InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "use the force"

Arthur - the Point Man (Inception) (loadedreminder) wrote in utr_logs,
@ 2010-09-06 14:48:00

Entry tags:

arthur (the point man), mal cobb

Who: Arthur & Mal
When: Today-ish
Where: Mal's new place in Paris
Warnings: Buckets o'Angst

Arthur knew that this was going to be a difficult conversation, and it was going to be difficult no matter when it happened, and better to get it over with before too long. That whole getting all the shocks to the system out before they could shatter something mentality.

Which was why he'd called Mal and told her he was going to come make her dinner, and he had something to tell her that was better told in person, because it might go a little easier with a distraction like a home-cooked meal. Or, and he only added this to himself and didn't say it aloud, like a couple glasses of wine with dinner.

So there he was, on her doorstep at half past four with a bag of groceries in hand.

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	la_reveuse 2010-09-06 11:08 pm UTC (link)
	Mal opened the door to him, smiling nervously. She'd been wondering all afternoon what he might have to tell her, and none of the ideas were good. For now, though, she smiled. "Arthur, come in here." It was a totally different flat than he was used to in Paris, and that was all right with her. Hopefully he'd be able to find his way around. "You've not cooked for me in ages." (Reply to this)

	loadedreminder 2010-09-06 11:20 pm UTC (link)
	He smiled at that, just a little, the same fleeting thing it usually was as he padded into the kitchen, "To be fair I haven't really cooked for anyone in ages." He said, setting the bag down and washing his hands before lining things up along the counter, "Waldorf salad, chicken and green beans, rice pilaf." (Reply to this)

	la_reveuse 2010-09-06 11:45 pm UTC (link)
	"That sounds fine. You know I'll eat anything." Mal shook her head. "How have you been, Arthur?" He looked tired, but that was fairly normal. "Mamzelle Petit working you too hard?" (Reply to this)

	loadedreminder 2010-09-06 11:59 pm UTC (link)
	There was another faint smile, starting the rice first and shaking his head, "No, I've actually been asking her for more work lately. Been going through the archives to get them better organized since there hasn't been anything new coming in. You have wineglasses yet?" (Reply to this)

	la_reveuse 2010-09-07 12:07 am UTC (link)
	"Up here." Mal stood on tiptoes to get two glasses, then over to a small drawer for the corkscrew. "You'll have that place organized in two days, you know that, chouette." (Reply to this)

loadedreminder
2010-09-07 12:17 am UTC (link)

"Three days, maybe four." There was amusement somewhere behind his tone, even so, he did hide a sense of humor somewhere under all the sharply-pressed suits. Though, at the moment, he was about as dressed-down as he ever got, slacks and a buttondown shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

He'd moved on to washing the chicken by then, nodding to the bag still on the counter, "Wine's still in the bag."

(Reply to this)

	la_reveuse 2010-09-07 12:26 am UTC (link)
	Mal nodded, going to get it and wrenching the bottle open with an expert twist of the hand. She poured a tiny bit and tasted it. "Exquisite as ever, darling." (Reply to this)

	loadedreminder 2010-09-07 12:35 am UTC (link)
	There was a faint smile at that as well, cutting the chicken with a careful ease. He was, apparently, just as adept in the kitchen as he was anywhere else, "I had a good teacher." (Reply to this)

	la_reveuse 2010-09-07 01:05 am UTC (link)
	"Did you." Mal smiled. She and Dom both loved to cook. She poured two glasses, putting one over to him. "Anything I can do, Arthur?" (Reply to this)

	loadedreminder 2010-09-07 01:13 am UTC (link)
	"A couple of them, actually, if I'm remembering right." He replied, that faint smile still in place, "If you want to start on the salad it should be finished just about the same time the rice is, and it'll be touch and go on the chicken. Sometimes it's hard to tell how long it's going to take." (Reply to this)

	la_reveuse 2010-09-07 02:21 am UTC (link)
	Mal nodded, taking out the salad ingredients, working, humming, pleased when a serviceable salad turned up. "If you want your heathen croutons, you'll add them yourself." Her tone was amused, indulgent. (Reply to this)

