All in Black verse: For Ariadne

[loadedparadox]

It had been three years since the team had completed the Fischer case and made inception happen. Three years since Arthur had realized he was on his own. Cobb had gone back to his family, Ariadne to school and Eames had disappeared into the ether of the Mombasa underground. Mal was dead, and he'd finally seen her grave, but that didn't make it any easier to deal with. He had two choices. Find a new team, or give it all up.

His family, the family he'd had before, accepted him back without a second guess. He was the boss' son, Arthur Tossi, and no one questioned him. Especially not after he'd shot Danny Sanducci in cold blood, leaving the body to bleed all over the floor of his new office. That was three years ago. He was no longer the man he'd been, not the one that the dream share community had known. He couldn't be that man. Sweet and kind and tender yet determined. He had to be cold, distant, and the world was another place than it had been. He might not smile anymore than he had before but at least then his eyes had seemed warm.

Her name was Ashley. She'd been with him for a year the night she was killed. Smart, funny, easy to talk to. Petite and pretty and she reminded him of someone else - someone he hadn't realized he missed until he was standing over the grave site of another woman in his life.

Research still came second nature to him, finding her address and making his way there the next day. Dressed in black raw silk, his shirt blood red and the tie midnight with a tiny red pattern. Hair slicked back and a slight bulge under one arm as he knocked on the door, jaw covered in a couple days of stubble and his jaw set in a hard line.

Comments

[dreamsofmazes.livejournal.com]

"Oh would you do that for me?" Her face light up, as she attempted the best, innocent southern girl accent, she knew how to still pull off. "I would be ever so grateful." She teased, shooting him a playful look. Not realizing she did it, till it was there. Only to roll her eyes smirking. "You should be so lucky, I don't just pick the locks. Which mind you, I can do."

Pausing again, her fingers tracing the area of the tattoo again. Not seeming to be able to stop herself from doing so. "If you want to. Show me that is. Sure." Her eyes focusing back up on him, a curious smile. "Who's it reference, if you mind me asking?"

[loadedparadox.livejournal.com]

He laughed. A genuine laugh as he gave her a squeeze. Only she could coax that from him. She was the one that always had, even when he wasn't there with her. Thinking of her would bring a smile for a moment before he realized she wasn't there. "I'm proud that you can, but wouldn't recommend it. Eddie shoots easy and the alarms are sensitive. I'll get you a key," he said, kissing her brow before stepping back.

He slid out of his jacket and laid it aside before starting to undo the buttons on his shirt. "The lyrics are in French and are the ones that says "I start again from zero," he said, shrugging out of the shirt and turning so she could see the words on his rib. "The other is on my spine,' he said, not turning. "And is the coordinates to the jobs I did with..." He paused, considering this but realizing if he didn't say, she might think Mal. "With Eames."

[dreamsofmazes.livejournal.com]

"I'll keep that in mind, Arthur. This Eddie though, hasn't come across anyone with as much tenacity as me. So he might have his hands full." She teased again, smiling a bit wider as he laughed, knowing she honestly missed the tone of that.

Her eyes fixed on the tattoo on his rib, her hand lightly tracing over them as she spoke. "I see that, the French that is. I still play that song from time to time. It's fitting." She whispered, tracing her way along the ink, eyes glancing up at him. Only to stop briefly, when the mention of Eames was brought up. "Eames." She nose crinkling, she nodded. Tracing her finger along the side of him, as she made her way to his back. Wanting to see the tattoo for herself, her fingers lightly tracing over the coordinates. "He is the only one, I ever heard rumbles about. He seems to be...well. Eames. Have you seen him?" Her tone asking, decidedly neutral as she now was curious how Eames and Arthur fit.

[loadedparadox.livejournal.com]

"Head of security," he noted with a shrug of one shoulder tensing not from being partially undressed in front of her but in revealing this much of himself by showing her his vulnerabilities.

"I listen to it a lot. More than I should. Maybe I kept hoping the dream would end," he whispered, shivering at her touch as she touched the work done on his ribs. He didn't move, knowing she was looking at the tiny series of numbers. "Every job I ever did I kept track of by coordinates. The Fischer job had them, remember them being at the bottom of every paper? It is how I keep all jobs separate, by using the coordinates of the safe house. Those are the ones for the jobs he and I did."

Arthur shook his head. "No. I haven't seen anyone. Maybe I did it because those jobs were... different, and only one of them in those three years involved Cobb. Same one involved you." He sighed. "I don't know why I did it but then I was there and putting the coordinates down in a list. Did you try and find him?"

[dreamsofmazes.livejournal.com]

"Ah." She smirked, a light tone still to her, as she traced her hand over the numbers still. Letting her mind wander, as to the whereabouts of the locations.


