fic: You're Waiting for a Stranger (2/3)
Part One
******
SATURDAY
23
OCT 2010
Arthur sits in front of his computer on Saturday afternoon, wondering if it's too late to back out.
He'd pulled up Eames' Twitter page a few days ago, reading through the random updates and cursing himself for not being able to forget this guy.
The resulting conversation with Ariadne had been an interesting one. He made her promise not to interfere before he even told her what she wasn't interfering with, and even after telling her about the Twitter account, he wouldn't tell her Eames' screen name.
She'd insisted on taking some photos of him to use on his profile, and he'd accepted because he was still debating whether he should go through with it.
Now is the moment of truth, though. He's blocked out two hours for it, just in case, and the Twitter home page is staring back at him mockingly.
He shakes himself out of his reverie. He's far too intelligent to let something so ridiculous as Twitter intimidate him. It's with this in mind that he pulls up Eames' page and types out a reply.
abilityinsuit @toextreames I'm just doing research for a psychology project. Please move along if you have nothing interesting to say. (asl?)
6 minutes ago via web
toextreames @abilityinsuit is that really u darling? i thought u'd forgot about me
3 minutes ago via Tweetie for Mac in reply to abilityinsuit
abilityinsuit @toextreames I can change my profile picture to Tyler Durden if that's more convincing.
1 minute ago via web in reply to toextreames
toextreames @abilityinsuit no dont, i prefer this
half a minute ago via Tweetie for Mac in reply to abilityinsuit
toextreames @abilityinsuit what made u decide to get twitter?
less than 20 seconds ago via Tweetie for Mac in reply to abilityinsuit
Arthur is halfway through typing out a response when his phone rings. The ringtone tells him it's Ariadne, so he answers, "Do you mind? I'm talking to my internet boyfriend."
"I know," she says. "I'm calling to tell you to answer him with the truth. If you try to pin this on me, I will hunt you down."
"What?! I told you not to follow him!" he frantically pulls up her follow list, but Eames isn't on it.
"Just because I don't follow him doesn't mean I can't look at his page. Seriously, though. He complimented you, so return the favor."
Arthur rolls his eyes. "Anything else, oh wise teacher?"
"Yes. Tell him where you live!"
"I'm hanging up now."
"You've got to mention it eventually!"
"Bye."
He deletes what he had (My friends just wouldn't let up about it...) and stares at the cursor as it blinks mockingly.
He types out a new response and hits send before he can change his mind.
abilityinsuit @toextreames I met this guy that I couldn't get out of my head, and Twitter was the only way I could reach him.
less than a minute ago via web in reply to toextreames
He stares at the response, wondering if he still has time to delete it, and then his phone rings.
"Are you seriously just sitting there, refreshing the page every second?"
"I can't believe you actually said that! Arthur! I am on my way to your room so I can hug you."
Arthur smiles despite himself. "I'm not going to let you in."
"If he responds before I get there, don't reply yet."
Arthur has a retort for that, but she's already hung up.
He stares at the update, feeling his face burn. It's much more forward than he meant to be, and he regrets it already.
But then he gets an idea, and he's breathing much easier by the time Ariadne knocks on his door.
"What are you looking so smug about?" she asks when she pulls back from the promised hug.
"Nothing."
"Did he respond?" she asks excitedly.
"Not yet."
She narrows her eyes in suspicion, then moves around him to peer at his laptop. "Arthur, you ruined it!"
Arthur chuckles, unplugging the laptop so they can both sit on the bed. "Trust me, it's better this way." He reads back over the status and smirks.
abilityinsuit @toextreames And then I remembered you had Twitter too, so I figured I'd say hello.
less than 5 seconds ago via web in reply to toextreames
"He's going to think you're a jerk," Ariadne says with a pout, as if he's ruined all her expectations of romance.
"I sincerely doubt--" He cuts himself off when he sees a new status roll in. "See?"
toextreames @abilityinsuit lol now i know its you. you made my day darling. ;)
1 minute ago via Tweetie for Mac in reply to abilityinsuit
Ariadne makes a noise like she's disgusted. "Well you'd better keep him, then, because he's the only one that's going to put up with your stubbornness."
"You put up with my stubbornness," Arthur says, smiling as he bumps their shoulders together.
"Don't smile at me when I'm pretending to be angry at you," she says with a laugh, reaching over to push her hand in his face.
Arthur moves to defend himself, and in his moment of distraction Ariadne makes a grab for the laptop and holds it close.
"Don't you dare," Arthur admonishes, attempting to pull the computer back toward him, but she's got it in a death grip.
"I won't send anything without your permission!" she promises. "But likewise your response will have to pass my approval."
He feels giddy, laughing at Ariadne's business-like tone.
He debates with her for a few minutes about approved conversation topics until he manages to distract her long enough to get his laptop back.
abilityinsuit @toextreames I've been listening to some of your less terrible music recommendations.
3 minutes ago via web in reply to toextreames
toextreames @abilityinsuit excellent! i trust they were brilliant
2 minutes ago via Tweetie for Mac in reply to abilityinsuit
abilityinsuit @toextreames They were less than terrible. You'll still have to sway me on the pop music.
1 minute ago via web in reply to toextreames
toextreames @abilityinsuit challenge accepted
less than a minute ago via Tweetie for Mac in reply to abilityinsuit
"Look at that smile," Ariadne teases.
Arthur ducks his head and punches her lightly on the shoulder. "Shut up." He gets a new email and pulls it up quickly so he doesn't miss Eames' next response, but it turns out the email is from him.Direct message from toextreames: http://www.mediafire.com/?isu9zhaic3ukq3p
abilityinsuit @toextreames What's this?
1 minute ago via web in reply to toextreames
toextreames @abilityinsuit listen to it
less than a minute ago via Tweetie for Mac in reply to abilityinsuit
The download finishes quickly, and he opens the song in iTunes.
"I like it," Ariadne says halfway through. Arthur shushes her, wanting to listen to it all the way through. When he goes to respond, Eames has already asked him about it.
toextreames @abilityinsuit r u swayed yet?
6 minutes ago via Tweetie for Mac in reply to abilityinsuit
abilityinsuit @toextreames Not bad. The lead singer has a very melodic voice.
3 minutes ago via web in reply to toextreames
toextreames @abilityinsuit lol sure u dont mean meoldic?
3 minutes ago via Tweetie for Mac in reply to abilityinsuit
abilityinsuit @toextreames You're never going to let me live that down, are you?
2 minutes ago via web in reply to toextreames
toextreames @abilityinsuit never o:)
less than 20 seconds ago via Tweetie for Mac in reply to abilityinsuit
Arthur tries to think of a good response, something about his halo slipping, when the page reloads to show a new message.
toextreames @abilityinsuit gotta run love. be back tonite
1 minute ago via Tweetie for Mac in reply to abilityinsuit
abilityinsuit @toextreames Okay, I'm not going anywhere.
less than 5 seconds ago via web in reply to toextreames
Ariadne is disappointed that Eames has to go, but Arthur doesn't share her sentiments. He almost feels excited, or maybe satisfied, now that he has Eames back in his life.
