Fic: Nothing But Harmless Flirting, Right? (Arthur/Eames) 2/2
Rating, Warning, Summary, and Notes are found in Part One
Arthur woke feeling groggy, but his eyes opened fluently regardless. He stared up at a dirty ceiling with a dinky overhead fan. This was not his hotel room, concluded Arthur. The room was stuffy and smelled heavy of sex. A quick glance, Arthur realized he was naked and tangled in unfamiliar sheets. He turned his head. Surely enough he saw a man equally naked next to him.
He didn’t recall how he got there or how this particular situation happened. The first thing he needed to do once his brain registered that fact was to find his totem. He pushed the sheets away and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He quickly scanned for his jacket.
Clothes scattered everywhere in the room. Arthur carefully picked his way through until he found his jacket. Once in hand, he reached for his secret compartment for his totem.
Totem in hand, Arthur sat down on the edge of the bed. He rolled the red die on the nightstand. He blinked at the number and took the die in his hand again. He rolled and stared hard at the number.
“Fuck,” swore Arthur as he rubbed his face. This was reality.
With that established, Arthur coached himself to remain calm. Whatever happened, happened. There was no use to panic over something that couldn’t be reversed. This situation would be dealt with efficiently like everything else Arthur encountered.
Arthur noticed the familiar feeling of a hangover as he tried to piece together his memory of the last several hours. The last thing he remembered was going to a local bar after… Arthur shook his head. He didn’t want to recall the reason for going to the bar.
He remembered having a few drinks with the intension of getting plastered. His brows furrowed in thought. He thought he might have met someone to share a few drinks. There was a possibility he left with that same someone. The rest of the night was blank.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw on the ground a box of condoms. He snorted. At least they had protected sex, much to Arthur’s relief. He slouched and placed his head in both of his hands. This was not good.
He felt the bed shift behind him. Arthur bit back a groan. He didn’t remember the man’s name. He flinched when he felt a warm hand on his shoulder.
“Hey, sweetheart.” The man had a British accent.
“Don’t call me that.” Arthur turned to look over his shoulder to find the man he slept with. Shockingly, along with the British accent, he apparently looked like a poor carbon copy of Eames. The man had a surprisingly muscular upper body and full lips. Arthur deadpanned. Sometimes he thought his subconscious had a sense of humor.
“Right, you didn’t complain last night from all the pet names I gave you.” The man leaned forward to plant a kiss on Arthur’s bare shoulder.
Arthur shifted away. “I was drunk. Hell, I don’t even remember your name let alone what happened last night.”
“I can help you with that bit. My name is Stephen.” Stephen moved to sit next to Arthur. “It’s a shame you don’t remember yesterday night. You were bloody fantastic, and you have a very talented tongue that had me squirming for hours. If you would like, we can reanimate those moments. ”
Arthur stood suddenly, searching for his pants. “No. This is all a mistake.”
“Really, you were more than willing with me,” sighed Stephen. “Look, why don’t you come back to bed? We can talk about this.”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t really want to talk about this.” Arthur’s tone hitched but he didn’t care. Arthur found his pants and yanked them on. “I want to make this clear now. This can’t work.”
Stephen frowned. “But I thought we connected yesterday. No pun intended, love. Two lost souls finding one another.”
Arthur suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. He figured that he went for a romantic. “I’m sorry, but you hardly know me.”
“I know enough that you were hurting last night - that this bastard Eames doesn’t know how to cherish you like you should be.”
Arthur stomped on the rising emotion. Of course he talked when he was under the influence. “I think it’s best to forget about me.”
“That’s impossible to forget about you, darling.” Stephen leaned back in bed with a smirk and gazed back at Arthur with a heated look. “It’s meant to be that we met, love.”
Arthur schooled his feature to be expressionless. “Don’t call me that.” There wasn’t anything more he could say on this matter. He donned his jacket and left the small apartment.
He climbed down the stairs while fishing for his cell phone. He turned it on and was overwhelmed with messages and texts. The majority of the texts and messages were from Cobb and a handful from Ariadne. None of them were from Eames, not that he expected any from the forger.
He glanced at the time and realized that it was early afternoon. “Shit,” growled Arthur to himself as he reached outside.
His phone rang while it was still in his hand. The number registered as belonging to Cobb. There wasn’t any way to avoid this. Arthur answered the call.
“Where the hell are you?” snapped Cobb before Arthur brought the phone to his ear.
“I…” Arthur stepped out of the apartment complex and looked up and down the unfamiliar street. “I don’t know.”
Arthur could practically see Cobb glaring over the phone. His voice was low and seething with anger. “Get your ass back to the warehouse. Now.” Then the line went dead.
Arthur rubbed the bridge of his nose before calling for a cab. Arthur decided to go back to his hotel room first to take a shower and grab a change of clothes. He also wanted to take care of his climbing headache. Cobb couldn’t get any angrier, the least Arthur could do was be presentable when he got his ass chewed out.
When Arthur finally arrived at the warehouse, it was late afternoon. Yusuf was stepping out. He nodded at Arthur and mouthed ‘good luck.’ Arthur returned a strained smile and stepped in.
“Arthur,” cried Ariadne, coming towards him. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” said Arthur as he placed a reassuring hand on Ariadne’s shoulder.
“We were all worried when you didn’t show or answer your phone,” said Ariadne crossly. “Eames was the last to see you, and his answers were vague. God...” She slugged Arthur’s upper arm. “Don’t do that to me again.”
“I’m sorry that I worried you, Ariadne.” Arthur felt ashamed for doing that to the girl.
“Hey,” said Ariadne quietly, causing Arthur to look up. “You can talk to me if you need to.”
Arthur nodded and forced a smile. “Have you seen Eames?”
Ariande shook her head. “He left shortly after we asked if he’s seen you. He was acting strange.” Her eyes widened a margin. She pointed a finger at Arthur with accusation. “Did something happen between you and Eames?”
Thank God for small miracles when Cobb approached them. “Ariadne, can I please have a word with Arthur alone?” His voice was level, but his brows narrowed as he squinted at Arthur.
“Of course.” Ariande gave Arthur a sympathetic look before stepping out of the warehouse.
Finally alone, Arthur and Cobb stared at each other for a few seconds. Arthur waited for Cobb to start the lecture. Cobb made him wait a few more seconds.
“Care to explain?” started Cobb, crossing his arms. He stared down at Arthur.
“No, not really,” answered Arthur levelly. He knew Cobb wouldn’t push the subject.
Cobb breathed out of his nose with frustration. “God damn it, Arthur. This job is important.”
“I realize that.” Arthur carefully kept his expression neutral. The best way to handle Cobb’s anger was not to react.
“I need you to focus here. I don’t care what’s going on between you and Eames. Whatever it is, fix it and move on.”
Arthur felt a twinge in the pit of his stomach. So even Cobb knew something was going on between him and Eames. He thinned his lips but kept quiet.
“You can’t just leave to God knows where on the eve of the hit,” continued Cobb. “Do I have to make a call to our employer for extra insurance?”
Arthur’s eyes narrowed dangerously as he glared back at Cobb. “Are you threatening me?”
To the best of Arthur’s knowledge, their employer didn’t know Arthur was alive. Telling them will place Arthur on their radar and have him on the same hit list as Cobb.
“If that’s what it takes to get you to see this job through, then yes. Yes, I am.”
A dangerous tick worked on the corner of Arthur’s brow. “I understand that you want to protect your family,” Arthur grounded out, “but you better think carefully what you’re telling me.”
“Now, now gentlemen.” Eames suddenly appeared and stepped between Arthur and Cobb. Both Arthur and Cobb were so intense with each other that they didn’t realize that Eames entered the warehouse.
Arthur automatically stepped back, creating space between him and Eames. Eames appeared not to notice since he was content on staring Cobb down.
“We’re all professionals here and have been in this business for a good long while now. I think we’ve surpass the pettiness of threats here.”
Arthur was angry, but not angry enough to realize that Eames was defending him. First, Eames was being…fucking Eames. Second, Arthur woke up next a stranger who looked like Eames. Now Cobb threatened him while Eames stepped to his defense. It all came back to Eames. He took a deep breath and mentally counted to ten before he turned his back on the other two.
“You, where do you think you’re going?” Cobb called out.
