fic: When You Get So Close
Title: When You Get So Close
Pairing: Arthur/Eames (mentions of Dom/Mal)
Rating: PG-13
POV: mostly Arthur's, but one part somewhere in the middle is Eames'.
Word Count: 6035
Summary: And yet everytime Arthur tries to get closer, Eames will just whisk himself away. It just makes Arthur run faster.
Notes: written for theme no. 4 @ harlequincepted, partially inspired and title by Counting Backwards by The Velvet Teen (which I recomend you listen to if you haven't, I did the whole time while writing this). Thanks to muthine for the wonderful prompt. I really hope everyone who reads this enjoys it, this was my very first fic written for this fandom and I'm kind of proud of it. So proud I'm thinking of doing a Dom/Mal prequel and maybe a sequel or two. Thoughts?
At first Arthur has a choice most days and he chooses to run earlier in the day while kids are in school and parents are still working, leaving him to focus on the perfect rhythm of his shoes hitting the ground accomanied by his heavy, but even breathing. The sound filling his mind and pushing every thought, worry, and care out of his mind; head empty and he runs for what feels like hours until his legs can't carry him any further and he collapses on the closest bench lining the sidewalk. Stretching his legs and letting his head hang back as his body tenses before relaxing, and his breathing returns to normal.
Other days he ends up working later and, since he's such a stickler for consistancy, in turn has to jog later in the day which is around the same time mothers and babysitters have brought what seems like the whole lot of kids that live in town. All running around and screaming, making as much noise as they can and making it impossible for Authur to lose himself in his own mind. Everytime he gets close, the shrill sound of a child' cry breaks his concentration.
So he just runs until he feels the ache in his legs, the pleasuable pain shooting through his muscles with every step and only subsiding as he starts slowing down as he makes his way to the next nearest bench and collapses. Same as always.
At least until he feels someone tugging on his shirt. Knitting his brow in slight irrittation as he sits up and opens his eyes, expression changing almost immediately to one of amusement when he sees it's a bright blue-eyed, dirty blonde, little girl with a brilliant smile trying to wiggle out of who he assumes is her father's arms and reaching for Arthur's too-long hair curling around his ears.
They look alike at least, he thinks when the man holding her looks up and tries to get a better grip on her while offering Arthur an apologetic smile.
"Sorry, mate, she likes to pull hair," he tells him, eyes looking affectionately to the little girl in his arms as he leans up to kiss her cheek. "Don't you, Lil?" He cooes and Arthur can't help the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"It's fine," he assures him, lost for anymore to say as he watches the interaction between them. "She's cute," he comments after a moment, smiling wider now and reaching over to gently tickle her arm causing her to giggle and curl into the chest of the man holding her.
"That she defintely is," the man agrees, flashing a small smile towards Arthur before lifting her up to set in her stroller and buckle her up before standing. "And ready to get home for a nap," he says and as if right on cue the little girl yawns. "I'll see you around, I guess, uh..." he pauses, prompting Arthur to tell him his name.
"Arthur," he fills in and the man just nods before walking away, Authur noticing too late that he didn't get the man's name as well.
* * * * * * * * * *
Soon his later-in-the-day jogs become more frequent while he tries to catch up on things at work causing him to get home later until it becomes his normal routine. He gets used to the sound of children running around him and even humors a few of them who decide to race him to a tree or bench in the distance, of course letting them win before he falls back into his usual pace. Making it all the way to the same bench he begun to frequent, which most days is already partial occupied by a father and daughter he's come to know a little better over the last few weeks.
"Eames," he greets near breathlessly, sinking onto the bench and trying to catch his breath before sitting up to greet his daughter as well. "Hey Lily," he says and let's her wrap her tiny fingers around his trying to pull him closer while the other hand reaches for his hair.
"She likes you," Eames comments when she succeeds in getting a death grip on his hair and then trying to pull it into her mouth, just sitting there laughing and offering no help to Arthur.
"Yeah?" He asks, carefully prying and untangling her fingers from around his dark locks before sitting up again. "Guess I should be pulling your hair then," he says before he can stop himself, trying to laugh it off as he ruffles Lily's hair a little to distract him from the embaressment.
Eames just snorts at that, shaking his head a little an pulling himself up off he bench. "We better get home," he says as he pulls the stroller away from the bench to walk away. "Wave good-bye to Arthur, darling."
Arthur waves back when he does, watching them leave before getting up to go his own way back to his car. Cursing himself every step of the way for making such a stupid comment.
* * * * * * * * * *
Arthur doesn't mind so much anymore that he's been forced to jog at a later time, not since he met met Eames and his little girl, but what he does mind is the mothers and babysitters and every women in the park fawning all over the two of them. Shamelessly flirting with Eames and causing a twist of jealousy to knot in his stomach each time he catches it. He tries to shrug it off, but it doesn't help that Eames either doesn't notice or doesn't care.
"Arthur, hello," Eames greets him cheerily enough, waving him over to their usual spot and smiling endearingly between the two of them. Laughing along with Lily's unending fit of giggles as Arthur makes faces at her and tickles her sides.
After a moment he sits up again, smiling at Eames and dragging his hand back through his hair to straighten it out before suggesting they should get together sometime. Outside of their run-ins at the park when he would be less sweaty and far more attractively dressed. "For lunch or something."
But Eames off-handly rejects his proposal with the flimsy excuse of being busy with various things and never being able to find a babysitter for Lily.
He's about to say he doesn't mind Lily tagging along with them, but he's not stupid and knows when he's being rejected so he stops himself. "Well, whenever you have some free time or whatever," he says like he's just trying to be friendly, but they both know it's more than that.
"Of course, Arthur," Eames nods with somewhat forced smile caused by the tention wedged between them. "I'll let you know as soon as I have a moment to spare."
Arthur just nods as well. He isn't sure if that time will ever come, but he won't push it. They've got a good thing going, it'd be a mistake to ruin it trying to make something more of their park encounters. "Great, yeah, whenever," he repeats and stretches out of the bench a little to loosen his tense muscles.
"Mhm," Eames hums in agreement, nodding as he collects Lily's things to put in the basket beneath his shoulder. "Well, Arthur, we better getting going before this one gets hungry. Same time tomorrow?"
"Yeah, same time," he laughs despite himself as Eames gets up to leave, waving at Lily when she leans out of her stroller to wave at him.
* * * * * * * * * *
After his sly attempt to get Eames on a date, things seem to have shifted. Arthur, at first, thinks it might just be him overreacting just because to he'd made a few stupid remarks and passes at Eames, but that doesn't explain the way Eames moves over towards the edge when Arthur sits down on the bench with him. Nothing overly drastic or painfully obvious, but obvious enough that it doesn't go unnoticed. Of course Authur doesn't say anything though.
Not until a week of seemingly odd behavior from Eames that only seems to be getting worse with each day that passes. "Um, is everything okay?" Aurthur asks, voice a little nervous like he's afraid of the answer.
"Hmm?" Eames looks up, snapping out of whatever daze he was in and nodding. "Yeah, yes, everything grand."
Arthur doesn't beleive him. "If it has something to do with, well, all those stupid remarks I made, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to come onto you," he tells him, even though he kind of had meant to. What he didn't mean to do was make things awkward between the two of them before they ever really got a chance to get to know each other. Sure, they'd been meeting on the bench almost daily for a month, but ten minutes mostly spent with Arthur making faces at and playing with Lily didn't leave much room for them.
"No, not at all, Arthur," he shakes his head. "I'm sure you've noticed the women around here, I'm used to it."
"Okay." Arthur still isn't buying it, but accepts it and doesn't say anything else on the subject. Spending the next few minutes in awkward silence only broken by Lily getting antsy and demanding her father's attention.
"I guess that's my cue," Eames says, collecting up their things to put in the stroller before telling Arthur good-bye and walking away.
Arthur just sighs and stays there awhile long to relax before pulling himself up and leaving. He thinks about taking a few days off from jogging as he walks to his car, but he know he won't.
* * * * * * * * * *
Eames tries not to dwell on the way things have become between him and Arthur. It wasn't meant to be like that, yet he knew almost from they day they meet it wouldn't stay just a simple meeting on the bench. He'd want more even of Aurthur didn't and now that he knew he did it only made things worse. But he's had his share of terrible relationships, one that landed him a daughter to take care of (which he doesn't at all regret). He can't just go galavanting around with some guy he met only a few weeks ago no matter how unbelievably attractive he is or how much Lily seems to adore him. He has to keep her best interests in mind and what's best for her is for Eames to make her his number one and only priority.
So each time he runs into Arthur, always on the same park bench (Eames tells himself he just likes and is definitely not waiting for Arthur to show up), he only stays for a few minutes before telling Arthur they need to get home. Letting him play with Lily a little because the absolute joy on her face when she sees him is hard to deny and he couldn't possibly take that from her, but Arthur is not at all making easy to keep it that way.
He's long, lean body stretched out on the bench and head back with his eyes closed for a moment as he catches his breath; Eames just wants touch and be touched by the nimble fingers that tickle Lily's chin, run his hands through the hair that she loves to pull, and watch Arthur's face light up for him the way he does when he finally sits up to play with Lily. It's not fair that without her all the women, and especially Arthur, probably wouldn't give him a second thought. He'd just be another guy they couldn't care less about.
"Ariadne, please, I just need you to come with me," he begs through the reciever of the phone. Pleading with her to join him at the park to, hopefully, throw Arthur off his trail. It's becoming too much for him to handle the way Arthur looks at him sometimes and ever so slyly suggests they get together again outside their run-ins at the park.
"You could just stop going to that park, there's plenty of them," she retorts, but it's obvious she's caving despite her better judgement. "Or, you know, tell him as kindly as possible that you're not interested instead of pretending I'm your wife or girlfriend or whatever it is you're asking me to be."
Eames sighs and shakes his head before remembering she can't see him. "Lily likes that one and she likes him."
"Then what is the problem?" Ariadne cuts him off, obviously not getting the fact that Arthur is too perfect which obviously means nothing good could come from persuing a relationship with him. "Your reasoning doesn't make any sense."
"But it does, darling, hear me out," he sighs again ready to explain it to her for the hundreth time it seems. "He's perfect, and he's hot, and Lily loves him. You should see the way her face lights up the moment she sees him, it's brilliant. But I don't want to lose that if he ends up being less than what he seems and I don't want to neglect my daughter because I can't control my feelings for a guy I barely know."
"And what about the millions of single moms and young girls out there practically throwing themselves at you? Don't tell me they don't exist, I know how you like work your charm," she says, voice dripping with sarcasm around the last bit. "Why don't you ask one of them?"
"Oh, there are," he chuckles roughly. "They love me, but you know desperate women, throw them a bone and they expect the dog house."
"Fine," she says in defeat. It was impossible to win with Eames when he set his mind on something. "I'll meet you there." She was still disapproving of his methods and reasoning, but she knows Eames doesn't care as long as she agrees.
"Thanks, Ariadne, you're a doll," he chimes and gets off the phone after she mumbles some remark to get himself and Lily ready before leaving to meet Ariadne at the park.
"So I don't have to hang all over you like a sick puppy or anything, do I?" Ariadne asks as they make their way to Eames' usually spot.
"Not at all," he assures her. "I won't even make you pretend to be my girlfriend or anything like that; Aurthur will draw his own conclusions and everything will be grand. We can keep things simple the way they are."
Ariadne just rolls her eyes and shakes her head at him. "You're hopeless," she mutters, following to the bench and taking a seat next to him while they wait for Arthur. A few women stopping by to greet him, cooing at Lily and pointedly ignoring Ariadne's presence, Eames happily chatting away with them until their called away by their screaming kid or run out of things to say.
And it isn't long after the last woman leaves that Arthur appears, smiling at Eames before looking curiously at Ariadne. "Who's this?"
"Arthur, this is Ariadne. Ariadne, Arthur," Eames introduces them as Arthur sits down, moving closer too her and wrapping his arm around her shoulders causing her to make a small noise of disapproval.
"It's nice to finally meet you," Ariadne says, playing along and reaching across Eames chest to shake his hand while not-so-discreetly elbowing Eames in the chest and mouthing 'idiot' at him. "Eames has told me a lot about you, insisted I come and meet you," she tells him like she's trying to blow Eames' cover.
Arthur shakes her hand stiffly, looking between them like he can't quiet figure something out before Lily was squealing and making grabby hands at him in a plea for his attention. "He has?" He asks like it doesn't mean anything to him, his attention focused on entertaining Lily as he waits for elaboration.
"Yes, I told her how much Lil just adores you," Eames fills in, looking over at Ariadne while Arthur's focused on Lily and holding a silent arguement with her about his scheme. "It's really amazing how quickly she took to you, I wanted Ari to see how well you two got along," he says after his satisfied with his attempt to make his point, looking back over at Arthur.
"Yeah, well, it's hard to resist her charm," he laughs half-heartedly as he ruffles Lily's hair and Eames has a feeling it isn't just her's.
"She gets it from her father," Ariadne cuts in, nudging Eames playfully though she's giving him a hard look.
Arthur just laughs again and nods knowingly. "I've noticed."
"Father always taught me that charm gets you everywhere," he says, obviously proud of his skill, as he lifts Lily from her stroller to let her play in the grass next to them. "Always been able to talk myself into anywhere or out of anything."
"That's why he's such a great theif and forger," she smirks at Eames who glares back.
"It's not what you think," Eames tells him before Arthur can ask questions. "It's just work, or was until this little one came along. Not so much anymore, but Ari still works for Cobb."
Nothing either of them just said makes sense to Arthur, but he does recognize the name. "Cobb? I didn't know you guys knew Cobb."
"You know Cobb?" Eames asks, surprised, and makes a thoughtful noise at the new information.
"We grew up together and then kind of went our seperate ways in college," Arthur explains. "We get together every now and then, so you guys are close with them? You know, Mal and the kids."
"Yeah, I do a little babysitting for James and Philipa while their on a job when I'm not. Did a few times for Eames here too, but only when Cobb begs him to do a job with him."
"The little bugger drives me absolutely insane, I can't say no and keep my sanity at the same time."
