Perfect
The first time Ariadne sees Mal, she is terrified. She doesn't notice anything but the weapon in her hands - could anything more be expected of her, either? In a situation like that?
The next time Ariadne sees Mal, she is sucked in. Those enormous blue eyes pierce through her body like a blade, and yet Ariadne is transfixed; she cannot bring herself to look away.
But it isn't until later, in that same dream, that Ariadne sees Mal in the light in which the older woman would forever remain. It is when Ariadne leaves Cobb in the house, still lost in the memory of leaving his children. It is when she runs back to the elevator and goes to the basement. It is when Mal asks, in her beautiful accented lilt, "What are you doing here?"
Ariadne's mouth goes dry as Mal stands up. A thousand thoughts are rushing through her head in that split second, telling her to run, telling her she's afraid, telling her she's in way over her head. But then there's one thought, and that's the thought that sticks: Mal is perfect. She's tall, foreign, with those eyes and curves that Ariadne herself would never possess. And, even though she's more frightened than she's ever been in her entire life, Ariadne can't help but feel a spark of jealousy, of detestation for this woman. Because this is her. This is the woman Dominic Cobb is in love with, will always be in love with. And she's nothing, absolutely nothing, like Ariadne.
In the scene in the Cobbs' anniversary hotel room, in the basement of Cobb's dream, the very first thing I noticed when Mal stood up was that she looked like a goddess standing next to little human Ariadne. And I mean, don't get me wrong, I think Ellen Page is a beautiful girl, but standing next to Marion I think anyone would feel inadequate. So I wanted to play with that, I guess.
This was implied one-sided Ariadne/Cobb, obviously, which I now approve of because I ship Arthur/Eames way too hard to be normal.