A.N: This was one of my Portuguese short-stories, I decided to translate it and add a few more words. It grew a little bit more than what I hoped and went to a totality different way, but i like the way it turned out.
A Way to Her
"I think I found her but
I haven't found a way to her yet"
He knew old habits die hard, or, most of the times, don't die at all. That was the reason it was so easy to find her. Even after all those months and countries apart. She still liked that old coffee shop, the little but warm "Boutique Tremble Coupe". She would always pick her morning coffee there on her way to the University and latter on to work.
And there was always the second hand book store, "Maze", where she would lose herself there for hours. He smiled, it gave a whole new meaning to the bookstores name and it was funny to think of her, Ariadne, lost in a maze.
He knew the legend of course. He knew all about Princess Ariadne, how she had aided Theseus to get out of the Maze where the Minotaur was hidden because she loved him and didn't want him to die. How she had felt in love with him at first sight, and helped him by giving him a sword and a ball of red fleece thread that she was spinning, so that he could find his way out of the Minotaur's labyrinth.
It was funny to think about it, the story he though, because in the end Theseus left her sleeping in an island. This was so the God Dionysus, to whom, Ariadne was promised as a wife, could go and pick her, while he let the young hero Theseus go unarmed. Ariadne married Dionysus and was commonly known as the "Goddess of the Labyrinths".
Dreams. Labyrinths. Architect. It was like somehow her name had been chosen just for her. Just to show her that she should be doing this type of jobs. Jobs that involved dreams and labyrinths. He could never understand why she had left them. They were the best team ever and then one day she had enough and left after a job.
He saw her leave the "Maze" with a bunch of books in her hands and a big smile on her face. He could also guess that she would still wear the same perfume and that she was still going to the same hairdresser. It was amazing, he though, how he knew all this details without thinking about them.
He was so used at being a Point-Man that he would automatically label and discover peoples little habits without even knowing that he was doing it. With Ariadne it had been the same, he knew more about her after a week working with her, then some of her friends that had known her for years. She had laugh when he had pointed her favourite colour, ice-cream, wardrobe piece, type of shoe, drink and food. She had said that "he was indeed a Point-Man".
But them she had left. And he didn't knew why. He didn't understand. They were aiming higher now they knew Inception was possible. They hadn't spread the word of course. The still did extractions, but they had done more and more jobs in which they had to go deeper into the marks subconscious. They were the best team to ever do it.
And then she left. That sentence seamed to have glued herself on his mind. "And then she left". Did he know why? Had he bothered to know? He had let her go and with every step she had taken to get away his heart had break. Eames had mocked him, saying that his face was one of a porcelain store keeper in which an elephant had entered. He hadn't found it funny, although the others had laugh a bit.
So he had decided to let her go, just like Theseus had left Princess Ariadne on that island or beach, or whatever place it was that he had left her sleeping. But now he was doing something that Theseus hadn't even tried. He was trying to get her back.
Even if she wouldn't go back to the team, he didn't care. Even if she would just draw the mazes and then a less talented Architect would go with them into the dream. She could just live with him and do nothing and he would be glad she was there.
He blinked at this new discovery. How could he have wanted her so badly in his life and yet had let her go? What was wrong with him? He though about the kiss he had stolen from her, and though if Theseus and done the same with his Ariadne.
No. Theseus hadn't got an Ariadne. He had his change and he left her. Arthur had decided he would learn from that mistake. That was the reason he was there, just at the end of the street, near the coffee shop. He was waiting for her.
When she got a glimpse of him she froze. She looked around, her eyes suspicious, trying to find something different on the street. He smiled, she blinked.
Arthur seamed different. He seamed more… How would she say it? More Arthurish? He had been so absorbed by his job that she had stopped seeing him at all. They had stopped taking coffee together or talking late into the night as she finished her mazes. She had only stayed with the team because Arthur was there, when she had felt him slip and she didn't know how to catch him, she had tried a different approach.
One of her friends called it "If you promise to catch me, I promise I'll run slow" tactic. Basically all she had done was leave the team and go back to her old routine so he could trace her easily if he wanted to. But that had been months ago, almost a year now, and she had given up all hope that he would come, and yet, there he was.
She tried her best to stay calm, inside she was screaming of joy and crying, and… Well, she had so many emotions she couldn't even start counting or feeling them. When she reached him, he was smiling and handling her a book. She said a brief "hello" and he smiled more.
She looked at the book. I was her favourite.
- It's my favourite book…
Her voice was low, like a whisper, but he still heard her.
- I know…
She smiled at him and handed him the book, he didn't take it from her hands. She blinked.
- I already have a copy…
He nodded.
- I know… But you don't have a copy of it given by me...
She blinked and tried to control herself. She was going to start crying if she didn't took hold of herself. She swallows dry before saying with a smile:
- Well, it is my favourite book…
He smiled when he saw she was holding the book close, like she could hug him by hugging the book. She then reaches her hand to grab his. He blinks, she has never given him her hand before but she has never given her anything that personal either. Smiling she asked him:
- Coffee? My treat!
He smiles and nods. It was strange, now that he thought about it. He always knew she loved reading. He always knew that was her favourite book, yet it had never crossed his mind to buy her a copy. At least he thinks, not until she had left.
They seated inside the coffee shop although spring is coming and the air is not that cold any more. She smiles and asks for her favourite drink while he asks for a black coffee. She then looks at him puzzled. He notices that and lets her study him. After a while she shakes her head and says:
- You're different... And – she says almost impatiently – I'm not talking about the fact that you're not wearing your three piece suit... Just a two one... – she continues as she rolls her eyes - In light blue... God, what as happen to you?
He smiles and shakes his head slowly. The waiter brings them their drinks and he waits until he's gone to answer her.
- I changed a bit after you left…
She blinks her eyes again. He smiles, he loves her deep brown eyes. She's looking at him again. She's trying to understand something that he doesn't understand himself.
- That I can see…
He takes a deep breath before talking again.
- You see Ariadne, you weren't there anymore…
She stops drinking and blinks.
- I know… I left…
- Why?
She raises her shoulders slightly.
- Didn't have a reason to stay anymore… I have more money now than any girl of my age, even more than the British Royal Family, all together I imagine… Why would I continue working if I can go on with my life just doing what I love to do…
He nods his head, she continues her drink.
- But you had enough money for that after three jobs… - she froze but her cup didn't part from her lips - You were with us for almost four years... You did more than 100 jobs… Why them?
She takes a deep breath. Maybe she should confess. After all, she has ran slowly and he as chased her well enough to get her. It's only fair. She puts her drink down. Her brown eyes starring into his own brown eyes.
- Because we lost this...
He blinks. She smiles. A sad smile, but a smile still.
- I was only working because it was the only way I had to be with you, you know, to have this little moments where we chat and joke… - she took another deep breath - And then you just started working like a mad men, like there was no tomorrow Arthur, like you were Cobb and you couldn't go back to your family or something until you did all the jobs in the world…
He swallows dry. She's right and he knows it.
- And there I was alone in a warehouse or penthouse or plain or in whatever place we were working… And you know what Arthur? It sucks being alone…
- But I was there…
- Your body was – she corrects him – not your mind or your soul… There were days where you didn't even said "Hello" to me... Off course there was Eames and the others, but I wanted to be with you, to talk to you, to drink coffee with you, not them…
He smiles. A sad smile, likes hers. She takes a deep breath and finishes her drink.
- That's why I left… I was there because you where there, when you went away - raises her shoulders slightly – I had no reason to stay so I went away as well…
- Seams the right thing to do – he says – if I were you I would do the same… but, don't you miss it?
She smiles. A happy smile. He likes her happy smiles, her dreamy smiles, the ones that send chills down his spin.
- Off course I miss it… - she takes a deep breath - After all it's…
- Pure creation? – He tries to guess knowing he is right.
- Exactly! – She says with a smile.
They don't speak for a few moments until she asks:
- Why did you come to see me?
He looks at her trying to figure it out. He knows its love, he wasn't thinking about mythological references because he though it was funny. He knows he loves her, and he knows that she belongs in his world, the world of dreams and mazes. She's Ariadne after all, named after the Goddess of Mazes.
- I came to apologize for leaving you in an island, and I came to take you back and never let you go again…
She blinks her eyes and starts laughing. Arthur blushes, just a little and she doesn't see it, but he felt it and it felt good.
- Was that a reference to the myth of Ariadne and Theseus?
- I believe it was! – he says rapidly.
The people at the coffee shop that had stopped to look at Ariadne go on with their lives and so Ariadne asks with a grin:
- Is that supposed to be romantic?
It's his turn to raise his shoulders.
- I think so…
- Be honest Arthur, I know you too well, like you said, we worked together for almost four years… - she smiles, a bright smile – I created every single maze you went on... – he smiles back at her - I know how you think and how you do things; how your levels always have to be perfect like Hotels, or chic bars, or museums…
- True…
Ariadne is talking with the help of her hands now, like is forming pictures in the air. Arthur smiles and looks at her like there's nothing else in the world.
- How they have to be open spaces so you can ran but at the same time had to be perfectly organized so you know where everything is….
He nods.
- Also true…
She smiles and raises a finger.
- It took me one day to make Eames level, One. And another day to make Yusufs. I waste two days making their levels, but on you – she grinned again – I would spend a week or more doing your level… They were always so jealous of that…
He nods again. Eames specially was very jealous of this, Arthur thinks that's because he looks at Ariadne like a nice, he has one her age more or less, and it hurts him that he's not the favourite uncle. It hurts him that she spends more time making Arthur level than his.
- I take nothing below perfection…
She's still grinning.
- Really?
If he nods one more time, he will probably lose his head so he drinks the rest of his coffee before saying:
- That's why I want you back!
She rolls her eyes.
- To do your mazes?
Arthur shakes is head.
- No, because I don't know any other perfect woman…
She blinks at him. She's not sure if he's joking or trying to be romantic. And looking at him she knows he's completely lost as well, looking at her to see how she reacts.
- You're joking...
He takes a deep breath before saying:
- I'm bad at romance... – she laughs, only Arthur could do this to her - I blame my mother; she hated soap operas and trashy novels... I never understood very well how to court a lady…
She's still laughing but she manages to stop for a while just to say:
- My, my... Aren't we chick…
He smiles at her.
- Yes we are…
She stops laughing and looks him directly on the eyes. He knows it's going to be a now or never situation.
- Give me a reason to come back – she demands - besides my perfect mazes and my perfect self...
There's silence. It seams to last forever. She doesn't know what he's going to say and by looking at him, she knows he'll make it up as he goes. Something strange and completely new for Arthur. The "we have to have a plan for everything Arthur", would have a very decent conversation up his sleeve. This one doesn't. Ariadne finds she likes this Arthur better. This completely lost Arthur that needs her, and wants her and thinks she's perfect.
- Ariadne…
She holds her breath.
- Yes?
- You're never going to be alone on an island…
She smiles. He's being true to his heart, she's not going to mock him for that, even if he's the worst Casanova she has ever heard off.
- You are no Theseus are you?
He smiles at her.
- No. I would prefer to be killed than leave you behind…
She reaches towards his hand and holds it. He smiles at her before saying:
- I love you, Ariadne…
She smiles at him.
- And I love you…
He holds her hand tight and she finds that she likes it.
- You don't have to do mazes for me, I don't care I you don't do another maze in your entire life, but I do need you by my side…
Now she has to laugh. Does he think she's just going to stay there and watch while another architect makes his level, an Architect that doesn't even know that he likes his levels with minimalist colours and with lots of light? If he thinks so, he's completely wrong. If the architect they are using now wants to do Eames and Yusufs levels, she won't mind, but she will makes Arthurs.
- Arthur?
He blinks.
- Yes?
She looks at him with a smile.
- If I knew that running would have changed you this much I would have ran away sooner…
Now is his turn to laugh. They get up to pay the bill and get away from the coffee shop.
- Oh really? – he asks as the waiters gives him his exchange.
- Yeah!
They get out of the coffee shop and stroll together.
- So, what's the next job? – Ariadne asks.
Arthur smiles and gives her his hand before kissing her.
- I don't know, I don't care, we'll think about it tomorrow when we get together with the rest of the team…
She smiles again and they continue their walk. Arthur is true to his word. They don't speak about the job for the entire day. She tells him what she has done since she left and he tells her what they have done. Not much it seams. The new architect was awful. Aridane smiles knowing that without her, Arthur would be lost in a maze. She's his Ariadne and although he doesn't know how to flirt or how to be romantic she knows that he truly is no Theseus and that he's never letting her fall behind again. Even if she runs fast, he'll faster. Almost like he can read her mind he smiles at her in that same instant and she knows that running slow was the best thing she could have ever done.
The End