Dream a Little Dream (Inception: Arthur/Dom) For Me

Dream a Little Dream (Inception: Arthur/Dom) For Me (Chapter Sixteen)

My toes curled around the gritty sand and I closed my eyes, taking in the one moment of sanity in this messed up dream. The salty air warmed my skin and with new clarity I opened my eyes, ready to take on whatever I needed to. I looked to my right – there was Anna, dressed in a bright yellow sundress. Her dark hair was spread around her. She was still asleep. I moved over to her, kneeling in the sand next to her. I touched her arm to find the pulse. There was a strong, steady pulse. That was a good sign.

“Anna,” I said, shaking her slightly. She moaned and turned onto her side, hair falling in sheets in front of her face. Her dark eyes fluttered open, gazing up at my face and the clear blue sky behind me. I sat back on my heels. “Good, you’re awake.”

“Second level?” she murmured, sitting up. I nodded and got to my feet. I located the black metal gun that was lying in the sand a few feet away. I gripped the cold metal, trying to focus on what needed to be accomplished. I needed to find Arthur.

“Anna, do you know where Arthur might be?”

Her eyes acquired a new sharpness. “He should be in the top floor with Richard and Robert. Dom should be coming – “

“Alexia! Anna!”

Dom ran towards us, face panicked and drawn with stress. It felt like a movie moment, and my mind almost automatically slowed down his running as I took in his tousled blonde hair, his loose fitting white shirt and khaki pants. His feet were bare except for sandals, and his hands moved in synchronized motions. His blue-grey eyes met mine and it felt like the world stopped. But it didn’t, and he soon was standing in front of us, panting. “Are you two alright? Have you found the others?”

“We just woke up,” Anna told him. I nodded along with her, eyes staying on Dom. “How long have you been up?

“Just a few minutes,” he told us. He took a few steps closer and pushed up the sleeves of his shirt. “Are you guys ready to head in? We need to find the others and locate Robert. Arthur is assigned to Robert this level, isn’t he?”

“No, I am again,” I said calmly. “Remember? I’m playing his girlfriend. Who will ultimately destroy him.”

Dom sent me a patronizing look. “Don’t be sarcastic with me. Now isn’t the time.”

“And when is the time, Dom? Hm?” My anger was rising. I was still put off from our little “not now” incident on the first level. I think he realized this because he shifted uncomfortably and turned away from me. “Dom!”

“Enough, Alexia!” he snapped. I scowled at his back, folding my arms over my chest defiantly.

“Anna, I think Dom needs you to go find the others.”

Anna nodded quickly, scurrying off. She was probably afraid of the swell of anger and frustration that was sure to ensue from both sides of the argument. Dom stared pointedly out at the calm blue-green ocean. I kept my gaze steady on him.

“Dom.”

“What.”

“You know what.”

“I don’t want to talk about this Alexia,” he said sternly, still keeping his eyes on the ocean. I stepped over so that I was in his view. He kept his eyes above my head. “We need to move. We don’t have time for this.”

“If we don’t talk about this now, then we never will!” I exclaimed, using my hands to pull his face down to look at me. “Come on, Dom. Tell me what’s going on. Why are you so pissy?”

“Because you think it’s fine to flirt with anyone at any point!” he snapped, jerking his face away. “We’re in the middle of a dream, Alex, you can’t just flirt with Arthur and I like it means nothing. And you shouldn’t be doing in the middle of the dream!”