i've got this feeling i can't shake

[falsify]

[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.]

Comments

[falsify]

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.

[specifiercity]

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.

[falsify]

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.]

[specifiercity]

[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.]

[falsify]

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.

[specifiercity]

[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..]

[falsify]

[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.

[specifiercity]

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

I love you too.

[falsify]

[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.]

[specifiercity]

[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.

[falsify]

We'd have to get up for that.

[And he doesn't want to.]

[specifiercity]

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

One of us would.

[falsify]

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.

[specifiercity]

[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.]

[falsify]

[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.]

[specifiercity]

[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.]

[falsify]

[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.]

[specifiercity]

[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.]

[falsify]

[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.]

[specifiercity]

[Once Arthur gets down to the bottom of his mug, he leans back and tilts his head to nose at Eames’ cheek.]

Breakfast?

[falsify]

[He hums happily at the attention and nods.]

Breakfast sounds good.

[specifiercity]

[Arthur pushes himself up off the bench and waits for Eames to stand before he heads inside. The first order of business is more coffee, and then they can worry about actual sustenance.]

[falsify]

[Eames grabs his mug (along with the glass and bottle from earlier) and follows Arthur inside, putting it all down and going to look through the cupboards for something fast and easy to do for breakfast.]

[specifiercity]

[Arthur goes to the trouble of refilling Eames' mug and then goes to the table to wait and watch. It is an unspoken rule that if his butt hurts he doesn't make breakfast.]

[falsify]

[Eames respects the rule, but he's tired on both a physical and psychological level, so he's not doing much. After some deliberation he decides it's a toast and scrambled eggs morning, so he's gonna get started mixing up some eggs.]