Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Hi! Here's another one-shot with a prompt from ottppropts. This one is dedicated to kamarooka as an early birthday gift and for sticking with me. She has also made a lovely story for me called Waiting It Out. Go check it out! And I intentionally did not put why Ariadne is in surgery because…
Ariadne, You're (Not) Drunk
"She'll be fine, Arthur," Eames assures him. "The doctors said that the transplant was successful and there's no more hole in her heart. Did you realize that whole and hole are pronounced the same yet have two different meanings?"
"Yes, Eames, I have. Everyone has," Arthur replies.
"Why don't you go and get a drink with me? I'm sure they have some beer in the cafeteria."
"This is a hospital, it's the last place you'd like to be drunk in."
"Actually, it's when we're in a dream."
Arthur glares and turns to him. "Don't you have any other place to be?"
"Don't you?" Eames smirks. "Even Cobb has left, darling. I'm sure one of her relatives outside would like to take care of her. Her mother's anxious to see her and you've been hogging the sleeping beauty. I didn't know you were that heartless."
He caresses her cheek with his thumb one more time before heading out the room. "Let's go. I haven't eaten."
"You live on salad, Arthur, you basically don't eat. And don't do that to the poor, unsuspecting girl. You look like a creeper."
"See, that wasn't so bad," Eames tells him as they enter the room, "she's still on the bed, sleeping and being all cute."
"And alone!" Arthur rushes to her side and holds her hand. "Why is she alone?"
"There is no need to worry, darling." Eames sighs. "They probably went to get food or had to talk to some nurses."
"Have you heard about all those fraud nurses and doctors that can just slip in and out because of the uniforms?" Arthur argues.
"This is Saito's hospital, Arthur, you know how rich that man is so you probably know that this place is heavily guarded and is very strict. Didn't you do your research?"
"I did but it's better to be very safe."
"You are such a sweetheart, Arthur. I'm so glad that you're my friend and if I was in surgery, I'd be very safe," Eames says, grinning.
"I'd leave you in any hospital we can find," Arthur mutters.
The bathroom door creaks open and out comes Ariadne's mother. "Oh. Hello, boys. I didn't hear you come in."
"I told you there's nothing to worry about," Eames says.
"Why? What's wrong?" Cassie Belaire asks. "Is anything the matter?"
Arthur is about to reply but he's stopped by the Forger. "Our dear lover boy here was worried that our lovely lady was alone while unconscious. The security here is great but he still doesn't trust it. What are we going to do with this boy?"
Cassie smiles. "You're such a sweetheart, Arthur. No wonder Ariadne likes you." She chuckles as if it were nothing. "I'm getting hungry. Do you boys mind if I go downstairs and grab some food?"
"No, not at all," Arthur shakes his head, "Eames and I will take care of her."
"Actually, darling," Eames says, "I'm still quite hungry. I think I'll go down with mademoiselle Belaire to grab some grub. Do you want anything? Perhaps another salad to add to the half a salad you had eaten downstairs."
"Half a salad?" Cassie confirms. "That was your dinner?"
"I'm not a very heavy eater—" but she cuts him off.
"I should get you some meat. You're a very fit man, Arthur. I don't think eating pork, beef and chicken will affect your diet. I'll even bring you some fruits. Come on, Mr. Eames. Let's have our dinner and then we'll buy Arthur some food."
"I agree with this plan wholeheartedly," Eames says, nodding.
"But—"
Eames is already opening the door for the older woman. "Take care of Ariadne, Arthur. Her father might come up soon, so don't worry. I think Theo went to buy some food supplies so he might return soon, too," Cassie continues to say. "Any special request?"
"I—"
"I'll bring you some fruit shakes. Mr. Eames, you'll tell me if Arthur is allergic to anything, won't you?"
"Of course, I'm very concerned about Arthur's health," he says it in his most Eames-like-solemn way. When Cassie is turned away, he gives the Point Man a smirk, knowing fully well Arthur wouldn't dare to glare his way while standing directly behind the Architect's mother. "He's very fond of pears." Arthur can't stand pears. "He especially likes it as a fruit shake."
"I see." Cassie nods. "See you later, Arthur."
"Sure," he mutters, teeth gritting.
Eames winks at him. "Bye, darling. I promise that your pear will be ripe, just how you like it." And then he shuts the door, leaving Arthur with the sleeping beauty.
