Living the dream.

[pointofspecificity]

[Locked to agreat_thief. Superception!Verse.]



Arthur places a metallic case on the coffee table, unlocking and opening it to reveal a complicated mechanism within. “This,” he explains, gesturing to the device with an odd sense of pride and satisfaction, “is a PASIV device. It enables us to enter a dream state and allows our dreams to be shared with others. It probably seems complex seeing it for the first time, but you don’t need to worry about the mechanics just yet – there’s plenty of time for that later.”

Comments

[pointofspecificity]

Maintaining the professional front, Arthur tries to control the smile that keeps fighting its way to the surface, forcing the unrelated thoughts away until the time is appropriate.

He watches as she takes in their surroundings, glancing around himself and wearing an expression of satisfaction at how well the world has come together. "The last big job I worked was based in Paris," he admits sheepishly, "But I hear recycling is good for the health, and having someone to impress doesn't hurt, either."

Not sure if Bela will quite notice the bizarre changes at this stage enough to stop and question it, Arthur takes advantage by making a rose bush appear beside the bench and carefully picking the most elegant one, he offers it to her with a smile. And, acting as though nothing out of the ordinary has just occurred, he continues.

"If you're going to put the dream world to use, you need to be able to create the most basic of features. In the next dream you will be the dreamer and I the subject, so take a good look around, try to remember what you see here, and your mind will attempt to recreate it. It is possible to alter things once you're in the middle of a dream," he confirms, and to support the fact with evidence the square-shaped layout of the park begins to form curves, transforming itself into a circle, "but if it's not kept to a simple degree then the subject of that dream, the person that fills the dreamer's world with their subconscious and brings in their projections of people residing there - in our current case, that would be you - then those projections will start to attack the dreamer - that would be me - like white cells fighting off a disease."

[onsilksheets]

She watches in awe as the rose bush comes into view; it's magical to her. Taking the offered rose with a smile, Bela brings it up to her face and smells it, the pleasant aroma attacking her senses. It also feels so real, so vivid, adding to the overall effect of the dream. "Thank you, Arthur." Bela sets the rose down on her lap before turning her attention back to him.

"So, keep it simple and not elaborate. Then everything will be fine." It did sound very complicated to Bela, but she was determined to get it right and follow Arthur's instructions to the letter; after all, he was the teacher and she was the student. Bela watches in fascination as the park begins to change again, flashing Arthur a very gleeful smile. She felt like a child in a sweet shop.

"What else do I need to know?"

Oh god, why do I keep writing essays?

[pointofspecificity]

"Exactly. When we work a job we get an architect to design the layouts of the dreams, especially if we require a little something more impressive depending on the circumstances. But for the most basic of jobs it's not always necessary."

He smiles as he watches her, seeing the wonder and amazement in her expressions. "It's fascinating, isn't it?" he asks, and even he sounds as though he holds much admiration for it still. "Some of the people I've worked with over the years fail to see what they have in front of them, they're in it purely for the money or for the sake of doing someone over. But I prefer to explore the different possibilities that it offers, see how far certain aspects can be pushed, and learn from the mistakes when things don't work. I find it easier to hold onto reality knowing that this is a piece of technology that few get to experience. The money is a bonus, of course, but it's not what motivates me to keep coming back."

Arthur gets to his feet and offers his hand to her, deciding a walk around the area might help things a long. "Try to avoid bringing in projections that you desire to be there. When dreaming alone it's safe to explore and experiment on occasion, but when you have a focus, a mission to complete, it's better to allow your subconscious to create the people that fill the world. It's for the same reason we avoid creating things from memory - once you start to bring reality in, it's easy to lose your grip on what's real and what isn't. People, places, past experiences that make us who we are, that define us, those are always best left where they are."

Arthur smiles sadly, thinking of Cobb, of Mal, of the people that he's lost during his life, moments that, when he lies in bed alone at night, he plays over and over again, desperately trying to reconcile. "What you need to remember is that no matter what this world allows us to achieve, to recreate things in order for us to play them out with the advantage of hindsight, it can never alter the reality of those situations. And it's dangerous to try."

Because you're awesome like that?

[onsilksheets]

"Ah, so there's various different roles that people undertake when doing a job. What part do you play then?" She's genuinely curious about how everything works, hanging onto his every word.

Bela catches him watching her and smiles a little shyly. "It really is. I've never experienced anything like it before; it's wonderful." Even her voice is full of awe. "I suppose some people just don't appreciate how beautiful it can be. Anything is possible in dreams; as long as you have the imagination for it of course. But it's reassuring to know that you've got your priorities right and aren't it solely for the money." Her smile grows fonder. "Thank you for sharing this with me."

Taking his hand, Bela gets up to her feet and begins to walk with him, a little surprised by how real his hand feels. "No bringing in George Clooney, then?" She teases, playfully nudging him with her shoulder. "I can imagine that mixing reality with fantasy could make you lose sight of your perception. You needn't worry Arthur, I've a solid grip on reality and I won't bring in anything I'm not allowed to." Her thumb brushes over his hand gently, sensing that there's something up.

"Sounds like you've had experience of that or at least know someone who has. If that's true, then I'm sorry for what happened, Arthur." Bela smiles softly and squeezes his hand a little. "You don't have to tell me of course. I respect your privacy."

I'm Batman.

[pointofspecificity]

"Me? I'm the Point Man. I take care of the details, deal with the research, and make sure everything goes to plan. It might seem dull in comparison to what the others do in their specific areas, but without me no one would know what they were doing. And it gives the chance to explore things from every angle, however basic." Eyeing Bela curiously, with unvoiced suspicion, Arthur adds with a smile, "I don't know much about what it is that you do, but I have the feeling you'd make a great Extractor."

Arthur laughs. "Imagination is important, as I've been repeatedly informed," he admits with a hint of bitterness, "But it's not everything. Usually I leave the more creative aspects to the others and make sure they're not getting ahead of themselves." He pauses at that, smiling solemnly. "Letting anyone into this world is always a risk, it's something that's only done when necessary, but you're a rare exception - I know you can be trusted with this."

"George Clooney?" Arthur raises a playful eyebrow. "Certainly not. How would I ever compete?" He looks to their hands, smiling softly, and offers a gentle squeeze in return. "That isn't to say that you can't have fun with the technology, but you always need to be aware of where to draw the line."

"I appreciate that, thank you." A comfortable silence falls, and though Arthur doesn't initially plan on elaborating, he finds himself opening up a little. It's strange, foreign - it's been a long time since he's spoken opening about anything remotely personal. "My mom died when I was fifteen, and during my time with the military I saw friends die in combat. But more recently I lost a good friend. Mal. She was part of our original team, an architect, and the person who brought me into all of this outside of the army. She always reminded me of my mom, and when she died..."

Does that make me Robin?

[onsilksheets]

"Even though you might think that it's dull, your role is very important. I know a little about having to plan and get everything worked out so that it's precise. So, I can sympathise with you." A little smile. "Besides, the Point Man is kind of a snazzy sounding title." This is Bela's way of assuring you that you're awesome, Arthur. "You do? Well, Extractor is closely related to my profession."

"It's your job to reel them in if they get a little too creative? I suppose you wouldn't want the task to go awry. I understand your logic on that." Bela gives him a fond look. "I'm really glad that you trust me with this part of your life, Arthur."

"George Clooney doesn't hold a candle to you." Bela replies, a little grin on her face. "Or a candelabra for that matter." Her expression turn serious again. "I know not to go too far, that would make problems for everyone." She can't help but squeeze his hand again.

Bela's face softens when he tells her that. "Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that about your mum. And your friends of course." Not that she was close to her parents, but she can understand the loss of someone. "I'm also sorry about Mal; she sounds like a wonderful woman."

Yes! Batman would be lost without a Robin.

[pointofspecificity]

"It is, isn't it?" Arthur laughs, then, appreciating the light-hearted attempt to reassure him that she doesn't think of him as a lower being for not having a specific field. "It didn't have the same ring to it back in the army, and the uniform did nothing for my complexion. No, being the best Point Man in our game and wearing a suit more than makes up for everything else."

Smiling, Arthur nods. "I do. I bet you could give Cobb a run for his money, and he's the best there is." And, speaking of what Bela does, Arthur has been dying to ask, but as someone who understands how hard it is to trust people where a somewhat illegal profession is concerned he's refrained up to this point. "Do you usually work alone?" he inquires, and though he doesn't doubt that Bela is capable of taking care of herself, it's easy to make enemies in their line of work. Not that he's worried over her safety, of course.

"Unfortunately, yes." Arthur sighs dramatically, but there's amusement in it. "It's a nightmare, but someone's got to do it. There's one member of the team who is especially difficult. But sadly we need him. In the real world he's good with forging papers, but in the dream state he has the rare ability to forge himself into whoever we need him to be. And he has extremely sticky fingers, which also comes in useful on occasion."