“None of your damn business.” Arthur shot back as he began packing the files and his laptop. He could work just as well in his hotel room as he would here in the warehouse. He needed space - away from Cobb and away from Eames.
“Don’t worry,” said Arthur, barely containing his fury, as he stepped past Cobb and Eames. “The job will be completed on schedule.”
Eames gave him a strange look, but Arthur didn’t want to dwell on the expression for long. All he wanted was to get this job done and leave so he could lick his wounds alone.
~*~*~
The job went flawlessly to say the least. Arthur could count on one hand the amount of time that happened. If Arthur wanted to be picky, he could say they overpaid the masseuse to keep quiet. However, he wasn’t picky, not this time.
“I want to thank everyone,” announced Cobb. They were back in the warehouse, wrapping up. Cobb finished reporting to their employer. “I’ll be wiring over your share of the money over the next few days. Good work.”
A round of nods and approving noises rang around the room. Arthur snorted. He stood back away from the group. His arms crossed. He made use of his time by running though all the locations where he could lay low. He planned on disappearing. Maybe if he ran hard enough and far enough he could forget the festering feelings he had for Eames and maybe forget the revolting look Eames had when he kissed him. He tried to breathe past the tightness in his chest.
“If you have any need for another chemist,” Yusuf saluted, “give me a call. I’ll accept so long as I don’t have to enter the field.”
“Well, I hope we don’t have to do this again, right Cobb?” stated Ariadne, giving Cobb a meaningful look. “You should be with your children.”
Cobb thinned his lips and nodded. He knew as well as Arthur it was not that simple. Who knows when another unhappy client decided to seek him out? Cobb had to take certain measures to ensure that wouldn’t happen. Chances were they might be in this situation again.
“I think we make a smashing team,” stated Eames with an upbeat tone.
Arthur gritted his teeth. If Eames could pretend nothing had happened, so could he. Damn it!
The rest of the group idled and chatted. Eventually everyone filed out of the warehouse. Arthur turned his back towards them, occupied with gathering the sensitive materials and packing the PASIV away. He shot ‘goodbyes’ and lightly promised to stay in touch over his shoulder.
“Arthur,” said Cobb from behind. Arthur cursed under his breath. He knew what was coming. “I want to say sorry,” apologized Cobb. “I shouldn’t have said those things.”
Arthur agreed, but he nodded and continued snapping the case closed over the PASIV.
“Look, maybe we can grab a drink or two.” Cobb wanted to bridge the gap in their straining friendship. “We didn’t have any time to catch up during all this. You can tell me what’s going on between you and Eames. Maybe I can help or give you a few pointers.”
Arthur’s shoulder tensed. Yes, Cobb knew something was going on between him and Eames. However, like everyone else, Cobb didn’t realize the extent. Eames wasn’t gay and Arthur kissed him. God only knew what Eames must think of him now. Arthur fell for someone who was straight. Sometimes he hated his life. There were reasons why he didn’t want to share all that with Cobb.
He turned to look directly at Cobb. “I think I’ll pass having a drink with you,” said Arthur smoothly. He slung his pack over his shoulder and grabbed the silver case. “Tell your children ‘hello’ for me. Oh, one more thing. Don’t call me again, Cobb.”
That was petty of Arthur, but he didn’t care. He clung onto his anger with desperation as he left the warehouse. It was better than feeling dejection.
~*~*~
Arthur closed his laptop with a sigh. He finished booking a flight to New York. After much debate, he wanted to go home.
He checked the time and found it too early to turn in. He wasn’t in the mood of staying in his room and decided to stretch his legs.
No sooner when he stepped out of the hotel and walked a block, Arthur felt someone tailing him. Keeping casual, he walked on. He parted his jacket for easy access to his handgun.
He turned into a quieter street and quickened his pace. His tail followed suit. He went into the alleyway, pulled out the gun, and aimed.
“Hey, hey, hey, sweetheart.” Stephen, whom Arthur fell into bed with, stopped short. He held his hands up in surrender when he turned into the alleyway after Arthur. “I knew you had a wild streak, but this is a little too much, love.”
“Asshole,” snapped Arthur as he lowered the gun, but didn’t place it away yet. “What the hell are you doing following me?”
“I thought I might ask you out for a drink.” Stephen didn’t relax or let his hands down. “Um, Arthur, be a dear and put your gun away. It’s making me nervous.”
“Damn it. For the last time, don’t call me by those pathetic pet names.” Arthur placed his gun away. “How the hell did you find me anyways?”
Stephen shrugged. “I followed you after you left my apartment. I was hoping if I hung around that fancy hotel, I’d see you again.”
“I told you to forget about me, Stephen,” stressed Arthur and began walking away.
“And I told you that’s impossible.” Stephen boldly fell in step with Arthur. Not concerned that Arthur had a gun aimed at him moments ago.
“I can have you arrested for stalking me,” threatened Arthur.
“I suppose you can.” Stephen grinned. “However, I suspect that you don’t want to draw the authorities’ attention to you either, mate.” His eyes drifted toward the gun hidden in Arthur’s jacket.
Arthur hated to admit it, but Stephen was right. “What do you want?”
“All I ask is for you to have a drink with me. You know when you’re actually sober enough to remember. Who knows, maybe you’ll fall for me all over again.”
“I seriously doubt it,” said Arthur levelly.
“You never know.” Stephen’s grin widened. He looked like a cat that ate the cannery.
“And if I say ‘no’?”
“Then I’ll follow you and bat my puppy dog eyes at you until you agree.”
Arthur rolled his eyes and sighed. “You remind me of another annoying British man who flirted too damn much.”
Stephen raised a brow. “Oh, that Mr. Eames you told me about.”
Arthur paused and stared at Stephen. There shouldn’t be any harm in having a drink with the man. It wasn’t like he was going to plunge into bed with the man again. “One drink,” Arthur finally agreed.
“You won’t regret it, darling.”
Arthur let the pet name slide as he went into a contemporary bar. He was directly steered to the bar. He also allowed Stephen to order his drink. A jazz band played on stage, and the atmosphere was cozy. Arthur leaned back and tried to relax.
“Here you go.” Stephen handed Arthur his drink. “We should toast to something.”
Arthur snorted with amusement “What do you purpose we toast to?”
“To our second meeting and date, of course.”
“You know this isn’t coincidental,” said Arthur, but he reached over and clanged Stephen’s glass. “Therefore, there’s really nothing to celebrate.”
They both drank. Afterwards Stephen began to tell Arthur about himself. Arthur discovered that Stephen was a computer programmer. He had come off from a bad relationship a while back and had been casually looking ever since.
Then, Arthur suddenly felt dizzy. He had a hard time focusing on Stephen’s words. He glanced at his drink and found he drank only half. By all account, he shouldn’t feel drunk yet. Warning bells rang in Arthur’s head, but it took all of his concentration to stay focused.
“I…” Arthur placed his head in his hand.
“Arthur, are you alright?” Stephen’s voice sounded far away. “You look a little pale. Maybe some fresh air might help you.”
Arthur felt dazed and was powerless as he was tugged out of his chair and out the door. By then Stephen supported him because Arthur started to have difficulty sequencing his steps. Stop, his rattled brain was saying to him.
“No,” murmured Arthur, struggling.
“There’s a love.” Stephen encouraged soothingly. “Everything’s going to be all right. We’re going back to my flat. There I’m going to show you a good time.”
Arthur squirmed, using the last of his strength to break free of Stephen’s hold. Then the support disappeared. He fell back against the wall. His legs felt like lead as he slid down the wall.
Above him, he heard shouting. Arthur forced his head up. His vision blurred but he saw Stephen struggling against another man. Arthur blinked, willing his eyes to focus.
“Bloody hell, this is none of your damn business!” exclaimed Stephen. “The man just had a few too many drinks. I’m just helping a bloke out.”
“The man said no,” stated the other man, who sounded suspiciously like Eames. He sounded enraged.
Arthur blinked again. The other man with Stephen looked like Eames, but Stephen looked like Eames as well. Arthur fumbled for his gun. He could shoot them both, then problem solved. However, Arthur had difficulty coordinating with his jacket.
Arthur’s head snapped back up when he heard a familiar click from a gun. He frowned. He hadn’t gotten his gun out, so it wasn’t him. When he blinked, he saw Eames pointing a gun at Stephen.
“Using drugs to get your rocks off is cheating,” said Eames slowly. His voice was low and deadly. “I suggest you leave before I shoot your bullocks off.”
