Disclaimer: If I owned Artemis Fowl, I wouldn't be writing this fanfiction, would I?
This takes place during The Opal Deception, just after Artemis and Holly were rescued from the Eleven Wonders Exhibit
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Do what's right.
That's what Holly had told him to do when they went up the rope.
And now, here he was nearly two hours later, every memory back, trying to figure out the extension of those words.
In the Arctic, a year ago. They hadn't been together long, but he knew that he had met someone special.
In Chicago, six months ago. Before the mindwipe. She saved Butler's life. He had gripped her shoulders when she arrived. It wasn't just because she had arrived to save Butler.
He had missed her, so much.
And then the LEP wiped out his memories of her, damn them. Just removed him from the picture. A liability, they said.
When Koboi's Bio-Bomb went off, and Holly found him, even though he couldn't remember, he could feel something.
And now, thanks to Mulch Diggums, that great dwarf, he had every memory back.
And every feeling.
Do what's right.
Artemis was about to follow those words of wisdom.
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"Erm… Holly?"
The pointy-eared elf in question shot her head in Artemis's direction. She had never heard Artemis use the word 'erm' before. It wasn't even a word.
"Yeah, Artemis?"
"Can I, ah, talk to you for a moment? In the back?"
Somewhat uneasy, Holly nodded. Artemis got up and started to lead her away from the cockpit.
Holly's mind had been warring against itself for almost a year now. For a long, long time she had been wondering with herself if she were in love or not. She knew that Artemis held her in the highest respect, but she knew that if Artemis didn't feel the same, it was very likely they'd grow further and further apart.
And there was no way she could cope with that.
Not even Commander Root knew… had known about this. If he knew, Holly would have her badge in his drawer within two minutes. She had only told one person, one friend, about this. And it took giving him a carrot to keep him quiet.
Foaly had told her that she should just do what's right.
But could she?
Leading her into a small back room in the rear of the shuttle, Artemis closed the door behind them.
"Holly. Do you remember, when we were on that rope, you told me to do what's right?"
Holly nodded. "Yes…"
Artemis took a deep breath. "Well, I'm about to."
And he embraced her.
His lips met hers.
Holly's eyes went wide in shock… then slowly closed as she returned his kiss. She softly wrapped her arms over his shoulders and around his neck, returning his affection with every ounce of her being.
Nothing could separate them. Holly breathed out softly. It felt like the most natural thing in the world, the two being together there, mouth-to-mouth. Holly didn't even hear the door open, then close again.
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Mulch clicked the door closed, his dwarf brain trying to process what he had just seen. He wondered if he should tell Butler.
"Nah."