FIC: INCEPTION: I'm standing for everything (can you hear me?) Arthur/Eames
Title: I'm standing for everything (can you hear me?)
Word count: 4, 329
Rating: PG-13
Pairings: Arthur/Eames
Prompt: Here
Summary: AU. Arthur is Ariadne’s protective older brother. They’re orphan and Arthur’s the one who single-handedly raised Ariadne from when their parents died ten years ago. Ariadne thinks nothing is wrong in their happy, normal, calm life. Disregarding their distant twice removed cousin Mal hovering over them like an angry mother bear every time she visits. That is until the charming British exchange student comes to her and declares he wants to get into her brother’s pants (he doesn’t believe Arthur is practically ten years older than him). Ariadne is horrified.
Author Note: Okay, so just I don't even know what happened with this. I'm just going about my own business writing out this prompt and this...thing appears before me. IT JUST STARTED TO WRITE ITSELF. So I hope that means this will be good and that the OP likes this. Anyway, this has not been beta read, so any glaring errors are completely my own. And sorry if the ending seems incomplete, I had a hard time figuring out how I wanted it to end, so I ended it where I did for the sake of my sanity. BECAUSE THIS DAMN PROMPT HAD TO TAKE OVER MY LIFE THE PAST FEW DAYS. So please, enjoy. :)
It was the simplest things in life that pleased Arthur. That fact seemed to surprise those who took the time to get to know him. Many thought that because of his sharp suites and job as a lawyer he liked expensive things and was high maintenance. This was actually not true at all. All anyone had to do was ask his sister, Ariadne and she’d tell them straight. Then again, not many people were close enough to him to ask her.
So, as he came home from a rather grueling day in court he could smell the sweet scent of dinner being made. A small smile made its way onto his face and he set down his briefcase on a chair in the living room. Casually he walked toward the kitchen, the smell of dinner became stronger, and Arthur’s stomach growled harshly as result. Good thing Ariadne didn’t hear it; otherwise she would’ve had a fit over him not eating lunch, again.
When Ariadne caught sight of him she smiled as he entered the kitchen, “Ah you’re home before midnight! Did something go wrong? You didn’t get fired did you?”
“Of course I didn’t get fired,” Arthur said with a roll of his eyes, “Court got out early today that’s all.”
Ariadne’s face clouded with a bit of worry at his statement, since whenever court got out earlier it meant either two things, his case went well or his case was going to shit.
Soft, “It’s nothing I can’t turn around Aria.”
And there is no more talk of it, simply because Ariadne knows Arthur won’t tell her anymore and simply because she doesn’t want to know how bad this case was. There was no talk about how Arthur seemed to be losing more cases than winning them because the reality of what could happen if that was true was not something either of them wanted to get into.
Instead Ariadne finished up dinner, grabbed two plates down from the cupboard and set them on the dinning room table. Arthur smiled up at her and helped her bring dinner out to the table. Sometimes Ariadne found it comical that just the two of them ate dinner at the table, but Arthur seemed to think it was something that families had to do. Despite the fact that their parents were dead.
Still Ariadne found it sweet when it came down to it, because after all Arthur gave up his “glory” days to raise his little sister instead. Somehow he had managed to pass the BAR exam, let alone go to college during all of this. Ariadne remembered when she was younger, nine or ten; she thought Arthur was secretly a superhero because of everything he did to make sure she never ended up in state foster care.
“So,” Arthur said once they were situated, “you’re day went alright?” Then took a bite of her hamburger helper and sighed happily.
Bemused, “Really Arthur you should eat properly more often. Sometimes I feel like the older sibling here!” And Ariadne had purely meant it as a joke, but when Arthur stiffened slightly at her words she immediately felt bad for what she said.
“Arthur, you know I didn’t mean -“
Tiredly, “I know. Just, fuck, I’m really tired. You know how sensitive I get when I don’t sleep.”
And oh did Ariadne know that statement to be true. For the last ten years she’d seen her brother work himself almost to death just so he could get this great job as a lawyer and be able to support her, them, without any strain.
“Then go to bed early tonight. Really Arthur you’re sleeping patterns aren’t healthy at all.” She said after a few bites of food.
Arthur just sighed and ran a hand over his face, messing up his hair in the process. “I can’t, I have to do some background research on this new witness the other guy is bringing in. I don’t want any surprises tomorrow.”
