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.

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Meridian can't help how stiff he is. Nothing about this is normal to him. It's a social norm that he usually handles through fake charm and exquisite training but he's doing his best not to let that all show now. He doesn't want to put on a mask with them, even if he knew it would be easier.

He's kind of glad to take their time apart. He's still learning how to focus on here and now and not merely on Xaiver.

Though his single pointed focus doesn't go away, considering Arthur silently before asking something he's wondered for a while.

"Do you both still practice the dream work?"

Maybe it's a blunt question but he's not one to hide his true self unless its for a job and this most certainly is not.

Truth be told, Arthur didn't take Meridian's stiffness negatively. Of him and Eames, he's usually the same way. Not only that but he's worked with several less-than-savory types of people throughout his various careers and so he's not put off by it in the least.

He's glad to have more one-on-one time with the apex of them all. He could tell they were similar in some regard and not just because of their similar taste in tailors.

Maybe he should be concerned about standing in Eames and his weapons room with a man like Meridian but he didn't. Not really. He cocks his head at the question.

"Not nearly as much as we used to," he says after some consideration. It isn't something the government or their handlers know (or maybe they do and simply turn a blind eye to) but they'd kept a PASIV just in case.

"Neither of us is willing to let our skills go unpracticed after the years we spent dedicating to it."

He watches Arthur closely, waiting on an answer. He suspect he knows. Not because of anything they've given away but because it's what he would do. He would have kept all he could, used it when he needed to. He had from other parts of his life but then nothing else in his life measured up to the program they were in now.

The PASIV dream share program came about as close as secret organizations got. Without just about the same amount of dangerous men and secrets.

"Do you use it as part of our program?" Ours. It's something shared, just as he's learning there's a lot they share in common. It's interesting, especially as he finds himself feeling a kind of kinship to the man there with him.

"You don't have to answer that, but I'm curious who has an advantage over me."

He's still not sure he would trust himself if he was Arthur. Even if they both had intel on the other.

"No," he says, and the 'our' doesn't escape his notice. "They either don't know or don't care what we get up to but we haven't used it in our new program. Though, I can see why they wouldn't want their weapons to be weaponized against them."

Does he agree? No.

But logically, he could see why.

He remains quiet for a moment as he considers the other man. "Eames and I were talking though and both of us agree that without any training, you and Ex's minds are probably already militarized. If either of you want to test that out and help you where it may be lacking, let us know," he offers. Being torn apart by their security wouldn't be his favorite thing ever but as he told Eames, to study it would be fascinating.

Did he think Meridian and Ex would take them up on it? He's not entirely sure. Maybe.

Maybe he should have thought it might come up in that way, but Meridian doesn't hide that hint of surprise in the way his eyes just slightly widen. He considers Arthur, looking for any sort of idea that maybe they had made a mistake and set themselves up with this. He didn't see it though.

"Do you think we might already be militarized because of the men we are, or that during those early months in training they might have already done something?"

They'd been pushed beyond their limits, drugged, fought, passed out and who knows what could have happened. He can't swear he has a clue all that happened in those early days when he'd been recruited. How could have an idea now?

"My gut says that it's because of the men you are," Arthur says after some consideration. "I doubt they'd want their weapons to be weaponized against them."

Of course, in saying that, there was the likelihood that they were because of the government and there was a failsafe for them to get in. They wouldn't really know unless they went in.

"In saying that, it's hard to say unless we went in," he says.

It makes sense, and he hates he hasn't thought before about them trying to do that to them as well. Though Arthur's reasons why they wouldn't make sense, though he believes in the sleeper work that the government had done and he wouldn't be surprised if men from Arthur's former program weren't the ones that put things in place.

He's quiet, considering that. "It's asking a lot of trust," he points out, but haven't they put a lot of trust into one another already, just in being there?

"You only have the two of you, doesn't it usually take more to do this?"

Arthur watches him as he considers everything he's been told. "You're right, it is," Arthur says simply, cocking his hip against the island. He watches Meridian closely. But, they've already put a lot of trust into each other, right? He's standing in their house, after all. Surrounded by weapons of all sorts.

His mouth curls up on the sides. "Usually but we've managed before with just the two of us. We're an excellent team."

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.

Arthur and Eames

An interest in dream share; pt 1

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

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