Stephen shot a quick glance over at Arthur before cursing under his breath. He turned and ran.
Eames holstered his gun before kneeling down at Arthur’s level. “Arthur? Darling, what did you get yourself into, hmm?”
“Eames?” Arthur slurred. He thought he imagined concern coloring Eames’ expression.
“It’s me, yeah.” Eames reached and placed the palm of his hand against the side of Arthur’s face.
A small smile tugged at the corner of Arthur’s lips. He leaned into the touch, taking comfort. He would sort this out later when he could think clearly again. He meant to blink, but his eyelids felt heavy. It was too much effort to try to open his eyes again. Eames’ hand was still warm against his cheek, meaning Eames was still there. Arthur could let go.
~*~*~
Once again, Arthur woke up in another place other than his hotel room. He groaned against the pounding headache. This had better not become a routine.
“Arthur? You awake yet?’ Eames soft voice emanated from somewhere in the room.
Arthur grunted in response. He took a chance to open his eyes. The room was dimly lit, making it tolerable for Arthur to see. He shifted enough to peer over the covers to find Eames sitting in a chair not far from the bed.
“Eames?” croaked Arthur.
Eames moved out of his chair and next to Arthur. “In the flesh,” he said. His voice remained quiet. “Here, let’s get some water in you.”
With Eames’ help, Arthur sat up. He suppressed a moan as his body protested. He felt like he went several rounds in a fight. Eames offered him a glass of water, which Arthur drank gratefully.
“What happened?” Arthur’s voice was stronger.
“You were drugged and were nearly taken advantage of. Is there anything else you want to know?”
Arthur turned to look at Eames when he heard the underlying anger in his tone. Eames’ brows furrowed, and his lips morphed into an angry frown. He looked furious.
Arthur shrugged and wished his headache went away. “It wasn’t chance that you were near this bar, is it?”
“No, it wasn’t.” However angry Eames was, he kept his voice low. “You weren’t at your place, so I thought I might take a look around. Lucky for you, I was nearby to save your sorry arse.”
Did Eames want a ‘thank you?’ Well, not in this lifetime. Arthur’s brows furrowed as he tried to string his thoughts together. Damn headache. “Why were you looking for me?”
“Go back to sleep, Arthur.” Eames gently pushed Arthur back into the bed and threw the covers over his head.
Arthur struggled with the covers until he was able to glare at Eames. “This isn’t over, Eames.”
“Of course not, darling.”
Arthur shot Eames another glare, which wasn’t effective in his condition. He threw the covers over his head again and snuggled down. Eames was right. Arthur needed more sleep before he could tackle the upcoming conversation.
~*~*~
The next time Arthur awoke, he felt much better. His headache was tolerable. He removed the covers and sat up. With one glance, he found he was alone. He did, however, spot a duffle bag with fresh clean clothes. Eames must have gone to Arthur’s hotel room and packed a few things.
Arthur sighed as he glanced down at himself. His jacket was off as well as his tie. The first few buttons were unfastened. He reached for his jacket and took out his totem. Nodding at the result, Arthur got up and retrieved the duffle bag. He retreated into the master bath.
After a shower, Arthur felt infinitely better. He was ready to tackle the situation. He stepped out of the room and found Eames sitting on the couch, watching T.V.
Eames looked back over his shoulder. “Look who decided to get up. You look better, so you must be feeling better.”
Arthur crossed his arms and continued to stare at Eames. Shoving his stubbornness aside, he said, “By the way, thank you.”
Eames sighed and turned the T.V off. He smiled as he stood up from the couch to face Arthur fully. “Can I get that in writing, love? It’s not very often I get a thank you from you.”
“Not a chance,” snorted Arthur. He followed Eames into a small kitchenette where Eames poured freshly brewed coffee for Arthur.
Eames watched Arthur as he sipped his coffee. His expression was discerning. “It isn’t like you to get caught off guard so easily.”
“It was a mistake,” stated Arthur as a matter of fact.
“You don’t make those very often either.”
“I’ve been making a lot of those lately.” Arthur glanced over at Eames before quickly looking back down at his coffee. “So what were you doing looking for me?”
“Cobb called me,” began Eames. “He was awfully verbose about wanting your forgiveness. He thought he can gain it through me, the sorry sod.”
Arthur’s stomach sank, but he allowed Eames to continue.
“The bloody bastard told me to fix whatever is going on between us.” Eames chuckled. “So after I told him to piss off, I decided to find you and…I haven’t worked out what to do after I found you.”
This conversation was inevitable. “Does any of that ridiculous flirting mean anything at all?” Arthur forced himself to look at Eames in order to gage his expression.
“I believe I mentioned that I’ve never had interest in men before.” Eames kept all his emotion schooled behind a stoic façade.
“Then why lead me on?” Arthur crossed his arms, preparing for an answer he won’t like.
Eames shrugged. “It’s who I am, love. I didn’t mean for any misunderstanding.”
Arthur sighed and reached to rub his eyes. “It’s my fault for making the assumption.”
“I wouldn’t say it was all your fault, darling. I was being a prat. You’re always so uptight that I made it my personal challenge to make you flustered.” Eames pursed his lips. “We’re still good, yeah? Between us, I mean.”
Arthur’s snort became a chuckle. “Yeah, we’re good.” It really wasn’t, but what was Arthur going to do about it. Feelings that were already festering couldn’t disappear at a drop of a hat. Unfortunately, the only remedy for that was time.
“Look,” Arthur cleared his throat, “I have to go. I got a flight to catch.”
“Oh, sure.” Eames straightened and smiled.
Arthur smiled enough to show his dimple. He hoped Eames didn’t see how forced the smile appeared. He turned to head back to the room to gather the rest of his belongings. That was when Eames grabbed his arm.
Arthur had time to look down at Eames’ hand on his elbow before he was turned to face him. Eames had a strange expression that Arthur couldn’t quite decipher. He slowly backed until he was flushed against the wall.
Arthur looked into Eames’ eyes and saw uncertainty there. He could easily break free but he held his breath as he watched Eames leaning closer. Eames moved slowly, giving Arthur enough time to react if he wanted to. Arthur’s eyes widened in surprise when Eames pressed his lips to Arthur’s.
Maybe it was out of pity, or this was Eames’ testing the boundaries. Whatever the reason, this kiss was substantially better than the last one they shared. Arthur didn’t know what was going on, but he accepted the kiss. He closed his eyes and parted his lips, allowing Eames to control the kiss. He committed this kiss into memory.
Eames broke the kiss and backed away enough to drop his head onto Arthur’s shoulder. His breathing was erratic.
Arthur stood still, not daring to move a muscle as he caught his breath. “You know,” said Arthur softly. “I thought you were going to stop leading me on.”
Eames choked back his laughter. “God, I hate you.”
“If it makes you feel better, I hate you too,” Arthur breathed, feeling confused.
Eames shook. “I hate how you make me feel.”
“Excuse me?”
“I’m not supposed to feel this way.” Eames sounded distressed. “Now here you are being the adorable prick that you are, all level-headed and ready to leave me. I’m barely holding it together.”
Arthur couldn’t resist any longer. He reached up and lightly placed a hand on Eames’ shoulder. Eames wasn’t making any sense. “Eames, are you alright?” Arthur displayed his worry.
Eames shook his head on Arthur’s shoulder. “No, I’m not. I think I’ve gone around the bend.” Eames looked up suddenly with searching eyes. “I can’t stop thinking about you, Arthur,” Eames finally admitted.
It took a few seconds for Arthur to register exactly what Eames said. “But…you’re not gay” was all Arthur could say. “You admitted that to me twice now.”
“I know.” Eames laughter had an edge of hysteria. “I’ve gone utterly mad, and I blame you for kissing me that one night.”
Eames had the gall to blame Arthur. That was it. Arthur squirmed away from Eames, creating some distance. He gave Eames credit for staying where he was. “That was a mistake, and you damn well know that.”
“I know that,” stressed Eames. “But since then, I couldn’t get you out of my bleeding mind.”
“You looked at me like I was the most disgusting thing on earth,” Arthur almost shouted.
“And you look like the world just crumbled before your eyes, darling,” Eames snapped back. Then he said in a quieter tone, “That bothered me, you know. Then you didn’t show up the next day and got everyone worried, including me. I went out looking for you then. I didn’t know where to start, but I tried to find you. My blood boiled when I heard Cobb threatening you. I nearly committed murder when I saw you with that prick and what he’d done to you.”