"Yeah, he's persistent," Arthur laughs and nods. Cobb got what he wanted when he wanted it bad enough, knew exactly how to con you into doing pretty much anything he needed you for.
"That he is," Ariadne says and they both nod as well. "Knows what he wants and does whatever it takes to get it."
"Mhm, how do you think he got Mal?" And they all laugh.
"I remember those days. Watching him bend over backwards for her just to get a date," Ariadne says with a fond smile at the memory.
"Wow, what a small world," Arthur thinks aloud. He assumes now they knew Dom and Mal before they were married and they had to have been at the wedding, but he doesn't recognize either of them.
"Mhm, small world," Eames repeats, glancing back to check on Lily.
"Yeah, well, I have some stuff to catch up on. I'll you guys later."
Eames waves and tells Lily to, watching him walk off before he feels a swift elbow in his chest again causing him to lose his breath a little. "What was that for?"
"You're an idiot," Ariadne tells him, jaw clenched and jaw in a tight line for a moment before she chooses to speak again. "I thought you were exaggerating all that perfection bull shit, but damn it Eames," she stops and shakes her head.
"Well I wasn't, but that's just now. He could completely different outside of our meeting on the bench, I can't trust him or myself. I'm not gonna sacrifice my daughter for some guy."
"Sacrafice? He fucking loves her, probably more than he does you so- and he know Cobb, good indicator he can be trusted."
"Or that he's stalking Cobb and his family, maybe for a job. The way he acted like he had no idea what we were talking about seemed pretty faked." Now he knows he's being ridiculous, but he can't help it getting a little defensive. "He could be using me to get closer to them."
They both knew it was feasable, but Eames could tell Ariadne didn't believe it. "I think you're over reacting. Call Cobb and ask him yourself."
"Fine," Eames says and looks away from her to watch Lily play, not wanting to talk anymore about it. "But that doesn't mean I'm going to just up and date him just because Cobb says he can be trusted." And he can practically see Ariadne rolling her eyes even though he's not looking.
* * * * * * * * * *
And for the next nearly two weeks both Arthur and Eames purposefully try to avoid each other while similtaniously hoping to run in to the other. Arthur jogs during the morning or puts off his paperwork to go back to his usual time while Eames takes Lily to the park later in the day or not at all. It's not long though before fate or destiny, or whatever some ridiculously hopeless romantic would call it, brings them together again.
Arthur shows up to jog closer to their usual time meeting up and ends on the same bench. It's empty like it usually is the past few days, but not for long. Soon the opposite side is occupied by the sounds of a little girl whining to get out of her strollers and Arthur smiles despite himself.
"Didn't expect to see you here," he says, head still back and eyes still closed. He doesn't sound accusing, but gets nothing but silence.
"Um, are you talking to me?" The person next to him asks, obviously confused, and it's not Eames.
"Huh?" Arthur sits up and opens his eyes to look over at the mother of the little girl that's definitely not Lily. "Oh, I'm so sorry," he apologizes quickly. "I usually meet someone here and haven't seen them in awhile."
The women just offers him a sympathetic smile before unbuckling her daughters stroller belt to let her out, watching her run over to play in the dirt near a few other kids. "So which one is your's?" She asks after a moment, smiling more genuinely at him and batting her eyelashes a little after dropping her gaze his ringless finger.
Arthur immediately wonders if this is how Eames feels. Like he's being sized up and undressed with her eyes as she waits or answer while he sits there helpless.
"This little angel right here." Someone cuts in and Arthur is relieved to look up find Eames standing in front of the bench holding Lily who waves happily at him.
"Oh, isn't she just precious," the women coos, after a wave of realization visibly washes over her, standing up to greet Lily who just curls into Eames chest.
"Sorry, she's real shy," Eames explains to the women who just sighs knowingly and takes a step back.
"Well, I'll leave you guys alone. Have to keep an eye on my own little girl, she loves to cause trouble," she laughs and takes her stroller to the next bench.
"Um, hi," Arthur says awkwardly as Eames sits down in his normal spot at the other end of the bench.
"Been avoiding me, Arthur?" He asks instead of greeting him, voice no more accusing than Arthur's had been earlier when he thought Eames had joined him.
"No, I've just been busy," he says, feeling like a child caught red handed drawing on the walls or trying to flush their father's expensive watch down the toilet.
Eames just quirks a knowing smile at him and nods like he believes him. "Me too."
They both know they've both been avoid each other, but there's no blame to place so they drop the whole thing and for once things feel okay between them.
"So what was that all about?" Arthur asks, gesturing towards the space in front of him where Eames had previously been.
"What was what about?" Eames answers with a question before catching on. "Oh, that? Nothing, the women around her are just a little off."
Arthur wants to comment that most women are, at least in his experience, but doesn't because it still doesn't really explain why Eames told the lady Lily was his, implying it was their's.
"You're the only childless guy that I know of that hangs around the park at this time."
Arthur doesn't get it at first because he's pretty sure he's seen tons other guys and people jogging as well, but he realizes that was before he switched to a later time. "But, wait, what? I can't jog here now?"
"You can, but, well you can't tell me you didn't see the way she was looking at you. Practically undressing you with her eyes once she realized, or assumed, you weren't married." And of course Eames would know, Arthur watched it happen to him at least a hundred times a day. "The moment you would have told her you didn't have a child her mind would have jumped to the worst conclusions."
"Are you trying to tell me I look like some sort of pedophile?"
Eames laughs and shakes his head. "Not at all, love. But they will get suspicious seeing you hanging around the park at the same time as most mothers in town. Alone and childless, it doesn't look good, mate."
He can tell Eames is mostly just teasing him, but Arthur still groans and drops his head into his hands with his elbows balanced on his knees. "Maybe I should start jogging somewhere else."
"Maybe," Eames shrugs, convincingly acting like he doesn't care either way.
"Yeah," Arthur says like he expected anything else from him. The tension back again as he watches Eames bouncing Lily on his knee gently causing her to giggle and he can't help but smile. "Well, I guess I better go start looking for a new park to frequent," he says, waiting a second too long for Eames to make any indication that he doesn't want him to before standing up.
Eames just smiles a little, hardly a clue that he might actually care what Arthur does. "See you around, Arthur," he offers, both he and Lily waving as he turns to leave.
"Good-bye, Eames."
* * * * * * * * * *
Arthur hadn't actually meant to start jogging somewhere completely different, not even a park, but he just wasn't sure how much more rejection he could take. Sure, he understood it. It was understandable, Eames had a litte girl to take care of and didn't need Arthur trying to get in the way of that. He just couldn't help how much he adore both of them, especially Lily as odd as it seemed. She brought out the best in Eames, it seemed, and the way they were together was something so amazing Arthur couldn't put it into words if he tried.
Plus, for awhile he was still under the impression he was seeing Ariadne, but a conversation with Cobb over coffee one of the rare mornings they got together told him otherwise. Just another ploy to get away from Arthur, so he let him have all the away from him he wanted and stopped showing up to jog at the park. Instead taking up jogging up the street a few blocks from his apartment and circling back around to wind up back at his building.