He spends most of the day working ahead on assignments, keeping one eye on his Twitter feed. By 7:30, he's a good two hours ahead of his schedule, and when Ariadne calls him about going out for a bit, he gives in to his restless mood and agrees. He fires off a reply to Eames before he leaves, though, just for good measure.
abilityinsuit @toextreames Looks like I'm a liar, sorry. Going out with friends. I'll talk to you tomorrow.
less than 5 seconds ago via web in reply to toextreames
When he gets back, several hours later after an enjoyable night out, he sees a reply from Eames from not long after he left.
toextreames @abilityinsuit dont pine for me 2 much
about 3 hours ago via Tweetie for Mac in reply to abilityinsuit
He's still smiling when he crawls into bed.
******
SUNDAY
24
OCT 2010
toextreames @abilityinsuit I watched fight club again last nite in your honor
14 minutes ago via Tweetie for Mac in reply to abilityinsuit
abilityinsuit @toextreames I think you'd take any excuse to watch that movie.
8 minutes ago via web in reply to toextreames
toextreames @abilityinsuit lol im not as obsesed with it as you think i am
5 minutes ago via Tweetie for Mac in reply to abilityinsuit
abilityinsuit @toextreames Do you use some sort of IM service, like AIM? That might be easier than trying to keep up with Twitter.
2 minutes ago via web in reply to toextreames
toextreames @abilityinsuit yeah same sn as this 1
1 minute ago via Tweetie for Mac in reply to abilityinsuit
arthuratlaw: Hello.
toextreames: hello love
toextreames: what r you up to?
arthuratlaw: Homework mostly.
toextreames: wat a dull use of a sunday
arthuratlaw: Oh? What are you doing, then?
toextreames: dunno
toextreames: still waking up
arthuratlaw: Because that's not dull at all.
He bickers and chats with Eames for a while on AIM, having perhaps too much fun doing so, before he realizes that he hasn't made any progress on his homework. He puts up an away message and only responds sporadically for most of the afternoon, but finds himself talking more as nighttime approaches.toextreames: well i promised my mate i'd come over to play xbox tonite
arthuratlaw: Your life is just so hard, isn't it?
toextreames: im not complaning
toextreames: but it is hard to walk away form you
arthuratlaw: Maybe with you gone I'll finally get some work done.
toextreames: youll miss me 2
toextreames: dont lie
arthuratlaw: Goodnight, Eames.
toextreames: night arthur
******
TUESDAY
26
OCT 2010
From that point on, Eames sends him IMs at random intervals, even when he's not online to read them. Arthur looks at the timestamps and wonders when Eames ever finds the time to get any work done, or to sleep.
He's in the midst of a busy Tuesday evening when he gets yet another IM.toextreames: so youll never guess what happened to me at the movie theater today
arthuratlaw: Hey. Sorry, I can't chat tonight.
arthuratlaw: I'm meeting some people to study for a political science test, and one of their rules is to turn off the internet if you're using your computer.
toextreames: good to see youve surounded yourself w other stickinthemud's
arthuratlaw: In this case, I have to agree with you. But I think it's inevitable in the pre-law program.
toextreames: i will save my movie story for next time
arthuratlaw: Why don't you text me?
toextreames: internets not allowed but texting is?
arthuratlaw: Yeah, the guy leading the study group is kind of a douche. But he's always texting his girlfriend, so he can hardly say anything.
arthuratlaw: 401-555-3757
He's barely two steps out of his building before his phone vibrates with a text message.
Eames:
It explains so much about u that ure from rhode island.
Me:
I'm not necessarily from Rhode Island. That's just where I got this phone.
It turns out that Eames is in a talkative mood tonight, so Arthur forces himself to only look at his phone every 15 minutes, or whenever Trevor has decided to take a break to text his girlfriend. Often, Arthur has to fight a laugh when reading Eames' stories. It makes the study session much more enjoyable than usual.
"You seem to be in a good mood," says Sally, his only real friend in this group, just after he makes a joke about the topic at hand.
"Yeah," he says with a shrug. "Having a good day. Not sure why."
His phone buzzes in his pocket, as if Eames is calling him out on the lie.
"Well whatever it is, I'm glad. It's nice to see you smile."
"Thanks," he says, and then Trevor glares at them, so they return to their notes.
By the time they call it a night, Arthur is exhausted but not nearly as frustrated as the group usually makes him. He pulls out his phone one last time before heading to bed.
Me:
Thanks for providing tonight's entertainment. It was nice to have a distraction from the arrogance.
Eames:
anytime darling. you heading to bed?
Me:
I am. Goodnight.
Eames:
sweet dreams
******
THURSDAY
28
OCT 2010
By Thursday, Arthur's had to increase to unlimited text messaging for his increased use of the service. He's also made a habit of leaving the phone on vibrate during the day, after one incident of interrupting his econ class and incurring his professor's wrath.
It's not surprising at all when his phone buzzes against his leg during his history class on Thursday around 11. He keeps the phone strategically positioned under the desk, as he's seen countless other people do, and tries not to feel guilty as he reads the text.
Eames:
morning sunshine
Me:
Some of us have been awake for hours now, Eames.
Eames:
how unfortunite for u. which goes better w orange trousers... green or pink?
Me:
/Nothing/ goes well with orange pants. BURN THEM.
Incoming call from: Eames.
He accidentally makes an indignant noise that he covers up with a cough. He hits Ignore and then fires off a text message protest.
Me:
I'm in class.
A few minutes later, his phone vibrates again.1 New Voicemail Message.
Arthur sighs and shoves his phone in his pocket.
He takes diligent notes for the remaining 20 minutes of class. This is mainly due to the fact that he can't focus on the important parts of the lecture, because his thoughts keep straying to the waiting voicemail message and the voice contained therein.
He's barely hit the staircase after class before he's dialing his voicemail box.
"I'll have you know that these are the most durable trousers in the universe," says the accented voice over the recording. "I've had them for five years and they still fit. It's like Sisterhood of the Traveling Orange Trousers."
Eames rambles on about these magical pants, and Arthur embarrassingly clings to every word.
"...and I really hope you're going to call me back, Arthur, because the brevity of your voicemail alert was tragic, and I want to hear you say more than just 'You've reached Arthur.'"
His voice goes deep and mocking at the end in a horrible imitation. Arthur laughs at that, before deciding to listen to the whole thing again. Eames says his name differently than Arthur imagined, his accent not as posh as Arthur had been hearing in his head. He tries to tell himself that accents should not be attractive, and then he calls Eames back.
"Hullo," Eames answers, sounding far too pleased with himself.
"I can't believe you left me a five minute voicemail defending your horrible choices in clothing."
"Mmm, did you listen to the whole thing?"
"Unfortunately."
Eames chuckles, a warm vibration over the phone line. "Your voice is deeper than I expected."
"Mm, thank you," he says, even if it wasn't meant as a compliment. "As a future lawyer, I intend to use that to my advantage."
"I'm sure you could find all sorts of ways to use it to your advantage, pet."
Arthur smirks to himself before quickly changing the subject. "I still think you should burn those orange pants, no matter how durable they supposedly are."
That sets Eames off again, and Arthur laughs as Eames gets more and more adamant about them.
"What if I wore black with them? Very seasonal, you must admit."
"Do whatever you like, Eames," Arthur says, feigning disappointment. "I'm just disheartened at your lack of imagination."
He gets a full, out loud laugh for that one, and he attempts to picture Eames' smile as he says, "Oh, Arthur. Always full of surprises."
Arthur pushes himself up onto the low wall surrounding the Humanities building as he talks to Eames, absently watching the people milling about. He waves at some friends as they walk by, but luckily none of them try to interrupt his phone call or ask who he's talking to.
He's just decided he'll have to miss lunch when Eames says, "Oh, bollocks. I'm late for my neuroscience class." Arthur glances at his watch. 12:05. "Guess I'll have to go with the Halloween ensemble after all."
"You had class at noon? What are you doing talking to me, then?"
The rustling he'd been hearing stops abruptly, then continues after a pause. "Darling, you should understand how important it is for me to defend the honor of my orange trousers."
Arthur breathes out a laugh. "Go sneak into your class. I'm sure your professor's used to you by now." After a second of deliberation, he adds, "Call me later."
"Will do," Eames says, then disconnects. Arthur checks his watch one more time before deciding to rush to the cafeteria to grab something to eat before his next class, but he double checks his phone is on vibrate so he doesn't miss any calls.
******
"Don't give me that put-out look! I put in my reservation for this weekend with the Arthur Planning Agency at the beginning of the semester."
Arthur makes a face. "But a costume party? Really?"
"Oh, come on. It won't kill you to put on a costume for one night. You can text Eames all night and see if he can guess it!"
Arthur narrows his eyes. "I see you trying to play the Eames card."
"I don't have to play the Eames card. You promised and we're going. I just thought you might be happier about it if Eames was involved."
"I'm not that hung up on him," Arthur mumbles, but Ariadne gives him a look that says that's utter bullshit.
She grabs his planner from his desk and flips to the current week before he can get it back. "Thursday night, 2 hours for 'breaks.' You even put them in quote marks because you know they just stand for 'Eames.'"
"Give me that," he snaps, taking his planner back. "I'm allowed to schedule my nights however I please."
She smiles kindly, despite his annoyed tone, and places a hand on his arm. "Of course you are. But don't pretend this Eames guy hasn't had some effect on you after you've clearly worked him into your calendar."
"Fine. We'll go to your costume party. But I'm not going all out on an outfit."
Ariadne claps her hands gleefully. "Yay! You won't regret this, Arthur!"
Arthur shakes his head. He's not so sure.
******
SATURDAY
30
OCT 2010
So Arthur finds himself milling about some stranger's apartment at Loyola on a Saturday night, trying to make small talk. He keeps pulling out his phone to check for text messages, though he's not surprised when there's nothing new. Eames had mentioned he'd be going to a party as well; he's undoubtedly doing better than Arthur at socializing.
He's also feeling fairly good about his costume. Ariadne had complained it was just his excuse to wear a suit, and she may have been right, but he's loving it. Even if no one guesses his character right.
While he's in the kitchen making himself a drink, Arthur even makes a friend. The guy asks Arthur what he's making, then gives him a recipe that he insists is better.
Normally, Arthur would take offense at being told how to make his own drinks, but something about his attitude makes Arthur feel comfortable.
"I'm Yusuf, by the way," he says as he pours the ingredients into a fresh cup.
"Arthur. How do you know so much about mixed drinks?"
Yusuf laughs. "I'm a chemistry major. Measuring and mixing sort of comes naturally. Here you are."
Arthur takes a tentative sip, and sure enough, it's an improvement. "This is good, thank you. I guess if you ever get bored of chemistry, you could always fall back on bartending."
"I'll take that as a compliment, but chemistry will never be boring."
"No, I didn't mean--"
Yusuf smiles and waves off his backpedaling. "I live in a suite with a bunch of slackers and miscreants. Trust me, you're not the first one to suggest I forego years of medical school torture and go into bartending."
Arthur nods. "When you're really interested in something, extra years of school don't seem like torture. I'm pre-law, so trust me, I understand."
Yusuf returns his smile, saying, "Well, here's to our future years of academic servitude." There is a sudden chorus of Yusuf's name from the next room, and he heaves a sigh. "Those would be my suitemates. It was lovely to meet you, Arthur. Don't drink the punch."
Arthur chuckles as he heads back toward the living room, pulling his cell phone out of his pocket as he goes. Luckily, there is a free couch, so he huddles off to the side and texts Eames.
Me:
Are all college parties this overridden with alcohol?
Eames:
yes and youve inspired me to get one, ty
Me:
Don't drink the punch.
He looks around for Ariadne again, even though he's fairly sure she's still off participating in the festivities. She had been adamant about wanting to bob for apples, which made no sense to Arthur. Still, as long as he didn't have to participate, she could do whatever she liked.
His phone buzzes again.
Eames:
i feel like on halloween i can get away w this... wat r u wearing?
Me:
What do you think I'm wearing? If you guess who I am I'll send you a picture tonight.
Eames:
james bond, but i confess this might be cheating
Arthur shifts over, closer to the armrest, as someone sits down beside him. He narrows his eyes at his phone and types out his response.
Me:
Close, you're not the first one to mistake me for him tonight. How are you cheating? Did you talk to Ariadne?
"I would've guessed Tyler Durden first, had I not seen you. But I suppose that was wishful thinking."
Arthur grips his phone so hard he almost accidentally calls someone. The voice is softer than he's heard it over the phone, but he'd recognize that accent anywhere.
He looks up slowly at the person sharing the couch with him. He's dressed in hideously bright colors, but he's still, unmistakably, Eames.
A million things run through Arthur's head, and Eames looks apprehensive, but when he opens his mouth what comes out is, "You look ridiculous."
Eames barks out a laugh, giving Arthur a chance to compose himself. Admittedly, it's not the nicest thing he could have said. He could have said 'You are devastatingly attractive' or 'Oh my god, I can't believe it's you,' but the most obvious fact is that Eames is dressed like a pumpkin. He's wearing the infamous orange pants with an elaborate jack-o'-lantern painted onto an orange shirt that doesn't match. There's little else to be said, and if he focuses on that then he won't have a fit over the fact that Eames is sitting there, right next to him, smug grin on his face.
"When the clock strikes 12, do you turn back into a real boy?"
He expects Eames to twist his words into something inappropriate, but Eames just smiles and says, "I think you're mixing Disney metaphors there."
Arthur focuses on straightening his tie to get his mind off of how good Eames looks in person. When he's fought off the impulse to crawl on top of Eames, he smirks and says, "I'll take that as a no."
"So if you're not James Bond, then who are you?"
Arthur sits up straight and puts on a charming smile. "Bruce Wayne, at your service, Mr. Eames."
Eames takes Arthur's proffered hand, shaking his head and saying, "Only you would go as a superhero's alter-ego, Arthur."
Arthur makes a noise of protest and points to someone standing in the doorway to the kitchen. "That guy's dressed as Clark Kent!"
Eames narrows his eyes at the guy in question. "No, I think that's just a hipster."
Arthur frowns, but upon closer inspection, yeah. The plaid and glasses just threw him off.
Eames settles into the spot next to Arthur on the couch, smiling all the way. Over the next 45 minutes, Arthur learns several things about Eames. One, he'd had his mental image of Eames all wrong. He's easier with his smiles, and he manages to make Arthur feel like he has his full attention, even when he's observing other partygoers. Two, Eames is a senior at Loyola, but he's two years older than Arthur instead of the expected one, because he took some time off. Three, nothing escapes him. Arthur had always suspected that Eames downplayed his intelligence, but it's clear from his sharp observations that he's got more going on in his head than he lets on.
One thing he's not surprised to discover is that Eames has an extensive movie collection. Eames insists they be seasonal and watch a horror movie, however, they're halfway to Eames' dorm, arguing over the merits of the horror genre, when Arthur realizes, oh, he's going back to Eames' room.
