Inception Fic: The Kids Are All Right
After I had an utter blast writing some gen Arthur/Cobb/Eames for this prompt on the kink meme (even though the fill turned out rather sad), tailoredshirt gave me some more awesome prompts to fill.
Hence, this pointless fluff. \o/
Title: The Kids Are All Right
Pairing/Rating: gen Arthur/Cobb/Eames; PG
Summary: Cobb breaks his leg and needs some help taking care of his children. It's Uncle Arthur and Uncle Eames to the rescue!
- - -
The break is not all that serious, considering, but it does mean that Cobb has to spend a few weeks on bed rest. The first person he calls is Arthur.
“How’s the leg?” Arthur asks, not even bothering with a greeting.
Cobb makes a face at the large cast on his right leg. “I don’t really feel it. They have me pretty well drugged.”
“How long are you on bed rest?”
“About a month,” Cobb says. “That’s why I called. I need a favor.”
“You need help with James and Phillipa, right?”
“If it’s not too much trouble.”
“Oh, it’s no trouble at all,” Arthur says. “I’m in between jobs because the idiot I usually work with decided to fall out of a second story window.”
Cobb grimaces at that. “Yeah, that was dumb.”
“Uh-huh.” Cobb hears Arthur speak to someone else, his voice faint as he pulls away from the phone, and then he hears a female voice echo over what sounds like a loudspeaker.
“Where are you?” Cobb asks with a frown.
“O’Hare,” Arthur says. “I’ll be in Los Angeles in about four hours. Can you manage until then?”
Something oddly warm and happy squirms in Cobb’s stomach when he realizes that Arthur was on his way to Los Angeles even before Cobb called. He does not know whether to be grateful or embarrassed, so he just smiles and says, “I think I’ll manage.”
- - -
Arthur calls Eames from the plane.
“You’re good with kids, right?” he asks as soon as he hears the line connect, and Eames chuckles.
“Hello to you, too, Arthur. How have you been?”
“Fine,” Arthur says. “Look, I have to help Cobb take care of Phillipa and James for about a month and I could use another set of hands. Are you available?”
“Is this a job offer?”
“I could pay you for your efforts, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“Nonsense. I owe you for last month anyway. Why are we helping Cobb with his kids?”
“He broke his leg.”
Eames hisses in sympathy. “That’s bad luck.”
“Tell me about it.”
“I can be there in about two days. Will you be all right, or will the kids have completely tired out their dear Uncle Arthur by then?”
Arthur half-smiles. “I think I’ll be fine. Thanks, Eames.”
“Not a problem.”
- - -
Arthur is forced to drop his bags as soon as he enters the Cobb household so he can stoop and catch the two small children running into his arms. They squeal when he lifts them up, twining their little arms around his neck and covering his cheeks with sloppy kisses.
He calls a brief greeting to Cobb before the children drag him into the front room and assault him with toys and cartoons. Luckily Arthur is used to this, so he simply removes his suit coat, rolls up his sleeves, and starts playing, much to James and Phillipa’s delight.
It is only hours later, after dinner and a showing of Finding Nemo, that Arthur finally tucks the kids in and gets a chance to speak with Cobb.
Cobb sets his book aside when Arthur enters the bedroom and asks, “Did they wear you out already?”
Arthur collapses into a chair near the door and loosens his tie, swiping it from around his neck with the muted hiss of silk on fabric.
“Not really,” he says, “but they are quite energetic. At least Eames is coming to help in a couple of days.”
Cobb frowns. “Eames is coming?”
“Yes. That’s not a problem, is it?”
“No, it’s just unexpected, that’s all,” Cobb says. “But it’s fine - the kids love him. I’m sure they’ll be thrilled.”
- - -
Saying that Phillipa and James are “thrilled” to see their Uncle Eames turns out to be an understatement.
When he arrives, Eames gets buried in a mass of gleeful giggles and corn silk hair and Arthur watches from the end of the hall, arms crossed and smirking. Eames drops his bag in the entryway and wraps strong arms around James and Phillipa, and the children shriek merrily and call out laughing protests when Eames lifts them up and carries them into the living room, winking at Arthur as he passes.
“Could you grab my bag, darling? I’m a bit tied up at the moment.”
Arthur shakes his head, but there is fondness in his gaze and Eames’ bag eventually ends up in the guestroom beside Arthur’s own.
- - -
Once the excitement of Eames' arrival passes, the Cobb household settles into a comfortable pattern.
Uncle Arthur wakes up with James and Phillipa in the mornings and helps fix their breakfasts, although he rarely has anything himself besides strong-smelling black coffee. While he is nursing his second cup, he tells the kids to go say good morning to their father and wake up Uncle Eames, who takes only a moment to scrub the sleep from his face before joining the kids in their early morning exploits while Uncle Arthur gets ready to drive them to school.
