Hey everyone! So this is a nice little Christmas story I did for the holidays. And I actually got it done, not like my Halloween one I was planning to write. Anyways, this is just a cute short little oneshot that popped into my mind one day.
Also, if anyone is following these scars of mine, I am gonna try and finish the next chapter this week and have it up before Christmas. I have just been busy working this week.
Anyways, I hope you all enjoy! I do not own Inception or any of the characters, except for Sarah, she is mine.
A Pocket Watch and a Name
"Excuse me?" Arthur asked, jaw tightening as he stood up. Ariadne gave him a wary look before laughing lightly. Arthur didn't like this because it seemed like she was laughing at him. And he hated being laughed at, especially for something as stupid as what she just suggested.
"Secret Santa." Ariadne repeated and Arthur heard Eames give a little chuckle from across the room. Sarah, their extractor, remained silent. She looked confused as to whether she should laugh or be upset like Arthur. Right now she was siding with Arthur but he knew that wouldn't last long. "I think it would be a good idea if we did a secret Santa. You know, to lighten things up around here."
"We need to focus on the job, Ariadne, not frivolous Christmas stuff."
"I think it is a brilliant idea." Eames added. Arthur looked over at him and glared. Eames just smirked. Eames always had to put his two cents in.
"Of course you would." Arthur muttered. Eames' smile fell.
"Arthur, this job is going to be a piece of cake. We can afford to enjoy this holiday. It is Christmas after all." Arthur glanced around again and saw that there was no way he was going to win this argument.
"Fine. Do whatever." He mumbled out before sitting back down at his desk to go through the mark's email.
Arthur didn't really celebrate Christmas. It had nothing to do with his beliefs or anything like that. He had grown up celebrating Christmas every year with his family. Just, after college, his lost all his family by doing his job and he just couldn't see them anymore. It was a hard sacrifice, but he knew they were safe and that was all that mattered.
He had spent a few Christmases with the Cobbs and one Christmas he didn't really want to remember, with Eames. Otherwise, he spent Christmas alone. Or he worked. It depended on how his schedule was. If he worked it was easier to forget what time of the year it was.
He also hated buying gifts. He never knew what to get anyone and he was always afraid that they would hate the gift and it was just nonsense. So he usually sent money. No one complained about money. He always sent a check to Cobb for the kids so they could pick something that they wanted. And he always had a way of sending something to his family, just so they knew that he did still care. He wasn't dead to them, he just never went to see them.
Looking at his team now, he really had no idea what he would give any of them if he happened to pick their name. He was sure that just giving them money was out of the question. This was exactly why he did not like Christmas that much.
"Arthur." He glanced up and saw Ariadne standing in front of his desk. She was smiling down at him holding a small paper cup that must have had all their names in it. "Please, pick a name." Arthur let out a small sigh as he reached into the cup and pulled out a small folded piece of paper. Ariadne gave him a small smile before stepping back. "Now, the rules are that you have to give something to the person you have drawn. Money doesn't count. The price limit is roughly $50. You don't have to buy them something per se; you can give them something that you have with you if you want. But, on Thursday, you have to bring in the gift for them."
Arthur just stared at his piece of paper like it would decide his fate. He looked over and saw that Sarah and Ariadne seemed to be deep in thought about who they drew. Arthur didn't even want to glance at Eames, but he did anyways. Eames' face didn't reveal anything major. He was just staring at the piece of paper like it was a lifeline.
Well, it was either now or never. Arthur took a deep breath and opened the piece of paper.
Eames.
Of course he would draw Eames' name. This was just his luck.
What in the hell was he supposed to get Eames? Eames was the most complicated person on the planet. He and Eames had a complicated relationship that was going to make this the most complicated gift giving experience ever.
Arthur and Eames were friends, well, sort of. Not good enough friends that he would know what to give Eames, obviously. They have done countless jobs together. Eames was one of the first people Arthur met in dream share. Eames had taught him a lot about the kind of people to trust and jobs to take. Eames was the one who actually had introduced Arthur to Dom and Mal.
Arthur has killed men to save Eames and Eames has done the same for Arthur. Arthur trusted Eames with his life.
Eames was the only person, besides Dom, who knew where Arthur lived. Eames knew Arthur's full name and knew where Arthur's family was. Eames had Arthur's permanent phone number. Eames knew absolutely everything there was to know about Arthur.
And Arthur knew jack squat about Eames.
Arthur had let Eames in and let him know him inside and out. Arthur has known about his feelings for Eames for a while now. And he wanted to tell Eames so bad, but he couldn't afford to make it known to Eames. In their line of work, they couldn't have steady relationships.
Just look at what it did to Dom and Mal.
And Arthur could never tell Eames his true feelings because he didn't know how Eames felt about him in return. Arthur had let Eames in, yet Eames remained a closed book. Sure Arthur knew where he lived and he knew some of his alternate names if he ever had to track him down, but that was it.
They spent that horrible Christmas locked in a lob cabin during a blizzard and had to share a bed so they could stay warm. And Arthur couldn't even enjoy that memory because they were so cold that all they did was just bicker the entire time.
Eames had seen Arthur at his absolute worst when Mal died.
But at the end of the day, Eames was still a forger, a thief, a con-man. Arthur couldn't read him and that was what made Arthur nervous.
And now he was expected to pick out a gift for Eames.
He was in deep shit now.
Arthur walked around an old antique store that he stumbled upon during his lunch break. He had given everyone an hour for lunch and he decided to spend that hour by trying to find Eames a present. He was determined that he would find the gift tonight.
And this antique store just screamed Eames. He didn't know why, it just did. Maybe it was because Eames dressed like he stepped out of an antique store. Arthur had been looking around for fifteen minutes when Dom returned his call from yesterday. How typical of Dom.
"Arthur, how's it going?"
"Bad." Arthur mumbled into the phone as he found a spot to sit down. He knew this was going to be a long conversation.
"Why? What's wrong? Is it the job? Are you in trouble? Arthur I can't risk my kids…"
"Ariadne made us do secret Santa." There was a small moment of silence on the phone before Dom burst out laughing.
"Oh Arthur. I thought it was something serious. You made it sound so urgent in the message."
"This is serious!" Arthur shouted which earned him a few looks from some of the employees.
"So what exactly is the problem?"
"I drew Eames' name and I have no idea what to get him."
"Oh."
"Oh what?" Arthur knew that tone. Dom was assuming things and those things were usually never good to assume.
"Well, maybe you can finally tell Eames how you feel about him."
"What?" Arthur shrieked. He got more looks that time but he just ignored it.
"You didn't really think it was a secret, did you? Your feelings for him?"
"I..um..well…"
"Yeah. Everyone knows, Arthur. Except Eames, obviously. Because if he did I am sure we would not be having this conversation."
"Dom, Eames doesn't like me like that. He doesn't trust me the way I trust him."
"Arthur…"
"I don't even know his fucking name." Arthur said with a small laugh. He felt his eyes tear up a bit at that small fact. That one tiny fact bothered him the most out of everything. "He knows everything about me and I don't even know his name." Arthur could probably handle the rejection. He had been rejected before. But dying and not ever knowing Eames' name really bothered him more than it should.
"Maybe he needs to know your feelings…"
"Dom."
"Look. You don't have to tell him directly. Just give him something that means something to you. He will figure it out on his own. He is not stupid."
"And what if he doesn't feel the same?"
"Well, in your line of work, you don't have to work with him again if you don't want to. You know how it is, Arthur."
"I just…"
"I know. You feel vulnerable. But you will never know unless you try. You don't want to regret not doing this."
"Alright."
"Good. Well, I will let you go. Thank you for your cards. Philippa and James were very happy to get them."
"You're welcome. Maybe after this job, I can come and visit them."
"They would love that." Arthur let a small smile escape. It really had been a while since Arthur had gone and visited them. The last time was two years ago, after the Fischer job. "Merry Christmas Arthur."
"Merry Christmas Dom." Arthur said quietly before hanging up. He glanced around the store again before heading back to the warehouse. He wasn't going to get Eames' gift here.
The exchange was tomorrow and Arthur still didn't have his gift. He was so close to just making an origami crane with the words I love you on it.
He was pacing back and forth in his hotel when it came to him. Something that meant something to him. That was what Dom had said. Something that would show how Arthur felt about him.
He walked over to his suitcase and flung it open. He reached into one of the hidden pockets and pulled out an old pocket watch. He ran his fingers over it before standing up.
It was made out of pure silver and worn out and course by how often it had been handled. The chain it was attached to had a little bit of rust on it. But Arthur thought that the rust gave the watch more character. It had belonged to Arthur's grandfather back during World War II. Arthur's grandmother had given it to him before he went off to war.
The front of the watch had some weird design on it, like most did. Just lines all curving towards each other in their own sophisticated way. He ran his fingers over it before opening it. He could hear the watch ticking away. He had gotten it fixed whenever he had received it so that it would work, just in case he decided to use it. He never did, but he still took it everywhere with him. It was a reminder of what he had all left behind. That all his sacrifices would someday pay off.
One the inside of the watch, there was a picture of Paris from the 1940's. His grandmother had taped the picture in there as a reminder. They had met in Paris, so the picture reminded his grandfather of all their times together. It was for him to remember such good things during a horrible war.
He slowly closed the watch and looked at the engraving on the back.
To my darling. All my love, A.
Arthur took a deep breath and closed his eyes. This watch meant a lot to him. And he knew, deep down, that this was the perfect gift for Eames. This would show his feelings for Eames perfectly. This was all Arthur had and it would just have to do.
That fact that his grandmother's name started with an A was just pure coincidence.
Arthur walked into the warehouse more depressed than ever. He was so nervous that he couldn't get any sleep the night before. His lack of sleep had caused him to miss his alarm so he was running late this morning. He even felt a little sick. He had made it a habit to be the first one at the warehouse every morning and today he was the last one there.
