“You’re questioning my methods.” “I’m not questioning it, I’m saying it’s stupid.”
It’s late.
Too late for anyone’s liking as the stars serenade the moon through the night, there’s not one loud noise that can be heard in the streets, just a couple of stray dogs and the warmth of homes seeping through the night.
You don’t want to be here.
The corridors reek of rum, there’s no one but you, your assistant and a curly haired man you’re following. The space is empty, darkness of the sky reflects on the surroundings while your eyes travel to the only source of light, the door.
It’s closed.
You know the people behind it. You like one of them, he’s helped you both on business and on a personal occasion once, the favours have been returned to him as well which is why you’re on good terms. You know his family, the way he conducts business and the attitude he has towards most things.
The other person is the one you’re dreading to see.
He’s too direct, stubborn and grumpy. On that one occasion you did business with him, he had somehow managed to annoy you each time you’d seen his face. He was smart, you knew that all too well which why was you had put up with his antics but you had sworn to never torture yourself like that again.
But there you were, walking towards the room both souls were in.
Ollie reached for the door but you were too fast, your impatience towards the whole situation showing as you kicked down the door. It woke both men from their slumber when the wooden piece of furnished cover hit the wall. Alfie murmured a small ‘fucking hell’ which you chose to not hear while your eyes met Tommy’s first.
He seemed tired, he always was. You didn’t know one man around here who actually had the opportunity to sleep soundly at night, yourself included. You didn’t offer him a smile like you usually did. He knew of your distaste to the jewish man in the room and he didn’t question anything you were about to do. His hands reached out to grab your shoulders as an attempt to calm you down but you moved before he could grab you.
“Play nice.” you hear him say when your eyes meet Alfie’s. Your fury is obvious to him, also very charming.
You have no intentions to play nice.
It’s three am on a monday, the day is already rough as it is. You aren’t on your good spirits today, the whole situation is bugging you and so is he with his charming smile as he whispers a small “’ello” your way, you don’t stop staring.
You know of the business he does, you conduct a very similar one of your own. You don’t mind the dirt he carries on his shoulders as it’s far too close to home for you, it’s the attitude he has. He knows that he’s smart, it bugs you. He knows how good he is at doing business, especially the way he has done for himself for the past years, you don’t like that he’s so cocky around you.
“It’s three fucking am.” you speak up, you rarely curse which makes Tommy’s eyebrows move higher than usual.
His eyes meet yours, you seem tired but somehow, you pull it off. He knows of the business you do, needless to say, he’s impressed. It’s hard for anyone to hold up their own in this world, let alone a young woman like yourself.
He knows you don’t like him.
It’s obvious in the way you walk around, seething through your teeth as Tommy’s presence remains the only good thing about the visit you’re making. He knows you can act well, you just choose not to.
Nobody speaks.
“You lot called me in here!” you say, your voice rising as Alfie watches your small form roam around the room.
He admires you.
He knows you have a fire within you. Not only is it visible in your eyes but it’s how you make money. Your wicked ways pay off when you have the face you do, it’s your act. He knows you play the role of clueless beauty all too well, it’s how you gather information and run your own business.
“Now, Y/N..” Tommy speaks and gets up, you’re on his end of the room while Alfie stays seated on the other side of the room.
“Calm down, alright?” he comes near you but you dodge, you don’t want him to reassure you. You need to get straight down to business.
“Shut up, Tommy.” his eyes shoot up at your words, even in his sleepy state. Your words erupt a chuckle from Alfie from the far end of the room, you don’t like that he laughs but his laugh is pleasant enough for you to put up with.
“Oi, listen.” Tommy’s hands finally meet your arms as he holds you in place, he’s serious.
“What?” you say, your voice low as he sighs.
Alfie knows that the fire in your had scared Tommy off many times but his persistency, that he finds admirable as the man tries to get a word out about why you’re called in here at an ungodly hour in the first place.
“Alfie’s found the egg...” he speaks, your breath hitches.
It’s the faberge egg.
You don’t want it for yourself, you don’t care for such commotion in the first place. It’s for someone you adore, also for someone who’ll pay you three times the normal price because he’s dying. You look at Alfie from the other side of the room, his amused eyes meet your cold ones as you speak.
“Where is it?” you don’t skip a beat as words come out of your mouth, you walk towards where he’s sitting but remain at a comfortable distance for you, you know he wants to close the distance as much as possible.
“It’s with the Russians, yeah..” he speaks as you look at him from where you’re standing, his words earn a nod of your head.
You know he won’t just give you the information, it’s not how he works. It’s not how it works. He smiles lowly at first, you know the smile all too well as he gets up, his vanilla scent roams around the room as you watch his every move, he knows how to captivate an audience.
“What do you want, Mr. Solomons?” you ask him, knowing very well just how many times he’d told you not to call him that.
