High tide and the heron dived - Inception, PG, Arthur/Eames

[tigriswolf]

Title: High tide and the heron dived when I took the road over the border
Fandom: Inception
Disclaimer: Arthur, Eames, and the Inception 'verse are not my creations; title from Dylan Thomas
Warnings: somewhat disturbing content; takes place in limbo
Pairings: Arthur/Eames
Rating: PG13
Wordcount: 2190
Point of view: third
Prompt: fudge

 

There is a small sweets shop Arthur goes to once a day. The woman behind the counter is faceless, and so is the man sitting at the only table. The woman never speaks but to ask his order and tell him the price; the man says good mornin' or good afternoon. Arthur doesn't know their names.

He orders peanut butter fudge and overpays. Each time is the same. He thanks the woman, nods to the man, and leaves, box of fudge held carefully in his hands.

Arthur takes his fudge to a hill just outside of town. He walks for five minutes and passes a small ocean with dolphins, but he ignores their antics. They drowned him once. He doesn't like them anymore. The hill has a weeping willow, a puddle at the base of its trunk, a trashcan he never empties but also never completely fills, and a bench of amber. It reminds him of a place he was once, but he doesn't remember where or when. It was a long time ago.

He settles on the bench and watches the horizon. It catches fire sometimes, and sometimes movies play, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, or the third Indiana Jones, or Up. He likes it best when Up plays.

Arthur eats his fudge in precise, neat bites. He carefully licks his finger to collect the small crumbs on his pants. Once all the fudge is gone, Arthur sets the empty box on the bench and stays until whichever movies is playing finishes, throws away the box, and goes to his apartment. He walks past a desert to get there; he ignores the bones now. He doesn't know what or who died there, but the vultures ripped him apart when he explored. He doesn't go there anymore.

Arthur's apartment is small, with only a bed, a shower, and a toilet. He wears the same shirt, waistcoat, and slacks everyday and they never get dirty, and he sleeps naked. When he's not at the sweets shop, bench, or apartment, he wanders. He's looking for something, but he's forgotten what, so now he just walks. There are buildings and faceless people and dolphins and vultures. There are mountains and deserts and oceans. He tried to go through all three at one point or another. His mountain death was the easiest, so he tried there again. He gave up long ago, though.

The only food he ever eats is peanut butter fudge. He showers right before bed and doesn't care anymore that the showerhead only sprays blood. It rains once a week, and that's blood, too. He stays in that day and doesn't get his fudge. That's the only time he's ever hungry.

o0o

One day when Arthur goes to the sweets shop, there is a second man sitting at the table. He has a face, and he smiles at Arthur. He watches Arthur order his fudge and he follows Arthur past the ocean to the bench on the hill, where he sits next to Arthur. He's still smiling.

"Nice spot," he says.

Arthur ignores him. The sky catches fire.

"I can see why you come here," the man says. His voice is familiar, and comforting, and Arthur wants to fall into it forever. He can trust that voice, and he isn't sure how he knows.

He ignores the man, eating his fudge in precise bites.

"Come now, Arthur," the man says. "Give me a nibble, yeah?" There is desperation in his voice, nearly hidden by forced joviality. Arthur wants to comfort him, but he refuses the impulse.

The man is new. Like the dolphins were new, and the vultures had been new, and the quicksand that sucked him down in the mountains. Arthur can't trust anything in this town, and that includes himself. And this stranger, with his soothing voice and warm eyes.

Warm things burn. Arthur learned that a long time ago, before he came here. But he learned it here, too.

"Arthur, please," the man says.

Arthur finishes his fudge and stands, deposits the empty box in the trash, and leaves.

This time, the man doesn't follow.

o0o

The next day, the man with a face is waiting at the bench. Arthur wonders what he wants. He thinks about taking his fudge somewhere else. Whoever this man is, he'll be trouble. He has a face. No one here has a face except Arthur. Not in all the time he's been here, and it's been a very long time. So where did this man come from?

