chesstotem | A challenge (for loadedparadox)

Entry tags:

A challenge (for loadedparadox)

Ariadne didn't have much time - Arthur had gone down the street to pick up bread for her, and she had only a few minutes to set everything up.

PASIV out, set up, and then she scribbled a note: Time for your challenge. Ready? Find me, and earn your reward.

By the time Arthur returned from his errand, she would be under, waiting for him to join her in the dream she'd built.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Arthur's lip nearly twitched into a smile, watching her with concerned eyes. "There is a difference, not to mention a chance taken. For me, it matters. Without Dom as my extractor, I don't know the jobs I could be doing. I worry about dragging you into things."

Her hands went to his tie, pulling it off carefully. "What we do is illegal. That carries certain risks. You can't stop me from doing whatever the hell I want, so you might as well take me with you and stop arguing. I want to work with you." To prevent him from replying, she kissed him again, pressing close, practically in his lap.

Arthur arched a brow, definitely amused as it seemed Ariadne started undressing him.

"No, I can't stop you but I can do the best I can to avoid involving you in the worst of it. Truthfully, it isn't the law I worry about. Most they'll bust you for is use of a controlled subject." PASIVs were illegal afterall. "There's some work I don't want to involve you, or anyone else, in. Not if I can avoid it."

"You think far too much," Ariadne said, rolling her eyes and pulling him in for another kiss - getting him to stop talking was her goal, now.

He kissed her, fingers brushing her cheek. "I thought that was my greatest attraction. Certainly what I do best."

"Whoever said that's the most attractive part of you, lied," Ariadne joked, pulling him down on top of her, right there on the sofa. "I want you to stop talking. And stop thinking. Let me make you feel good."

"I don't know," he murmured, working to ensure he didn't land on her with his full weight. "I think you're brain is sexy," he admits, sighing softly. "Ariadne, you do make me feel good and that doesn't mean ..." He stopped, realizing how he sounded. "You know what I mean, right?"

"I know what you mean, Arthur," she said, touching her fingers to his lips. "Shut up."

Following her own advice, she scooted up a little, and pulled off her shirt. Then her bra.

Yet he frowned at that, a bit stunned as she began to strip. Arthur's hands caught her wrists, gently but firm. "No, I don't think you do know what I mean. Ariadne, I think a lot of you. You're brilliant and sexy and... and now topless," he said, expression not quite stony but a bit tight. "But I meant it. I'm not ready for things to go that far. It means something to me and I don't know where I stand right now."

Ariadne opened her mouth, then closed it again. An embarrassed blush spread down her face and neck, and she grabbed her shirt, covering herself. "I'm..." She pulled away from him, avoiding his gaze. "I'm sorry."

He sighed as she pulled away, blushing. "Ariadne, you have nothing to apologize for. Really. I just care about you too much to do this."

She shook her head, staring down at her feet, her shirt still clutched against her chest. "It's fine. You don't have to explain."

He probably thought she was easy. He probably thought she did this sort of thing with any guy who smiled at her. He probably liked her as a friend and didn't want to hurt her feelings.

She got up. "You don't have to stay anymore. If you don't want to. It's not important."

"I do if you're upset, and you obviously are." He sighed, pushing off the couch but not moving away. "I'm explaining because it's obvious you are insulted, or upset at least, and I never meant to upset you."

And yet he had.

Humiliated was mostly how she felt. She'd made certain assumptions about how this whole thing would play out, and she'd been dead wrong. And for all his words, she didn't understand why he didn't want her. Why didn't he want that intimacy with her? She wanted it to be special, too. She'd wanted tonight to be special.

She retreated into her room, closing the door because she couldn't look at him anymore just then. "I'd prefer it if you left," she said, leaning against the door with a sniffle.

"Ariadne." He said her name softly, a tenderness to his voice as he stood on the other side of the door, having followed her. Yet at that request he very nearly slumped before catching himself. It wasn't in Arthur to slump, expression going stony and adjusting his tie.

"I understand. If you need me..." He kept his voice careful, tones not clipped but measured to withhold anything more. It was a suit Arthur had worn his entire life, protecting himself and his emotions. "Call me."

Gathering his notebook and files, he dumped them into a duffle. For a moment he paused, deciding that, if need be, other things could be replaced, and shouldered the leather bag, heading for the door.

Ariadne burrowed under her covers, only allowing a few tears to slide down her face before she forced herself to get a grip. It was her fault, after all. She'd walked right into it, whatever game he was playing with her - but no, she couldn't really think he was doing any of this on purpose to hurt her. She'd been the one who said "it's just sex," knowing that wasn't true, for her, but thinking he would get scared off if he thought that having sex with her was some kind of - step. Some kind of promise, or trust.

Which was exactly what it was. And now she felt like she wanted to crawl into a hole somewhere and die, because he didn't want that with her. She'd been fooling herself.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

A challenge (for loadedparadox)

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject