Archive of Our Own ^beta

Eames is a chameleon. Eames easily blends into the background when it’s necessary. Eames can be whoever he wants in a dream but Eames is capable of looking a thousands ways topside too.

The first time Arthur meets Eames is in a rich oligarch’s ornate boardroom. Eames wears the most eye-searing, tailored dark blue suit with garish white squares. His bold pink tie clashes with the intense geometric design of the suit.

Although the garish suit screams fashion disaster, Arthur knows it's Isaia. Arthur sat front row last month in Milan when this suit was unveiled on the catwalk. Eames sartorial choices are cutting edge chic but hideous to behold.

On Eames’s left shoulder sits a tiny blue with white squared chameleon. Arthur supposes it is only fitting that the loudest person in the room has a camouflaging daemon that prefers to hide in plain sight.

---

The second time Arthur meets Eames, Eames doesn’t have a chameleon daemon. Arthur tries not to stare at the tiny jerboa hopping around Eames as he explains how their team will break into the mark’s dream.

Arthur feels Octolus pawing carefully at his pant leg. Arthur doesn’t need to look down to know Octolus is staring at the tiny rabbit-like rodent that is circling Eames as he talks animatedly about the mark’s work habits.

Octolus settled in cat form when Arthur was 16. Arthur is proud of the form Octolus chose. A pallas cat is a beautiful and dangerous breed of wild cat. Octolus stood out even when Arthur was little because most children and adults have a daemon of opposite gender. Octolus is male.

Arthur never accepted his family and society daemon-influenced expectations about his sexuality even as a child based only on Octolus being male. Arthur refused to let his daemon’s gender define his sexual behaviour or conform to preconceived same sex daemon roles.

Arthur is an outspoken advocate for equality and human/daemon rights for all. Male witches are still treated with fear. Gyptians struggle for freedom and self-determination from the Magisterium. Having a same gendered daemon continues to considered unusual and unnatural.

Arthur works with several big named lobby groups focussed on social justice. Arthur donates his time and money (under one of his many aliases) because he believes change is possible. Arthur’s time in military taught him to distrust corrupt government officials who care little for marginalized communities so he must fight for what he believes in.

Arthur feels a kinship with Eames suddenly. A daemon’s form (supposedly) determines your personality. If Eames has a daemon that continues to change forms, people might suspect Eames of being unreliable, restless and impulsive. Arthur wonders how many people distrust Eames solely on the fact his daemon hasn’t settled.

---

The third time Arthur runs into Eames and his daemon, it is by choice. The last two jobs they worked together, Eames impressed Arthur. (Which is high praise indeed as most people are generally idiots in Octolus’s opinion.)

Eames’s forgers are perfection. His attention to detail and understanding of a mark’s psyche fascinate Arthur and Octolus. Eames understands a mark’s hidden desires. He can change his voice, his body shape but also wear different marks' personas as his own. Arthur has never seen someone else forger with such accuracy or ability.

Arthur called Eames in Mombasa to work together on a short job in Turin that requires a forger, an architect/extractor and pointman.

Octolus wonders what form Badili will take when they see Eames tonight. Arthur knows Eames’s daemon can keep the same form for days and weeks at time but why has Badili not settled?

But, Arthur refuses to dwell on why because he despises when coworkers ask him pointed questions about Octolus.

Arthur and Octolus check into Hotel Victoria. Eames swears by the steam rooms and the hotel’s in-house pastry chef. Arthur sighed over Skype when Eames made the hotel choice a non-negotiable part of his job contract.

Arthur was annoyed with the rider Eames texted him before he would take the job but Arthur respects Eames’s work and tries to ignore his idiosyncrasies.

Seriously though the rider is ridiculous:
An aperitivo provided or aperitivo break daily at 18:00 sharp.
A spa appointment with Enzo after a thalassotherapy treatment.
A soccer ball. A suite at Hotel Victoria
Free very high speed wifi.
And a brown fedora.
Eames thinks he's a rockstar not a dreamshare forger.

“I’m still shocked you respect anyone,” points out Octolus as he prowled through their hotel room. The blue marble bathtubs will please Arthur.

“You're one to talk,” snarked Arthur as he hangs his suits carefully, checking if he needs to call the concierge to press his new YSL suit. Arthur runs his fingers reverently over the labels of his favourite Zegna suit.

“I trust you. I trust our totem. I don't trust your -- friend... Cobb. He’s a menace.”

