Author's Note: I was invigorated by the fact more people followed this story and added it to their favorites, that I had the inspiration to plug out yet another chapter for today. I've hit a bit of a roadblock though on the next one. Hopefully I can get over the hump soon! I'd hate to go silent for another long period again.

To BreakOnThrough - Your review made me smile. As I said in the PM I sent you, I do think there will be at least one more chapter with more of Arthur's take on things, but we'll see how it goes.

X

The fact that the forger had the point man's interest at all was somewhat illogical. Arthur wasn't one who normally thought about relationships, and he most certainly didn't have a type. At least, he hadn't thought so. Then Eames had walked into his life and apparently that had been enough to change everything.

Cobb had caught him one day, sitting at his desk and rolling his newly self-customized dice. He was clearly distracted, which was another irregularity as far as Arthur was concerned. Cobb had been so silent in his observations that he startled Arthur when he spoke.

"So what do you have there?"

The point man jolted into an upright position in his seat and hastily put the dice away. The smile he gave Cobb when he looked up at the other man was a sheepish one. He shook his head as if to say, "it's nothing."

Nothing important, anyway, Arthur had almost said, but he stopped himself when he realized that would have been a lie. His eyes widened slightly then as he wondered what that could mean. Cobb cleared his throat awkwardly, misinterpreting Arthur's expression.

"Never mind, sorry. It's none of my business," Cobb said. "Listen, I need to tell you something."

Arthur tilted his head to the side. Yes?

"Er...I know it's not ideal..." Cobb said, shifting the weight on his feet and looking a bit uneasy. "But the mission starts in a few hours, and I thought it might be easier on us if we all just started from the same place."

He waited for this information to sink in. He tried not to wince when he saw Arthur's expression contort to panic.

"He promised not to talk though," Cobb said quickly, hoping that would calm the younger man's nerves a bit. "And I still haven't told him anything."

That caused Arthur to relax some, but he still gave Cobb a look that seem to say, still though, how could you? Cobb sighed.

"I told you before and I'm going to say it again," he said. "He's going to find out eventually, whether you like it to not. I'll admit though, I'm surprised Eames hasn't figured it out by now."

"Figure out what, now?"

Both Cobb and Arthur froze upon hearing the forger's familiar British accent. Cobb wet his lips before turning towards Eames, the expression on his face calm and even. The forger's eyes flitted back and forth between the two men and he flashed them a small smile.

"Sorry, I happened to hear my name," Eames said. "And from what I've heard, I'm assuming there's something I should know about?"

Eames tilted his head towards Arthur when he said the last part, but the other man only lowered his eyes in response. Cobb sighed; so did Eames.

"Listen, Eames..." he started.

The forger put up a hand and shook his head. "Forget it, Cobb. It's clear Arthur doesn't want me to know, whatever it is. He'll tell me in due time, won't you, darling?"

Eames looked at Arthur somewhat expectantly, but the point man kept his eyes downcast. The forger let out a resigned laugh.

"And to think..." he said softly. "I thought things were getting better between us. I suppose not."

Arthur flinched. The other two men didn't seem to notice. Eames ran a hand through his slicked back hair.

"Well I'll be over in that corner, enjoying the view," Eames said, motioning casually to the HVAC system jutting out from under the windows; they were on the fourth floor of an abandoned building. "Just let me know when it's time, yes?"

Without waiting for either man to respond, Eames walked over to the corner where he had indicated he'd be. The next few hours go by in silence. Cobb was pretending to read a newspaper he had brought with him, and if Arthur's eyes were lasers, he would have burned a hole through his desk. Eames, meanwhile, appeared as if he were looking out the window, but really he had angled himself so that he could see Arthur's reflection in the glass. The point man's expression was set in deep concentration, as if he were contemplating something.

Finally, Arthur moved just a few minutes before the mission would start. Eames quickly shifted his focus to whatever was outside the window when he realized Arthur was headed in his direction. Cobb still acted as if he were reading his newspaper, but he watched Arthur's movements from the corner of his eye.

Eames turned to face Arthur when he felt the other man's hand on his shoulder, gently tugging him. The forger slightly tilted his head to the side.

"What is it, then, love?" he asked softly.

Arthur took a deep breath before lifting his right hand and placing it over approximately where the forger's heart should be. Eames frowned in confusion. Cobb's mouth opened slightly—he immediately recognized what Arthur was doing—and he slowly began to lower the newspaper he was holding. Staring hard at the forger's chest, Arthur pulled back his hand and formed it into a fist before bringing it towards his own chest. He then made a circular motion with his hand.

He was signing. I'm sorry.

He stopped when the forger's hand clasped over his own. Arthur slowly looked up at the other man, who had a small smile on his face.

"This your way of apologizing, darling?" Eames said.

The look in Arthur's eyes was suddenly hopeful. Had the two men been paying attention, they would have noticed the look of surprise on Cobb's face.

"If that's the case, then I accept," said Eames. "Really though, Arthur."

The forger took the point man's hand and brought it to his lips for a gentle kiss before continuing. "There's no need to be so shy—your words are as good here as they are when we're dreaming."

Arthur was flooded with various emotions at once. Eames had somehow managed to both crush his heart and make it flutter at the same time.

Cobb didn't know what he wanted to do more—smack his forehead or the forger's face. It was difficult to see the expression on Arthur's face change from hope to hurt. Cobb got up from his seat then, knowing he had to intervene. Fortunately, in this case, they all had to get moving anyway. The extractor cleared his throat, drawing the attention of the two men towards him.

"Time to go, gentlemen," he said.

Arthur moved first; he extricated his hand from the forger's grasp and shot Cobb a look before gathering his things and making his way out the door. Told you he wouldn't understand, the point man seemed to say.

"It's seems I've done something wrong again, haven't I?"

Cobb looked back at Eames, who had a frown on his face, and sighed.

"Not your fault," he said. "We'll talk later."

"Of course," Eames said dryly.