So, after a lot of thought, I have decided to finally claim responsibility for this story. I started it as an anonymous fill for the Dark Knight Rises Kink Meme but I am kind of proud of it so far. Plus, writers block is kind of killing me at the moment. So for the next few days, I plan to polish up and post each chapter until I have gotten everything down. Then I plan to post more. Hopefully.
Prompt: Eames and Arthur are happily together and in love, but one day, Arthur gets killed and Eames is badly injured. Everyone thinks Eames will move on and get better with time, but he doesn't. He grows angry and bitter and slowly, he starts to go by the name Bane. Bane is okay wreaking havoc and terrorizing cities, until he gets to Gotham and sees John Blake, who reminds him so much of Arthur.
I'd love to see this as either a mind/reality bending fic or a dark fic where Bane/Eames tries to make Blake into Arthur.
A link to the pre-polished version can be found on the third page of the fill list for the meme. I would post a link but won't let me.
Disclaimer: I do not own Inception or the Dark Knight series. That belongs to the amazing Chris Nolan. But if I ever become rich, I do plan to buy Nolan.
Pairings: Arthur/Eames, Bane/Blake (Sort of), Bane/Arthur (In later chapters).
Warning: Major character death in this chapter.
Eames had always been a romantic at heart. A slow dance in the rain, fireworks at midnight, sex on the beach kind of guy. He liked big displays of affection to go with his big personality. At the time, it had been almost funny that he had fallen for the very proper, very serious 'stick in the mud' Point Man Arthur, who hated the loud, over the top things Eames was famous for. Funny, until everyone realised how well it worked. Eames made Arthur more fun, and in return, Arthur stopped many of Eames more insane ideas. The two were polar opposites, unable to co-exist except when they did. Arthur liked to say that together, they were a paradox. Something which defied logic or reason. Eames liked to say that Arthur had him by the balls.
But like all romantics, Eames believed in eternity, believe that they would last forever. He never thought it would end, just a year after the Inception job, after they had both finally pulled their heads out of their asses and admitted there was something. And it certainly shouldn't have ended like this, surrounded by enemies while the building burning down around them, his Point Man in his arms, unable to move as he bled to death from the three bullets lodged in his chest from the guns of the Cobol agents.
Blinking the blood out of his own eyes, Eames gave his lover a gentle shake, trying to increase the short time Arthur still had even as he fought back the screams.
Bloody Saito. Bloody COBB!
How had the bastard forgotten this? How had they struck the deal to save Cobbs worthless hide and forgotten all about Arthur?
Under his hands, Arthur closed his eyes.
"Come on Arthur, no giving up on me yet." Eames ordered, trying to keep his voice soft and level, trying to hide the panic from his clever, brilliant, American Point Man.
After a few heart stopping moments, those brown eyes opened once more, fixing on his face.
"Not going to get out of this one Mr Eames. Not this time." Arthur observed. If it wasn't for the slight tremor of his voice, no one would have guessed that Arthur was dying.
A wave of heat washed over the pair as around them, the walls groaned. Arthur let out a cough, blood drops slipping from the corner of his mouth. The point man took a deep breath, trying to ignore the wet sound of blood slowly filling his lungs.
"Time to get out of here Eames." he muttered.
"Trying to get rid of me already darling?" Eames asked as he reached for Arthurs blood covered hand. He gave it a gentle squeeze. Somewhere outside, a siren sounded. Arthur closed his eyes, his face relaxing.
"I'm not afraid to die alone." Arthur replied, his voice growing faint. "I've done it before."
The scream was in Eames throat now, a cry at the unfairness of life, to give this all to him and then take it away again. Adjusting his grip, Eames pulled Arthur to his chest, cradling him like a child as he pressed his face against Arthur's hair, his arms wrapped protectively around the smaller man.
"Well then, it's a shame I'm not leaving you." he choked out.
He felt, rather then saw Arthur's last moment. Felt the last breath against his bare neck, felt the sudden loss of strength on Arthur's hand. For one brief moment, he thought he felt the last little bit of fight in Arthur's soul before it was gone, leaving nothing of the man behind except a damaged body.
He heard shouts from around him, boots crashing across the ground. Firemen? Cobol? Eames didn't know, nor did he care. Arthur was gone, and with it, Eames whole world.
There were more shouts from outside, cries of panic, sounds of retreat.
Ignoring it all, Eames loosened his grip on the body, allowing himself room to look down at Arthur's blood and ash covered face one last time. Closing his eyes, the forger lent forward, pressing his lips against the soft skin one last time.
The room exploded around him, welcoming Eames into the darkness.
Opening his eyes slowly, the monster known to the world as Bane looked around the gloom. Gotham's sewers were not a pleasant sight, but they were far more pleasant then the dream Bane had just had. A dream. It was only a dream.
"I was dreaming." He muttered to himself, almost amused. The noise came out as a faint whisper against his mask, the sound almost lost in the noise of the sewers.
"I didn't know you still could." Another voice said.
Bane didn't bother to look around.
"I can't." He replied, raising himself from the hard floor which had long since become his place of rest.
His second in command, Barsad, raised an eyebrow in question as his boss rose, the giant of a man reaching for his jacket and pulling it around his body.
"A memory then." The younger man concluded. Like everyone in the business, he knew what was on Bane's mind.
Barsad was seated at the small desk Bane's team had managed to set up. Silently, Bane regarded the young man.
He had been an up and coming star in the world of Extraction when Bane had first appeared on the scene, acting as both an Extractor and an Architect but with desires to go into Point. Barsad was a true Jack-of-all-trades when Bane had come knocking at his door, freshly released from the hospital and determined to create a team to take out all his anger on the world.
Bane had been heavy handed at the time, threatening to take either the man's loyalty or his life. Like any smart Extractor, Barsad had seen the writing on the wall and joined Bane, creating the beginning of the core group of loyal supporters of Bane's regime.
He had held no love for the man known as Dom Cobb either, and had willingly helped Bane's campaign of terror against the man which ended with Bane's hands wrapped around the former Extractor's neck.
He had led several of Bane's new allies against the Cobol agents and had even attempted to organise a rescue when Bane's attack against Saito had failed and both men had found themselves imprisoned in the hell hole known as the Pit.
He had willingly followed Bane when the man had first been taken in by the League of Shadows and when Ras Al Ghul had moved against Bane, had helped him retreat to a safer area. He had willingly accepted the girl into their team and helped her sent herself up as their agent in Gotham's distant upper class.
He was Banes eyes and ears on the surface world, a place where Bane was no longer welcome.
"Daggett called. He wants the finger prints of Bruce Wayne." Barsad called, writing something down on the paper before him.
"That is not our job." Bane said as he stalked closer, looking at the paper before his second in command. It was a newspaper. Barsad had circled several articles which he thought may have been of interest to his boss.
"Yes. He shouted a lot and sent for the Cat to do the job instead."
Reaching down, Bane picked up the paper and looked at the circled article.
"Good. Keep her busy until she is needed. Get dressed my friend. You had a different mission." He said, throwing down the paper.
Barsad nodded in agreement.
So there you go. And now that I have admitted this is mine, I plan to go and hide until tomorrow, where I shall return to post the next chapter.