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]

"A few," he answered vaguely as he tucked his gun back in his holster when he was satisfied it was only them.

[chesstotem]

"It must be someone in the business, right?" she asked. "I mean... other than the dream sharing, I'm just an architect..."

[isnt_the_same]

"Possibly." He was definitely starting to think that maybe he was the target all along and Ariadne was just collateral damage.

[chesstotem]

"You'll have to keep me informed, okay?" She looked concerned - maybe she had been under some kind of illusion that Arthur was all-powerful, but she felt like he probably should have some better idea of what was going on.

[isnt_the_same]

"I will," he said. "Hurry and grab what you need. I don't want to stay here too long."

[chesstotem]

"I've got it," she said. "If you're done, let's go."

[isnt_the_same]

Arhur led her back downstairs and out through the front door to hail a can. Once they get back to his suite, he checked the rooms again before giving her to go ahead to walk inside.

[chesstotem]

"I'm going to take a shower," she said right away when she got back inside.

[isnt_the_same]

"Alright." Arthur walked over and stationed himself in the armchair.

[chesstotem]

She gave his shoulder a fond squeeze, then went to the bathroom to get out of her dirty clothes finally. The shower felt really good - it was exactly what she needed, the water so hot it was almost scalding, and by the time she finished, her skin was damp and pink. She wrapped a big towel around herself, and another around her hair, and stepped out into the living area.

"Hey - I, uh. I'm hungry. Could you... order some more food?"

[isnt_the_same]

When she walked out in just the towel, Arthur couldn't help but let his eyes run up and down her body. "Sure. What do you want to eat?"

[chesstotem]

She didn't miss the look he gave her, and it brought a sheepish sort of smile to her face. She couldn't help it. "Pasta, maybe. Fettuccine alfredo sounds good."

[isnt_the_same]

"Okay," he said with a nod before getting up to use the phone in the bedroom.

[chesstotem]

She leaned against the door jamb, watching him carefully. "You must be getting tired. I think you slept less than I did."

[isnt_the_same]

He waved her off. "I'll be fine." Arthur phoned in her order a couple minutes later and hung up.

[chesstotem]

She approached him carefully, and took his hand again. "You haven't eaten anything, or slept at all, since I showed up here last night. You can't possibly be fine." She traced his hand carefully with her fingers. "Your hand is cold, too. Maybe you should turn up the heat in here." She kissed his fingers gently.

[isnt_the_same]

"I'm fine," he said as he watched her carefully. Truth was, his stomach was in knots from not eating.

[chesstotem]

She shook her head slightly. "You've done so much to help me; can't I return the favor, even a little?"

[isnt_the_same]

Arthur shake his head. "I'll be fine...I might need to go out though and leave you here."

[chesstotem]

"What? Why?" Her brow furrowed in confusion. "You haven't eaten or slept, and now you might need to go out? You'll collapse!"

[isnt_the_same]

"Look, I'll be fine. How many times do I need to say it?"

[chesstotem]

"'I'm fine' isn't what you say to explain how you're doing and feeling. It's what you say when you don't want to answer the question," Ariadne said quietly. "It's not an answer, it's an evasion." She reached up, to touch his face. "If there's something wrong, I wish you'd just tell me."

[isnt_the_same]

"I can't," and with that Arthur walked away from her. "There's a gun strapped to the underside of the coffe table if you need it," he said before walking out.

[chesstotem]

"Arthur -" Hurt in her eyes, she followed him from the room, not even noticing that she was still in just a towel. "Wait - can't you at least tell me where you're going and when you'll be back? And - how I'm supposed to know it's you when you do get back?"

[isnt_the_same]

He sighed and turned out just as he reached the front door. "I shouldn't be gone for more than an hour. And I'll text you when I'm on my way back."