“His contacts and skills -- are more important, than... his personality Octolus.”

Octolus snorts as he fluffs a pillow on the bed before circling and falls dramatically onto it. “Who are you trying to convince Arthur? You or me?”

Arthur flops down beside his daemon on the huge bed, pulling Octolus close, something he'd never do in front of anyone. Arthur ignores his daemon’s jab about his coworkers, pulling him even closer. Octolus purrs contentedly.

“If Eames want to tell me about Badili, he will,” says Arthur as his eyes closed.

Maybe a short siesta before Eames arrived? They’ve been traveling for over 20 hours. A cat nap with Octolus until they meet up with Eames, at a tiny bistro, just a brisk walk from the Piazza Vittorio.

After Arthur wakes up from his nap, he takes more time than usual to get ready. Arthur chooses a suit that he bought recently in South Korea after see Hyan Bin wear it at an awards show. Arthur loved the clean, sleek blue lines of the suit. When Arthur begins retying his dark grey striped tie for the third time, Octolus starts pawing the hotel door.

“Arttthur, you are a direct person until you want to sleep with them. Just ask Eames back to our room.”

Arthur checks his reflection in the mirror one last time. Places his hotel card in his wallet and checks for his phone inside suit coat pocket. He hates when he forgets something.

“If Eames was interested, he would have made a move by now. I’m not fucking up a work relationship for sex, if I’m really desperate, I've got Grindr.”

Ocotolus grooms himself, not even making eye contact with Arthur as he replies, “I think we both know the answer to that.”

At first glance, Arthur wonders if Eames doesn't have a daemon at all. Eames is, of course, wearing the most eye-paining shirt Arthur’s seen yet. How can Eames be wearing Armani yet still look like he bought his clothes at a jumble sale.

Octolus looks closely to see if Badili is a chameleon again blending in with the blindingly pink shirt and orange belt.

But Arthur realizes Badili is camouflaged in Eames’s hair. The tiny, tan tarsier is holding tightly onto tuffs of Eames’s dark hair. Arthur marvels at how adorable the daemon is with her big round eyes and shy demeanor.

Arthur motions to Eames to sit down across from him on the terrace. Arthur and Octolus have been people watching while Arthur drinks a recommended bottle of white wine. It’s perfect compliment from their earlier hustle of international travel.

“Your daemons keep shrinking in size while getting more and more cute. Is there a reason for that?” asks Octolus who is lazily swinging her fluffy tail back and forth as she lies beside Arthur’s chair.

“Shit,” Arthur looks at Eames with trepidation. Arthur knows better. If he drinks, Octolus feels drunk. It’s so unusual for Arthur to drink without being at a club where Octolus’s voice will be drowned out by the loud dance music. Arthur forgets his daemon doesn’t care about social niceties or keeping his or Arthur's thoughts to himself.

Eames picks Badili off his head, placing her carefully on his knee. Eames motions for the waiter to bring him a glass for the bottle of wine breathing at their table.

Arthur wants to fill the silence between them with a rush of words but knows Octolus has already let the cat out of the bag. Arthur attempts reading Eames’s body language for clues about his feelings but Eames is a master at looking relaxed in the most dangerous situations.

Once the waitress brings a glass and takes Eames order for dinner, he leans back in his chair, still looking unruffled. His daemon is slowly climbing up his shirt towards his shoulder.

“Octolus you flatterer, do you help Arthur flirt with other men, or is it just my tiny daemon that catches your fancy?” Eames says with a grin as he sips the wine.

Arthur blushes which he hates. How can you be a cool and collected pointman with red ears when he’s embarrassed. Damn Octolus for sharing when Arthur tries so hard to be unreadable. Octolus opens his jaw wide, yawning loudly, before flipping onto his back, ignoring Eames and Arthur completely.

“Charming cat you’ve got there, Arthur. Is this how you feel about everyone? Bored and defiant? Because it's a good look on you.” Eames stretches out in the rickety chair, holding Badili in place with one large, strong hand. Arthur wishes he could just be like his daemon and tell Eames what he wants. Who he wants. And how he wants it. Instead…

“Mr.Eames, my daemon can't hold his liquor. I apologize for his outburst. Please ignore him,” Arthur says coldly.

He couldn't let Eames in. Arthur wants, Oh God, he wants. But Arthur learned early on not to mix dreaming with pleasure. It never turned out well.

“Pity. I was hoping if I showed you mine, you’d show me yours. My daemon is so much bigger than you think.”

