Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the plot. Thanks for reading.

A Picture's Worth

In some corner of his mind Eames knew he'd been asked a question and should really answer, but the majority of his brain was too busy freaking out over the fact that Arthur was gay to give a damn about manners. Naturally he'd imagined and hoped, how could he not, but to actually know he might stand a chance in hell with the guy he'd been fantasizing about for months was-did Arthur know he was gay too? And was the picture of Arthur with some other guy, hopefully doing nothing more than a bit of snogging, still in Arthur's life and were they dating? And what was Arthur's type, damn but he'd wished that he'd gotten a look at the-

"ARTHUR!"

Everyone jumped a little at Mimi's tone of voice, which had carried very well from the living room where she'd gone as soon as the children had left the hallway. And then she was back in the hallway with them, waving the iPad around too fast for anyone to see as she demanded to know how old his boyfriend was.

All eyes went to Arthur now, who was wearing one hell of a poker face as he stated that he wasn't currently dating anyone.

Mentally Eames did a happy dance.

"Then how old is the man you're kissing in this picture? How old are both of you in it for that matter? You look thirteen!"

Now Arthur's lips twitched just a bit. "I tend to look quite a bit younger than I am if I don't present myself the right way. I'm about three months short of my sixteenth birthday in that photograph. Hikaru was twenty four at that time. I prefer older men."

Happy dance paused, Eames pretty sure that one year older wasn't nearly old enough to meet Arthur's age preference in men. That…and holy shit Arthur had dated, possibly slash probably had sex with a guy eight or nine years older than him! And…wait a sec… "Britain's age of consent is sixteen."

All eyes on him Eames flushed with color, wishing he could take the words back.

Thankfully his mum and grandmother were all over that in a heartbeat, suddenly looking at Arthur like he was an abuse victim, which technically, legally he would have been viewed as given the age difference back then.

Obviously getting what they were thinking as well Arthur held up a quelling hand. "One moment please. Phillipa, James, come here a second."

Both kids came running in right away, Arthur telling his sister to go stand in front of Dr. Eames while he asked James to stand in front of him. When both had done so he informed them that he and Eames's mother were going to put their hands over their ears so that they couldn't hear what was being said. Neither was pleased but both nodded anyway, Eames's mom copying Arthur.

Once he seemed fairly sure neither child would overhear something they weren't supposed to Arthur quickly moved to explain. "Before you start asking questions or misunderstanding things, let me make something clear. Hikaru is the son of a very prominent Japanese businessman and is on his way to becoming just as highly respected and feared as his father. His family has plenty of enemies, and they would have used my age against Hikaru's family if given the chance. So while I don't deny that there was a sexual element to my relationship with Hikaru, I give you my word that he was very aware of my age, the law, and no penetrative sex took place. That was planned for after I turned sixteen, but we broke up before that."

Never had Eames been so glad for his chair. He'd have fallen on his arse otherwise as he and everyone else tried to absorb what had just been said. And insinuated. And just holy shit in general!

Everyone appeared equally dumbstruck, Arthur's amusement in that fact clear as he shook his head over the looks he was getting. "Alright, I believe I'm judging the situation well enough to say that nothing constructive is going to happen today, so I think it would be best to call the tutoring sessions to a close for today. Any last questions before we turn my siblings loose and we head home for the day? We can pick up where we left off on our next scheduled session."

"Does, does Ariadne know you're gay?" Yusuf's voice was decidedly more cowed now.

"Yes. We both share a love of certain British actors, particularly when they're running around half naked."

He was half British, that was good news, Eames thought dimly.

"Arthur…since this is the first I've heard of it, any of us have heard of it…would I be correct in assuming that you'd like us to keep this information to ourselves?" It was obvious from her tone that there was a lot about that she didn't like, but Eames was terribly thankful his mum had asked the question since he would have had his brains been working enough to formulate that question.

"I'm out, Dr. Eames, to my family and the majority of my friends. I don't introduce myself as a gay man because I don't think my sexuality is anyone's business but my own. As to keeping it to yourself-you know your neighbors better than I do. If you think they won't in any way, shape or form cause problems for my siblings because of it, then go ahead and tell them. That's my only concern, as I could care less what the inhabitants of this town think of me."

On that note Arthur removed his hands from his brother's ears and told both his siblings to pack up for the day. They were heading home.

James nodded, but he'd also picked up on the fact that something was wrong and asked if he'd done something bad, having put two and two together that everyone was upset about what he'd shown Yusuf on the iPad. Arthur had explained to him that some people didn't like the idea of boys kissing other boys, but he'd been so mad he forgot. He didn't want Arthur to be mad at him.