"Arthur." He hears someone calling his name during one of his jogs, slowing down looking around. The voice had sounded familiar, but he couldn't quiet place it.
"Arthur, over here." Came another one he did recognize, turning to look back at the terrace behind him with small round table scattered about and spotting them immediately.
"Mal," he grins as he reaches their table, letting her grab a chair from an empty table nearby for him sit and join them. "It's been awhile, how have you been?" He asks before greeting Ariadne as well.
"Oh, you know, I've been alright. Dom's still crazy as ever and the kids are growing up too fast."
Arthur nods along and smiles at the mention of James and Philipa. "That's good, I'm glad to hear that."
"Mhm, but Ariadne here tells me you've been spending time with another child. The reason you haven't been around to see James and Philipa, Eames' little girl, huh?" She looks at him curiously after cutting straight to the point.
Arthur tenses up a litte at that and shrugs it off. "Not anymore," he tells both of them. "I didn't know you and Dom knew him, but I've just been busy at work and chathing up on stuff. You know how it goes." he says, only partially lying. He has been busy, but it's not the reason he hasn't seen Eames in the last week.
"He pushed you away, didn't he?" Ariadne asks, groaning in disbelief. "That idiot. He wouldn't know a good thing of it smacked him in the face."
Mal makes a noise of agreement, but is obviously amused by the situation. "Dom and I told Ariadne to tell him she had it on good authority you'd be good for him. You could be trusted. That boy needs some real structure in their lives, but of course we know he's pretty much a lost cause," she says, speaking affectionately of him.
Arthur isn't sure how he feels about the three of them, or anybody for that matter, interfering with his love life, but it's probably more because it didn't work and he really wishes it had. "Well, what are you gonna do? He seems to have it under control for now, I'm sure he'll find what he needs when he needs it," he shrugs.
"Plan B," Ariadne says, flashing Mal a secretive smirk that tells Aurthur they're up to no good.
"Really guys, I don't think he'd appreciate you interfering."
"He will when he gets what he wants," Ariadne says simply and the looks between them really worry him.
"What he needs," Mal corrects.
"And what would that be?" Arthur asks, though he's sure he already knows the answer.
"You," they say at once and Aurthur knows they won't let him wiggle his way out of whatever their planning.
Doesn't even ask how they know, he just figures they probably know more about both of them than they ever will. It's a woman-thing to know more about just about everything, he learned that much from his mother.
* * * * * * * * * *
Arthur shows up on time for their 'blind date', which isn't one at all because they know it'll be the two of them. Their friends had set it all up and, if Arthur was telling the truth, he was kind of happy for that because as much as he tried Arthur couldn't stop chasing Eames. His fingers are crossed that this is his lucky break.
Only it ends up Arthur sits there for the better part of the hour checking the door and checking his watch before giving up and leaving. He texts Mal from his car to tell her it didn't work out and ignores it when she tries to call. Eames didn't show up and that was it, he didn't want to see Arthur outside their few minutes in the park and even that he wasn't sure of anymore.
* * * * * * * * * *
Arthur doesn't manage to stay away for long though, which doesn't surprise him, and the next time Arthur's shows up at the park he's not there to jog. He's comfronting Eames as a final last stand. All morning he rehersed in the shower, in front of the mirror, over coffee, his drive to work, his break, his drive to the park, and finally the parking lot one last time just to make sure he had it down. Ready to lay it on the line and live with whatever the outcome was. If Eames rejected him, he'd move on and never bother him again. And if he didn't, well, Arthur was just really hoping he didn't.
"Fancy seeing you here, love. I take it you didn't go for a jog?" Eames smiles as he approaches, like he hadn't stood Arthur up the past weekend and there's absolutely no tension wedged between them.
Arthur looks down at his now slightly wrinkled suit and shakes his head. "I came straight here from work," he explains while Eames puts Lily on the ground to let her run around in the grass. "I wanted to talk to you." He swallows thickly and takes a deep breath to calm his nerves.
"You look good," Eames comments before giving Aurthur a look that urges him to continue when he says he came to talk. "What about?"
"You," he says and then, "And me." Suddenly he doesn't know where to start, his rehersing had been useless and he sits there silently for what seem a life time before speaking again. "Look, I should have gotten the hint a long time ago. And if not then, last weekend when you stood me up. Which, I get it, really. I get it so, I don't blame you, but I have it on good authority that it's not as black and white you're-just-not-interested as you make it seem," he says, hating how desperate he sounds, but he just wants to know. "So I just want to know, once and for all, is there any chance for us?"
Eames doesn't say anything, just looks at him for a moment before Lily comes toddling over and tugging on his shirt to get his attention. "What's the matter, darling?" He asks, looking down at her like he didn't hear a word of what Arthur had just said to him. "You want to play hide-and-seek?" He suggests and she nods happily, tugging on his shirt again to get him up.
"Did you here anything I just said?" Arthur interupts. He's not trying to be rude or anything, but seriously?
"Of course I did," Eames says as he stands up. "Now close your eyes, you're it."
"You're serious?" Arthur looks absolutely confused, but Eames is apparently being completely serious.
"Yes, Arthur, now c'mon. Close your eyes, count backwards from twenty and we'll hide."
Arthur flashes him a skeptical look, but raises his hand to cover his eyes and starts counting like Eames told him to. Listening as Lily runs away giggling and Eames follows after her.
"Hurry, Lil. Go hide," Eames tells her and Arthur really can't help the small smile tugging on his lips.
He counts backwards in his head until he reaches five, calling out the last few numbers before dropping his hand and getting up to look for them. "Here I come," he says and hears Lily giggle from somewhere he can't quiet place, but he spots Eames first.
"You'll never catch me," Eames calls from behind a tree where he was hiding, his challenging smirk daring him to try.
Arthur just smirks and accepts the challenge, darting towards the tree in an attempt to catch Eames. "Why won't you answer me?" He asks from the opposite side of the tree, circling around it with him while he tries to tag him and Eames ducks just out of reach.
Eames doesn't answer, just dodges out of Arthur's reach as they circle the tree before running away to make Arthur chase him. "You're going to have to better than that, darling," he tells him as Lily runs out of hiding to chase after both of them.
Arthur rolls his eyes and briefly considers how ridiculous he must look running through a park the way he's dressed, but he doesn't care. Following after Eames as he runs away from the tree and only pausing for a moment to look back at Lily joining the chase. "You gonna help me catch your daddy? C'mon," he says, turning back he way he'd been running to see Eames is no longer there. Looking around trying to spot him among the other parents and children there with no such luck.
Then Lily's screaming and giggling as she points somewhere behind him, the only thing that warns him before he's nearly tackled to the ground by Eames. They catch their balance though and Eames just stares at him for what feels like a life time before finally answering. At least it feels like an answer when Eames leans in to kiss him.
"I, um, okay," Arthur stumbles on his words looking for something to say, but before he can Eames is pulling away go scoop Lily up into his arms and letting her lean over to press a sloppy kiss to Arthur's cheek.
"I think she approves," Eames laughs and leans up to kiss her cheek before letting her wiggle out of his arms again and take both of their hands as they turn to leave the park hand in hand in hand.