How nice.
As he made his way towards his desk, he saw Ariadne and Sarah talking with each other and laughing. He could see their gifts at their workstation, opened and set out so everyone could see.
It seemed that Ariadne got a book about architecture or something along those lines. Sarah got something that looked like some expensive perfume or lotion. Arthur didn't really pay much attention.
Arthur reached his desk and set his bag down and glanced over in Eames' direction. Eames was just sitting there, going through a file, and, it seemed to Arthur, that he looked sort of nervous. Arthur reached into his pocket and felt the watch there and took a deep breath.
Better get this over with now.
"Eames." Arthur said as he approached his desk. Eames' head shot up so fast Arthur was sure that it probably had hurt him in some way.
"Arthur."
"Are you okay?"
"Fine." Eames said with a smile. Arthur just looked at him before he remembered why he was there.
"Oh, um, here." Arthur said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the watch, setting it in front of Eames. "Merry Christmas. Sorry I didn't wrap it." He watched as Eames just looked at the watch before he reached forward and picked it up.
"This looks old." Eames said as he ran his fingers over it before opening it.
"It is. I inherited it. My grandmother gave it to my grandfather before he went to war." Eames let out a small smile.
"It still works." He whispered out.
"I had it fixed when I got it, just in case I used it. I don't. But I know you had a pocket watch so I thought you would like it." Arthur rambled on. "It is real silver too, so don't pawn it off. I may have to track you down and kill you if you do that." Eames gave a little chuckle as he opened it.
"Paris." Eames said. "We met in Paris. Do you remember?" Of course Arthur remembered. That was when Arthur had fallen for him. They did a job that had gone to hell right after the extraction. Arthur and Eames had to jump out a two story window into a river to get away. They had bonded over tea in a small café while trying to dry off before going their separate ways.
"Yes." He whispered out. Eames just smiled as he closed the watch. "My grandparents met there as well." Arthur felt so awkward just standing here. It felt like he was being judged. Arthur held his breath as Eames turned the watch over and read the inscription on the back.
Arthur couldn't read Eames' face, but he wasn't saying anything so Arthur figured he better speak up.
"I wanted this gift to be special. So, I hope you like it." Eames remained silent as he just stared at the watch. Great. Arthur had probably overdid and crossed the line and Eames was trying to find a way to not hurt Arthur's feelings and reject him. "Well…"
"I love it Arthur." Eames said quickly. Arthur looked up at him. "Thank you. This means more to me than you know." Arthur gave him a small smile before slowly walking back over to his desk. He tried not to smile like an idiot. That would have to wait until later…when he was alone.
It wasn't five minutes later before Arthur saw someone standing in front of his desk. He looked up and saw Eames standing before him. Arthur could see the chain from his watch hanging out of his pocket.
"Merry Christmas Arthur." Arthur's eyes widened as Eames set an envelope on his desk. Eames was his secret Santa? What were the odds of that? Arthur reached forward and grabbed the envelope. "It isn't much, just, you know." Arthur glanced up and saw that Eames looked just about how Arthur felt a few minutes ago. Arthur glanced down at the envelope and wondered what on earth could be in here that Arthur would want. He opened the envelope and peaked inside.
Inside were papers. Documents. Arthur didn't understand. He looked up at Eames, trying to get what was going on.
"Well, look at them." Eames said. Arthur glanced over and saw that Ariadne and Sarah were watching them. Great. Everyone was looking at him looking at documents. How eventful. Arthur took a deep breath and pulled the papers out and started going through them.
He saw a birth certificate, diplomas from high school and a couple universities. There were some army papers from enrollment and dismissal. There were a ton of passport pictures and even some credit card papers. There were even mortgage papers in there. Arthur set them down and looked up at Eames with a confused look.
"Wha…"
"Read the name, Arthur."
He looked back down and went through the papers again. They all had the same name on them.
Frederick Allan White
Arthur was still a bit confused.
"I don't understand." Arthur said, looking back at Eames. "Am I supposed to know this Mr. White person?" Eames just smiled.
"You should, considering that you are looking at him right now." Eames whispered. Arthur's eyes about jumped right out of their sockets. He looked back down at the papers. He was holding Eames' papers, Eames' life, in his hands.
"Oh." Arthur replied quietly. Eames had given Arthur the one thing he had wanted for so long. His name. Eames trusted him with his name. "Eames… Thank you so much. This means the world to me." Arthur said with a smile, looking back up at him. Eames just smiled back at him.
"I know darling." Eames said, bending down and gripping Arthur by the chin. Eames then leaned forward and pressed the softest of kisses to Arthur's lips. "Merry Christmas Arthur."
"Merry Christmas Eames." Arthur whispered as Eames walked back to his desk.
Maybe this Christmas wouldn't be so bad after all.
Hope you all enjoyed it. I really liked writing a holiday story, hopefully more motivation comes around some other holidays too. =)
Thank you all for reading!