Disclaimer: Inception does not belong to me.

"So, at the beginning of the next class, I want you to have your annotations of Requiem, and also to have started thinking of what you want to do with your composition."

The students nodded. After an hour of focused, concentrated hard work, Arthur had them under his spell. He felt himself beginning to relax as they started to leave, several students smiling at him.

"Thanks, Mr Ogilvie!"

He looked up. One female student was lingering. He recognised her as one of the school's designated popular girls. He frowned, slightly. He was not in the habit of fostering overly friendly relations with students.

"Its no trouble," he said, keeping his voice cordial, but firm. "See you at the next lesson."

She nodded, and he could have sworn she looked as though he'd refused her something. She walked out, and he shook his head. Nothing to worry about, he told himself.

Eames' eyes were roving over the Staff lounge. After buying a cup of industrial coffee from the dispensing machine, he turned, only to bump into Ariadne. "How's it going?"

She bit her lip. "I had to-" she fiddled with her cup, seemingly unsure of what to say. "I had to put a couple of students into detention," she confessed.

Eames began to grin. "Oh dear! Occupational hazard," he commented, taking a sip of coffee. "Their crime?"

She looked at him. "They were really rude. About Arthur."

"Arthur!" Eames' eyebrows shot up. "What did they do? Insult his dress sense?"

"No." She looked at him. "They said they thought he...couldn't teach."

Eames swallowed. "Well, Ari, do remember that all they really see of Arthur is this despot who wanders around disciplining people."

She nodded. "I know, but he doesn't deserve it-" she broke off. Arthur was entering the staff lounge. He looked relaxed - the most relaxed the others had ever seen him.

Eames took a sip of coffee. "Well, if it isn't Arthur. He's smiling." He blinked. "That is Arthur?"

Ariadne turned. "Yes, it is." He walked over to the two of them, and smiled again. "Hi."

"You feeling ok?" Eames commented. Arthur furrowed his brow. "I feel fine. Why?"

"You're smiling," Eames said, grinning. "Its unnatural, and it disturbs me."

"Why don't you go and teach?" Arthur retorted. "You doing some work disturbs me." Eames' eyebrows shot up again at this retort, as he'd been expecting a glare, but found himself frozen out as Arthur turned to Ariadne. "Can I have a word? In private?"

She nodded. "Of course." She followed him to a private corner of the lounge. Swallowing, he looked at her.

"Listen, I know I ran out on you the other day," he said, trying to keep himself from reddening. "And I'm sorry. I was wondering...dinner, maybe tomorrow night?"

She blinked. This was not what she had expected. She bit her lip.

"I, uh-" she noticed Arthur's face beginning to fall slightly. "I'd love to!" He smiled, and she blinked as his dimples appeared.

"So, um, I'll pick you up at half seven?"

"Sounds good!" She said, brightly. "See you then!"

Blushing, Arthur walked out. Eames immediately materialised at Ariadne's side. "Well?"

"He asked me out. For dinner!"

"No!" Eames looked astonished. "Thats not possible!"

"Why?" She looked at him.

"Because I've never seen him eat," Eames said, grinning, "and Arthur going out on a date? The man has no life!"

She looked at Eames, and smiled.

"Well, I guess thats changing."

Arthur hummed to himself as he walked back to his office. The class, he reflected, had gone better than he thought, and he'd finally worked up the courage to ask Ariadne out. "But its just dinner," he told his desk lamp. "Nothing more. I'm not going to-"

"Going to what?"

Arthur blinked. Eames was standing in the doorway, grinning fit to burst. Arthur seated himself behind his desk and pretended to be busy.

"You sly dog!" Eames hissed, approaching him. "You've gone and asked her out on a date!"

"Eames," Arthur said, suddenly feeling a mantle of primness descend over him. "A date is when you think you might have s-"

"Oh, stop it!" Eames said, breezily. "You've thought of it!"

Arthur blinked. "Eames! I'm taking her out for dinner!" He glared at the Drama specialist. "You know, dinner! The meal people eat at the end of the day, where you get to know one another!"

Eames looked at him. "If you say so," he said, nonchalantly. "If you say so, Artie, I believe you completely."

Arthur looked at his desk. "It doesn't matter if you believe me or not, I-"

Suddenly, the door burst open, and in walked Cobb. "Arthur! How did it go?"

"It went well," Arthur replied, noting that Cobb seemed slightly abrupt. "You ok?"

"No," Cobb shook his head. "The Head of the Elementary School just called - James has had an accident."

"Oh, no!" Arthur exclaimed. "What happened?"

"He fell over in the playground. Very nasty gash to his knee." Cobb rubbed his head. "He'll need a couple of stitches."

"How did that happen?" Arthur asked.

Cobb suddenly looked embarrassed. "He was playing kiss chase!"

"Kiss chase?" Eames suddenly snorted with laughter. "You're clearly never too young - or too old to do it, eh, Arthur?"

"What?" Cobb looked bewildered, and Arthur looked at Eames, darkly. "Ignore him."

"Whatever." Cobb looked irritated. "Arthur, I need you to do detention duty for me tonight. Please?"

Arthur swallowed. "OK."

"Thank you." Cobb looked relieved. "I'm going to the hospital now!"

Arthur sighed. "Duty."

"Oh well." Eames smiled. "See you later." Whistling, he left.

An hour later, Arthur took his place in the study hall. Several students were already seated, all looking put out at having to spend an hour of their lives in suspended animation. Arthur sat down at the desk.

"OK," he spoked firmly. "All of you put your hands on the desk and look to the front." He checked his list. "Kevin...Michael...Tiffany..."

The students all called out in response to their names. Arthur then checked the teachers' names, frowning.

"Kevin, Mike?"

"Yes Sir?" Kevin responded.

"It says here you're both in detention due to Ms Henderson."

"Yes." Kevin snickered.

"What?" Arthur glared.

"We're here because we insulted you," Kevin said, rudely. "Ms Henderson didn't like it!"

"I-" Arthur blinked.

"Ms Henderson thought we were really rude for suggesting you couldn't teach," Mike said, huffily. "So she put us in detention."

"I think you should put her in detention, Sir!" Kevin said, snickering again. "She doesn't think you can stand up for yourself!"

"Thats enough!" Arthur snapped. His blood was beginning to boil.

"Oh, yeah, what did she say?" Kevin looked at Mike. "Mr Ogilvie deserves better!"

Arthur glared. "Stop it."

"Of course." Kevin leaned back. "But she undermines you, Mr Ogilvie!"

Glowering, Arthur lowered his head to the desk. As he scratched his pen over his lesson plan for the following day, he decided he would speak to Ariadne at the earliest opportunity.

"I think she has a crush on you Sir!" Mike piped up.

"Yeah!" Kevin said, with a grin.

"I'm warning you-"

"It must be true!" Kevin said, "otherwise, you wouldn't be getting so-"

"ENOUGH!" Arthur roared, causing the entire room to look up. "You two, outside my office! Suspension!"

Jaws dropping, the two teenagers got up, and began to meekly move to the door. Furious, Arthur stormed out behind them.

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