Just Sex
Summary: Ariadne doesn't want a boyfriend. Arthur didn't want a liability. But they wanted each other, one way or another.
Author's Note: Here we go! Longest chapter yet, I believe. You get to see Eames' reaction.
Chapter Three: It's Not Going to Work
Eames was not pleased.
Eames looked from his female coworker to his male coworker. Something was not right… they weren't… being cute and staring at each other and doing their usually eye-fuck fest with each other. They were… actually focused on their task at hand.
Ever since the three had returned from their Vegas trip a few months ago, the two had been distant from each other. It struck a nerve. Here, the forger believed the two were a perfect match. Their conflicting personalities balanced each other out. Arthur was a lame stick in the mud. Ariadne was the life of the party. Yet, the two flirted constantly. They spent their nights talking and staring into each other. Most of the time, they would ignore the poor British bloke. But now, it seems that they would only talk to him.
Eames waited for the right moment to confront Arthur. It was another day in the warehouse in Paris. Their date for the next extraction was three weeks away. Ariadne had just finished her dreamscape and left to grab lunch for the group. She bid Eames farewell and merely nodded to Arthur.
The Forger waited five minutes after she left before marching over to Arthur's desk. He slammed his palm onto the side of the table, but Arthur just ignored him and read his files. Eames tapped his foot impatiently, but Arthur continued to disregard him. Finally, out of pure frustration, he pulled the file from Arthur's hands and threw it on the floor.
"That was highly inappropriate Mr. Eames." Arthur commented standing up.
"Oh no you don't! I want answers!" Eames pushed the Point Man back down. Arthur rose an eyebrow in mock annoyance.
"Answers?" He questioned.
"What the hell happened between you and Ariadne?" Arthur simply shrugged and placed his hands behind his head. He leaned back against the chair.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Eames clenched his fist. Arthur smirked. Don't punch him Eames. He's the biggest prick you know, but don't punch him.
"Like hell, you guys were so lovey-dovey, cutesy-wutesy, giving-poor-ole-Eames-cavities sweetly adorable. Then we go to Vegas, and all of a sudden you guys stop talking." Arthur's smile flatters, but he picks it up quickly.
"What the hell happened in Vegas?" Eames asked seriously. Arthur's chair snapped down and he leaned forward looking up at the Brit.
"You really wanna know?"
"Uh, let me think… Hm… Yes!" His voice dripping of sarcasm.
"We slept together." Eames blinked once… twice… and a third time.
"I'm sorry… I think I heard wrong. Did you say you finally shagged her?"
"Yes." Eames squealed like a girl. A larger grin replaces the astonished look on his face. He started laughing and patted Arthur's shoulder. The well-dressed man looked at him bewildered.
"Blimey man, why did you tell me you finally got together?"
"We didn't." Eames' smile dropped.
"I beg your pardon?"
"We aren't dating." Arthur replied nonchalant.
"But you shagged?"
"We are shagging." Arthur corrected.
"You and Ariadne are having casual sex?" Arthur nodded looking up dreamily.
"She's your fuck buddy?"
"Don't be so vulgar." The older man rolled his eyes.
"Unbelievable, you're corrupting my poor dear Ariadne."
"First of all she's not yours. And second, she's a grown woman, not a child." Arthur chided.
"Bullshit. She's just a baby." Eames scolded.
"She's twenty eight," he pointed out.
"You should've asked my permission to fuck my daughter!"
"I'm your what?" Another voiced joined the conservation. Eames looked alarmed at her. She set the food down on the desk and stared at the two men.
"How long have you been standing—" Ariadne cut him off.
"Am I still a child in your eyes? I'm twenty-eight for god's sakes!" she yelled. Eames cowered at her.
"Fine… you're a woman." He shivered. "But you should be searching for your soul mate, not fucking your co-worker!" Ariadne tried to hide her shock, but the Forger could see the guilt in her eyes.
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Oh cut the shit Ari. I know you're shagging Arthur." She turned away from him and waved a finger in Arthur's face.
"You told him! It's supposed to be a secret!"