Arthur picked James up for a quick hug before setting him back down on his feet. "No, you didn't do anything wrong. This is grownup stuff, and has nothing to do with you. I promise."

The grin of relief on the little boy's face was huge. "Okay."

Having been set free as well Phillipa went over to Mimi to ask for the iPad back, the older woman handing it over automatically. Thanking her politely Phillipa hurried back into the living room to pack up all her stuff, deliberately putting the iPad on the bottom and piling everything on top of it.

Likewise Arthur excused himself and headed in to collect up his tutoring supplies, leaving Eames, his family members, and Yusuf in the hallway, the four sharing looks but not saying a word about what they'd just learned.

But Eames's mum came over and gave her son's shoulder a squeeze, the look in her eyes when he tilted his head up to meet her gaze conveying her thoughts without words.

'You have a chance, Baby'

Yes, Eames thought as he smiled up at her widely. Yes he did. Maybe.

)

Needless to say Arthur was front and center of pretty much every thought Eames had for the rest of the day. It was the main conversation at dinner, where his chances had been hotly debated until he'd begged them to stop it. Begged because as far as he knew the only thing he had going for him when it came to possible having a chance in hell with Arthur was the fact that he was half English, and that wasn't much to pin his hopes on now that the initial euphoria over Arthur's sexual orientation had started to wear off. The fact that he'd googled the name Hikaru Saito and had been presented with images and data that suggested that Arthur's ex-boyfriend was the Asian equivalent of James Bond was not reassuring. According to the articles he'd read the guy was super smart, super rich, and came from a family with rumored ties to the Japanese Underworld for an added splash of badass-ness. How the bloody hell was he supposed to compete with that?!

Naturally his mum and Mimi had assured him that he was the greatest thing since slice bread and Arthur would be lucky to have him, but they were just a tad biased where he was concerned.

There was also the fact that Arthur didn't know he was gay too, the idea of cluing Arthur into that fact had him feel more nauseated than the last time he'd had a concussion. Not to mention the fact that he didn't even know if Arthur would be willing to go out with him given that there were people in town who would have plenty to say about it if it got out. As it stood now Yusuf and the rest of them were going to keep quiet about what they knew, his friend deciding that that was the least he could do given that he had killed James's gnome. Well except for Ariadne apparently, he'd gotten a call from her detailing how Yusuf had come around to try and talk to her about Arthur being gay earlier. She'd apparently thrown a glass of ice tea in her former boyfriend's face and was only sorry she'd had to clean up the mess afterwards. As for the rest of them they were taking their cues from Arthur, not wanting anything to happen to him or the kids because they'd said something to the wrong person. Not that he thought his neighbors would suddenly go homophobic on Arthur's fine arse or the kids, but better safe than sorry in this case.

And when, at about ten that night, his phone went off Eames would have ignored it if not for the fact that the ringtone was the one he'd picked out for Arthur, which had him scrambling to grab his cell off his bedside table to answer it.

"Hello. Am I interrupting anything?"

"No. No I'm just hanging out in my room. What's up?"

A short pause. "I don't know how to say this, so I'm just going to be blunt. I didn't want you to find out I was gay the way you did, mainly because I'm aware you're interested in me and I'd planned to talk to you about that once we'd gotten to know each other better."

"Uhm…"

There was amusement in Arthur's voice now. "You stare at my rear like you think it should be hung in the Louvre, Eames. Our current peers haven't noticed because they're still stuck in the mindset that all gay men are effeminate, and that you most definitely aren't except for your mouth. So as far as I know, no one else does. I didn't say anything to Ari and won't. It's no one's business."

Thanking him for that automatically, Eames ran a nervous hand through his hair, mushing it good as he tried to think of what else to say. He'd been working up to the idea of asking Arthur out in his head, but this-he'd thought he'd been hiding his interest so well. Apparently not well enough.

"Eames, just to be clear…you aren't old enough to be my type, and even if I were to overlook that you're not out. That might sound hypocritical of me, given that I haven't advertised my own status, but I don't have any interest in getting involved with someone in the closet when he doesn't have to be."

"What if I wasn't?" It was blurted out, but this time he wasn't sorry as he ran with it instead. "If I was out, to everyone, would you be interested in going out with me? Maybe?"

The pause that greeted that statement lasted a lot longer than the first before Arthur asked if he was serious.

"I am." His heart was pounding hard enough that he could see a possible heart attack in his future, but if there was even a chance Arthur would go out with him he'd risk it. At least he'd die happy, if Arthur said yes.

