Avery's Note: This is a crack-shot idea that may or may not have potential. I'm open for any suggestions that you might have. I hope you enjoy it.
Summary: Butler is an enigma. Butler's past is even more secretive than the man himself. When a young woman shows up claiming to be his illegitimate daughter, his world is turned upside down and inside out. Must he now choose between having the family he always wanted or his young master, Artemis? AFxOC
The story thus so far: N/A
Just Tell Me You Love Me
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Chapter 1: So We Meet
Artemis Fowl, although making an agreement with him mother to forgo all heinous crimes, was willing to compromise when it came to perpetuating the family wealth. But these escapades were usually of a minor scale, like rewiring a couple million Euros to his bank account.
With much more free time the young mastermind grew bored more and more often. Stealing money from a bank wasn't difficult, taking him five minutes at the maximum. He could tolerate his twin brothers only so much before he needed to engage himself intellectually. In that department, there wasn't much to do either because most all of the plans needed a devious crime or two in order to come to fruition.
Disinterested, Artemis went through his E-Mail on his handheld as he chewed on his left thumb nail. He wasn't necessarily nervous, just bored enough to act like he was nervous. There was a small ping and vibration as his E-Mail automatically updated itself.
"You have something I want," Artemis read aloud to no one in particular. "Be at your favorite café in half an hour. I'll treat you to lunch, while we're at it. A."
Artemis frowned at the message. Not because it proved that there was a criminal out there who wished to enlist his assistance, but that it was the type of challenge he probably had sworn not to participate in. But he would never know what the message fully entailed unless he investigated.
Artemis opened a separate window on the screen of his handheld and did a background check on the sender of the message. Any data on the individual was nonexistent. There wasn't an IP address of the message, either. So early into the game, and he or she was a couple of steps ahead of him.
Artemis pushed the handheld into his pocket and walked as calmly as he could into the kitchen.
"Butler," he announced as he entered. "Do you have a minute or two?"
The loyal manservant put his gun barrel and metal polish down and gave his full attention to his young master. "What is it, Artemis?"
"I think I want to go out to the café and have lunch there. There's a friend I would like to meet. Is that alright with you?"
Butler nodded, returning back to his work of maintaining his various firearms. A smile spread across Artemis' face, a highly rare action made by the boy. "As long as it doesn't entail anything underground," the manservant added as he snapped the final, polished piece of metal into place.
"Is the pun intended?"
"Yes." Butler raised an eyebrow. It was the first time Artemis openly responded one of his jokes.
There was a silence as the two men tried their best not to smile nor laugh. Artemis cracked first, letting out an awkward sound that was a stifled chuckle. Butler smiled widely at his charge. For the past few years, the two had unintentionally distanced themselves. But now they were closer than ever.
In minutes there were in the Bentley, driving towards the single restaurant Artemis ate at for pleasure, not at just for business negotiations. Artemis checked the density of the crowd present out of habit. He never was too thrilled when he had to wait for an open table.
No one was present in the café, except the maître d.
"Good afternoon, gentlemen," greeted the two men as they walked in. Butler nodded to the man, Artemis ignored him completely. "Are you here under reservations for…?" The waiter looked peculiarly at the letter written on the page. "A?"
Artemis gave a slight nod to Butler, who nodded to the head waiter. The maître d scribbled something on the page and picked up three menus. "If you gentlemen would follow me, please."
Butler stood a little closer to Artemis as they walked into the café. Although they had eaten here several times, Butler was still wary of any potential threat to his young master. Butler was even more cautious since he didn't know who this friend of Artemis' was, and especially since the usually full café was bare empty.
"My friend must have reserved the entire restaurant," Artemis thought. "No interruptions. No witnesses."
Also out of habit, Artemis created a variety of plans in case something unexpected did happen. Which, given his past few years, tended to. With his bodyguard on the alert, it made him just a little anxious. However, Artemis knew the situation was cleared when Butler dropped a step behind.
