[01] Well, hello -- Criminal Minds for noc

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Inception.

Arthur had said it couldn't be done and yet here he was, boarding a plane to Prague just hours after completing the unfathomable.

They had just barely scraped through, what with all of the last minute plan changes, and they wouldn't know for weeks whether the seed would take but so far it looked like it had and they were all alive. To be honest, it had been one of the most difficult jobs of Arthur's career and also the most eye opening experience he's had in a long time.

Once Cobb and Fischer Jr had left with their respective parties, Arthur had seen their forger and chemist off. They were a pair who defied the expectations of their profession openly admitted to being together and never working without the other to wherever it was that they would spend their fourth - fifth honeymoon. ("Cabo." "God no, remember last time?" "Nepal? You liked Nepal." "It wasn't Nepal that I liked so much as --" Anyway, you get the picture.)

Once he had seen them off, he watched Ariadne buy her ticket for her return trip to Paris (she did have classes to return to after all) and would be sure to keep in contact with the architect. She had promise and if she chose to continue in dream share, she should work with some of the best.

As for Arthur himself, he booked the first flight he could to Prague. He had a safe house there and he could take a little time off to relax, study what Fischer did and check in with Cobb to see how he and the children were adjusting. He would never work with the extractor again unless in dire circumstances but the whole point was getting him back home to his children. As far as Arthur saw it, he had done just that.

He didn't normally indulge in first class seating when leaving a job - it could draw too much attention but for a fourteen hour flight, after just getting off of a long flight, he didn't feel like sitting in cramped corners with a child on one side and one behind him kicking his chair. At least in first class, that was bound to happen less. For now, it appeared that the chair next to him was empty and he was a little thankful for that. Perhaps he'd get a little sleep after all - well, eventually. Once the adrenaline of what he just helped accomplished wore off.

Comments

[noc]

It was taking a chance, on all levels, but if he was going to get tossed head first into dream share and a job that could mean his death without a damn person looking for him he was going to enjoy himself.

Settling into the seat, he stretched his legs before him and pushed the button to lean back the seat a bit.

"Well, that's a bit better," he said in a low purr, his accent coming through a bit as he glanced over at Arthur.

Oh god - this opens up so many things for them! The CIA is onto dreamshare and getting in a agent in

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If asked, Arthur would resolutely deny that he watched his legs stretch out. But he had and they were nice legs. And that voice -- fuck.

Arthur had removed his suit jacket, draping it over his chair, and lost the tie from the flight over. It was a small change but it was still a change from the previous flight.

"Might as well get comfortable. It's a long flight ahead," he said with a hint of amusement.

[noc]

Tuck glanced at the other man, shifting in his seat slightly to look at him. He took in the section of his throat exposed there with the tie gone, the look he gave Eames. He hadn't put up the red flag, so there was that.

"Get tired of flying after a while," he said, shaking his head. "You do it a lot?"

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Arthur's lips curled up a little bit. He could relate to that. Especially after a day like today.

"More than I'd like to admit," he answered. "I'm taking it that you do too," he asked with a raised eyebrow. He was interested to know who this man was. He glanced over the man's shoulders and his stretched out legs.

[noc]

“Too often though I try and avoid it when I can.” Which was a lie but it sounded good given how many flights he did under aliases and military flights.

Smiling that crooked smile, he offered his hand and took a chance. “Name’s Tuck, by the way.”

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Arthur nodded. He could understand that in the way people can when they travel for a living. When Tuck offered his name, Arthur was a little surprised but hid it well enough and offered his hand in return. He rapidly considered his options before offering the name he went by in most circumstances. "Arthur," he said and quirked his lips up in response.

[noc]

Taking his hand, he held it for a moment, looking Arthur in the eyes.

"Pleasure is mine then," he said softly, ducking his head and almost looking like he was about to blush and was trying to hide it.

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He shook Tuck's hand and felt his lips curve up when the other man ducked his head in response. Arthur nodded and said, "it's nice to meet you." Arthur had to admit, the accent was seductive in all the right ways.

"Thank you," he said to the stewardess as she brought him over his water then asked Tuck what she could get him to drink. The plane would take off in a matter of minutes but flying in first class did have it's perks.

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"Funny, I was thinking this was my pleasure and not yours," he admitted with that same shy, crooked smile. "Worth the risk of the flight attendant yelling at me."

He was sure that eventually she would but as they were in the air, it wasn't like he was taking someone's seat.

He was happy to see she wasn't going to kick him out, because then he'd just be doing it again.

"I think we should have champagne. Don't you?"

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At the mention of the flight attendant, Arthur chuckled and took a drink from his water. "I thought the seat next to me was originally free," he said musingly and also with a hint of teasing.

He raised an eyebrow at the mention of champagne. "And why's that," he asked with a quirk of his lips. Arthur wasn't saying no - he could probably use a free drink or two but still, he was curious what Tuck's reasoning was.

