to make me get a job," Eames ventures, the while you were gone remains unsaid; she's not sure if she wants to bring Iowa up again at all.

[cantletyoutouch]

Feeling the squeeze of her hand he allows himself a small smile. It's not as bright as it used to be but its there. So he just listens to her talk. Listens to the taps on his knuckles. Though he can't help but shake his head.

"Your mother is stupid, needs to get off her lazy ass and do something with her life. Something meaningful."

[forgess]

Taking her eyes off the road for a split second, to level a surprised-cum-amused look at the boy in her passenger seat. She's always kind of known what Arthur's thought about her mother but he's always kept his opinions to himself, polite and reserved even if she could tell from the set of his jaw he was upset by something she'd told him about her.

Eames laughs and merges into the next lane, heading toward the beach. "Bloody right she should; I told her as much, but you know how she listens to me."

She could really get used to this mean side of Arthur. The angry, yelling bit might take a while, and his sullen, sharp parts might take a little longer, but hearing his thoughts on the matter is kind of refreshing after many a years' worth of absurd stories about her mum.

[cantletyoutouch]

When she laughs he can't help but give a small smile. It's been so long since he's heard that laugh. Heard her actually sound happy. Most days to him she sounded depressed or on the verge of doing something that she shouldn't.

"Maybe I should tell her that myself. See how well she takes it."

Right now he's tempted to do anything. Fuck the consequences.

[forgess]

"As you've barely said more than six words to her in the entire time you two've known of each other," Not for lack of trying on Arthur's part. He'd tried to speak to her mother, but Eames had felt wildly out of control even thinking of those situations, and she'd done her best to keep her house off limits. She didnt want to deal with what her mother might say to him. Arthur could come in her room, through her window, or he could call her and tell her to come out, but she'd made it very clear how much she didn't want him anywhere near her mother. Eames strokes a thumb over his palm, brightly painted nail dragging over his skin. "I'd imagine she'd be pretty fucking blown away."

"It might be worth it to see the look on her face," Eames chuckles, imagining the flabbergasted look her mother would get.

[cantletyoutouch]

"Then lets go visit your mother."

There's no telling if he's serious or not. However considering this new side of him, he probably is. After all, Arthur never says something that he doesn't mean. Even at this age and that's either a good thing or a bad thing. All depends on the person it's directed to.

[forgess]

Eames gives him a sidelong glance, traffic picking up now that they're out of the residential district and on their way downtown. The beach is the second exit before hitting the downtown stretch, where other teens window shop and occasionally shoplift. She can't tell if Arthur is being facetious or not, but with Arthur, it's always safer to err on the side of caution.

"I don't wanna see my mum now," Eames hedges, turning off at their exit and heading to the little parking lot behind the fish-taco shack that lets her park super close to the beach for free. "I've got you back and that's all I wanna think about right now, yeah?"

Which is true. Eames drives to the beach compulsively. Whenever she doesnt know where to go and Arthur doesnt chime in in time, they end up at the beach. Its convenient, because there's always something to do at the beach, but its also instinctual. Drive until the road ends, until you literally have no where else to go.

[cantletyoutouch]

Arthur doesn't say anything to that. Of course she didn't want to see her mum. Why in the hell would she? Especially after he'd gotten back from his gran's. So he just stays silent and once they do get to the beach, gets out of the car moving around to her side of it.

"Come on you, lets go see what we can get into." Because being with her is more important than confronting her mother.