The alter ego Neil - 4/9
Title - The alter ego Neil - 4/9
Author - sid_vicious_03
Rating - NC17
Pairings - Eames/Arthur, Arthur/OC
Word count - 3 816
Warnings - In this chapter, cursing, sex, prostitution, crossover to Mysterious skin unbetad.
Disclaimers - I don’t own Inception or any of the characters, sadly, but i do own the story.
Notes - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
Summary - There is Arthur, Arthur comes in two ways. Work Arthur, always perfect, organized, knows what to say and what to do and has perfect control over everything. That was the Arthur Eames fell in love with. Then, he discovered that Arthur is only work Arthur during work. In private he is this entirely different person. Cold Arthur, the real Arthur, dubbed Neil.
~*~
‘’Topeka?’’ Arthur asked, almost disbelieving Cobb, it was the last place on earth he wanted to be and Cobb wanted to send him to Topeka for a job? Just because he didn’t work with any other point man so that was why he was forcing him to Topeka?
Even if Arthur could back out, that was how he saw it. He couldn’t say no to Cobb, if Cobb wanted to go to Topeka for a job then he would have to go, no matter what he thought. His mind would scream no but his lips and tongue would form a yes. He glanced quickly at Eames, who was leaning his head into his head as he looked to Cobb, looking as if he was stuck in a deep thought. He couldn’t afford him noticing and Arthur prayed to god that he was as professional as he was trained to be.
‘’You want us to go with you to Kansas for a job?’’ Arthur asked again, slower, on a calmer tone and watched Cobb nod. Arthur swallowed and looked down to the contents of his water glass. Clear water, he almost had hoped it was vodka. His gut was starting to turn around and he had a funny feeling in his chest. And the funny feeling didn’t feel good, just damn uncomfortable.
Cobb nodded. Damn him and his nod, damn him and that stupid glint in his eyes whenever he believed in him, damn him and that stupid halfhearted grin. Arthur sighed, trying to control himself and drank some water, hoping that it would wash away that weird feeling.
‘’It is a simple job, it’s just that the… mark. Is rather tricky.’’ Cobb said and leaned back in his chair, gesturing some with his hands. Ignoring James scream from the living room which Eames couldn’t help but react to.
‘’Tricky?’’ Arthur said then and leaned a bit closer, now holding his glass with both hands. ‘’In what way tricky Dom?’’ Arthur said on a threatening tone. He might not be able to say no but he damn well could use that tone towards him. He wasn’t going to believe anything Cobb said over a job, no matter how easy it was, how possible it was, especially not after Inception when Mal dashed around everywhere and nowhere.
Cobb chuckled, Arthur could see and feel that it was a nervous reaction, even if Eames was blind to it. ‘’If the job is so easy.’’ Eames said and looked back to Cobb from Fluff who had pinned James down on the floor in some game. He shifted his arm so it laid down on the table. ‘’Then why do you need me? No job is easy if it requires a forger.’’
Cobb chuckled again, now being so obvious with his nervosity that even Eames couldn’t miss it. ‘’The mark is delusional, half of the time he believes he is some rock star by the name of Nicholas Scott. I’m going to need you to forge both the mark, and the delusional side in order for the extraction to go somewhat smoothly.’’
‘’Somewhat smoothly? You’re not doing good on the sales talk Dom.’’ Arthur said and tilted his head just lightly to the side. If he got it right, then Cobb ought to crack under his stare.
‘’Well, we don’t know if he’s going to switch to the delusional version of himself during the dream, that’s the catch, the same goes for his projections’’ Cobb said and shifted in his chair, looking at both of his kids in order to get away from looking Arthur in his eyes.
‘’So you’re asking us to go down in a mentally unstable persons mind?’’ Eames asked, drawing small circles with his finger in the air, Cobb nodded and Eames sighed heavily, then leaned back in his chest and sighed heavily. ‘’It’s been a while since I’ve done that, and forging a rockstar should be fun, and a challenge to since he isn’t real.’’ Eames said and looked to Arthur, grinning. ‘’What do you say darling?’’
Arthur sighed and rubbed his face. He couldn’t say no to both Cobb and Eames, this was just getting worse and worse. And Kansas, he never wanted to see that place ever again. ‘’Fine.’’ Arthur said and removed his hand. Just because they were going to Topeka didn’t mean they would be going to that place.
Eames gave out a cheer of joy and raised his hand to high five Cobb, who didn’t get the message and just looked to Eames as if he was stupid. That made him smile weakly though, especially when Eames retreated his hand with a sheepish look on his face.
~*~
When Cobb had told them about the job being in Kansas, Eames wanted to kiss him. In his mind only, he would never actually go through with it. It was a three hour drive away from Hutchinson and Eames was sure he could get away for a day in order to ‘’collect some information’’ on the mark.
