Do you know what it is to be a lover? To be half of a whole? One craved order, the other revelled in chaos. One lived in a world of predictable numbers and the other inhabited a world of rubbed out pencil lines and eraser shavings. Three-piece suits pressed and stored immaculately. Scarves covering every available surface in her apartment. He prided himself on knowing the details, whereas she created the details. The predictability of structures such as the Penrose steps met the surprises of cathedrals. Two halves that others would have expected to repel but in fact attracted.
Some were surprised. Cobb did a double take when he saw them walk into the warehouse, holding hands. He didn't say anything at first, just watched them go about their work. They continued as they always did, except Arthur had a small smile that would grow each time he caught her eye. Ariadne would give him a quick kiss before leaving for coffee and would then sit at his desk while they drank. Cobb heard bits and pieces of their conversation. It was rare that he ever heard Arthur talk about something other than work, but here he was talking about seeing a movie and checking out this new restaurant after work.
Eames and Yusuf on the other hand were not surprised at all. In fact, when the two of them walked in that morning, Eames stuck his hand out and Yusuf handed him a twenty-dollar bill with a scowl on his face. When the happy couple left for lunch, Cobb turned to the remaining team mates.
"When does Arthur go for lunch? There have been jobs when I have had to force him out of the door when he goes so deep into his work." Cobb exclaimed.
"You're kidding right?" Eames said.
"It was so obvious. It was only a matter of time." Yusuf explained. "I would have preferred it if they had waited another week but oh well."
"I warned you, the tension was getting thicker every day. Don't be so hard on yourself Darling, it's my job to read people." Eames turned to Cobb who still looked clueless.
"What did I miss?" Cobb asked.
"For starters; he smiles more and that stick up his arse doesn't seem to be in so deep anymore. That day Ariadne couldn't come in because she had a project for collage, he spent the day glued to his phone texting her rather than his computer as normal." Eames began.
"Last week when he was sick, and she raced to his bedside to look after him all day."
"He paid her back with the flowers, her desk looked like a florist's display window for a week."
"They always seem to be look for an excuse to talk to each other or touch each other."
"The other day, Arthur moved his laptop to her desk and worked next to her all day. I tried to do that once and she threw paper balls at me."
"She makes him laugh and she tried Korean food because of him. You've known Arthur for years, how have you not noticed?"
"Well I've been distracted with the job." Cobb defended himself, as he thought back to all the times Arthur and Ariadne's attraction to each other was apparently so obvious. "I just didn't see it coming."
"They're kind of perfect for each other." Eames mused with a smile. "Opposites attract."
There can be no chaos without order, and what is order without chaos? Notes books full of in-depth personal information with little stick figures doodled in the margins. Rough drafts of whole cities filed away rather than being hastily stuffed into text books. Suits hanging up alongside colourful band shirts. A loaded dice and a bishop, standing side by side. A game of chance and risk made reliable. A game of strategy and endless possibilities made predictable. One chose a symbol of a game full of risks and unpredictability. The other, one from a game of prediction and calculating moves. Opposites attract but there was always a piece of one in the other. They knew what it meant to be a lover, to be half of a whole.
Author's note: Unfortunately, I do not own Inception, because if I did, we would have had a sequel by now. I'm currently in Sweden as an exchange student and having the time of my life. I'm recovering from a headache after going out last night for an early birthday celebration (I'll be 20 on Tuesday, getting old haha). I've been wanting to write for these two for ages after seeing all the other amazing work out there, and who doesn't love them together. He knew that kiss wouldn't work, he just really wanted to. I bet he tracked her down after the movie. Please leave a review.