(Poly Big Bang Part 2)
i'm gonna love you with my hands tied
Part Two
The first time when they go to the club it is Arthur’s idea, surprisingly enough. Something about wanting to prove to everyone how not boring he is (He must have been talking to Mr. Eames again). Cobb seems reluctant at first, but is convinced soon enough by the pout of Arthur’s lip. Ariadne, on the other hand, doesn’t need any convincing. She is an adventurer at heart, after all.
Cobb gives them all sorts of warnings before they leave, and Ariadne just has to roll her eyes at his over-protectiveness. He really is too good at what he does, and both she and Arthur enjoy it way more than they should, which makes them the perfect triad for what they’re about to do.
They go over safe words and caution words and “help me, get me out of here right now” words. Both Arthur and Ariadne have to wear their own ownership collar, for identification of course. As if it’s not clear to either of them or anyone they happen to meet just who exactly they both belong to. Ariadne doesn’t mind though; her collar is silver and shiny and it elongates her neck, while Arthur’s collar is leather and black and it looks quite becoming on him, she thinks.
They’ve always been private people, and so taking their act public is intimidating at first, which is to be expected of beginners. But the club manager is open and friendly and assures them they will be kept safe by the numerous bouncers that walk around. Besides, they will be in a secluded area and they can always keep the curtain closed if they so desire. Half the fun is in the act of voyeurism though, as the manager says.
As they begin, Cobb leaves the curtain open, which pleases Ariadne greatly. She can feel the gaze of onlookers, stranger she’s never met before in her life, as she is slowly dominated by Cobb and Arthur in turn. It almost feels like being watched by projections, which brings up all those same feelings of danger and excitement that occur whenever she’s the dreamer in someone else’s subconscious.
“Hold still,” Cobb says, and she instantly freezes. She’s all the more willing to follow his every demand in this particular situation. And suddenly he is no longer Cobb to her; he becomes Dom in name and in truth.
“Ignore them,” Dom speaks again, and Ariadne knows what he means, realizing she was paying too much attention to the others.
“I’m sorry, sir,” she says, playing up the role to the fullest as she bats her eyelashes. He shakes his head and frowns, terrifying her into thinking she’s somehow disappointed him.
“It’s Dom, call me Dom.” She nods in fervent agreement; that she could do. He strokes her hair and his frown slowly starts to turn into the ghost of a smile. “Good girl.”
“Dom, please,” she insists, although she’s not entirely sure what it is that she wants. She’s hoping that Dom will be able to tell her.
As always, he seems to know exactly what she needs.
“Lay back,” he says, and she does so right away. The soft sheets underneath her are foreign, but not at all unpleasant. She seems to mold into the makeshift bed, as Dom leans over to lie on top of her. She sighs at the sudden weight, and holds on to the top of his biceps to try to keep him there.
It doesn’t work. He’s pulling away and simultaneously holding her down. His hands grip her wrists and hold them above her head, and soon after she finds them tied together.
Arthur’s watching this entire sequence with obvious interest, but he doesn’t lift a finger to intervene. For now, it’s just her and Dom, and it feels like her entire world is about him. She wants to please him and give him everything he wants; she wants to be the perfect submissive, in a nutshell. And the easiest part about it is that she already trusts him. It’s easy to remain safe in the knowledge that he would never hurt her.
He begins by exploring her with his fingertips. He starts at her scalp and moves down, his thumbs stroking across her cheeks and then progress downward towards the pulse points on either side of her neck. Ariadne can’t help the gasp that escapes her throat as his fingers press down there, very near to her windpipe.
She’s never tried breath play before; they’ve never tried it before, but she decides that maybe she really does like it. She needs to explore this further.
“D-dom,” she manages to choke out while he grips her throat, and then as soon as she says it he’s pulling away as if she burned his skin. He looks scared, and oh no that’s not right. That’s not what she meant for his reaction to be.
“No, it’s okay,” she assures him. “Please don’t stop.”
“But-” he begins, “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Cobb,” she says, suddenly breaking character. “Did you hear me use the safe word?”
“No…”
“Then continue. Please.” It comes out as a command.
Somewhere in the background, she hears Arthur chuckle. She chooses to ignore him, for now. She understands why he’s amused, realizes that she’s not exactly following the rules of submission here, but she knows that Dom will understand. Her Dom.
And then Dom’s hands are back on her and she can’t think anymore.
He kisses her lips, but it’s not sweet and gentle like usual; no, this kiss is hard and bruising and demanding, and she loves every second of it. Dom crooks a finger under her collar and tugs so that it’s simultaneously pulling her closer to him and tightening around her neck. She gasps into his mouth and she feels him hum in appreciation. They are breathing each other’s air and it’s such an intimate gesture as one of his hands tightens around her jugular and the other hand draws her in by the collar.
For a moment she literally can’t breathe, and even though she thinks she should be terrified she isn’t; instead she has on overwhelming sense of want and need.
When her breath returns it is devastatingly sweet, but she craves for the pressure to return. “God, Dom,” she says. “I fucking want-”
“Hush,” he replies. “I will give it to you. But you don’t get to say anything unless I tell you to, understand?” She nods. “Good. I don’t want to have to gag you unless you need it. Or… unless you want me to?” he questions. Ariadne shrugs. She really wishes he would stop talking and just take her already.
He shakes his head. “No, not yet. Maybe next time. Right now I want you to take Arthur in your mouth while I fuck you. Can you do that?” he asks. She’s flattered that he would pretend like she actually has a choice in the matter, but at the same time realizes the inevitable outcome whether she replies in the affirmative or not.
She says yes anyway. God yes, please.
Her hands remain tied above her head as Arthur places the tip of his cock between her lips and Cobb’s own cock slips between the folds of her opening. She lies on her back and takes Arthur in further and further until he is triggering her gag reflex. She has gotten better at this since being with both of them, but she’s still not an expert quite yet.
He doesn’t seem to mind. Of course he doesn’t. Arthur palms her cheek and encourages her with every tiny movement. He moans low in his throat and it’s such a primal, instinctive thing and she can’t believe that she’s the one who could make him lose control like this. Words begin to tumble out of his mouth and she can only make out every other one or so.
“Ariadne,” that word is clear. “Feels… there… god, yes. Good girl. So wet… fuck-”
Arthur is a part of her and Cobb is inside of her and god, god she loves them. She loves them both. She wasn’t completely sure before but now it hits her; it hits her with a crushing realization and she can’t believe that she ever had any sliver of a doubt.
“You’re so good for us,” Cobb is saying to her. “So good for me. Both of you are perfect. Jesus.” His praising litany continues, and holy shit his words have such an effect on her. His voice. All she can here is Dom’s voice and it brings her closer to that precipice.
“Ariadne, you’re supple and open and willing. God, you’re so eager. And Arthur- fuck, Arthur, you’re everything. I know you’ll do anything for me… and do you see? You see how much she wants both of us?”
She’s keening upwards, whether to bring Dom further inside her or to swallow more of Arthur, she’s not sure. Maybe both. Probably. Maybe she just wants to prove Dom’s point that yes, god yes, she wants both of them. Probably more than is healthy.
She’s so close. So damn close. She needs someone to touch her, but she remembers that she’s not allowed to speak unless spoken to. So the tortuous pleasure continues, but she can’t really complain.
“Dom,” she hears Arthur say distantly. Apparently Dom doesn’t have a problem with him speaking, and she feels a small wave of annoyance at that. They are both his, they should both have to follow his rules. “Dom, come here,” Arthur says, as he grabs onto Dom’s shoulder and pulls him closer. Ariadne groans as this pushes Dom further inside of her, burying him to the hilt.
Then Arthur is leaning over her and Arthur and Dom are kissing. It’s so close and she can see everything, every movement of lips opening over each other and tongues gently touching, which turns her on more than anything. They are all connected to each other in some way and she has a front row seat to everything. It is intoxicating.
Ariadne opens herself completely. She notices her throat muscles expanding to accommodate the girth of Arthur’s cock as it swells in her mouth. It’s so much, so fucking much and she feels so incredibly full. Complete.
It sends her over the edge. Dom is stroking her sensitive nub again and again and again until she is coming apart under his hand. She cries out as her entire body begins to shake from the top down. Then Arthur is coming in her mouth and Cobb follows soon after.
Indistinctly, she hears the quiet applause and approval from the onlookers that she had completely forgotten about over the past hour. It doesn’t change things. It still feels like her and Arthur and Dom are the only three people in the entire world, instead of three out of some six billion.
Dom relaxes into her, collapsing on top of her with all his weight. She’s still tied and she still can’t move, but even though he is crushing her it is not entirely uncomfortable. Still, at some point she will need to be able to breathe again.
“Hey, Dom?”