He could leave early in the morning and be back by the evening. It was practically perfect for him. With that though in his head Eames couldn’t help but hum to one of his favorite songs as he carelessly tossed one shirt after the other down in his suitcase. Unlike Arthur he never bothered folding them, no matter how any times the other would say that he could fit so much more in his suitcase if he actually did fold them.
As Eames put his hand down in the side pocket to check if he had his passport there, he bumped his hand against something else instead. Causing him to grab the bundle of paper and unfold it. Frowning slightly when he saw the bright blue text at the top.
The flying man.
Eames had to think for a few seconds why he would ever carry a comic in his bag, he had never liked them after all. Then he saw the name of the creator. Oliver Caine. Right, Eames remembered him. He flattened the comic and flipped it open. He had never read it after he had bought it, he had forgotten it completely. He tossed it into his suitcase, deciding that he could bring it on the trip anyway.
He grabbed his phone, now when he had Oliver on his mind he might as well notify him that he was going to visit Hutchinson to see where Arthur really came from.
‘Going to Kansas with Arthur for a job, planning a trip to Hutchinson, thought you might want to know. Eames.’
Eames didn’t expect an answer from Oliver, considering that Oliver was five hours behind Eames on time. He did however expect an answer when he was trying to fall asleep in the middle of the night. He hoped that it wouldn’t be the case. Then he wouldn’t have to explain it all to Arthur, because he would ask, he was confident in the matter and Eames didn’t want to risk it, maybe he should shut of his phone.
But despite all the theories he had, his phone did buzz on the bed.
‘Cool, keep me updated on what you find!’
Eames chuckled some at the reply, but didn’t bother to say something in return to him. It would just be a waste of money and more texts for Arthur to trace, because if he ever realized Eames was up to this? Then Eames would get in real trouble.
~*~
‘’We are leaving early tomorrow, so don’t drink too much.’’ Arthur said and looked down in the pot on the stove. Whatever Arthur was trying to make, Eames could smell from the other side of the room that it was burning.
‘’Why not? I opened the bottle didn’t I? Better finish it so it doesn’t go to waste.’’ Eames said, grabbing his glass of red wine and looked at it. It was his favorite wine, and it wasn’t that often that he allowed himself to drink it. Just when Arthur was cooking, then he at least had one good thing for dinner.
‘’Because I will have to wake you up in the morning and that’s impossible when you’ve been drinking the night before. Pour it out or something.’’ Arthur said, gesturing some with his hands as he kept all of his attention to the content of the pot.
‘’You know, it’s not forbidden to help me out with the bottle.’’ Eames suggested and leaned his head into his hand, raising his eyebrows and put his glass back to his lips to sip some more from it. Arthur just looked over his shoulder to glare at Eames, then he focused back on the sauce.
‘’Don’t be stupid, you know I get headaches from white wine.’’ Arthur growled, making Fluff, Eames dog peak his ears and look to him from the floor, but he never moved. Eames put his glass down and swallowed.
‘’You know, most people get headaches from drinking red wine, not white wine.’’ Eames teased him, smirking contently to himself and then leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest.
‘’I’m not like most people.’’ Arthur countered and Eames rolled his eyes. He absolutely hadn’t gotten the opportunity to notice that really. Sure, some people liked mocking others, but Arthur had turned it into a freaking sport.
‘’I’ve noticed that.’’ Eames hummed and looked down to his glass as he spun it around on the table, slowly, so he wouldn’t spill the wine. ‘’Arthur?’’ Eames asked after a few silent seconds and looked up again to him. Grabbing himself by his collar to shape up.
‘’Mm?’’ Arthur hummed, now occupied with his phone. Ever since Eames had showed him that he could read his email on it Arthur had loved his phone like a mother loved her child or like how Eames loved his dog. It was almost a bit fun to watch.
‘’My mom wants to meet you.’’ Eames lied. His mother wasn’t even aware of Arthur’s existence. But he figured he could say that considering that if she really did know about Arthur, she would want to meet him in a heartbeat. And now he was just curious to see if Arthur would allow him to meet his own parents.
Arthur had tensed up for a few seconds, then he relaxed again and regained his regular proud posture. Eames loved when Arthur held it, he looked so powerful and confident. And with the clothes he wore now it didn’t get any worse. One o his many shirts, top few buttons undone and sleeves rolled up, shirt almost entirely wrinkled. Arthur looked newly fucked which wasn’t the truth. The sad truth was that he just had been working an entire day.
‘’Oh really?.’’ Arthur said, and the tone of his voice made it sound so dry, as if he really didn’t care. He tried to swallow without Eames noticing it, except that Eames did notice it. ‘’And your dad? Pissed that you turned out to be a poof?’’
