ruffians | i've got this feeling i can't shake

Entry tags:

i've got this feeling i can't shake

[This gathering isn't anything special, especially not by the "standards" Eames has been discovering over these last few years, but it is one of those things where the Lord of Autumn should make an appearance. A lot of fae and various other types celebrating some minor thing that Eames can't even remember. The drinks are good though, and there is the odd familiar face he actually enjoys the company of.]

[It's all just... Fine. Except for one thing, a fae who is absolutely stunning, unabashedly inhuman, somebody Eames would certainly love to take home were it a different time. But she's not interested in him by the looks of it anyway. During the latter half of the evening, he catches glimpses of her with Arthur, and he could brush off the flirting if it weren't for the way he could see it being reciprocated.]

[It becomes steadily harder to ignore, glances become hard stares with a clenched jaw for lingering moments, barely paying attention to whatever conversation he's found himself in. Entirely more interested in this display he's witnessing.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Probably more of this.

[He hold up the bottle.]

Right.

[Arthur reaches out to take the bottle, calmly putting it down on the grass out of Eames' reach because that's frankly enough of that. It's morning time and the only drink allowed is coffee. Eames can make his Irish later if he wants.]

But it's not like you would have forced me or anything.

[Well okay, that's unfair. Eames is certainly a little upset to see Arthur take the bottle, but there's more important things to deal with. Like the visible surprise on his face at what Arthur says.]

No, never.

[Well good. Not that he was actually worried, but it's always nice to confirm it again. Arthur gestures with his cigarette as he pulls the blanket tighter around himself with his free hand.]

We've all got shit in our heads we can't help, Eames. It's about what you actually do.

[Another drag on the cigarette. How nice.]

'Sides, I was kinda into it while it was happening.

[He frowns, looking at the cigarette between his fingers. He just doesn't want to be this way.]

I just don't want to be someone who thinks of you like... A thing that I own. I don't want to see you talk to someone and get mad about it.

[Arthur sighs and looks out at the garden. It feels like it's going to be a really nice day. He's quiet for a while, thinking about this whole thing and how to move forward. The reality is that he doesn't feel this thing that Eames is talking about, that this battle's happening almost entirely in his head. Dealing with Eames' bad moods just come with the territory, but the how's and why's of the moods aren't something he can really wrangle with. That's ultimately up to Eames.]

[He looks back at Eames, a gentle and tired look on his face.]

Do you want me to stop talking to other fae like that?

No.

[It's instant, he's not about to start dictating who Arthur can speak to or how, even aside from how even something that "small" is enough to make his stomach lurch, it's such a slippery slope. How easily it could become deciding anyone Arthur's "allowed" to see, to talk to. He doesn't want that.]

I don't want to start dictating what you can do. I just have to deal with it.

I'm offering to reel it in.

[He sighs again, looking down at his cigarette and then back to Eames.]

It's not like I'm shopping around. I don't have to flirt if you don't like it—it's just kind of fun, not a huge loss.

Arthur, I'd tell you to go fuck yourself if you told me not to flirt with... Anyone at all, honestly.

[He might be a dick but he's not that much of a hypocrite.]

[Maybe he's just feeling generous because he's tired and he wants to be cuddled, but Arthur doesn't see it as that big a deal. Either way, Eames is refusing, so he doesn't pursue it further. He lifts the cigarette to his lips once again and takes another long drag.]

Well I don't know what to do, then.

[It's soft, a little sad. He wants Eames to be happy.]

Neither do I.

[He sighs softly, quiet for a few moments, and then reaches out to tug lightly on the blanket Arthur's covering himself with.]

Come here.

[Arthur adjusts the blanket so he can drape it over both of them, sliding closer on the bench to get as close to Eames as possible. He just wants to be held for a little bit..]

[Eames shuffles closer and pulls the other side around them, putting an arm around Arthur and leaning close to nose at the side of his face.]

I love you so much.

[Arthur leans into him and grins at the attention.]

I love you too.

[He keeps nosing at Arthur's face, pressing light kisses to his cheek and temple. He has this urge to keep apologising and explaining himself, but maybe right now isn't the time.]

[Arthur hums happily, relaxing against Eames. He refuses to turn and kiss him because he's still working through his cigarette, and as soon as he's ready to put it out he makes a slightly mournful sound because he's about to say something that will disrupt this bliss.]

I need coffee.

We'd have to get up for that.

[And he doesn't want to.]

[Arthur makes another sound, this time a little frustrated.]

One of us would.

Okay, okay.

[He laughs softly and plants another kiss on Arthur's face, very reluctantly getting out from under the blanket and separating himself from Arthur to get up and go inside.]

Back in a few.

[Arthur takes a deep breath and just enjoys the morning air for a moment, thinking about Eames' issues and about how maybe it'll help if they just have a nice calm morning with some coffee and breakfast and cuddling. The idea that this might be a real problem, the kind of thing that will force him to reassess what they're doing, just isn't very appealing at the moment and he doesn't want to deal with it. He's not in the kind of mood to doubt the nature of Eames' love for him.]

[Eames comes back after about 5 minutes of trying to focus on making this coffee and not what's stressing him out, two mugs in hand. He fully assumes he'll be getting his place back under the blanket, offering a mug to Arthur and then sitting down good and close.]

[Eames is absolutely getting his place back under the blanket because Arthur's ready to just settle in and enjoy this damn coffee. He doesn't want to think about stressful things right now, he just wants to exist. Eames better not mess that up.]

[Eames is highly aware what a downer he is, so he's trying to keep it contained. It helps that he's tired and Arthur is right here where Eames can dip his head to kiss his shoulder between sips of coffee.]

[Arthur murmurs something about how good that feels, letting the caffeine hit his system. He's totally content to just sit here and sip coffee until it's time for a refill.]

[Eames feels about the same, content to sit here and enjoy Arthur's presence and this coffee for as long as he can. It's almost enough for him to convince himself everything is fine and solved and he's not just putting off the rest of that existential crisis.]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject