Disclaimer: Inception does not belong to me.
Ariadne blinked, and looked at Arthur. "You mean that?" Her face was slightly incredulous. Arthur smiled and gently stroked her face.
"You heard," he repeated, patiently. "You gaining a couple of pounds doesn't bother me."
"But, Arthur!" She looked at him, her face anguished. "You haven't seen all the photos!"
He raised an eyebrow. "OK. Show me."
Swallowing, she led him to a small cabinet in the corner of her apartment. Opening it, she pulled out a dusty photo album. She handed it to Arthur.
"Here," she said, almost defiantly. Nodding, he took it, and sat down on the couch.
As he leafed through, she excused herself. As he flipped through the pages, his face creased into a puzzled frown.
Ariadne was in the pictures. But, he thought, casting his eye over them, although she was slightly overweight - at best she could be considered chubby - he didn't consider her unattractive. Her face was rounder, and her body, he noted, curvier than she was at present. But she certainly wasn't what he would consider fat.
He bit his lip, looking at the photos, and at the other people in them. Who were they? He wondered. And what had they said to her in the past to make her feel so bad?
He swallowed. There was one thing he could do...but the thought of it made him shudder slightly. It would be an invasion, but he felt he needed to know.
Ariadne 's hand was shaking as she spooned coffee into two mugs. Whilst she felt she didn't really need more caffeine so late, the simple action soothed her, taking her mind off what was happening in the lounge.
Arthur looking at her old High School photos. Learning the ugly truth. That she hadn't been a cheerleader, or the prom queen, or one of the celebrated beauties. She'd been fat. And worse, fat and a geek. She felt herself redden at the stinging memory of it.
The memory of walking down the hallway, trying to make herself inconspicuous. Hard, when your size meant everyone noticed you. Of trying to ignore the mocking catcalls and jeers. She shuddered.
"Ari?"
She blinked, and turned. Arthur was standing in the doorway, smiling. He held out his arms. "Come here."
She went to him, gratefully. He pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her.
"Listen," he said, softly. "Want to go for a walk?"
She nodded, feeling the need to get away from her memories. "Yes, let's."
They walked, hand in hand along the sidewalk. Arthur gave her fingers a gentle squeeze as they went along. She smiled, grateful for the warmth of his hand and sensitivity.
"So, you saw the pictures." Her tone was non-commital.
"Yes," he replied. "And...you were cute."
"Arthur! I was fat!"
He looked at her. "In your opinion." He shrugged. "If you saw mine...you'd probably think I was too thin." He sighed.
"You're not," she argued. "You're just...lean."
He smiled. "Not back then. I was...bony." He squeezed her hand more tightly. "No one wants to date a guy they're worried they might snap in half."
She swallowed. "Well, no one wants to date a girl who resembles a butterball, either."
Arthur could not think of a response to that, so fell silent. Eventually, they reached his apartment.
"Listen," he said, smiling. "Its getting late...why don't we go to bed?"
She blinked. "You're serious?"
He nodded. "Of course." Leaning down, he kissed her softly. As they walked into the bedroom, the PASIV slid under the bed was looming to the front of his mind.
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