it's really not that bad

[falsify]

[Sometimes jobs go wrong, that's just a fact of life. No amount of planning can account for random strokes of luck, little things in life that just happen. Eames may not be the most stringent when it comes to these things, but he doubts any amount of forethought could plan for a security guard getting milk in his coffee instead of soy and sticking around an extra fifteen minutes. It's kind of amazing how some random guy being lactose intolerant can undo a week's work.]

[Maybe it's his own fault, maybe he got too cocky, too sure he could handle a job like this on his own. Eames would say he's probably one of the best, but even the best out there has problems when it comes to a guard coming out of the bathroom unexpectedly and alerting every other guard in the building before Eames manages to knock him out.]

[At least he had the foresight to wear a mask.]

[The protocol for this kind of thing is always the same at least. Get out, get gone, make sure you're not being tailed before you go to ground. Eames makes it out through a window and hops the fence, in the back of his mind it reminds him of when he was young, and with the adrenaline rush it's actually a little fun.]

[When he was young he didn't have the money or the experience to be able to dump his car and switch to another once he's confident he's not being followed. Guards like that don't tend to leave the premises, but one can never be too sure. He sits at the wheel for a little bit, ostensibly to get his head together, but he's in a bit of a state. He knows he needs to get somewhere he feels safe enough to regroup, and that's how he ends up letting himself in Arthur's bedroom window and passing out on his bed as soon as the adrenaline wears off. There's a little blood, he probably looks like a mess, but it's all superficial. Mostly he's just exhausted.]

Comments

[falsify]

I'm a bit banged up, yeah. It's nothing serious.

[Also he wants to take a look on his own first, geez.]

[specifiercity]

Fine, okay.

[He turns around to leave the bathroom.]

I'm gonna open a beer.

[falsify]

[Eames reaches for Arthur's arm to tug him over for a quick kiss before he goes. He doesn't want him being all annoyed or anything. Plus he hasn't had a single kiss yet and that is unacceptable.]

[specifiercity]

[That does help put him at a little more ease, but even as he lingers a second to nose at Eames' cheek before he turns away he feels weird. He feels relieved that Eames is okay, worried about his injuries, confused about why he came here but won't let Arthur help, a little mad that he came here and put them both at risk of being caught, and anxious that it all means something yet to be understood. It makes the sting of the beer hitting his tongue all the more welcome, and he just stands in front of his fridge for a moment.]

[The thing that makes Arthur good at his job is that he can deal with the here and now better than anyone, so that's what he's going to do. He digs out his first aid kit just in case there are any cuts or scrapes that need to be cleaned up and puts his extra-strength painkillers out on the counter so Eames can take one as soon as he gets out of the shower.]

[The next thing is clothes. Arthur digs out his stretchiest pair of sweatpants and leaves them on the bed, then goes to the bathroom door that he left open a few inches, politely standing on the other side of it to ask his question.]

Hey, you want me to put your clothes in the washer?

[falsify]

[The heat of the water hitting his skin is more than welcome right now. Eames just stands under the water for a few minutes, letting out a soft groan as it soothes the ache in his shoulder. He's trying hard not to think about why he came here instead of going home. Why he'd drag Arthur into this.]

[It's fine. He'll just focus on getting clean, lazily rinsing through his hair when Arthur offers to wash his clothes and Eames starts to say yes before he remembers what's in his pockets and sticks his head out to reply.]

I should probably empty the pockets first.

[There's something about letting Arthur handle his tools and stolen goods that just makes him feel uneasy.]

[specifiercity]

[The reality that he is actively helping cover up a crime at this point twists in his stomach a little, but Arthur shakes it off and goes back to his dresser so he can finally get changed. By the time Eames comes out of the shower Arthur will be sitting as his table in some comfy sweats, staring at his laptop and nursing a beer.]

[falsify]

[Eames comes out after a little, he sighs and stands in front of the sink for a minute, just... Trying to figure out what he should be doing. Probably none of what he's done so far, but it's too late for that.]

[He puts his underwear back on, he doesn't take the painkillers though he does silently appreciate them a lot. He's pretty sure the soreness will completely go away soon enough, a cut on his arm started bleeding in the shower, but it's light and it's the only one so he's not fussed. He's more focused on making sure things are okay with Arthur, and comes out to look for him. Sitting at the table with a light frown and a sigh.]

I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come here.

[specifiercity]

[Arthur looks across at him with a weary but otherwise inscrutable expression. He's not about to tell Eames that it's fine - there are so many reasons why it's not - but he's not about to tell him off either. He would have assumed Eames was fine if he hadn't come, but now that he's here and Arthur sees how much he needed somewhere to rest he feels a sense of relief. He can't tell if he'd prefer the ignorance.]

[It's a long moment and a heavy sigh before he speaks.]

I'm glad you're okay.

[falsify]

[Eames' mouth quirks in a small, bashful smile at that and he ducks his head, a little surprised at the comment, and he puffs out a breath.]

Yeah, I'm fine, I just didn't...

[He trails off and frowns, looking down at the table and brushing a hand through his hair.]

I guess I just couldn't think of where else to go.

[specifiercity]

[Arthur nods, taking a sip of beer.]

I guess more than anyone I know you can lose a tail, so I shouldn't be worried about you being followed here.

[Which is to say he knows he shouldn't be worried about it, even if it is still nagging at him.]

You want a beer?

[falsify]

[He's not worried about that in the least, honestly he's certain the only person who'll ever know he was here is Arthur. He just feels bad that this situation is something Arthur has to deal with on both sides of things now.]

[But hey, beer.]

I'd love one.

[specifiercity]

[Arthur nods sharply and gets up to get Eames his beer, closing his laptop. He's not really sure where to go from here - they're not going to sleep together but he doesn't want Eames to go.]

[He puts the bottle down in front of Eames and goes backto his seat.]

I got the first aid kit out if you wanted to bandage any of those cuts.

[falsify]

Should be okay.

[He sighs, looking at his arm with a frown. It's started to dry up at this point.]

None of them are deep or anything.

[specifiercity]

[Arthur takes a deep breath and leans back in his chair, fighting against his detective instincts. The corner of his mouth twitches but he shakes his head and raises an eyebrow at Eames.]

I don't wanna ask you what happened.

[falsify]

But you do at the same time, right?

[He gets it, if anything he sounds a little amused when he asks, and leans back in his seat.]

There weren't supposed to be any guards on that floor, didn't occur to me to check the bathroom. So I had to cut things short.

[specifiercity]

[Arthur snorts, almost a little insulted.]

I had that much figured out.

[falsify]

That's the important part really.

[Eames shrugs a shoulder, unsure what else Arthur would want to know.]

It could've been pretty bad, but mostly it was just... Messy. [S I G H. He's pretty annoyed about it.] I got out of there before the others came up, but that was only because I can handle a rough landing getting out a window or over a fence.

[Hence the scrapes and bruises on his arms and legs.]

[specifiercity]

You jumped out a window.

[He can't help reviewing the crime scene in his head, trying to retrace Eames' steps and trying to figure out which window, which fence. It doesn't matter because he'll never tell anyone, but he supposes the natural inclination to want to know is why he likes his job in the first place. He shakes his head to dismiss it.]

[falsify]

Fastest way out.

[Makes perfect sense to him.]

[specifiercity]

And then... you came here.

[He's not asking Eames to fill in the blanks; he's more curious as to where they go from here.]

[falsify]

[Eames nods in confirmation, a little unsure what Arthur's looking for here. Honestly if anything he's concerned, worried Arthur's annoyed or mad or something. It's not like that would be unwarranted, he shouldn't have come here, but he's here now.]

[He puts his beer down and moves to stand, looking back toward the bathroom where his clothes are. He should go.]

I'll, um... I can leave. [He clears his throat awkwardly.] I should probably secure an alibi or something anyway.

[specifiercity]

[Ah, he's been too cold. He hates when he does this, forcing himself to backtrack and be almost painfully honest.]

I don't want you to leave.

[He looks at the door to the bedroom.]

You probably need rest more than an alibi right now.

[falsify]

[Eames hesitates, standing there uncomfortably while he considers that. Rest sounds really good right about now, but. Well, there isn't really a but, aside from Eames' general feeling that he should get out of Arthur's hair. He tries for a bit of wryness in his tone and expression, a light smirk to hide how uncharacteristically awkward and anxious he's feeling about all of this.]

I did spend the better part of today asleep in your bed.

[specifiercity]

[Arthur tilts his head at him, scanning Eames' face trying to determine whether another try is worth it or if Eames is set on leaving. He decides for his own sake it is, at least.]

So, what's a couple more hours?

[falsify]

... Not much, I guess.

[He pulls a bit of a face, looking down at the table instead of at Arthur.]