"It is clever, Arthur. Impressive to say the least. Good way to keep track of things." Pausing, her finger tracing over a set of the numbers. Curious now more then ever. "Why are they different?"

Her head peeking around the side of him, chin resting on his arm, as she looked up at him. "I tried to find you all." She said, a small smile on her face, attempting not to let the bitterness over not being able to show.

[loadedparadox.livejournal.com]

Goosebumps rose on his skin, eyes closing at her touch. "I have always been organized, you know that," he teased, voice light and slightly rough. "What do you mean by different," he asked, wondering which she meant. "Different from other jobs? Everyone succeeded, I can say that." He wasn't sure otherwise.

Turning his head, looking down at her with a sad smile. "I'm sorry. I know where Dom is, but I've never spoke to him. If you want help finding Eames and Yusuf, I'll help."

[dreamsofmazes.livejournal.com]

"Why Eames, I mean." She said, going back to looking over his back. More so a reason to have contact with his skin then anything.

"It's fine. Can't change the past." She said, thinking over his question. "I don't know. Would he want to see us?"

[loadedparadox.livejournal.com]

"I don't know." He would never say those words to anyone but him. "I can trust him maybe. More than I could Dom. Those jobs... I almost feel like he's the last friend I've got from the old days, not that he and I were friends. By old days I mean before your time," he added, almost smiling.

"I don't know. You, maybe. Me? Probably not."

[dreamsofmazes.livejournal.com]

"Understandable." She replied, tracing her hand along him, as she circled back in front. "Thank you for showing me these."

Her eyes rolled then, head bobbing in thought. "Highly doubt it. Not wanting to see you that is. It's worth a shot."

[loadedparadox.livejournal.com]

"I don't want to have anything I hide from you," he said, even as he realized there would be some things he would try and keep from her. Like the cruelty, the people he killed, and Mal.


"What? You think he misses torturing me," he asked, smirking as he pulled her back to him, not bothering with his shirt.

[dreamsofmazes.livejournal.com]

Glancing up from his embrace, smiling slightly. "Arthur. We are all allowed a few secrets here and there." She said, her thumb lightly brushing over a patch of his skin. Knowing she would always have a few secrets, here and there. Ones she would rather not think about herself. So it would only be fair, him having them as well.

"And yes, I think he would. I recall the way his eyes light up, whenever he had a chance to torment you."

[loadedparadox.livejournal.com]

"Some of them would end think, I suspect, but maybe I'm underestimating you. I don't want to do that. I'll make the vow of one day." He would have to reveal a lot of it with time. He just needed to, in his own way, make sure he wasn't putting her in a position to have to lie or testify against him.

"Oh right. I should renew his chance to torture me. What else do I have to do?"

[dreamsofmazes.livejournal.com]

"Arthur." She said, surprising her old caring tone back on her. "You don't have to tell me anything. I know, well figure. You have done some shitty ass things. And you aren't the man I remember completely. But I do know, you are still Arthur. And." She said, a quick roll of the eyes and bob of her head. "I trust you enough to know, you know what is best. For all parties included."


Her brow raised at that, eyes watching him carefully. "You saying, you don't want to find him?"

[loadedparadox.livejournal.com]

He leaned in, kissing her softly, almost as if nervous of her reaction. "You can still find trust in me," he asked. "After all this?" He seemed to marvel at that, not expecting to hear that from her.

"I'm saying... I'm... I'm uncertain." He said softly. "I shouldn't have a reason to."

[dreamsofmazes.livejournal.com]

"Yeah." She rolled her eyes nodding, almost a groan coming out, hating to admit it. "That doesn't mean, I don't think you wont just up and leave me again." Her brow raised, nose crinkling as she focused her eyes on him. "It will take a whole hell of a lot, to prove you aren't going to ditch my ass, when you get bored with me." Pausing, she smiled, lightly kissing the corner of his mouth. "I do trust you word on most things though. You've never lied to me. No reason not to. I'm still Ariadne here. I owe a lot to you." Both good and bad. But she wouldn't say that. Not now.

"Maybe you just need to think about it. You'll know if it is worth seeking him out. I mean, you had reasons to look for me. You'll have reasons for finding him." She said, a small smile on her lips. A flick of the old optimistic Ariadne he once knew.

[loadedparadox.livejournal.com]

"I'll prove to you I won't," he whispered, unwilling to disturb her. "I'll find a way to make you believe I won't leave you again." He smiled though, nuzzling his mouth against hers. "Of course there's the answer that you may eventually leave me, you know. Have you thought of that?"

Another kiss, slow and deep, speaking against her mouth. "I suppose he would work well within my organization if you stay as well. So when someone expects you to back up my hype of you, he'd be there."