Pairing: Arthur/Eames (mentions of Dom/Mal)
Rating: PG-13
POV: mostly Arthur's, but one part somewhere in the middle is Eames'.
Word Count: 6035
Summary: And yet everytime Arthur tries to get closer, Eames will just whisk himself away. It just makes Arthur run faster.
Notes: written for theme no. 4 @ harlequincepted, partially inspired and title by Counting Backwards by The Velvet Teen (which I recomend you listen to if you haven't, I did the whole time while writing this). Thanks to muthine for the wonderful prompt. I really hope everyone who reads this enjoys it, this was my very first fic written for this fandom and I'm kind of proud of it. So proud I'm thinking of doing a Dom/Mal prequel and maybe a sequel or two. Thoughts?
At first Arthur has a choice most days and he chooses to run earlier in the day while kids are in school and parents are still working, leaving him to focus on the perfect rhythm of his shoes hitting the ground accomanied by his heavy, but even breathing. The sound filling his mind and pushing every thought, worry, and care out of his mind; head empty and he runs for what feels like hours until his legs can't carry him any further and he collapses on the closest bench lining the sidewalk. Stretching his legs and letting his head hang back as his body tenses before relaxing, and his breathing returns to normal.
Other days he ends up working later and, since he's such a stickler for consistancy, in turn has to jog later in the day which is around the same time mothers and babysitters have brought what seems like the whole lot of kids that live in town. All running around and screaming, making as much noise as they can and making it impossible for Authur to lose himself in his own mind. Everytime he gets close, the shrill sound of a child' cry breaks his concentration.
So he just runs until he feels the ache in his legs, the pleasuable pain shooting through his muscles with every step and only subsiding as he starts slowing down as he makes his way to the next nearest bench and collapses. Same as always.
At least until he feels someone tugging on his shirt. Knitting his brow in slight irrittation as he sits up and opens his eyes, expression changing almost immediately to one of amusement when he sees it's a bright blue-eyed, dirty blonde, little girl with a brilliant smile trying to wiggle out of who he assumes is her father's arms and reaching for Arthur's too-long hair curling around his ears.
They look alike at least, he thinks when the man holding her looks up and tries to get a better grip on her while offering Arthur an apologetic smile.
"Sorry, mate, she likes to pull hair," he tells him, eyes looking affectionately to the little girl in his arms as he leans up to kiss her cheek. "Don't you, Lil?" He cooes and Arthur can't help the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"It's fine," he assures him, lost for anymore to say as he watches the interaction between them. "She's cute," he comments after a moment, smiling wider now and reaching over to gently tickle her arm causing her to giggle and curl into the chest of the man holding her.
"That she defintely is," the man agrees, flashing a small smile towards Arthur before lifting her up to set in her stroller and buckle her up before standing. "And ready to get home for a nap," he says and as if right on cue the little girl yawns. "I'll see you around, I guess, uh..." he pauses, prompting Arthur to tell him his name.
"Arthur," he fills in and the man just nods before walking away, Authur noticing too late that he didn't get the man's name as well.
* * * * * * * * * *
Soon his later-in-the-day jogs become more frequent while he tries to catch up on things at work causing him to get home later until it becomes his normal routine. He gets used to the sound of children running around him and even humors a few of them who decide to race him to a tree or bench in the distance, of course letting them win before he falls back into his usual pace. Making it all the way to the same bench he begun to frequent, which most days is already partial occupied by a father and daughter he's come to know a little better over the last few weeks.
"Eames," he greets near breathlessly, sinking onto the bench and trying to catch his breath before sitting up to greet his daughter as well. "Hey Lily," he says and let's her wrap her tiny fingers around his trying to pull him closer while the other hand reaches for his hair.
"She likes you," Eames comments when she succeeds in getting a death grip on his hair and then trying to pull it into her mouth, just sitting there laughing and offering no help to Arthur.
"Yeah?" He asks, carefully prying and untangling her fingers from around his dark locks before sitting up again. "Guess I should be pulling your hair then," he says before he can stop himself, trying to laugh it off as he ruffles Lily's hair a little to distract him from the embaressment.
Eames just snorts at that, shaking his head a little an pulling himself up off he bench. "We better get home," he says as he pulls the stroller away from the bench to walk away. "Wave good-bye to Arthur, darling."
Arthur waves back when he does, watching them leave before getting up to go his own way back to his car. Cursing himself every step of the way for making such a stupid comment.
* * * * * * * * * *
Arthur doesn't mind so much anymore that he's been forced to jog at a later time, not since he met met Eames and his little girl, but what he does mind is the mothers and babysitters and every women in the park fawning all over the two of them. Shamelessly flirting with Eames and causing a twist of jealousy to knot in his stomach each time he catches it. He tries to shrug it off, but it doesn't help that Eames either doesn't notice or doesn't care.
"Arthur, hello," Eames greets him cheerily enough, waving him over to their usual spot and smiling endearingly between the two of them. Laughing along with Lily's unending fit of giggles as Arthur makes faces at her and tickles her sides.
After a moment he sits up again, smiling at Eames and dragging his hand back through his hair to straighten it out before suggesting they should get together sometime. Outside of their run-ins at the park when he would be less sweaty and far more attractively dressed. "For lunch or something."
But Eames off-handly rejects his proposal with the flimsy excuse of being busy with various things and never being able to find a babysitter for Lily.
He's about to say he doesn't mind Lily tagging along with them, but he's not stupid and knows when he's being rejected so he stops himself. "Well, whenever you have some free time or whatever," he says like he's just trying to be friendly, but they both know it's more than that.
"Of course, Arthur," Eames nods with somewhat forced smile caused by the tention wedged between them. "I'll let you know as soon as I have a moment to spare."
Arthur just nods as well. He isn't sure if that time will ever come, but he won't push it. They've got a good thing going, it'd be a mistake to ruin it trying to make something more of their park encounters. "Great, yeah, whenever," he repeats and stretches out of the bench a little to loosen his tense muscles.
"Mhm," Eames hums in agreement, nodding as he collects Lily's things to put in the basket beneath his shoulder. "Well, Arthur, we better getting going before this one gets hungry. Same time tomorrow?"
"Yeah, same time," he laughs despite himself as Eames gets up to leave, waving at Lily when she leans out of her stroller to wave at him.
* * * * * * * * * *
After his sly attempt to get Eames on a date, things seem to have shifted. Arthur, at first, thinks it might just be him overreacting just because to he'd made a few stupid remarks and passes at Eames, but that doesn't explain the way Eames moves over towards the edge when Arthur sits down on the bench with him. Nothing overly drastic or painfully obvious, but obvious enough that it doesn't go unnoticed. Of course Authur doesn't say anything though.
Not until a week of seemingly odd behavior from Eames that only seems to be getting worse with each day that passes. "Um, is everything okay?" Aurthur asks, voice a little nervous like he's afraid of the answer.
"Hmm?" Eames looks up, snapping out of whatever daze he was in and nodding. "Yeah, yes, everything grand."
