The first time they took their first step towards that direction of relationships, they were at work. It was a bad place and time to decide to be so passionate, but they hadn't logically decided anything. Their bodies were speaking for them. The occasional glance here and there, the blush and smile, the look away/look back. It went on and on, it never stopped. Arthur sat at his desk, trying to stay focused on something other than the beautiful woman only ten feet away from him. He hadn't even a reason as to why he stayed especially late that night. There probably was no reason. If there was, he didn't know.

He just knew that he wanted to stay with her. Maybe to see her forehead crease in frustration as she chewed at her pen. Maybe to see how well she was manufacturing the levels. But then there was the last reason mostly known as the real reason: he wanted her.

Across from the Point Man, Ariadne was wondering why exactly he had stayed, why he chose to play a game of solitaire instead of doing actual work. Or perhaps going to his apartment to savor in some red wine and relish in fantasies of his next vacation or whatever else Arthur did with Arthur time. But he was here, with her, peeking at her from behind his laptop, his eyes darker than usual. Those eyes.

Dear God, why did they have to be those eyes piercing into hers?

Ariadne was a well rounded woman and was way past the whole intimidation by cute boy bit that she went through in her earlier years, but Arthur was the exception. He was not a cute boy. He was a handsome man. Well built, smart, capable, not to mention delishly good-looking. Even though, she tried her best to remain cool around him, she still felt those little flips inside after looking into those dark eyes. He knew that just by staring at her, he could make her weak at the knees. But he knew he could do that with every woman, so when he met her, she would not give him the satisfaction.

She chuckled to herself, gluing two cylinder objects together and adding it to the landscape. He was not going to get the best of her. She lifted her head and glanced at him once again, this time staring a little longer. Eames always gave Arthur a hard time about being a snore, but Ariadne would bet money that he was not boring in bed. When she said that he looked capable - well, the word had several meanings. He was obviously impressive with the opposite sex and he looked like he could show a woman a good time. Without being fully aware of it which was the even more appealing quality.

Arthur watched discreetly as Ariadne sauntered across her office space. There was something completely endearing in the way she walked. It was simple, to the naked eye there was nothing considerably "special" about it. Even he didn't see it at first but if you look closely, it's there. The way her legs sort of glide over the ground and her hips sway with her arms in perfect unison. It's as if she's trying to say that she's flying away and you can't catch her. It's fascinating. He never knew so much could be said by a person's walk. Actually, he did know. Wasn't it his job to know? He was the Point Man after all.

He stood slowly, taking careful steps toward her office. He leaned against her doorway, watching her chew her bottom lip as she stared at the maze. He smiled beginning to retreat but her voice stopped him.

"Is there something on your mind, Arthur?"

He paused and turned around, walking into her foyer with a sheepish grin. "Pardon?"

"You've been roaming around in and out of her, you're not doing any work-just playing solitaire-and you are kind of watching me like a hawk," her playful smile faded. "Did...did Cobb tell you to keep an eye on me or something?"

Arthur shook his head quickly. "No, it's not like that at all, I just..."

Ariadne looked at him expectantly, her eyes wide and waiting. Arthur looked down.

"If I tell you the truth, you have to promise you won't resent me."

Ariadne walked toward him, closing the space in between them so tight that Arthur could feel her warmth. She lifted her pinkie and he wordlessly wrapped his around hers.

"I'm kind of fascinated with you," he said in a low voice.

"Fascinated? With me?...Why would anyone be fascinated with me?"

Arthur shrugged. "It's only because you're fascinating. You're...electrifying...dazzling, even."

The young woman's eyes stayed on him for a long time, her lips pursed, keeping a smile from growing. "Arthur, when's the last time you got laid?"

Arthur laughed more than she had ever seen him do.

"Because," she continued. "If you're trying to compliment your way into my pants, it's not going to work. I've been down that road before." The last part she muttered.

"Don't you know me by now?" Arthur inquired, stepping closer. "I'm not trying to trick you, I swear. This whole thing is just getting to become too much for me to handle."

"What whole thing?"

"Jesus, is it not obvious?" Arthur sighed with a smile on his face as he pulled a chair up to her desk. "Why is it that pretty girls can never tell when a desperate, stupid guy is in love with them? Why is it so easy to hide from you but so difficult to hide from everyone else? Why are you the only one who's blind?"

Ariadne tried to appear as cavalier as possible. "Since when did I turn into the pretty girl?"

Arthur froze. "What? Did I say that?"

"Yeah, your 'them' turned into a 'you'. I'm the pretty girl?"

"No...no, you're the beautiful girl...the girl that everyone else knows how I feel about, but you don't. Everyone knows...except you. Why is that?"

Ariadne shrugged, still looking at her models. "Perhaps...it's because you're like a robot and you never show any emotion. Other than the smirk and chuckle or the look of frustration whenever Eames-"

"Please, don't say his name."

"Why not?"

"Because this announcement I'm making should be special...I don't even want the forger you love so much to ruin it."

"Should I sit down for this?"

Arthur stared at her, gazing at her impeccable features. Her nose, her lips, her eyes, and how beautiful she was. He then smiled to himself, not knowing where his sudden need to tell her came from. Why was she so complicated? Almost like the DaVinci Code.

Those fucking lips

Arthur looked up at her again, at her smooth, pink, and soft lips and he licked his own. How atrociously delightful. He didn't know what he was doing, how he looked exactly but he knew his mouth was hanging open and he was on the verge of drooling. His eyes trailed up to meet hers and he stood up, walking closer to her. Ariadne noticeably stiffened when he was so close to her, but she tried to maintain the calm demeanor she once had. He hesitantly lifted his hand and tucked a loose strand behind her ear. He gazed into her eyes.

"Ariadne," he whispered sending shivers up her spine. "May I please have your permission to give you a kiss?"

Ariadne swallowed hard and the words she wanted to say with confidence came out in a weak whisper. "What would I get in return?"

"You'd get to find out how you feel and if it's negative, well, I'm a man capable of unrequited love."

Ariadne opened her mouth to say something, but instead lunged forth and caught Arthur's lips into her own. There was no way to describe the feeling that came over both of them. Ariadne, happy to finally be in his arms and what he wanted. Arthur, relieved to know that what he felt was mutual. The both of them wrapped up in intense passion, never wanting to let the other go.

"What about on the lawn chair?" Arthur suggested hopefully.

Ariadne made a face. "Sounds uncomfortable, actually. How about the floor?"

"It's cold," Arthur ran his hand through his hair standing in the middle of the warehouse in his underwear.

Then, before he knew it, Ariadne was close to him, her hands discovering every single part of his body.

"Arthur," she whispered seductively.

His eyes were wide. "Yeah?"

Her eye flickered over to a desk in the corner where the least work was done. Arthur smiled upon following her gaze.

The next morning, Eames sat down at his desk feeling something had changed.

A/N: Basically, I think the overly affectionate phase in couples is annoying and I couldn't help but think what it would be like in the A/A case and how annoyed Eames would get. Just an idea.