He fires off a quick text to Ariadne as they go, never letting up on his criticism of idiotic horror movie premises.
In the end, the argument doesn't matter, because once they get to Eames' apartment, he says, "Whatever you want to do, Arthur."
Arthur is busy perusing Eames' DVDs, so he doesn't realize right away that his statement could've meant something more than just movies. When he looks up, though, Eames has disappeared back into the hallway. He turns back to the collection, thinking that if Eames meant something else, he would have said it. Eames was the one that invited him back to his place, after all.
Arthur can't decide on one movie, but the decision is eventually made for him when Eames is outraged that Arthur has never seen Office Space.
"I shudder to think of all the pop culture references you're missing out on," Eames says as he hands Arthur the popcorn he had gone to make and takes a seat next to him on the futon. The TV screen fills with virus detection screens that turn out to be the intro DVD screen, and Arthur thinks okay, maybe he'll give this movie a chance.
"Eames, I've lived my whole life up 'til now without seeing all those movies. I'm perfectly content with missing out on a few pop culture references."
Eames chuckles. "I'll soon fix that."
Arthur enjoys the movie, though he spends most of it hyperaware of Eames' shoulder next to his. He keeps expecting Eames to make a move, but he never manages to catch Eames looking at him even though he knows it's happening. During the slower parts of the movie, he entertains his own fantasies about turning his head and sucking on the skin of Eames' pulse point, making that smile slip as his mouth falls open in a gasp. But he pushes away these ideas, because he knows right now, they're on Eames' terms. He just wishes Eames would hurry the fuck up.
The movie ends, leaving Arthur at a loss with what to do. Normally, if things had been going this well on a date, Arthur would have made his move long ago.
"I can't believe you kept your tie on throughout that entire movie," Eames says with a laugh.
Arthur moves to straighten the aforementioned tie, saying, "It helped me identify with the characters."
"Here, let me," Eames says, hands darting in to pull Arthur's tie back in its proper place. "You're truly comfortable in this get-up, that much is obvious. I don't understand it, but it suits you."
His fingers still after smoothing down Arthur's collar, and Arthur thinks, finally, this is it.
"It's a solid hour past your usual bedtime, isn't it?" Eames remarks teasingly. "I'm surprised you haven't turned back into a pumpkin."
He steps away and begins clearing up the trash from the popcorn and drinks. Arthur stares at his back, not quite sure what to think. Still, he doesn't miss a beat as he straightens his cuffs and stands up straight, saying, "I guess I should go catch up with Ariadne so we can head back."
He has no idea if Eames is disappointed, but for a moment, his smile fades. "Well, you know how to reach me. Do you need help getting back?"
Arthur shakes his head. "I remember the way. I guess I'll--" See you later? Wait for you to jump me? "--talk to you later."
Eames' smile is back. "Goodnight, Arthur."
Arthur shivers once he steps into the chilly Chicago night. He'd seen that going differently in his head.
******
MONDAY
1
NOV 2010
Eames doesn't contact him at all on Sunday, and Arthur figures it's for the best. The longer he has to think about it, the more he wonders if he misread Eames' tone over all that seemingly flirtatious communication.
But then Monday turns out to be utter hell, and by lunch time Arthur has had enough. He finds himself doing what has become natural in the last week: he texts Eames.
Me:
I am having an awful day.
He sighs at himself as he sends the message, realizing that if Eames doesn't respond, it will only make the day worse. The thought makes his chest feel tight, and he wonders, not for the first time, what he should have done differently.
It doesn't occupy his mind too long, though, before his phone vibrates against the table.
Eames:
case of the mondays? ;)
Me:
You might say that. Can we steal $350k from my econ professor?
Eames:
maths was never my strong subject and youre too pretty to go to jail. we could egg or tp his house instead
Me:
You bring the toilet paper, I'll bring the eggs.
Eames:
fuckin a, darling ;)
Ariadne chooses that moment to slide into the seat across from him. "What are you smiling about?"
"Plotting the destruction of my wicked econ professor. I thought you had to work?"
"I had someone cover my shift because-- wait, don't change the subject. I know that's your Eames smile."
Arthur's phone vibrates in his pocket, but he does his best to ignore it.
"I do not have an 'Eames smile,'" he protests, complete with finger quotes, much to Ariadne's pleasure. She shoots him a look that is equal parts amused and disbelieving, and Arthur ducks his head to hide his smile.
"You never did tell me what happened," Ariadne says, reaching over to steal a bite of Arthur's food. "And I refuse to believe that you stopped being interested when you met him in person."
"I refuse to believe that you had nothing to do with the meeting in the first place." Her expression is one of confused innocence, and Arthur doesn't buy it for a second. He picks at the food left on his plate, wording his answer carefully.
"Nothing happened," he finally says. At Ariadne's disbelieving noise, he continues, "No, I mean. That's the problem. Nothing happened. All we did was talk and watch a movie. I guess all the innuendo and such is just a game."
"So, did he reject you? Or did you just not make a move?"
Arthur frowns. "I was waiting for him to do something."
Ariadne munches thoughtfully on her salad, and Arthur can see the gears turning in her head. "Correct me if I'm wrong," and she looks a bit pink in the face, "but don't you usually... I don't know, take the lead in your relationships?"
"This is different," he says automatically. "He's always been the one flirting. Either it was just an act or meeting me in person was a huge disappointment."
Ariadne's not convinced. "He was probably waiting to see if your cold responses translated to real life or if they were just an act."
Arthur shakes his head. "I was perfectly friendly, and thank you for the vote of confidence by the way. I was even," he hesitates, "embarrassingly open to his advances. There was no reason for him to think I was shutting him down."
"Believe what you want. But I think he wanted you to make the first move."
"Eames wouldn't play games like that if he really wanted something," Arthur says, not sure if he's defending or condemning.
"I never said it was a game. You said he was that good at reading people, maybe he could tell you were the type of person to... take charge," she concludes with a hand-waving motion.
Arthur shakes his head, pulling out his phone to check the message from Eames.
Eames:
just say the word and ill be there. 2ply ok?
Just say the word, he thinks, and it reminds him of Eames' words from Saturday night. Whatever you want to do, Arthur. Okay, maybe she's got a point.
******
TUESDAY
2
NOV 2010
With this in mind, Arthur turns up the flirting, and -- he hates to admit it, but Ariadne was right. He's talking to Eames on the phone on Tuesday when Eames says he can "feel you smirking at me, Arthur." Arthur doesn't bother to stop smirking when he says, "I'll bet you'd like to feel me smirking." There is a pause, and Arthur's face heats up post-haste before Eames says, smile evident in his voice, "That could be arranged."
It's still ridiculous and embarrassing that he said that, but Arthur laughs anyway before carefully steering the conversation elsewhere. He knows now what he has to do, but he wants to make up for his previous stupidity somehow. Just asking Eames out doesn't feel like it will be enough.
The answer falls into his lap Wednesday night when Yusuf starts following him on Twitter. He'd been surprised when Eames referenced his best friend by name after the party, realizing that he'd met the guy in the kitchen just before Eames stumbled upon him. Apparently Arthur hadn't made a terrible first impression, because Yusuf agrees to help out when Arthur sends him a direct message to ask for his help on the plan. Arthur spends the rest of the week steering Eames away from the plan and avoiding any embarrassing text-based flirting, and then Friday night finally arrives.