The two men seated themselves at a table for four next to a large glass window on the right side of the room. As they settled themselves in their seats, the waiter asked, "May I get you something to refresh yourselves while you wait?" He handed each a menu and set the last one in the spot across from Artemis.
"Water," the two replied simultaneously. They weren't in the mood to have coffee or tea with their lunch, and carbonated liquids made Artemis feel queasy in the stomach.
The maître d nodded and took off to the kitchen. The double swinging doors made a soft swoosh as the man passed through them. A louder sound was made as the front door to the restaurant was pushed open.
A young woman, about the same age as Artemis, walked in. She propped her designer Dolce and Gabbana sunglasses on top of her head to reveal black opal eyes. There was a bright sparkle behind them, as if her eyes were made with the stars in them. She smiled warmly and walked gracefully over.
Artemis' heart skipped a beat as he examined her. He nervously re-crossed his legs and tried to ignore the heat coiling in his lower abdomen. His breath was a little heavier and a little more laborious. His heart, albeit regaining its standard rhythm, pounded against his ribs.
The young woman was beyond gorgeous. Her curled, jet black hair cascaded gently across her delicate shoulders. She had a thin frame and pale skin, but one could see the defined outline of muscles. She wore an Armani, bright floral sundress to accent her delicate frame and feminine curves. The heels of her matching shoes made her a few inches taller than she really was. In her ears hung two diamond drops and she wore a diamond ring on her right index finger.
Artemis tried his hardest not to stare and have his mouth drop open as she came over to the table. Butler kicked him gently under the table and Artemis gave him a grateful glance, having finally been able to peel his eyes away from her.
Butler stood up and pulled her chair out for. "Thank you," she said as she sat down, never taking her eyes from Artemis. Her voice was the sweetest of melodies Artemis had ever heard, even those of Debussy's Clair de Lune. Butler nodded in acknowledgement and sat down again next to his master.
"You must be A?"
She laughed. It was even lovelier than the sound of her voice, which Artemis had at first never thought possible. "I suppose you could but it that way." She extended her hand across the table. "Avery Lefluer."
The young man took it. "Artemis Fowl." He brought Avery's hand to his lips and kissed them gently. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Avery chuckled at the outdated formalities. "You're quite the charmer, aren't you, Fowl?" She reclaimed her hand and brushed a few locks of her hair behind her shoulder. "I've met a lot of men in my lifetime and never any as whimsical as you."
"Just like the flowers, an admirable beauty accompanied by pungent scent, Mademoiselle Lefleur." As the words came out of Artemis' mouth, he mused to himself where he learned to be charismatic towards elegant young women. Through process of elimination, he figured it was due to the stages of sexual development at the age of seventeen.
She smiled politely at the flattery. Avery didn't care much for faux genuineness, but it didn't hurt her confidence to hear wonderful things said about her to her face. "Shall we get straight to our business then, Master Fowl?"
"Yes, what is it that I have that you desire?" Artemis asked. He had temporarily forgotten about the dealings that were supposed to occur. "But first, let me introduce my comrade."
"Butler," Avery cut in, the brilliant smile never leaving her face.
"Do you know him?" Artemis asked. He seemed to be asking a lot of questions that day. The practice was fairly new to him.
"I know him… to an extent."
Butler extended a hand across the small, square table. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Mademoiselle Lefluer."
Avery laughed at the title given to her. "Please, I'm not French. Nor am I a woman on any respectable degree."
Whilst Butler recalled the woman who alleged the exact same statement to him, Artemis made a mental note of her slight disposition to being called "Mademoiselle." Avery paused for a moment, waiting for the two men to commit their mental notes to memory.
"I'm quite sure if Artemis was aware of my cover name, Domovoi, he would have had you dispose of me already."
At the mention of Butler's real name, Fowl and his manservant's heads snapped to attention. In their minds, Avery changed from an exquisite woman into a considerable threat. "How does she know me?" thought Butler. "How did she break through the security systems?" Artemis questioned himself mentally.
"The honor is all mine, father."
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To be continued…