After school they do their homework (with Uncle Arthur available for questions), then playtime in the backyard with Uncle Eames, then dinner (during which James takes up his usual position on Arthur’s lap, where he likes to stay for the remainder of the night), an hour or so to watch television and talk with their dad, and then they are tucked in for sleep after a story or two.
The days pass quickly in this manner.
Soon Cobb is able to trundle about the house with the help of a crutch. Another week and he can limp about without the crutch, and by the time a month passes he is completely mobile and Arthur and Eames can take their leave.
“I'll be in Morocco for a couple of weeks,” Arthur says as he shrugs into his coat. “But if you need anything just call my cell, all right?”
“Sure,” Cobb says, smiling and gripping Arthur’s hand. “I really appreciate this, Arthur. Thank you.”
Arthur just smiles and bends to receive his hugs from Phillipa and James, then leaves with a final wave.
“Where is Uncle Arthur going?” James asks, tugging on Cobb’s sleeve.
“He’s going home, James,” Cobb says.
“But… doesn’t he live here?” James asks, clearly baffled.
“No,” Cobb says, looking pained, “he was only here while Daddy rested his leg.”
“So… when’s he coming back?”
Cobb sighs and rests a hand on James’ head. “Not for a while, sweetheart, sorry.”
“Oh.” James looks dangerously close to tears.
“Does Uncle Eames have to leave now, too?” Phillipa asks, her little voice serious, and Cobb fixes Eames with a helpless look. Eames shrugs, hands stuffed in his pockets.
“I’ve got nowhere to be. I could stay for another week or so. You know,” Eames grins, “if you still need my help.”
Phillipa and James quickly pronounce their approval of this plan and Cobb smiles, that warm and happy feeling squirming in his belly again when he says, “That would be great, Eames. Thanks.”
- - -
Yep. That's it. More drabbles to be posted soon, I hope!
On another note, today was my first day of classes. Luckily the only class I had was ballroom dancing and everything else was cancelled, so I don't have another class until Tuesday. Which means a whole weekend for writing and not worrying about homework. WOOT. \o/
Also I get to go up north with my family this morning for relaxation and free food. And it's raining right now, so hopefully the humidity will go away as I am RIDICULOUSLY sick of my hair curling every time I venture outside.
Aaaaaand I think that's it. So long, darling friends! Leave a comment if you like!
♥
Hence, this pointless fluff. \o/
Title: The Kids Are All Right
Pairing/Rating: gen Arthur/Cobb/Eames; PG
Summary: Cobb breaks his leg and needs some help taking care of his children. It's Uncle Arthur and Uncle Eames to the rescue!
- - -
The break is not all that serious, considering, but it does mean that Cobb has to spend a few weeks on bed rest. The first person he calls is Arthur.
“How’s the leg?” Arthur asks, not even bothering with a greeting.
Cobb makes a face at the large cast on his right leg. “I don’t really feel it. They have me pretty well drugged.”
“How long are you on bed rest?”
“About a month,” Cobb says. “That’s why I called. I need a favor.”
“You need help with James and Phillipa, right?”
“If it’s not too much trouble.”
“Oh, it’s no trouble at all,” Arthur says. “I’m in between jobs because the idiot I usually work with decided to fall out of a second story window.”
Cobb grimaces at that. “Yeah, that was dumb.”
“Uh-huh.” Cobb hears Arthur speak to someone else, his voice faint as he pulls away from the phone, and then he hears a female voice echo over what sounds like a loudspeaker.
“Where are you?” Cobb asks with a frown.
“O’Hare,” Arthur says. “I’ll be in Los Angeles in about four hours. Can you manage until then?”
Something oddly warm and happy squirms in Cobb’s stomach when he realizes that Arthur was on his way to Los Angeles even before Cobb called. He does not know whether to be grateful or embarrassed, so he just smiles and says, “I think I’ll manage.”
- - -
Arthur calls Eames from the plane.
“You’re good with kids, right?” he asks as soon as he hears the line connect, and Eames chuckles.
“Hello to you, too, Arthur. How have you been?”
“Fine,” Arthur says. “Look, I have to help Cobb take care of Phillipa and James for about a month and I could use another set of hands. Are you available?”
“Is this a job offer?”
“I could pay you for your efforts, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“Nonsense. I owe you for last month anyway. Why are we helping Cobb with his kids?”
“He broke his leg.”
Eames hisses in sympathy. “That’s bad luck.”
“Tell me about it.”
“I can be there in about two days. Will you be all right, or will the kids have completely tired out their dear Uncle Arthur by then?”
