It started with one sardonic comment, a sarcastic little remark that made Arthur damn sure he would not be getting along well with Mr. Eames at all.

Since that, everything Eames said grated on Arthur's nerves, in that blunt 'British wit' that seemed to allow him to be a bully because he sounded 'charming', Arthur couldn't stand him.

Then Eames started to, and Arthur can't believe how immature it sounded, bully him. Oh, it was funny for the big man to pick on a guy half his size. Tipping his chair, yes that was alright because he was showing Ariadne what a 'kick' would be, but Arthur saw that twist of his lips, that smirk he gets when he gets away with being an asshole.

Arthur hated to think that, when they were testing the sedative, every time he awoke from the fall, the first thing he heard was Eames' stupid laugh, it wasn't enough that Arthur was haphazardly sprawled over the floor, he had to be insulted along with it.

"Think that'll do it, mate." He felt a pair of arms under his and he was hoisted back into his seat. "Come on, luv."

He felt a sharp smack on his face and the dizziness from the fall disappeared, he was greeted by Eames, crouched in front of him, that same amused smirk on his smug face.

Yusuf mentions taking a break, and Arthur doesn't see where he goes, just that Eames was there, crouching, looking at him with false-sincerity, the corner of his mouth twisted in that smile.

Arthur sat up straight, pointedly avoiding Eames' eyes, dusting himself off.

"So you think it's funny?"

"Excuse me?"

"This. Yusuf's pushing the kid over, that's good for a laugh, right?"

Eames rolled his eyes and stood, moving away with a sigh, Arthur followed.

"That's right, isn't it...? God." When Eames turns, there's no smug grin, just a dull burning in his eyes, Arthur sees it as anger, but he won't back down now. "Well you know what you are?"

"Why don't you tell me, since you know me so well?"

Eames stands with his hands in his pockets, not threatening, but not defensive either, plussed with his tone, Arthur just gets more agitated.

"A bully!"

It wasn't until Arthur was already directly in front, slightly shorter and jabbing a skinny finger into the bigger man's chest that Arthur noticed the size difference, and paled slightly.

He tried to look threatening, tried to glare at Eames, but the attempt melted into confusion as Eames just smiled at him, shaking his head slightly.

"That's right. I'm just a bloody big bully."

Arthur raised an eyebrow as a hand of Eames' reached up and gently brushed away some dust still on his shirt.

"Pulling your pigtails and -" he smirked again. "- tipping your chair because I just can't express myself properly."

The hand dusted at his waistcoat, then rested at his waistcoat, he glanced at it, then at Eames' face as the Brit's other arm slid around his waist.

"Oh..."

There was a laugh from Eames, Arthur's mind was wrestling with the truth of it when Eames' lips were pressed to his.

It started with one chaste kiss, a simple little graze of their lips that made Arthur damn sure he would be getting along very well with Mr. Eames.