so hard to die - arthur x eames

Chapter 7 - I wish I wasn't dead

His head hitting the floor. Blood. Memories. And then, mercifully, darkness.

"Where are you going?" Cobb asked, his eyes flashing. He had been angrier, recently. More disconnected with reality.

"To Eames' house," Arthur replied, distracted.

"Eames? Your relationship is purely... professional, I hope?" The question was asked lightly, but there seems to be a tenseness hidden underneath.

"Why the question?" Arthur grabbed his backpack, filled with the paperwork from today. He would sign all of it, he promised himself. Just after he'd had a few glasses of wine with Eames...

"Arthur, ANSWER ME!" Cobb bellowed.

"Jeez, Cobb. What does it matter?" Then he stopped. Was Cobb... jealous?

"Stay behind," Cobb growled. "Finish signing the papers. Then you can go."

Arthur sighed. "Fine."

"Jesus Christ, Arthur, what's happened to you? Is it raining?" Arthur stood in Eames' doorway, dripping wet. He decided to stay silent so Eames could figure it out for himself. "Well, come in. What took you so long?"

"Cobb made me finish off the work for today." He snickered. "He's jealous of us."

Eames smiled. "Don't blame him. I'm jealous of us."

Arthur rolled his eyes.

There was a pause. "You don't think... Cobb found out about the plan?"

Arthur waved him away. "No way. Don't be so paranoid."

Eames poured them both a glass of wine.

They sat in silence for a while. Eames was staring at Arthur, and Arthur had caught him in the act.

"What?" Arthur blushed.

"You're adorable," Eames said, smiling.

Arthur opened his mouth to speak, then closed it. A smile spread across his face. This was different to the many times he had said it beforehand. That was flirtatious, silly, him laughing at Arthur. This seemed... genuine.

Eames clocked Arthur's lack of reaction and backtracked. "Oh, sorry! I don't want to make you uncomfortable. Let's forget I ever said that."

"No, it's okay," Arthur whispered.

Eames paused for a moment, then spoke. "If I'm honest, Arthur, I really like you."

The silence felt thick, and Arthur couldn't breathe for a second.

"I like everything about you. I love your way of concentrating on your work so hard that you don't let the world through. I love how your forehead wrinkles when you see something you like. I love the way you smile when I've managed to get through to you. I like you a lot, Arthur, and I sometimes think I'm qualified so say the word love. But I won't, because I don't want to make you uncomfortable. So, if you want me out of your life, or you don't feel the same way, say the word and I'll leave. You'll never see me again."

During the course of his speech, Arthur had reached his hand over, and clasped Eames' hand.

"But... why me? How can you be so sure?"

Eames' eyes began to tear up. "There are approximately seven billion people on this Earth. I haven't met them all, but I know that there is no one, absolutely no one like you. There is no one I'd rather be with than you."