Arthur doesn't beleive him. "If it has something to do with, well, all those stupid remarks I made, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to come onto you," he tells him, even though he kind of had meant to. What he didn't mean to do was make things awkward between the two of them before they ever really got a chance to get to know each other. Sure, they'd been meeting on the bench almost daily for a month, but ten minutes mostly spent with Arthur making faces at and playing with Lily didn't leave much room for them.
"No, not at all, Arthur," he shakes his head. "I'm sure you've noticed the women around here, I'm used to it."
"Okay." Arthur still isn't buying it, but accepts it and doesn't say anything else on the subject. Spending the next few minutes in awkward silence only broken by Lily getting antsy and demanding her father's attention.
"I guess that's my cue," Eames says, collecting up their things to put in the stroller before telling Arthur good-bye and walking away.
Arthur just sighs and stays there awhile long to relax before pulling himself up and leaving. He thinks about taking a few days off from jogging as he walks to his car, but he know he won't.
* * * * * * * * * *
Eames tries not to dwell on the way things have become between him and Arthur. It wasn't meant to be like that, yet he knew almost from they day they meet it wouldn't stay just a simple meeting on the bench. He'd want more even of Aurthur didn't and now that he knew he did it only made things worse. But he's had his share of terrible relationships, one that landed him a daughter to take care of (which he doesn't at all regret). He can't just go galavanting around with some guy he met only a few weeks ago no matter how unbelievably attractive he is or how much Lily seems to adore him. He has to keep her best interests in mind and what's best for her is for Eames to make her his number one and only priority.
So each time he runs into Arthur, always on the same park bench (Eames tells himself he just likes and is definitely not waiting for Arthur to show up), he only stays for a few minutes before telling Arthur they need to get home. Letting him play with Lily a little because the absolute joy on her face when she sees him is hard to deny and he couldn't possibly take that from her, but Arthur is not at all making easy to keep it that way.
He's long, lean body stretched out on the bench and head back with his eyes closed for a moment as he catches his breath; Eames just wants touch and be touched by the nimble fingers that tickle Lily's chin, run his hands through the hair that she loves to pull, and watch Arthur's face light up for him the way he does when he finally sits up to play with Lily. It's not fair that without her all the women, and especially Arthur, probably wouldn't give him a second thought. He'd just be another guy they couldn't care less about.
"Ariadne, please, I just need you to come with me," he begs through the reciever of the phone. Pleading with her to join him at the park to, hopefully, throw Arthur off his trail. It's becoming too much for him to handle the way Arthur looks at him sometimes and ever so slyly suggests they get together again outside their run-ins at the park.
"You could just stop going to that park, there's plenty of them," she retorts, but it's obvious she's caving despite her better judgement. "Or, you know, tell him as kindly as possible that you're not interested instead of pretending I'm your wife or girlfriend or whatever it is you're asking me to be."
Eames sighs and shakes his head before remembering she can't see him. "Lily likes that one and she likes him."
"Then what is the problem?" Ariadne cuts him off, obviously not getting the fact that Arthur is too perfect which obviously means nothing good could come from persuing a relationship with him. "Your reasoning doesn't make any sense."
"But it does, darling, hear me out," he sighs again ready to explain it to her for the hundreth time it seems. "He's perfect, and he's hot, and Lily loves him. You should see the way her face lights up the moment she sees him, it's brilliant. But I don't want to lose that if he ends up being less than what he seems and I don't want to neglect my daughter because I can't control my feelings for a guy I barely know."
"And what about the millions of single moms and young girls out there practically throwing themselves at you? Don't tell me they don't exist, I know how you like work your charm," she says, voice dripping with sarcasm around the last bit. "Why don't you ask one of them?"
"Oh, there are," he chuckles roughly. "They love me, but you know desperate women, throw them a bone and they expect the dog house."
"Fine," she says in defeat. It was impossible to win with Eames when he set his mind on something. "I'll meet you there." She was still disapproving of his methods and reasoning, but she knows Eames doesn't care as long as she agrees.
"Thanks, Ariadne, you're a doll," he chimes and gets off the phone after she mumbles some remark to get himself and Lily ready before leaving to meet Ariadne at the park.
"So I don't have to hang all over you like a sick puppy or anything, do I?" Ariadne asks as they make their way to Eames' usually spot.
"Not at all," he assures her. "I won't even make you pretend to be my girlfriend or anything like that; Aurthur will draw his own conclusions and everything will be grand. We can keep things simple the way they are."
Ariadne just rolls her eyes and shakes her head at him. "You're hopeless," she mutters, following to the bench and taking a seat next to him while they wait for Arthur. A few women stopping by to greet him, cooing at Lily and pointedly ignoring Ariadne's presence, Eames happily chatting away with them until their called away by their screaming kid or run out of things to say.
And it isn't long after the last woman leaves that Arthur appears, smiling at Eames before looking curiously at Ariadne. "Who's this?"
"Arthur, this is Ariadne. Ariadne, Arthur," Eames introduces them as Arthur sits down, moving closer too her and wrapping his arm around her shoulders causing her to make a small noise of disapproval.
"It's nice to finally meet you," Ariadne says, playing along and reaching across Eames chest to shake his hand while not-so-discreetly elbowing Eames in the chest and mouthing 'idiot' at him. "Eames has told me a lot about you, insisted I come and meet you," she tells him like she's trying to blow Eames' cover.
Arthur shakes her hand stiffly, looking between them like he can't quiet figure something out before Lily was squealing and making grabby hands at him in a plea for his attention. "He has?" He asks like it doesn't mean anything to him, his attention focused on entertaining Lily as he waits for elaboration.
"Yes, I told her how much Lil just adores you," Eames fills in, looking over at Ariadne while Arthur's focused on Lily and holding a silent arguement with her about his scheme. "It's really amazing how quickly she took to you, I wanted Ari to see how well you two got along," he says after his satisfied with his attempt to make his point, looking back over at Arthur.
"Yeah, well, it's hard to resist her charm," he laughs half-heartedly as he ruffles Lily's hair and Eames has a feeling it isn't just her's.
"She gets it from her father," Ariadne cuts in, nudging Eames playfully though she's giving him a hard look.
Arthur just laughs again and nods knowingly. "I've noticed."
"Father always taught me that charm gets you everywhere," he says, obviously proud of his skill, as he lifts Lily from her stroller to let her play in the grass next to them. "Always been able to talk myself into anywhere or out of anything."
"That's why he's such a great theif and forger," she smirks at Eames who glares back.
"It's not what you think," Eames tells him before Arthur can ask questions. "It's just work, or was until this little one came along. Not so much anymore, but Ari still works for Cobb."
Nothing either of them just said makes sense to Arthur, but he does recognize the name. "Cobb? I didn't know you guys knew Cobb."
"You know Cobb?" Eames asks, surprised, and makes a thoughtful noise at the new information.
"We grew up together and then kind of went our seperate ways in college," Arthur explains. "We get together every now and then, so you guys are close with them? You know, Mal and the kids."
"Yeah, I do a little babysitting for James and Philipa while their on a job when I'm not. Did a few times for Eames here too, but only when Cobb begs him to do a job with him."
"The little bugger drives me absolutely insane, I can't say no and keep my sanity at the same time."