His reply is a kiss, his lips melting against hers before moving to explore the corner of her mouth. It’s so sweet and the only thing she wants to do is grab on to him and never let go. But first, she needs to have full use of her hands.
“Um, Cobb?” she tries, and this time he opens his eyes and looks down into her own.
“Yes sweetheart?”
“Can I be untied now?” she asks.
He nods at Arthur. “You can have the honor,” Cobb says to him.
Arthur unties her, she is free and she doesn’t even wait for the circulation to return to her wrists before she is grabbing Cobb and bringing him into another kiss, a bruising one this time. Arthur strokes her hair while they kiss. At some point she detects that Cobb must taste the hint of Arthur’s come on her tongue, but he doesn’t seem to mind at all and the thought is soon forgotten.
Eventually they tire and somehow the three of them end up curled around each other underneath the silk sheets. Arthur lies in between them, and he hums in approval as Cobb places a kiss on his forehead and follows it up with kisses to the rest of his face. Ariadne holds on to Arthur tighter, and although she often feels dwarfed next to the two other men, right now she only feels contented.
They stay there, just like that, until the club reaches its closing time and the very nice manager is kindly kicking them out of the place.
+ + + + +
The second time they go to the club, it’s because Ariadne practically begs that they go again. Arthur is perfectly willing, and Cobb is a lot faster to agree this time. He points out that they could also do the same things at the house, but Ariadne reminds him that having to be quiet so the kids don’t walk in on them might make things a little awkward. And Ariadne’s apartment is out of the question, because her nosy roommate would most definitely not leave them alone.
Besides, Ariadne has decided that voyeurism, as long as it’s with total strangers, is actually pretty hot.
This time they are all much more comfortable, and therefore they make sure to do things they couldn’t do the first time. Arthur and Ariadne both allow Cobb to tie them up, and make it clear that all they want to do is please their “dom” in any way he’d like. The way he smiles is delicious, and Ariadne notices how wet her panties have become. She would have laughed at the ridiculousness of that if Dom didn’t currently have her gagged.
Arthur is in a similar position, and Ariadne is pretty sure he’s equally aroused by the whole thing. Dom holds him down and kisses him until his lips are raw, rubbing his cock against Arthur’s hip all the while. Ariadne cries around the gag, because she hasn’t been touched yet and god she needs it, fucking soon.
Finally Dom touches her, and the sudden rush of sensation causes her to buck against his hand in a frantic manner. He manages to stroke her and Arthur in an equal rhythm, and has both of them going crazy under his ministrations.
Her gag is eventually removed and they each suck him off, and let Dom fuck them in turn. Ariadne gives silent thanks that each of them received a clean bill of health before beginning their activities. The good thing about dream-sharing is that they could do all of this in a dream without having to worry about negative side effects, but then nothing compares to the real thing.
Like how Dom feels as he’s pushing inside her, taking control and claiming her for his own. The teeth marks and scratches that are left on her skin are real, and she doesn’t even need her totem to prove this world is genuine when she can see those claiming marks all over her body afterwards.
She wasn’t sure how this whole thing would work with there being two subs, but she is a quick learner. Ariadne smirks when she sees the absolute look of delight on Arthur’s face when Dom pulls on his collar. The leather gleams even brighter this time, and she wonders if Arthur actually shined it before coming here. She wouldn’t be surprised in the least if he had.
They once again end up wrapped together in a tangle of limbs, and Ariadne is content just to stay there like that forever. She’s the one in between Dom and Arthur this time, who gently stroke her arm and her hair in turn. She closes her eyes and simply breathes in slowly a few times, bone weary and ready to fall asleep even though she knows closing time is fast approaching.
When she does actually fall asleep, she doesn’t get to dream. Before long, she’s being shaken awake until her eyes open and all she sees is blue. She has distant thoughts of kicks and French music and water. So, so much water. It consumes her and she can no longer force herself to get up.
“Time to go, sweetheart,” Dom says, and she lets him pick her up and carry her in his arms, as she lies there completely boneless.
+ + + + +
By the third time they go the club, they hardly even speak. And this time, by Cobb’s prior embarrassed suggestion (that he makes with batted eyelashes and the expression of a fourteen year old virgin wanting to “try new things”) they bring along toys that they’ve never attempted to use before. If they keep going like this, they will have tried every kink possible by the tenth visit.
None of them seem to mind.
She can’t vocalize it, but Ariadne likes it best when Dom hurts her, breaks her apart first and then continues to put the broken pieces back together again with a kiss or the gentle stroke of his hand. It occurs to her that this is probably an indication of some deep-seeded issue within herself, but then (while she does love to analyze others) she’s never been one to psychoanalyze her own person.
She also enjoys it when Dom teases her until she’s open and wet and so damn ready, but he’ll pull away as soon as she gets closer to a peak. This goes on for minutes or hours, long enough that she loses track of time. Arthur will suck on his cock as he goes down on her, which just increases Dom’s fervor.
When Dom proceeds to flip her over and brings a hand down on her backside, she can’t contain her yelp that is more a product of surprise than pain. She doesn’t tell him to stop, doesn’t even think about using her safe word, so he does it again and tells her to start keeping count. Dom insists that it’s not a punishment, but a game. And if she’s good at this game, then she will get her reward.
Ariadne so loves to play. She’s good at it too, and she can tell this for a fact when she sees the look of awe on Dom’s face as she looks back at him.
When he’s done spanking and she’s done counting, he grabs her and kisses her. “You were so good,” he tells her between kisses.
“Will I get my reward, Dom?” she can’t help asking.
“Of course.” He grabs her hand and places it on Arthur’s collar. She looks from her own hand to the leather around Arthur’s neck, and then finally back to Dom. “I will give you control of Arthur for the rest of the evening,” Dom explains when she gives him a questioning look.
Ariadne is shocked, but when looking at Arthur again all she sees is his usual calm resolve. If this is what Dom wants for them, then she’s positive Arthur will obey. She’s not sure if she should or if she even wants to, but a reward is a reward and this one does sound particularly intriguing.
“Do I tell him what to do?” she asks for confirmation.
“Yes,” Dom agrees. “Whatever you’d like him to do for you or to me, you can tell him. And he must listen,” Dom says with a pointed look in Arthur’s direction.
“Well this should be fun. Can I also tell you what to do with Arthur?”
Dom pauses for a moment, clearly considering how to answer her question. “Sure, I’ll allow it. But I have the right to refuse if it’s something I don’t feel like I should be doing.”
“Fair enough,” Ariadne says. After a minute of thinking about what it is she wants them to do, she finally decides on a simple request.
“Dom, do to Arthur what you just did to me.”
“Spank him?”
“Yes.”
The corner of his mouth quirks up in a devious smile. “That I can do.”
Watching them do whatever the hell she wants them to do for the rest of the night will probably go down as the sexiest fucking thing she’s ever seen.
+ + + + +
Somewhere around the sixth or seventh time they go to the club, Ariadne is convinced she’s going to need therapy or a serious reality check or both after this is all said and done. Everything is too good to be true and they all fit together so well that she’s just waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop.
Arthur just smiles at her knowingly the whole time, like he can read her thoughts and be dismissing them at the same time. And Jesus Christ, could he look any better than when he’s coming completely undone under Cobb’s movements? She’s thinking that it’s probably impossible.
Sometimes she doesn’t even want to be touched at all except to bring herself to orgasm while observing Arthur and Dom together. Their previous visit when she was allowed to order them to do whatever she wanted keeps coming to mind. It’s kind of unavoidable that she’d join in the sex though, as this time they’re both all over her and she couldn’t separate from them if she tried. It has been a couple weeks since they’ve had a chance to go to the club, but she’s still surprised by the excitement of both men, as if it’s been years.
Dom keeps insisting on “taking care” of her too, which goes against all of her sensibilities as a capable female, but in this situation she will allow it. In this place, she wants to be taken care of. She needs somebody else to call the shots, to tell her what to do, to give her what she desires.
Ariadne thought it would take her longer to get into the club scene, but the transition is made easier by the fact that she’s with Dom and Arthur. She wouldn’t trust anyone else in this way, and she’s discovered that it’s the fact that they care for her that’s important, not the sex.
Although the sex is a whole lot of fun as well.
+ + + + +
One night, a couple weeks later, Arthur and Ariadne go out for a date.
It’s the perfect opportunity to spend time alone together. Cobb is at his children’s school for a parent-teacher meeting, and then Miles stops by offering to babysit so they can go out. He winks at Arthur on their way out, thinking that he is being surreptitious, but Ariadne is able to easily catch the gesture.
She wonders if Miles realizes the exact nature of the relationship between his son-in-law and the two of them, because it’s obvious that he’s trying to set up her and Arthur. If he knew of all the things the three of them did together, would he be so eager to foster this relationship?