“Now, doll..” he speaks, hands clasping together as he rubs them together, he’s walking towards Tommy around the table.
“Yer gonna ‘ave to do somethin’ for me, yeah?” he speaks and you scoff, what does he want again?
He then proceeds to sit you down calmly as you ignore his warm touch on your shoulder, you listen to him with furrowed brows as he explains a personal job, one that only you can do. Tommy also chimes in every now and then, clearly seeking the opportunity for you to take the egg.
You smile at the end, it’s not smile with good intentions behind but he likes it anyway.
You get up, walk around the room for a short while as both men watch you. You turn back, looking at them both in the face before settling on Alfie’s face, his gaze is never torn away from yours.
“It won’t work..” you say, a mocking expression on your face as Alfie takes the turn to scoff this time. Tommy just watches the two of you quarrel like small kids.
“What the fuck is ‘hat supposed to mean?” he speaks, voice a little higher than usual as you enjoy his riled up state.
“It just doesn-”
“You’re questioning my methods.”
It’s not the first time you’d called his plans that, you genuinely think it won’t work. He’s smart, you know that but he tends to miss details and you know for a fact that details create a vital difference at a job like he’s wanting you to do.
“I’m not questioning it, I’m saying it’s stupid.”
He scoffs again, a blooming smile on his lips. A part of him loves this side of you, the side that’s not afraid of him. You fight his rage with the fire that resides inside you, it’s a fair match as far as you can tell.
He looks at Tommy, Tommy just shrugs. He had never been one to reach an agreement with you, you always got your way. Maybe it’s your beauty, Alfie thinks, it lets you get away with people not quite caring what you do but he’s also aware of how smart you are, you wouldn’t be able to last this long in this line of business if you weren’t.
“What do you ye’ fuckin’ suggest we do, hmm?” he speaks, anger evident in his voice as he gets up but you don’t flinch. You’re calmer now that he’s the angry one.
You stand up, knowing very well that both man were watching you and proceeded to talk. You started from why you thought the plan was not going to work, simply said: stupid, and gave reasons as to why, Tommy nodded along your words as if to say that he agreed but Alfie remained silent. You continued to talk, telling him your very rough plan how you would tackle the task down and get the egg from the Russians.
It’s simple and clear for the both men as they stare at you, one of them has already made up his mind.
“Seems doable..” Tommy says while he looks at you, it’s a hard plan but he knows what you’re capable of so he doesn’t push it by saying he wants it to be a safer one. You watch him light a cigarette and soon enough, your gaze is on the bulkier one out of the two.
Alfie pulls at his beard, looks down at the floor and does everything else but to look at you and speak for a while. You’re not bothered, you know he’ll come around when it’s time.
It takes him half an hour.
“You’re sure ya’ can take ‘em?” he speaks, asking about the men you were supposed to take down around the back part of the said building.
You nod, almost offended that he’d doubt you.
“You don’t trust me, Alfie..” you say.
He likes the way you say his name.
“I do, yeah, I fucking know what yer capable of..” he speaks as Tommy nods at the words.
He offers you his hand to shake, as a sign of truce until this job is over. You look down at his awaiting hands, not sure you want to do deal with a man you consider to be unpleasant.
Even though he’s been pleasant this whole time.
You shake your head, hating yourself for doing it because it’s the exact same way as the last time you did business with him. He smiles, it’s genuine and you hate that he’s so charming.
You shake his hand, leaving with a promise to see him a couple of days after to go over things before the night of the robbery comes along.
"Insecurities" - Eames x reader (Part 2) [Requested]
I'm sorry for the long wait. I made it super long to make up for it. Anon and @kingarthurscat I hope this is what you had in mind when you made the request or that at least you like it. Can’t wait to hear your thoughts!
requests are always open!
Tag list: @mollybegger-blog (let me know if you wanna be added)
A/n: Prompts are in bold.
The very reason you had been picked to be a part of the group was your ability to became whoever they needed you to be. It wasn't quite like Eames who could really become that person, it was more like an interpretation of a character. Like an actor would do, only you wouldn't be performing in a movie or a theatre. Usually very shy and stubborn you weren't so keen on putting yourself out there the way they had asked you to. But the need for money and your acting skills collected through the high school years as a way of getting more credits did the trick and with a little convincing on Dom's part, you were one of them.
Tonight was no different, you left your shy and awkward self in your hotel room, ready to be Sandy, a confident outspoken entrepreneur, for the rest of the night. The job was very easy to be honest, even though you usually hated when they used you just for your "womanly weapons" as Dom called them. However, being the only woman on the team, your input was required and there wasn't much you could do.
The plan was very simple: distract the wealthy, sneaky Arabian entrepreneur while Eames took whatever information he needed and then make your exit quickly and smoothly when Eames would give you the signal that it all went according to plan.