Eames rolled his eyes to that and emptied his glass of wine, the more reason to pour himself another glass and get more liquid courage. ‘’Come on now.’’ Eames started with and took the bottle. ‘’You know my dad has been dead for nearly twenty five years, I doubt he has much to say about the matter.’’ Eames said and finished pouring out the wine, putting down the bottle again. Arthur shrugged and looked away.
‘’Would you meet her?’’ Eames asked carefully, Arthur looked back to him and Eames had a bit of difficulties with deciding what emotion there was in Arthur’s eyes. if there even was one now. His eyes just looked like black pits. ‘’My mum, if I set up a meeting?’’ Eames added and Eames could see how Arthur just grew more and more uncomfortable in the matter. Shifting around, fidgety, eventually Arthur raised his shoulders.
‘’I don’t do meet the parents.’’ He said simply and looked into Eames eyes, who honestly felt a bit disappointed by the answer, and Arthur seemed to notice this. ‘’But set up a meeting if you like, I can’t promise anything.’’ Arthur added, but his voice was cold and had returned to the other version of him, which Eames had gotten the habit of calling Neil by now thanks to Oliver.
Eames smiled widely, now he just needed his mom to follow his lies, but that wouldn’t be that hard. ‘’She’ll be delighted to hear that.’’ He said and looked down to his glass, now he just needed the timed pause before he continued. ‘’Where is your mum?’’ Eames asked and picked up his glass again to drink.
‘’Unavailable.’’ Arthur said, saying it so quickly and so well rehearsed that Eames doubted his answer. It sounded as if Arthur had said that to everybody he had met, training it in so well while he was closing his closet permanently.
‘‘Do I get to meet your parents?’’ Eames asked, even if his mother was unavailable, there was always a chance that there was a father he could meet instead. Somehow Eames did have trouble with imagining Arthur with parents in general.
Arthur’s reaction was a lot rougher then Eames had originally expected. He slammed down both of his hands on the counter, phone cracking under the pressure and Eames flinch back from surprise, spilling some of his wine. Fluff, who had been laying down on Arthur’s side of the counter jumped up and looked to him, then ran over to Eames side, nudging his right leg with his snout.
‘’My dad left me and my mom in a shitass town on our own to handle. She started fucking random guys as she liked everywhere she saw fir and where she thought I couldn’t see her. Places like against my swing set. She smoked like the devil which gave her lung cancer which also eventually killed her. When I said she was unavailable I meant it so drop the fucking questions alright!’’ Arthur snapped loudly, shoulders shaking lightly.
Eames hadn’t expected an answer like that, nor had he expected Arthur to react like he did, and honestly he was at loss of words now. He couldn’t even figure out if Arthur wanted to be comforted or not.
‘’I’m sorry.’’ Eames said on a low tone, fully ignoring Fluff who now quite literally was whining for attention and comfort, but he couldn’t bring himself to look at the dog. Arthur’s shoulders relaxed again and he went back to his previous posture.
‘’Just don’t ask anything about them.’’ Arthur muttered. Then left the kitchen without a word, leaving Eames in charge of the food.
~*~
Arthur was dead tired, getting up early in the morning and not having slept well through the night because a certain someone had decided to finish the white wine bottle. Eames had been snoring all night, shifting, stealing the sheets and hell even kicking in his sleep.
And the question about his mom didn’t exactly make him feel calmer. It had made him feel sick for the rest of the evening, and the knowledge that they were actually going to Kansas made him throw up twice during the night from the crawling anxiety under his skin.
He had lied to Eames, she wasn’t unavailable, she wasn’t even sick but she did smoke. That part was true. And if she had known about Eames she would probably love to meet him as well. But he had never brought anybody home that he had dated. Off far too many reasons. He didn’t want anybody that was to good for him come to Hutchinson. That close to what he had buried in a coffin 6 feet under the ground. It was so much easier to run from it then to bury It actually, he had done a lousy job on it.
Arthur got out of the cab as it stopped, directly heading for the trunk to take out both of their luggage as Eames paid the driver. Being back into his suit, his hair slicked back and with his harsh routines, felt sort of comforting. Yet he still had a feeling as if there was a leech living in his stomach, sipping away on all his confidence. It was a sick and twisting feeling, the same one he had during the night, making him look pale in the morning with bags under his eyes as he checked himself in the mirror. His hands were shaking lightly, yet closing his hands seemed to help against the tremors.
‘’Are you okay darling?’’ Eames asked all of a sudden. Arthur felt his hand trace up the small of his back and god how he just wanted to slap it away as it sent spiders up his back. Or at least it felt like that. Yet the idea that it was Eames hand, and not someone else was just slightly comforting.
