Where do we go from here? - for ingeniously

[specification]

The job was done.

Inception was done and fuck -- from what he could tell, it had gone successfully.

So far.

Cobb had gone through customs with not so much as a blink and left with his father-in-law to his kids. Fischer Jr had left a little after that and Ariadne was heading back to Paris to return to her classes and studies. Arthur loaded the PASIV onto his luggage cart and looked around, spotting Eames standing near a pillar.

Throughout the planning stages of the job, they had been snarky, condescending (to a certain degree), and on just this side of antagonistic. It was after he found out that there was a very real possibility that they could be shot down to limbo that Arthur mentally backtracked for a split second and thought about Eames -- thought about that night and thought about what they haven't discussed yet. When Eames called him 'darling' down in the first level in what he was sure was a condescending manner, Arthur found himself wanting to say something. But, he didn't. Eames was striding away after he took his shot.

When they were on the second level and everyone was hooking themselves in, who he should have helped was Ariadne but Arthur found himself kneeling down next to Eames and helping him with his lead, giving him a quirk of his lips. Everything could be shot to hell in a matter of seconds/minutes/hours and he could feel himself wanting that lasting touch, just in case.

They couldn't risk talking in public no matter if Robert and Cobb had gone, still -- he felt ready to talk to the other man about what happened months ago. About where this left them -- if it left them anywhere.

Eames had mated with him. Well...to be fair, his wolf had mated with him and that meant something according to his research. Something that couldn't exactly be ignored. As he made his way out of the airport with his luggage, Arthur pulled out his phone and sent a quick text to Eames.

If you're not heading anywhere quick, meet me at the Renaissance hotel nearby? We can talk.

Comments

[ingeniously]

There was a little stack of menus the next table over, but Eames stood to retrieve it, being of a soundly more steady mind.

"Let's not bother him again quite yet, hm?" He said as he returned, handing one to Arthur. The fare was short, but simple, and came in full meals if desired.

[specification]

Arthur watched as Eames got up and retrieved a couple of menus. He grinned and looked over the menu. "What - think we've kept him too busy?" And by 'we' he meant more specifically himself.

He read over the menu, resting lazily against the back of the booth with a tilt of his head. "Hm, burgers. Burgers sound good." It would be greasy and perfect for the mood he was in. "Mushroom swiss burger." Arthur nodded and looked up to glance at Eames. "What'a'bout you?"

[ingeniously]

"Steak and salad," Eames said smoothly, closing the menu with a glint in his eyes. "I think you've kept him plenty busy as well."

[specification]

Arthur shrugged a shoulder, not normally a typical Arthur-esque move but the alcohol was loosening him up enough where he didn't care. He picked up his glass and took a sip from it, giving Eames a devil-may care look. "It's good scotch," he said, by way of explanation before setting the glass down again. As far as excuses and explanations went, it was lackluster at best but he wasn't worried about it.

[ingeniously]

Eames smirked at that, licking his own lips gently. He stood. "Shall I order for you, my pet?"

[specification]

Arthur definitely did not look at Eames' lips. He frowned and looked at the standing forger. "I'm not your pet," he said sounding a indignant. Or as indignant as Arthur can sound after having a few glasses of scotch on little to no food. "I can order for myself," he said and stood. He remained standing for a few minutes before he sat back down heavily -- sitting was good.

[ingeniously]

"I take it that was a yes?" Eames asked, drumming his fingers on the table with an amused look.

[specification]

He frowned and looked at the man standing there with the amused look. "Fine, yes - you can order for me." Arthur paused then continued, "thank you," because he wasn't completely unthankful.

[ingeniously]

Eames moved away to order the food, then came back to Arthur.

"Really, you're welcome, though you acted as if I sullied your honor."

[specification]

Arthur felt heat spread up his neck in embarrassment, though he was hardly to acknowledge it. "I just -- I'm used to doing things for myself," he said by way of explanation. Though ordering for him wasn't exactly that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things and Arthur knew that. He held his glass close but didn't take another drink yet.

[ingeniously]

"Yes, but you're fabulously drunk, so you should let me do that for you," Eames said, rolling his eyes just slightly.

Things were almost starting to feel, well, normal to the wolf.

[specification]

"I am fabulously drunk," Arthur agreed and couldn't help the bright grin that spread over his lips. "Let me tell ya - it's been a long time since I've had more than one or three drinks." He brought the glass up to his lips and took a sip from it.

[ingeniously]

"Then you deserve to cut loose tonight," Eames said with a smirk. "Relax, have fun."

[specification]

"Wait - so you don't think I'm a robot who doesn't know how to have fun," he couldn't help but ask in mock shock.

[ingeniously]

"I think you don't know how to have fun, but believe me, I know you're not a robot," Eames said dryly. He'd been inside that body, after all, he knew better.

[specification]

"An' how do you know I don't know how to have fun," Arthur asked, not really close to being offended but acting as though he was. He was more amused than not if he were completely honest.

[ingeniously]

"What do you do for fun," Eames instead asked with an arched eyebrow.

[specification]

Arthur picked up the glass and took a drink from it before setting it down. "When I'm not working, I like going to amusement parks, carnivals, libraries and some museums," he said, knowing most probably didn't expect the amusement parks or carnivals bit.

[ingeniously]

"You like to go to criticize the safety of everything and give people terrors, I'm sure," Eames said, though he didn't really believe that. It wasn't too hard to picture Arthur, stern faced, concentrating how best to eat cotten candy while dust got on his very expensive trousers and shoes.

[specification]

"How did you ever guess," Arthur asked with what he hoped was a dry tone but the dryness was offset by the ever present little smirk. The days he attended amusement parks and carnivals were the days he liked to dress down and by that he meant jeans or khakis and a nice shirt. Safe to say, he didn't wear three piece suits or suits of any kind. "So then, what about you, Mr. Eames? What do you do for fun?"

[ingeniously]

Eames felt a smirk crawl over his face. "I steal wallets, pretend to be other people and steal secrets out of minds," he says with a little purr, one eyebrow raising.

[specification]

Arthur raised an eyebrow before chuckling. "Thank you, I've realized those for myself. I meant things outside of that."

[ingeniously]

"What makes you think that I wasn't being serious?" Eames asks, still smirking.

[specification]

"I didn't think you weren't being serious but don't you have interests outside of work," he asked, quirking a brow as he licked along his bottom lip.

[ingeniously]

"My interest is my work, Arthur. You assume that work is work to me, and it's not," He says, light and airily.