Arthur’s hand shook as he brought it up to slick back his hair. “This is so messed up.”
Eames snorted in agreement. “Now I feel that I’ll never see you again once I let you walk out this door. That’s unacceptable.”
Unbelievable, thought Arthur. How did Eames turn this situation around to be about him? “So now what?”
“Hell should I know?” Eames’ shoulders sagged. “I’m confused. I don’t feel this way with other men - only you, Arthur. And I don’t trust myself to rightly know what I want.”
Arthur never saw Eames look so lost before. His feature softened as he stepped closer to Eames. He reached up and cupped the side of Eames’ face. Eames only blinked back, not pulling away. Arthur took a leap of faith and leaned in to kiss Eames. It was only a chaste kiss.
“Bedroom?” Arthur murmured against Eames’ lips.
Eames nodded once and sported a nervous smile.
Arthur smiled back hoping to chase away Eames’ nervousness. He took Eames by the hand and led them into the bedroom. Once there, Arthur proceeded to take his clothes off. Naked now, Arthur glanced back and found Eames ogling him. However, Eames was still fully dressed.
Arthur smirked and sauntered over to Eames. He began to kiss the side of Eames’ neck, pleased to hear a hitch in Eames’ breathing. “I promise I won’t do anything you wouldn’t like. All you have to do is tell me, and I’ll stop.”
Eames nodded as he reached out to run the palm of his hands down Arthur’s chest. He looked awed with a hint of disbelief that he was touching Arthur intimately.
Encouraged by this, Arthur worked on unfastening Eames’ pants and lowered them. He knelt and gave Eames’ cock two quick strokes before taking him into his mouth. Without warning, Arthur swallowed Eames to the hilt.
“Bloody hell, Arthur!” Eames shouted from above. His hands clawed at the back of Arthur’s head.
Arthur winced but pulled back with a playful smile on his lips. “I think you’re overdressed, Mr. Eames.”
“I think you’re right,” Eames breathed as he fumbled with his shirt.
Arthur left for the bathroom. Rooting around the cabinets until he found condoms and lubrication. He returned with Eames lying in bed looking shyly back at him. Arthur dumped the contents on the nightstand before draping himself over Eames. He kissed him, and murmured, “Now where were we?”
“You were doing wicked things with that mouth of yours, love,” said Eames huskily.
“That’s right.” Arthur pressed a kiss to Eames mouth before kissing his way down Eames’ chest and back to his arousal. Arthur wasted no time by taking Eames into his mouth again.
He enjoyed the mewing sound that came from Eames. He placed one hand on Eames’ hip while the other hand cupped his balls. Then he trailed that hand back and teased Eames’ entrance.
Arthur paused and looked up at Eames’ reaction. Eames stared back with hooded eyes. Reaching for the lubrication, Arthur dapped his finger and returned to tease Eames’ opening. He watched Eames carefully as he slowly pushed his finger in to the first knuckle.
Eames stilled. Uncertainty colored his expression. Groaning, Eames moved his hips down on Arthur’s finger. Grinning, Arthur returned his attention back to Eames’ cock. His finger searched until he found Eames’ prostate.
“Arthur!” Eames screamed as he arched his back, bucking wildly at Arthur’s assault on Eames’ prostate.
Arthur went with Eames’ movement, but he stilled Eames’ hip with a firm hand. He knew it would leave a mark.
“Arthur, Arthur, Darling,” Eames chanted. “I’m going too…fuck.”
Arthur stopped, pulling back and worked himself back up to Eames. Eames chest fell and rose as he tried to take control. One arm covered his eyes. Arthur kissed the corner of Eames’ lips as he tugged his arm away.
Eames gave Arthur a pleading look. “Arthur, please,” he growled huskily.
Arthur couldn’t suppress a shudder. He loved how Eames said his name in the heat of the moment. He splayed a hand on Eames’ chest and flicked a nipple over and over again with his thumb. “Top or bottom?”
The way Eames’ eyes widened could almost be comical if Arthur didn’t see the nervousness return. “I don’t know if I can…” Eames glanced down at Arthur’s cock. “I’ve never…”
Arthur swallowed the rest of Eames’ words in a deep kiss. Of course Eames would be uneasy. Arthur would love to slide into Eames and revel in Eames’ tight ass. However, he also didn’t want to scare the man off during his first time with a man.
“Don’t worry,” said Arthur against Eames’ lips. He retrieved the lubrication and placed a generous amount on his fingers. He then reached back and began preparing himself. He bit his lips as he stretched himself. It had been a long while since he bottomed. However, he could do this for Eames.
“Arthur,” called Eames breathlessly.
Arthur nearly laughed when he saw Eames mesmerized at what he was doing. Eames’ eyes trained on Arthur’s fingers stroking in and out of himself. “Eames,” grunted Arthur. “Do something useful and put a condom on. Don’t be stingy on the lubrication.”
Eames complied, not tearing his eyes off of Arthur for a second. Arthur smirked as he watched Eames fumble with the condom and lubrication. Once the task was done, Arthur was prepared.
He straddled Eames’ hips and leaned over. “Listen to me Eames. What I’m about to do, I don’t do very often. I need you to stay still for me and don’t thrust.”
Eames chuckled breathlessly. “You’re really a killjoy, love.” But Eames kept still.
Arthur nodded and lined Eames cock with his entrance. Slowly, Arthur began to lower himself down. He kept his eyes trained on Eames and grinned as he saw the other man’s eyes widening at the sensation. Then he saw Eames trembling as he attempted to stay still.
“God, Arthur! You’re like a vice,” hissed Eames.
Arthur’s brows furrowed in concentration as he worked his way down Eames’ cock. He raised his hip up before going down again, working around the sheer size of Eames. “Yeah,” Arthur grinded back. “Like I said, I don’t do this very often.”
Finally, Arthur was fully seated on Eames. They both let out a shaky breath. Eames reached up and wrapped his arms around Arthur and brought him down closer. He kissed him on his temple. “Love, you don’t look very comfortable.”
“It’ll get better,” promised Arthur. He rocked his hips experimentally.
Eames arched slightly and hissed, “Arthur, stop being a cock tease.”
“Alright.” Arthur set a slow pace but soon sped up. By then, Eames moved to meet his downward thrust. Arthur groaned as he angled his hip so that Eames’ thrust hit his prostate.
Arthur reached for his own arousal, only to have this hand batted away. He looked back at Eames and saw him staring heatedly back at him. Arthur smiled and allowed Eames to jerk his cock.
Both were close and didn’t last long. Arthur increased his effort and rode Eames over the edge. He soon followed with his own release. In bliss, Arthur collapsed on top of Eames.
A minute or possibly two passed before Arthur regained enough energy to move. He hissed as Eames slipped out of him. He got up off of Eames, despite his mumbled protest, and went into the bathroom. He brought back two warm washcloths and proceeded cleaning them both up. Arthur always hated sleeping on wet spots.
After tossing the cloths aside, Arthur settled back into Eames’ open arms with a sigh. His face pressed in the crook of Eames’ neck. Eames’ arm wrapped around Arthur’s shoulder. His hand carded through the back of Arthur’s hair.
“That was…” Eames paused to search for his words. “That was honestly the most fantastic, hottest sex I’ve participated in.”
Arthur snorted with disbelief. “You sure know how to flatter a man.”
“No, I don’t.”
The seriousness in Eames’ tone brought Arthur’s head up to look down on Eames.
Eames brought his hand up and stroked a finger at the worry lines between Arthur’s brows. “I don’t know how to flatter a man,” said Eames softly. “Only you Arthur.”
Arthur found himself believing Eames. It might be the postcortical bliss talking, but he thought his heart fluttered with hope. For show, he rolled his eyes in exasperation. “Still being a flirt,” he grumbled before sharing a languid kiss with Eames.
“Arthur,” murmured Eames after the kiss. “I want to try this with you. I don’t know where this will lead to, but I want to stay with you.” Eames nodded as if agreeing with something that he was warring within himself. “I want you to teach me how to love you properly.”
Arthur hummed with pleasure and relief. So, Eames finally decided. “Alright. Though it may take time and plenty of practice. You are new to this, and there is a lot to experience.”