‘’Yeah, I’m fine.’’ Arthur said and straightened his back, deciding to change his posture and go through the day professionally, like he would have done a year ago. ‘’Let’s go.’’ He grabbed his own bag and entered the airport, Eames a meter or two behind him.
Practically the first thing he saw when he entered the airport was Cobb along with James and Phillipa, waiting for them to arrive and Christ. He couldn’t have been much older than James when it had happened. Eight years, give or take a month or two.
‘’You made it.’’ Cobb said, grinning widely as Phillipa yawned, also pulling the girl closer to his side. Ever since they actually had pulled of Inception, the relation between Cobb and his kids had improved immense, the relationship with his mother in-law however wasn’t so good any longer.
Eames directly started doing what he was best at and started small talking with Cobb, making Arthur happy he didn’t have to do so. Instead he just picked at a loose thread by his jacket. Then he looked to James who had decided that the world around him was boring and sat down on the white floor, reading a comic book of Spiderman now.
‘’I would like to fetch some magazines for the light, want to join me baby?’’ Eames said, and Arthur actually did hear it. He just didn’t connect that it actually was directed towards him. ‘’Arthur?’’ Eames said and gave him a light push, which made Arthur wake up from the somewhat daydream.
‘’Yeah sure.’’ Arthur said after a second of thinking, figuring out what Eames really said. He let go of his luggage and gave Cobb a gaze to make sure he’d watch it, then he followed Eames into the magazine shop. He didn’t pay any attention to anything Eames said, it wasn’t of any importance anyway, Arthur could hear that on the tone of his voice.
He would allow his mind to remain on other tracks, back in the past and back at his coach. And for the first time he actually got sick of the thought. Otherwise he had only accepted it or even got off on the memories. But now he just wanted to find the closest corner, strip out of all his clothes and just cry. Like he had done after that time it went wrong with the coke-head. Which surprisingly, had felt remarkably good after words.
‘’Are you alright?’’ Eames asked, making Arthur look up from the floor and to Eames who held a couple of magazines in his hands, most of them where about cars. ‘’You seem like you’re not feeling that well.’’
‘’I’m okay.’’ Arthur said and raised his shoulders, then moved closer to Eames, hiding in the curve of his neck and slid both of his hands inside Eames jacket until he held him all around. ‘’I just don’t want to go to Kansas.’’ Arthur confessed, closing his eyes as he felt Eames fingers in his neck and hair, the other powerful arm around his back.
‘’Why not?’’ Eames asked then, trying to look at Arthur who kept hiding away. And for a second Arthur was actually considering to tell Eames everything.
‘’I just don’t want to.’’ Arthur eventually mumbled. Actually finding it quite enjoyable that Eames held him like this, without any form of sexual undertone into it all.
‘’Let’s get going, before Cobb looses the will to wait.’’ Eames said after a while. Arthur let go of Eames, but for the first time in their relationship Arthur was the one who took Eames hand. Otherwise it had always been Eames who took Arthur’s hand, and then Arthur had broken the contact just seconds later, but now he really wanted to hold his.
Arthur actually listened to Eames with his rambling about everything and nothing as he paid for the magazines he had picked out, all the way to the security check where he all of a sudden got the urge to tell Eames that he loved him. He hadn’t said those words to anybody else besides his mom and his coach.
‘’Eames?’’ Arthur asked, just to have Eames look at him while he removed his belt in order to get past the security check. Arthur himself was pulling of his shoes. ‘’I…’’ But then Arthur regretted himself, he probably would make such a fool about himself. ‘’Nothing.’’ Arthur murmured and placed both of his shoes in the grey box.
He did get a kiss from Eames before he went through the metal detector, which went off for him due a spike Eames had in his shoulder. Arthur passed by smoothly, as did the others except James, who got caught with a soda bottle in his bag and almost directly started to beg a new one from Cobb.
They went for a sandwich, which they had to stress down as the plane started boarding earlier than expected. Cobb got a row halfway through the plane with James and Phillipa, leaving Arthur with Eames seven rows behind them which suited Arthur perfectly, especially when they were alone on a three seat row.
The take off wasn’t one of the smoothest ones that Arthur had experienced, but it got them where they were supposed to be. Up in the sky. Once the seat belt sigh had switched off, Eames pulled up one of the many car magazines and started reading it. Arthur tried to get some sleep, but eventually he couldn’t keep it up any longer.
He loosened his seatbelt, pulled of his shoes again and ignored all of Eames ‘what are you doing’, he lifted up the armrest that separated him from Eames and slid under Eames arm.
‘’Arthur?’’ Eames asked, sounding a bit worried and all the focus of his magazine now while Arthur got comfortable and closed his eyes.
‘’Just hold me.’’ Arthur had answered simply, feeling how Eames arms tightened around him.
