artfulforger | Carnival! - for No Way Back (Greece)

Arthur would like to have said he was shocked or at least surprised when the old woman pointed out his ass but he wasn't. Not really and it wasn't the first time. Mal had said much the same as had others. He was thankful however that because it was no longer tourist season, they were getting a much more authentic taste of the island - boutiques, restaurants (authentic and not the 'purely for tourist' type), beaches to themselves and a carnival had even come into town.

He'd be lying if he said he hadn't been thinking about what Zandra had been saying either but he was and it was with some relief that Eames had been as well. "Yeah? What have you been thinking?" Arthur buttoned the pair of fitted jeans and zipped them up after tucking in his shirt. Unlike Eames' garish color palette, Arthur was dressed in jeans and a white pin striped shirt with the first couple of buttons left unbuttoned. It wasn't dressy, just a casual number that the older woman had said looked dashing on him.

He paused, looking over at Arthur as he dressed. Damn but she had been right. He looked fantastic. Classic in all the right ways.

He came over, smiling as he adjusted Arthur's collar though it didn't need it.

"I don't know. Sounds like fun though I found it funny she talked about ways of warding off the evil eye. I mean, I'm just assuming that's a cultural thing, right?"

Arthur knew his collar was straightened but either way, it made him smile when Eames walked over and adjusted it for him. "Do you approve," he asked with a quirk of his lips.

"I thought it was as well," Arthur admitted and adjusted Eames' shirt. Fuck, but it was an atrocious color and pattern. "It was certainly coincidental that she had mentioned it. Course, in this case - I think it's a cultural thing. But, visiting the carnaval would be fun to check out."

"Most definitely. Especially those kiss swollen lips," he said, head dipping to give Arthur a full, deep kiss. He took his time, enjoying that still new ability to just do this as the whim struck him.

"You're hating loudly on my shirt," he said, catching that look in his eyes, but Eames smiled nonetheless. "Shall we then? I'll win you a bear."

A soft sound came from the back of his throat when Eames kissed him deeply and fully, returning his kiss. He chuckled and felt a smile curl on his lips. "I would hope those would be on that list." He could get used to that and fact was, he probably already was.

Eames' next comment made him laugh. "That obvious?" Still Arthur smiled and made sure he had the room keys and his wallet into his back pocket. For the time being, Arthur left his phone on the charger - having no need for it for the time being.

"Oh? Will you, Mr. Archer," he asked with a grin. Arthur liked the idea of Eames winning him a bear or a toy of some kind.

"They are really enticing," he said, leaning back as his gaze dropped to Arthur's mouth. "Definitely looking good."

He shrugged. "Maybe I'm assuming from the look you gave it at the store and now. Like you're plotting to torch it first chance you get," he noted.

"For you? Of course. Have to keep my employees happy, don't I?"

"And probably even more now, aren't they," he asked, licking at his bottom lip just to tempt Eames.

Arthur smirked. "It's an atrocious color," he admitted with a shrug. "But I promise, I won't torch it until we leave the island. Then all bets are off," he teased. Eames was the sort of man who could pull off anything - ugly colors and all. It really was amazing what the forger could get away with because the man was pure confidence.

"Of course you do. Ready?" Arthur picked up the leather jacket from the bed and slid into it.

"Keep it up and I'll be biting next," he said, leaning down to kiss just his bottom lip in a quick, affectionate gesture.

"It looks good on me. Makes my eyes shine," he said, stepping back half a step to pose like a model. "We leave the island and I have more clothes and you'll only torch it to keep stripping me," he pointed out.

Eames was silent, looking over Arthur in that jacket. "Ready for what? Because you in that jacket has caused new thoughts." Likely wicked ones from the looks he was giving Arthur.

"You say it as though it's a threat," Arthur said, a smile crossing over his lips. "I like it when you bite."

An eyebrow arched as Arthur took his time looking Eames over slowly. "I will admit this, you are the only man who can pull off something like that. Only because you're too damn confident to not pull it off."

Arthur chuckled and noticed the wicked looks being passed his way. "Later, Mr. Eames - you can do all the wicked things you want to do to me in it. For now, I'm counting on you to win me a stuffed bear." Not that he had any need for a stuffed bear but still, it was the thought that counted.

“You willing to go out with bite marks,” he asked, his voice taking on that rough quality because, in the end, he liked that idea himself. “One day I’ll get blood and then what will you say?”

He smirked at that, chin lifting and striking a pose. “Damn right I can. Who could tell me I look bad?” He liked that Arthur noted his confidence and not just his looks. It was something he had worked on for a long time.

“Of course, good Sir,” he said with that self same, smug smirk as he threw on a jacket and moved for the door. He paused, glancing at Arthur with a snort and a laugh. “Open the door for me,” he asked, arching a brow. “I mean, you are the assistant.”

"I am going out with bite marks," he said with an amused look. "My chest, the back of my neck and my shoulder." Oh but that tone was wonderful and it felt almost good to feel that tug and throb of the marks on his shoulder and neck. "Be more careful next time," he responded smartly.