"Flattery will get you everywhere." And Arthur looks smug, walking that little bit taller, even if it is in a playful way, he's glad he can trump George Clooney. He smiles when she squeezes his hand, and in turn he lightly swings their hands, the smile growing into a smirk.

"She was lovely," he confirms sadly, voice quiet and wavering. "It's hard, sometimes, to control your emotions, to keep them from seeping out into the dream. But not impossible." He stops then and turns to face her, looking regretful before he opens his mouth, and to show that he doesn't mean it viciously he takes both of her hands and holds them gently. "It's important that if you have any ghosts, ones that haunt you often, that you find a way to put them to rest. Guilt, repressed anger, grief - in the real world we may find ways of coping with them, of living around them, but here we delve into the deepest, darkest chambers of the mind, and whether we intend to or not, it's easy to find ourselves faced with demons that could come to define who we are if we're not careful."

Hello Arthur in a tux *licks*

[onsilksheets]

"I'd imagine you'd look damn good in a uniform, but I do prefer the suits I must say. You wear them well." He looked even better out of them, but Bela didn't say that, preferring to keep the conversation a little bit more serious for the time being.

Bela nods. "I've always worked alone, Arthur. Less people to look out for that way." And more money to be made, she thinks about adding, but doesn't. She should just outright tell Arthur what she does because she has the distinct feeling that he wouldn't judge her for it. He was good like that.

The person that Arthur described sounds like he could be in the same profession as her, apart from the forging people part. "Alright, now that is an interesting thing he can do in the dream state." Sticky fingers? Bela definitely has those. She was very good at what she did.

"Oh, really?" There's a teensy smirk on her face when he says that, her mind drifting back to very wrong thoughts. He always seemed to bring that side out of her as well. Bela swings their hands back, enjoying the playful nature of the gesture. "I'll keep that as note for the future."

The next part hits Bela hard; it's almost as if Arthur is talking about her. Grateful for his hold on her hands, she looks at him straight on, trying not to let her emotions betray her. But it was difficult to say the least, his words were stirring up old emotions and memories that she thought she had buried deep inside. Bela doesn't really respond, she just gazes at Arthur, not sure about what to say. She reckons that he could probably guess what she's thinking and feeling right now.

God, ikr? That man could wear a bin bag and make it look sexy.

[pointofspecificity]

“You don’t have to be left imagining, of course.” He leaves what he delivers as a serious statement hanging there for a moment as he tries to contain the coy smile that’s threatening to escape. “There happens to be an old uniform collecting dust at the back of my closet. You could always take a look and make a committed decision.” Arthur, sadly, doesn’t possess the ability to read minds, but if he did he would swear that Bela’s mind joins his in the gutter more often than not.

Arthur understands the logic of working alone, but he’s never really been one to practice it. “Doesn’t it get lonely, though?” He might not always be the most sociable of people, but, he thinks, that he would miss having a sense of family around him if he were to always work alone. “And if things go wrong, how do you manage without back-up?” If he comes across as being blunt, he doesn’t mean to be, but as someone who likes to understand things asking questions is second nature.

“Interesting, yes, but it’s an incredibly rare talent to possess. He explained the basic process of it to me once, but unless you find it easy to disconnect yourself from your own mind it’s impossible to do.” Arthur laughs. “And aiming to be anything remotely like Eames isn’t healthy for anyone.”

“Well, maybe not everywhere, but near enough.” He nudges her shoulder with his own, chuckling softly, and breathes in deeply, the fresh air and pleasant scent of flowers soothing. One day he’ll have to take Bela on a picnic, he thinks, and make do with the less refreshing air that reality offers.

Arthur isn’t always quick on the uptake when it comes to people and emotions, but he can see the glint of something within the depths of Bela’s eyes, something that he suspects might be fear, but the sadness that lies there is hard to miss. He doesn’t want to trespass, to touch on painful subjects unless she chooses to, so he doesn’t say anything. Instead, he offers a sad smile of understanding and carefully brushes back the loose strands of hair from her face, gently cupping her cheek and brushing the pad of his thumb against the soft skin.

[onsilksheets]

"One day you will have to show me that uniform. As an item of interest." No, Bela isn't thinking of getting Arthur into the uniform. Except that she is. And if Arthur could read her mind, he would certainly see some very interesting mental images cropping up.

"Sometimes it gets lonely." But she's used to that, always on the go, never really settling down in one place. She did have her place in New York but even then she didn't set out to make friends or build up relationships with anyone. "I manage well enough. Always have and always will." Bela did say that a bit bluntly, but not in a mean way.