~*~
Thanks for reading! More will be up very soon, sorry for the late update, life got in the way but I'm all yours now ^^
Author - sid_vicious_03
Rating - NC17
Pairings - Eames/Arthur, Arthur/OC
Word count - 3 816
Warnings - In this chapter, cursing, sex, prostitution, crossover to Mysterious skin unbetad.
Disclaimers - I don’t own Inception or any of the characters, sadly, but i do own the story.
Notes - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
Summary - There is Arthur, Arthur comes in two ways. Work Arthur, always perfect, organized, knows what to say and what to do and has perfect control over everything. That was the Arthur Eames fell in love with. Then, he discovered that Arthur is only work Arthur during work. In private he is this entirely different person. Cold Arthur, the real Arthur, dubbed Neil.
~*~
‘’Topeka?’’ Arthur asked, almost disbelieving Cobb, it was the last place on earth he wanted to be and Cobb wanted to send him to Topeka for a job? Just because he didn’t work with any other point man so that was why he was forcing him to Topeka?
Even if Arthur could back out, that was how he saw it. He couldn’t say no to Cobb, if Cobb wanted to go to Topeka for a job then he would have to go, no matter what he thought. His mind would scream no but his lips and tongue would form a yes. He glanced quickly at Eames, who was leaning his head into his head as he looked to Cobb, looking as if he was stuck in a deep thought. He couldn’t afford him noticing and Arthur prayed to god that he was as professional as he was trained to be.
‘’You want us to go with you to Kansas for a job?’’ Arthur asked again, slower, on a calmer tone and watched Cobb nod. Arthur swallowed and looked down to the contents of his water glass. Clear water, he almost had hoped it was vodka. His gut was starting to turn around and he had a funny feeling in his chest. And the funny feeling didn’t feel good, just damn uncomfortable.
Cobb nodded. Damn him and his nod, damn him and that stupid glint in his eyes whenever he believed in him, damn him and that stupid halfhearted grin. Arthur sighed, trying to control himself and drank some water, hoping that it would wash away that weird feeling.
‘’It is a simple job, it’s just that the… mark. Is rather tricky.’’ Cobb said and leaned back in his chair, gesturing some with his hands. Ignoring James scream from the living room which Eames couldn’t help but react to.
‘’Tricky?’’ Arthur said then and leaned a bit closer, now holding his glass with both hands. ‘’In what way tricky Dom?’’ Arthur said on a threatening tone. He might not be able to say no but he damn well could use that tone towards him. He wasn’t going to believe anything Cobb said over a job, no matter how easy it was, how possible it was, especially not after Inception when Mal dashed around everywhere and nowhere.
Cobb chuckled, Arthur could see and feel that it was a nervous reaction, even if Eames was blind to it. ‘’If the job is so easy.’’ Eames said and looked back to Cobb from Fluff who had pinned James down on the floor in some game. He shifted his arm so it laid down on the table. ‘’Then why do you need me? No job is easy if it requires a forger.’’
Cobb chuckled again, now being so obvious with his nervosity that even Eames couldn’t miss it. ‘’The mark is delusional, half of the time he believes he is some rock star by the name of Nicholas Scott. I’m going to need you to forge both the mark, and the delusional side in order for the extraction to go somewhat smoothly.’’
‘’Somewhat smoothly? You’re not doing good on the sales talk Dom.’’ Arthur said and tilted his head just lightly to the side. If he got it right, then Cobb ought to crack under his stare.
‘’Well, we don’t know if he’s going to switch to the delusional version of himself during the dream, that’s the catch, the same goes for his projections’’ Cobb said and shifted in his chair, looking at both of his kids in order to get away from looking Arthur in his eyes.
‘’So you’re asking us to go down in a mentally unstable persons mind?’’ Eames asked, drawing small circles with his finger in the air, Cobb nodded and Eames sighed heavily, then leaned back in his chest and sighed heavily. ‘’It’s been a while since I’ve done that, and forging a rockstar should be fun, and a challenge to since he isn’t real.’’ Eames said and looked to Arthur, grinning. ‘’What do you say darling?’’
Arthur sighed and rubbed his face. He couldn’t say no to both Cobb and Eames, this was just getting worse and worse. And Kansas, he never wanted to see that place ever again. ‘’Fine.’’ Arthur said and removed his hand. Just because they were going to Topeka didn’t mean they would be going to that place.
Eames gave out a cheer of joy and raised his hand to high five Cobb, who didn’t get the message and just looked to Eames as if he was stupid. That made him smile weakly though, especially when Eames retreated his hand with a sheepish look on his face.
~*~
When Cobb had told them about the job being in Kansas, Eames wanted to kiss him. In his mind only, he would never actually go through with it. It was a three hour drive away from Hutchinson and Eames was sure he could get away for a day in order to ‘’collect some information’’ on the mark.