"He would've found out eventually!" Arthur retaliated. She smacked his shoulder.
"You are not coming over tonight!"
"Oh come on, you would have told him eventually!"
"Would not!"
"Would to!" Eames rolled his eyes at his childish banter.
"CHILDREN!" The two looked at Eames.
"What?" They screamed in unison.
"This is fuckin' ridiculous!"
"Aren't you the one who kept pressuring us to get together?" Arthur yelled.
"Yeah! Shouldn't you be happy? We're together… in a sense!" Ariadne finished.
"This not what I meant, you guys were suppose to fall in love, marry, and have hundreds on mini-architects and point children!" Eames wagged his finger at them.
"Like I'd marry a stick in a mud like him anyways," Ariadne pouted.
"Frankly you're just a noisy brat." Arthur spat back.
"Pedo." She moved closer to him.
"12 year old." He tilted his head to the left.
"Bastard." She poked at his chest. Eames stepped back and watched the scene in amusement and disgust. He crossed his arms across his chest.
"Bitch." He mocked.
"Anal boy!" He glared at her before grabbing the back of her head and missing the life out of her. She dug her nails into his vest bringing him closer to her. He cleared his desk leaving the laptop at its corner. He lifted her up and dropped her on the desk, not breaking the kiss.
"Uh…" Eames started uncomfortable. "I'm still here!"
"Get out!" They yelled in harmony. Grabbing his jacket, Eames left the room annoyed, happy, and very confused.
Buzz. Buzz. Buzzzzz.
"Make it stop!" Ariadne hissed. Arthur got up from the bed and grabbed the phone off the nightstand. He glanced at it and immediately got up.
"Who is it?" Ariadne asked. Arthur ignored her, grabbed a pair of boxers and left the bedroom. Ariadne glared at him annoyed before falling back asleep.
"Cobb." Arthur answered flipping his phone open.
"Hello Arthur."
"To what do I owe this pleasure—"
"You're sleeping with Ariadne?" Damn it Eames.
"…" Cobb tapped his foot impatiently from the other side.
"Arthur? I know you're there."
"Did Eames call you?" He asked disregarding the previous question.
"Yes he did." Arthur made a mental note to seriously maim the Brit.
"I'm going to kill that bastard."
"Arthur." Dom's voice was sharp.
"What?"
"Are you sleeping with Ariadne?" Arthur sighed.
"Yes." He replied honestly.
"What the hell are you thinking? She's just a child!" The Point Man rubbed his temples.
"You sound like Eames." Arthur said annoyed.
"She's just a child!" Cobb repeated.
"Ariadne's twenty-eight. She's a full grown woman who is perfectly capable of making her own choices."
"She's still too young."
"You and Mal got married at 22."
"But—" Arthur cut him off.
"For the record, this whole thing was her idea." On the other end, Cobb clutched his phone tightly, attempting to comprehend what he just said.
"Wait… she wanted this?"
"Yes."
"…"
"Is there anything you need?"
"Not really."
"Good night Cobb." Without a second word, he hung up. The nerve of Eames calling up his former partner like that. Arthur shook his head and returned to the room. He checked the clock: 2:46am. He looked at sleeping form of Ariadne. She was peacefully sleeping. Arthur found himself grinning. He slipped in the bed beside her. Kissing her forehead softly, he turned away from her and fell back into a deep slumber.
Knock. Ding Dong. Knock.
"Aren't you going to answer that?" Arthur asked drawly. Ariadne glared at him as she attempted to fix her scarf. He had left dark hickeys all over her neck the night (and this morning) before.
"Get it real quick?" She undid her scarf and did it again. Arthur rolled his eyes as he walked up to the door. In front of him was a woman, probably around Ariadne's age, with a baby in hand. She was about Ariadne's height with short blonde curls. Her and her spawn shared the same bright blue eyes. She looked at him bewildered.
"Hi, may I help you?" He asked smoothly. She opened her mouth but nothing came out. He cocked an eyebrow up at her.
"Miss?" He was about to repeat his question when Ariadne yelled from the bathroom.
"Arthur, who is it?" Arthur stared down at the girl and child in front of him.