******
Part Three
******
SATURDAY
23
OCT 2010
Arthur sits in front of his computer on Saturday afternoon, wondering if it's too late to back out.
He'd pulled up Eames' Twitter page a few days ago, reading through the random updates and cursing himself for not being able to forget this guy.
The resulting conversation with Ariadne had been an interesting one. He made her promise not to interfere before he even told her what she wasn't interfering with, and even after telling her about the Twitter account, he wouldn't tell her Eames' screen name.
She'd insisted on taking some photos of him to use on his profile, and he'd accepted because he was still debating whether he should go through with it.
Now is the moment of truth, though. He's blocked out two hours for it, just in case, and the Twitter home page is staring back at him mockingly.
He shakes himself out of his reverie. He's far too intelligent to let something so ridiculous as Twitter intimidate him. It's with this in mind that he pulls up Eames' page and types out a reply.
abilityinsuit @toextreames I'm just doing research for a psychology project. Please move along if you have nothing interesting to say. (asl?)
6 minutes ago via web
toextreames @abilityinsuit is that really u darling? i thought u'd forgot about me
3 minutes ago via Tweetie for Mac in reply to abilityinsuit
abilityinsuit @toextreames I can change my profile picture to Tyler Durden if that's more convincing.
1 minute ago via web in reply to toextreames
toextreames @abilityinsuit no dont, i prefer this
half a minute ago via Tweetie for Mac in reply to abilityinsuit
toextreames @abilityinsuit what made u decide to get twitter?
less than 20 seconds ago via Tweetie for Mac in reply to abilityinsuit
Arthur is halfway through typing out a response when his phone rings. The ringtone tells him it's Ariadne, so he answers, "Do you mind? I'm talking to my internet boyfriend."
"I know," she says. "I'm calling to tell you to answer him with the truth. If you try to pin this on me, I will hunt you down."
"What?! I told you not to follow him!" he frantically pulls up her follow list, but Eames isn't on it.
"Just because I don't follow him doesn't mean I can't look at his page. Seriously, though. He complimented you, so return the favor."
Arthur rolls his eyes. "Anything else, oh wise teacher?"
"Yes. Tell him where you live!"
"I'm hanging up now."
"You've got to mention it eventually!"
"Bye."
He deletes what he had (My friends just wouldn't let up about it...) and stares at the cursor as it blinks mockingly.
He types out a new response and hits send before he can change his mind.
abilityinsuit @toextreames I met this guy that I couldn't get out of my head, and Twitter was the only way I could reach him.
less than a minute ago via web in reply to toextreames
He stares at the response, wondering if he still has time to delete it, and then his phone rings.
"Are you seriously just sitting there, refreshing the page every second?"
"I can't believe you actually said that! Arthur! I am on my way to your room so I can hug you."
Arthur smiles despite himself. "I'm not going to let you in."
"If he responds before I get there, don't reply yet."
Arthur has a retort for that, but she's already hung up.
He stares at the update, feeling his face burn. It's much more forward than he meant to be, and he regrets it already.
But then he gets an idea, and he's breathing much easier by the time Ariadne knocks on his door.
"What are you looking so smug about?" she asks when she pulls back from the promised hug.
"Nothing."
"Did he respond?" she asks excitedly.
"Not yet."
She narrows her eyes in suspicion, then moves around him to peer at his laptop. "Arthur, you ruined it!"
Arthur chuckles, unplugging the laptop so they can both sit on the bed. "Trust me, it's better this way." He reads back over the status and smirks.
abilityinsuit @toextreames And then I remembered you had Twitter too, so I figured I'd say hello.
less than 5 seconds ago via web in reply to toextreames
"He's going to think you're a jerk," Ariadne says with a pout, as if he's ruined all her expectations of romance.
"I sincerely doubt--" He cuts himself off when he sees a new status roll in. "See?"
toextreames @abilityinsuit lol now i know its you. you made my day darling. ;)
1 minute ago via Tweetie for Mac in reply to abilityinsuit
Ariadne makes a noise like she's disgusted. "Well you'd better keep him, then, because he's the only one that's going to put up with your stubbornness."
"You put up with my stubbornness," Arthur says, smiling as he bumps their shoulders together.
"Don't smile at me when I'm pretending to be angry at you," she says with a laugh, reaching over to push her hand in his face.
Arthur moves to defend himself, and in his moment of distraction Ariadne makes a grab for the laptop and holds it close.
"Don't you dare," Arthur admonishes, attempting to pull the computer back toward him, but she's got it in a death grip.
"I won't send anything without your permission!" she promises. "But likewise your response will have to pass my approval."
He feels giddy, laughing at Ariadne's business-like tone.
He debates with her for a few minutes about approved conversation topics until he manages to distract her long enough to get his laptop back.
abilityinsuit @toextreames I've been listening to some of your less terrible music recommendations.
3 minutes ago via web in reply to toextreames
toextreames @abilityinsuit excellent! i trust they were brilliant
2 minutes ago via Tweetie for Mac in reply to abilityinsuit
abilityinsuit @toextreames They were less than terrible. You'll still have to sway me on the pop music.
1 minute ago via web in reply to toextreames
toextreames @abilityinsuit challenge accepted
less than a minute ago via Tweetie for Mac in reply to abilityinsuit
"Look at that smile," Ariadne teases.
Arthur ducks his head and punches her lightly on the shoulder. "Shut up." He gets a new email and pulls it up quickly so he doesn't miss Eames' next response, but it turns out the email is from him.Direct message from toextreames: http://www.mediafire.com/?isu9zhaic3ukq3p
abilityinsuit @toextreames What's this?
1 minute ago via web in reply to toextreames
toextreames @abilityinsuit listen to it
less than a minute ago via Tweetie for Mac in reply to abilityinsuit
The download finishes quickly, and he opens the song in iTunes.
"I like it," Ariadne says halfway through. Arthur shushes her, wanting to listen to it all the way through. When he goes to respond, Eames has already asked him about it.
toextreames @abilityinsuit r u swayed yet?
6 minutes ago via Tweetie for Mac in reply to abilityinsuit
abilityinsuit @toextreames Not bad. The lead singer has a very melodic voice.
3 minutes ago via web in reply to toextreames
toextreames @abilityinsuit lol sure u dont mean meoldic?
3 minutes ago via Tweetie for Mac in reply to abilityinsuit
abilityinsuit @toextreames You're never going to let me live that down, are you?
2 minutes ago via web in reply to toextreames
toextreames @abilityinsuit never o:)
less than 20 seconds ago via Tweetie for Mac in reply to abilityinsuit
Arthur tries to think of a good response, something about his halo slipping, when the page reloads to show a new message.
toextreames @abilityinsuit gotta run love. be back tonite
1 minute ago via Tweetie for Mac in reply to abilityinsuit
abilityinsuit @toextreames Okay, I'm not going anywhere.
less than 5 seconds ago via web in reply to toextreames
Ariadne is disappointed that Eames has to go, but Arthur doesn't share her sentiments. He almost feels excited, or maybe satisfied, now that he has Eames back in his life.
