Title: the rebel french
Fandom: Inception
Pairing: Eames/Arthur
Categories: Romance, AU, Hurt/Comfort, Angst
Length: Long (33,812)
Warnings: Mentions of suicide, Violence

Author on LJ: N/A
Author Website: AO3

Author's Summary:
Arthur barely registers the bullet through his knee. It's the second bullet that does it: hits him square in the chest, takes him clean off his feet.

Review:
I really, really love well written AUs.

The author's summary just touches at the start of the fic. It's basically this huge, gorgeous, lush piece that starts off with Arthur getting shot. But that gunshot was the thing to propel him into the life you see him start to lead, a life in Paris, and working for Saito as his head of security. It has him meeting Eames, and their romance is wonderful. It's this beautiful thing that somehow feels fragile at the same time--because it's so lovely you feel balanced on the edge of a knife, like it's too good to be true. It works, even when it makes your heart turn over.

It's not all sunshine and puppies. Arthur spends a good chunk of his time trying to keep Saito's priceless paintings secure and, well, he got shot in the beginning of the fic. Then there's Eames's roommate, Robert Fischer, who spends most of his time being an ass while prancing around being gorgeous. And mean. But it's not really a jealousy fic! There is a little, but it's really not a focus.

The fic is written mostly as a lot of rather short segments. You don't even notice each scene breakaway--it flows and connects very well. It very much is a romance fic, but there is a plot running around that ties things a bit tighter, makes everything just that bit better. Then there's that twist in the end that--well, spoilers. It's awesome, to say the least, but it's also a bit heart wrenching.

the rebel french