Eames laughed and held Arthur tighter. “I think I can live with that, darling.”
Fin
Arthur woke feeling groggy, but his eyes opened fluently regardless. He stared up at a dirty ceiling with a dinky overhead fan. This was not his hotel room, concluded Arthur. The room was stuffy and smelled heavy of sex. A quick glance, Arthur realized he was naked and tangled in unfamiliar sheets. He turned his head. Surely enough he saw a man equally naked next to him.
He didn’t recall how he got there or how this particular situation happened. The first thing he needed to do once his brain registered that fact was to find his totem. He pushed the sheets away and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He quickly scanned for his jacket.
Clothes scattered everywhere in the room. Arthur carefully picked his way through until he found his jacket. Once in hand, he reached for his secret compartment for his totem.
Totem in hand, Arthur sat down on the edge of the bed. He rolled the red die on the nightstand. He blinked at the number and took the die in his hand again. He rolled and stared hard at the number.
“Fuck,” swore Arthur as he rubbed his face. This was reality.
With that established, Arthur coached himself to remain calm. Whatever happened, happened. There was no use to panic over something that couldn’t be reversed. This situation would be dealt with efficiently like everything else Arthur encountered.
Arthur noticed the familiar feeling of a hangover as he tried to piece together his memory of the last several hours. The last thing he remembered was going to a local bar after… Arthur shook his head. He didn’t want to recall the reason for going to the bar.
He remembered having a few drinks with the intension of getting plastered. His brows furrowed in thought. He thought he might have met someone to share a few drinks. There was a possibility he left with that same someone. The rest of the night was blank.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw on the ground a box of condoms. He snorted. At least they had protected sex, much to Arthur’s relief. He slouched and placed his head in both of his hands. This was not good.
He felt the bed shift behind him. Arthur bit back a groan. He didn’t remember the man’s name. He flinched when he felt a warm hand on his shoulder.
“Hey, sweetheart.” The man had a British accent.
“Don’t call me that.” Arthur turned to look over his shoulder to find the man he slept with. Shockingly, along with the British accent, he apparently looked like a poor carbon copy of Eames. The man had a surprisingly muscular upper body and full lips. Arthur deadpanned. Sometimes he thought his subconscious had a sense of humor.
“Right, you didn’t complain last night from all the pet names I gave you.” The man leaned forward to plant a kiss on Arthur’s bare shoulder.
Arthur shifted away. “I was drunk. Hell, I don’t even remember your name let alone what happened last night.”
“I can help you with that bit. My name is Stephen.” Stephen moved to sit next to Arthur. “It’s a shame you don’t remember yesterday night. You were bloody fantastic, and you have a very talented tongue that had me squirming for hours. If you would like, we can reanimate those moments. ”
Arthur stood suddenly, searching for his pants. “No. This is all a mistake.”
“Really, you were more than willing with me,” sighed Stephen. “Look, why don’t you come back to bed? We can talk about this.”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t really want to talk about this.” Arthur’s tone hitched but he didn’t care. Arthur found his pants and yanked them on. “I want to make this clear now. This can’t work.”
Stephen frowned. “But I thought we connected yesterday. No pun intended, love. Two lost souls finding one another.”
Arthur suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. He figured that he went for a romantic. “I’m sorry, but you hardly know me.”
“I know enough that you were hurting last night - that this bastard Eames doesn’t know how to cherish you like you should be.”
Arthur stomped on the rising emotion. Of course he talked when he was under the influence. “I think it’s best to forget about me.”
“That’s impossible to forget about you, darling.” Stephen leaned back in bed with a smirk and gazed back at Arthur with a heated look. “It’s meant to be that we met, love.”
Arthur schooled his feature to be expressionless. “Don’t call me that.” There wasn’t anything more he could say on this matter. He donned his jacket and left the small apartment.
He climbed down the stairs while fishing for his cell phone. He turned it on and was overwhelmed with messages and texts. The majority of the texts and messages were from Cobb and a handful from Ariadne. None of them were from Eames, not that he expected any from the forger.
He glanced at the time and realized that it was early afternoon. “Shit,” growled Arthur to himself as he reached outside.
His phone rang while it was still in his hand. The number registered as belonging to Cobb. There wasn’t any way to avoid this. Arthur answered the call.
“Where the hell are you?” snapped Cobb before Arthur brought the phone to his ear.
“I…” Arthur stepped out of the apartment complex and looked up and down the unfamiliar street. “I don’t know.”
Arthur could practically see Cobb glaring over the phone. His voice was low and seething with anger. “Get your ass back to the warehouse. Now.” Then the line went dead.
Arthur rubbed the bridge of his nose before calling for a cab. Arthur decided to go back to his hotel room first to take a shower and grab a change of clothes. He also wanted to take care of his climbing headache. Cobb couldn’t get any angrier, the least Arthur could do was be presentable when he got his ass chewed out.
When Arthur finally arrived at the warehouse, it was late afternoon. Yusuf was stepping out. He nodded at Arthur and mouthed ‘good luck.’ Arthur returned a strained smile and stepped in.
“Arthur,” cried Ariadne, coming towards him. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” said Arthur as he placed a reassuring hand on Ariadne’s shoulder.
“We were all worried when you didn’t show or answer your phone,” said Ariadne crossly. “Eames was the last to see you, and his answers were vague. God...” She slugged Arthur’s upper arm. “Don’t do that to me again.”
“I’m sorry that I worried you, Ariadne.” Arthur felt ashamed for doing that to the girl.
“Hey,” said Ariadne quietly, causing Arthur to look up. “You can talk to me if you need to.”
Arthur nodded and forced a smile. “Have you seen Eames?”
Ariande shook her head. “He left shortly after we asked if he’s seen you. He was acting strange.” Her eyes widened a margin. She pointed a finger at Arthur with accusation. “Did something happen between you and Eames?”
Thank God for small miracles when Cobb approached them. “Ariadne, can I please have a word with Arthur alone?” His voice was level, but his brows narrowed as he squinted at Arthur.
“Of course.” Ariande gave Arthur a sympathetic look before stepping out of the warehouse.
Finally alone, Arthur and Cobb stared at each other for a few seconds. Arthur waited for Cobb to start the lecture. Cobb made him wait a few more seconds.
“Care to explain?” started Cobb, crossing his arms. He stared down at Arthur.
“No, not really,” answered Arthur levelly. He knew Cobb wouldn’t push the subject.
Cobb breathed out of his nose with frustration. “God damn it, Arthur. This job is important.”
“I realize that.” Arthur carefully kept his expression neutral. The best way to handle Cobb’s anger was not to react.
“I need you to focus here. I don’t care what’s going on between you and Eames. Whatever it is, fix it and move on.”
Arthur felt a twinge in the pit of his stomach. So even Cobb knew something was going on between him and Eames. He thinned his lips but kept quiet.
“You can’t just leave to God knows where on the eve of the hit,” continued Cobb. “Do I have to make a call to our employer for extra insurance?”
Arthur’s eyes narrowed dangerously as he glared back at Cobb. “Are you threatening me?”
To the best of Arthur’s knowledge, their employer didn’t know Arthur was alive. Telling them will place Arthur on their radar and have him on the same hit list as Cobb.
“If that’s what it takes to get you to see this job through, then yes. Yes, I am.”
A dangerous tick worked on the corner of Arthur’s brow. “I understand that you want to protect your family,” Arthur grounded out, “but you better think carefully what you’re telling me.”
“Now, now gentlemen.” Eames suddenly appeared and stepped between Arthur and Cobb. Both Arthur and Cobb were so intense with each other that they didn’t realize that Eames entered the warehouse.
Arthur automatically stepped back, creating space between him and Eames. Eames appeared not to notice since he was content on staring Cobb down.
“We’re all professionals here and have been in this business for a good long while now. I think we’ve surpass the pettiness of threats here.”
Arthur was angry, but not angry enough to realize that Eames was defending him. First, Eames was being…fucking Eames. Second, Arthur woke up next a stranger who looked like Eames. Now Cobb threatened him while Eames stepped to his defense. It all came back to Eames. He took a deep breath and mentally counted to ten before he turned his back on the other two.
“You, where do you think you’re going?” Cobb called out.
“None of your damn business.” Arthur shot back as he began packing the files and his laptop. He could work just as well in his hotel room as he would here in the warehouse. He needed space - away from Cobb and away from Eames.