He looks at Arthur with such hope. Arthur looks back in wonder. This man has a face, and it's so interesting. So expressive, as he stares at Arthur. Scruff along his jawline, like Arthur hasn't had since before the dolphins. Eyes Arthur doesn't want to look away from. Lips he can imagine tasting—and he settles next to the man with a face and asks, "Would you like some fudge?"

"Yes, Arthur," he says. "Indeed, I would."

He doesn't know how the man learned his name. He decides, as the sky starts to play The Last Crusade, that he doesn't care. The man mumbles comments at him, and laughs aloud, and smiles at Arthur. He smiles so much. Arthur could get used to it, but it'll hurt even more when the man leaves.

"Arthur," the man says after the movie ends and Arthur drops the empty fudge box in the trash. Arthur turns to look at him and the man says, "Arthur, do you know my name?"

Arthur shakes his head. "Sorry."

The man smiles again. "It'll come to you, darling."

They spend the day together. Arthur shows him the safety bounds and explains about the dangers. He walks Arthur to his apartment and Arthur asks, "Where are you staying?" It's dangerous at night. He'll need a good door.

"Don't worry," the man says. "I'll find somewhere."

Arthur wants to invite him in, to wrap himself up in the man's strong body, to learn everything about him. But he doesn't say the words and the man caresses his cheek and says, "I'll see tomorrow, Arthur."

His dreams are easy that night, about falling into the sky.

o0o

Arthur's new routine includes the man with a face. They meet at the bench, share the fudge (Arthur buys more, now), watch the sky or a movie, and then wander.

The man convinces him to try the mountains again and they die together. It's wonderful.

Weeks pass and Arthur asks him to spend the night.

The man smiles. "Do you know my name, darling?"

Arthur shakes his head, murmurs, "I'm sorry."

"It'll come to you," the man says and he kisses Arthur's cheek before leaving.

He dreams that night, of the man shooting strangers, of changing his face, of laughing and smirking and crying. Of the man dying, and begging Arthur to end it.

Of the man reaching for Arthur as Arthur fell, and screaming—I'll find you! Arthur, you hear me? I'll find you…

Arthur wakes, a name on his tongue, but when he goes to say it, it faded away.

o0o

He doesn't tell the man about his dream. Doesn't mention that he thinks they knew each other before this place (which he's pretty sure the man already knew, anyway).

The man asks at the bench, "You ever hope that the dolphins and vultures will kill each other so we can get out of here?"

Five weeks ago, Arthur would've said, "There's nothing beyond the desert, past the ocean, over the mountains." He would've known he was lying even as he uttered the words.

But now he looks at the man and he says, "Tell me your name. Please."

The man says, "Darling, I can't. You have to remember. That's how it works."

Arthur punches him. The man recovers and lunges for him, but Arthur ducks, jerking out of reach. "I know you!" Arthur yells. "How the fuck do I know you?"

The man laughs, catching himself before he over-balances and giving Arthur a look so fond he blushes. "You'll remember, Arthur. I have faith in you."

And Arthur wants to ask about the dream.

The man holds out a hand. "Arthur," he says. "Let me take you to bed."

Arthur stares at him, at his eyes and his lips, and the breadth of his shoulders. "I don't know your name," he says.

The man strides to him and grabs his shoulders, gently shaking him. "You'll remember, Arthur," he says, leaning close, till they're breath to breath. "I know you will," he whispers, and then there's no space left between them.

o0o

He dreams of falling, and the man's hands, and his voice—I'll find you I'll find you I'll find you.

"You found me," he says, breathing the words into the man's neck.

"I did," he replies, mostly asleep. "D'you know m'name?"

Arthur closes his eyes and clutches him closer and thinks, I don't.

o0o

They stay in bed that day, watching the rain through the window. It stains the world red. They shower; Arthur doodles on the man's back, designing things in blood.

"'s'tickles," he mutters, pressing Arthur against the wall and demanding a kiss.

Arthur can't remember a time he was so happy. Life was empty until the man with a face showed up at the sweets shop.

" I wish I could remember your name," he says as the man takes him back to bed.

o0o

More weeks pass. Arthur dreams about the man every night, of falling and promises, and he finally tells the man one day, while they watch the horizon burn.

"You do remember me," the man says, kissing peanut butter out of his mouth. "So you'll remember my name."

It's on his tongue again, with the peanut butter and the man's own taste. With how he always smells like salt and gunpowder, even in dreams. With his strong hands and gentle caress, unless Arthur wants rough, and somehow, the man always knows. He's perfectly imperfect, and he's waiting, and Arthur knows he knows the name. He's dreamt himself saying it, breathing it, screaming it. But he can't remember when he wakes, when he's in the man's arms or beneath his body, walking around sharing this odd city.

"I know you," he says, wanting to cry in defeat.

"You'll remember," the man promises, with a caressing kiss. "I'll wait till you do."

o0o

And they're running from the vultures, and the man is laughing, and Arthur watches his grin, and Arthur says, "Eames."

Eames freezes, whirling to stare at him. The world shakes, the sky cracking and the dirt shuddering beneath their feet.

"I'm dreaming," Arthur says. "Limbo."

He knows. He remembers everything, the job that went very much south and Arthur had to choose between himself and his crew.

Eames nearly caught him as he fell, but Arthur let go, and Eames' voice followed him down—I'll find you I'll find you I'll find I'll find you.

"Eames," he says. "You fucking idiot. What are you doing here?"

"Arthur," Eames says. "Arthur!" He pulls Arthur in for a massive hug, and the world splits wide open.

o0o

Arthur falls upwards, Eames wrapped around him, through three layers of dreams. And he wakes with a gasp in their mark's office, a businessman whose secrets he got lost trying to find.

Eames is at his side before he's finished blinking, saying, "ArthurArthurArthur," and Arthur grabs his hand.

"You found me," he says. "You goddamned lunatic, don't you ever take that risk again."

Their architect, Sarafina, smiles and waits a moment to say, "We have to leave."

Arthur nods and stretches before standing and packing the PASIV away. "I'll meet you," he tells Eames.

Eames scoffs. "You're not leavin' my sight," he informs Arthur. "Perhaps not ever again."

Arthur doesn't argue. Boscoe, the extractor, takes the PASIV and the four of them discreetly exit the building. Eames follows Arthur.

"I'm hungry," he tells Eames as they walk down the street. "And I want a shower that isn't in blood."

"I know an excellent hotel," Eames says. "I'll order everything on the menu and wash every part of you in water so hot you'll barely stand it." He smiles at Arthur, and Arthur notes all the faces that go by, all the words they say.

There is no desert, no ocean, no mountains. No vultures, no dolphins. And Eames is next to him, talking about anything that catches his fancy.

o0o

Once they're in the room, food ordered and hot water running, Eames pulls Arthur close. He simply holds him, and he whispers, "Do you know my name?"

Arthur smiles at him and kisses his neck before murmuring a name that only Eames' mother remembers anymore.

Eames laughs and pulls Arthur into the shower.

o0o

If Arthur dreams that night, he doesn't remember, and he wakes saying, "EamesEamesEames."

And Eames orders them breakfast and they stay in all day, and Arthur swears he'll never again eat fudge.

"Never?" Eames asks.

"Not even once," Arthur promises, and drags Eames back into the tub for the longest, most luxurious soak of his life.

 

Comments

[averzierlia.livejournal.com]

Haven't seen the movie yet, but this is amazing anyway. ♥

[tigriswolf]

You should totally check it out!

Thank you for reading, anyway.

[romyra]

This was perfect!

[tigriswolf]

Thank you!

[haltlos.livejournal.com]

Oh this was wonderful. I truly enjoyed reading this. :)

[tigriswolf]

Thank you so much!

[chara-ter.livejournal.com]

What a horrifying Limbo! I'm so glad Eames rescued Arthur!

[tigriswolf]

Thank you for reading!

[ester-inc.livejournal.com]

I like the surreal feel to this, and the ending is so sweet! Thank you for sharing. :)

[tigriswolf]

Thank you for reading!