Gentle, “You won’t do any good in court tomorrow if you can hardly stand up straight because you’re so damn tired.”
This was an argument she and Arthur had been in many times before, ever since she reached fifteen years old and understood what Arthur did to himself.
“I won’t do any good in court tomorrow if I’m not prepared,” Arthur snapped then sighed, “You know what my job is like, and I don’t see why we keep having this argument.”
Ariadne huffed with annoyance, but let it go when she looked up at Arthur, “It’s because I care Arthur. I hate seeing you so tired and like you’re on death’s door all the time. It scares me. You’re going to end up in a hospital one day.”
The rest of dinner passed in easy conversation, because while it bothered her Arthur ran himself ragged, she knew that Arthur didn’t do it solely for himself. She knew that it was a lot for her.
When dinner was done and Arthur excused himself to his office as he passed her he placed his customary kiss on top of her head before rinsing his plate off and going up the stairs. And as Ariadne stood in the kitchen and finished off the dishes she was just happy that Arthur made it home before eleven like he usually did when he had big cases like he did now.
--
“No.”
Ariadne rolled her yes at Arthur’s immediate and harsh response to her “innocent” question, she placed her hands on her hips and cocked her head slightly to the side before she finally spoke, “Arthur, honestly it’s just a small tattoo! No one will see it, it’s just going to go right behind my ear and -“
“Ariadne I said no. You’re too young for one.” Arthur replied with steel eyes.
He had just gotten out of court for a recess and decided to take her out for lunch which Ariadne had to admit, was pretty awesome for a Monday.
Ariadne crossed her arms and a pout formed on her face. Unfortunately for her Arthur seemed completely unfazed by it.
With much amusement, “Ariadne that stopped working on me when you hit thirteen. Now honestly stop your pouting and enjoy your nice warm soup on this very cold day.” And as if to prove a point Arthur took a sip of his own soup and sighed in delight as its warmth slid down his throat and settled in his stomach.
Ariadne just rolled her eyes again, “Honestly Arthur, I don’t need your permission, I am eighteen you know.”
Horrified, “Good God I know. Terrifies me still after all these months.”
“Arthur!”
All he did was laugh at her. To which Ariadne just crossed her arms and huffed once more.
“Oh come on Aria I’m just kidding. I’m not terribly terrified; just a little that’s all.” Arthur ratified and graced her with one of his rare, genuine smiles.
She just rolled her eyes for the third time since the conversation began, but she smiled too, wide and happy. “I still want a tattoo.”
“Not happening.” Arthur replied, and shoved some soup into his mouth to signal the end of that conversation.
Ariadne just continued to smile, she would win eventually.
--
Arthur won his case. And as per usual they went out to a nice dinner to celebrate. They went to Olive Garden because it was their favorite place to go on nights like these. Ariadne loved nights like this because it seemed that Arthur was actually the twenty-eight year old he really was.
“So anything new at school come up?” Arthur asked, after of course he devoured one of the poor breadsticks that the waitress had placed on the table.
Ariadne had naturally watched Arthur with amusement the whole time. “Yeah actually. We have this foreign exchange student from England that started Monday. And of course every girl in school won’t stop swooning over him.” She rolled her eyes for a dramatic effect.
In turn, Arthur rolled his own and set down his glass of coke, “Aren’t accents suppose to be sexy,” he placed an emphasis on ‘sexy’ like he tried to be hip about it, “to high school girls?”
“First, please never say sexy like that every again.” Ariadne said, “And second, they are sexy but those girls don’t have to swoon over him like they’re desperate whores.”
Arthur nearly choked on his drink, which caused Ariadne to raise her eye brows in curiosity. Once he was done hacking for air Arthur shook his head, “Really, one day all those names you call those girls will come and bite you in the ass.”
Ariadne rolled her eyes characteristically and took a sip of her own drink, “I only speak the truth Arthur and you know it.”
She was met with silence and smiled at her little victory.
--
Somehow Ariadne got stuck being lab partners in her physics class with the foreign exchange, alright fine, Eames. She pointedly ignored all the glares she received as she sat down next to him at one of the lab stations in the room.
Eames didn’t seem all too pleased he got stuck with her for his lab partner and didn’t even say hello to her, probably figured she would swoon over him and try to get him to go out with her.
As usual, Ariadne rolled her eyes, “Really, I’m not going to hit on you. You aren’t my type anyway. So can we please at least be civil enough to communicate and get an A for this lab?”
Eames stared at her for a moment before he broke out into a wide grin, “I most certainly can be civil with you. My apologies for assuming you were like all the other girls.”
In return all Ariadne did was shrug and began to read the instructions for their lab, “It was a perfectly logical assumption after your week with the pleasant girls at this school.”
“Still,” Eames said and began to organize their supplies, “It was very rude of me, my mother would be appalled at my behavior towards you.” But he didn’t really sound like he could give a rats ass about his mother’s thoughts on his behavior.
Ariadne couldn’t help but snort at that comment, “She sounds like my brother Arthur. I’m sure if he could just follow me around at school he’d scowl at me and say I really should talk more like the young lady I am.”
And it seemed like she and Eames worked almost perfectly together as partners, easily keeping up their conversation and calculating the right angle for their sling-shot thingy.
“I’m going to guess Arthur is older than you? If he is younger than you though, I’m truly sorry for that.” Eames said with much amusement.
Also with much amusement, “No he is my older brother. And he isn’t that bad. He just has his moments.”
“Oh love, I’m sorry you’re in such denial.” Eames said jokingly as he finished up the last calculations. “It’ll get better.”
--
That one lab seemed to have sparked a rather endearing friendship between her and Eames. One that was completely unexpected. Since after all Ariadne hadn’t even planned to speak to Eames, yet they were at lunch and acted like complete goof balls just because they could.
“Ariadne, really we must do something about all these girls. They are beginning to grate on my nerves.” Eames said lightly, yet Ariadne could detect the soft undertone of an evil master mind.
What had she gotten herself into?
She just grinned in reply, “We really must. What do you propose we do then?”
Eames just continued to grin and turned to look at her, “What I have in mind is definitely not to be discussed here at school. Don’t want anyone overhearing you see. Mind if I pop over to your place after school?”
“Hmm, I don’t see why not,” Ariadne said as she popped a fry into her mouth and chewed it, “And even if Arthur comes home early from work, or on time rather, he’ll be okay with it.”
“Excellent, I’ll be over around three then.” Eames said and got up to go back to class (because Eames liked to “use the restroom” and crash here nice peaceful lunch).
As he walked away, that swag of his walk screamed cocky, Ariadne called out, “Eames, I thought you liked all the attention though?”
He turned around, walking backward then, and continued to just grin deviously, “Oh I did, but things can be fun only for so long.” He called back and then was gone in the crowd.
Ariadne shook her head then turned to finish her lunch, all the while wondering what could be so bad that Eames couldn’t tell her his plan at school.
--
She could see why.
“You want me to what?” Ariadne screeched as she pulled down some oreo cookies from the pantry. “Eames that’ll be counter productive, they already hate me just for being friends with you!”
Eames quirked an eyebrow at that statement, “Since when have you cared what they think of you?”
“I…I don’t! Just, god Eames I can be surprised you know.” Ariadne floundered and shoved some cookies into his hand. “Jesus Christ, how on earth do you think that’ll get the girls off your back?”
Just as Eames was about to open his mouth and reply the door opened and Ariadne whirled around to see Arthur come home. Her brow creased with concern and curiosity as Arthur set his things down and loosened his tie. Eames just watched with pure curiosity and something else Ariadne couldn’t place when she glanced back at him.
When Arthur finally looked up to find her he let shock pass over his features briefly when he saw Eames standing next to her, but of course he blanketed his emotions carefully behind a mask. “Ariadne, who is this?”
Okay so Ariadne shouldn’t be upset at Arthur for frankly being a rude asshole since she did let Eames inside without even telling him, but she still bristled at his tone and glared at him, “He is my friend Arthur, and he is also the foreign exchange student I told you about last week.” When Arthur just continued to stare at her expectantly she rolled her eyes quickly before, “Eames this is my brother Arthur, Arthur this is my friend Eames.”
Ariadne had to stress the word ‘friend’ simply because she knew Arthur and knew that he had of course jumped to conclusions and assumed Eames was her boyfriend. Which was comical really because he was, well he was Eames. Still Arthur seemed unconvinced by this.
Eames surprised them both when he grinned widely, walked up to Arthur, and held out his hand, “Pleasure to meet you Arthur.”
Ariadne could have sworn Eames practically purred that greeting.
“Wish I could say the same for you.” Arthur said and retracted his hand as soon as it was acceptable.
“Arthur don’t be an ass!” Ariadne shouted, but to her surprise she heard Eames laugh it all off.
Cheerily, “I’ll have to change that then.”
In a tone only a lawyer could pull off, “I’d like to see that happen.”
Ariadne just groaned and went about making an early dinner since Arthur had arrived home, “You both drive me insane.” She muttered as she grabbed pots down.
Eames found her exasperation amusing, “Oh come off your high horse darling we aren’t that bad.”
“I care to disagree.”
- -
Much to Ariadne’s surprise Arthur let Eames stay over, especially after Arthur hovered over the pair of them the entire time she made dinner and Eames helped. All through dinner Arthur was like a block of ice toward Eames and Ariadne found it extremely grating.
Although, she really should have expected this, every time Arthur was introduced to her friends who happened to be boys he turned this way. Ariadne even suspected he was this way with everyone that wasn’t her. No wonder he didn’t have any friends.
Shortly after Eames left, but Ariadne could see the devious glint in his eyes and as she hugged him goodbye he whispered in her ear, “Call me later. I have a new plan.”
Then he left, his hips swayed with that cocky walk of his and Ariadne just sighed and rolled her eyes. When she turned around to head back inside from the porch Arthur stood in the doorway and she jumped back a little, “Jesus Arthur! You about gave me a heart attack.”
His face was carefully blank, but each step Eames took away from her and Arthur the more Arthur’s little façade cracked and she could see that he was a little angry. This caused her to be angry as well. “Eames is just a friend Arthur. Get it out of your head that he’s my boyfriend or secret lover or whatever please.” And she pushed her way past him to go inside.
All he did was follow her, “You can’t just have boys over when I’m not home Ariadne, it’s not proper. Just imagine what the neighbors must think!” Arthur finally managed as she started to clean the dishes.
Angrily, “Well Arthur I could honestly care less what Mrs. What’s-her-face thinks of me.” In the process of her statement Ariadne almost broke the plate she put away.
She hated it when she and Arthur got into fights like these. When he got overprotective of her and her image, she didn’t need it. Maybe when she was younger but she was old enough to defend her own honor if she wanted to.
Arthur breathed out and when Ariadne glanced at him she saw him pinch the bridge of his nose, “You should care. Life is what people think of you and their impressions can make you or break you. And having a boy over in the middle of the day when I’m not home is bad for your reputation!”
The thing about Ariadne was this: When she got angry, really angry, she said things she really didn’t mean and her filter was completely gone. So when she said, “You’re not dad Arthur it’s not your job, just leave me alone!” she really didn’t mean it.
And if she wasn’t so angry, Arthur’s crestfallen face would have made her stop, apologize and tell him she didn’t mean it. But she was still angry so she just stomped up to her room and didn’t realize the gravity of what she said until fifteen minutes later. By then Arthur had locked himself away in his office.
--
Ariadne was in a sour mood the next day so when she saw Eames she immediately said, “I am not in the mood for scheming today Eames.”
Confused, “Why not? I mean my idea is brilliant, I need to tell someone!”
When she just glowered at him, Eames face grew concerned and he sat next to her at one of the tables in the cafeteria, “What happened?”
She was so surprised that Eames could actually sound that compassionate Ariadne found herself spilling her issues onto him before she could stop, “Arthur and I got into a fight last night and I said something I shouldn’t have.”
“What did you say?” Eames pried, and usually Ariadne would have been annoyed with this but found she wasn’t, “Did I do something wrong?”
The way he posed his last question made Ariadne look at him weirdly as she tried to detect what else he could possibly mean by that, instead she continued, “No it wasn’t anything you did. And I’d rather not repeat what I said, it was stupid and immature.”
Eames seemed to be relieved and both more worried at her statement, “Alright, well Arthur is your brother you guys will figure it out.”
“I know,” Ariadne sighed and picked at a loose thread on her t-shirt, “I just hate fighting with him, just he can get way too protective and it bothers me.”
Soft, “He’s your older brother love, it’s hard wired into his brain that he’s like that. I would know I have a younger brother back home and I get too protective sometimes.”
In reply all she did was slouch further in her seat, “Arthur…he isn’t just the older brother, he’s the mom and dad too.” It was soft and Eames almost didn’t hear it, but he was shocked when he did.
“When?” It was a simple question and Ariadne found herself able to answer him with relative ease. (Which she couldn’t do before, damn him for being so charming and likable.)