“Don’t worry,” said Arthur, barely containing his fury, as he stepped past Cobb and Eames. “The job will be completed on schedule.”
Eames gave him a strange look, but Arthur didn’t want to dwell on the expression for long. All he wanted was to get this job done and leave so he could lick his wounds alone.
~*~*~
The job went flawlessly to say the least. Arthur could count on one hand the amount of time that happened. If Arthur wanted to be picky, he could say they overpaid the masseuse to keep quiet. However, he wasn’t picky, not this time.
“I want to thank everyone,” announced Cobb. They were back in the warehouse, wrapping up. Cobb finished reporting to their employer. “I’ll be wiring over your share of the money over the next few days. Good work.”
A round of nods and approving noises rang around the room. Arthur snorted. He stood back away from the group. His arms crossed. He made use of his time by running though all the locations where he could lay low. He planned on disappearing. Maybe if he ran hard enough and far enough he could forget the festering feelings he had for Eames and maybe forget the revolting look Eames had when he kissed him. He tried to breathe past the tightness in his chest.
“If you have any need for another chemist,” Yusuf saluted, “give me a call. I’ll accept so long as I don’t have to enter the field.”
“Well, I hope we don’t have to do this again, right Cobb?” stated Ariadne, giving Cobb a meaningful look. “You should be with your children.”
Cobb thinned his lips and nodded. He knew as well as Arthur it was not that simple. Who knows when another unhappy client decided to seek him out? Cobb had to take certain measures to ensure that wouldn’t happen. Chances were they might be in this situation again.
“I think we make a smashing team,” stated Eames with an upbeat tone.
Arthur gritted his teeth. If Eames could pretend nothing had happened, so could he. Damn it!
The rest of the group idled and chatted. Eventually everyone filed out of the warehouse. Arthur turned his back towards them, occupied with gathering the sensitive materials and packing the PASIV away. He shot ‘goodbyes’ and lightly promised to stay in touch over his shoulder.
“Arthur,” said Cobb from behind. Arthur cursed under his breath. He knew what was coming. “I want to say sorry,” apologized Cobb. “I shouldn’t have said those things.”
Arthur agreed, but he nodded and continued snapping the case closed over the PASIV.
“Look, maybe we can grab a drink or two.” Cobb wanted to bridge the gap in their straining friendship. “We didn’t have any time to catch up during all this. You can tell me what’s going on between you and Eames. Maybe I can help or give you a few pointers.”
Arthur’s shoulder tensed. Yes, Cobb knew something was going on between him and Eames. However, like everyone else, Cobb didn’t realize the extent. Eames wasn’t gay and Arthur kissed him. God only knew what Eames must think of him now. Arthur fell for someone who was straight. Sometimes he hated his life. There were reasons why he didn’t want to share all that with Cobb.
He turned to look directly at Cobb. “I think I’ll pass having a drink with you,” said Arthur smoothly. He slung his pack over his shoulder and grabbed the silver case. “Tell your children ‘hello’ for me. Oh, one more thing. Don’t call me again, Cobb.”
That was petty of Arthur, but he didn’t care. He clung onto his anger with desperation as he left the warehouse. It was better than feeling dejection.
~*~*~
Arthur closed his laptop with a sigh. He finished booking a flight to New York. After much debate, he wanted to go home.
He checked the time and found it too early to turn in. He wasn’t in the mood of staying in his room and decided to stretch his legs.
No sooner when he stepped out of the hotel and walked a block, Arthur felt someone tailing him. Keeping casual, he walked on. He parted his jacket for easy access to his handgun.
He turned into a quieter street and quickened his pace. His tail followed suit. He went into the alleyway, pulled out the gun, and aimed.
“Hey, hey, hey, sweetheart.” Stephen, whom Arthur fell into bed with, stopped short. He held his hands up in surrender when he turned into the alleyway after Arthur. “I knew you had a wild streak, but this is a little too much, love.”
“Asshole,” snapped Arthur as he lowered the gun, but didn’t place it away yet. “What the hell are you doing following me?”
“I thought I might ask you out for a drink.” Stephen didn’t relax or let his hands down. “Um, Arthur, be a dear and put your gun away. It’s making me nervous.”
“Damn it. For the last time, don’t call me by those pathetic pet names.” Arthur placed his gun away. “How the hell did you find me anyways?”
Stephen shrugged. “I followed you after you left my apartment. I was hoping if I hung around that fancy hotel, I’d see you again.”
“I told you to forget about me, Stephen,” stressed Arthur and began walking away.
“And I told you that’s impossible.” Stephen boldly fell in step with Arthur. Not concerned that Arthur had a gun aimed at him moments ago.
“I can have you arrested for stalking me,” threatened Arthur.
“I suppose you can.” Stephen grinned. “However, I suspect that you don’t want to draw the authorities’ attention to you either, mate.” His eyes drifted toward the gun hidden in Arthur’s jacket.
Arthur hated to admit it, but Stephen was right. “What do you want?”
“All I ask is for you to have a drink with me. You know when you’re actually sober enough to remember. Who knows, maybe you’ll fall for me all over again.”
“I seriously doubt it,” said Arthur levelly.
“You never know.” Stephen’s grin widened. He looked like a cat that ate the cannery.
“And if I say ‘no’?”
“Then I’ll follow you and bat my puppy dog eyes at you until you agree.”
Arthur rolled his eyes and sighed. “You remind me of another annoying British man who flirted too damn much.”
Stephen raised a brow. “Oh, that Mr. Eames you told me about.”
Arthur paused and stared at Stephen. There shouldn’t be any harm in having a drink with the man. It wasn’t like he was going to plunge into bed with the man again. “One drink,” Arthur finally agreed.
“You won’t regret it, darling.”
Arthur let the pet name slide as he went into a contemporary bar. He was directly steered to the bar. He also allowed Stephen to order his drink. A jazz band played on stage, and the atmosphere was cozy. Arthur leaned back and tried to relax.
“Here you go.” Stephen handed Arthur his drink. “We should toast to something.”
Arthur snorted with amusement “What do you purpose we toast to?”
“To our second meeting and date, of course.”
“You know this isn’t coincidental,” said Arthur, but he reached over and clanged Stephen’s glass. “Therefore, there’s really nothing to celebrate.”
They both drank. Afterwards Stephen began to tell Arthur about himself. Arthur discovered that Stephen was a computer programmer. He had come off from a bad relationship a while back and had been casually looking ever since.
Then, Arthur suddenly felt dizzy. He had a hard time focusing on Stephen’s words. He glanced at his drink and found he drank only half. By all account, he shouldn’t feel drunk yet. Warning bells rang in Arthur’s head, but it took all of his concentration to stay focused.
“I…” Arthur placed his head in his hand.
“Arthur, are you alright?” Stephen’s voice sounded far away. “You look a little pale. Maybe some fresh air might help you.”
Arthur felt dazed and was powerless as he was tugged out of his chair and out the door. By then Stephen supported him because Arthur started to have difficulty sequencing his steps. Stop, his rattled brain was saying to him.
“No,” murmured Arthur, struggling.
“There’s a love.” Stephen encouraged soothingly. “Everything’s going to be all right. We’re going back to my flat. There I’m going to show you a good time.”
Arthur squirmed, using the last of his strength to break free of Stephen’s hold. Then the support disappeared. He fell back against the wall. His legs felt like lead as he slid down the wall.
Above him, he heard shouting. Arthur forced his head up. His vision blurred but he saw Stephen struggling against another man. Arthur blinked, willing his eyes to focus.
“Bloody hell, this is none of your damn business!” exclaimed Stephen. “The man just had a few too many drinks. I’m just helping a bloke out.”
“The man said no,” stated the other man, who sounded suspiciously like Eames. He sounded enraged.
Arthur blinked again. The other man with Stephen looked like Eames, but Stephen looked like Eames as well. Arthur fumbled for his gun. He could shoot them both, then problem solved. However, Arthur had difficulty coordinating with his jacket.
Arthur’s head snapped back up when he heard a familiar click from a gun. He frowned. He hadn’t gotten his gun out, so it wasn’t him. When he blinked, he saw Eames pointing a gun at Stephen.
“Using drugs to get your rocks off is cheating,” said Eames slowly. His voice was low and deadly. “I suggest you leave before I shoot your bullocks off.”
