November 23, 2013
There's been a lot of Artemis/Orion requests on tumblr and I wanted to write this loooong one-shot. I admit I haven't read the Last Guardian, this is taken from what I know. Perhaps some OOC and lots tense inconsistency but I really wanted to publish this.
Under Atomic Skies
by lumidai
You were looking for something to believe,
you were looking for something to understand.
Our twisted sense of loyalty
was getting so out of hand.
We burned our bridges,
we loved under atomic skies.
After Artemis Fowl woke up from the dead, he felt considerably empty.
And he should be happy, he guesses. He has life again. It wasn't his original body, but he is alive.
But he felt something is missing. Something he couldn't quite point out. He never realized he had it, but then again you don't realize what you really have until you lose it.
Holly took a long time to tell him his memories. It took him even longer to comprehend all the information, because his intelligence didn't want to accept such blasphemy. But the proof was there in front of him, and some years later he accepted the memories as a part of him.
After that, life continued, and it became incredibly dull. People were careful around him, those who knew that he was dead for six months treat him so carefully, as if he were to die again just by touching him. Those who thought he went missing again kept bothering him with questions. Not that he remembered exactly anyways, so he always ignored them.
And as dull as it was, life overwhelmed him. It overwhelmed him because Artemis felt as if he was thrown back to the beginning, and for once he didn't know where to start.
For the meanwhile, he stayed in one place, trying to adapt into life again. But nothing appealed to him. If he didn't know anything about himself, he couldn't move on. Not even by just pretending.
"A new art gallery opened in downtown Dublin," says Angeline to him at the dinner table one day. She tried to get him to go out more, that hasn't changed, and especially now. It was as if she still had some hope that he'd change. But like always, Artemis showed disinterest. "They're featuring this artist that makes beautiful realistic oil paintings.
He looks up at her briefly, then back to his plate. "Oh? Who's the artist?"
"Oh, it's that new artist that surged up suddenly. What's his name, Timmy?"
"I believe it's Daniel Riley, an American New Yorker," says his father. "You should go, Artemis. You used to like art so much."
Artemis looks up to look at his father, who was busy cutting his steak.
"I'll take your word for it," he murmurs.
So Artemis went. He wanted to see if he could really get that love that he had for art before his death. Butler described the time when he stole this painting famous painting from this bank. He must really love art for him to steal only one piece.
Of course Butler went along, it was only them. Butler drove and Artemis sat silently in the back. They were more silent now, they rarely had conversations. Butler missed the conversations, but he couldn't force conversation onto Artemis. Not when he didn't show interest for anything.
The art gallery was a large glass dome, with two large fountains up in front. The banner with the name "Daniel Riley" in large white letters was hung up at the entrance.
The gallery was considerably full, but then again it was the grand opening. Wine and champagne was handed out, and Artemis took a glass as he roamed around.
A large group of people were in one corner, probably interviewing the artist. There were so many people there, Artemis couldn't even see his feet.
He and Butler finally started walking about. The first few paintings were paintings of abandoned geography, of how certain places would look if humanity suddenly vanished. There were many paintings of this sort. There would be no humans at all and if there were humans, they would always be two men. No more, no less.
The second part of the gallery was filled with paintings of simple mundane things. A car with a desert background, a messy room, a boy sitting on his bed. A boy with black hair and blue eyes, staring at his hands. Though extremely normal, it gave Artemis a peaceful feeling. Because the paintings were so well done and so realistic, you could mistake it as a photograph of calm places and things that actually exist. Perhaps they did.
The last part of the museum was the most crowded, and Artemis wanted to see it badly. He wanted to see more of the artist's fantastic work. Now he knew what his father meant by his love of art. He felt the intrigue buzzing in his head, and he wanted to meet the artist, to hear his inspiration.
He waited for the people to clear. Once the did, he stared at the paintings. The first one was eerily familiar.
Ho Chi Minh City was the title of the painting. The painting was of an empty alley way, but Artemis knew there were more people in there.
The second one was of a train in a blizzard. The train seemed to be in fast movement, the snow seemed to be falling so hard and Artemis could remember how cold that day was.