Babili tiny laugh trills in the terrace, surprising Arthur. Arthur waits for the tarzier to say something else but she stays eerily quiet as she holds onto the collar of his shirt.

Eames’s lazy smile, his slouchy, wide open leg stance while sitting, so confident and relaxed as he finishes his wine, eyes never leaving Arthur, makes Arthur feel desired but also unsure.

Maybe Arthur is reading Eames wrong? Arthur hates being wrong. Octolus is right though, Arthur needs to check Grindr after Eames and Badili excuse themselves for bed.

Arthur never finds the courage to say how he feels to Eames. Octolus reminds Arthur A LOT, it’s not about courage, it’s about honesty. Although Octolus is Arthur’s consciousness in animal form and they might be one mind but they have very dissimilar opinions on how to solve his non-existent sex life.

While Octolus has no fear and wants to tell Eames that he’s hot and changing their relationship status from friends to fuckbuddies, Arthur knows that moment passed a long time ago.

Arthur prepared an analysis with graphs and charts providing a detailed assessment of acceptable risk required for Eames and Arthur to move from friends into lovers.

But Octolus just sighs dramatically, rolling his eyes at the bar graphs and power point presentation, sitting with his back to Arthur anytime Arthur tries to explain his reasoning for continuing to stay friends instead of asking for a change in their relationship each time they work with Eames.

---

When Arthur walks into the warehouse in Paris, Eames has a baby plover skittering across his fingers. Of course, Ariadne and Saito seem mesmerized by Badili’s antics as Eames discusses Robert Fisher’s company with Saito and Ari.

Arthur’s stomach feels jittery. Arthur wishes he had stayed in his apartment near the 2e arrondissement drinking his cafe au lait. Belately, Arthur remembered Cobb told him Eames was flying into Paris this week but even so, Arthur isn’t emotionally prepared.

Eames steals the air from the room. Each time Arthur works with Eames, Arthur notices more and more how handsome and how brilliant he is.

Arthur can’t stop staring at those lips, his massive thighs, his hints of tattoos under his shirt. Arthur could listen to Eames discuss the mark’s true motives or what Eames’s has learned about the person he’s forging. It's a devastating combination. Intelligent and hot as hell. Arthur hides his feelings beneath another layer of ice and professionalism.

“Mr. Eames. How was your flight from Mombasa?”

“Ahhh, Arthur, so glad you could join us. I missed your scowl while we were apart.”

Arthur refuses to keep verbal sparring with Eames in front of new people. Instead he hangs up his coat carefully by his makeshift office before looking up schematics he began analyzing yesterday before Saito arrived.

Octolus doesn’t have Arthur’s fear of rejection or his understanding of social etiquette. He’s tired of Arthur’s crush on Eames. He’s annoyed with Eames, the man with a thousand, different, cuter than the next one, daemons, focusing all the attention at Eames making it impossible for Arthur to forget how he feels.

But most importantly, Octolus is tired of Eames’s harmless flirting with Arthur which over time (Octolus truly believes) has made Arthur slowly hide his true feelings under the guise of indifference and coldness.

While Ariadne coos about the baby plover hopping across the table, the pallas cat stretches his paw up onto the wooden desk to look directly at Eames.

“You’re a liar. You’re not a grower or a shower are you Eames. Arthur has been in ....”

“Octolus!” Arthur runs across the room towards Eames, as soon as Octolus shoved his furry nose into Eames personal space. Saito calmly watches the scene unfold with a cocked eyebrow, Komainu shaking her mane, waiting for the fireworks to start, while Ari moves backwards, unsure of Octolus’s intentions, her seal Mauvert moving closer for protection.

Arthur’s ears turn red as he lifts his large, very annoying and defiant daemon, pulling him away from the table, Badili and Eames. Arthur’s never really carried Octolus since he settled 12 years ago but Arthur's acute embarrassment at his daemon’s outburst forces Arthur to hold an angry, squirming cat in his arms as he exits the room before anyone else can hear Octolus gossiping about Arthur’s feelings.

“What the hell were you thinking?” says Arthur in a sharp voice. “No don’t answer. You weren't thinking. I'm so angry with you.” Arthur doesn't know if anger quite expresses the depths of his fury. Octolus is his best friend, his personality in an animal form. Now everyone in dreamshare will hear about his crush on Eames.

Arthur drops his Pallas cat on the ground. Octolus gracefully lands with a thump.

