We Can Do This Until We Pass Out (aka the chav!verse) by Delires - NC-17

[klimt-pliny.livejournal.com]

Title: We Can Do This Until We Pass Out
Fandom: Inception
Pairing: Arthur/Eames
Length: 6k 
Author on LJ: http://delires.livejournal.com/
Author on AO3: http://archiveofourown.org/users/delires/pseuds/delires

Why this must be read
While the rec is for the first story, all the stories in the chav!verse by delires are absolutely worth reading.  The premise seems simple enough; businessman Arthur in London has a random hook up with the unsavory Eames, a street thug of the lowest social order known unaffectionately as a chav (definition here).  Playing stereotype against stereotype is part of what makes this great fun and the sizzling sexual tension is amazing.  But what really stands out is the complexity of the characters.  The rough exterior of Eames hides a gentle man and beneath the scowls and sarcasm Arthur is a romantic.  And so a love story is built.  Plus, the idea of Arthur being at heart a little raver pleases me.

And this has podfic!  I must admit I really hesitated before giving this a try as I was afraid of an American doing some kind of terrible, mangled Cockney accent.  Like Dick Van Dyke's horrifying Cockney in Mary Poppin's level of bad.  And since the whole set-up depends on getting Eames as a chav right, it seemed too much to hope for.  I was totally and completely wrong.  Seussian pulls it off brilliantly.  In fact, she somehow makes his slang part of what is intrinsically hot about Eames and one of the reasons why Arthur can't stay away.  If you go for the podfic, please take my advice and make sure you get the sequel, When Life Sucks, Put On Some Glitter. 

Story: We Can Do This Until We Pass Out
Podfic: We Can Do This Until We Pass Out + Sequel

Comments

[brunettepet.livejournal.com]

I couldn't see how this would work, but it really, really did. It's smart and funny and Eames totally won me over and I understood how he won Arthur over, too. Thanks for the rec.