He could leave early in the morning and be back by the evening. It was practically perfect for him. With that though in his head Eames couldn’t help but hum to one of his favorite songs as he carelessly tossed one shirt after the other down in his suitcase. Unlike Arthur he never bothered folding them, no matter how any times the other would say that he could fit so much more in his suitcase if he actually did fold them.
As Eames put his hand down in the side pocket to check if he had his passport there, he bumped his hand against something else instead. Causing him to grab the bundle of paper and unfold it. Frowning slightly when he saw the bright blue text at the top.
The flying man.
Eames had to think for a few seconds why he would ever carry a comic in his bag, he had never liked them after all. Then he saw the name of the creator. Oliver Caine. Right, Eames remembered him. He flattened the comic and flipped it open. He had never read it after he had bought it, he had forgotten it completely. He tossed it into his suitcase, deciding that he could bring it on the trip anyway.
He grabbed his phone, now when he had Oliver on his mind he might as well notify him that he was going to visit Hutchinson to see where Arthur really came from.
‘Going to Kansas with Arthur for a job, planning a trip to Hutchinson, thought you might want to know. Eames.’
Eames didn’t expect an answer from Oliver, considering that Oliver was five hours behind Eames on time. He did however expect an answer when he was trying to fall asleep in the middle of the night. He hoped that it wouldn’t be the case. Then he wouldn’t have to explain it all to Arthur, because he would ask, he was confident in the matter and Eames didn’t want to risk it, maybe he should shut of his phone.
But despite all the theories he had, his phone did buzz on the bed.
‘Cool, keep me updated on what you find!’
Eames chuckled some at the reply, but didn’t bother to say something in return to him. It would just be a waste of money and more texts for Arthur to trace, because if he ever realized Eames was up to this? Then Eames would get in real trouble.
~*~
‘’We are leaving early tomorrow, so don’t drink too much.’’ Arthur said and looked down in the pot on the stove. Whatever Arthur was trying to make, Eames could smell from the other side of the room that it was burning.
‘’Why not? I opened the bottle didn’t I? Better finish it so it doesn’t go to waste.’’ Eames said, grabbing his glass of red wine and looked at it. It was his favorite wine, and it wasn’t that often that he allowed himself to drink it. Just when Arthur was cooking, then he at least had one good thing for dinner.
‘’Because I will have to wake you up in the morning and that’s impossible when you’ve been drinking the night before. Pour it out or something.’’ Arthur said, gesturing some with his hands as he kept all of his attention to the content of the pot.
‘’You know, it’s not forbidden to help me out with the bottle.’’ Eames suggested and leaned his head into his hand, raising his eyebrows and put his glass back to his lips to sip some more from it. Arthur just looked over his shoulder to glare at Eames, then he focused back on the sauce.
‘’Don’t be stupid, you know I get headaches from white wine.’’ Arthur growled, making Fluff, Eames dog peak his ears and look to him from the floor, but he never moved. Eames put his glass down and swallowed.
‘’You know, most people get headaches from drinking red wine, not white wine.’’ Eames teased him, smirking contently to himself and then leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest.
‘’I’m not like most people.’’ Arthur countered and Eames rolled his eyes. He absolutely hadn’t gotten the opportunity to notice that really. Sure, some people liked mocking others, but Arthur had turned it into a freaking sport.
‘’I’ve noticed that.’’ Eames hummed and looked down to his glass as he spun it around on the table, slowly, so he wouldn’t spill the wine. ‘’Arthur?’’ Eames asked after a few silent seconds and looked up again to him. Grabbing himself by his collar to shape up.
‘’Mm?’’ Arthur hummed, now occupied with his phone. Ever since Eames had showed him that he could read his email on it Arthur had loved his phone like a mother loved her child or like how Eames loved his dog. It was almost a bit fun to watch.
‘’My mom wants to meet you.’’ Eames lied. His mother wasn’t even aware of Arthur’s existence. But he figured he could say that considering that if she really did know about Arthur, she would want to meet him in a heartbeat. And now he was just curious to see if Arthur would allow him to meet his own parents.
Arthur had tensed up for a few seconds, then he relaxed again and regained his regular proud posture. Eames loved when Arthur held it, he looked so powerful and confident. And with the clothes he wore now it didn’t get any worse. One o his many shirts, top few buttons undone and sleeves rolled up, shirt almost entirely wrinkled. Arthur looked newly fucked which wasn’t the truth. The sad truth was that he just had been working an entire day.
‘’Oh really?.’’ Arthur said, and the tone of his voice made it sound so dry, as if he really didn’t care. He tried to swallow without Eames noticing it, except that Eames did notice it. ‘’And your dad? Pissed that you turned out to be a poof?’’