Octolus’s furry head slumps forward. His tail hides under his body. Octolus knows he made an error. His ears flatten to his head. He's hissing and panting. He's never made Arthur mad before.

Octolus feels the fear and anxiety Arthur carries around with him every day. How had he never realized how difficult it is carrying all these emotions at once?

“I’m, I’m having a panic attack. Is this how you feel all the time. You keep this hidden.” Octolus’s heart is beating so quickly. The room feels smaller and smaller. How has Arthur kept quiet for so long?

Arthur kneels down, looking at his daemon solemnly. “Breathe. You’re okay.”

Octolus closes his eyes trying to focus on Arthur’s voice. Arthur is safe. Arthur isn’t angry with him. Not really. The walls aren’t moving in. Arthur loves him. Arthur. Arthur. Octolus takes another breath, feeling less heavy and beginning to function without panting.

Arthur starts breathing with Octolus trying to calm down his daemon. Octolus listens to his measured breaths trying to match the rhythm.

Arthur smiles gently at him.” I’m sorry too. I’ve been carrying all this anxiety inside me. I didn’t want anyone to feel this way, especially you, my best friend.”

Octolus big yellow eyes have tears in them. Arthur has never seen his daemon cry. Arthur pulls his daemon close, hugging him to his chest, feeling the soft fur against his face.

“I’m sorry Arthur,” purrs Octolus softly in Arthur’s ear. They stay touching until they both feel centred and calm. Arthur regrets not sharing his inner fears. Saying he was scared and panicked out loud meant those feelings were real, and Arthur believed if Octolus couldn’t see his symptoms, then the panic, fear and worry Arthur felt weren't a real concern.

Octolus sighs. “You need to tell me when you feel like this Arthur. Please don't keep me in the dark.” Arthur nods his agreement, scratching behind Octolus’s left ear before standing back up.

“My suit is full of fur and I am not ready to face anyone until I’m dressed in my new YSL suit. Let’s catch the Metro.” Arthur headed for the stairwell but turns to wait for his Pallas Cat.

“You’re not mad?”says Octolus still feeling nauseous and jittery, worried he’s broken something he cannot fix easily.

“This is what anxiety feels like. It’s why I didn’t share it with you. I love your carefree, risk taking, adventurous self. But I see I should have talked to you about it.”

Octolus headbutted Arthur’s leg gently. “We should share everything, Arthur. Not just the best parts of each other. I’m you. You’re me. I don’t want to be just your adventurous, fun side.”

Arthur laughs, realizing how blind he’s been. Octolus is as worried about Arthur as Arthur was worried about overwhelming Octolus. His daemon would want to help him overcome his nerves.

If Arthur had just told his daemon how he really felt, Octolus would never have gone to Eames to accuse him of not caring about Arthur.

Arthur opens the main doors, “I wish I had told Eames how I feel instead of letting you do all the hard work.” Arthur and Octolus stepped out onto the quiet street.

“Let’s walk down to Nortre Dame and people watch,” said Arthur with a smile. “Maybe I’ll call Eames tonight and tell him how I feel.”

Octolus paws Arthur’s pant leg with a grin, “Thank you for understanding.”

Arthur pets his head as they head towards the metro station. “We’re a team. I won’t leave you in the dark again.”

(Epilogue of sorts)

Octolus regrets walking into the warehouse as soon as he see Badili.

“Octolus, how big is big enough for you? Badili can juggle if you need showier,”says Eames with a sly grin. Badili waves her tentacles around giggling.

Octolus closes his eyes. Eames never stops trying to be an ass even when he’s flirting outrageously with Arthur especially when he’s flirting with Arthur.

Arthur tries not laugh, “Mr. Eames, size isn’t everything. But how will Badili fit in the uber I just ordered for us.”

Eames tips his head back, laughing uproariously. “You might need to text back and ask for a van.”

(Snippet of Conversation between Eames and Yusuf in the warehouse.)

“Have you tried telling him,” says Yusuf as he pour the colourful liquids into three test tubes. Dranqué lays placidly nearby knowing Yusuf needs space when mixing chemicals.

“Badili is a giant squid,” protests Eames pointing at his daemon who is splashing happily in her kiddie pool.

“Mate, listen to my words, I didn't ask you if you have a big dick, I’m asking if you’ve told Arthur you want to show him your big dick, preferably when I'm not around.”

Eames looks perplexed. “So, Badili isn't showy enough? Badili, what can you forge next? Blue whale? Rhino?”

Yusuf bangs his head on the desk.