She shakes her head and decides that it doesn’t matter. Arthur wants to be with her, she wants to be with him, and they both want to be with Cobb. Outside approval is an additional benefit, not a requirement.
Ariadne thinks Arthur might take her to a movie, or to a meal, something simple and traditional. She is pleasantly surprised then when he takes her to the fair. It’s incredibly nice of him to take her somewhere that she might enjoy, even though the whole time he’ll probably be fighting greasy foods and messy kids running around the whole time. Ariadne knows that it’s not his usual comfort zone, which makes the gesture all the more special.
“Phillipa and James would love this,” she tells him after they ride the Ferris wheel for the second time. “We should bring them here before it leaves.”
“Definitely. We could bring Cobb too, but only if you want.” He could have been serious about it actually being a choice, but the quirk of a smile tells her otherwise. They’ll bring Cobb with them because that’s what they do. She laughs and slaps Arthur lightly on the shoulder.
“Of course we’ll bring him along.”
The rest of the evening is spent in enjoyable companionship. Arthur buys her cotton candy and every other junk food she begs for, even though he doesn’t want to touch the stuff himself with a ten foot pole. Every time they pass a game with some prize that she desires, he attempts to win it for her.
Even the way he plays carnival games is done with extreme concentration. He doesn’t win any, sadly, and after losing each one he then proceeds to stomp his foot in irritation like a petulant child. “These games are a complete scam,” he complains. “They must be rigged.”
She plays one game of throwing rings around thin bottle necks, and wins a medium sized stuffed teddy bear for him on the first try. Arthur responds with a huff and crosses his arms, refusing to take the prize. She just sticks out her tongue at him and stuffs the bear between his arms anyway. Both of them are nothing if not stubborn.
Ariadne can’t help imagining what it would be like if Cobb was there with them. How would it be different? She thought she’d like some alone time with Arthur, and she is enjoying getting to know him even better, but she can’t help thinking that something is missing. Damn, maybe she’s just been with both of them together for too long now.
Their situation wasn’t what normal people did, was it? This is what normal people did, this right here. Two people going on a date at the fair, playing games and riding rides and stealing kisses at every little opportunity. Not going to a BDSM club to have to have threesome sex that was, admittedly, hot as hell. Right?
“You could be a little quieter,” Arthur points out.
“What do you mean?” she asks, puzzled. “I wasn’t saying anything.”
“Yeah but you were thinking really hard. I could hear you thinking all the way over here.”
Now she lightly punches him on the shoulder, and he grabs on to it and grimaces in mock pain. She is deeply amused.
“So what were you thinking about?” he inevitably asks.
“Nothing important really,” she lies. “Just wondering how much Cobb would enjoy this.”
“You beating me up? Oh, he’d enjoy it immensely.”
Ariadne thinks he must be right, and decides that they absolutely need to convince Cobb to return to the fair with them that weekend. Wanting to show Phillipa and James a great time would be an excellent excuse, even better because it’s actually the truth. Only a half-truth, but who is counting?
When they finally return to the house, Cobb is already there but has fallen asleep on the couch. A book on gothic architecture lies open across his lap. Arthur shakes his head, but there is an amused smile on his lips. “Well, I better put him to bed,” he says.
“Yeah, I should be getting home. I’ll see you tomorrow?” He nods and then reaches for her so he can pull her into a hug. She lets him embrace her, and brings him in tighter when he places a kiss on her forehead. Ariadne brings his face down towards hers so that he can give her a proper kiss, not minding one bit when she hears Cobb shifting on the couch.
“Goodnight,” she tells Arthur once she’s done kissing him. Before leaving she adds, “Make sure you take care of Cobb, and give him a kiss for me too.”
“Always,” he says. She leaves him, knowing with complete confidence that he will.
+ + + + +
The next day is the first time in quite a while that she is able to have some alone time with Cobb. Phillipa and James are at school, Arthur is out at the store buying some food for the house, and for some reason Cobb stays behind instead of going with him as usual. Ariadne is finishing up some schoolwork for her master’s program while Cobb gives her some advice.
They spend little moments talking about other things outside of work and it is nice just being able to relax with him for once, without any outside distractions or pressing issues.
When she finishes her work, she grabs her bookbag and gets up to leave and return to her apartment. Checking her watch, she knows that Arthur will be home from the store any minute now, and she should leave him and Cobb to some alone time before the children get home from school.
She starts to say goodbye to Cobb, standing up on her tiptoes to give him a kiss on the cheek, but he stops her with a question.
“Did you ever wonder why I wanted you to be with us?” he asks out of the blue.
No, she hadn’t thought about it before, but now she definitely wants to know. “Why?”
“Arthur and I, we used to be so close. Inseparable. But we began to drift apart, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep him. And then you came along and everything changed… the way he looked at you, I knew how much he cared about you-”
“Cobb, I never wanted to take anything away from you.” She detects her heart beating against her chest, and Jesus could it just stop doing that for one moment so that it doesn’t break apart?
“No, I know that. I’m not blaming you for anything. But the truth is, you and Arthur are perfect together. You complement each other ways in ways that are unmistakable. I could never fit him like that. I didn’t want to lose him. I can’t lose him. So I did the only thing I could think to do to keep him, and I suggested bringing you into our relationship.”
Ariadne can feel herself reeling at his admissions. The air around her is too heavy, and she knows any second now she might collapse. “Did you ever want me? At all?” She has to fight away the mist that begins to cloud her vision. She’s not going to cry, she’s not going to cry, damn it she is not going to cry. Not in front of him.
“I didn’t at first. Or, I didn’t want to want you, at least. It seemed too inappropriate. You were too young, too innocent. But I did it so we could all be together, and then I did truly start to fall for you.”
Ariadne hears his words, distantly, but she has already made up her mind. He had not been completely honest with her as she had once believed. She now understands the whole truth of it. She responds, “But you don’t really want to be with me. Just me. You never did.”
“Sweetheart-” he starts to reach for her arm, but she draws back as if he slapped her.
“No. Don’t call me that. Don’t ever call me that again.” She backs away, walking backwards to the exit that she knows is somewhere behind her. Ariadne watches him closely as she takes more and more steps, putting more distance between them. But the haunted look in his eyes is clear.
It’s too much. She has to look away or else she may not have the strength to do what she knows she needs to do. Ariadne looks away, and her hand is on the doorknob before she hears Cobb speak. “Please. Please don’t leave me,” he says. This time, for once, it’s not a command but a request. He’s begging. But it’s too late.
“I’m not,” she says. “I was never with you to begin with.” It sounds untrue on her tongue, but she wants to sting him where she knows it will hurt.
She opens the door.
+ + + + +
She calls Arthur and tells him she needs to speak with him now and no, it can’t wait. She doesn’t know what else to do. Then she remembers to add that it is imperative that they meet somewhere else that is not Cobb and Arthur’s home.
He sounds weary over the phone, but he agrees. He must detect the strain in her voice, the hurt that she can barely conceal, but he doesn’t make a big deal out of it. It’s that calming presence of his again, the one that she has been able to wrap herself in so many times before.
They meet at the coffee shop down the street, and it reminds her so much of dreams she’s had in the past that she has to tip over her chess piece just to make sure this is real. It falls correctly. Besides, unfortunately she remembers exactly how she got here and where it is she came from.
“What’s wrong?” he asks without preamble, which reminds her exactly why she is with Arthur in the first place. He is absolutely no bullshit, ever. Unlike some other people she knows all too well.
“First, I want to know exactly the nature of your feelings for me. And don’t you dare lie, because I’ll know,” she threatens, even if she’s not sure that it’s the truth.
He blinks at her a couple times, but doesn’t appear to hesitate at all before saying, “I love you. I’m in love with you, if you will. I know I don’t say it enough or anything, but I thought you knew that already. For that I apologize. But Ari, what is this about?” When he calls her that nickname it brings on a flood of emotion that she has a difficult time resisting.
She still doesn’t want to cry, even in front of Arthur. Because they’ve shared dreams together, shared their bodies completely, but never has she let out her emotions for him in this way. And neither has he, really, which is probably why the feelings that have been building between them threaten to overtake her like a tidal wave. Or like a train plowing through her subconscious, and god why does she have to think about that metaphor right now?
Ariadne brushes the back of a hand across her eyes and puts a purposefully false smile on her lips, because it’s the only thing she can think of to do. “Apparently you’re the only one,” she says.
“What do you mean? What are you talking about?” he presses. And then he places a hand on top of hers and she lets him, as the slightest physical contact suddenly feels more real than anything she’s experienced before; even in the past few months of being with Arthur and Cobb, his hand grabbing hers now is the first indicator she’s had that all of this is truly happening.
“You’re the only one who cares about me that way,” she explains. “Cobb only loves you, and he was only ever using me as a pawn to get closer to you.”