Eames rolled his eyes to that and emptied his glass of wine, the more reason to pour himself another glass and get more liquid courage. ‘’Come on now.’’ Eames started with and took the bottle. ‘’You know my dad has been dead for nearly twenty five years, I doubt he has much to say about the matter.’’ Eames said and finished pouring out the wine, putting down the bottle again. Arthur shrugged and looked away.
‘’Would you meet her?’’ Eames asked carefully, Arthur looked back to him and Eames had a bit of difficulties with deciding what emotion there was in Arthur’s eyes. if there even was one now. His eyes just looked like black pits. ‘’My mum, if I set up a meeting?’’ Eames added and Eames could see how Arthur just grew more and more uncomfortable in the matter. Shifting around, fidgety, eventually Arthur raised his shoulders.
‘’I don’t do meet the parents.’’ He said simply and looked into Eames eyes, who honestly felt a bit disappointed by the answer, and Arthur seemed to notice this. ‘’But set up a meeting if you like, I can’t promise anything.’’ Arthur added, but his voice was cold and had returned to the other version of him, which Eames had gotten the habit of calling Neil by now thanks to Oliver.
Eames smiled widely, now he just needed his mom to follow his lies, but that wouldn’t be that hard. ‘’She’ll be delighted to hear that.’’ He said and looked down to his glass, now he just needed the timed pause before he continued. ‘’Where is your mum?’’ Eames asked and picked up his glass again to drink.
‘’Unavailable.’’ Arthur said, saying it so quickly and so well rehearsed that Eames doubted his answer. It sounded as if Arthur had said that to everybody he had met, training it in so well while he was closing his closet permanently.
‘‘Do I get to meet your parents?’’ Eames asked, even if his mother was unavailable, there was always a chance that there was a father he could meet instead. Somehow Eames did have trouble with imagining Arthur with parents in general.
Arthur’s reaction was a lot rougher then Eames had originally expected. He slammed down both of his hands on the counter, phone cracking under the pressure and Eames flinch back from surprise, spilling some of his wine. Fluff, who had been laying down on Arthur’s side of the counter jumped up and looked to him, then ran over to Eames side, nudging his right leg with his snout.
‘’My dad left me and my mom in a shitass town on our own to handle. She started fucking random guys as she liked everywhere she saw fir and where she thought I couldn’t see her. Places like against my swing set. She smoked like the devil which gave her lung cancer which also eventually killed her. When I said she was unavailable I meant it so drop the fucking questions alright!’’ Arthur snapped loudly, shoulders shaking lightly.
Eames hadn’t expected an answer like that, nor had he expected Arthur to react like he did, and honestly he was at loss of words now. He couldn’t even figure out if Arthur wanted to be comforted or not.
‘’I’m sorry.’’ Eames said on a low tone, fully ignoring Fluff who now quite literally was whining for attention and comfort, but he couldn’t bring himself to look at the dog. Arthur’s shoulders relaxed again and he went back to his previous posture.
‘’Just don’t ask anything about them.’’ Arthur muttered. Then left the kitchen without a word, leaving Eames in charge of the food.
~*~
Arthur was dead tired, getting up early in the morning and not having slept well through the night because a certain someone had decided to finish the white wine bottle. Eames had been snoring all night, shifting, stealing the sheets and hell even kicking in his sleep.
And the question about his mom didn’t exactly make him feel calmer. It had made him feel sick for the rest of the evening, and the knowledge that they were actually going to Kansas made him throw up twice during the night from the crawling anxiety under his skin.
He had lied to Eames, she wasn’t unavailable, she wasn’t even sick but she did smoke. That part was true. And if she had known about Eames she would probably love to meet him as well. But he had never brought anybody home that he had dated. Off far too many reasons. He didn’t want anybody that was to good for him come to Hutchinson. That close to what he had buried in a coffin 6 feet under the ground. It was so much easier to run from it then to bury It actually, he had done a lousy job on it.
Arthur got out of the cab as it stopped, directly heading for the trunk to take out both of their luggage as Eames paid the driver. Being back into his suit, his hair slicked back and with his harsh routines, felt sort of comforting. Yet he still had a feeling as if there was a leech living in his stomach, sipping away on all his confidence. It was a sick and twisting feeling, the same one he had during the night, making him look pale in the morning with bags under his eyes as he checked himself in the mirror. His hands were shaking lightly, yet closing his hands seemed to help against the tremors.
‘’Are you okay darling?’’ Eames asked all of a sudden. Arthur felt his hand trace up the small of his back and god how he just wanted to slap it away as it sent spiders up his back. Or at least it felt like that. Yet the idea that it was Eames hand, and not someone else was just slightly comforting.
‘’Yeah, I’m fine.’’ Arthur said and straightened his back, deciding to change his posture and go through the day professionally, like he would have done a year ago. ‘’Let’s go.’’ He grabbed his own bag and entered the airport, Eames a meter or two behind him.