"Yeah, he's persistent," Arthur laughs and nods. Cobb got what he wanted when he wanted it bad enough, knew exactly how to con you into doing pretty much anything he needed you for.
"That he is," Ariadne says and they both nod as well. "Knows what he wants and does whatever it takes to get it."
"Mhm, how do you think he got Mal?" And they all laugh.
"I remember those days. Watching him bend over backwards for her just to get a date," Ariadne says with a fond smile at the memory.
"Wow, what a small world," Arthur thinks aloud. He assumes now they knew Dom and Mal before they were married and they had to have been at the wedding, but he doesn't recognize either of them.
"Mhm, small world," Eames repeats, glancing back to check on Lily.
"Yeah, well, I have some stuff to catch up on. I'll you guys later."
Eames waves and tells Lily to, watching him walk off before he feels a swift elbow in his chest again causing him to lose his breath a little. "What was that for?"
"You're an idiot," Ariadne tells him, jaw clenched and jaw in a tight line for a moment before she chooses to speak again. "I thought you were exaggerating all that perfection bull shit, but damn it Eames," she stops and shakes her head.
"Well I wasn't, but that's just now. He could completely different outside of our meeting on the bench, I can't trust him or myself. I'm not gonna sacrifice my daughter for some guy."
"Sacrafice? He fucking loves her, probably more than he does you so- and he know Cobb, good indicator he can be trusted."
"Or that he's stalking Cobb and his family, maybe for a job. The way he acted like he had no idea what we were talking about seemed pretty faked." Now he knows he's being ridiculous, but he can't help it getting a little defensive. "He could be using me to get closer to them."
They both knew it was feasable, but Eames could tell Ariadne didn't believe it. "I think you're over reacting. Call Cobb and ask him yourself."
"Fine," Eames says and looks away from her to watch Lily play, not wanting to talk anymore about it. "But that doesn't mean I'm going to just up and date him just because Cobb says he can be trusted." And he can practically see Ariadne rolling her eyes even though he's not looking.
* * * * * * * * * *
And for the next nearly two weeks both Arthur and Eames purposefully try to avoid each other while similtaniously hoping to run in to the other. Arthur jogs during the morning or puts off his paperwork to go back to his usual time while Eames takes Lily to the park later in the day or not at all. It's not long though before fate or destiny, or whatever some ridiculously hopeless romantic would call it, brings them together again.
Arthur shows up to jog closer to their usual time meeting up and ends on the same bench. It's empty like it usually is the past few days, but not for long. Soon the opposite side is occupied by the sounds of a little girl whining to get out of her strollers and Arthur smiles despite himself.
"Didn't expect to see you here," he says, head still back and eyes still closed. He doesn't sound accusing, but gets nothing but silence.
"Um, are you talking to me?" The person next to him asks, obviously confused, and it's not Eames.
"Huh?" Arthur sits up and opens his eyes to look over at the mother of the little girl that's definitely not Lily. "Oh, I'm so sorry," he apologizes quickly. "I usually meet someone here and haven't seen them in awhile."
The women just offers him a sympathetic smile before unbuckling her daughters stroller belt to let her out, watching her run over to play in the dirt near a few other kids. "So which one is your's?" She asks after a moment, smiling more genuinely at him and batting her eyelashes a little after dropping her gaze his ringless finger.
Arthur immediately wonders if this is how Eames feels. Like he's being sized up and undressed with her eyes as she waits or answer while he sits there helpless.
"This little angel right here." Someone cuts in and Arthur is relieved to look up find Eames standing in front of the bench holding Lily who waves happily at him.
"Oh, isn't she just precious," the women coos, after a wave of realization visibly washes over her, standing up to greet Lily who just curls into Eames chest.
"Sorry, she's real shy," Eames explains to the women who just sighs knowingly and takes a step back.
"Well, I'll leave you guys alone. Have to keep an eye on my own little girl, she loves to cause trouble," she laughs and takes her stroller to the next bench.
"Um, hi," Arthur says awkwardly as Eames sits down in his normal spot at the other end of the bench.
"Been avoiding me, Arthur?" He asks instead of greeting him, voice no more accusing than Arthur's had been earlier when he thought Eames had joined him.
"No, I've just been busy," he says, feeling like a child caught red handed drawing on the walls or trying to flush their father's expensive watch down the toilet.
Eames just quirks a knowing smile at him and nods like he believes him. "Me too."
They both know they've both been avoid each other, but there's no blame to place so they drop the whole thing and for once things feel okay between them.
"So what was that all about?" Arthur asks, gesturing towards the space in front of him where Eames had previously been.
"What was what about?" Eames answers with a question before catching on. "Oh, that? Nothing, the women around her are just a little off."
Arthur wants to comment that most women are, at least in his experience, but doesn't because it still doesn't really explain why Eames told the lady Lily was his, implying it was their's.
"You're the only childless guy that I know of that hangs around the park at this time."
Arthur doesn't get it at first because he's pretty sure he's seen tons other guys and people jogging as well, but he realizes that was before he switched to a later time. "But, wait, what? I can't jog here now?"
"You can, but, well you can't tell me you didn't see the way she was looking at you. Practically undressing you with her eyes once she realized, or assumed, you weren't married." And of course Eames would know, Arthur watched it happen to him at least a hundred times a day. "The moment you would have told her you didn't have a child her mind would have jumped to the worst conclusions."
"Are you trying to tell me I look like some sort of pedophile?"
Eames laughs and shakes his head. "Not at all, love. But they will get suspicious seeing you hanging around the park at the same time as most mothers in town. Alone and childless, it doesn't look good, mate."
He can tell Eames is mostly just teasing him, but Arthur still groans and drops his head into his hands with his elbows balanced on his knees. "Maybe I should start jogging somewhere else."
"Maybe," Eames shrugs, convincingly acting like he doesn't care either way.
"Yeah," Arthur says like he expected anything else from him. The tension back again as he watches Eames bouncing Lily on his knee gently causing her to giggle and he can't help but smile. "Well, I guess I better go start looking for a new park to frequent," he says, waiting a second too long for Eames to make any indication that he doesn't want him to before standing up.
Eames just smiles a little, hardly a clue that he might actually care what Arthur does. "See you around, Arthur," he offers, both he and Lily waving as he turns to leave.
"Good-bye, Eames."
* * * * * * * * * *
Arthur hadn't actually meant to start jogging somewhere completely different, not even a park, but he just wasn't sure how much more rejection he could take. Sure, he understood it. It was understandable, Eames had a litte girl to take care of and didn't need Arthur trying to get in the way of that. He just couldn't help how much he adore both of them, especially Lily as odd as it seemed. She brought out the best in Eames, it seemed, and the way they were together was something so amazing Arthur couldn't put it into words if he tried.
Plus, for awhile he was still under the impression he was seeing Ariadne, but a conversation with Cobb over coffee one of the rare mornings they got together told him otherwise. Just another ploy to get away from Arthur, so he let him have all the away from him he wanted and stopped showing up to jog at the park. Instead taking up jogging up the street a few blocks from his apartment and circling back around to wind up back at his building.