“No,” Arthur says ardently, and shakes his head several times. “I don’t believe it. Cobb’s always had feelings for you. He wouldn’t have chosen to be with you if that wasn’t the case.”
“You don’t understand,” Ariadne continues. “He told me himself, just now. It was all just a game, Arthur.” He still doesn’t want to believe her, she can tell by the square of his shoulders and his concentrated stare as he attempts to puzzle it all out in his head. But he also knows she isn’t lying, because she’s never had any reason to lie to him.
Suddenly, she has to say this. Has to make it clear why she’s so hurt, even though Arthur might already have some idea.
“If it had only been one time, that would have been one thing,” she starts. “It would have just been sex, and then we could have each gone our own way and I wouldn’t have thought twice about it, because I know that you’re both in love with each other. But he pushed for more, so I agreed. I’ve shared everything with him, Arthur. With both of you. Not just my body, but my mind and everything else that goes with it. That’s not only about sex. I love you, you know. Damn it, I love both of you.” She takes in a breath that she desperately needs after her long-winded tirade, and then is gasping again as Arthur’s grip on her hand tightens an almost painful amount.
“Did you tell Cobb any of this?” he asks, and the intensity in his expression almost makes her want to cower beneath the table.
“No, I couldn’t. I left him. I didn’t know what else to do.”
“You have to tell him how you feel. Don’t expect him to get it until you beat him over the head with the obvious. Trust me, I know. I was flirting with him for years before he even got the hint that I liked men, too. I had to corner him while he was drunk, push him up against a wall, and stick my tongue down his throat before he got it.”
She can’t help herself, she giggles at him and the visual he has painted in her mind. The atmosphere suddenly feels so much lighter and she senses now that everything will be okay in the end. Arthur smiles in return, and she’s so glad that a little bit of his seriousness is gone.
Ariadne grasps the crisp shirt sleeve of Arthur’s dress shirt, and if the smile on his mouth is a little more strained, she decides to ignore it. He’ll get over it, eventually. Maybe she’ll offer to iron for him sometime, to make it up to him. But then he might argue that nobody else besides him can get it to look just right. Oh well.
“You have to go with me,” she tells him. “I’m not sure if I can do it without you.”
“Are you sure that’s the best course of action?”
“No, but it’s the best thing I can think of.”
“I’ll be by your side, you know that. You’re the one who has to tell him what you’re thinking, though.”
“I will,” she says. She releases her grip on his arm, and Arthur seems to visibly relax. She’s not sure where they’ll go from here, but it seems like a good idea to return to the house and not waste any time explaining the situation to Cobb.
“And Ariadne?”
“Yeah?”
She sees him swallow an imaginary lump in his throat before he continues. “If you don’t want to be with us anymore, then you’ll need to tell him that too,” he says. “I would miss you more than I can say, but the decision is completely yours.”
She nods at him. “I know.” And then before he can say anything else, she adds, “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
+ + + + +
When they return to the house that Arthur shares with Cobb, he is still in the same position as when Ariadne left him, sitting on the couch and facing the front door. This time, he holds his head in his hands as his eyes are locked tightly closed.
“Cobb,” she states simply, and his head jerks up as if he’s been slapped.
“You came back?” he asks, and the tenderness in his voice is almost enough to make her forgive him right there on the spot. Almost.
Ariadne nods even though she shouldn’t have to, obviously she’s come back. Arthur stands close behind her, grabs on to her elbow for comfort and she’s so incredibly grateful that he’s there by her side. She briefly wonders if this is how Cobb feels all the time, as the point man is practically his shadow and she can understand why Cobb might like having him around.
Before she can speak, Cobb begins to flood the room with apologies and explanations and things she’s not ready to hear. She’s hold up a hand to stop him, and thankfully he does.
“When we started this whole thing, the rules were made very clear. You said you wanted a relationship with Arthur and I, and you acted like that’s what you wanted. I was willing to accept it, nonconventional as it was, because I cared about both of you. Still really want to be with you both.”
Ariadne hadn’t meant to go on this outburst, but she now recognizes that it’s exactly what she needs. She takes a pause as she considers her next words very carefully. “Now that all of that has been turned upside down by your recent confession, I just need to know one thing,” she says. “Whatever’s happened before, I’m willing to let that go. But I need to know if you want me now, and I only ask for the truth.”
“I want you,” Cobb replies emphatically. “If you will have me, that is. And Arthur too,” he adds with an indication towards the other man. “We’re kind of a package deal.”
She sighs. He always did know the exact words to say to make her want to melt, and it didn’t even really matter what he was saying. Just the timbre in his voice makes her more agreeable than she wants to admit, despite already giving herself to him as a submissive.
Ariadne approaches the couch and the man sitting on it, Arthur following close behind. When she reaches it she sits down close to Cobb and he looks back at her with a passion that is unquestionable. She’s surprised that she could have questioned his desires, no matter how recently they have developed.
Ariadne unties the scarf around her neck, revealing the collar that she has kept on ever since the first time they went to the club. Cobb’s eyes widen in surprise, clearly unaware that she’s been wearing it constantly underneath her wide array of fashionable scarves. Ariadne places a thumb underneath her own collar for emphasis.
“You see this?” she asks. “This means I’m yours. I wouldn’t be wearing it, would never have worn it in the first place if it didn’t mean something to me. Because you mean something to me. I’m yours, Dom, and Arthur is yours too. It may not be traditional, but it works for us and that’s all that matters. I’m sure Arthur will confirm that we both belong to you. Besides, I’m in love with you both. And if Arthur and I are perfect for each other, as you say, then well that’s just a bonus.” She looks to Arthur then, and he shakes his head up and down in a silent ‘yes.’
Cobb is silent. A beat passes, and Ariadne’s heart has returned to thudding against her chest. Even after everything they’ve been through, she’s not sure what Cobb will say, and that’s what frightens her. She feels her stomach simultaneously float and sink when he says her name.
“Ariadne?”
“Yes?”
“Please move in with us. We are a family, we belong together, and the kids love having you around, and-”
“Dom?” She interrupts him before he can list all the reasons that she doesn’t need to be told.
“Yes?”
“I will. I’ll move in with you. You’ll just need to find us a job to do so I can pay off the rest of this month’s rent.”
Cobb looks absolutely delighted at her agreement, and she knows then without any qualms that she’s making the right decision. Without another thought, he grabs Ariadne and begins kissing her like he owns her, and god he does. She’s never wanted to be dominated before in her life, but whenever she’s with Cobb that’s the only thing in the world she wants.
Somewhere nearby, still standing in the background, Arthur is smiling. Neither of them notices, but he’ll show them later just how happy he is that the three of them have worked out this arrangement.
When they finally pull away from each other and have regained the use of their lungs, Cobb tells her that he already has a job in mind. And if it’s another not strictly legal one, Ariadne doesn’t mind one bit.
It’s the experiment of dream-sharing that brought them together in the first place, and it’s the excitement of sharing dreams that will bring them back together again and again.
Her only question about it is “how well does this job pay?” Cobb smirks at her in obvious amusement that she doesn’t even question the legality. She figures they have a shared understanding about this kind of thing, so it really doesn’t need to be said.
“It will pay very well. Saito wants to hire us again. Straight-up extraction this time, thankfully.”
It sounds legit, and that’s all she needs to know. “Sign me up,” she says. “Arthur?”
“Of course I’m in,” he replies.
“Good. I’m glad you’ve already agreed, because I’m pretty sure we’re going to need Eames again for this one,” Cobb says.
“Shit.”
It’s practically the first time she’s ever heard Arthur curse, and she just can’t help it. She cracks up, gasping for breath in between bouts of giggles. “Come on, Arthur. This is your chance to tell him all about the sexual adventures you’ve been having lately. Don’t you think he’ll be proud?”
His cheeks turn a bright shade of red, and she’s again reminded how much fun it is to tease that man.
“I’m sure he’ll be duly impressed,” Cobb agrees. “That is, if he believes any of it.”
“He’ll believe it if we gave him a sneak peek behind the curtain,” Ariadne jokes, but not everyone sees the humor in it.
“Hell no,” Arthur exclaims. “I do have to draw the line at some point.”
“Fair enough.”
Cobb shakes his head at the two of them, but she knows that his derision comes out of love. He says, “I’ll also give Yusuf a call. I’ve heard he’s moved to the states and he could probably use the work.”
Ariadne tilts her head. “We need a chemist?”
“No. We need somebody to make sure that Eames and Arthur don’t end up killing each other while on the job.” While Arthur looks less than amused by Cobb’s sense of humor, Ariadne laughs uncontrollably for the second time.
“The team is reunited,” Ariadne says once she can breathe again. “What a lucky girl I am.”
It crosses her mind that explaining their triad relationship to the rest of the team or anyone else would make for a very interesting prospect, indeed. But somehow, none of that seems to matter just as long as Cobb and Arthur continue to look at her the way they are doing.
Part Two
The first time when they go to the club it is Arthur’s idea, surprisingly enough. Something about wanting to prove to everyone how not boring he is (He must have been talking to Mr. Eames again). Cobb seems reluctant at first, but is convinced soon enough by the pout of Arthur’s lip. Ariadne, on the other hand, doesn’t need any convincing. She is an adventurer at heart, after all.
Cobb gives them all sorts of warnings before they leave, and Ariadne just has to roll her eyes at his over-protectiveness. He really is too good at what he does, and both she and Arthur enjoy it way more than they should, which makes them the perfect triad for what they’re about to do.
They go over safe words and caution words and “help me, get me out of here right now” words. Both Arthur and Ariadne have to wear their own ownership collar, for identification of course. As if it’s not clear to either of them or anyone they happen to meet just who exactly they both belong to. Ariadne doesn’t mind though; her collar is silver and shiny and it elongates her neck, while Arthur’s collar is leather and black and it looks quite becoming on him, she thinks.
They’ve always been private people, and so taking their act public is intimidating at first, which is to be expected of beginners. But the club manager is open and friendly and assures them they will be kept safe by the numerous bouncers that walk around. Besides, they will be in a secluded area and they can always keep the curtain closed if they so desire. Half the fun is in the act of voyeurism though, as the manager says.
As they begin, Cobb leaves the curtain open, which pleases Ariadne greatly. She can feel the gaze of onlookers, stranger she’s never met before in her life, as she is slowly dominated by Cobb and Arthur in turn. It almost feels like being watched by projections, which brings up all those same feelings of danger and excitement that occur whenever she’s the dreamer in someone else’s subconscious.
“Hold still,” Cobb says, and she instantly freezes. She’s all the more willing to follow his every demand in this particular situation. And suddenly he is no longer Cobb to her; he becomes Dom in name and in truth.
“Ignore them,” Dom speaks again, and Ariadne knows what he means, realizing she was paying too much attention to the others.
“I’m sorry, sir,” she says, playing up the role to the fullest as she bats her eyelashes. He shakes his head and frowns, terrifying her into thinking she’s somehow disappointed him.
“It’s Dom, call me Dom.” She nods in fervent agreement; that she could do. He strokes her hair and his frown slowly starts to turn into the ghost of a smile. “Good girl.”
“Dom, please,” she insists, although she’s not entirely sure what it is that she wants. She’s hoping that Dom will be able to tell her.
As always, he seems to know exactly what she needs.
“Lay back,” he says, and she does so right away. The soft sheets underneath her are foreign, but not at all unpleasant. She seems to mold into the makeshift bed, as Dom leans over to lie on top of her. She sighs at the sudden weight, and holds on to the top of his biceps to try to keep him there.
It doesn’t work. He’s pulling away and simultaneously holding her down. His hands grip her wrists and hold them above her head, and soon after she finds them tied together.
Arthur’s watching this entire sequence with obvious interest, but he doesn’t lift a finger to intervene. For now, it’s just her and Dom, and it feels like her entire world is about him. She wants to please him and give him everything he wants; she wants to be the perfect submissive, in a nutshell. And the easiest part about it is that she already trusts him. It’s easy to remain safe in the knowledge that he would never hurt her.
He begins by exploring her with his fingertips. He starts at her scalp and moves down, his thumbs stroking across her cheeks and then progress downward towards the pulse points on either side of her neck. Ariadne can’t help the gasp that escapes her throat as his fingers press down there, very near to her windpipe.
She’s never tried breath play before; they’ve never tried it before, but she decides that maybe she really does like it. She needs to explore this further.
“D-dom,” she manages to choke out while he grips her throat, and then as soon as she says it he’s pulling away as if she burned his skin. He looks scared, and oh no that’s not right. That’s not what she meant for his reaction to be.
“No, it’s okay,” she assures him. “Please don’t stop.”
“But-” he begins, “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Cobb,” she says, suddenly breaking character. “Did you hear me use the safe word?”
“No…”
“Then continue. Please.” It comes out as a command.
Somewhere in the background, she hears Arthur chuckle. She chooses to ignore him, for now. She understands why he’s amused, realizes that she’s not exactly following the rules of submission here, but she knows that Dom will understand. Her Dom.
And then Dom’s hands are back on her and she can’t think anymore.
He kisses her lips, but it’s not sweet and gentle like usual; no, this kiss is hard and bruising and demanding, and she loves every second of it. Dom crooks a finger under her collar and tugs so that it’s simultaneously pulling her closer to him and tightening around her neck. She gasps into his mouth and she feels him hum in appreciation. They are breathing each other’s air and it’s such an intimate gesture as one of his hands tightens around her jugular and the other hand draws her in by the collar.
For a moment she literally can’t breathe, and even though she thinks she should be terrified she isn’t; instead she has on overwhelming sense of want and need.
When her breath returns it is devastatingly sweet, but she craves for the pressure to return. “God, Dom,” she says. “I fucking want-”
“Hush,” he replies. “I will give it to you. But you don’t get to say anything unless I tell you to, understand?” She nods. “Good. I don’t want to have to gag you unless you need it. Or… unless you want me to?” he questions. Ariadne shrugs. She really wishes he would stop talking and just take her already.
He shakes his head. “No, not yet. Maybe next time. Right now I want you to take Arthur in your mouth while I fuck you. Can you do that?” he asks. She’s flattered that he would pretend like she actually has a choice in the matter, but at the same time realizes the inevitable outcome whether she replies in the affirmative or not.
She says yes anyway. God yes, please.
Her hands remain tied above her head as Arthur places the tip of his cock between her lips and Cobb’s own cock slips between the folds of her opening. She lies on her back and takes Arthur in further and further until he is triggering her gag reflex. She has gotten better at this since being with both of them, but she’s still not an expert quite yet.
He doesn’t seem to mind. Of course he doesn’t. Arthur palms her cheek and encourages her with every tiny movement. He moans low in his throat and it’s such a primal, instinctive thing and she can’t believe that she’s the one who could make him lose control like this. Words begin to tumble out of his mouth and she can only make out every other one or so.
“Ariadne,” that word is clear. “Feels… there… god, yes. Good girl. So wet… fuck-”
Arthur is a part of her and Cobb is inside of her and god, god she loves them. She loves them both. She wasn’t completely sure before but now it hits her; it hits her with a crushing realization and she can’t believe that she ever had any sliver of a doubt.
“You’re so good for us,” Cobb is saying to her. “So good for me. Both of you are perfect. Jesus.” His praising litany continues, and holy shit his words have such an effect on her. His voice. All she can here is Dom’s voice and it brings her closer to that precipice.
“Ariadne, you’re supple and open and willing. God, you’re so eager. And Arthur- fuck, Arthur, you’re everything. I know you’ll do anything for me… and do you see? You see how much she wants both of us?”
She’s keening upwards, whether to bring Dom further inside her or to swallow more of Arthur, she’s not sure. Maybe both. Probably. Maybe she just wants to prove Dom’s point that yes, god yes, she wants both of them. Probably more than is healthy.
She’s so close. So damn close. She needs someone to touch her, but she remembers that she’s not allowed to speak unless spoken to. So the tortuous pleasure continues, but she can’t really complain.
“Dom,” she hears Arthur say distantly. Apparently Dom doesn’t have a problem with him speaking, and she feels a small wave of annoyance at that. They are both his, they should both have to follow his rules. “Dom, come here,” Arthur says, as he grabs onto Dom’s shoulder and pulls him closer. Ariadne groans as this pushes Dom further inside of her, burying him to the hilt.
Then Arthur is leaning over her and Arthur and Dom are kissing. It’s so close and she can see everything, every movement of lips opening over each other and tongues gently touching, which turns her on more than anything. They are all connected to each other in some way and she has a front row seat to everything. It is intoxicating.
Ariadne opens herself completely. She notices her throat muscles expanding to accommodate the girth of Arthur’s cock as it swells in her mouth. It’s so much, so fucking much and she feels so incredibly full. Complete.
It sends her over the edge. Dom is stroking her sensitive nub again and again and again until she is coming apart under his hand. She cries out as her entire body begins to shake from the top down. Then Arthur is coming in her mouth and Cobb follows soon after.
Indistinctly, she hears the quiet applause and approval from the onlookers that she had completely forgotten about over the past hour. It doesn’t change things. It still feels like her and Arthur and Dom are the only three people in the entire world, instead of three out of some six billion.
Dom relaxes into her, collapsing on top of her with all his weight. She’s still tied and she still can’t move, but even though he is crushing her it is not entirely uncomfortable. Still, at some point she will need to be able to breathe again.
“Hey, Dom?”
His reply is a kiss, his lips melting against hers before moving to explore the corner of her mouth. It’s so sweet and the only thing she wants to do is grab on to him and never let go. But first, she needs to have full use of her hands.
