Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Hello, there. My love for Inception has suddenly given me the power to want to write again. This is my first Inception fic so I'm excited and nervous at the same time. Thank you to carameltootsieroll for the beta, other mistakes are mine. :]
I chose the song At the Beginning from the Disney Anastasia movie as the title because it's my AriArthur song. :D
The Play Area
The air in the department store is cool and refreshing, just like the other parts of the mall, the complete opposite of the heat from outside. She tugs her scarf up as she looks around, faceless mannequins, designer clothes, white walls and endless chatter. Eight-year-old Ariadne moves closer to her mother, Cassie, as they walk around, wandering aimlessly and letting some time pass.
When they reach the children's section, Cassie takes a basket and tells her daughter to get anything she desires. Ariadne happily picks out new scarves. Her mother sees a lacy dress and, without her daughter's permission, places it in their basket. Ariadne frowns but decides not to argue with her.
"Ari, dear, why don't you go over to the play area and I'll get you when I'm done?" Cassie suggests.
At the corner of the department store, there's a matted area with legos all around it. It serves as a children's playground for when adults have to shop and didn't want their kids in the way or the kids didn't want to go around with their parents. While she walks towards it, Cassie warns her to not leave without her and talk to strangers.
Ariadne reaches the mats and there are already two boys there. She goes to an exclusive all-girls school so boys, aside from her brother Theo, are still quite…new to her. One of them, who looks much older than her, with dark, scruffy hair, is helping the younger one, who looks around her age, with his building. She stays put for about a minute before the younger one looks up at her and gives her a toothy grin. "Hi."
"Hello," she greets, her voice a whisper. She fingers her scarf and looks down.
"I like your scarf," the boy says again. This time, she doesn't reply, and she feels her neck becoming warm. "Sit down, play with us!"
Ariadne walks slowly towards them and sits in front of the building made of legos. She admires the creation but isn't sure of the end goal. "What are you making?"
"We're trying to make the tallest skyscaper!"
"Skyscraper," the older one corrects.
"I like to build skyscrapers, too," she says. "I like them really tall." She reaches for a yellow, squared lego and hands it to the older one. "You should put this one over here," she points to the highest level on her left side, "that way, the building can still stand when you add more."
The older boy nods in agreement, but his brother comments, "That makes a space over here," he places a finger in the middle of the yellow block and the longer, blue block.
Ariadne thinks for a while. "That can be a bal…balcony."
Before the boy can answer, an older woman comes up and calls him. "Edward, I need you to fit some clothes." She turns and notices Ariadne. "Oh, hello there." To the other boy she says, "Would you like to wait here?"
The older boy looks at Ariadne and the girl bows her head shyly. "Yes."
The younger boy stands up and waves, "Bye-bye."
After she waves, Ariadne turns to her companion. "Um…do you like building things, too?"
He nods. "Sometimes, yeah. But I'm more interested in art. Paintings. Going to museums. Do you like going to museums?"
"I've never been to one," she replies. "But I heard that we'll be going to one that's near our school this year."
"Really? I hope you enjoy it." He gives her a small smile. "I'd really like to go to the Smithsonian."
"What's that?"
This time, he smiles wider, showing off his dimples. "It's the largest museum in the world. Almost everything is there. They also do a lot of research. So much history to learn about."
Ariadne's mouth forms a huge smile. Although it may also be because his smiling makes her feel like she has butterflies in her stomach. "That sounds like a fun place! I wanna go there someday."
"We should go together," he suggests, chuckling. "I can give you some information about some of the buildings and artifacts they have there."
"I'd really like that," she says, and she smiles brighter.
The two continue to make even more structures with the legos they found around the area. There's more buildings, some houses, shops, two schools, two malls, restaurants and of course, museums. Discarded blocks are around them and Ariadne really doesn't want to waste them so she makes a large cube and places it in the center, telling the boy that it's the Smithsonian. They're in their own little world.
She crawls and points to the building that she had recently put. "We'll go there together one day."
"I promise that we'll go there together someday," he says.
Ariadne feels it again, the butterflies in her stomach. It's a new sensation for her and she wonders briefly if she's about to get sick.
Just when she's about to create another "building", she hears her mother's familiar voice calling her. "Ari, dear, it's time for us to go. Your father's arrived and he's waiting in line."
Ariadne opens her mouth to speak, not wanting to leave the older boy. She turns back to him and he gives her a small smile. "I have to go," she says. He nods, understanding. "Please tell Edward I'd like to see him again, too," she continues.
"I will," he replies. "Bye, Ari."
"Bye-bye." She stands up and takes her mother's hand. As they walk away, she looks over her shoulder and exclaims, "I'll see you at the Smithsonian!"
"That's a promise!" he responds.
She smiles and continues to walk with her mother. When they're out of ear shot, Cassie asks, "Who was that young boy, Ari?"
It never occurred to her to get his name. "I don't know," she answers.
She never found out until thirteen years later.
He's been sitting on the couch, waiting for her to come out of the bedroom. They're in a hotel in Washington, D.C. and they finally succumbed to the sneaky glances, happy butterflies and Eames's teasing. When she comes out, she's in her usual outfit, only exchanging the t-shirt for a blouse, her scarf carefully fixed around her neck. She smiles.
"Ready to go?" Arthur asks, smiling at her as he fixes his tie.
Ariadne nods in excitement. They leave the suite and head towards the elevator. Arthur fingers his red die in the pocket of his suit. Ariadne does the same with her bishop in her jacket pocket. She looks at him as the elevator brings them to the ground floor. "And the place is a surprise because…?"
He shrugs, a smirk forming in his lips.
"You can't do that, it's our first date! I have the right to know," she says, frowning.
"Don't you trust me?" he looks at her.
"Of course I do—"
"Then you'll have to wait and see. Don't you like surprises?"
She shakes her head. "Not…really."
"You'll like this one," he says, sure of himself. He did promise to take her to the Smithsonian.
I actually like this one. I hope you do, too. :]