unconventionaltechniques | Arthur and Eames

Arthur and Eames

Arthur and Eames have been partners for longer than they've been with the organization. Both started out as criminals in two different fields, but the word of dream sharing brought them together. Arthur, a brilliant tactician, and Eames, a forger in every sense and meaning of the word, started out almost adversarial. One crisp and sharp with a military precision and the other messy and wild and dangerous in other ways they found it interesting to work with one another, to say the least.

In the end though they learned that friction between them was all about attraction and once they opened up to one another, the world for them changed.

Now they've walked away from dream share to work for an organization that keeps America safe, protects its people, and lets them do what they do best. Subvert criminals by twisting the law.

Everyone knows they're not just partners in the work sense but in every sense. In love. Devoted to one another. Able to read the other without a word, Barely with even a look. They're not as tightly wound as some in the Ravens, and certainly cause a lot of trouble in different ways, but they're good at what they do... and they're feared by those that know the truth of who and what they are.

General Contact Thread

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They're here. They're sharing their relationships with one another. Outside of Ex, this is the closest that he has gotten to someone else in... ever. Literally being here, being honest about himself and Ex, it is closer than he has never been with anyone else.

He's not sure what to think of that but he's taken the leap and trusted him. All he can do is keep going forward.

"If it helps, that's what everyone says. If they'll talk about you. Some refuse to take the chance of talking about you. That is quite some reputation."

He is glad to know that their reputation continues to precede them. It was something they worked hard for over the years and it has proved helpful more than not.

Arthur's mouth curls up. "It does. It's not very different than your own reputation which surely you know. There are some who worry that just by speaking your names, you'll emerge from the shadows."

Arthur receives then something only one other person has likely ever seen. A genuine and true smile from Meridian. It's small, barely there, but it's true and honestly authentic. It feels odd to him but right.

"When I started earning that reputation, I wasn't even trying. Now it feels like a challenge to built it bigger and worse," he admits, not that it's hard to do horrific things instead of doing them casually.

"Besides, they never know. I might."

The smile is a surprise, especially from a Meridian. His mouth curls up on the edges.

"It's always good to challenge yourself," Arthur agrees with a little smirk.

"We have a miniature shooting range/target practice area in the basement if you want to try any out," he motions to the different guns and weapons. "Otherwise, we can go see what the other two are up to?"

"Given the life we live, we really do need to find ways to keep it interesting."

As if the work they do isn't at all challenging on its own but he may as well have fun with it.

He arches a brow at that. "There's something I hadn't thought about it. Interesting. I'd really like to see the range. If you're willing to share." He had offered but he could still understand if he wasn't certain about showing him the space, and his weaponry.

"It's the little things," Arthur says with a smirk.

Arthur nods and leads Meridian through the house and down to the basement where the shooting range was located. It wasn't as big as what they have, he's sure - it's definitely not as big as theirs in Mombasa. But it did the trick.

"I don't know about you but sometimes it's therapeutic to come down and target something in-between jobs."

When Arthur says that about it being therapeutic to shoot things, he can't help but give that almost a grimace that passes as a smile. It is certainly meant to be one.

"I can understand that. I've found sometimes it helps to find a place to experiment on. High powered weapons and the home of.... someone. Usually drug dealers. Bonus points if it manages to blow up," he says, speaking as casually as if talking about a game of golf.

"Having this though, that's such a good thing to have."

Arthur cocks his head and considers that. "Yeah, I can see that. Good place to truly test out high powered machinery too," he agrees and flips on the light to the shooting range.

He nods and looks at it. "This place - this house is our slice of life outside of their control so for me? This place in particular helps. Eames has a few of his own methods he uses but this and computers - point work, is where I've always thrived."

"Not always what you want to use on the range," he agrees, thinking about the last time they had done just that. It had been nice, especially in a country where the guns weren't common. The reputation of it, and the legends of the men that did it, were amusing.

"For me it's always planning. Knowing every in and out. I won't have what just happened never happens again. I can't risk him again." He blamed himself for that shot, for not seeing it coming, and for his partner's near death.

"Agreed," Arthur says with a little smile. He wonders how Eames would feel about something like that one day if they ever have the opportunity or the right target.

He nods in understanding. "I get that," he says. "I'm not sure anyone would be left alive if Eames had been hurt like that," he admits.

There's no hesitation in the admission he makes after Arthur says that.

"I believe that, because there's none left. After they took Ex away and wouldn't let me go with them, I started the hunt. By the time they checked in with me about where I was, I was having Turkish coffee in Istanbul and not one of them was standing."

He pauses only then. "It's... interesting. Having someone to talk about these things with. it's different."

Arthur nods in understanding. His mouth curls up when he mentions Turkish coffee. "There is nothing better than Turkish coffee in Istanbul. I'm always in search for a good place wherever we travel."

