Arthur is leaning casually against one of the pillars in the pseudo-courtyard, trying not to draw too much attention to himself. Of course, being an impeccably well-dressed man who appears to be too old to be a student but too young to be a professor isn't helping matters much. (Neither is being armed.)
"I apologize for the misconception." Arthur says, not sounding very apologetic at all.
Ariadne stares at him for a moment, at a loss for how to respond to that. She'd forgotten how terse he tends to be, and she continues to fidget for a second before gesturing at the world in general, the motion somehow meant to indicate the direction of the "place with really good sandwiches".
"So, you want to... walk? It's only a block from here, and it shouldn't be too crowded," she says, glancing away to wave as a student passes with a "Hey, Ariadne!" She's grateful for the distraction--she hasn't ever really had the time or presence of mind to look at--and pay attention to--Arthur, and she's kind of wishing that now wasn't the first (well, second, if she counts the few minutes she'd had to watch him prep the room in the hotel a few weeks ago) time she's been so painfully aware of how... attractive he is.
Arthur nods, pushing off the pillar with casual grace. He seems oblivious to the awkwardness, although that may be because he's busy scanning the crowd for anyone even vaguely suspicious. Old habits die hard, and Arthur has always been rather paranoid.
"That sounds fine." he says, glancing over at Ariadne. "Lead the way?" Really, he'd have met her there... if he had any clue which cafe she was talking about.
Smiling, she pads off across the pseudo-courtyard, leading him through a gate and onto the sidewalk. Unfortunately, Ariadne does not have Arthur's miraculous skill for ignoring awkwardness, so she is forced to suffer the stretching silence with swirling thoughts comprised mostly of "Oh my GOD, whyyy, say somethiiing, don't hate meee".
After about two minutes of what could conceivably pass for a comfortable silence to anyone not in the throes of "Holy Shit, I Accidentally Asked Arthur Out", she starts tapping her hands on her thighs, glancing at him intermittently. Abruptly, she latches on conversation and clings to it like a homeless schizophrenic clings to hubcaps.
"What do you do in your free time? Every time I've seen you, you've been doing something dream-related," she asks, editing her walking pattern so she can look up at him while still maintaining an essentially straight trajectory.
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"I apologize for the misconception." Arthur says, not sounding very apologetic at all.
Reply
"So, you want to... walk? It's only a block from here, and it shouldn't be too crowded," she says, glancing away to wave as a student passes with a "Hey, Ariadne!" She's grateful for the distraction--she hasn't ever really had the time or presence of mind to look at--and pay attention to--Arthur, and she's kind of wishing that now wasn't the first (well, second, if she counts the few minutes she'd had to watch him prep the room in the hotel a few weeks ago) time she's been so painfully aware of how... attractive he is.
This is sure to be rife with awkwardness.
Reply
"That sounds fine." he says, glancing over at Ariadne. "Lead the way?" Really, he'd have met her there... if he had any clue which cafe she was talking about.
Reply
After about two minutes of what could conceivably pass for a comfortable silence to anyone not in the throes of "Holy Shit, I Accidentally Asked Arthur Out", she starts tapping her hands on her thighs, glancing at him intermittently. Abruptly, she latches on conversation and clings to it like a homeless schizophrenic clings to hubcaps.
"What do you do in your free time? Every time I've seen you, you've been doing something dream-related," she asks, editing her walking pattern so she can look up at him while still maintaining an essentially straight trajectory.
Reply
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