He spends most of the day working ahead on assignments, keeping one eye on his Twitter feed. By 7:30, he's a good two hours ahead of his schedule, and when Ariadne calls him about going out for a bit, he gives in to his restless mood and agrees. He fires off a reply to Eames before he leaves, though, just for good measure.
abilityinsuit @toextreames Looks like I'm a liar, sorry. Going out with friends. I'll talk to you tomorrow.
less than 5 seconds ago via web in reply to toextreames
When he gets back, several hours later after an enjoyable night out, he sees a reply from Eames from not long after he left.
toextreames @abilityinsuit dont pine for me 2 much
about 3 hours ago via Tweetie for Mac in reply to abilityinsuit
He's still smiling when he crawls into bed.
******
SUNDAY
24
OCT 2010
toextreames @abilityinsuit I watched fight club again last nite in your honor
14 minutes ago via Tweetie for Mac in reply to abilityinsuit
abilityinsuit @toextreames I think you'd take any excuse to watch that movie.
8 minutes ago via web in reply to toextreames
toextreames @abilityinsuit lol im not as obsesed with it as you think i am
5 minutes ago via Tweetie for Mac in reply to abilityinsuit
abilityinsuit @toextreames Do you use some sort of IM service, like AIM? That might be easier than trying to keep up with Twitter.
2 minutes ago via web in reply to toextreames
toextreames @abilityinsuit yeah same sn as this 1
1 minute ago via Tweetie for Mac in reply to abilityinsuit
arthuratlaw: Hello.
toextreames: hello love
toextreames: what r you up to?
arthuratlaw: Homework mostly.
toextreames: wat a dull use of a sunday
arthuratlaw: Oh? What are you doing, then?
toextreames: dunno
toextreames: still waking up
arthuratlaw: Because that's not dull at all.
He bickers and chats with Eames for a while on AIM, having perhaps too much fun doing so, before he realizes that he hasn't made any progress on his homework. He puts up an away message and only responds sporadically for most of the afternoon, but finds himself talking more as nighttime approaches.toextreames: well i promised my mate i'd come over to play xbox tonite
arthuratlaw: Your life is just so hard, isn't it?
toextreames: im not complaning
toextreames: but it is hard to walk away form you
arthuratlaw: Maybe with you gone I'll finally get some work done.
toextreames: youll miss me 2
toextreames: dont lie
arthuratlaw: Goodnight, Eames.
toextreames: night arthur
******
TUESDAY
26
OCT 2010
From that point on, Eames sends him IMs at random intervals, even when he's not online to read them. Arthur looks at the timestamps and wonders when Eames ever finds the time to get any work done, or to sleep.
He's in the midst of a busy Tuesday evening when he gets yet another IM.toextreames: so youll never guess what happened to me at the movie theater today
arthuratlaw: Hey. Sorry, I can't chat tonight.
arthuratlaw: I'm meeting some people to study for a political science test, and one of their rules is to turn off the internet if you're using your computer.
toextreames: good to see youve surounded yourself w other stickinthemud's
arthuratlaw: In this case, I have to agree with you. But I think it's inevitable in the pre-law program.
toextreames: i will save my movie story for next time
arthuratlaw: Why don't you text me?
toextreames: internets not allowed but texting is?
arthuratlaw: Yeah, the guy leading the study group is kind of a douche. But he's always texting his girlfriend, so he can hardly say anything.
arthuratlaw: 401-555-3757
He's barely two steps out of his building before his phone vibrates with a text message.
Eames:
It explains so much about u that ure from rhode island.
Me:
I'm not necessarily from Rhode Island. That's just where I got this phone.
It turns out that Eames is in a talkative mood tonight, so Arthur forces himself to only look at his phone every 15 minutes, or whenever Trevor has decided to take a break to text his girlfriend. Often, Arthur has to fight a laugh when reading Eames' stories. It makes the study session much more enjoyable than usual.
"You seem to be in a good mood," says Sally, his only real friend in this group, just after he makes a joke about the topic at hand.
"Yeah," he says with a shrug. "Having a good day. Not sure why."
His phone buzzes in his pocket, as if Eames is calling him out on the lie.
"Well whatever it is, I'm glad. It's nice to see you smile."
"Thanks," he says, and then Trevor glares at them, so they return to their notes.
By the time they call it a night, Arthur is exhausted but not nearly as frustrated as the group usually makes him. He pulls out his phone one last time before heading to bed.
Me:
Thanks for providing tonight's entertainment. It was nice to have a distraction from the arrogance.
Eames:
anytime darling. you heading to bed?
Me:
I am. Goodnight.
Eames:
sweet dreams
******
THURSDAY
28
OCT 2010
By Thursday, Arthur's had to increase to unlimited text messaging for his increased use of the service. He's also made a habit of leaving the phone on vibrate during the day, after one incident of interrupting his econ class and incurring his professor's wrath.
It's not surprising at all when his phone buzzes against his leg during his history class on Thursday around 11. He keeps the phone strategically positioned under the desk, as he's seen countless other people do, and tries not to feel guilty as he reads the text.
Eames:
morning sunshine
Me:
Some of us have been awake for hours now, Eames.
Eames:
how unfortunite for u. which goes better w orange trousers... green or pink?
Me:
/Nothing/ goes well with orange pants. BURN THEM.
Incoming call from: Eames.
He accidentally makes an indignant noise that he covers up with a cough. He hits Ignore and then fires off a text message protest.
Me:
I'm in class.
A few minutes later, his phone vibrates again.1 New Voicemail Message.
Arthur sighs and shoves his phone in his pocket.
He takes diligent notes for the remaining 20 minutes of class. This is mainly due to the fact that he can't focus on the important parts of the lecture, because his thoughts keep straying to the waiting voicemail message and the voice contained therein.
He's barely hit the staircase after class before he's dialing his voicemail box.
"I'll have you know that these are the most durable trousers in the universe," says the accented voice over the recording. "I've had them for five years and they still fit. It's like Sisterhood of the Traveling Orange Trousers."
Eames rambles on about these magical pants, and Arthur embarrassingly clings to every word.
"...and I really hope you're going to call me back, Arthur, because the brevity of your voicemail alert was tragic, and I want to hear you say more than just 'You've reached Arthur.'"
His voice goes deep and mocking at the end in a horrible imitation. Arthur laughs at that, before deciding to listen to the whole thing again. Eames says his name differently than Arthur imagined, his accent not as posh as Arthur had been hearing in his head. He tries to tell himself that accents should not be attractive, and then he calls Eames back.
"Hullo," Eames answers, sounding far too pleased with himself.
"I can't believe you left me a five minute voicemail defending your horrible choices in clothing."
"Mmm, did you listen to the whole thing?"
"Unfortunately."
Eames chuckles, a warm vibration over the phone line. "Your voice is deeper than I expected."
"Mm, thank you," he says, even if it wasn't meant as a compliment. "As a future lawyer, I intend to use that to my advantage."
"I'm sure you could find all sorts of ways to use it to your advantage, pet."
Arthur smirks to himself before quickly changing the subject. "I still think you should burn those orange pants, no matter how durable they supposedly are."
That sets Eames off again, and Arthur laughs as Eames gets more and more adamant about them.
"What if I wore black with them? Very seasonal, you must admit."
"Do whatever you like, Eames," Arthur says, feigning disappointment. "I'm just disheartened at your lack of imagination."
He gets a full, out loud laugh for that one, and he attempts to picture Eames' smile as he says, "Oh, Arthur. Always full of surprises."
Arthur pushes himself up onto the low wall surrounding the Humanities building as he talks to Eames, absently watching the people milling about. He waves at some friends as they walk by, but luckily none of them try to interrupt his phone call or ask who he's talking to.