Stephen shot a quick glance over at Arthur before cursing under his breath. He turned and ran.
Eames holstered his gun before kneeling down at Arthur’s level. “Arthur? Darling, what did you get yourself into, hmm?”
“Eames?” Arthur slurred. He thought he imagined concern coloring Eames’ expression.
“It’s me, yeah.” Eames reached and placed the palm of his hand against the side of Arthur’s face.
A small smile tugged at the corner of Arthur’s lips. He leaned into the touch, taking comfort. He would sort this out later when he could think clearly again. He meant to blink, but his eyelids felt heavy. It was too much effort to try to open his eyes again. Eames’ hand was still warm against his cheek, meaning Eames was still there. Arthur could let go.
~*~*~
Once again, Arthur woke up in another place other than his hotel room. He groaned against the pounding headache. This had better not become a routine.
“Arthur? You awake yet?’ Eames soft voice emanated from somewhere in the room.
Arthur grunted in response. He took a chance to open his eyes. The room was dimly lit, making it tolerable for Arthur to see. He shifted enough to peer over the covers to find Eames sitting in a chair not far from the bed.
“Eames?” croaked Arthur.
Eames moved out of his chair and next to Arthur. “In the flesh,” he said. His voice remained quiet. “Here, let’s get some water in you.”
With Eames’ help, Arthur sat up. He suppressed a moan as his body protested. He felt like he went several rounds in a fight. Eames offered him a glass of water, which Arthur drank gratefully.
“What happened?” Arthur’s voice was stronger.
“You were drugged and were nearly taken advantage of. Is there anything else you want to know?”
Arthur turned to look at Eames when he heard the underlying anger in his tone. Eames’ brows furrowed, and his lips morphed into an angry frown. He looked furious.
Arthur shrugged and wished his headache went away. “It wasn’t chance that you were near this bar, is it?”
“No, it wasn’t.” However angry Eames was, he kept his voice low. “You weren’t at your place, so I thought I might take a look around. Lucky for you, I was nearby to save your sorry arse.”
Did Eames want a ‘thank you?’ Well, not in this lifetime. Arthur’s brows furrowed as he tried to string his thoughts together. Damn headache. “Why were you looking for me?”
“Go back to sleep, Arthur.” Eames gently pushed Arthur back into the bed and threw the covers over his head.
Arthur struggled with the covers until he was able to glare at Eames. “This isn’t over, Eames.”
“Of course not, darling.”
Arthur shot Eames another glare, which wasn’t effective in his condition. He threw the covers over his head again and snuggled down. Eames was right. Arthur needed more sleep before he could tackle the upcoming conversation.
~*~*~
The next time Arthur awoke, he felt much better. His headache was tolerable. He removed the covers and sat up. With one glance, he found he was alone. He did, however, spot a duffle bag with fresh clean clothes. Eames must have gone to Arthur’s hotel room and packed a few things.
Arthur sighed as he glanced down at himself. His jacket was off as well as his tie. The first few buttons were unfastened. He reached for his jacket and took out his totem. Nodding at the result, Arthur got up and retrieved the duffle bag. He retreated into the master bath.
After a shower, Arthur felt infinitely better. He was ready to tackle the situation. He stepped out of the room and found Eames sitting on the couch, watching T.V.
Eames looked back over his shoulder. “Look who decided to get up. You look better, so you must be feeling better.”
Arthur crossed his arms and continued to stare at Eames. Shoving his stubbornness aside, he said, “By the way, thank you.”
Eames sighed and turned the T.V off. He smiled as he stood up from the couch to face Arthur fully. “Can I get that in writing, love? It’s not very often I get a thank you from you.”
“Not a chance,” snorted Arthur. He followed Eames into a small kitchenette where Eames poured freshly brewed coffee for Arthur.
Eames watched Arthur as he sipped his coffee. His expression was discerning. “It isn’t like you to get caught off guard so easily.”
“It was a mistake,” stated Arthur as a matter of fact.
“You don’t make those very often either.”
“I’ve been making a lot of those lately.” Arthur glanced over at Eames before quickly looking back down at his coffee. “So what were you doing looking for me?”
“Cobb called me,” began Eames. “He was awfully verbose about wanting your forgiveness. He thought he can gain it through me, the sorry sod.”
Arthur’s stomach sank, but he allowed Eames to continue.
“The bloody bastard told me to fix whatever is going on between us.” Eames chuckled. “So after I told him to piss off, I decided to find you and…I haven’t worked out what to do after I found you.”
This conversation was inevitable. “Does any of that ridiculous flirting mean anything at all?” Arthur forced himself to look at Eames in order to gage his expression.
“I believe I mentioned that I’ve never had interest in men before.” Eames kept all his emotion schooled behind a stoic façade.
“Then why lead me on?” Arthur crossed his arms, preparing for an answer he won’t like.
Eames shrugged. “It’s who I am, love. I didn’t mean for any misunderstanding.”
Arthur sighed and reached to rub his eyes. “It’s my fault for making the assumption.”
“I wouldn’t say it was all your fault, darling. I was being a prat. You’re always so uptight that I made it my personal challenge to make you flustered.” Eames pursed his lips. “We’re still good, yeah? Between us, I mean.”
Arthur’s snort became a chuckle. “Yeah, we’re good.” It really wasn’t, but what was Arthur going to do about it. Feelings that were already festering couldn’t disappear at a drop of a hat. Unfortunately, the only remedy for that was time.
“Look,” Arthur cleared his throat, “I have to go. I got a flight to catch.”
“Oh, sure.” Eames straightened and smiled.
Arthur smiled enough to show his dimple. He hoped Eames didn’t see how forced the smile appeared. He turned to head back to the room to gather the rest of his belongings. That was when Eames grabbed his arm.
Arthur had time to look down at Eames’ hand on his elbow before he was turned to face him. Eames had a strange expression that Arthur couldn’t quite decipher. He slowly backed until he was flushed against the wall.
Arthur looked into Eames’ eyes and saw uncertainty there. He could easily break free but he held his breath as he watched Eames leaning closer. Eames moved slowly, giving Arthur enough time to react if he wanted to. Arthur’s eyes widened in surprise when Eames pressed his lips to Arthur’s.
Maybe it was out of pity, or this was Eames’ testing the boundaries. Whatever the reason, this kiss was substantially better than the last one they shared. Arthur didn’t know what was going on, but he accepted the kiss. He closed his eyes and parted his lips, allowing Eames to control the kiss. He committed this kiss into memory.
Eames broke the kiss and backed away enough to drop his head onto Arthur’s shoulder. His breathing was erratic.
Arthur stood still, not daring to move a muscle as he caught his breath. “You know,” said Arthur softly. “I thought you were going to stop leading me on.”
Eames choked back his laughter. “God, I hate you.”
“If it makes you feel better, I hate you too,” Arthur breathed, feeling confused.
Eames shook. “I hate how you make me feel.”
“Excuse me?”
“I’m not supposed to feel this way.” Eames sounded distressed. “Now here you are being the adorable prick that you are, all level-headed and ready to leave me. I’m barely holding it together.”
Arthur couldn’t resist any longer. He reached up and lightly placed a hand on Eames’ shoulder. Eames wasn’t making any sense. “Eames, are you alright?” Arthur displayed his worry.
Eames shook his head on Arthur’s shoulder. “No, I’m not. I think I’ve gone around the bend.” Eames looked up suddenly with searching eyes. “I can’t stop thinking about you, Arthur,” Eames finally admitted.
It took a few seconds for Arthur to register exactly what Eames said. “But…you’re not gay” was all Arthur could say. “You admitted that to me twice now.”
“I know.” Eames laughter had an edge of hysteria. “I’ve gone utterly mad, and I blame you for kissing me that one night.”
Eames had the gall to blame Arthur. That was it. Arthur squirmed away from Eames, creating some distance. He gave Eames credit for staying where he was. “That was a mistake, and you damn well know that.”
“I know that,” stressed Eames. “But since then, I couldn’t get you out of my bleeding mind.”
“You looked at me like I was the most disgusting thing on earth,” Arthur almost shouted.
“And you look like the world just crumbled before your eyes, darling,” Eames snapped back. Then he said in a quieter tone, “That bothered me, you know. Then you didn’t show up the next day and got everyone worried, including me. I went out looking for you then. I didn’t know where to start, but I tried to find you. My blood boiled when I heard Cobb threatening you. I nearly committed murder when I saw you with that prick and what he’d done to you.”