"It's... oh excuse me... IT'S LAYLA!" The petite woman yelled back. Ariadne rushed towards the door. Her scarf perfectly aligned to hide the hickeys.
"Hey Layla. Hi Bryce." She cooed to the child. Arthur took a step back and went back into the apartment.
"What's up?" Ariadne asked as the baby grabbed on to her fingers.
"Who's that?" Layla whispered standing on her tiptoes trying to get another glance at the strange man who answered her longtime neighbor/friend's door.
"That's my co-worker." Ariadne shrugged.
"Did he spend the night?" Bryce squirmed in her arms. Ariadne offered her arms, and the child was passed into her arms.
"Yeah, we were working late last night when I realized I left an important file back here, so we just decided to finish working here." Ariadne answered coolly. Suddenly Arthur reappeared at the door.
"I'm going home." He nodded to Ariadne.
"Okay, I'll meet you at work." She replied. He placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled at her. She smiled back. Layla observed the two. Arthur turned away from the brunette and nodded at Layla before leaving. Layla waited until she couldn't see him anymore before filing into Ariadne's apartment. The two sat on the couch with Bryce on Ariadne's lap. He was playing with the ends of her scarf.
"So he's cute; do you like him?" Ariadne looked at her and started laughing.
"No, no, we're only co-workers, friends if you're pushing it." Layla nodded.
"So what do I owe the pleasure of this visit this morning?" Layla sighed and fell back against the seat.
"Joshua just informed me that he's quitting his job again." Ariadne sent her a sympathetic look. She knew that Layla and her husband were having money issues. Every few months he tries to quit his job to pursue a music career causing Layla, who had to quit her job to raise their 18 month baby, a huge deal of stress. Layla was Ariadne's only female friend. They met when Ariadne moved into the apartment building two years before.
"Oh, so what happened?"
"Same old, same old... It's just that…" Layla ran her hand through her blonde hair.
"Yeah, I get it." Layla smiled softly at the architect. The two women turned to the child who was sitting on Ariadne's lap. Bryce smiled up at the girl who smiled back. She started bouncing the child. Bryce giggled and tugged on the paisley scarf. He yanked the scarf too hard that made Ariadne gasp.
"Bryce! Stop that!" His mother scolded as she unwrapped the scarf from Ariadne. Once it was off, Layla gave it to child to play. The baby boy just stared up at them innocently. Ariadne immediately forgave him.
"Oh my gosh, Ari! Your neck!" Ariadne instantly used one hand to cover the hickeys, but it was too late. Layla placed two and two together.
"Oh my god! That guy! He is your boyfriend, isn't he!" Layla asked excited. In the years she known Ariadne, she never once had a boyfriend.
"Not exactly." Ariadne returned Bryce to his mother. Ariadne told Layla about what she could talk about Arthur, their jobs, and lastly their arrangement. Layla listened attentively as Ariadne talked.
"So, he's your friend with benefits?" Layla concluded.
"Yeah, that's about right." Layla kissed her child's forehead.
"I don't think that's a good idea. First of all, aren't you guys a little too old for that? I mean, you're twenty-eight and he has to be at least thirty."
"Thirty-four actually." Ariadne interrupted.
"Four… See, you guys are way too old for this. Second of all, why bother? If you don't 'like' him," she used 'like' loosely. "Then why sleep with him?"
"He's good. Like really good. I mean, it's freakin' great." Ariadne grinned. Layla gave her an uneasy look.
"Look, I'm not going to scold you or anything because I'm not your mother, but be careful. When people make arrangement like this, they do it so they won't get hurt, but sometimes, it ends up hurting them more." The blonde rubbed her forehead.
"I can handle myself." Ariadne boasted.
"Of course you can." Layla got up cradling her baby.
"I should leave, you have to work right?" Ariadne nodded as she led them to the door.
"Call me if anything else happens. And return my scarf when you get the chance." Layla nodded and walked back to her apartment. Once she heard the door clicked she sighed at looked back.
"She has no idea what she's getting herself into." She kissed her child before retreating to her home.