artfulforger | Ships Passing: The fallout of falling in to bed

To his credit, Arthur only blinked and said no more. Instead, he wrapped both arms around Eames and hugged him tightly. With the facial expression on his face, Arthur could tell how that went. It was never easy to kill a person but when needs must. He just hugged the forger to him tightly and breathed him in silently. Fuck, but if he was honest - if the man was going to become a problem, Arthur would have done the same exact thing.

"You okay," he asked in a whisper.

He felt ashamed of himself for his previous thoughts. After what they shared...how could have have doubted that Eames would regret anything about it? He should have known, honestly.

Strong arms locked around Arthur, pulling the lean line of his body close. Despite that strong, lithe form, Eames knew there was so much strength there. The strength of his body, more so of his mind and emotions. He could kill, he’d done it enough. It wasn’t something though he liked having to do, especially when his mind kept telling him that maybe there had been other ways. Ways to solve the problem without hurting anyone. He couldn’t take that chance though.

His first response was to say of course he was fine but this was Arthur, and things with them had changed. He shook his head. “No. Not really.” He turned his head, kissing Arthur’s temple. “I’m sorry I didn’t call. I didn’t want them triangulating my phone and finding this place.”

Despite the fact that Eames had the body of a fighter, of someone who could use brute strength, Arthur also knew that it wouldn't have been Eames' first option if there was any other way. But from what he could gather, there hadn't been.

"Don't apologize," he said, turning his head to press a kiss to his cheek. "It's no more than what I would have done in the same situation," he whispered and pressed their brows together again. The important part was that Eames was here, alive and no worse for wear.

He bit on his bottom lip, hard. "Almost thought it was me," he whispered, his ears turning a little red in embarrassment. It was hard for him to admit that but things had changed with them. "I shouldn't have doubted it."

Looking the bruiser had kept him alive for so long and yet he didn't want to be that always. At least not with Arthur. Especially not with Arthur. Shifting, he pressed closer with a soft sigh.

"I couldn't risk leading the bastard back here. They... I owe them. May be past tense now. I think this would..."

And that was it. Forgotten was the bastards he had thought would try and kill them.

"Arthur. No. Please, don't think that. Never." He knew it had been bad timing. Horrid timing. "I should have found a phone and called," he whispered.

They probably shouldn't be doing this sort of thing in the work place. The only consolidation was the fact that they were in the store room and hardly anyone went in there despite the fact that they had a store room. Arthur moved in as close as he could and breathed in slowly. "Will you still owe them?" He couldn't help but want to know if the safety of Eames or the team were at risk.

He shook his head and looked at him. "It was stupid to even think, I know." He supposed, on some level, he was afraid. Course he knew it may not work out like in a children's fairytale that Pippa loved or that Mal was fond of, but that didn't mean that he wasn't a little afraid that the other night was all it was and would be. Arthur cared a lot more than he had realized. Fuck, that was not a feeling that he was really used to feeling.

"You did what you had to do," he said firmly. "I can't fault you for that." Again, he would have done the same thing. Wouldn't have told anyone or been around until he knew it was safe.

It wasn’t something that could happen often. Not without risking others finding out. Cobb was likely to overlook it but Ariadne was sharp, and that Saito he had no trust in. Yusuf though… he’d never let him live this down. Not only that, he’d be likely to tell everyone on the team. He kept a lot of secrets but that was one that Eames could not expect him to keep. Not from the rest of the team.

Yet knowing they shouldn’t be didn’t mean that he wanted to leave. He’d spent the entire night thinking about Arthur, about telling him what was happening, how he’d gotten himself tied up in this. Now though, now he could and hope that it would all turn out okay.

“No, they won’t come looking for me. The two that knew I owed them are both dead. I only killed one of them,” he noted, his voice low and soft, as if that changed so much in the grand scheme of things.

“And you had every right to worry,” he said, hating himself for making Arthur doubt things. Leaning back slightly, he cupped Arthur’s cheek.

“What happened wasn’t me just enjoying a night with a teammate. It was a long time coming, Arthur. We both know that.” And a long time wanted by him, and he hoped Arthur knew that.

Not having talked to Eames at all the night before made Arthur a little more greedy for his touch. So while they couldn't make this a habit, for right now, he was perfectly okay standing here with their arms wrapped around the other.

He nodded silently and studied Eames silently. He wished he knew what he could do for the forger, knowing he what he was going through. It was rough. "If you need me..." he offered his comfort in so many words. Even if it was something as innocent as meeting him for a drink.

Arthur tilted his head into Eames' hand and looked at him. Eames was right. It had been a long time coming. All of their verbal sparring, their heated looks and playful teasing -- it was all building up to what happened. "It wasn't for me either," he whispered. Besides, if it had been a one night thing, Arthur was fairly certain he wouldn't have let Eames spank him.

If you need me...

So many small word and such a loaded statement. Enough that it was nearly frightening. He wanted to say he was fine, to laugh it off and shrug away killing a man. Not because he thought death and murder were light hearted but because it was easier than dealing with those four little words.

Yet he couldn't bring himself to do it.

"If I sneak over later. Leave and not let anyone see me.... Can I stay at your place tonight," he asked, looking down and away to ask. "If you don't feel safe, that's fine. Or you're worried about me pushing things, I won't. I just... Yeah."

After his offer was met with silence for a long moment, Arthur thought about offering something else -- anything else so they could laugh it off and ignore it. That was, until Eames responded without meeting his eyes. It would be the first time Eames was at his place but...he wanted Eames to be there. "No -- I want you to," he whispered.

Arthur cupped Eames' jaw and lifted his head to look at him. "Come over," he whispered and leaned in to press their lips together.

He had expected to be turned down, to be told it wouldn't be okay. He would have offered a hotel, his own place though he was planning to move. Even staying here like this if they had to. Then Arthur agreed and he slumped, smiling weakly just as the other man's lips came to his.

He sighed. "Thank you," he whispered. "I know I have no right to ask, but thank you."

"No need to thank me," he whispered and tightened his arms around the forger. "I'll text you the address when we get back out there. Even order something to eat if you're hungry." Who knew when they would leave here but Arthur was hoping he'd get back by at least six or seven, if not at a relatively normal time.

In truth he wanted to do nothing but cling to Arthur but he knew eventually he'd have to take a deep breath and go back out and actually work.

"I don't want to interrupt whatever needs to be done tonight. I'm here to work."

Of course they would need to work. This was supposed to be kept secret anyhow and the only thing they could afford to do was keep bantering as per usual. "Then work it is," he said in agreement.

"Ready to head back out there?"

He shook his head, cupping Arthur's face in his hands. He took a long, deep kiss as if trying to get enough to last him through the day. Sighing as he broke the kiss, he nodded.

"Okay then."

He turned away, heading out first.

Once Eames broke the kiss and left, Arthur found himself standing there for a good few minutes trying to gather himself together again. He licked his lips and smoothed down his shirt before leaving the store room. On his way back to his desk, he grabbed a cup of coffee before taking his seat. He didn't ache nearly as much as he had the day before but still, there was a shift in how he sat from time to time as he continued to do as much research as he could about Fischer Jr., Sr. and Browning. They would all be meeting together once Ariadne got out from class about what they've found, been working on etc. and what the next leg of the job would entail.

By the time Arthur came out, Eames was back at his desk. A folder was open before him and he was studiously taking notes. Occasionally he would raise his head, glancing around though the first and last place his eyes lingered was on Arthur. He wasn’t sure why this time bothered him so much more than the past had, but Eames found himself unsettled.

When Ariadne came in though, he was lighthearted and joking, only his eyes showing the truth as he paused to send a text.

Really want you alone right now.

Every once in a while, Arthur could feel Eames' gaze on him and every once in a while, Arthur would look up to glance over in Eames' direction to see how he was fairing. He didn't allow himself to do so very much, lest anyone notice anything, but still, he did it. He couldn't help but wonder what was going on through the forger's head and what how he was doing.

Once Ariadne came in, Arthur could hear him laughing and joking but Arthur could tell it was merely a front for the younger woman. His eyes glanced over to the flashing red light on his phone and let it sit there for a moment or two before picking it up and reading over the text.

I do too.

He didn't glance over after he sent it though in case one of the others tried to connect any sort of dots.

The advantage of being a forger was that masks were something worn and used, not something feared and certainly not something that took a lot of work. For Eames they were easy to wear, adjusted just right and not showing much of anything to anyone. Except anyone that knew him well. For Eames though, until recently, he had no one like that. No one that kept a close eye on him or cared.