"You'd come out to your friends, peers, and community…just to date me?"

His yes was a little shaky, but he meant it and hoped that came across loud and clear.

"Alright…I'll think about it."

"Really?"

The amused chuckle that came over the line gave Eames the best kind of goose bumps. "You're mother and grandmother have enough clot in town that a direct attack against you for being gay wouldn't have been likely before you were injured, much less now. Tormenting someone in a wheelchair is too low for even the likes of Nash to stoop to. Probably. If we were to date my siblings would be protected through my connection to you so that wouldn't be an issue. Therefore the only issue is your age and the fact that I don't know if we'd be compatible. That I need to think about."

"Oh, okay then, right." He desperately wanted to ask what Arthur was looking for in a guy besides age and the experience that usually went along with that, but to ask that would probably make him seem even more immature than Arthur possibly thought him to be.

"I'd be correct in assuming you haven't dated much, wouldn't I?"

It was like Arthur could read his mind. "Ah, no, I haven't. Which can be seen as a good thing, really, if you consider the fact that I don't have any crazy exes that might come after you the way Yusuf did."

Another chuckle. "I'm fairly sure Phil could have taken him down all on her own if necessary."

"True, he is a nerd, not a fighter."

"So I gathered. And I'm going to have to cut this off prematurely, James needs me."

"Good night then, tell him the same."

"I will, thank you. Good night to you as well."

)

Ending the call Arthur set his cell phone onto his bedside table and then turned his attention to his little brother, who was still in the doorway, waiting for the okay to come in. Given the hour and the look on James's face he had a pretty good idea why the boy was out of bed, so he didn't bother to ask him why he wasn't where he was supposed to be. Instead he motioned James in, pulling back his own covers so that his brother would know he was welcome to join him.

Hurrying over with his favorite stuffed animal in his arms, James quickly got up on the bed and under the covers, thrilled as always that he was allowed to sleep with his big brother when he had nightmares. It had always upset Maman when he had bad dreams so he'd had to pretend before, that he didn't have them so she would be okay. Phillipa would have let him sleep with her, but she always took up most of the bed and kicked him in her sleep. Arthur hardly moved at all when he was sleeping, and never got upset with him even if he was sort of a baby, to have nightmares so often. He just couldn't help it.

"Who were you talking to?"

"Eames. He wanted me to wish you good night for him."

"Oh." Eames looked at Arthur weird sometimes, but he seemed nice enough. Even if he was friends with that meanie Yusuf. Hurting Ari's feelings and breaking his gnome…boy but he really, really didn't like that guy!

"Do you like him?"

His mind on his hated enemy, James had no idea who Arthur was talking about and said so.

"Eames. I want to know if you like him. I might go out with him."

"You mean on dates? Like you did with Hikaru?" When Arthur nodded James considered the question, his face scrunching up at the idea of his brother dating someone other than Hikaru. He really liked Hikaru, even though seeing him and his brother kiss and stuff had been sorta gross. Arthur said he'd think differently when he was older, but he didn't think so. Unless it was Ari, then maybe he would like it.

"Is that a no?"

A shrug seemed the best answer.

Given how slow James was to warm up to people Arthur wasn't really surprised. Hikaru had outright bribed his way into James's good books when they'd been dating. Actually, now that he thought about it that was one good thing about Eames's age and maturity level. Or lack thereof. Eames would be better able to relate to Phillipa and James because he wasn't as old and mature as Hikaru.

"Well for now you aren't to tell anyone he and I might go out together, okay? I need your word as a man."

Looking at the hand he was being offered James knew that this was serious. Arthur said you never shook on something unless you planned to keep your promise or you weren't a good person. They'd shook on it before, when Arthur had promised to do everything he could to take care of them right when they'd come to live here. Arthur always kept his promises and shakes.

Taking the hand James very solemnly shook it. "I promise not to tell. Not even Phil."

"That's okay, I'll talk to Phillipa about this tomorrow too. She gets a say in who I date, just like you. And if for some reason you guys don't like him later on then you just tell me and I won't see him anymore." He wasn't so desperate that he'd bring someone further into their lives that would upset them. They'd had enough emotional upheaval in their lives because people had put their own wants and needs before theirs.

Yawning his agreement James rubbed his eyes, a cue to Arthur that it wouldn't be long before the boy conked out on him. And with that in mind Arthur dropped the subject of Eames for the time being and asked if James would like him to sing to him.

Snuggling in James nodded that he would.