This was excellent. I did read through your notes and warnings before going through the story, but I don't think prior knowledge detracts from the story at all; if anything I felt a growing dread as Ariadne and Eames grew to know and love Arthur that accentuated their grief (and mine!) when all was revealed.

At risk of going on and on, your writing is beautiful. I love the choices you make--I loved that you framed this through Ariadne, there's a clarity in her observation that I think we wouldn't get if you'd told the story through Eames or Cobb that sharpens the story, and I love that we get moments like the one where she wishes Eames had seen the amusement/appreciation on Arthur's face early on, where we see her seeing the heartbreak on Arthur's face after Eames walks past, where she observes the unspoken something between Cobb and Arthur. She's intelligent and observant and it broke my heart, all these little vulnerable moments she spied on (the not quite hearing what Mal was saying to Arthur! wonderful).

This story was painful, and your writing is elegant and restrained ("a flower folding in the dark" is gorgeous). Haha, I'm going to stop myself there. Thank you for this.