Bela smiles a little. "Probably best to stick to what you know and be the best Point Man there is." Though Eames' role did sound intriguing and a little close to what Bela had to do for her job: assume different aliases whenever she needed to.

She remains quiet and leans in to the touch before she presses a light kiss to his lips, not needing to say anything for the time being. Bela rests her forehead against his gently and takes a moment for herself.

[pointofspecificity]

Arthur jots down a reminder to dust off the uniform the first chance he gets in the mental notebook he keeps, and smirks, the glazed look in Bela's eyes not escaping his notice. But he doesn't want to embarrass her, if it's at all possible, and composes himself to seem serious and understanding, nodding. "If I can help you in this newly gained interest, I'm more than willing to do anything at all to help." And, he thinks with a grin, he really does mean anything.

"Being independent isn't a bad thing. You don't have to rely on anyone, for a start, and it's a good way to avoid disappointment." But the smile he offers her is somewhat sad. Arthur admits that he doesn't know a lot about Bela at this early stage, and that's okay, because it's the journey that makes a relationship: the adventures along the way, the excitement of discovering and exploring, of creating - ironically, he notes, not that different to stepping into the world of dreams. But he does know that she never mentions family, that she rarely mentions friends or associates, and as much as he admires how strong and independent she clearly is, he can't help feeling a little sad. He doesn't pity her, it's obviously a lifestyle that suits her, that she chooses to live, but he can't help wondering if she's missing out, if it’s not something she once didn’t have a choice over and now sticks with it because it’s all she knows. And, though working with others isn't really an option with what Arthur does, he does enjoy being alone, working away from the team when there's research to do, and isn't the most sociable of people, but he can't imagine life without familiar faces. "But sometimes you shouldn't just have to manage. Sometimes it's good to experience things with others, to take risks. You shouldn't always have to do everything alone." You can rely on me, he thinks, but he doesn't add it, even though it's implied in the gentle look as gazes at her.

"I think you're right, and I am the glue that keeps them together, after all. They'd be lost without me." He laughs, staring off into the distance. Sharing this world with Bela is one thing, but what if it could be something more than that? He thinks for a while, and then adds, "I could explain it to you, if you wanted, and you could try your luck. When you're more comfortable in the dreamstate, obviously, and only if it's something you'd be interested in exploring."

Their hour is almost up, and there's been a lot of information for Bela to take in and consider. He presses a tender kiss to her forehead and slides an arm around her back, continuing their walk around the park in a comfortable silence, or, if not quite that, then a thoughtfully distracted silence.

[onsilksheets]

"Which is why you're fantastic like that." She's still acting all serious as if she isn't implying anything devious at all. "Of course, if there's anything you want me to wear, I have no problem with that." Bela could allow herself to be a little suggestive.

"You don't need to worry about me, you know." She wasn't prepared to share everything about herself and her life just yet. Bela did trust Arthur but it was difficult for her to let go and take down her walls to let people in and get to know the real her. Bela Talbot was a facade, something she created to hide behind so that she could manage in life. The past still affected her, much as she tried to push that back into the far recesses of her mind. She raises her eyes to his. "But I'm willing to learn to play nice with others." Her tone is light and teasing, but there's a hint of sadness in her green eyes.

"I would be interested in learning more about it. But another time, perhaps. For now I just want to enjoy this. What we have here and what we have outside in the real world."

She smiles softly at the kiss, slipping her arm around his waist and walking along with him. Bela is content to walk in silence, contemplating everything that Arthur had just told her as well as her own past. It was an interesting mix in any case.

[pointofspecificity]

"Oh?" He manages to pull off a look of innocence mixed with genuine curiosity for all of two - maybe three - seconds before it slips and gives way to the smirk that breaks loose, showing exactly how pure his thoughts are. But he tries to keep up the pretence. "Well, in that case, if you happen to have - oh, I don't know - an old school uniform floating around, or something that closely resembles one, it could prove to be useful."

Arthur smiles at that and playfully nudges shoulders with her, trying to lighten the mood. "Because you're usually such a monster," he says with a sarcastic roll of the eyes. He doesn't expect anything from anyone, as a general rule, and Bela is no exception to that. It's easy to feel suffocated by someone, by a situation, he knows, and he doesn't want her to feel as if he's pressuring her into anything. So he leaves the topic where it is, open for future use, for a time when they're both ready.

"And enjoy it you shall. We have all the time in the world, and we can work at whatever pace you're most comfortable with."

He smiles to himself as they walk, not sure if it was the best introduction to something like this, but thankful that it went smoothly enough. After all, they do have plenty of time to work out the kinks, and the endless list of things that he wants to show her can wait.