for isnt_the_same

[chesstotem]

The night Ariadne met Aubrey, things didn't turn out as they were supposed to. It started out just fine - they met in the bar they'd agreed on, chatted inside for a while about nonsense like the weather, then stepped outside to talk business.

It was as though the dark figure had been waiting for them - Aubrey was right in the middle of a sentence when suddenly a tall figure swooped in out of nowhere and descended on her like a rabid dog. Ariadne screamed as the person - thing - whatever it was - ripped her throat out, and the next thing she knew she was running blindly back towards the street, something warm trickling down her temple. The time that followed was fuzzy - she knew she must've ran for a while, because she was out of breath, but then she was in a cab (the cabbie was giving her a funny look, maybe to do with that warm trickle), and then she was at a hotel, getting more funny looks as she stumbled into the elevator.

Then she was pounding on Arthur's door, praying to whatever gods might be listening that he was inside.

Comments

[isnt_the_same]

When he walked back out to the living room, he had his laptop with him and sat down int he arm chair again.

[chesstotem]

Ariadne curled up again, still watching him. "You were going to leave Paris soon," she murmured apologetically.

[isnt_the_same]

He nodded. "I was." Arthur started typing something. "But it's alright."

[chesstotem]

"If you're sure. You don't need to miss an important meeting or anything for me..."

[isnt_the_same]

Arthur shook his head. "Ariadne. I'm not going to leave you when your safety is compromised."

[chesstotem]

She nodded. "Thank you. I mean, you wouldn't have to help me - you don't owe me anything. But I'm glad you're staying. I trust you, more than anyone."

[isnt_the_same]

He smiled a little and looked back at the screen.

[chesstotem]

There was a knock on the door soon after, which made Ariadne jump, then look rather ashamed of herself.

[isnt_the_same]

Arthur set his laptop on the coffee table before getting up to answer the door. A few seconds later, he shut the door and wheeled in a cart laden with food. "I hope you're hungry," he said. "I ordered you more than just toast."

[chesstotem]

She stood, glancing at the food suspiciously. "I don't have much of an appetite, yet," she admitted. "You should eat something, too."

[isnt_the_same]

He shook his head. "I'm not hungry," he told her and went to sit int he arm chair.

[chesstotem]

"How come you can use that excuse, but I can't?" she asked. "You're never hungry. You have to eat sometimes."

[isnt_the_same]

"You're not my mother," he reminded her. "I'll eat when I'm hungry and right now I'm not hungry."

[chesstotem]

"Neither am I." She sat back down on the sofa.

[isnt_the_same]

"Fine, then don't eat," he said with a shrug.

[chesstotem]

She stared at him for a moment, then grabbed a piece of toast from the cart.

[isnt_the_same]

He kept his eyes on the screen. Arthur was going to make sure she was okay. But he wasn't going to baby her.

[chesstotem]

She ate the toast; eventually she stood up and glanced over what else was on the cart. There was a cheese omelet - she picked that up and sat down with it to nibble on.

It didn't look like meat, at least.

[isnt_the_same]

Arthur was emailing contacts on his laptop as she ate. Once in a while he'd look up at her.

[chesstotem]

She caught him looking at her, and smiled - not a very happy smile, maybe, but the first smile she'd managed since before it all happened.

[isnt_the_same]

Arthur smiled in return.

[chesstotem]

"I don't have any clothes or anything here," she pointed out eventually, not sure what to do to solve that problem.

[isnt_the_same]

"We can go shopping, or if you don't want to go out, I can ask the concierge to buy you a few things," he offered.

[chesstotem]

"Do you think it would be safe?" she asked. "Do I look presentable enough that I won't be attracting attention?"

[isnt_the_same]

"I'll be with you."