"Limit" (Arthur/Eames, R, 330 words)

[imagines]

I spent all day debating whether to post this. And then I figured, well, some of you lot read zombie porn. As if you'll judge.

WARNING: Autassassinophilia...ish. Consensual gun violence. Not porn. Still kink. Still intense.

NOTES: Title refers to this kind of limit. This is totally defeating the point of being anon, but I might have left a prompt at cherrybina's post... and then this scene slammed into my brain and insisted that I write it. Idek, people. The first Inception fic I ever write and it's this. /0\

Limit

"Bang," Eames says quietly, because he's too good a man to kill a lover without warning them first.

He fires.

The shot hurls Arthur to the ground, a hole in his chest, his blood all over everything—all over Eames—

They wake up.

They're in Arthur's bed, the PASIV humming on the floor. Like it's happy they allow it to contribute to their fucked-up games.

He rolls to face Arthur. Arthur is okay. Arthur's heart is still inside his body where it belongs, not laid out where just any worthless bastard can look at it. No one should ever get to see his heart like that.

Arthur stares at him, breathing and breathing, exactly like a lover should.

"Don't ever, ever ask me to do that again," Eames tells him.

"I won't. I promise." Arthur's eyes aren't quite focused. He'd warned Eames that he might take some time to come back up completely.

They lie there for a long time, quiet. The feeling of a heart stopping isn't easily forgotten, whether it's your own or another's.

"It's out of your system," Eames says. "Or it's not, but you'll have to find someone else."

"I wouldn't have asked anyone but you. I wouldn't have trusted anyone else."

"To do it right?"

"Any idiot could pull a trigger if I told him to." Arthur grabs his hand and holds on like this is everything. "But you—you would stay with me after we woke up."

A hole in Arthur's chest, Eames thinks. And a little red birdlike thing fluttering weakly in the mess, inside the jagged shattered window of his ribs. "You keep leaving your heart out where anyone can see it," he mutters.

"Not anyone. Just you."

Like bullets, those words, for all Eames can breathe when they strike him. He can feel them fragmenting—all that shrapnel, burning him up inside. He could never get it all out. Lucky he doesn't want to try.

Comments

[jedusor.livejournal.com]

Whoa. This is good.

A hole in Arthur's chest, Eames thinks. And a little red birdlike thing fluttering weakly in the mess, inside the jagged shattered window of his ribs. "You keep leaving your heart out where anyone can see it," he mutters.

Especially that.

[imagines.livejournal.com]

Thank you very very much. <3

(I totally guessed you'd read this and like it. Hee.)

[jedusor.livejournal.com]

Yeah, well. We've discussed that one Administration story. And that one QAF episode. And... everything else kinky ever, because we're us. You know what makes me happy. :P

(Speaking of knowing each other's kinks, you should read this next time you're in a bandom-y sort of mood. I wrote it kind of for you.)

[imagines.livejournal.com]

(oh shit you DO know me)

[jedusor.livejournal.com]

:D :D :D

(sorrysorry, I know you're trying to not internet so much, but I really wanted you to see that one. XD)

[imagines.livejournal.com]

(IT WAS WORTH IT

so very very worth it)

[froggie.livejournal.com]

This both breaks my heart and warms my heart at the same time. Beautifully written.

[imagines.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! ♥

[kashiichan.livejournal.com]

I can totally see how Inception would be the prefect fandom for this sort of kink.

[imagines.livejournal.com]

It's got guns! And dreams! And therefore I CAN DO ANYTHING I WANT, IT'S AWESOME. :D :D

I read some interview somewhere in which they talked about how Inception is the kind of movie that's supposed to make you feel like literally ANYTHING can happen. Which is totally the kind of story I love! It's a bit like Doctor Who in that sense, I think--you can find a way to play with pretty much any concept you can think of.

(and people say we write fic because we're NOT original. PFFFFT I SAY)

[graceoftheworld.livejournal.com]

ummmm damn i really enjoyed this! you handled this kink in a way that feels really non-reductive and evocative and hot. thanks for posting!

[imagines.livejournal.com]

...this is an AWESOME COMPLIMENT. Thank you so much, seriously. I am terribly terribly fond of your writing, so this means a LOT coming from you, and--non-reductive?? really? eeeeeeee! :DD I try really hard to NOT be reductive so--yes--I am super thrilled you think this. HEARTS FOR YOU FOREVER.

[hungerpunch.livejournal.com]

And a little red birdlike thing fluttering weakly in the mess, inside the jagged shattered window of his ribs.


SHEER. POETRY.

this was so beautiful <333 :)

[imagines.livejournal.com]

*COVERING EYES OMG*

you are too too sweet, wtf did I do to deserve this. you are awesome, shut upppppp <333

[greenapple (from livejournal.com)]

nice.

[imagines.livejournal.com]

thanks! <3

[sparrow-hubris.livejournal.com]

Damn, that was intense! Well done. Short and sweet which was great, though I'm not gonna lie, I would have loved a full on epic of this.