#vampireproblems

[falsify]

[This is one of those moments in life where knowing something isn't the same as being at all prepared to face it. Eames has known all about the types of people Arthur works with for some time now; killers with an incredible strength and hunger just below the surface-- some much older than Arthur and stronger for it.]

[He doesn't know if that was the case this time, or what even caused the fight, but he knows that Arthur's in a bad dtate and getting hom home was a struggle. He eventually manages to get Arthur to the bed, laying him down as if he really knows what to do here.]

Arthur-- Arthur, look at me.

Comments

[specifiercity]

Yeah, I know.

[Arthur says that as if he wouldn't want to either, and he runs his fingers down the pages of the ledger as he skims through everything again.]

Do you have any more details about those transactions?

[falsify]

There should be receipts and notes in the back.

[You know. When they remember to keep them. Apparently good business practice goes out the window when half of it is under the table.]

I could call in if there's anything you need that isn't there, but if it is someone fucking me over...

[He gestures. Wouldn't want them to know he's on to them.]

[specifiercity]

Mm, no need to set off alarm bells.

[Arthur flips to the back to get the receipts and notes, leaning forward to lay it all out on the coffee table. He stares at them all and then points to one line in particular.]

That's a payout, right? From a boxing match. Who was the bookie for that while you were gone?

[falsify]

Kev, I think.

[He's still leaning over, and idly brushes his nose over Arthur's shoulder while he thinks about it.]

He's usually pretty solid, but if Thompson was the one keeping tabs that day I'm probably going to have to sit down with the receipts and redo it all.

[specifiercity]

Yeah, I don't know. You'll have to look at all the bets, I guess, but it looks like you paid out more than usual. Maybe someone has a line on fights getting rigged and elected not to share it with you. Other than that...

[Arthur leans back and looks at Eames with a soft smile.]

Everything looks okay to me.

[falsify]

[He nods and lets out a soft sigh, leaning up to kiss Arthur's cheek before he takes the ledger and puts it aside.]

Thanks.

[specifiercity]

You should still look through all of it, but for now you should just come here.

[Arthur grabs lightly for his shirt so he can pull him in for some cuddles. It's time.]

[falsify]

[Eames laughs softly and shifts closer to Arthur so he can curl up and rest against his chest with a soft sigh.]

An excellent plan as always.

[specifiercity]

[Arthur grins and presses a kiss to the top of Eames' head, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.]

Sometimes I have good ideas.

[falsify]

[Eames lifts his head and cups the side of Arthur's face, directing him down for a proper kiss. Just slow and affectionate with a pleased hum.]

[specifiercity]

[Arthur obliges him of course, gently pushing Eames' hair back and then running his fingers along his jaw.]

[falsify]

[Eames smiles against Arthur's lips and brushes his thumb back and forth lightly where it is on Arthur's face. He pulls back after a moment to reach for his beer and settles back against Arthur where he was, tucking his head under Arthur's with a small sigh.]

[He has a bunch of mushy stuff on his lips to say, but he doesn't want to vocalise any of it, so he just curls up and rests a hand on Arthur's chest.]

[specifiercity]

[Arthur has a lot of mushy stuff to say as well, but like Eames he keeps it to himself and settles for comfortable silence instead. It's nice, even though part of him is waiting for the other shoe to drop again. Eames can't be over everything that happened, and Arthur's still a bundle of nerves about it. Maybe they can just ignore it and stay here for a little while. Wouldn't that be nice.]

[falsify]

[Well unless anyone has any intentions of talking about blood or drinking blood or putting their mouth on his neck, Eames is content to spend the night like this without any undue emotional complications. In fact he might even take a nap like this. He takes a sip of his beer and sighs softly, what a good idea.]

[specifiercity]

[Arthur has no intention of doing any of those things, and he'd love to let Eames take a nap on him. It's nice to just have a living thing so close. It's not so much about the blood, but the warmth and the metronome of his heartbeat is so comforting.]

[falsify]

[As long as there's no objections, Eames finishes his beer and puts the bottle aside, settling back against Arthur with a soft sigh to get a couple of hours in. He murmurs something vaguely fond against Arthur's shoulder, but it's kind of unintelligible and he's basically asleep now no way is he gonna be any clearer.]

[specifiercity]

[Arthur murmurs something to the effect that he agrees, brushing his fingers through Eames' hair softly as he listens for his breathing and feels his heartbeat against his chest.]

[falsify]

[Well this is where Eames is spending the next couple of hours unless Arthur wakes him up. It's comfortable and peaceful and nice, and he snoozes easily with his head nestled on Arthur's shoulder.]

[specifiercity]

[Arthur lets himself doze off a little too, accepting the fact that he's not doing anything productive tonight, which is alright. Eames is warm and his heartbeat is almost hypnotic and Arthur's not going to choose to give this up.]

[falsify]

[When he wakes up, the first thing Eames does is glance at a window to make sure they haven't been here long enough to hit sunrise, but the curtains are drawn so either way it doesn't matter.]

[He stays put for another ten minutes or so and lifts his head to look at Arthur's face before he forces himself to get up and get a glass of water. It's a great face attached to a great body but he's thirsty.]

[specifiercity]

[Eames' absence wakes him up, but it's a slow kind of waking up where he's just mildly aware that the world exists for a bit before he finally realizes where he is and what he's been doing.]

[He hears Eames out in the kitchen after he finally decides to accept wakefulness as a reality, so he sleepily follows him out and hums a little as he walks right up behind him and puts his hands on Eames' waist, bowing his head to kiss the back of his neck. It's not something he would do if he were fully awake, given everything that's happened.]

[falsify]

[All things considered, Eames doesn't have the worst reaction he could to that. Probably because he heard Arthur come in, he was half prepared for his presence in one way or another. The lips on his neck make him flinch away from Arthur, fumbling a little not to drop the glass in his hands.]

[It's probably pointless, but he does try to cover it up, putting the glass down and turning so he can put his hands on Arthur's hips in return. Even if there was some reason Arthur hadn't noticed Eames flinch like temporary blindness or something, he can't have missed the way Eames' pulse spiked or the way his breathing was quicker for that moment, but maybe they can just... Ignore it.]

[specifiercity]

[Arthur certainly notices, and by the time Eames has turned around he's frowning and has let go of Eames' waist. They are definitely not going to ignore it, which Arthur makes clear by hanging his head and looking down at the floor.]

Sorry. I wasn't thinking.

[falsify]

It's fine, it's--

[Eames sighs, because it's not fine, but he wants it to be. He doesn't take his hands off Arthur, if only to resist the urge to put a hand over his neck, and frowns at the top of Arthur's head.]

The last time you... ["put your mouth on my neck"? Great choice Eames, well done.] I'm-- I have to get over it eventually.

[specifiercity]

There's no reason to force it.

[There's no reason that he ever has to let Arthur put his mouth anywhere near his neck again. Arthur's certainly not entitled to anything like that, and he can learn and adjust.]

[He puts his hands on Eames' upper arms lightly, lifting his head a bit.]

I won't do it again, not unless you want me to.