Arthur chuckled and looked Eames over slowly. "No one, sadly," he teased. "One look and everyone would be able to tell you're a proud confident peacock."

"You realize, CEO doesn't mean lazy, right," Arthur asked with a snort and opened up the door. He was barely resisting the urge to laugh though as he followed Eames out of the room and shutting the door behind them.

“Oh please. All covered up,” he said. Though a wicked, almost cruel look entered Eames’ eyes. He reached out, curling his hand in against the back of Arthur’s neck, fingers playing at the spot where he’d bit. “Besides, you love it. Love how I have you,” he said, arching a brow. “I am being careful with you,” he added, making a serious point in that moment. He knew what it was like when he didn’t care like he did for Arthur.

“You just like saying cock,” he said with a smirk, swatting Arthur on the ass. “And you’re jealous I can pull this off and you can’t.”

Not that he believed either of those. Especially not the jealousy part. He knew better.

“You realize I don’t care, right,” he asked, winking at Arthur as he slid past him. “Walk or call a hack?”

A flush crept up Arthur's neck. He tried to bite back his soft groan but it slipped out anyway. His shoulders scrunched up a fraction before he relaxed them again. "I do love it," he admitted with a smirk. "Love the marks that you left." He wasn't going to deny that when they both knew it to be true. Arthur looked at him. "No, I meant in regards to you drawing blood," he quickly corrected himself. Besides, he knew Eames was careful with him - always careful with him.

"You found out my --," Arthur inhaled when Eames swatted his ass. Oh. He licked his lips and chuckled. "You found out my deep dark secret, I love saying cock and I am completely jealous of your clothing," Arthur said, dryly but still a smirk on his lips. Arthur loved his clothing - his suits and even the jeans that hugged his ass like they did. And his jacket - he liked that too.

"No, course you don't," he mused and watched him. "It'll be faster if we walked."

He was stunned by that. He knew he could get carried away, had shown it in nearly everything he did so it wouldn’t have been surprising if, at any time, Arthur had a concern about him doing just that. Instead that trust was showing again. “Know what I love,” he asked softly. “That look you get when you’re utterly turned on. Like you just got and you can’t deny it,’ he growled in a fair mocking of a purr. At least his style of purring.

“I love when you say cock,” he said, stepping outside and stealing a look at Arthur. “So we checked in that way but does that mean I have to keep my hands off you all day? I thought part of this was that I could basically take advantage of you any chance I get.” Of course, truly, he was thinking about things a lot tamer than his words sounded. Like holding hands, or sharing a kiss.

No, Arthur couldn't deny it because he had felt turned on when Eames' hand cupped the back of his neck. Eames' words from the other night came rushing back to him then - about how he'd ruin him for any other and surprisingly, he could truly see it. Normally, if anyone said that to him, Arthur called bullshit right away but with Eames - that was different.

Perhaps it shouldn't be surprising, really. All things considering, they had always had some kind of chemistry. It was just how they used that chemistry that made them work the way they did for so long. Arthur felt a shiver slide down his spine at his growling purr. "Won't deny that," he said, turning to look at the forger with darkening eyes.

He thought about it and shook his head. "No, you don't need to keep your hands off me. I'm sure there are plenty of rich CEOs who come and bring their mistresses or boys," he mused. There was so much more than that between them and they both knew it. Still, he was, admittedly, finding it fun to play around with their assumed identities. Normally it wasn't something he did but it did add just a little something to their vacation.

Life was changing for Eames in so many ways and he loved it. Change had never been something surprising for him, something that caught him off guard. Eames knew better than to become so rigid that change blind sided him.

Yet this was something new and different. It wasn't just about the sex, or the tiny moments they had started to share between then. It wasn't even the supernatural twist, adding something to his life that Eames had never known.

His life was changing for the better. It was gaining stability. He hadn't thought he would like it until it happened.

The moment Arthur said it though, his hand slid over the other man's, twining his fingers with Arthur's. "Good. I don't plan on letting go. No chances with you catching someone's eye," he said with a crooked grin.

As a point man, you had to be flexible enough and yet rigid enough for any situation that comes across your path - both for your team and yourself. It was something Arthur had grown used to and excelled at after years of being in the business and the military. It was why all of the changes that they had been put through over the last few days hadn't nearly blind sided him as much as many would assume from his typical workplace demeanor.

It had shocked, surprised and even perhaps scared him a little to know the supernatural were among them but it was something that he was slowly beginning to get used to. Perhaps if they hadn't met the little girl on the plane, Arthur wouldn't have been so at ease with it but knowing that there were good spirits out there as well as the bad, did make things a little easier to chew.

Being with Eames -- knowing that he would have Eames at his side through this entire thing was...comforting. It had been a long time since he had someone who was willing to stick by him like that or that he had been willing to have like that. Others who he had come across just hadn't been it. Hadn't been what he was looking for. They were just too 'enter your description here'. They just weren't it. Apparently...they just weren't Eames.

Arthur tightened his hand with Eames' and chuckled. "I don't know, I think it's you, I'd have to be worried about," Arthur sent him a wink.