Flirting with wealthy men was quite the same every time. If you asked them about their job or a thing they have that makes them proud you could have them talking for hours on end. You would just have to throw a smile or a small laugh at the right time and that would be it. Easy job right? The fact that sometimes the men would be smoking hot it's just a bonus. They were boring but at least they were pretty to look at.
Much to your delight, this night, Azir was not only very handsome but he had a few interesting ideas too. Maybe you had been enjoying yourself too much, really engaged in a conversation with him, that you didn't notice Eames trying to catch your attention at first.
Over the years, you had come up with a complex sign language that would allow you to communicate in tricky situations without making a sound. Just a movement of an eye or a finger and the message or warning had come across. So when you noticed the English lad walking towards you while scrunching his nose, you knew that he needed a diversion.
"What is happening here?" He approached you and Azir that was quite startled by Eames' appearance. Thinking he was going for an angry/jealous boyfriend you played along.
"What are you doing here?" You asked feigning a shocked expression.
"I told you that I had a business meeting tonight, but you failed to mention that you'd also be here flirting with a stranger." He explained getting worked up.
"First of all, this is not a stranger, his name is Azir. Second, I didn't tell you because I didn't think you'd have cared."
"In what twisted universe I would not care about my fucking fiancée flirting with a man that's not me?!"
"Wait, what? What are you talking about mate? She doesn't have a ring." Azir chimes in, apparently disturbed by the idea of being accused to flirt with an engaged woman. Nice to see you have morals Azir, not just a pretty face uh.
"Where is your ring Y/N?" Eames inquired staring intently at your naked ring finger
"Funny you should ask, still keeping up with this game I see. It's not endearing anymore, cut it."
"What the hell are you on about?" He looked at you as if you had suddenly grown three heads, glancing towards Azir for support.
"I was so thrilled that after eight years you had finally found the guts to propose to me, that I couldn't wait to share the news with everyone I have ever shared a word with. Also to let them see the beautiful ring you gave me. Imagine my surprise when Karen comes up to me and say: "Do you know that the diamond in your engagement ring is fake?" Of course, I didn't believe her, she had always been jealous of me. But she insisted so to prove her wrong, I stepped on it. Diamonds, real diamonds, are unbreakable. But the one you gave me fell apart like a bread crumble." For added emphasis you turned to Azir, "can you believe it? A fake engagement ring!"
The poor lad had been swapped in this mess and was so lost that if someone had asked him his name right now, he probably couldn't be able to answer right.
"So what if the diamond was fake? My intentions behind the gesture were not."
"Do you even still love me?" You asked scoffing at his words. Noticing three bulky men storming into the hall you were in, you gather your things and without glancing towards both men, you stormed off into a hallway on your right knowing that Eames was hot on your trail. You turn around to see if you were safe but before you could check his hand wraps around your arm and drags you into a dark room to your left. The door closed behind you leaving you standing in the dark catching your breaths.
"Were they still behind us?" You whisper just in case they were close. You couldn't see him in the dark but even if you felt him close to you, when he put his hand on your mouth to shush you it still caught you off guard. Well then, I'll take that as a yes. Even if you couldn't see his face, being this close to him that you could feel his breath on your cheek, made your mind wander and suddenly you were thankful for the dark otherwise your reddening cheeks would sorely stand out and Eames would tease you endlessly.
Turns out that you spoke too soon seeing as, while you were lost in your daydream, he must have drawn out his phone, because a light suddenly shone in the room. It was a janitor closet because at your feet there were cloths and buckets. It was indeed a small space as you've presumed, your chests were touching and if he wasn't taller than you, your noses or worse mouths would too. This realisation certainly didn't help your blushing situation.
"Is there a reason why you're blushing like that?" He asked and really, you knew it was coming.
"Can we get out, please? I think we're safe." You said trying to play it cool. The twinkle in his eyes made his amusement very clear to you, nevertheless he spared you and moved his hand to the door handle. Much to your dismay, it wouldn't budge, even when he tried with more force. Eventually, he had to stop and admit defeat. He turned to you and almost as if you had rehearsed it you exclaim at the same time:
"Well shit."
Groaning you lower yourself to the ground while he wrote something on the phone, probably asking for some help but you know that you'd be here for a while if you had to wait for one of the guys to rescue you. Sensing your discomfort he sat beside you and you knew that he was going to confront you about your weird behaviour. Being observant was part of his job, nothing went past him unnoticed, he was the best in his field for a reason after all.
"So, since we have a lot of time to spare, will you tell me what's wrong darling?" As you predicted he asked softly. Having worked alongside one another for quite some time together with his observant self, made Eames one of the person who knew you best. It wasn't something you were happy about but it was a fact.
"Oh that was Sandy, Eames. Don't need to worry about a fuss over a fake ring." You joked trying to deflect. Classic textbook move and he knew it.
"That was a good stunt out there, not going to lie, but you know I wasn't talking about that. You've been acting weird since we've come out of the room." He insisted. You knew Eames so you were conscious that if you told him to let it go he wouldn't press you but for some reason, you needed to know if he saw you. I mean even if he did, it wasn't a big deal right? No one was perfect and as you were painfully aware of his annoying habits now he knew that you hadn't a perfect body. You could live with that. Conforming to the standard norms of beauty wasn't something you had to do. Besides, nothing was ever going to happen between you. So even if you had a crush on the man and your constant bickering was more subtle flirting, why do you care so much about what he thinks of you? Yes, he probably has been with a lot of breathtaking women but that didn't mean anything. You couldn't compare yourself to other, imaginary in this case, women. It's not a healthy thing to do and besides everyone is beautiful in their own way. You knew that it's just that most of the times you have trouble applying that way of thinking to yourself.
Well then, here goes nothing. This pep talk is pointless if you don't address the elephant in the room. And so gathering all your courage, you did. But wait- how exactly am I going to go about this?
"So, you know that I'm usually very quiet and reserved right?"
"Yes, I know how important your private space is to you. I promised I've not touched anything." He said reminiscing that time when you literally went ballistic when you saw him entering into your room without your permission.
"I know you've learned your lesson don't worry, I wasn't referring to that."
"Then what's the matter?"
"I'm not saying you did it on purpose but have you, by any chance, stumbled upon a very naked me early today in the bathroom?" I finally let out not meeting his eyes. I think it's a fair question to make, sure the answer won't change the fact that he saw me if he did but at least I'll stop wondering about it. However, Eames was known to be very unpredictable so you hoped that he wouldn't feel offended about it nor that he'd tease you for it. For a little while, he didn't say anything but you could feel his eyes on you. Knowing him he was probably studying you and thinking about what to say.
"Will you go mad hatter crazy on me if I tell you that I accidentally took a peak? I honestly thought that you were done and telling me that I could enter when you opened the door. However, I didn't do it maliciously or anything. It just happened, I'm sorry." He explained confirming your assumptions. So he did see you. Now what? However stupid it may sound, you believed him when he said that it was an accident. How different could my body from others anyway? Pretending to not be affected by his confession you just shrugged your shoulders muttering a quiet "it's okay". Needless to say, it was not okay. How were you going to look at him now that you knew he's seen you in your most vulnerable state? Ugh, why did you have to be so complexed? Couldn't you be just as easy going as Sandy? Life would surely be easier.
"If it's okay, then why won't you look at me, darling?" He insisted. Gosh, why won't he let this go?
"There's literally no light in here, how do you know if I'm not looking at you?"
"Because I know you and apparently this held a deeper meaning to you than you want me to know. You should know by now though, that I notice everything. Besides, how can we still work together if you refuse to look at me?"
"I can pretend to be a different person then so there's no problem." you mutter jokingly
"There's no need to pretend with me. We're room buddies!" He said making you laugh. He could be so silly sometimes.
"You can always be yourself with me you know. To be honest, you should never be afraid to be you but I know that that's a tough thing to do. However, I thought I was part of the gang now. That you trusted me and all."
"I do trust you, Eames. I wouldn't be working with you if I didn't. And yes you're part of the gang but neither of them has seen me naked you naked."
"And that changes things how?"
"You have seen me in my most vulnerable and truest form. No filter, no pretending no anything. I can't imagine I was a very pleasant view. I'm just ashamed, that's all."
"You shouldn't be. I didn't think you'd be so insecure about yourself, that only proves how good at your job you are, honestly, but if it makes you feel better, I really like what I saw."
"Yeah sure. Don't need to flatter me to make me feel better. I'm not delusional."
"No, but it seems that you're blind. I thought that my scandalous and obvious flirting was a dead giveaway of me liking you."
"Oh shut up, you flirt with every living thing. It does not make me special." You sassed because it was true. You actually thought he was into Arthur before realizing that he was like that, flirting seemed to be the only way of communication he knew.
"You don't need my validation to consider yourself special. You are no matter what I or any other guy says. Although, you shouldn't really question me. You know I'm always right."
"Could your ego be bigger?"
"Hey, I'm trying to help you here. No need to insult my ego. But it's not the only big thing I have if you know what I mean."
"You know what? I really appreciate your wise words but I think it's best if we wait for whoever you called in silence. Your ego is already sucking up all the air in this cubicle." you said nudging his shoulder letting him know that you were joking. Who would have guessed that he could manage to make your doubts disappear just with a few silly words?
He seemed to have understood because he wrapped his arm around you and you rested your head on his shoulder, getting comfortable beside him. The silence between you now wasn't uncomfortable but very welcomed, you knew he wouldn't be quiet for long so you enjoyed it while it lasted, your insecurities long forgotten.