“Ten years ago.” Ariadne answered not quite sadly but not fondly either, “It was an accident, black ice on a bridge. Arthur had just graduated high school, I was eight. The state said that he either had to become my guardian or they would put me in foster care.”
Ariadne had expected Eames to say something that was fully of pity and sympathy so when he said, “Wait! Arthur is twenty-eight? He looks like he’s just an undergrad!” she jerked up to look at him with utter astonishment.
“E-excuse me?” she stuttered.
“Arthur can’t be twenty-eight, he doesn’t look a day over twenty-two!” Eames explained with eyes wide.
Before she could reply to his statement her phone rang, when she finally fumbled around in her bag and found it she saw it was Arthur she answered it immediately, “Hello?”
“Mal is coming over tonight.” Arthur said in a clipped tone.
Ariadne groaned loudly, “Ugh, I don’t want to hear her complain about my weight again. I just have a fast metabolism that’s all!”
Soft, “I know, but there’s no stopping her you know that.”
Under her breath she said a few choice words about her cousin, a distant one at that, and shot a nasty look at Eames when he laughed.
“Ariadne please, the nicer we are the quicker she’ll leave then we can get back to our lives.” Arthur sounded tired and she instantly felt bad for making it worse.
“Alright, I’ll play nice. When is she coming over?” Ariadne said slowly as she gave in to the inevitable visit.
“Four, and I’ll be home at three.” He didn’t sound too happy about that, but Ariadne knew that if he came home at midnight like usually does Mal would have a fit. Arthur knew this too.
Agitated, “Alright, I’ll just go straight home from school today so I can actually get my homework done before she arrives.”
Based on Arthur’s silence Ariadne just knew he rolled his eyes, “I’ll see you at three then. Have a good day Aria.”
Ariadne rolled her eyes this time at Arthur’s use of a clipped tone, again, and said, “You too.”
Then he hung up and she just sighed. When she looked up at Eames she could see a question on his lips about Mal so she held up her hand to stop him, “Don’t even get me started on Mal. Just tell me about that stupid scheme of yours.”
Eames seemed to hesitate only for a moment before Ariadne saw his eyes dance with glee. She grew nervous at this. “I want to go out with your brother.”
This was when Ariadne thought she just had to be dreaming. “You what?”
And Eames the bastard actually grinned at her response. “You see love, I fancy blokes and you’re brother is absolutely delicious and quite frankly I want to get into his pants as you Americans say.”
Ariadne was horrified.
“Are you mad?” She shouted, “He is ten years older - ”
He dared to interrupt her, “Nine, I’m nineteen.”
All she did was glower at him, “Either way he is way to old for you! And plus he is my brother, that is just so wrong on so many levels and completely breaks every friendship law there is!”
“Ah, but you see it doesn’t break any country laws darling. So I am free to court him if I want to, which I do.” He replied, still with that fucking grin too.
Ariadne really wanted to punch him, “Look Eames, my brother already goes through enough because of me and his job he doesn’t have time to entertain the whim of a teenager.” She said lowly, “Plus must I remind you that you will go back to England once the semester is over.”
Eames seemed unfazed by this, “I can always come back and who says this is just a whim?”
“Because you’re only nineteen,” Ariadne said frustrated, “You can’t be looking to settle down, Arthur…he may not act like it, but I’m pretty sure he wants to settle down. I mean, fuck, he’s already domesticated because of me - ”
“Darling, you obviously don’t know me as well as you think.” Eames said smoothly, that stupid ass grin still plastered onto his face. “One day I’ll be your brother in law, you just wait and see.”
Then he got up and walked to class, the sway of his hips cocky, his walk determined. And that’s when Ariadne knew that Eames would have his way, that Arthur was completely fucked, and that she wanted to kill Eames. Her life was about to jump in the fast lane and Ariadne to her horror, secretly couldn’t wait.
“Fucking Brits.” She said under her breath and walked to her class as well, knowing that when she walked out of school today, Eames would be right there with her to wait for Arthur to get home.
Yet, in all her anger and horror, she just wanted Arthur to smile more, to laugh like he used to, and if Eames somehow gave that to her brother, she guessed she could come to accept it. One day.
For now though, she had to worry about Mal because she was even worse than Eames and Ariadne did not want to sit through one of her lectures again.
And Ariadne hated lectures more than she did Eames.