Life was changing and they had to embrace that. Of course, Eames was starting to wonder things he hadn't wanted to ask Arthur but he realized that eventually they would have to face it.

Holding Arthur's hand as they walked along, thumb running along the back of his hand. "Only thing you have to worry about me doing is molesting you in a dark alley or in a ride," he teased with a coy smile and a quick squeeze of his hand.

"So Arthur..."

Better now, while they were walking, than standing still where someone might manage to overhear what they were talking about.

"How do you think these things are going to change dream sharing," he asked, stealing a glance at the other man. "Do you think it'll have an effect on it."

"I wouldn't call that much of a worry," Arthur mused, sending him a smile in return, before he squeezed Eames' hand in return. It wasn't long before they were walking out of the hotel and heading in the direction they were told the carnival was located.

He'd have liked to say it was something he hadn't considered yet - wanting only to enjoy their time together for as long as they could before dream share once again entered the picture. But as always, it had been something on the back of his mind.

"Which things? The ghosts or us," he asked, looking at him. Thankful that as they walked, no one would really overhear their conversation.

“Just warning you. That way you can’t claim later there wasn’t due process,” he said, knowing this banter would always be part of them, no matter what they did.

Strolling along, nodding to people as they passed and enjoying this. It had been a long time since he’d been out with anyone, nonetheless someone he wanted more than a few nights with and someone to pass the time between jobs. Hell, it had been since before he’d started doing dream sharing, if he was honest with himself. He hadn’t counted on it changing in the business either but this was definitely something he wanted. Ghost and spirits and all, if he had to.

“I was thinking the ghost thing,” he admitted, glancing at Arthur. “But now I’m wondering the us thing too. Do you think it will?”

Arthur chuckled and gave him a look. "I think you've gotten me confused with you," he teased.

He watched as Eames nodded to the locals, to the other couples walking by and allowed a smile to curl on his lips. It was nice to see Eames like this, to feel like this himself and enjoy the company of someone who he felt closer to than anyone else who had come into his life before. To not be worried whether someone would see them or whether they were being watched.

"I can't say for sure one way or the other about the ghosts. We don't really know that much about it, yet. As far as I see it, it works on the spirits schedule and not on ours." Arthur didn't like not knowing something but they would have to figure it out as they went. Otherwise, it was like finding a needle in a haystack. "As for dreamshare and us - it might change things a little." He paused. "Only because now there's someone we can meet up with after the job, someone we can count on and who knows where the other is in case something goes south."

It would be fleeting. Eventually they would go back to their lives, to the dream share that was more than just a job to either of them. Eventually it would be shared kisses and dark nights when no one knew where they were. It would be different but already he was figuring when in his schedule that he could get away again. Of course, that wouldn’t mean Arthur’s schedule but that was thoughts for the flight back. And this time hoping that there weren’t any ghosts on the flight.

“So we have to face sometimes that a projection could be a person’s spirit,” he said, hating that idea. What if that had been Mallorie, after all.

Then his heart jumped when Arthur noted it would change things. At least until he explained just how he saw it changing. “I like that idea,” he admitted. Around them the sound of the carnival was reaching them, just barely - rides and kids and laughter, and the air was scented with foods and candy.

Arthur knew it was only a matter of time before they had to go back to their real lives and their true jobs but for now, they can indulge in this time. Next week, they'll be in Bolivia for the job that he was working and the one that Eames said he'd come with on as his 'bodyguard'. After that, who knew. He only hoped that while they were down there, they wouldn't run into anything supernatural. Course, as he had just mentioned - it seemed to be playing by their own set of rules.

He nodded. "Exactly," he said. "I don't particularly like that idea but it could happen. It's something we can't rule out."

Arthur felt his lips curl up. "I like it too," he admitted. He could hear the carnival up ahead and gave Eames' hand a squeeze. He was hoping for a nice day at the carnival but he couldn't help but reflect back on the old woman's words. What were the chances they would be caught up in something paranormal?

He paused there, turning to face Arthur as he kept hold of his hand.

"What if the Mallorie that was in Cobb's dreams wasn't him creating a shade of her because of his guilt but was her... spirit," he asked. It wasn't like Eames to rush through words but they came tumbling out quickly nonetheless. He knew himself well enough to know that if he didn't ask now, he might not ever and, deep down, he felt the need to know what Arthur thought of it.

Arthur stopped when Eames did and turned to look at him. His eyebrows drew together at his words and considered what Eames was saying. Now they knew that it was possible but -- the Mal in Cobb's dreams wasn't anything like the real Mal. He wouldn't, couldn't believe that she was Mal's spirit. Mal was too -- beautiful and lovely to be anything like that.

Arthur shook his head. "I won't believe that was her spirit," he said, firmly. "She loved us. No where near her love for Cobb but she loved us and wouldn't have shot me in the leg or ruined all of our jobs. She wasn't like that."

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Hmmm, going to start thinking of what we can put them through in South America! :D

Hee. I love you plotting :D

Yeees! And also need to transfer Rose Red thread over to DW soon. INCA! God I love this verse.