Title: Papers, Pens & Books

Author: ThePointGirl

Fandom: Inception

Pairing: Arthur & Eames

Disclaimer: Chris Nolan owns Inception along with the characters and the sets and the whole flaming idea (dang).

Note: I did this on the spur of the moment. Just a little drabble type thing, don't really go anywhere. A little fun with the main characters at the warehouse.

"Okay, officially bored. Where's Cobb?" Ariadne asked the team.

"He went for a walk" replied Arthur.

"Should have gone with him" the girl murmured. "What are you doing Arthur?"

"Marking"

The architect frowned. Saito (who was now a frequent addition to their team) answered her expression.

"Mr Arthur is working part time at a college. Psychology department" Saito smiled.

"How convenient?" Cobb was back from his walk. He hovered over Arthur's shoulder, reading fragments of the madly organized paper work.

"That's wrong it's-"

"Haven't done that paper yet Dom. God this student's handwriting is atrocious" Arthur's crossings across the page were unwelcoming.

"And this one? How do you decipher an answer from these? You have patience" Cobb was careful to put the paper back where it was.

"That's Eames'" and the whole team looked up or at him in curiosity. "I challenged him to produce a Psychology paper at A-grade standard within a week of studying. I gave him a paper, and he did it" Arthur picked up the paper looking at it. Spindly fingers held the paper loosely. Cobb leaned on the foundation pillar, arms crossed.

"How did I do pet? Good enough student for you?" Eames asked, walking in with a cup of steaming coffee, and a smirk on his face. Standing up Arthur held out the paper, a smile on his lips.

"A-grade standard. Eames I am impressed" Arthur said, marking off something on a list. Eames grinned back. A grin full of charm and life.

"You're not supposed to increase the mark for the students you care about, darling" Eames said.

"You know bloody well I just ticked by the mark scheme, don't flatter yourself" Arthur said, but there was a tint in his voice. Eames moved around the desk.

"What's my reward?" Eames muttered, hand ghosting over Arthur's wrist.

"You got my praise. Now I have real students that have work due back-"

"I thought I was a real student? You said that last-"but Eames stopped at the look Arthur gave him. The look was 'Shut fuck up now, we've got company'. Arthur bowed his head and carried on marking. The scratching sound of pen on paper could be heard like a continuous flow of water. Arthur jumped when Eames tipped back his chair so, when he looked up, he looked into Eames' smiling features.

"What are you doing?" Arthur had the red pen clutched in his left hand and thought (briefly) about stabbing the pen into the man's forearm. But Arthur fought against it.

"You're not a bad teacher you know Arthur" Eames' tone of voice (one that Arthur rarely trusted) and utterance made Arthur squirm, a heat rising at his cheeks. Damn. "I would have liked a teacher like you at my school". Arthur was tempted to make a slap stick comment about the fact that Arthur was too young to teach when Eames needed it. Eames let go of the chair and Arthur dropped forward. Growling at the Forger Arthur considered taking back the paper and marking it as a fail. But when Eames kissed him forcefully on the mouth that thought disappeared. He forgot – until Ariadne spoke – that they were in company.

"Ahem – you forget there's a lady present" Ariadne said. Eames flashed a grin at her when they broke apart.

"That's Great Gatsby, am I right?" Arthur asked. Ariadne nodded.

"Great Gatsby, Jordan – I forget which chapter – 'You forget there's a lady present' when Daisy and Gatsby kiss and the table" Ariadne smirked.

"I remember reading that in lower sixth in Lit. Bloody boring book. DO not set me a paper for that, darling" Eames said looking at Arthur, determined eyes glowed.

"I shouldn't worry Eames. You quote phrases at me too much for me to want to read your essays on them" Arthur said "Dom? What's 'Let us sleep for in dreams we enter a world that's entirely our own?" Arthur asked loudly. Dom was reading on the couch over by the opposite wall. The quote Eames had said to him before they had gone under the sedative a few days ago. He had thought for a minute Eames had made it up.

"Harry Potter, third book" Cobb said without looking up.

"How do you know that?" Ariadne looked astonished and in awe at the same time.

"I have kids you forget. James loves those books" Cobb turned the page of his own book.

"Why is everyone being so inexpressive? Reading and marking?"

"Everyone? Ariadne is has got one earphone in for her iPod and Saito is on the phone. So we are not all reading and marking" Arthur pointed out.

"Well, Cobb what are you reading?" Eames asked and the man finally tore his eyes from the book.

"Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. I found it at home: I had left it half way through" Cobb said simply. Eames was still fidgeting constantly, and was reading the essays over Arthur's shoulder.

"Wonder if Einstein had this problem?" Arthur muttered, breath wafting at Eames. The Forger was about to lift up the page of the essay he was reading, so Arthur smacked at his hand. He knew now, (by means he was not going to state out loud) that the only way to make Eames stop doing something was to use quick smacks. The man recoiled, shaking his hand, although Arthur knew it was a façade.

"Well, I am going off for a wander. If you care to join me, please do" Eames said loudly and Saito (over the other side of the room) waved, whilst still on the phone. Eames then ducked to Arthur's ear level, as the man had gotten back to work and said: "Keep up the work darling. I want you in your dominant teachers role later" and then swaggered out looking smug. Arthur stared, his eyes flicked up to the rest of the team.

Did they hear that?

"I don't want to know!" Cobb said and the Extractor turned another page in his book.

See what I mean? Just a little somethin' :-) Review if you like it. But I admit - not great. xxx