[ It's ten in the evening in Beijing, early afternoon in France, when Arthur receives an encrypted message from a number he simply has listed as "A" in his phone. He pauses from pouring over old newspaper articles to open it, then consider it, then send a reply. ]
Leave it to you to turn Donne on his head and inside out.
[ There's a slight lag with her reply this time as she considers the facts, foremost being that this is Arthur's 'work', and Eames' too she supposes though they both could do other things. They're capable human beings. It being work however implies a certain degree of taking what one can get and she has the impression that the dreamshare world isn't exactly huge. So she has to ask. ]
[ Arthur sends this but then isn't quite sure how he feels about the implication of Eames in the equation. That was, and Arthur imagined always will be, a hidden, floating variable. That was what Eames prided himself on, after all. He sends another message. ]
No one's dreams are the same. Each one is a distinct and unique puzzle, waiting to be solved.
[ A puzzle. A puzzle for which the key is something like a maze and something like a good strategy and a competent set of legwork beforehand. A puzzle.
Ariadne likes puzzles, more, she admits now, than she realized. Architecture has always made sense to her so she could never view it in that context, but she finds herself drawn to a challenge and it's far too egotistical to think every what-if is a personal can you do this or not from the universe to her, but sometimes it feels that way anyhow. ]
Sounds like something I'd have to see for myself.
[ Which means more than a few things, not the least of which is that to make a better decision concerning what trajectory her focus follows next, soon, she has to better know what she's comparing to begin with. ]
[ Seeing for herself is precisely Arthur's intention. One job, one trip to limbo, wasn't nearly enough data to make a decision on. Especially not in favor of a life like theirs. ]
We have four more days to finish the job. After that, I'll be in Copenhagen. You should join me.
[ She's not asking to fish for interest so much as specifics on what's in Denmark for her, not that Arthur isn't appealing on his own but Ariadne likes to know her up from her down if she can and considering the topic of conversation, she assumes it has something to do with that. ]
Because I can, on occasion, make reasonable company. And because I've seen you on your turf, and I think it's reasonable to ask that you see me on mine.
[ Arthur knows that these aren't concrete answers and much more elusive than he would accept if he were the one asking the questions. So before he presses 'send', he clarifies. ]
There's nothing on the table yet, but given that we're talking about Eames, there will be soon. In the meantime, practice makes perfect. I assume you've been thinking about it.
[ Returning to the dreamspace, distorting the landscape. ]
[ It's nothing to remark on unless a telepathic link forms between them suddenly, but Ariadne's thought upon reading the last line of Arthur's most recent text is only that of wondering how much of the sketch in her window could be realized. Faulty logic, she's loosely aware, to assume anything that 'can't' be done in reality can be done in dreams, but defenses say it's a near thing. ]
That is reasonable.
[ She uses the utmost restraint here, though some degree of an emote might be implicit at this point, emphasized by the presence of two 'enters' before the next line of the continuing text. ]
RE Eames: I'm starting to suspect he's a workaholic.
RE practice and perfection: does it?
Either way, sure. I'll meet you there. Where are you staying?
[ Arthur has always liked Ariadne, from the moment she first walked into the warehouse in Paris and appeared behind Cobb in the doorway. Then, of course, most of that like was transference -- Cobb's approval and his choice in her painting Adriadne with a very specific type of light. Experience has begun to peel that light back, allowing Arthur to form his own opinions, and although her ability to accomplish what he could not left a mark (to see through Cobb and call him out on it, to provide him his own form of catharsis), there was something very much like respect to be gained from it as well.
This conversation, this back and forth, helps with that liking. Arthur grins, albeit briefly, at his phone then shakes his head ruefully as he replies. ]
RE Eames: you should tell him that while I watch, just so that I can see the face he makes
( ... )
[ Her lips purse, brow arching at the first line as she begins to imagine what such a face would be and then realizes she has no idea and winds back up at bemused again. That is, of course, just another reason to tell the forger as much. She makes a mental note.
It's worth acknowledging, she's peripherally aware, that she does think she could guess at Arthur's expression, whatever face Eames might end up actually making.
The result of a little-lot more time spent together, invariably. ]
RE Eames: I'll see what I can do.
RE practice and infinity: talk about an uphill battle - but at least it's never boring.
RE Copenhagen: guess I'll go dig out my laptop from underneath the balsa explosion.
[ In Beijing, Arturo wanders back in to the room, sandwich in hand, and sits on the edge of Arthur's workbench -- much to Arthur's chagrin. There's an exchange which involves Arthur shooing Arturo off, but being young Arturo proves just as stubborn as Arthur. There's a lag in his response. ]
RE Eames: Success ensures you a fruit basket come Christmas time.
RE practice, infinity and perfection: uphill doesn't necessarily mean ungratifying. Though it does lead to the occasional frustration.
