There are only two times Eames has been drunk to the extent of not remembering what happened. The first time was when his parents kicked him out after his brother's death. He had snuck into a pub, no-one noticing he was only 16. He didn't go there to drink, he went there to escape seeing anyone he would know. He easily spotted the cellar and crawled into it. He only wanted to get away, but a blue bottle caught his eye and before he knew it, he had popped the seal and sniffed it experimentally before taking a swig. He gasped and nearly chocked as the liquid left a fire trailing down his throat and into his stomach. He didn't like the feeling but he realized he didn't think of his mother's hurtful words or his father's forceful slap when he drunk it. Before he knew it, he was making his way down the wall.
The next morning he awoke with a strong pounding in his head and he grabbed at his dirty blonde hair as tears sprang into his hazel eyes, which darted around, trying to remember where he was. After seeing the bottles, he crawled over to the door as the previous evenings fate reached his mind's eye.
"Don't bother coming back," his father had said, his deep voice demanded to be obeyed. Eames had looked at his mum then, who had avoided his eyes during the whole confrontation with his father. Eames' left cheek was still stinging from its forceful meeting with his father's palm.
"Mum? Mum don't make me leave," he hated how pitiful his voice sounded and wished it were deeper, like his fathers. His mother had looked over at him and he tried to straighten up his shirt; which was un-tucked and wrinkled from being removed from his home and having his belongings chucked at him in the front lawn.
"You killed my son, my Henry. I hate you, Eames. Leave and don't come back." Tears had leaked out of his eyes at this.
"No," he gasped. "No, I-I didn't mean for it to happen. It was an accident. Mum, please."
"Leave," his father commanded and ushered his mother inside.
That was when he had arrived at the pub, in the cellar. But he didn't remember drinking those bottles, nor why he didn't leave last night but as he crawled out of the cellar he knew two things. He wasn't ever coming back to Britain, and he never wanted to have that horrid drink again.
The second time was with the team; his family. They had just performed a dangerous extraction successfully and Cobb had opened a bottle of his finest stuff. He knew both Point Man and Extractor expected him to drink some so he did.
Cobb and Eames drunk until four large bottles were bone dry, Arthur only had two cups, claiming he had a sensitive stomach. Everything Arthur said or did seemed to make the Forger snort with laughter; while everything the Forger said made Cobb stop and stare, mesmerized at Eames' accent.
After the fifth bottle was half empty Cobb slumbered over and turned on the radio, then proceeded to climb atop his desk and dance with his lamp. Eames staggered over to Arthur and sat across from him at his desk.
"You knows Ar-r-r-rthur-r-r-r," Eames slurred while Cobb immediately sat down and listened with attentiveness. "You might want to be careful of Ariadne. Girls like her, once they get their claws on your heart, they rip it out and step on it with their pointed shoes." Arthur looked up sharply.
"What do you mean Eames?"
"Mean Eames," Cobb snorted at the rhyme but the two men ignored him.
"I fell in love with a shy quiet girl; Evangeline. We were supposed to be married. But she left me at the alter; ran off with my best man. She-she wrote me a letter, saying it was all a joke, a prank to see if anyone could capture the mysterious Eames' heart," he paused, eyes shining with unshed tears. "She still writes me, every year on the anniversary of our wedding day." Eames trailed off and Arthur felt his heart clench for the Forger. Eames reached for the bottle but Arthur pried it from his hands as the clocks chimed 2 o'clock.
"I think that's enough," Arthur said and Eames laid his head on Arthur's desk.
"Oh no, Eames." He tapped the Forger's head softly but the man simply groaned in response. Arthur sighed and arranged the chairs into a make-shift bed for Cobb, who clambered in eagerly.
"Good night boys," Arthur said as he relaxed into his chair after turning out his desk light.
"G'night Mum." Eames said softly.
"I'm not your mum," Arthur said, not knowing the Forger wasn't teasing him this time.
"I know you like to say that, but you'll always be my mum," Eames sniffed. "You know, I didn't mean for Henry to die. Believe me, I wish I could take his place every morning I wake up."
"Eames?" Arthur's voice came out sharper and louder than he meant and Eames winced.
"I'm sorry Father," Eames replied. "I miss you. Let me come back home." Arthur walked around the desk to Eames and put a hand on his shoulder. Eames lurched off the chair and onto his knees.
"Stop, I'll leave! I-I just wanted to see Mum." Arthur gave Eames a little shake and his eyes flew open.
"Eames, it's me."
"Henry? Henry, I've missed you. I never meant for it to happen. I- Do you forgive me? Can you forgive me?" Eames grasped at Arthur's shirt, effectively trapping the Point Man.
"Eames, it's not-" he could feel the man's hands clench tighter, clinging onto this small shred of hope. "It's not your fault. I forgive you." Eames sagged against the Point Man's chest and small whimpers escaped his throat.
"I miss you so much. Mum…Mum hasn't spoken to me in years. She-she says it's my fault."
"It's not," Arthur said, stroking the Forger's head and running his fingers through his hair, comforting him.
"I love you Hen," Eames said and laid his head against Arthur's chest, falling asleep to the beat of it beneath his ear. Arthur settled back onto the floor and allowed Eames to curl up beside him. Arthur laid there until the early morning sun began to creep over the horizon. He stiffly got up, sat in his chair, and waited for his two friends to wake up, pondering this new revelation of Eames.
When the two got up (with pounding headaches), Arthur could see Eames' eyes, red rimmed from last night's crying. As the day wore on and the aspirin dulled the ache, Eames seemed to be his normal self, picking on Arthur relentlessly and being over-all lazy; but when Arthur looked into Eames's eyes he saw a peace that wasn't there before; and Arthur decided right there that he wouldn't allow the Forger's words to bother him, for they were just a fortress that protected him from love and the eventual betrayal it brought.