"It is," he agrees. "Unlike our last career, even mentioning the program is a big no no. It's nice to have someone else who has been there and can relate."

Again there's that slight look, almost a smile. "I know places all over. I can give you a few names. It's one of my important stops."

He nods at that. "We've never talked about it with anyone. Well, I haven't," he admits, knowing about Ex's family. "But nothing like this. Just us being apart this long wasn't normal, even before the incident."

"Great, please do," he says with a smile. "And I'd be happy to share any that I know in different places if you want to share notes."

He nods in understanding. "How long were you apart," he asks. "Eames and I were apart for months before we entered the program and that was hard enough but after the program? Not sure how well we'd do."

He glances away as if he could see where Ex is, thinking about him. "The pastries in town. The places for desserts that absolutely are worth it," he says, knowing that is what Ex would want.

"Months?" He shakes his head like that. "It was seven weeks. We were told more than that but said fuck it and now we're here," he adds, knowing that is admitting a lot but he also is testing things with these two men he finds interesting.

Arthur watches Meridian with a tiny smile. When he mentions pastries, he nods. "You got it. Eames and I have spent so much time in Paris it's practically our second home. Among one of those things we know best about it are pastries and desserts. I'll give you the names of other pastry places in other cities as well."

He nods his head. "Seven weeks is a lot especially if you haven't been separated for very long before then," he says in understanding. "It's kind of like severing a limb... which is morbid as fuck but I find it's true."

He can't help but shake his head then, because he is finding it interesting how much they have in common with the other team.

"You are the Turkish coffee, is he then the pastries?"

Because that would definitely be amusing given how much so many other things with the other pair aligns with them as well. He hasn't seen it before in the other teams, not quite so clearly.

"Not morbid. It's exactly what it felt like. I was giving him body heat to survive, and then everything that was the living parts of me were gone." He hasn't said it to anyone else like that but he suspects Arthur will understand.

"Sort of. We had a friend who especially enjoyed her French pastries so, I think he's keeping the tradition around," he admits with a little smile. It was equally interesting to Arthur just how much the two teams had in common.

There'd been many nights they'd sat out on Mal's balcony with a book, cigarette, coffee and some French pastries she'd picked up that afternoon before their arrival. He'd loved that about her.

He nods in agreement. He couldn't imagine if it had been he and Eames. He would have done the very same thing and he knows it. "I get it," he says because if anyone understands, he would. "He's the only thing that truly matters. Like Eames is to me."

It sounds like a delightful memory, but one of someone lost as well. He can't remember having anyone other than Ex, but then Ex had his brother and he knew he would back up the other man on anything with his brother. No matter how much trouble it got them into but then being here was trouble as well.

Meridian nods at that. "He's the only thing that has ever mattered. I would destroy the world for him," he says, sounding so casual about that but he means it. Every word of it. "If he hadn't made it, I suspect I would have been your next job," he says, and he suspects that's the truth as well.

Arthur nods. Meridian's words don't phase him and the truth was, they probably would have been their next job if it'd gone down that way.

Though, had they found out the reason, Arthur's not sure he would have faulted Meridian even then. If anything were to happen to Eames, he'd be exactly the same way.

"I respect that. It'd be no less than what either of us would have done in the same shoes."

He looks around the room then at Meridian. "Want to shoot off anything or go meet up with the other two?"

He considers Arthur for a long moment before he says what he's feeling. "If ever comes to it, don't hesitate. Okay?" It's a suicide switch and he knows it. More than that, he's okay with it.

Meridian looks at the range and the weapons, and there is a longing in his voice but he looks back to Arthur and his tones have no hesitation. "I'd like to find Ex. If that works for you."

He suspects it will, but he understands his situation is currently unique. At least in his mind.

Arthur studies Meridian for a long minute before giving him a nod. "I won't. Not that I need to say it but, same." He's heard stories of Meridian and Ex, there was never a hesitation in their actions.

He nods at the answer. It was expected and he understands it completely. "Of course, let's go find them," he says and lets Meridan exit the room first so he can shut the light off, making their way back up to the main level of the house.

"Marco," he calls with a twist of his mouth, calling for Eames but walking in the direction he thought he'd find their partners.

He's not surprised to hear it. In the short time they've been together he's known that what he's sought with Ex is what Arthur and Eames have. It's a chance to have that same for himself and Ex, to see how they make it work... and to know there's someone else there if things go sideways. He appreciates that.

Meridian heads out into the house, finding himself giving a sound that is odd for him. A sharp laugh at Arthur calling out like that from the children's game.

From somewhere deep within the house came a single word.

"Polo!"

(wrap here and we can consider moving to the dreamshare talks/doing?)

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Arthur and Eames

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I hope it's okay to say that for Eames!

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