He's just decided he'll have to miss lunch when Eames says, "Oh, bollocks. I'm late for my neuroscience class." Arthur glances at his watch. 12:05. "Guess I'll have to go with the Halloween ensemble after all."
"You had class at noon? What are you doing talking to me, then?"
The rustling he'd been hearing stops abruptly, then continues after a pause. "Darling, you should understand how important it is for me to defend the honor of my orange trousers."
Arthur breathes out a laugh. "Go sneak into your class. I'm sure your professor's used to you by now." After a second of deliberation, he adds, "Call me later."
"Will do," Eames says, then disconnects. Arthur checks his watch one more time before deciding to rush to the cafeteria to grab something to eat before his next class, but he double checks his phone is on vibrate so he doesn't miss any calls.
******
"Don't give me that put-out look! I put in my reservation for this weekend with the Arthur Planning Agency at the beginning of the semester."
Arthur makes a face. "But a costume party? Really?"
"Oh, come on. It won't kill you to put on a costume for one night. You can text Eames all night and see if he can guess it!"
Arthur narrows his eyes. "I see you trying to play the Eames card."
"I don't have to play the Eames card. You promised and we're going. I just thought you might be happier about it if Eames was involved."
"I'm not that hung up on him," Arthur mumbles, but Ariadne gives him a look that says that's utter bullshit.
She grabs his planner from his desk and flips to the current week before he can get it back. "Thursday night, 2 hours for 'breaks.' You even put them in quote marks because you know they just stand for 'Eames.'"
"Give me that," he snaps, taking his planner back. "I'm allowed to schedule my nights however I please."
She smiles kindly, despite his annoyed tone, and places a hand on his arm. "Of course you are. But don't pretend this Eames guy hasn't had some effect on you after you've clearly worked him into your calendar."
"Fine. We'll go to your costume party. But I'm not going all out on an outfit."
Ariadne claps her hands gleefully. "Yay! You won't regret this, Arthur!"
Arthur shakes his head. He's not so sure.
******
SATURDAY
30
OCT 2010
So Arthur finds himself milling about some stranger's apartment at Loyola on a Saturday night, trying to make small talk. He keeps pulling out his phone to check for text messages, though he's not surprised when there's nothing new. Eames had mentioned he'd be going to a party as well; he's undoubtedly doing better than Arthur at socializing.
He's also feeling fairly good about his costume. Ariadne had complained it was just his excuse to wear a suit, and she may have been right, but he's loving it. Even if no one guesses his character right.
While he's in the kitchen making himself a drink, Arthur even makes a friend. The guy asks Arthur what he's making, then gives him a recipe that he insists is better.
Normally, Arthur would take offense at being told how to make his own drinks, but something about his attitude makes Arthur feel comfortable.
"I'm Yusuf, by the way," he says as he pours the ingredients into a fresh cup.
"Arthur. How do you know so much about mixed drinks?"
Yusuf laughs. "I'm a chemistry major. Measuring and mixing sort of comes naturally. Here you are."
Arthur takes a tentative sip, and sure enough, it's an improvement. "This is good, thank you. I guess if you ever get bored of chemistry, you could always fall back on bartending."
"I'll take that as a compliment, but chemistry will never be boring."
"No, I didn't mean--"
Yusuf smiles and waves off his backpedaling. "I live in a suite with a bunch of slackers and miscreants. Trust me, you're not the first one to suggest I forego years of medical school torture and go into bartending."
Arthur nods. "When you're really interested in something, extra years of school don't seem like torture. I'm pre-law, so trust me, I understand."
Yusuf returns his smile, saying, "Well, here's to our future years of academic servitude." There is a sudden chorus of Yusuf's name from the next room, and he heaves a sigh. "Those would be my suitemates. It was lovely to meet you, Arthur. Don't drink the punch."
Arthur chuckles as he heads back toward the living room, pulling his cell phone out of his pocket as he goes. Luckily, there is a free couch, so he huddles off to the side and texts Eames.
Me:
Are all college parties this overridden with alcohol?
Eames:
yes and youve inspired me to get one, ty
Me:
Don't drink the punch.
He looks around for Ariadne again, even though he's fairly sure she's still off participating in the festivities. She had been adamant about wanting to bob for apples, which made no sense to Arthur. Still, as long as he didn't have to participate, she could do whatever she liked.
His phone buzzes again.
Eames:
i feel like on halloween i can get away w this... wat r u wearing?
Me:
What do you think I'm wearing? If you guess who I am I'll send you a picture tonight.
Eames:
james bond, but i confess this might be cheating
Arthur shifts over, closer to the armrest, as someone sits down beside him. He narrows his eyes at his phone and types out his response.
Me:
Close, you're not the first one to mistake me for him tonight. How are you cheating? Did you talk to Ariadne?
"I would've guessed Tyler Durden first, had I not seen you. But I suppose that was wishful thinking."
Arthur grips his phone so hard he almost accidentally calls someone. The voice is softer than he's heard it over the phone, but he'd recognize that accent anywhere.
He looks up slowly at the person sharing the couch with him. He's dressed in hideously bright colors, but he's still, unmistakably, Eames.
A million things run through Arthur's head, and Eames looks apprehensive, but when he opens his mouth what comes out is, "You look ridiculous."
Eames barks out a laugh, giving Arthur a chance to compose himself. Admittedly, it's not the nicest thing he could have said. He could have said 'You are devastatingly attractive' or 'Oh my god, I can't believe it's you,' but the most obvious fact is that Eames is dressed like a pumpkin. He's wearing the infamous orange pants with an elaborate jack-o'-lantern painted onto an orange shirt that doesn't match. There's little else to be said, and if he focuses on that then he won't have a fit over the fact that Eames is sitting there, right next to him, smug grin on his face.
"When the clock strikes 12, do you turn back into a real boy?"
He expects Eames to twist his words into something inappropriate, but Eames just smiles and says, "I think you're mixing Disney metaphors there."
Arthur focuses on straightening his tie to get his mind off of how good Eames looks in person. When he's fought off the impulse to crawl on top of Eames, he smirks and says, "I'll take that as a no."
"So if you're not James Bond, then who are you?"
Arthur sits up straight and puts on a charming smile. "Bruce Wayne, at your service, Mr. Eames."
Eames takes Arthur's proffered hand, shaking his head and saying, "Only you would go as a superhero's alter-ego, Arthur."
Arthur makes a noise of protest and points to someone standing in the doorway to the kitchen. "That guy's dressed as Clark Kent!"
Eames narrows his eyes at the guy in question. "No, I think that's just a hipster."
Arthur frowns, but upon closer inspection, yeah. The plaid and glasses just threw him off.
Eames settles into the spot next to Arthur on the couch, smiling all the way. Over the next 45 minutes, Arthur learns several things about Eames. One, he'd had his mental image of Eames all wrong. He's easier with his smiles, and he manages to make Arthur feel like he has his full attention, even when he's observing other partygoers. Two, Eames is a senior at Loyola, but he's two years older than Arthur instead of the expected one, because he took some time off. Three, nothing escapes him. Arthur had always suspected that Eames downplayed his intelligence, but it's clear from his sharp observations that he's got more going on in his head than he lets on.
One thing he's not surprised to discover is that Eames has an extensive movie collection. Eames insists they be seasonal and watch a horror movie, however, they're halfway to Eames' dorm, arguing over the merits of the horror genre, when Arthur realizes, oh, he's going back to Eames' room.
