DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INCEPTION.
Another suggestion from you! Another notice. Updates WILL be less consistent due to the fact that I have exams soon, and revision is needed. On weekends, I will update like mad to keep you happy, but from this point on, it will probably be every other night. Apologies.
This chapter takes place BEFORE Arthur and Ariadne became 'involved' with each other. So this is like a friendship chapter.
"Go away!"
Arthur glared at Eames. "What are you doing this time?"
Eames shrugged. "Just messing around. I'm going to scare Ariadne out of her wits."
Arthur frowned and placed his jacket on the piano. "Why would you do that?"
"No reason, just boredom mostly."
"Fine, but don't do anything drastic to her. I won't be happy."
Eames smiled. "Relax, I won't give your precious Architect nightmares."
Ariadne wasn't the happiest person that day. Home sick, and not to mention tired. She entered the warehouse, absent minded flicking through papers.
She walked through the door and froze. It was complete blackness. Power cut?
She turned to open the door again but found that it had locked itself behind her.
"Hello?" she called out, hoping somebody else was around. When nobody answered, she groaned to herself and quickly tried pulling on the door again. After a moment, she became panicked. Nobody might come to work for a few hours. She would be stuck in the dark…
She heard the sound of a chair squeaking. She swung around and started breathing heavily.
"Hello?" she called again.
Suddenly, she felt a hand wrap around her mouth, tightly. She let out a frightened scream, only to have it muffled by the mysterious hand. She raised her leg and kicked the intruder in the knee, causing him to curse and release her.
"Fuck, Ariadne! That bloody hurt!"
She paused. "Eames?"
The lights quickly came on to reveal Eames standing in front of her, scowling at her.
"You shouldn't kick!"
She grew angry. "You shouldn't fucking scare people like that!" she snapped.
Eames blinked. "Ok….sorry."
She groaned in frustration and pushed past him.
"Ariadne!"
She heard Arthur's voice behind her, but she didn't care. She was too mad and tired to talk to anybody.
"Ariadne, I'm sorry, I should have stopped him from doing that."
She felt his hand on her arm, so she stopped walking.
"Leave me alone, please."
Arthur stood in front of her, but she kept her eyes furiously on the ground, counting her breaths.
He frowned at her tired eyes. "Maybe you should take a few days…"
"No, I'm fine. It's just…" When she looked up at him, he noticed her eyes were red and watering. "…I'm just…"
Unexpectedly, he pulled her into a hug. She stiffened for a moment. This was unlike Arthur. He never…hugged. It took her a moment to realise that a hug was exactly what she needed. She leaned into him taking in his over-throwing presence.
He stroked the back of her neck. "At least take the rest of the day off. I'll cover for you."
"Thank you, Arthur," she mumbled into his shoulder. "You're too good to me."
"Anytime," he smiled. "Want me to kill Eames?"
She grinned and pulled away. "It's fine, I think I kicked him pretty hard anyway."