“Um, Cobb?” she tries, and this time he opens his eyes and looks down into her own.
“Yes sweetheart?”
“Can I be untied now?” she asks.
He nods at Arthur. “You can have the honor,” Cobb says to him.
Arthur unties her, she is free and she doesn’t even wait for the circulation to return to her wrists before she is grabbing Cobb and bringing him into another kiss, a bruising one this time. Arthur strokes her hair while they kiss. At some point she detects that Cobb must taste the hint of Arthur’s come on her tongue, but he doesn’t seem to mind at all and the thought is soon forgotten.
Eventually they tire and somehow the three of them end up curled around each other underneath the silk sheets. Arthur lies in between them, and he hums in approval as Cobb places a kiss on his forehead and follows it up with kisses to the rest of his face. Ariadne holds on to Arthur tighter, and although she often feels dwarfed next to the two other men, right now she only feels contented.
They stay there, just like that, until the club reaches its closing time and the very nice manager is kindly kicking them out of the place.
+ + + + +
The second time they go to the club, it’s because Ariadne practically begs that they go again. Arthur is perfectly willing, and Cobb is a lot faster to agree this time. He points out that they could also do the same things at the house, but Ariadne reminds him that having to be quiet so the kids don’t walk in on them might make things a little awkward. And Ariadne’s apartment is out of the question, because her nosy roommate would most definitely not leave them alone.
Besides, Ariadne has decided that voyeurism, as long as it’s with total strangers, is actually pretty hot.
This time they are all much more comfortable, and therefore they make sure to do things they couldn’t do the first time. Arthur and Ariadne both allow Cobb to tie them up, and make it clear that all they want to do is please their “dom” in any way he’d like. The way he smiles is delicious, and Ariadne notices how wet her panties have become. She would have laughed at the ridiculousness of that if Dom didn’t currently have her gagged.
Arthur is in a similar position, and Ariadne is pretty sure he’s equally aroused by the whole thing. Dom holds him down and kisses him until his lips are raw, rubbing his cock against Arthur’s hip all the while. Ariadne cries around the gag, because she hasn’t been touched yet and god she needs it, fucking soon.
Finally Dom touches her, and the sudden rush of sensation causes her to buck against his hand in a frantic manner. He manages to stroke her and Arthur in an equal rhythm, and has both of them going crazy under his ministrations.
Her gag is eventually removed and they each suck him off, and let Dom fuck them in turn. Ariadne gives silent thanks that each of them received a clean bill of health before beginning their activities. The good thing about dream-sharing is that they could do all of this in a dream without having to worry about negative side effects, but then nothing compares to the real thing.
Like how Dom feels as he’s pushing inside her, taking control and claiming her for his own. The teeth marks and scratches that are left on her skin are real, and she doesn’t even need her totem to prove this world is genuine when she can see those claiming marks all over her body afterwards.
She wasn’t sure how this whole thing would work with there being two subs, but she is a quick learner. Ariadne smirks when she sees the absolute look of delight on Arthur’s face when Dom pulls on his collar. The leather gleams even brighter this time, and she wonders if Arthur actually shined it before coming here. She wouldn’t be surprised in the least if he had.
They once again end up wrapped together in a tangle of limbs, and Ariadne is content just to stay there like that forever. She’s the one in between Dom and Arthur this time, who gently stroke her arm and her hair in turn. She closes her eyes and simply breathes in slowly a few times, bone weary and ready to fall asleep even though she knows closing time is fast approaching.
When she does actually fall asleep, she doesn’t get to dream. Before long, she’s being shaken awake until her eyes open and all she sees is blue. She has distant thoughts of kicks and French music and water. So, so much water. It consumes her and she can no longer force herself to get up.
“Time to go, sweetheart,” Dom says, and she lets him pick her up and carry her in his arms, as she lies there completely boneless.
+ + + + +
By the third time they go the club, they hardly even speak. And this time, by Cobb’s prior embarrassed suggestion (that he makes with batted eyelashes and the expression of a fourteen year old virgin wanting to “try new things”) they bring along toys that they’ve never attempted to use before. If they keep going like this, they will have tried every kink possible by the tenth visit.
None of them seem to mind.
She can’t vocalize it, but Ariadne likes it best when Dom hurts her, breaks her apart first and then continues to put the broken pieces back together again with a kiss or the gentle stroke of his hand. It occurs to her that this is probably an indication of some deep-seeded issue within herself, but then (while she does love to analyze others) she’s never been one to psychoanalyze her own person.
She also enjoys it when Dom teases her until she’s open and wet and so damn ready, but he’ll pull away as soon as she gets closer to a peak. This goes on for minutes or hours, long enough that she loses track of time. Arthur will suck on his cock as he goes down on her, which just increases Dom’s fervor.
When Dom proceeds to flip her over and brings a hand down on her backside, she can’t contain her yelp that is more a product of surprise than pain. She doesn’t tell him to stop, doesn’t even think about using her safe word, so he does it again and tells her to start keeping count. Dom insists that it’s not a punishment, but a game. And if she’s good at this game, then she will get her reward.
Ariadne so loves to play. She’s good at it too, and she can tell this for a fact when she sees the look of awe on Dom’s face as she looks back at him.
When he’s done spanking and she’s done counting, he grabs her and kisses her. “You were so good,” he tells her between kisses.
“Will I get my reward, Dom?” she can’t help asking.
“Of course.” He grabs her hand and places it on Arthur’s collar. She looks from her own hand to the leather around Arthur’s neck, and then finally back to Dom. “I will give you control of Arthur for the rest of the evening,” Dom explains when she gives him a questioning look.
Ariadne is shocked, but when looking at Arthur again all she sees is his usual calm resolve. If this is what Dom wants for them, then she’s positive Arthur will obey. She’s not sure if she should or if she even wants to, but a reward is a reward and this one does sound particularly intriguing.
“Do I tell him what to do?” she asks for confirmation.
“Yes,” Dom agrees. “Whatever you’d like him to do for you or to me, you can tell him. And he must listen,” Dom says with a pointed look in Arthur’s direction.
“Well this should be fun. Can I also tell you what to do with Arthur?”
Dom pauses for a moment, clearly considering how to answer her question. “Sure, I’ll allow it. But I have the right to refuse if it’s something I don’t feel like I should be doing.”
“Fair enough,” Ariadne says. After a minute of thinking about what it is she wants them to do, she finally decides on a simple request.
“Dom, do to Arthur what you just did to me.”
“Spank him?”
“Yes.”
The corner of his mouth quirks up in a devious smile. “That I can do.”
Watching them do whatever the hell she wants them to do for the rest of the night will probably go down as the sexiest fucking thing she’s ever seen.
+ + + + +
Somewhere around the sixth or seventh time they go to the club, Ariadne is convinced she’s going to need therapy or a serious reality check or both after this is all said and done. Everything is too good to be true and they all fit together so well that she’s just waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop.
Arthur just smiles at her knowingly the whole time, like he can read her thoughts and be dismissing them at the same time. And Jesus Christ, could he look any better than when he’s coming completely undone under Cobb’s movements? She’s thinking that it’s probably impossible.
Sometimes she doesn’t even want to be touched at all except to bring herself to orgasm while observing Arthur and Dom together. Their previous visit when she was allowed to order them to do whatever she wanted keeps coming to mind. It’s kind of unavoidable that she’d join in the sex though, as this time they’re both all over her and she couldn’t separate from them if she tried. It has been a couple weeks since they’ve had a chance to go to the club, but she’s still surprised by the excitement of both men, as if it’s been years.
Dom keeps insisting on “taking care” of her too, which goes against all of her sensibilities as a capable female, but in this situation she will allow it. In this place, she wants to be taken care of. She needs somebody else to call the shots, to tell her what to do, to give her what she desires.
Ariadne thought it would take her longer to get into the club scene, but the transition is made easier by the fact that she’s with Dom and Arthur. She wouldn’t trust anyone else in this way, and she’s discovered that it’s the fact that they care for her that’s important, not the sex.
Although the sex is a whole lot of fun as well.
+ + + + +
One night, a couple weeks later, Arthur and Ariadne go out for a date.
It’s the perfect opportunity to spend time alone together. Cobb is at his children’s school for a parent-teacher meeting, and then Miles stops by offering to babysit so they can go out. He winks at Arthur on their way out, thinking that he is being surreptitious, but Ariadne is able to easily catch the gesture.
She wonders if Miles realizes the exact nature of the relationship between his son-in-law and the two of them, because it’s obvious that he’s trying to set up her and Arthur. If he knew of all the things the three of them did together, would he be so eager to foster this relationship?
She shakes her head and decides that it doesn’t matter. Arthur wants to be with her, she wants to be with him, and they both want to be with Cobb. Outside approval is an additional benefit, not a requirement.