He then turns to the sleeping Ariadne and his face softens. Pulling up a chair, he sits down and grabs her hand, rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb. To kill time, he counts her eyelashes, then observes her breathing pattern, most of the time he catches himself staring at her lips. 'It's the perfect opportunity,' he thinks to himself. After convincing himself and then hesitating for a few minutes, he finally is about to close the distance between them when Ariadne's eyes flutter. "Uh...I can explain," he says and immediately steps back. "You see, I…"
"Arthur?" Ariadne turns to look at him.
"Hello," he says, trying to regain composure. It looks as if Ariadne hasn't seen him get too close. "How do you feel?"
"Woozy," she replies as she tries to sit up. And then giggles when she fails. "Help. I fell. And I just realized how weird the word woozy is."
"Woozy is quite odd. And don't move too much," he tells her as he helps her up, "the anesthesia is still wearing off and—"
"Am I drunk?" she cuts him off.
He takes strands of her hair away from face and puts it with the rest of her brown hair. "No, you were in surgery and—" He stops when she stares at him with her serious, brown eyes. "Is there anything the matter?"
"Do you believe in love at first sight or should I walk by again?"
"Is that a riddle?"
"If a fat man puts you in a bag at night, don't worry," she says, "I told Santa I wanted you for Christmas."
"Excuse me?"
"Are you a parking ticket? Because you have fine written all over you. Look at you, Arthur," she points at him, "you're in this dingy place in a three-piece suit. But it is Saito's hospital so it makes sense," she continues, looking around.
"Would you prefer I wear a sweater vest?" he asks, still unsure of what's happening. Is there something wrong with the medicine they're giving her? Is she having hallucinations? Maybe he should call a doctor or a nurse and ask what's happening.
"It's your turn. I've given three!" she exclaims.
"What?"
She glares, her mouth pouting, and he wonders how her lips taste, and how cute she looks right now. "I'm trying to pick you up."
"What?" he repeats.
"Eames was right," she sighs, "you really don't know anything about all these."
"I...what? Eames said what?"
"Pick-up lines, Arthur. Pick-up lines!"
'Oh. Okay. So that's why they're familiar.' "Um...well...someone used this on me once, I'm no photographer but I can picture us together."
"Boring!"
"Yours weren't any better, Ari," he tells her. "Fine." 'Why the hell am I playing this game?' "Are you a camera? Because every time I look at you, I smile."
"What is it with you and cameras?"
"If I were a stop light, I'd turn red every time you passed by, just so I could stare at you a bit longer."
She frowns. "You suck at this, Arthur."
"I'm sorry my skills aren't to your standards."
"I'm trying to pick you up! I love you, Arthur! You are so dense for a Point Man."
He blinks. "What?"
Suddenly, the door bursts open and in comes Eames with two brown bags followed by Cassie with some more food. "Oh, lovely, you're awake," Cassie says with a smile, "how do you feel?"
"Woozy," the Architect repeats.
"Her mindset is not very stable yet," Arthur precautions.
"So she's in a drunken state?" Eames confirms.
"Not really," he answers. He watches Ariadne lean back on the bed and close her eyes again. "But she...told me that she loves me."
A few weeks later
Arthur and Ariadne are sitting on a park bench, her with a cone of ice cream and him with soda. He has her hand intertwined with his and they constantly tightening their grips. Ariadne spots a young couple on the far side. The teenage boy has a group of friends watching him from a distance while the teenage girl looks bored. Finally, she leaves.
"I bet he was giving her pick-up lines," she says.
"I remember that not working for you and on you either," Arthur teases.
"I was drunk," she protests.
"No you weren't," he chuckles, "you were just woozy."
"Big difference," she huffs. "At least telling you I loved you worked."
"I'm glad I found the courage to tell you how I feel." He smiles. "It's a moment I don't want to forget. But now that you aren't drunk, do you wanna continue that game? I have a really good one."
"Okay." She nods. "I go first. Can I follow you home? Cause my parents always told me to follow my dreams."
"You could use that for dream sharing."
She giggles. "Okay, your turn."
He smiles and clears his throat. "Did you invent the airplane? Cause you seem Wright for me."
"That's your good one?" She rolls her eyes. "Only smart people can get that, Arthur. You suck."
"Then it's a good thing I'm picking you up," he says, just like he rehearsed. Ariadne looks at him, shock written over her face. "What? What's wrong? Was it bad?"
Scoffing, she says, "That was really good. You've got someone on your bed tonight."
There we go. Please tell me what you think of it!