[noc]

"I'm sure it's not," he said with a wink. "See? I'm in it and I look amazingly comfortable," he pointed out. "And the why is celebrating meeting, of course."

He waited until the stewardess left, grinning at him. "And you wouldn't out me to her that I'm not supposed to be here, would you?"

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"Well, no - now it's not," Arthur said with an amused grin. He couldn't resist looking Tuck over slowly before lifting his gaze to Tucks and allowed his lips to quirk up. "You do look comfortable - who am I to disrupt something like that," he mused.

Arthur chuckled and ducked his head a little bit before lifting it. "No, I suppose I won't." He watched the stewardess walk back to the front for the champagne before looking at Tuck. Besides, it didn't hurt that he'd have a charmingly sweet man sitting next to him on the long flight ahead.

[noc]

Oh but he caught that gaze, every inch of it. Well well, he hadn't made a bad judgment. "It could have been worse. I think that woman with the baby was eying this seat," he admitted, grinning.

"So, what has you heading for Prague and how long will you be there," he asked, arching a brow curiously.

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Whether Arthur noticed it or not, he frowned at the thought of the mother and baby coming to sit next to him. Normally, he wouldn't mind and could even tune them out if need be but after going through what he had just gone through, Tuck was a much preferable option. "It could have definitely be worse," he admitted with a dry tone and still there was a little curve to his mouth.

He raised an eyebrow and watched as the stewardess brought over two glasses of champagne. "A vacation," he said. "For a couple of weeks at least. You?"

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"Obviously you should be thanking me for saving you," he said with a bit of a blush and a grin, both flirtatious and slightly shy at the same time and it showed in the way he ducked his head, watching Arthur past his last lashes so he could see his reaction.

"Work, sadly enough," he said, taking the glasses and handing one to Arthur. "Not by my choice either. Sometimes you just have to do the job, no matter what you want to do."

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He couldn't resist the smile that curled on his lips. Ever the point man, he noticed the blush and the flirtatious tone to his voice. "Is that right," he asked and looked at him. Arthur hummed and gave him a smile. "Thank you, Tuck. For saving me from fourteen hours consisting of a crying baby." Though he didn't really have problems with children in general, he adored Phillipa and James, but it didn't mean that sitting next to a crying, upset baby for fourteen hours was something he wanted.

Arthur took the glass from him. "I know the feeling well," he admitted and brought the glass up to his lips. "What is it you do," he asked after taking a sip of the drink.

[noc]

"I felt someone needed to be your hero today," he admitted. "And how could I let it be anyone but myself," he asked, meaning it though it was a cute and playful way for them to be going about this.

He made a face. "I run the physical end of security for a large conglomerate. Others see to the IT but I do the rest."

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"How could you indeed," he said, his lips quirking up into a smirk. Even if Tuck didn't mean it, no one ever thought about Arthur needing a hero of some sort. Or at least, he figured no one considered the thought. He didn't show much if any weakness in front of co-workers, it just didn't do. In the business he was in, everyone was 98% looking out for themselves, nothing else mattered but being paid at the end of the job.

Arthur couldn't help but chuckle at the face he made. In reality, it sounded a lot like what he did in the dream share community but he wasn't going to play that too close at hand. Not when he had other strong fall back career stories he held onto and sources to back him up if the need arises. "Sounds exciting," he said with a grin.

[noc]

"Oh it's horribly exciting. If, you know, you like standing around educating the locals on how to look intimidating and throw someone out without breaking a bone and causing a lawsuit," he said with a role of his eyes and that crooked grin.

"Okay, maybe I like it a little."

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"Sounds to me that you like it a lot," Arthur said with a grin, setting his glass down after taking a sip of it. It likewise sounded like he was a handy man to have around in a sticky situation.

And don't even get him started on that crooked grin.

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Tuck laughed. "I get to wear snazzy suits while I do it too," he admitted. "I love it," he said, taking a sip. "And you? Going to say you don't enjoy what you do? If you don't, you should look into something else."

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Arthur smirked, definitely amused. "The snazzy suit makes it ten times better in my opinion." He tilted his head before shaking it. "No, I can't say I don't love what I do because I do love it."

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"Is that so? Shame the suit it in the cargo hold then, isn't it? I feel like I had a chance I was cheated out of," he said, sighing heavily, theatrically.

"I may have to ask for a second chance."

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He arched an eyebrow, not able to keep the amusement from playing over his lips and picking up his glass again to take a sip from it. "I don't think that's how this works," he mused, teasingly. "I think you'll just have to be content with what you have." He was amused though. He was sure that Tuck would look great in a suit.

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“Oh who is ever content with what they have,” he asked, though for a second a shadow crossed his face and he looked down into his champagne. He’d meant it to be a tease, a flirting play on words, but the memories of his past, what he’d lost and barely held on to now as far as family went, it was hard not to think about that.

“Or maybe you’re right. I’ll just have to be content with what I have. Which is more than what I could have asked for.”