Ariadne thinks Arthur might take her to a movie, or to a meal, something simple and traditional. She is pleasantly surprised then when he takes her to the fair. It’s incredibly nice of him to take her somewhere that she might enjoy, even though the whole time he’ll probably be fighting greasy foods and messy kids running around the whole time. Ariadne knows that it’s not his usual comfort zone, which makes the gesture all the more special.
“Phillipa and James would love this,” she tells him after they ride the Ferris wheel for the second time. “We should bring them here before it leaves.”
“Definitely. We could bring Cobb too, but only if you want.” He could have been serious about it actually being a choice, but the quirk of a smile tells her otherwise. They’ll bring Cobb with them because that’s what they do. She laughs and slaps Arthur lightly on the shoulder.
“Of course we’ll bring him along.”
The rest of the evening is spent in enjoyable companionship. Arthur buys her cotton candy and every other junk food she begs for, even though he doesn’t want to touch the stuff himself with a ten foot pole. Every time they pass a game with some prize that she desires, he attempts to win it for her.
Even the way he plays carnival games is done with extreme concentration. He doesn’t win any, sadly, and after losing each one he then proceeds to stomp his foot in irritation like a petulant child. “These games are a complete scam,” he complains. “They must be rigged.”
She plays one game of throwing rings around thin bottle necks, and wins a medium sized stuffed teddy bear for him on the first try. Arthur responds with a huff and crosses his arms, refusing to take the prize. She just sticks out her tongue at him and stuffs the bear between his arms anyway. Both of them are nothing if not stubborn.
Ariadne can’t help imagining what it would be like if Cobb was there with them. How would it be different? She thought she’d like some alone time with Arthur, and she is enjoying getting to know him even better, but she can’t help thinking that something is missing. Damn, maybe she’s just been with both of them together for too long now.
Their situation wasn’t what normal people did, was it? This is what normal people did, this right here. Two people going on a date at the fair, playing games and riding rides and stealing kisses at every little opportunity. Not going to a BDSM club to have to have threesome sex that was, admittedly, hot as hell. Right?
“You could be a little quieter,” Arthur points out.
“What do you mean?” she asks, puzzled. “I wasn’t saying anything.”
“Yeah but you were thinking really hard. I could hear you thinking all the way over here.”
Now she lightly punches him on the shoulder, and he grabs on to it and grimaces in mock pain. She is deeply amused.
“So what were you thinking about?” he inevitably asks.
“Nothing important really,” she lies. “Just wondering how much Cobb would enjoy this.”
“You beating me up? Oh, he’d enjoy it immensely.”
Ariadne thinks he must be right, and decides that they absolutely need to convince Cobb to return to the fair with them that weekend. Wanting to show Phillipa and James a great time would be an excellent excuse, even better because it’s actually the truth. Only a half-truth, but who is counting?
When they finally return to the house, Cobb is already there but has fallen asleep on the couch. A book on gothic architecture lies open across his lap. Arthur shakes his head, but there is an amused smile on his lips. “Well, I better put him to bed,” he says.
“Yeah, I should be getting home. I’ll see you tomorrow?” He nods and then reaches for her so he can pull her into a hug. She lets him embrace her, and brings him in tighter when he places a kiss on her forehead. Ariadne brings his face down towards hers so that he can give her a proper kiss, not minding one bit when she hears Cobb shifting on the couch.
“Goodnight,” she tells Arthur once she’s done kissing him. Before leaving she adds, “Make sure you take care of Cobb, and give him a kiss for me too.”
“Always,” he says. She leaves him, knowing with complete confidence that he will.
+ + + + +
The next day is the first time in quite a while that she is able to have some alone time with Cobb. Phillipa and James are at school, Arthur is out at the store buying some food for the house, and for some reason Cobb stays behind instead of going with him as usual. Ariadne is finishing up some schoolwork for her master’s program while Cobb gives her some advice.
They spend little moments talking about other things outside of work and it is nice just being able to relax with him for once, without any outside distractions or pressing issues.
When she finishes her work, she grabs her bookbag and gets up to leave and return to her apartment. Checking her watch, she knows that Arthur will be home from the store any minute now, and she should leave him and Cobb to some alone time before the children get home from school.
She starts to say goodbye to Cobb, standing up on her tiptoes to give him a kiss on the cheek, but he stops her with a question.
“Did you ever wonder why I wanted you to be with us?” he asks out of the blue.
No, she hadn’t thought about it before, but now she definitely wants to know. “Why?”
“Arthur and I, we used to be so close. Inseparable. But we began to drift apart, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep him. And then you came along and everything changed… the way he looked at you, I knew how much he cared about you-”
“Cobb, I never wanted to take anything away from you.” She detects her heart beating against her chest, and Jesus could it just stop doing that for one moment so that it doesn’t break apart?
“No, I know that. I’m not blaming you for anything. But the truth is, you and Arthur are perfect together. You complement each other ways in ways that are unmistakable. I could never fit him like that. I didn’t want to lose him. I can’t lose him. So I did the only thing I could think to do to keep him, and I suggested bringing you into our relationship.”
Ariadne can feel herself reeling at his admissions. The air around her is too heavy, and she knows any second now she might collapse. “Did you ever want me? At all?” She has to fight away the mist that begins to cloud her vision. She’s not going to cry, she’s not going to cry, damn it she is not going to cry. Not in front of him.
“I didn’t at first. Or, I didn’t want to want you, at least. It seemed too inappropriate. You were too young, too innocent. But I did it so we could all be together, and then I did truly start to fall for you.”
Ariadne hears his words, distantly, but she has already made up her mind. He had not been completely honest with her as she had once believed. She now understands the whole truth of it. She responds, “But you don’t really want to be with me. Just me. You never did.”
“Sweetheart-” he starts to reach for her arm, but she draws back as if he slapped her.
“No. Don’t call me that. Don’t ever call me that again.” She backs away, walking backwards to the exit that she knows is somewhere behind her. Ariadne watches him closely as she takes more and more steps, putting more distance between them. But the haunted look in his eyes is clear.
It’s too much. She has to look away or else she may not have the strength to do what she knows she needs to do. Ariadne looks away, and her hand is on the doorknob before she hears Cobb speak. “Please. Please don’t leave me,” he says. This time, for once, it’s not a command but a request. He’s begging. But it’s too late.
“I’m not,” she says. “I was never with you to begin with.” It sounds untrue on her tongue, but she wants to sting him where she knows it will hurt.
She opens the door.
+ + + + +
She calls Arthur and tells him she needs to speak with him now and no, it can’t wait. She doesn’t know what else to do. Then she remembers to add that it is imperative that they meet somewhere else that is not Cobb and Arthur’s home.
He sounds weary over the phone, but he agrees. He must detect the strain in her voice, the hurt that she can barely conceal, but he doesn’t make a big deal out of it. It’s that calming presence of his again, the one that she has been able to wrap herself in so many times before.
They meet at the coffee shop down the street, and it reminds her so much of dreams she’s had in the past that she has to tip over her chess piece just to make sure this is real. It falls correctly. Besides, unfortunately she remembers exactly how she got here and where it is she came from.
“What’s wrong?” he asks without preamble, which reminds her exactly why she is with Arthur in the first place. He is absolutely no bullshit, ever. Unlike some other people she knows all too well.
“First, I want to know exactly the nature of your feelings for me. And don’t you dare lie, because I’ll know,” she threatens, even if she’s not sure that it’s the truth.
He blinks at her a couple times, but doesn’t appear to hesitate at all before saying, “I love you. I’m in love with you, if you will. I know I don’t say it enough or anything, but I thought you knew that already. For that I apologize. But Ari, what is this about?” When he calls her that nickname it brings on a flood of emotion that she has a difficult time resisting.
She still doesn’t want to cry, even in front of Arthur. Because they’ve shared dreams together, shared their bodies completely, but never has she let out her emotions for him in this way. And neither has he, really, which is probably why the feelings that have been building between them threaten to overtake her like a tidal wave. Or like a train plowing through her subconscious, and god why does she have to think about that metaphor right now?
Ariadne brushes the back of a hand across her eyes and puts a purposefully false smile on her lips, because it’s the only thing she can think of to do. “Apparently you’re the only one,” she says.
“What do you mean? What are you talking about?” he presses. And then he places a hand on top of hers and she lets him, as the slightest physical contact suddenly feels more real than anything she’s experienced before; even in the past few months of being with Arthur and Cobb, his hand grabbing hers now is the first indicator she’s had that all of this is truly happening.
“You’re the only one who cares about me that way,” she explains. “Cobb only loves you, and he was only ever using me as a pawn to get closer to you.”
“No,” Arthur says ardently, and shakes his head several times. “I don’t believe it. Cobb’s always had feelings for you. He wouldn’t have chosen to be with you if that wasn’t the case.”