Arthur half-smiles. “I think I’ll be fine. Thanks, Eames.”
“Not a problem.”
- - -
Arthur is forced to drop his bags as soon as he enters the Cobb household so he can stoop and catch the two small children running into his arms. They squeal when he lifts them up, twining their little arms around his neck and covering his cheeks with sloppy kisses.
He calls a brief greeting to Cobb before the children drag him into the front room and assault him with toys and cartoons. Luckily Arthur is used to this, so he simply removes his suit coat, rolls up his sleeves, and starts playing, much to James and Phillipa’s delight.
It is only hours later, after dinner and a showing of Finding Nemo, that Arthur finally tucks the kids in and gets a chance to speak with Cobb.
Cobb sets his book aside when Arthur enters the bedroom and asks, “Did they wear you out already?”
Arthur collapses into a chair near the door and loosens his tie, swiping it from around his neck with the muted hiss of silk on fabric.
“Not really,” he says, “but they are quite energetic. At least Eames is coming to help in a couple of days.”
Cobb frowns. “Eames is coming?”
“Yes. That’s not a problem, is it?”
“No, it’s just unexpected, that’s all,” Cobb says. “But it’s fine - the kids love him. I’m sure they’ll be thrilled.”
- - -
Saying that Phillipa and James are “thrilled” to see their Uncle Eames turns out to be an understatement.
When he arrives, Eames gets buried in a mass of gleeful giggles and corn silk hair and Arthur watches from the end of the hall, arms crossed and smirking. Eames drops his bag in the entryway and wraps strong arms around James and Phillipa, and the children shriek merrily and call out laughing protests when Eames lifts them up and carries them into the living room, winking at Arthur as he passes.
“Could you grab my bag, darling? I’m a bit tied up at the moment.”
Arthur shakes his head, but there is fondness in his gaze and Eames’ bag eventually ends up in the guestroom beside Arthur’s own.
- - -
Once the excitement of Eames' arrival passes, the Cobb household settles into a comfortable pattern.
Uncle Arthur wakes up with James and Phillipa in the mornings and helps fix their breakfasts, although he rarely has anything himself besides strong-smelling black coffee. While he is nursing his second cup, he tells the kids to go say good morning to their father and wake up Uncle Eames, who takes only a moment to scrub the sleep from his face before joining the kids in their early morning exploits while Uncle Arthur gets ready to drive them to school.
After school they do their homework (with Uncle Arthur available for questions), then playtime in the backyard with Uncle Eames, then dinner (during which James takes up his usual position on Arthur’s lap, where he likes to stay for the remainder of the night), an hour or so to watch television and talk with their dad, and then they are tucked in for sleep after a story or two.
The days pass quickly in this manner.
Soon Cobb is able to trundle about the house with the help of a crutch. Another week and he can limp about without the crutch, and by the time a month passes he is completely mobile and Arthur and Eames can take their leave.
“I'll be in Morocco for a couple of weeks,” Arthur says as he shrugs into his coat. “But if you need anything just call my cell, all right?”
“Sure,” Cobb says, smiling and gripping Arthur’s hand. “I really appreciate this, Arthur. Thank you.”
Arthur just smiles and bends to receive his hugs from Phillipa and James, then leaves with a final wave.
“Where is Uncle Arthur going?” James asks, tugging on Cobb’s sleeve.
“He’s going home, James,” Cobb says.
“But… doesn’t he live here?” James asks, clearly baffled.
“No,” Cobb says, looking pained, “he was only here while Daddy rested his leg.”
“So… when’s he coming back?”
Cobb sighs and rests a hand on James’ head. “Not for a while, sweetheart, sorry.”
“Oh.” James looks dangerously close to tears.
“Does Uncle Eames have to leave now, too?” Phillipa asks, her little voice serious, and Cobb fixes Eames with a helpless look. Eames shrugs, hands stuffed in his pockets.
“I’ve got nowhere to be. I could stay for another week or so. You know,” Eames grins, “if you still need my help.”
Phillipa and James quickly pronounce their approval of this plan and Cobb smiles, that warm and happy feeling squirming in his belly again when he says, “That would be great, Eames. Thanks.”
- - -
Yep. That's it. More drabbles to be posted soon, I hope!
On another note, today was my first day of classes. Luckily the only class I had was ballroom dancing and everything else was cancelled, so I don't have another class until Tuesday. Which means a whole weekend for writing and not worrying about homework. WOOT. \o/
Also I get to go up north with my family this morning for relaxation and free food. And it's raining right now, so hopefully the humidity will go away as I am RIDICULOUSLY sick of my hair curling every time I venture outside.
Aaaaaand I think that's it. So long, darling friends! Leave a comment if you like!
♥