The rest of the day he didn’t glance up at Arthur, though about ten minutes later he sent another text.

Not sure how long I can smile. How much more do you want to do tonight?

Not looking to leave before him, just wanting to know what he had coming and what he should brace himself for.

Arthur thought he knew, and was truly getting to know Eames a lot more than probably anyone else in this warehouse. It was why he knew that this was probably tearing him up more than he probably had anticipated.

Throughout the day, he tried to get as much as he possibly could done so he could leave at a decent time. He was glad he had managed it and didn't have to meet with Cobb or Ariadne or anyone afterward.

He kept his gaze on the screen in front of him as he picked up his phone a few minutes later and turned it on to quickly read over the text.

I just need to finish up an email and then I planned on heading out. Doing ok?

Eames considered that, moving to get something out of a box after reading the text as if it didn't matter. If they kept this up, eventually, someone was going to figure it out but until then, he would keep working through it all. He enjoyed having Arthur right there, not just at the edge of his vision but his thoughts in text as well.

Go on when you're ready and leave, then just send me the address. I'll meet you there."

He read over the text before pocketing the phone and stood. He didn't plan to work after he got home but he packed up his things as though he was planning on it and made his final way around the warehouse to see how Ariadne was fairing, how Cobb was doing and how Yusuf's compounds were coming along. Normally, even before now, he didn't always stop at Eames' desk to see how his work was coming along.

Even before they slept together and before their relationship changed, he trusted the forger to get what he needed to get done, done. Still, he looked over at the forger as he placed the strap of his laptop bag over his shoulder and said, "I trust your work is coming along, Mr. Eames?" He just couldn't not say something to him, even if he was planning on seeing him in a matter of minutes/hours.

Despite himself, Eames knew one thing that he had to focus on. He was a day behind on his work and needed to not waste another when he was there and ready to work just staring at blank pages. He made notes, focused on the timetables he had and the gaps he needed to fill. He would start doing some more observations the next day, though he worked it out he could push it back another day depending on how he felt by morning. He’d let the evening go as it would and see where he was by morning.

He’d actually allowed himself to become caught up in his work, not realizing that Arthur was standing there until he spoke. His head snapped up, and then he smiled slightly, nodding. “Despite my missing day, I’m back on schedule,” he said, knowing Arthur would forgive him and not willing to allow himself to fall behind either. “Do enjoy your evening doing the same thing you do all day,” he said cheerfully.

Arthur of course would forgive him. Even if he hadn't known the reason he missed a day, he would have forgiven him. Eames didn't become the best by not doing his homework and getting his shit done - he was the best because he did all of that and he was brilliant.

"And you as well, Mr. Eames," he said simply before leaving the warehouse. It was the first time he could say that he left before the majority of them but at this point, didn't bother him. As he had revealed earlier in the meeting, he was on schedule and had given everyone what he knew about the main key players of this job.

Once he returned home (with something from a near by cafe for them to eat) and settled in, he sent Eames a text message with the address and said food was waiting if he was hungry. He wasn't sure how the night would go but honestly, he had just wanted to be alone with Eames. It didn't matter what they did or didn't do.

He nodded as Arthur left, going back to his work. Even when he got the text, he didn't immediately pack up. Instead he kept working, waiting for Cobb and Ariadne to go. Normally he wouldn't have noticed but that day they seemed to be taking forever.

Once they had left though, he shoved stuff into a leather attache and bolted for the door.

Calling a cab, he wasted no time getting to Arthur's place and tapping at the door. He desperately wanted to be near him, be with him, just try and forget the day before.

By the time Eames got to his place, Arthur had changed into sweat pants and a t-shirt. It was far more casual than Eames had probably ever seen him in and the gel that usually kept his hair slicked back was no where in sight. He checked the peephole before opening up the door and allowing the forger to enter. "Hey," he said with a smile. There might have been a few work folders on the coffee table that he had gotten out after showering.

God, he had wanted Eames alone since that morning when they were in the storeroom.

Edited 2012-06-13 18:11 (UTC)

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*pets Eames* The poor boy has more to lose this time than in the past. :D

Adoring them so much though

Me too!

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pets Eames The poor boy has more to lose this time than in the past. :D