Chapter Text
It was weird being back here at the park with Eames. He hadn’t been here in a while, but a lot of the memories still felt fresh. He could see himself here, little Arthur from what felt like many, many years ago, running across the grass back when he used to play football. And soccer. And tennis. And basketball. Because of course his mom had made him try every sport there was at one point, back before they both realized that he was pretty terrible at hand-eye coordination and was only really suited to running track or swimming.
And now he was back, watching little kids do the same thing, watching them figure out their own abilities and find out more about themselves. He felt like a completely different person now, sitting on the bench, watching, looking back on old memories that felt covered in dust. It was strange how he could feel so distanced from it all.
No one disturbed them where they were sitting on the bench at the edge of the track. He kept expecting someone to run up to him from school and gape at the unlikely sight of him sitting next to Eames. He could imagine their surprise, much like his own surprise at the reality of it all, and the utter strangeness of of trying to explain himself. He could barely believe it himself. Eames had been someone he, he would have been reluctant to say, probably would have only admired from afar. He admired anyone, honestly, who could get away with somehow simultaneously standing out and fitting in in high school. Eames was beautiful and foreign, and not even just in the first sense of the word. They existed in completely different social circles- that is to say, if Arthur existed in any social circles.
He hadn’t always been on the fringe. In fact, he remembered being quite talkative and geeky when he was younger. He couldn’t pinpoint when he had started to withdraw into himself; even now, he didn’t shut people down and he wasn’t necessarily quiet all the time. In fact, he could be sarcastic and sassy and opinionated when provoked, but for a while now, he had been a bit hollow and felt as if he couldn’t relate to anyone or anything in their tiny town. He ached for bigger dreams. And while he had Ari and loved her to pieces, he hadn’t been able to talk, really talk , to anyone in a while.
But Eames , Eames seemed to keep him on his toes. He was so utterly unpredictable in a way that simultaneously scared Arthur and delighted him to no end. Everything about him was just so interesting and new, but he felt at the same time like an old friend whom Arthur just hadn’t seen in a while. Which was probably why their silence even now felt comfortable, instead of stifling. He felt as if he could just sit here forever next to Eames.
Arthur’s phone vibrated. He dug it out of his pocket, nearly dropping it on the ground because his hands were a little clumsy from the cold.
hello arthur? earth 2 arthur
“Eames. I’m sitting right next to you.” He stared at him pointedly, but Eames refused to look up from his phone, where it looked like he was tapping very slowly on the touchscreen with a single finger.
i know im here as well
“Stop not capitalizing letters.”
damnit i will do what i want this is a free country
“You are so stubborn.”
“Very true.”
“You are truly like a child.”
“That is also true.”
“Frankly, it’s a little frightening.”
“But deep down, you know you love my whimsical nature.”
“It’s...definitely an interesting time. You’re very unpredictable.”
Eames sent a sheep emoji as if to prove a point.
“Hmm. I did not know there was a sheep emoji.”
Arthur scrolled through his keyboard for anything that could resemble an appropriate response to the sheep emoji, but before he could send off anything in reply, Eames sent him a kissy face.
“Hey, I was going to--”
And suddenly, Eames was kissing him and all of Arthur’s thoughts flew out of his head. For a while, he left the noise of his mind and just focused on enjoying the kiss. Sadly, it did not last forever like he had hoped and they broke apart. “Um. Nice transition. Very smooth.”
“Thank you, darling.”
Arthur blushed. He didn’t know if it was the little pet names or the kiss or the blustery wind or just Eames, but his face felt like it was very red. Probably just Eames.
“You were miles away earlier, weren’t you?”
“Sort of. Being back here just brings back memories. I used to play like every sport, did you know?”
“Really? Arthur, I did not have you pegged as a super sporty child.”
“You mean you didn’t look at me and immediately think I was a jock?” Eames coughed, unable to hide his laugh. “Yeah, I know. But my mom...you know how parents are. She wanted me out of the house and running around, even though I probably would have been much happier inside with my books.”
“But you still run track, don’t you?”
“Yeah, it helps me clear my head,” Arthur admitted. He wasn’t necessarily the best on the team, but he still tried.
“I’ve seen you. You’re pretty good.”
“Thanks, Mr. I’m-Amazing-At-Soccer. Oh, I mean football , sorry.”
Eames laughed. “Really can’t take a compliment, can you?”
“I'll take kisses instead.” Arthur blushed at his forwardness. It seemed like such an Eames kind of line.
Eames laughed. “Well, I'll gladly kiss you.” And he did just that, leaning in and stealing a kiss. “God, you taste so sweet...and not even just because your drink had about 5 tons of sugar in it.”
Arthur blushed again.
“Obviously it's because you’re sweet. And you look absolutely adorable when you go all pink like that.”
Arthur tried to hide his face.
“Don't hide from me, darling. I said you're adorable!”
Arthur just seemed to be in a state of perpetual blush.
“Don’t worry, darling. You’re not just adorable. You’re perfect.”
Those words echoed in his head. You’re perfect . You’re perfect . He felt high above the clouds. How he even got back to the restaurant and drove home was a blur to him. You’re perfect. He said, ‘You’re perfect.’
He would bask in this beautiful afterglow, but something in him knew Ariadne would kill him if he didn’t fill her in.
He told me I was perfect.
She responded immediately. See, I told you he likes you! I don’t know why you wouldn’t believe me.
You know I just get nervous.
Well, don’t be nervous. Just know that your feelings are reciprocated. And that he’s super hot.
Like I could forget that part.
I don’t know! You forgot that you were cute earlier lol
Oh yeah, thanks for the pep talk before.
Of course. That’s what I’m here for.
Arthur was just about to text back when his phone rang. “Hi, Ari,” he said.
She laughed. “Aww, Arthur! You sound like you’re in a dream.”
“I...I honestly don’t even know what’s real right now. He just..he makes me feel something, you know?” He paused. “He just makes me feel excited. And yet I feel so at ease just being with him. Like I don’t have to impress him or anything. I can just...be myself. I don’t have to be anyone else around him.”
“I’m so happy for you, Arthur! I feel like I tell you this all the time, but you shouldn’t feel like you have to be anyone else, okay? He likes you for who you are and I do too.”
“Thanks for being so supportive.” He suddenly remembered something. “So how are things on your end? Hear anything back from Yusuf?”
“Not really. I mean, I posted a few photos from New Year’s, some of us together, and he liked them, but we were pretty drunk so I don’t know if he remembers much or if he even likes me like that. God, I just hope it’s not awkward when I see him at school...Did I say anything embarrassing that night?”
“You giggled a lot around Eames, but nothing super embarrassing. Though I wasn’t with you for most of the night, so I guess Yusuf would be the only one to know. He also tried to kiss both me and Eames, so you both probably did equally embarrassing things.” Arthur laughed. “But I think Eames had said he was talking about you before they were even at the party, so maybe he does like you that way? Ari, do you like him?”
“I don’t know.” She paused. “I mean, I feel like I barely know him. He’s in a few of my classes, but we’ve never really talked or anything. Not until the party. But then again, I don’t remember everything we said to each other, so,” she laughed, “I don’t even know.”
“I guess we’ll see then. I hope it works out. If you’re meant to be, I’m sure you two will naturally gravitate towards each other. Maybe you two will just get drunk at another party and go make out in a closet or something.”
“That is not what happened!” she exclaimed.
There was silence.
“Okay, that’s kind of what happened.”
They laughed.