[ In Paris, Ariadne sneezes due to the chalky dust of wood perhaps unwisely sawed in the living room of her flat - heavier planks rather unlike the balsa she sifts through to unearth her laptop. It's pretty much as abused as that makes it sound, accounting for the lightness of balsa but needing to include the reality of anything's ability to scratch and for wood dust to nest in the fan. Oh well. ]
RE Eames: I want a raise.
RE practice, infinity and perfection: that I think I remember. Challenges are more interesting anyway.
RE a courier: got the laptop, no need...but, feelings on carrier pigeons?
[ They've reached the point in the conversation where Arthur isn't sure why he hasn't just called Ariadne, as opposed to texting her. Despite practice, his fingers are a little indelicate on the keys and his insistence on proper spelling and punctuation makes it tedious as times. ]
RE Eames: I'm open to in-person negotiations.
RE challenges: just as long as the challenge doesn't end up eclipsing success. Operating in the realm of possibility still ranks high on my list.
RE carrier pigeons: I don't think I'm willing to leave any important communique in the 'hands' of anything lacking opposable thumbs.
[ Unfortunately (?) for Arthur, Ariadne is completely unsympathetic to his plight, being utterly a child of the some-of-us-learn-to-text-before-other-necessary-skills Age. All the same, it's not lost on her that the string of communication continues longer than she expected it to. It's not a bad thing. ]
RE Eames: maybe we should discuss those in front of him too.
Leave it to you to turn Donne on his head and inside out.
Reply
Are they still interesting?
Reply
[ Arthur sends this but then isn't quite sure how he feels about the implication of Eames in the equation. That was, and Arthur imagined always will be, a hidden, floating variable. That was what Eames prided himself on, after all. He sends another message. ]
No one's dreams are the same. Each one is a distinct and unique puzzle, waiting to be solved.
Reply
[ A puzzle. A puzzle for which the key is something like a maze and something like a good strategy and a competent set of legwork beforehand. A puzzle.
Ariadne likes puzzles, more, she admits now, than she realized. Architecture has always made sense to her so she could never view it in that context, but she finds herself drawn to a challenge and it's far too egotistical to think every what-if is a personal can you do this or not from the universe to her, but sometimes it feels that way anyhow. ]
Sounds like something I'd have to see for myself.
[ Which means more than a few things, not the least of which is that to make a better decision concerning what trajectory her focus follows next, soon, she has to better know what she's comparing to begin with. ]
Reply
We have four more days to finish the job. After that, I'll be in Copenhagen. You should join me.
Reply
I should? Why's that?
[ She's not asking to fish for interest so much as specifics on what's in Denmark for her, not that Arthur isn't appealing on his own but Ariadne likes to know her up from her down if she can and considering the topic of conversation, she assumes it has something to do with that. ]
Reply
[ Arthur knows that these aren't concrete answers and much more elusive than he would accept if he were the one asking the questions. So before he presses 'send', he clarifies. ]
There's nothing on the table yet, but given that we're talking about Eames, there will be soon. In the meantime, practice makes perfect. I assume you've been thinking about it.
[ Returning to the dreamspace, distorting the landscape. ]
Reply
That is reasonable.
[ She uses the utmost restraint here, though some degree of an emote might be implicit at this point, emphasized by the presence of two 'enters' before the next line of the continuing text. ]
RE Eames: I'm starting to suspect he's a workaholic.
RE practice and perfection: does it?
Either way, sure. I'll meet you there. Where are you staying?
Reply
This conversation, this back and forth, helps with that liking. Arthur grins, albeit briefly, at his phone then shakes his head ruefully as he replies. ]
RE Eames: you should tell him that while I watch, just so that I can see the face he makes ( ... )
Reply
It's worth acknowledging, she's peripherally aware, that she does think she could guess at Arthur's expression, whatever face Eames might end up actually making.
The result of a little-lot more time spent together, invariably. ]
RE Eames: I'll see what I can do.
RE practice and infinity: talk about an uphill battle - but at least it's never boring.
RE Copenhagen: guess I'll go dig out my laptop from underneath the balsa explosion.
Reply
RE Eames: Success ensures you a fruit basket come Christmas time.
RE practice, infinity and perfection: uphill doesn't necessarily mean ungratifying. Though it does lead to the occasional frustration.
RE email: or I could send a courier.
Reply
RE Eames: I want a raise.
RE practice, infinity and perfection: that I think I remember. Challenges are more interesting anyway.
RE a courier: got the laptop, no need...but, feelings on carrier pigeons?
Reply
RE Eames: I'm open to in-person negotiations.
RE challenges: just as long as the challenge doesn't end up eclipsing success. Operating in the realm of possibility still ranks high on my list.
RE carrier pigeons: I don't think I'm willing to leave any important communique in the 'hands' of anything lacking opposable thumbs.
Reply
RE Eames: maybe we should discuss those in front of him too.
RE the realm of possibility: I know.
RE thumbs: duly noted.
Reply
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