[dreamsofmazes.livejournal.com]

"True." She stopped, brow furrowing as she thought that over. "I could. But. It takes a whole hell of a lot to have me leave." She shrugged at that, knowing it was true. She could leave, but she didn't want to. And she knew, it would take a lot to happen. It took three years of hell and what not, to get to this place. And she wasn't going to give this up, and prove that all she went through was for nothing. "Not too worried about it though. I'm stubborn."

Her eyes closing at the kiss, her body relaxing in his touch. "There you go. You have a reason." She said calmly as she let a content sigh out.

[loadedparadox.livejournal.com]

"So two days to settle things and then..." He paused, considering his next word as he felt her ease more in his arms. Nuzzling at her jaw as he thought of what to say, how it would be taken. Nervous not of saying the wrong thing but how the wrong thing would be received. He'd done enough to her, in the end, and was likely only going to do more before it was over.

"Either we go to Vegas or we find him. However you'd like it to be handled."

[dreamsofmazes.livejournal.com]

A faint laugh came out, her head lightly nodding. "We'll do whatever. If that means go to hell and back to find him. We'll do it." She paused, a quick snort coming out. "Been there, it's quite nice in spring." She finished with a tease, resting her head back into his chest. Oddly content at how easy this was for her.

"Arthur" glancing up, a sly smile on her face. "You have two days to impress me. Make me proud." Knowing he didn't need to. She would always be impressed with him. It was more said as a way to show, she was seriously going to try this with him.

"You know." She started, her features softening. "Three years ago, I would done anything to get you back here. See where I grew up. Have you meet my folks. Show you off. Actually thought about it, a time to time." Smiling at the thought, she nodded. "God things have changed." She paused, her head bobbing in thought. "Not that I don't want to show you off. More. I'm not that innocent, Ariadne you once knew."

[loadedparadox.livejournal.com]

"I do prefer it in the winter. Less heat and well, it is a dry heat so I can live with it but the clothing gets to be much," he said with a chuckle, stroking his finger tips down the length of her spine. He needed that, the constant contact. It, more than any totem, proved she was there and real.

"I tried and you asked if you really needed a hotel and spa," he argued, giving her a look. "Don't challenge me on that, Ariadne. I can make things happen, and I can do my best to impress. You may end up with a pony," he said in tones full of dire warning.

He froze at that, a brow arching. "Ariadne, are you saying you want to introduce your parents to a crime boss," he asked, a small smile twitching the corners of his lips. "I might have something that is less severe, if that's what you really want." He'd give her that. Anything. He needed this, her last contact to his humanity.

[dreamsofmazes.livejournal.com]

There was a faint laugh at that, rolling her eyes, hiding her amusement. "Nice Arthur."

Shooting him a small glare, as not to test her, she smirked. "You know exactly what I mean. I don't need shit fancy. Impress me with who the hell you are. Just you. The Arthur that I hardly know." She stated, a matter a fact tone to her.

"My parents," She started, rolling her eyes in thought. "They are the most over protective s.o.b's that I know. I wouldn't mind putting a burr in their asses, telling them just what you are." She snorted, a smirk on her face at the idea. "But no. I can't do that to them. Might have you help with my reason. But we will talk about later." She said, hand running along his collarbone. "Right now. I wanna catch up, so to speak."

[loadedparadox.livejournal.com]

"I could have made it dirty," he pointed out.

"You might be disappointed with that. Throwing money around, I do rather well," he said with a shrug. "Need a car?" He smiled though, trying to make her smile.

"I would rather you didn't so they didn't call the cops on me for taking you away or something. As for a reason? Tell them you were hired by an old friend to design a hotel in Vegas and you want to get a feel for how they're laid out and the sort of things that work best,' he said , kissing her brow. "You could do that, if you wanted. I own three."

[dreamsofmazes.livejournal.com]

"Who says I didn't?" She pointed out in return, a smirk on her face.

Rolling her eyes, she shook her head. "Seriously Arthur. Never been good with the material things. Hell, I still have cash from the Fischer job." She stated, brows raised.

"Three hotels?" Her expression showed a slight surprise, quickly shaking it away. "I will feel my dad out later, see how I want to tackle it. You might just be a new coworker is all."

[loadedparadox.livejournal.com]

"You haven't jumped me," he asked, trying to look serious. It sort of failed at her next words though.

"You get into a certain world and that's all you have anymore, or all you want to offer others."

Ducking his head. "Well, they're great tax write offs, and technically they're owned by the corporation."

[dreamsofmazes.livejournal.com]

"Who says I wont?" She said with a shrug.

Nodding though as she listened to his explanation. "I get it." She paused, brows furrowing as she thought. "Don't offer me anything, that isn't needed. Or truly meant from the heart. I'm not someone that is bought." Her expression softened slightly as she said that, not wanting to sound anything but honest. But wanting to make sure it was understood.

She laughed slightly though, when the tax write off came about. "Cute Arthur."