a lack of specificity

by Nanaho-Hime

Disclaimer: I wish…

Pairing: Arthur/Ariadne

Arthur is aware, perfectly aware, that Cobb is not exactly the most professional, hell, the most coherent of extractors, but he gets the job done and he gets it done in style. They've known each other for a while and maybe he sticks around with this broken man because of loyalty or familiarity or routine (because Arthur is the definition of routine and loyalty and familiarity.)

But then Cobb walks in with this baby faced girl, with his 'lookie here! new architect!' face and it takes a lot of strength not to sigh and walk out for a coffee break.

Cobb's brilliant and baby-faced Ariadne is adorable, but why does he doubt this situation?

:-:

She impresses him, immensely, and that is particularly difficult to do. She designs with the imagination and the brilliance of the most veteran of eccentrics and she's got a temper that should frighten him but, come on, she's like 4 foot nothing. Her responses are quick and smart alecky, and, hey, again, they're not the most professional of teams anyway.

:-:

So they're sitting in the lobby of a hotel and she looks nervous and, she's interesting if nothing else. He can't really say that he is inexperienced with women, not the way she seems inexperienced with men (like him) but right now, hey, he might be stuck in limbo forever anyway so…it's worth a shot.

She looks very very flustered when he smiles at her cheekily and, hey, if they get out of this alive, he's definitely taking her out for coffee.

(Because he's never really met anyone really like her)

:-:

Cobb stays and risks his life to bring Saito back (of-freaking-course) and she's so utterly naïve in her faith in him. He knows Cobb, so he knows Cobb always pulls out of things okay. If he's honest with himself, he knows that Cobb's self destructive thing will claim him one day (but he lets her believe in her happy endings for a little longer anyway).

:-:

Although it is completely and totally unprofessional (hey Cobb does it all the time), he breaks his own rules and stops her just outside the terminal. She looks dizzy and breathless and, maybe because she really is the baby of their group, he wants to take care of her, at least for now (he's got this feeling that his ticket to New York is going to be left unused).

She seems happy to see him, happy to feel the familiarity. She's grown up a little, on this job (because that's all it ever really is). It bothers him a little, because it seems like spitfire Ariadne has cooled down a bit.

He convinces her to continue with her degree in Paris, and he promises her (against his better judgement, maybe he just wants her all to himself) that he'll always be close by (he'll never work with another architect again).

:-:

He can't stay in Paris, so soon after the job. He's renowned as well so he's got to keep moving, but he visits her every few weeks or so. They sort of just fall into this relationship. Maybe it's because he's a confident bastard, confident with his precision and his reputation, but he assumes that she likes him too. They lack specificity, but so the freak what?

(hey, maybe they're a paradox)

A/N: I wanted to contribute something to this fandom…but I feel like it's definitely not my comfort zone. I'm not particularly happy with this or anything I write for this fandom (even though I ADORE ArthurAriadne)

Please take the time to review and share your thoughts as I've not written anything in quite some time now.