He fires off a quick text to Ariadne as they go, never letting up on his criticism of idiotic horror movie premises.
In the end, the argument doesn't matter, because once they get to Eames' apartment, he says, "Whatever you want to do, Arthur."
Arthur is busy perusing Eames' DVDs, so he doesn't realize right away that his statement could've meant something more than just movies. When he looks up, though, Eames has disappeared back into the hallway. He turns back to the collection, thinking that if Eames meant something else, he would have said it. Eames was the one that invited him back to his place, after all.
Arthur can't decide on one movie, but the decision is eventually made for him when Eames is outraged that Arthur has never seen Office Space.
"I shudder to think of all the pop culture references you're missing out on," Eames says as he hands Arthur the popcorn he had gone to make and takes a seat next to him on the futon. The TV screen fills with virus detection screens that turn out to be the intro DVD screen, and Arthur thinks okay, maybe he'll give this movie a chance.
"Eames, I've lived my whole life up 'til now without seeing all those movies. I'm perfectly content with missing out on a few pop culture references."
Eames chuckles. "I'll soon fix that."
Arthur enjoys the movie, though he spends most of it hyperaware of Eames' shoulder next to his. He keeps expecting Eames to make a move, but he never manages to catch Eames looking at him even though he knows it's happening. During the slower parts of the movie, he entertains his own fantasies about turning his head and sucking on the skin of Eames' pulse point, making that smile slip as his mouth falls open in a gasp. But he pushes away these ideas, because he knows right now, they're on Eames' terms. He just wishes Eames would hurry the fuck up.
The movie ends, leaving Arthur at a loss with what to do. Normally, if things had been going this well on a date, Arthur would have made his move long ago.
"I can't believe you kept your tie on throughout that entire movie," Eames says with a laugh.
Arthur moves to straighten the aforementioned tie, saying, "It helped me identify with the characters."
"Here, let me," Eames says, hands darting in to pull Arthur's tie back in its proper place. "You're truly comfortable in this get-up, that much is obvious. I don't understand it, but it suits you."
His fingers still after smoothing down Arthur's collar, and Arthur thinks, finally, this is it.
"It's a solid hour past your usual bedtime, isn't it?" Eames remarks teasingly. "I'm surprised you haven't turned back into a pumpkin."
He steps away and begins clearing up the trash from the popcorn and drinks. Arthur stares at his back, not quite sure what to think. Still, he doesn't miss a beat as he straightens his cuffs and stands up straight, saying, "I guess I should go catch up with Ariadne so we can head back."
He has no idea if Eames is disappointed, but for a moment, his smile fades. "Well, you know how to reach me. Do you need help getting back?"
Arthur shakes his head. "I remember the way. I guess I'll--" See you later? Wait for you to jump me? "--talk to you later."
Eames' smile is back. "Goodnight, Arthur."
Arthur shivers once he steps into the chilly Chicago night. He'd seen that going differently in his head.
******
MONDAY
1
NOV 2010
Eames doesn't contact him at all on Sunday, and Arthur figures it's for the best. The longer he has to think about it, the more he wonders if he misread Eames' tone over all that seemingly flirtatious communication.
But then Monday turns out to be utter hell, and by lunch time Arthur has had enough. He finds himself doing what has become natural in the last week: he texts Eames.
Me:
I am having an awful day.
He sighs at himself as he sends the message, realizing that if Eames doesn't respond, it will only make the day worse. The thought makes his chest feel tight, and he wonders, not for the first time, what he should have done differently.
It doesn't occupy his mind too long, though, before his phone vibrates against the table.
Eames:
case of the mondays? ;)
Me:
You might say that. Can we steal $350k from my econ professor?
Eames:
maths was never my strong subject and youre too pretty to go to jail. we could egg or tp his house instead
Me:
You bring the toilet paper, I'll bring the eggs.
Eames:
fuckin a, darling ;)
Ariadne chooses that moment to slide into the seat across from him. "What are you smiling about?"
"Plotting the destruction of my wicked econ professor. I thought you had to work?"
"I had someone cover my shift because-- wait, don't change the subject. I know that's your Eames smile."
Arthur's phone vibrates in his pocket, but he does his best to ignore it.
"I do not have an 'Eames smile,'" he protests, complete with finger quotes, much to Ariadne's pleasure. She shoots him a look that is equal parts amused and disbelieving, and Arthur ducks his head to hide his smile.
"You never did tell me what happened," Ariadne says, reaching over to steal a bite of Arthur's food. "And I refuse to believe that you stopped being interested when you met him in person."
"I refuse to believe that you had nothing to do with the meeting in the first place." Her expression is one of confused innocence, and Arthur doesn't buy it for a second. He picks at the food left on his plate, wording his answer carefully.
"Nothing happened," he finally says. At Ariadne's disbelieving noise, he continues, "No, I mean. That's the problem. Nothing happened. All we did was talk and watch a movie. I guess all the innuendo and such is just a game."
"So, did he reject you? Or did you just not make a move?"
Arthur frowns. "I was waiting for him to do something."
Ariadne munches thoughtfully on her salad, and Arthur can see the gears turning in her head. "Correct me if I'm wrong," and she looks a bit pink in the face, "but don't you usually... I don't know, take the lead in your relationships?"
"This is different," he says automatically. "He's always been the one flirting. Either it was just an act or meeting me in person was a huge disappointment."
Ariadne's not convinced. "He was probably waiting to see if your cold responses translated to real life or if they were just an act."
Arthur shakes his head. "I was perfectly friendly, and thank you for the vote of confidence by the way. I was even," he hesitates, "embarrassingly open to his advances. There was no reason for him to think I was shutting him down."
"Believe what you want. But I think he wanted you to make the first move."
"Eames wouldn't play games like that if he really wanted something," Arthur says, not sure if he's defending or condemning.
"I never said it was a game. You said he was that good at reading people, maybe he could tell you were the type of person to... take charge," she concludes with a hand-waving motion.
Arthur shakes his head, pulling out his phone to check the message from Eames.
Eames:
just say the word and ill be there. 2ply ok?
Just say the word, he thinks, and it reminds him of Eames' words from Saturday night. Whatever you want to do, Arthur. Okay, maybe she's got a point.
******
TUESDAY
2
NOV 2010
With this in mind, Arthur turns up the flirting, and -- he hates to admit it, but Ariadne was right. He's talking to Eames on the phone on Tuesday when Eames says he can "feel you smirking at me, Arthur." Arthur doesn't bother to stop smirking when he says, "I'll bet you'd like to feel me smirking." There is a pause, and Arthur's face heats up post-haste before Eames says, smile evident in his voice, "That could be arranged."
It's still ridiculous and embarrassing that he said that, but Arthur laughs anyway before carefully steering the conversation elsewhere. He knows now what he has to do, but he wants to make up for his previous stupidity somehow. Just asking Eames out doesn't feel like it will be enough.
The answer falls into his lap Wednesday night when Yusuf starts following him on Twitter. He'd been surprised when Eames referenced his best friend by name after the party, realizing that he'd met the guy in the kitchen just before Eames stumbled upon him. Apparently Arthur hadn't made a terrible first impression, because Yusuf agrees to help out when Arthur sends him a direct message to ask for his help on the plan. Arthur spends the rest of the week steering Eames away from the plan and avoiding any embarrassing text-based flirting, and then Friday night finally arrives.
******
Part Three