For the first time in a long time, Arthur was unsure of what to do.
This job was turning out to be much more complex than even he had imagined, and while he continued to doubt that the inception was possible, a more pressing issue was getting the entire team out of this dream unharmed, and more particularly, mentally unscathed. Here on the second dream level, the projections were starting to notice the team members, and Arthur didn't know how best to distract them.
Speaking of distractions, Ariadne, sitting next to him in a slim skirt suit, hair twisted into an elegant chignon, was doing an excellent job of distracting the already-unsettled point man. Contrary to popular belief by the other men on the team – mostly Eames, of course – Arthur did have feelings. However, it was his choice whether to show them or not, and most often, he chose not to. On a job, they only got in the way… as they were doing right now.
When had he let himself fall for the lovely young architect?
For once in his life, Arthur Hamilton put thinking aside.
"Quick, give me a kiss."
It's just to distract the projections, he told himself, as he would tell her moments later. It doesn't mean anything.
But it did.
Ariadne hadn't even had time to register the point man's words before his lips were on hers.
"Quick, give me a kiss."
She forgot to think. She forgot to move. She forgot to breathe.
Before his words sank into her bemused mind, before she could even begin to respond, he was moving away, and she realized, with a sinking feeling, that the kiss had only been an attempt at diverting the attentions of the overly-interested projections. An attempt which didn't seem to be working very well.
"It was worth a shot," Arthur shrugged.
It was just to distract the projections, Ariadne told herself. It didn't mean anything.
But she couldn't ignore the part of her that wished it had.