“You don’t understand,” Ariadne continues. “He told me himself, just now. It was all just a game, Arthur.” He still doesn’t want to believe her, she can tell by the square of his shoulders and his concentrated stare as he attempts to puzzle it all out in his head. But he also knows she isn’t lying, because she’s never had any reason to lie to him.
Suddenly, she has to say this. Has to make it clear why she’s so hurt, even though Arthur might already have some idea.
“If it had only been one time, that would have been one thing,” she starts. “It would have just been sex, and then we could have each gone our own way and I wouldn’t have thought twice about it, because I know that you’re both in love with each other. But he pushed for more, so I agreed. I’ve shared everything with him, Arthur. With both of you. Not just my body, but my mind and everything else that goes with it. That’s not only about sex. I love you, you know. Damn it, I love both of you.” She takes in a breath that she desperately needs after her long-winded tirade, and then is gasping again as Arthur’s grip on her hand tightens an almost painful amount.
“Did you tell Cobb any of this?” he asks, and the intensity in his expression almost makes her want to cower beneath the table.
“No, I couldn’t. I left him. I didn’t know what else to do.”
“You have to tell him how you feel. Don’t expect him to get it until you beat him over the head with the obvious. Trust me, I know. I was flirting with him for years before he even got the hint that I liked men, too. I had to corner him while he was drunk, push him up against a wall, and stick my tongue down his throat before he got it.”
She can’t help herself, she giggles at him and the visual he has painted in her mind. The atmosphere suddenly feels so much lighter and she senses now that everything will be okay in the end. Arthur smiles in return, and she’s so glad that a little bit of his seriousness is gone.
Ariadne grasps the crisp shirt sleeve of Arthur’s dress shirt, and if the smile on his mouth is a little more strained, she decides to ignore it. He’ll get over it, eventually. Maybe she’ll offer to iron for him sometime, to make it up to him. But then he might argue that nobody else besides him can get it to look just right. Oh well.
“You have to go with me,” she tells him. “I’m not sure if I can do it without you.”
“Are you sure that’s the best course of action?”
“No, but it’s the best thing I can think of.”
“I’ll be by your side, you know that. You’re the one who has to tell him what you’re thinking, though.”
“I will,” she says. She releases her grip on his arm, and Arthur seems to visibly relax. She’s not sure where they’ll go from here, but it seems like a good idea to return to the house and not waste any time explaining the situation to Cobb.
“And Ariadne?”
“Yeah?”
She sees him swallow an imaginary lump in his throat before he continues. “If you don’t want to be with us anymore, then you’ll need to tell him that too,” he says. “I would miss you more than I can say, but the decision is completely yours.”
She nods at him. “I know.” And then before he can say anything else, she adds, “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
+ + + + +
When they return to the house that Arthur shares with Cobb, he is still in the same position as when Ariadne left him, sitting on the couch and facing the front door. This time, he holds his head in his hands as his eyes are locked tightly closed.
“Cobb,” she states simply, and his head jerks up as if he’s been slapped.
“You came back?” he asks, and the tenderness in his voice is almost enough to make her forgive him right there on the spot. Almost.
Ariadne nods even though she shouldn’t have to, obviously she’s come back. Arthur stands close behind her, grabs on to her elbow for comfort and she’s so incredibly grateful that he’s there by her side. She briefly wonders if this is how Cobb feels all the time, as the point man is practically his shadow and she can understand why Cobb might like having him around.
Before she can speak, Cobb begins to flood the room with apologies and explanations and things she’s not ready to hear. She’s hold up a hand to stop him, and thankfully he does.
“When we started this whole thing, the rules were made very clear. You said you wanted a relationship with Arthur and I, and you acted like that’s what you wanted. I was willing to accept it, nonconventional as it was, because I cared about both of you. Still really want to be with you both.”
Ariadne hadn’t meant to go on this outburst, but she now recognizes that it’s exactly what she needs. She takes a pause as she considers her next words very carefully. “Now that all of that has been turned upside down by your recent confession, I just need to know one thing,” she says. “Whatever’s happened before, I’m willing to let that go. But I need to know if you want me now, and I only ask for the truth.”
“I want you,” Cobb replies emphatically. “If you will have me, that is. And Arthur too,” he adds with an indication towards the other man. “We’re kind of a package deal.”
She sighs. He always did know the exact words to say to make her want to melt, and it didn’t even really matter what he was saying. Just the timbre in his voice makes her more agreeable than she wants to admit, despite already giving herself to him as a submissive.
Ariadne approaches the couch and the man sitting on it, Arthur following close behind. When she reaches it she sits down close to Cobb and he looks back at her with a passion that is unquestionable. She’s surprised that she could have questioned his desires, no matter how recently they have developed.
Ariadne unties the scarf around her neck, revealing the collar that she has kept on ever since the first time they went to the club. Cobb’s eyes widen in surprise, clearly unaware that she’s been wearing it constantly underneath her wide array of fashionable scarves. Ariadne places a thumb underneath her own collar for emphasis.
“You see this?” she asks. “This means I’m yours. I wouldn’t be wearing it, would never have worn it in the first place if it didn’t mean something to me. Because you mean something to me. I’m yours, Dom, and Arthur is yours too. It may not be traditional, but it works for us and that’s all that matters. I’m sure Arthur will confirm that we both belong to you. Besides, I’m in love with you both. And if Arthur and I are perfect for each other, as you say, then well that’s just a bonus.” She looks to Arthur then, and he shakes his head up and down in a silent ‘yes.’
Cobb is silent. A beat passes, and Ariadne’s heart has returned to thudding against her chest. Even after everything they’ve been through, she’s not sure what Cobb will say, and that’s what frightens her. She feels her stomach simultaneously float and sink when he says her name.
“Ariadne?”
“Yes?”
“Please move in with us. We are a family, we belong together, and the kids love having you around, and-”
“Dom?” She interrupts him before he can list all the reasons that she doesn’t need to be told.
“Yes?”
“I will. I’ll move in with you. You’ll just need to find us a job to do so I can pay off the rest of this month’s rent.”
Cobb looks absolutely delighted at her agreement, and she knows then without any qualms that she’s making the right decision. Without another thought, he grabs Ariadne and begins kissing her like he owns her, and god he does. She’s never wanted to be dominated before in her life, but whenever she’s with Cobb that’s the only thing in the world she wants.
Somewhere nearby, still standing in the background, Arthur is smiling. Neither of them notices, but he’ll show them later just how happy he is that the three of them have worked out this arrangement.
When they finally pull away from each other and have regained the use of their lungs, Cobb tells her that he already has a job in mind. And if it’s another not strictly legal one, Ariadne doesn’t mind one bit.
It’s the experiment of dream-sharing that brought them together in the first place, and it’s the excitement of sharing dreams that will bring them back together again and again.
Her only question about it is “how well does this job pay?” Cobb smirks at her in obvious amusement that she doesn’t even question the legality. She figures they have a shared understanding about this kind of thing, so it really doesn’t need to be said.
“It will pay very well. Saito wants to hire us again. Straight-up extraction this time, thankfully.”
It sounds legit, and that’s all she needs to know. “Sign me up,” she says. “Arthur?”
“Of course I’m in,” he replies.
“Good. I’m glad you’ve already agreed, because I’m pretty sure we’re going to need Eames again for this one,” Cobb says.
“Shit.”
It’s practically the first time she’s ever heard Arthur curse, and she just can’t help it. She cracks up, gasping for breath in between bouts of giggles. “Come on, Arthur. This is your chance to tell him all about the sexual adventures you’ve been having lately. Don’t you think he’ll be proud?”
His cheeks turn a bright shade of red, and she’s again reminded how much fun it is to tease that man.
“I’m sure he’ll be duly impressed,” Cobb agrees. “That is, if he believes any of it.”
“He’ll believe it if we gave him a sneak peek behind the curtain,” Ariadne jokes, but not everyone sees the humor in it.
“Hell no,” Arthur exclaims. “I do have to draw the line at some point.”
“Fair enough.”
Cobb shakes his head at the two of them, but she knows that his derision comes out of love. He says, “I’ll also give Yusuf a call. I’ve heard he’s moved to the states and he could probably use the work.”
Ariadne tilts her head. “We need a chemist?”
“No. We need somebody to make sure that Eames and Arthur don’t end up killing each other while on the job.” While Arthur looks less than amused by Cobb’s sense of humor, Ariadne laughs uncontrollably for the second time.
“The team is reunited,” Ariadne says once she can breathe again. “What a lucky girl I am.”
It crosses her mind that explaining their triad relationship to the rest of the team or anyone else would make for a very interesting prospect, indeed. But somehow, none of that seems to matter just as long as Cobb and Arthur continue to look at her the way they are doing.