"Do you know what it is to be a lover, to be a half of a whole?"
Ariadne lay with her feet propped on the top of the chair, her head hanging down off of it. Her sketch pad remained blank, her pencil tapping lightly against it. "Ya know, once you come up with three layers for one mission, you'd think it'd be easy to come up with more, but it isn't."
"And that is why I'm no architect, just the point man," Arthur turned the page in the book he was reading, glancing at her for only a moment before focusing back on what he was doing.
"Maybe we should switch jobs. You've created before, given Cobb all he needs," she turned herslef upright, "Why not again?"
"I only created when I had to, when no other architect was around. Cobb brought you onto this team for a reason. He only chooses the best, and clearly, you're the best," he smiled, keeping his eyes remained on the book.
"Yeah, sure," she rolled her eyes, getting up, "Want anything to drink?"
"Water," he set the book down, "preferably bottled."
Ariadne laughed, walking in a steady pace to the small refrigerator that had been placed there only weeks before. She grabbed two bottled waters and tossed one to him.
"Nice arm! You into sports?" Arthur laughed.
"Yeah, the whiz kid is secretly an amazing athlete," Ariadne's sarastic tone echoed off the cement walls surrounding them.
"Ya never know!" Arthur patted the seat on the couch next to him, "Sit, I have to show you something."
She sat down, close, but not to close, to him. Ever since their kiss on the second level on there misson, the pair have formed a bond, one that is fragile, yet can't be broken.
"Now, I was looking into the background of a new recruit, another chemist in case something were to happen to Yusuf. What do you think of this guy?
Ariadne's eyes scanned the screen, reading and rereading notes Arthur had gathered on the man. He had seemed decent enough, but something about his bio was ripping at Ariadne's thoughts.
"Now, it says here that he's done this job before."
"Correct," Arthur looked at her.
Ariadne glanced from the screen to his eyes, and back to the screen, "Well why doesn't it say what he partook in? Where are all the details on the job he 'so called' completed?"
Arthur looked back to the screen, and then closed it, looking back to her, "Good eye, Ari. I hadn't noticed that until now!"
"I have a knack for finding odd things," she smiled.
He grinned back, "Like that odd sense of humour?"
"Exactly!" she playfully punched him.
"Oh, so architect girl wants to fight, huh? Three simple words for you...Bring...It...On!" He set his laptop down on the couch beside him and grabbed her wrist, gently tackling her to the floor.
"Really, you think you're so tough?" Ariadne laughed, "Don't get to ahead of yourself!"
She rolled over, now pinning him to the ground.
The two continued playfully wrestling for a while before Ariadne finally squealed, "Ok, you win! I give, I give!"
"That's more like it!" Arthur grinned, getting up and reaching down to help her up.
She gripped his hand in hers, and stood. Her body was worn and weak now, and she instantly collapsed on the couch.
Arthur sat next to her, lifting her body for only a moment.
She was now resting on him, his chest as a pillow.
"I didn't know being an architect would require so much physical activity!" she looked up to him, her eyes glazing over with tiredness.
"Eh, only sometimes," he brushed a hair that had fallen near her mouth. "Usually it's just desk work." His eyes fixated on hers. Everything around them had become quiet, and only the noise of their breaths could be heard.
"Arthur..."
"Yeah?"
"Remember how we...ya know...kissed on that second level?"
There was a long pause of silence, not uncomfortable, but unwanted.
"Well," she continued, getting impatient for a response, "I haven't been able to stop thinking about it, and I don't know about you," she paused, but then went on, "but I liked it...even if it was only to sway the subconcious projections away from thinking you were the bad guy and I..."
But she was cut off. His lips crashed down on hers, gentle, but with more passion than there had been when they had shared their first kiss. When the need for air became too much, they pulled away, their eyes meeting, darting, and meeting again.
"Ariadne, you've been all I can think of. I can't get anything done because my thoughts are consumed by you. In fact, I blame you for me not being able to see more clearly about the new recruit." He smirked.
"Oh, me. Really? Ya know what I'm gonna have to do now?" she flipped over and climed on top of him, "Do you really wanna know?"
Arthur nodded his head, a grin taking the place of his smirk.
Nothing more was said. Her lips met his again, hard. She used her tongue this time, sliding it ever so lightly against his lips, and then into his mouth, meeting his anxious needs.
But he pulled away, "Ariadne, I don't know if this is such a good idea."
Many expressions passed over Ariadne's face, mostly of confusion. "Why?"
"We work together, and if this doesn't work out, well, what then?"
"Whose to say it won't work out if we never try, Arthur?" she climbed off of him an tucked her knees to her chest, discomfort slowly creeping up the back of her throat. A lump of fear, anger, and sadness was forming, but she swallowed hard, trying to keep it hidden within her.
He looked to her, his arm reaching over to her, his hand gently stroking her cheek. His mouth opened as if he were to say something, but closed again with no response.
Ariadne looked at him, grabbing his larger hand into her small, fragile one.
Neither spoke, but they both knew. This moment had changed everything. They both wanted to make it work, and they'd fight to do whatever it takes to keep their relationship alive. That kiss on the second level sparked something in them, something they had both buried deep inside, due to work reasons. On some level, Ariadne found a way to read Arthur's thoughts, and what she obtained from him in those last few seconds was more comforting than anything...
"Hey, look at me. You're ok, you're ok."
The end! :) Hope you liked it!