The next time Eames woke up, the sunlight was streaming in the windows, and he pulled the blanket up to shield his eyes. "Come on, sleepy head," he heard Jacob say.
"Unh-uh. Don't wanna," Eames grunted back, feeling suddenly playful. He was remembering lazy weekend mornings with Alice and his Mum when he and Alice were young, and wondered if he could find that happy silliness with Jacob. He felt the mattress sink down as his boyfriend, fully showered and dressed, crawled onto the bed. Jacob lifted the blanket off Eames' face, and that's when Eames grabbed him in a bear hug and rolled Jacob onto his back. Covering Jacob's body with his own, Eames yanked the covers back over the two of them. He burrowed his head under into the crook of Jacob's neck and began emitting loud fake snores. His heart sang when Jacob giggled at his antics.
"Hey, none of that!" Jacob laughed. "It's time to get up."
"Shhh! Pillows don't talk," Eames teased, and Jacob rewarded him with another ripple of happy laughter.
"I'm not a pillow! I'm your boyfriend!" Jacob protested with a giant smile.
Eames raised his head and pretended to be confused. "Ohhhhhh, right... sorry, easy mistake to make when you're so nice to cuddle with. But I'm going to need to verify you're not just a talking pillow."
Jacob knew Eames was up to something but he wasn't sure what. "How do you verify that?" he asked suspiciously, trying to look stern but failing miserably.
Rather than answering, Eames dropped his head again and began licking and nipping the sensitive skin of Jacob's neck. "Oh, Will," Jacob breathed.
After dragging a few more breathy moans from Jacob, Eames raised his head again. "Ok, pillows don't wiggle like that. I guess you are my boyfriend."
"Maybe you should double-check, just to be sure." Jacob suggested, eyes twinkling. They both laughed as Eames crawled forward to kiss Jacob on the lips. Eames had never felt such a stirring mixture of joy, comfort, and desire all at once.
Rachel's voice carried up the stairs. "Jacob! I thought you were going to wake Will and be back down to help me make breakfast!"
"Oops," Jacob whispered to Eames, sending them both into more laughter. "Be right down, Rachel!"
In the late afternoon, after a trip to the Fitzwilliam Museum, Jacob and Eames decided to take a walk around Cambridge, while Alice and Rachel returned to the cottage to nap. "I know we'll be here later this evening in the gardens for the play, but I want to show you my college," Jacob said. "I think I'll be able to get us in so you can see the chapel without a formal tour."
Eames smiled at him and put his hand in Jacob's. "I would love to see everything you want to show me." They walked, reveling in one another's company. Jacob did, in fact, manage to get them inside the chapel. He pointed out where his room was, where he practiced football, and some of his favorite buildings. The entire time, he told Eames stories about his time at university. Eames soaked up the stories, the smiles, and just Jacob's presence. They finally ended up where the colleges backed up against the River Cam and decided to sit and watch people go by.
"The Backs is one of my favorite places," Jacob said.
"I can see why," Eames replied. Jacob was sitting on the grassy embankment between the walking path and the River Cam. Eames was stretched out in front of him, his head cradled in Jacob's lap. "It's beautiful here."
Jacob played with Eames' brown hair. "I have to start deciding where I'm going to after I finish my degree this coming year. I think I'm going to continue right on to a Ph.D. The more I study, the more certain I am that I want to be a clinical psychologist rather than something like forensics or education."
"When did you decide to study psychology?" Eames asked.
"I didn't right away but I got interested in medicine young. My mother says that when I was little, I used to steal my eldest brother's old pharmacy coats and pretend that I was a doctor. She got me one of those doctor playsets when I was young and I would carry my little doctor's bag everywhere like some other kids carry around a teddy bear. I had a very thriving stuffie repair practice." They both chuckled. "Mom liked that she didn't have repair our stuffies any more – I was more than willing to do so under the guise of giving the toys stitches. She was sure I was going to go to school for medicine, whether it was for people or animals. It wasn't until I was fifteen or sixteen and started reading about psychology that I decided I wanted to be a psychologist instead of a physician."
"You're going to be a great psychologist. You're warm and open, and you really listen." Eames gazed up to see that Jacob's lips had curved into a pleased smile and a slight blush had reddened his cheeks.
"Flirting, Will? Or is it flattery?"
"Maybe both. Is it working?" Eames grinned up at him.
Jacob fake-sighed. "Yes, but you knew that before you asked. What about you? What did you want to be when you grew up?" Jacob asked.
"James Bond," Eames answered immediately.
"I am Jacob's total lack of surprise at that answer," his boyfriend said with a laugh.
"No, really. When they asked what we wanted to be when we grew up in primary school, that's what I said. I wanted to be James Bond. After I said this a few times, one of my teachers said something to my father, and I got scolded for 'not taking things seriously.' After that, I started saying I wanted to be an actor. He still disapproved, but it was at least an actual profession." Eames chuckled, and Jacob couldn't help but join in. "I even looked at drama schools, but a degree in Archaeology and Anthropology feels like I'm proving I can do something my father has said I never could. He thinks my dyslexia means I'm stupid." Eames' voice became bitter for a split second, and Jacob squeezed his shoulder.
"You know he's wrong. What are you going to do after you finish your degree?"
Eames shrugged as best as he could in his position. "Probably get a museum job."
"Anywhere in particular you're hoping for?" Jacob asked, scanning Eames' face intently.
"There are a lot of museums in the UK..." Eames trailed off before taking the risk with his next statement. "I'm sure I could find one near whatever postgraduate psychology program someone special was attending." He looked up at Jacob to gauge his reaction to the suggestion, and found his boyfriend beaming.
"You'd go wherever I go?"
"If you'll have me. I know we haven't been together long, but this feels right."
"It does," Jacob agreed.