Arthur’s hand shook as he brought it up to slick back his hair. “This is so messed up.”
Eames snorted in agreement. “Now I feel that I’ll never see you again once I let you walk out this door. That’s unacceptable.”
Unbelievable, thought Arthur. How did Eames turn this situation around to be about him? “So now what?”
“Hell should I know?” Eames’ shoulders sagged. “I’m confused. I don’t feel this way with other men - only you, Arthur. And I don’t trust myself to rightly know what I want.”
Arthur never saw Eames look so lost before. His feature softened as he stepped closer to Eames. He reached up and cupped the side of Eames’ face. Eames only blinked back, not pulling away. Arthur took a leap of faith and leaned in to kiss Eames. It was only a chaste kiss.
“Bedroom?” Arthur murmured against Eames’ lips.
Eames nodded once and sported a nervous smile.
Arthur smiled back hoping to chase away Eames’ nervousness. He took Eames by the hand and led them into the bedroom. Once there, Arthur proceeded to take his clothes off. Naked now, Arthur glanced back and found Eames ogling him. However, Eames was still fully dressed.
Arthur smirked and sauntered over to Eames. He began to kiss the side of Eames’ neck, pleased to hear a hitch in Eames’ breathing. “I promise I won’t do anything you wouldn’t like. All you have to do is tell me, and I’ll stop.”
Eames nodded as he reached out to run the palm of his hands down Arthur’s chest. He looked awed with a hint of disbelief that he was touching Arthur intimately.
Encouraged by this, Arthur worked on unfastening Eames’ pants and lowered them. He knelt and gave Eames’ cock two quick strokes before taking him into his mouth. Without warning, Arthur swallowed Eames to the hilt.
“Bloody hell, Arthur!” Eames shouted from above. His hands clawed at the back of Arthur’s head.
Arthur winced but pulled back with a playful smile on his lips. “I think you’re overdressed, Mr. Eames.”
“I think you’re right,” Eames breathed as he fumbled with his shirt.
Arthur left for the bathroom. Rooting around the cabinets until he found condoms and lubrication. He returned with Eames lying in bed looking shyly back at him. Arthur dumped the contents on the nightstand before draping himself over Eames. He kissed him, and murmured, “Now where were we?”
“You were doing wicked things with that mouth of yours, love,” said Eames huskily.
“That’s right.” Arthur pressed a kiss to Eames mouth before kissing his way down Eames’ chest and back to his arousal. Arthur wasted no time by taking Eames into his mouth again.
He enjoyed the mewing sound that came from Eames. He placed one hand on Eames’ hip while the other hand cupped his balls. Then he trailed that hand back and teased Eames’ entrance.
Arthur paused and looked up at Eames’ reaction. Eames stared back with hooded eyes. Reaching for the lubrication, Arthur dapped his finger and returned to tease Eames’ opening. He watched Eames carefully as he slowly pushed his finger in to the first knuckle.
Eames stilled. Uncertainty colored his expression. Groaning, Eames moved his hips down on Arthur’s finger. Grinning, Arthur returned his attention back to Eames’ cock. His finger searched until he found Eames’ prostate.
“Arthur!” Eames screamed as he arched his back, bucking wildly at Arthur’s assault on Eames’ prostate.
Arthur went with Eames’ movement, but he stilled Eames’ hip with a firm hand. He knew it would leave a mark.
“Arthur, Arthur, Darling,” Eames chanted. “I’m going too…fuck.”
Arthur stopped, pulling back and worked himself back up to Eames. Eames chest fell and rose as he tried to take control. One arm covered his eyes. Arthur kissed the corner of Eames’ lips as he tugged his arm away.
Eames gave Arthur a pleading look. “Arthur, please,” he growled huskily.
Arthur couldn’t suppress a shudder. He loved how Eames said his name in the heat of the moment. He splayed a hand on Eames’ chest and flicked a nipple over and over again with his thumb. “Top or bottom?”
The way Eames’ eyes widened could almost be comical if Arthur didn’t see the nervousness return. “I don’t know if I can…” Eames glanced down at Arthur’s cock. “I’ve never…”
Arthur swallowed the rest of Eames’ words in a deep kiss. Of course Eames would be uneasy. Arthur would love to slide into Eames and revel in Eames’ tight ass. However, he also didn’t want to scare the man off during his first time with a man.
“Don’t worry,” said Arthur against Eames’ lips. He retrieved the lubrication and placed a generous amount on his fingers. He then reached back and began preparing himself. He bit his lips as he stretched himself. It had been a long while since he bottomed. However, he could do this for Eames.
“Arthur,” called Eames breathlessly.
Arthur nearly laughed when he saw Eames mesmerized at what he was doing. Eames’ eyes trained on Arthur’s fingers stroking in and out of himself. “Eames,” grunted Arthur. “Do something useful and put a condom on. Don’t be stingy on the lubrication.”
Eames complied, not tearing his eyes off of Arthur for a second. Arthur smirked as he watched Eames fumble with the condom and lubrication. Once the task was done, Arthur was prepared.
He straddled Eames’ hips and leaned over. “Listen to me Eames. What I’m about to do, I don’t do very often. I need you to stay still for me and don’t thrust.”
Eames chuckled breathlessly. “You’re really a killjoy, love.” But Eames kept still.
Arthur nodded and lined Eames cock with his entrance. Slowly, Arthur began to lower himself down. He kept his eyes trained on Eames and grinned as he saw the other man’s eyes widening at the sensation. Then he saw Eames trembling as he attempted to stay still.
“God, Arthur! You’re like a vice,” hissed Eames.
Arthur’s brows furrowed in concentration as he worked his way down Eames’ cock. He raised his hip up before going down again, working around the sheer size of Eames. “Yeah,” Arthur grinded back. “Like I said, I don’t do this very often.”
Finally, Arthur was fully seated on Eames. They both let out a shaky breath. Eames reached up and wrapped his arms around Arthur and brought him down closer. He kissed him on his temple. “Love, you don’t look very comfortable.”
“It’ll get better,” promised Arthur. He rocked his hips experimentally.
Eames arched slightly and hissed, “Arthur, stop being a cock tease.”
“Alright.” Arthur set a slow pace but soon sped up. By then, Eames moved to meet his downward thrust. Arthur groaned as he angled his hip so that Eames’ thrust hit his prostate.
Arthur reached for his own arousal, only to have this hand batted away. He looked back at Eames and saw him staring heatedly back at him. Arthur smiled and allowed Eames to jerk his cock.
Both were close and didn’t last long. Arthur increased his effort and rode Eames over the edge. He soon followed with his own release. In bliss, Arthur collapsed on top of Eames.
A minute or possibly two passed before Arthur regained enough energy to move. He hissed as Eames slipped out of him. He got up off of Eames, despite his mumbled protest, and went into the bathroom. He brought back two warm washcloths and proceeded cleaning them both up. Arthur always hated sleeping on wet spots.
After tossing the cloths aside, Arthur settled back into Eames’ open arms with a sigh. His face pressed in the crook of Eames’ neck. Eames’ arm wrapped around Arthur’s shoulder. His hand carded through the back of Arthur’s hair.
“That was…” Eames paused to search for his words. “That was honestly the most fantastic, hottest sex I’ve participated in.”
Arthur snorted with disbelief. “You sure know how to flatter a man.”
“No, I don’t.”
The seriousness in Eames’ tone brought Arthur’s head up to look down on Eames.
Eames brought his hand up and stroked a finger at the worry lines between Arthur’s brows. “I don’t know how to flatter a man,” said Eames softly. “Only you Arthur.”
Arthur found himself believing Eames. It might be the postcortical bliss talking, but he thought his heart fluttered with hope. For show, he rolled his eyes in exasperation. “Still being a flirt,” he grumbled before sharing a languid kiss with Eames.
“Arthur,” murmured Eames after the kiss. “I want to try this with you. I don’t know where this will lead to, but I want to stay with you.” Eames nodded as if agreeing with something that he was warring within himself. “I want you to teach me how to love you properly.”
Arthur hummed with pleasure and relief. So, Eames finally decided. “Alright. Though it may take time and plenty of practice. You are new to this, and there is a lot to experience.”
Eames laughed and held Arthur tighter. “I think I can live with that, darling.”
Fin