maybe we show some mercy

[falsify]

[Usually, facing your fears means discovering they're not as bad as they seemed in your head. That your mind catastrophises and exaggerates and the reality is nowhere near what it seemed. Eames certainly wishes that were the case here, but it turns out the reality is far worse than anything that crossed his mind. He'd long since come to terms with the idea that getting caught meant death, but the captain of this discreet little crew made a point of talking about "re-education" with such conviction that it seems like a very real possibility. A real possibility that terrifies Eames in ways he didn't even know he could feel.]

[It's hard not to be mad at himself, and in fact he is. He's fucking furious. Years of being meticulous about hiding from the Empire rendered obsolete because some asshole wanted to make some quick money and Eames hadn't spotted the signs even though that's exactly the kind of thing he's supposed to be good at. And now here he is, bound in a cell on a ship, no idea how long he's been here or where they are — no idea about much of anything outside this room, actually — pumped full of power inhibitors to make doubly sure he can't escape.]

[Fucking hell but it hurts. Hands cuffed behind his back, made to stay on his knees for... A long time. Simultaneously can't feel his legs and yet the muscles burn and ache. All of him a mess of cuts and bruises, a mix of injuries from fighting back and some from cruelty passed off as discipline. He thinks his nose might be broken and one of his eyes is swollen into a semi-permanant squint. The longer he kneels here, the more Eames thinks the inhibitor injections were less about preventing escape and more about making sure he couldn't heal away the beatings; making sure he'd suffer through every moment of the trip "home."]

Comments

[specifiercity]

[Arthur grins, happy for the affection.]

I can't believe with all the sleeping we've been doing I'm ready to go back to sleep now.

[falsify]

You just came pretty hard.

[A fact Eames is obviously pleased with himself about.]

[specifiercity]

I did.

[Arthur traces wandering lines on Eames' lower back.]

[falsify]

[He shifts his hips a little.]

It was a lot, by the way.

[Not that he's complaining.]

[specifiercity]

[Arthur laughs.]

I've been saving it up.

[falsify]

[Eames snorts and shakes his head.]

Well don't I feel special?

[specifiercity]

[Arthur turns his head to grin at Eames affectionately.]

You are special.

[falsify]

Shut up.

[He shakes his head, but he's still grinning.]

[specifiercity]

[Arthur laughs and noses at Eames.]

I thought you loved the flattery.

[falsify]

I do.

[He sighs softly and rolls off Arthur to cuddle up a little more comfortably, draping an arm over him and resting his head on Arthur's shoulder.]

"Special" seems like a bit more than flattery though, don't you think?

[Which is to say it felt too close to a genuine compliment for Eames to be comfortable with right now.]

[specifiercity]

[Arthur accommodates Eames with a sigh.]

I guess.

[falsify]

[Eames hums and nuzzles in at Arthur's jaw.]

You're pretty special too.

[specifiercity]

[Arthur feels a flush of warmth in his face as he grins, eyes falling closed again as he gets comfortable enough to start sleeping soon.]

[falsify]

I meant it, you know.

[He cups Arthur's face, thumb rubbing back and forth over his cheek fondly.]

I really don't know what I did to deserve you.

[specifiercity]

[Arthur opens his eyes to look at Eames with a sober expression on his face, not quite serious but not quite smiling, bringing a hand up to cover Eames'.]

I meant what I said too. Just putting up with me is enough in my books.

[falsify]

[Eames shakes his head.]

You're amazing. Putting up with you is more than worth it.

[specifiercity]

[Arthur smiles wryly up at him, blinking sleepily despite his best efforts to keep this going.]

You're just saying that because I saved your life.

[falsify]

[He snorts a laugh.]

That's worth a lot.

[specifiercity]

[Arthur gives him a sleepy look.]

I was just doing what I had to.

[falsify]

[He lazily curls some of Arthur's hair around a finger and pushes it behind his ear, putting his head down with a gentle sigh as if to go to sleep. It's a moment or two before he speaks, sombre and quiet.]

You're the only person who would.

[specifiercity]

[Arthur sighs and frowns, bringing his hand up to brush his fingers through Eames' hair.]

I'm the only person who knows you as well as I do. No one else has the pleasure of knowing that you're worth it.

[falsify]

[It's a weird thing he's never really thought about, never having been close to anyone before Arthur. He's had good friends, people who might make an effort to help him out, but nobody who'd even consider going to the length Arthur did.]

[He cuddles in a little tighter, squeezing his arm around Arthur briefly before he settles.]

Go to sleep.

[specifiercity]

Mm.

[Arthur's on board with this plan. He does his best to press a kiss to Eames' head and lays his head down with the full intention of falling asleep as quickly as possible.]

[falsify]

[Eames isn't really tired, not enough to sleep anyway. He hasn't been awake for long and he's still keyed up from having his shapeshifting again, but he's content to stay here. He feels safe here. It's another thing he's never thought about before, that he feels safe with Arthur. Maybe more for knowing the lengths he'd go to for him, but Eames has for some time now.]

[specifiercity]

[Arthur sleeps deeply but given all the rest he's had lately he only needs two or three hours before he's going to slowly wake up and hum some acknowledgement of the world around him.]