"Arthur." He hears someone calling his name during one of his jogs, slowing down looking around. The voice had sounded familiar, but he couldn't quiet place it.
"Arthur, over here." Came another one he did recognize, turning to look back at the terrace behind him with small round table scattered about and spotting them immediately.
"Mal," he grins as he reaches their table, letting her grab a chair from an empty table nearby for him sit and join them. "It's been awhile, how have you been?" He asks before greeting Ariadne as well.
"Oh, you know, I've been alright. Dom's still crazy as ever and the kids are growing up too fast."
Arthur nods along and smiles at the mention of James and Philipa. "That's good, I'm glad to hear that."
"Mhm, but Ariadne here tells me you've been spending time with another child. The reason you haven't been around to see James and Philipa, Eames' little girl, huh?" She looks at him curiously after cutting straight to the point.
Arthur tenses up a litte at that and shrugs it off. "Not anymore," he tells both of them. "I didn't know you and Dom knew him, but I've just been busy at work and chathing up on stuff. You know how it goes." he says, only partially lying. He has been busy, but it's not the reason he hasn't seen Eames in the last week.
"He pushed you away, didn't he?" Ariadne asks, groaning in disbelief. "That idiot. He wouldn't know a good thing of it smacked him in the face."
Mal makes a noise of agreement, but is obviously amused by the situation. "Dom and I told Ariadne to tell him she had it on good authority you'd be good for him. You could be trusted. That boy needs some real structure in their lives, but of course we know he's pretty much a lost cause," she says, speaking affectionately of him.
Arthur isn't sure how he feels about the three of them, or anybody for that matter, interfering with his love life, but it's probably more because it didn't work and he really wishes it had. "Well, what are you gonna do? He seems to have it under control for now, I'm sure he'll find what he needs when he needs it," he shrugs.
"Plan B," Ariadne says, flashing Mal a secretive smirk that tells Aurthur they're up to no good.
"Really guys, I don't think he'd appreciate you interfering."
"He will when he gets what he wants," Ariadne says simply and the looks between them really worry him.
"What he needs," Mal corrects.
"And what would that be?" Arthur asks, though he's sure he already knows the answer.
"You," they say at once and Aurthur knows they won't let him wiggle his way out of whatever their planning.
Doesn't even ask how they know, he just figures they probably know more about both of them than they ever will. It's a woman-thing to know more about just about everything, he learned that much from his mother.
* * * * * * * * * *
Arthur shows up on time for their 'blind date', which isn't one at all because they know it'll be the two of them. Their friends had set it all up and, if Arthur was telling the truth, he was kind of happy for that because as much as he tried Arthur couldn't stop chasing Eames. His fingers are crossed that this is his lucky break.
Only it ends up Arthur sits there for the better part of the hour checking the door and checking his watch before giving up and leaving. He texts Mal from his car to tell her it didn't work out and ignores it when she tries to call. Eames didn't show up and that was it, he didn't want to see Arthur outside their few minutes in the park and even that he wasn't sure of anymore.
* * * * * * * * * *
Arthur doesn't manage to stay away for long though, which doesn't surprise him, and the next time Arthur's shows up at the park he's not there to jog. He's comfronting Eames as a final last stand. All morning he rehersed in the shower, in front of the mirror, over coffee, his drive to work, his break, his drive to the park, and finally the parking lot one last time just to make sure he had it down. Ready to lay it on the line and live with whatever the outcome was. If Eames rejected him, he'd move on and never bother him again. And if he didn't, well, Arthur was just really hoping he didn't.
"Fancy seeing you here, love. I take it you didn't go for a jog?" Eames smiles as he approaches, like he hadn't stood Arthur up the past weekend and there's absolutely no tension wedged between them.
Arthur looks down at his now slightly wrinkled suit and shakes his head. "I came straight here from work," he explains while Eames puts Lily on the ground to let her run around in the grass. "I wanted to talk to you." He swallows thickly and takes a deep breath to calm his nerves.
"You look good," Eames comments before giving Aurthur a look that urges him to continue when he says he came to talk. "What about?"
"You," he says and then, "And me." Suddenly he doesn't know where to start, his rehersing had been useless and he sits there silently for what seem a life time before speaking again. "Look, I should have gotten the hint a long time ago. And if not then, last weekend when you stood me up. Which, I get it, really. I get it so, I don't blame you, but I have it on good authority that it's not as black and white you're-just-not-interested as you make it seem," he says, hating how desperate he sounds, but he just wants to know. "So I just want to know, once and for all, is there any chance for us?"
Eames doesn't say anything, just looks at him for a moment before Lily comes toddling over and tugging on his shirt to get his attention. "What's the matter, darling?" He asks, looking down at her like he didn't hear a word of what Arthur had just said to him. "You want to play hide-and-seek?" He suggests and she nods happily, tugging on his shirt again to get him up.
"Did you here anything I just said?" Arthur interupts. He's not trying to be rude or anything, but seriously?
"Of course I did," Eames says as he stands up. "Now close your eyes, you're it."
"You're serious?" Arthur looks absolutely confused, but Eames is apparently being completely serious.
"Yes, Arthur, now c'mon. Close your eyes, count backwards from twenty and we'll hide."
Arthur flashes him a skeptical look, but raises his hand to cover his eyes and starts counting like Eames told him to. Listening as Lily runs away giggling and Eames follows after her.
"Hurry, Lil. Go hide," Eames tells her and Arthur really can't help the small smile tugging on his lips.
He counts backwards in his head until he reaches five, calling out the last few numbers before dropping his hand and getting up to look for them. "Here I come," he says and hears Lily giggle from somewhere he can't quiet place, but he spots Eames first.
"You'll never catch me," Eames calls from behind a tree where he was hiding, his challenging smirk daring him to try.
Arthur just smirks and accepts the challenge, darting towards the tree in an attempt to catch Eames. "Why won't you answer me?" He asks from the opposite side of the tree, circling around it with him while he tries to tag him and Eames ducks just out of reach.
Eames doesn't answer, just dodges out of Arthur's reach as they circle the tree before running away to make Arthur chase him. "You're going to have to better than that, darling," he tells him as Lily runs out of hiding to chase after both of them.
Arthur rolls his eyes and briefly considers how ridiculous he must look running through a park the way he's dressed, but he doesn't care. Following after Eames as he runs away from the tree and only pausing for a moment to look back at Lily joining the chase. "You gonna help me catch your daddy? C'mon," he says, turning back he way he'd been running to see Eames is no longer there. Looking around trying to spot him among the other parents and children there with no such luck.
Then Lily's screaming and giggling as she points somewhere behind him, the only thing that warns him before he's nearly tackled to the ground by Eames. They catch their balance though and Eames just stares at him for what feels like a life time before finally answering. At least it feels like an answer when Eames leans in to kiss him.
"I, um, okay," Arthur stumbles on his words looking for something to say, but before he can Eames is pulling away go scoop Lily up into his arms and letting her lean over to press a sloppy kiss to Arthur's cheek.
"I think she approves," Eames laughs and leans up to kiss her cheek before letting her wiggle out of his arms again and take both of their hands as they turn to leave the park hand in hand in hand.