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[elegantinmind]

[ Arthur is lucky that he knows people here, and he's currently sitting on Ariadne's sofa, the one she's been allowing him to stay on until he gets himself sorted, which he hopes is soon as he hates not being able to take care of his own needs. But he is grateful

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[lessproud]

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Arthur! [ Do you hear the excitement in that girl's voice? Do you, Arthur? ] You're back. Oh my god, where have you been? There's been so much happening and you just vanished.

[lessproud]

Not really. [ But she's laughing anyway. ] It's nice of you to offer though. And don't freak out, we're friendly, honest.

[elegantinmind]

It's the least I can do.

[ He looks around him, considers how much money he can afford, and then decides on something. ] Why don't you come over? Ariadne's got coffee in. You can tell me everything the others left out.

[lessproud]

She wouldn't mind?

[elegantinmind]

She's out, but I don't think she'd mind, no. If it eases your conscious, I can text her first, and I intend to pay her back for the coffee. [ He may or may not be kidding about the latter, but then he might be making a mental note of everything he uses to pay her back. ] Unless now's a bad time?

[lessproud]

I'm free all afternoon. [ She sounds eager, because Arthur's company was always wanted, no matter what, and she wants to see what he was like before all the stuff with Mr. Eames came about. ] Where does she live?

[elegantinmind]

I'll send you the address in a text. [ Which he does whilst still keeping the feed open, the information remaining private from the rest of the city, and he doesn't know why but he trusts her with this, senses that she knows what it is to keep secrets. ] Have you met Ariadne before?

[lessproud]

In passing, we've never spoken. But you all came to my Halloween party, and I met you at Mr. Stark's Casino one time. [ She receives the text, smiling. ] Hey, you're pretty close.

[elegantinmind]

Tony Stark? He's an interesting man. I found him in a bar my first night here, he didn't look too good. [ But it's none of his business, he just wishes he could remember. ] If she comes home while you're over, you can meet her properly.

I'll put the coffee on ready. [ He's tempted to break out one of the bottles of wine, but that would be pushing his luck. ]

[lessproud]

I'll be right over.

[ She smiles once, before hanging up on him. It takes ten minutes for her to get over, ringing the doorbell when she arrives and fidgeting. ]

[elegantinmind]

[ Arthur opens the door mere seconds after the doorbell rings out, welcomes her with a smile as he makes a careful gesture to welcome her in. ]

How do you like your coffee?

[lessproud]

Sugar, milk. If that's okay? If I drink it too black, I get a little bit giddy.

[elegantinmind]

[ He closes the door, laughs quietly. ] It's fine. Make yourself at home, I'll be right in.

[ Arthur wanders into the kitchen, the coffee brewed and waiting to be poured. He makes it how she wants it, his own black in comparison, and carries them in, careful not to spill it on, putting them down on the coffee table. ]

[lessproud]

[ Grinning up at him. ] It's weird knowing you and you not knowing me.

[elegantinmind]

[ Arthur drops down gracefully onto one end of the sofa, sits forward as if he's finding it hard to relax. ] No kidding. Everything about being here is weird. It's a good thing I adjust well.

[ Swallowing a mouthful of the bitter liquid, he ponders something, and if she can answer him then he'll know himself just how close the two of them were. ] How much do you know about me?

[lessproud]

Um. [ She doesn't actually know all that much, but she'd been a friend, and that counts. ] I think you and Mr. Eames are in the Mafia, you like Dolce even though I don't know what that is, you're bad at relationships, and you drink so much coffee I'm surprised you ever sleep.