	loadedreminder 2010-09-07 02:26 am UTC (link)
	"On a Waldorf salad? That would be heathen." He replied mildly, stirring the rice and putting the green beans on to steam, he was definitely amused by it though, even despite the fact that he was starting to dread the discussion they were going to have later. (Reply to this)

	la_reveuse 2010-09-07 02:51 am UTC (link)
	"Good boy." Mal kissed him on the cheek as she took the spoon and had a tiny bit of rice. "Mm. Wonderful." (Reply to this)

	loadedreminder 2010-09-07 02:57 am UTC (link)
	"Should only be another five minutes on the chicken. Give or take." He nodded at her assessment of the rice, taking it off the heat then, setting it aside to wait for the rest of it, "You've been settling in alright?" (Reply to this)

	la_reveuse 2010-09-07 03:16 am UTC (link)
	"Fine." Mal looked at him, cocking her head. "You know that. Arthur, what is this about?" (Reply to this)

	$Arthur - the Point Man (Inception): :\$ loadedreminder 2010-09-07 03:26 am UTC (link)
	He sighed, "Food first." He said, turning the heat off under the beans as well, turning to the sink to drain them, "I wish it were good news." (Reply to this)

	la_reveuse 2010-09-07 03:40 am UTC (link)
	"You're scaring me." Mal stood in front of him as he turned away from the sink, hands on her hips. "You need to at least begin to tell me what this is." Was Dom dead? Something happened to her children? (Reply to this)

	loadedreminder 2010-09-07 03:53 am UTC (link)
	He set the pot aside on the counter, a careful, precise movement, just like most of his movements were, "It's why I was surprised to see you." Because even as disoriented as she would have been on arrival, he had no doubt that she would have noticed that at least. (Reply to this)

	la_reveuse 2010-09-07 04:11 am UTC (link)
	"You were surprised for another reason besides it being an alternate world?" Mal raised an eyebrow, hands on her hips. She was really starting to get nervous. (Reply to this)

	loadedreminder 2010-09-07 04:34 am UTC (link)
	He nodded, and moved to turn the heat off under the chicken as well, finally turning back to her, "I..." He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, just for a moment, "You died, Mal." (Reply to this)

	la_reveuse 2010-09-07 04:51 am UTC (link)
	All the blood drained from Mal's face, but she set her jaw. "How?" She felt faintly sick, and gripped her wineglass harder. She took a big, undignified gulp, but kept quiet, waiting for more. (Reply to this)

	loadedreminder 2010-09-07 04:57 am UTC (link)
	He steered her gently but firmly to a chair, so much for dinner first, but it was ready at least, and that was good enough. His voice was quiet, but steady, though he wasn't entirely sure how long that was going to last, "You jumped off a building. After Limbo." He shook his head, "I don't know what happened, if ... if part of you never came back, or what." (Reply to this)

	la_reveuse 2010-09-07 05:02 am UTC (link)
	Mal dropped her wine, landing hard in the chair, head reeling. "I ... what?" Her voice was faint, reedy. "How could. I did what?" Her voice was aghast. She had a husband! Beautiful children! What had gotten into her? (Reply to this)

$Arthur - the Point Man (Inception): :\$

loadedreminder
2010-09-07 05:09 am UTC (link)

Arthur caught the glass, if barely, and went to get a paper towel for the spill, staying crouched beside her chair so he was closer to her level instead of towering over her like he usually did, "All I know is that I got a call from Dom about an hour afterward."

He didn't really want to tell her the rest of it, but she had a right to know, so he continued, voice gone just a little flat, "All I know is that he felt ... guilty about it, I think. Because you, a projection that looked like you, started showing up sometimes on jobs."

(Reply to this)

	la_reveuse 2010-09-07 05:20 am UTC (link)
	She knew what that meant, and it was hard to stop herself from dissolving into tears. "How many times did I kill you?" She whispered, managing a weepy-looking smile. (Reply to this)

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