Practically the first thing he saw when he entered the airport was Cobb along with James and Phillipa, waiting for them to arrive and Christ. He couldn’t have been much older than James when it had happened. Eight years, give or take a month or two.
‘’You made it.’’ Cobb said, grinning widely as Phillipa yawned, also pulling the girl closer to his side. Ever since they actually had pulled of Inception, the relation between Cobb and his kids had improved immense, the relationship with his mother in-law however wasn’t so good any longer.
Eames directly started doing what he was best at and started small talking with Cobb, making Arthur happy he didn’t have to do so. Instead he just picked at a loose thread by his jacket. Then he looked to James who had decided that the world around him was boring and sat down on the white floor, reading a comic book of Spiderman now.
‘’I would like to fetch some magazines for the light, want to join me baby?’’ Eames said, and Arthur actually did hear it. He just didn’t connect that it actually was directed towards him. ‘’Arthur?’’ Eames said and gave him a light push, which made Arthur wake up from the somewhat daydream.
‘’Yeah sure.’’ Arthur said after a second of thinking, figuring out what Eames really said. He let go of his luggage and gave Cobb a gaze to make sure he’d watch it, then he followed Eames into the magazine shop. He didn’t pay any attention to anything Eames said, it wasn’t of any importance anyway, Arthur could hear that on the tone of his voice.
He would allow his mind to remain on other tracks, back in the past and back at his coach. And for the first time he actually got sick of the thought. Otherwise he had only accepted it or even got off on the memories. But now he just wanted to find the closest corner, strip out of all his clothes and just cry. Like he had done after that time it went wrong with the coke-head. Which surprisingly, had felt remarkably good after words.
‘’Are you alright?’’ Eames asked, making Arthur look up from the floor and to Eames who held a couple of magazines in his hands, most of them where about cars. ‘’You seem like you’re not feeling that well.’’
‘’I’m okay.’’ Arthur said and raised his shoulders, then moved closer to Eames, hiding in the curve of his neck and slid both of his hands inside Eames jacket until he held him all around. ‘’I just don’t want to go to Kansas.’’ Arthur confessed, closing his eyes as he felt Eames fingers in his neck and hair, the other powerful arm around his back.
‘’Why not?’’ Eames asked then, trying to look at Arthur who kept hiding away. And for a second Arthur was actually considering to tell Eames everything.
‘’I just don’t want to.’’ Arthur eventually mumbled. Actually finding it quite enjoyable that Eames held him like this, without any form of sexual undertone into it all.
‘’Let’s get going, before Cobb looses the will to wait.’’ Eames said after a while. Arthur let go of Eames, but for the first time in their relationship Arthur was the one who took Eames hand. Otherwise it had always been Eames who took Arthur’s hand, and then Arthur had broken the contact just seconds later, but now he really wanted to hold his.
Arthur actually listened to Eames with his rambling about everything and nothing as he paid for the magazines he had picked out, all the way to the security check where he all of a sudden got the urge to tell Eames that he loved him. He hadn’t said those words to anybody else besides his mom and his coach.
‘’Eames?’’ Arthur asked, just to have Eames look at him while he removed his belt in order to get past the security check. Arthur himself was pulling of his shoes. ‘’I…’’ But then Arthur regretted himself, he probably would make such a fool about himself. ‘’Nothing.’’ Arthur murmured and placed both of his shoes in the grey box.
He did get a kiss from Eames before he went through the metal detector, which went off for him due a spike Eames had in his shoulder. Arthur passed by smoothly, as did the others except James, who got caught with a soda bottle in his bag and almost directly started to beg a new one from Cobb.
They went for a sandwich, which they had to stress down as the plane started boarding earlier than expected. Cobb got a row halfway through the plane with James and Phillipa, leaving Arthur with Eames seven rows behind them which suited Arthur perfectly, especially when they were alone on a three seat row.
The take off wasn’t one of the smoothest ones that Arthur had experienced, but it got them where they were supposed to be. Up in the sky. Once the seat belt sigh had switched off, Eames pulled up one of the many car magazines and started reading it. Arthur tried to get some sleep, but eventually he couldn’t keep it up any longer.
He loosened his seatbelt, pulled of his shoes again and ignored all of Eames ‘what are you doing’, he lifted up the armrest that separated him from Eames and slid under Eames arm.
‘’Arthur?’’ Eames asked, sounding a bit worried and all the focus of his magazine now while Arthur got comfortable and closed his eyes.
‘’Just hold me.’’ Arthur had answered simply, feeling how Eames arms tightened around him.
~*~
Thanks for reading! More will be up very soon, sorry for the late update, life got in the way but I'm all yours now ^^