(no subject)

[maze_builder]

Ariadne had arranged a peaceful, quiet life she for herself after the Fischer job. And then he showed up. All smiles and charm that sent her head in a frenzy. It seemed like every time he was in town, he would visit her and she would be conveniently available. She knew the kind of work he was still involved in and the risks that came with it. But she didn't think that he would be under surveillance or that anyone would notice his infrequent visits to Paris. 

But someone had found out about her. Someone had been in her apartment and was looking for something other than money. They even went to the trouble of leaving her a note. A friendly enough note to try and inspire her to come out of retirement. That sickeningly sweet kind of note that felt like it was laced with cobra venom. They wanted an Architect. 

She called the only person she could think of.

"Hey..."

Comments

[dontthinkabout]

He kissed her forehead, waiting for her to fall asleep so he could started on his work.

[maze_builder]

"-night Arthur." she mumbled. She hardly felt his lips touch her forehead when she drifted off to sleep.

[dontthinkabout]

Once he was sure she was asleep, he gently untangled himself from her and went to grab his laptop and phone from the desk before going to the living room to work.

[maze_builder]

Ariadne woke some time later to a dark room and an empty bed. It took a few minutes for her to remember where she was. Slightly disheartened that he hadn't fallen asleep with her, she wrapped herself in a sheet and wandered into the living room hoping he hadn't left yet. She found him hunched over his laptop, typing away furiously. She watched him for several minutes, leaning against the door frame.

[dontthinkabout]

He had researched about her parents and yes, they had supposedly died in a car accident, but some things weren't adding up. Things that he had apparently missed the first time around he had done his research on her for the Fisher job. Things that he didn't look into too deeply the first time. He grabbed his notebook and wrote a few things down.

[maze_builder]

Sighing at his obsessive workaholic nature, she approached him and draped herself over his shoulders. For a moment her eyes didn't register what was on his screen. Several articles about her parents' accident, a message from one of his associates giving a detailed account of what her father did professionally, there was even information on her grandfather who had claimed custody of her after they passed. "Find anything useful?" she croaked out her question. Somehow seeing Arthur look into her past felt intrusive though she knew he had much of this information from their work together.

[dontthinkabout]

"No yet," he replied, turning his head slightly to kiss her nose.

[maze_builder]

She smiled and kissed his forehead. "Do you think it would be a good idea for me to go home tomorrow? Or should I get out of town for a bit?"

[dontthinkabout]

He thought about that for a moment. "Get out of town would probably be best," he said. "We can stay at my apartment in London."

[maze_builder]

She grinned. "I've always wondered where you went when you weren't working or visiting girls in Paris." She paused for a moment, hoping her next question didn't sound pushy. "Would it be alright to pop in to see my grandfather? He lives in Surrey."

[dontthinkabout]

"Of course it's alright," he said, even if meeting her family seemed a little scary.

[maze_builder]

"This isn't one of those 'you're my boyfriend so now you must meet my family' things." she said with a chuckle. "I just haven't seen him in a few years."

[dontthinkabout]

"No, I know." He knew she wouldn't put him in a position like that. "I'll book our tickets for the morning."

[maze_builder]

Smiling she leaned forward and kissed his forehead. "I guess I'll go back to bed then."

[dontthinkabout]

"I'll come with you." He closed his laptop and packed everything away for the morning. He had his phone in his hand, buying their train tickets, as they walked back to the bedroom.

[maze_builder]

She had curled up in bed, the sheet she had stolen earlier wrapped securely around her. "Thank you for coming Arthur." she said, her eyes already closed.

[dontthinkabout]

"Of course." Once he got the confirmation email, he set his phone on the night stand and laid down, facing her.

[maze_builder]

She nuzzled her face against his chest.

[dontthinkabout]

"What was your first time like?" He asked quietly.

[maze_builder]

"Romantic." she mumbled against his chest. "It was with an older classmate, right after I started university. He had all the experience so thankfully it wasn't rubbish."

[dontthinkabout]

"That does sound romantic," he murmured, playing with a lock of her hair.

[maze_builder]

"At the time it felt romantic. Dinner, candles, no roommate commenting..." She chuckled. "Yours?"

[dontthinkabout]

"Prom night. Back seat of my mom's sedan. I came thirty seconds into it. My date wasn't happy," he said with a soft chuckle.

[maze_builder]

Chuckling, she kissed his chest. "I'd be pissed too. Though I'm grateful things have improved for you in that department."

[dontthinkabout]

"Are you saying I'm pretty good in bed?" He asked, smirking.