Their first date is a complete disaster.

Arthur takes her to a posh restaurant where the atmosphere is stifling, the waiter stares at her disapprovingly because she's dressed in casual attire, and the servings are less than adequate. She spends most of dinner quietly drinking her wine (delicious wine – the one positive thing about this place) to drown out all the pretentious bullshit Arthur's spouting, and counting the minutes until they can finally leave.

Shortly after, she makes him stop at a McDonald's drive-thru. While she finishes off her hamburger and fries, he shakes his head exasperatedly and tells her how bad the stuff is for her. Her only response is a cheeky grin.

Later that night he gives her a chaste peck on the cheeks. She finally has enough of his courteous act and pulls him closer for a kiss.

He fucks her against the wall, makes her beg for it. Tonight was supposed to be his night to charm her, take her out on a proper date, but she screwed up his plans and now he intends to make her pay.

He's quick, hard, rough with her – just the way she likes it. Arthur's teeth leaves bruises on her shoulders, and her nails draw blood from his back.

She can't get enough of him when his cool exterior cracks allowing her a peek into his raw and volatile nature. While 'date' Arthur was poised, in control, and on a mission to impress her with money and sophistication, the Arthur she wants doesn't treat her like a fragile doll. He trusts her with his life, dreams the impossible with her. The real Arthur cracks lewd jokes when others aren't around and makes her laugh until her stomach hurts.

Ariadne isn't foolish enough to believe her Arthur is perfect. He's not. He's arrogant, infuriating, a workaholic, and has a stubborn streak that rivals her own. He may taunt her until it drives her absolutely mad – like he is right now – but she wouldn't have him any other way.

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An hour later they're inside her apartment, their clothes strewn all around them while they lie on the floor. Her chin is propped up on his chest, their legs intertwined. She's tracing patterns on his skin, and his fingers slowly thread through her hair, pulling the strands tightly once in a while so he can hear her grumble.

"You can't stay the night," she reminds him, yawning.

"And you sound like a broken record. It's not very attractive."

"Whatever."

His lips graze her forehead tenderly before he sits up and gathers his clothes together. The fact that she looks disappointed with his quick acceptance of her request makes him want to chuckle but he maintains his cool composure and continues to dress. After all, it serves her right.

From time to time Ariadne feels the need to remind him of the rules they've set for their relationship which includes not spending the night at each others places. It's starting to irritate him since he's fully aware that what they share is casual, they're free to see/fuck other people. He wonders if Ariadne even realizes she usually brings 'the rules' up when she's feeling overly sentimental towards him. While he would really enjoy pointing this out to her, he suspects she won't be very appreciative of the information.

"Are you okay to drive home?" she asks. "Maybe you should stay for a while. Let the buzz wear off."

She's settled on the floor with her chin resting in her hands, naked, staring up at him with concern; he tries not to let it show how much he's enjoying this. "I'm not the one who polished off a bottle of wine," he reminds her, buttoning his shirt up.

"I was on a horrible date. Wine was the only way I could get through it."

"Wow. That bad, huh?"

"The worst," she grins.

"He must have been a real jerk."

She waves her legs in the air playfully. "He took me to this really snotty restaurant."

"That was recently rated one of the best in the city," he reminds her, slipping his shoes on.

"And he just kept going on and on about modern poets."

"What an asshole."

"I thought so too but then he gave me his ice cream cone after I dropped mine."

"Really?"

"Yeah. That's when I realized he wasn't all that bad."

"Maybe you should give him another chance."

"I'm thinking about it."

Arthur kneels down to give her a quick kiss on the lips. She yelps with surprise when he also smacks her butt lightly. "I'll call you."

He can feel her eyes on him, watching him hungrily as he walks to the door. He smiles. She's almost ready to fold – fuck the rules – and he's eagerly anticipating the moment when it happens.

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"I'm pregnant," Ariadne announces dramatically, stepping inside his office and shutting the door behind her.

Arthur briefly glances at her before turning his attention back to work. "Oh. Is it mine?"

She grins. Of course he isn't going to fall for it, he probably knows her cycle better than she does. "I think this is when you get down on one knee and propose," she teases.

"How about I give you some money to take care of it instead?"

"Asshole."

"Bitch."

Even though he appears irritated by her presence, she knows it's an act. Part of their game. The folder whose contents he was studying now rests forgotten in his hands - his eyes are too busy following her every move intently as she saunters over to his side of the desk. The intensity of his gaze makes her stomach quiver, sets a rush of adrenaline surging through every vein in her body.

Arthur makes her feel as alive and exhilarated as the first time Cobb took her into his dreams and showed her all the possibilities of the dream world. A whole new world opened up for her then, one she never even imagined, and she didn't think that feeling could ever be replicated. But here she is now, experiencing the same kind of rush. Too bad she could never tell Arthur that. He would mock her to no end.

She grabs the folder from his hands, throws it to the floor, and forcefully straddles him. He responds with a resigned sigh.

"I'm taking you out tonight," she murmurs, peppering his face with soft kisses.

"And why would you do that?"

"Because you've been gone for a month and I missed you."

She didn't realize how accustomed she'd grown to his presence in her life until he was gone. Truthfully, this necessity for him terrifies her.

"Is this your way of apologizing?" he asks.

"For what?"

"Picking a ridiculous fight with me before I left."

"That was four weeks ago. I've already forgotten it."

"I haven't."

"Let me make it up to you tonight."

She tries to kiss him but he pulls away.

"I can't. I have a date."

His words hit her like a ton of bricks. She's sitting astride his lap, stunned. At first she thinks (hopes) he's kidding, continuing their regular charade, but then Arthur leans back in his chair, observing her with a level of detachment she's never seen in him, and she realizes he's not.

"A date?" she repeats, grateful that her voice comes across as unaffected and not at all reflecting how she actually feels.

"Yes."

"You just got back this morning."

"I met her before I left. We've been talking since then."

Ariadne's suddenly so angry she can't even breathe. He called her only once while he was gone and that was to inform her he had another job lined up which he would need her help with. And whenever Ariadne contacted him, he was always too busy to talk. But, apparently, he had all the time in the world to converse with this other girl.

"I hope you don't have a problem with this," he says.

It hurts more than she thought capable of. She feels betrayed. Jealous. A moment ago she was happy and content and now she's sick to her stomach.

"We both wanted this to be casual, right?" he continues, peering at her.

For a second she spots an amused glint in his eyes but it dissolves so quickly she thinks she imagined it. She desperately hopes she was. Because she doesn't want to be in love with someone who could enjoy inflicting pain on her. And if that's the type of guy Arthur is, then what does it say about her?

"Are you okay?" he asks.

"I'm fine. Have a good time tonight."

It takes every bit of effort she has but she manages to put on a smile, turn around, and walk out of his office with her dignity intact.