He glances at Butler, and he had the same confused expression. He was probably thinking the same thing as Artemis. These sceneries were so familiar. If he felt familiar, Butler must certainly know. But he didn't want to ask, he might even be wrong.
Which was wrong for him to think, Artemis Fowl was never wrong. But he wasn't exactly Artemis Fowl anymore.
The third picture was of a skyscraper from bird's eye view, as if from a helicopter. The fourth of an abandoned amusement park illuminated by red light, monstrous hairy creatures around it. The fifth was of a theater, with the spotlights exploding. The sixth was of the bottom of the ocean, with something glowing in the distance, like a city.
And the last one, the last one was of a boy standing in the middle of a field from worm's eye view. The sky was dark but distant explosions could be seen and white wispy things going up to the sky like silver threads. It was called The Last.
He could see everything so clearly now.
"I was hoping you'd come," said a voice.
Artemis jumped and he turned around quickly, as did Butler.
His heart stopped a bit. There in front of them was a young man, perhaps younger than Artemis. He was dressed in a gray suit with a black tie. Though what he was wearing didn't interest Artemis, it was his face. The resemblance was terrifying. The cobalt blue eyes, the pale face. Perhaps what differentiated them was that this man had a square face, long shoulder length hair, narrow eyes and thick-framed black glasses. His build was taller and stronger, but still Artemis recognized him and it honestly scared him.
The young man sipped at his champagne. "It's not everyday you get a celebrity to gaze at your gallery, especially for such a long time, eh, ?"
Artemis looks around and realized there was only six or four people still lingering around the gallery. Just how long had he been staring? And of course, he was a celebrity around Dublin. Son of the famous businessman and one of Europe's most genius.
"Pardon my suddenness," says the man, a smirk on his face. "I'm the artist, Daniel Riley."
Artemis felt a knot in his stomach. "Artemis Fowl," he says, outstretching his hand and they shook.
"What did you think?" asks Daniel. "Did you like the gallery Mr. Fowl?"
Artemis nods. "It's unique. Most people do these sort of paintings digitally now, it's amazing you made such detail with a mere paintbrush."
Daniel shrugs. "It's not much. I'm not the first person that paints abandoned geography or still life."
Artemis stood silent. "Yet you made it your own. I'd like to know what your inspiration was."
Daniel eyes him. "You'd like to know?"
Artemis nods. Daniel put his champagne glass down on a nearby table and took another glass. He took him and Butler to the abandoned geography part of the gallery. "You may recognize some places," says Daniel. "That's Manhattan for example."
Artemis nods, looking at another. He recognized the place being Paris, two men sitting on a bridge overlooking the Eiffel tower that was surrounded by trees. The buildings around the bridge were covered in vine type of things and more plants.
"Why is there two men in the majority?" asks Artemis, glancing at Daniel that was looking at him intently.
"I wanted to take the being the the only two people in the world to another level. Imagine, how it would be to be the only two in the world. Being the alone with your loved one for eternity."
Artemis blinked. "Two men. You are…?"
Daniel shrugs. "I am. I didn't want to interpret something I wasn't."
Artemis nods. "You're honest, that's probably what gave these paintings power," he murmurs absently.
Daniel then took him to the second part of the gallery, the simple paintings. "These were just visions that came to me. A normal life is what everything wants, don't they? A normal and tranquil life at least."
"I'm afraid my mother has repeated it to me many times," sighed Artemis. Daniel smiled, as if he knew something Artemis didn't.
Then they finally went to last part. Artemis's breath hitched every time he looked at the paintings. It was if he was looking at something once more.
"What does this remind you of?" Daniel asked, instead of immediately starting off with the explanation.
"Things I can't really remember. Things that I know are there but I just can't remember." said Artemis, almost unconsciously.
"Artemis," says Daniel suddenly, and Artemis glances at him. He went from formal to casual so quickly.
Daniel stared at him for a long time and pointed to the last painting. "Look at my signature."
Artemis did so, and at the corner of the painting, in messy scrawl, was the name "Orion".
"Does that ring any bells?"
Artemis remembered that Holly told him about when he had some mental illness, The Atlantis Complex. How he had developed a second personality, a romantic fool that wanted to concentrate on fantasy rather than reality.
The thought that ocurred to him was so ridiculous, he couldn't believe it. But taking in consideration all that he's been through, it didn't seem so ridiculous.
"You can't be," says Artemis. "You were just an illness, you-"
"The point is that I exist," says Orion softly. "Here I am. Look at me." Orion cleared his throat, taking his glasses off. "You died and I went off somewhere else, taking your memories with. I'm alive now, Artemis."
"You can't be," repeats Artemis again. "Holly said you were completely idiotic, what with your bivouac and your fantasies-"
Once again Orion interrupted. "We were ill," he says. "While you were obsessed with your guilt and the number four, I was obsessed with your needs. You were a sexually frustrated teenager that wanted to run away from reality, I just represented that when you ran to the back of your head. "
Artemis inched away from him. Orion gave a wider smile. "If you're interested, we can go to dinner tomorrow. I'll tell you everything Holly didn't tell you."
A light turned off in some part of the gallery. Artemis felt the knot in his stomach tighten, but he nods. "Tomorrow. Same time. Here."
Orion nods. "Alright, Mr. Fowl. Always taking the decisions first, hm? That hasn't changed at all." He laughs, and Artemis thought he saw himself for a moment.
Artemis preferred to go alone to the dinner, but Butler wouldn't have anything of it.
"You can't trust him," says Butler. "He could be a stalker of some sort and here you are walking into his trap."
Artemis didn't want to point out that it was highly unlikely, but submitted into Butler's request to go anyways.
"Besides, the old Artemis would never go alone," Butler says in a soft voice. He saw a frustrated expression on his face. "Your intelligence should know that."
But this wasn't even the old Artemis. I'm a confused soul in some artificial body, Artemis wanted to say. But he stays silent, and Butler opened the door to his seat.
When they arrived to the gallery, there was Orion, in a red button-up shirt and skin tight pants with brown lace-up boots. He was even wearing some ridiculous black beanie hat. He was tapping onto his phone when Artemis arrived to the museum. When he saw him, Orion gave a wide smile and waves his hand, walking over to them quickly.
"I was thinking we should go eat some Mexican food, but then again I remembered you don't like spicy food. Would you prefer a normal dinner, Artemis?"
"I made reservations at an Italian restaurant," says Artemis, and Butler opened the door for them.
Orion rolls his eyes. "Typical of you, I should've expected it. Good thing I didn't reserve anything, eh?"
Artemis didn't answer. Orion knew him better than he did.
Once arriving to the dinner, Butler stood at Artemis's side once they sat down.
Orion pursed his lips as he read through the menu. "I can understand why Butler is so suspicious of me. I mean, I have no decent evidence."
Artemis looked up from his menu. "You know how he is, don't you?"
"Well I have your memories," said Orion, scrunching up his nose in thought as he continued looking at the menu. "You and Butler know each other like the sky and the clouds. I know how paranoid he is of people. And then your parents wonder why people don't approach you much," he chuckled.
Butler gave a frown. "Tell us how much you claim to know."
Orion shrugs. "Just everything Artemis knows, I mean, knew. I remember that time when he caused his science teacher's sleeve catch fire because she insulted his intelligence. He would've done more but the women went out running."
Butler blinks. That was something he himself knows.
"I was part of him once," Orion points out. "I know everything."
"Tell me more," Artemis demands. "Tell me everything."
Orion took a sip of his wine. "I'll start over the main dish."
"Now, Orion," snaps Artemis, impatient.
"You're ruining the mood."
"Orion..." says Artemis in a menacing tone.
Orion gave a long exaggerated sigh. "Fine. You were born on…"
The detail Orion gave cleared up everything. He didn't tell him exactly everything, but just enough to clear up the blank spots. Because Orion experienced it like Artemis had done. That's why it was probably easier to believe.
"I remember the panic you felt when you saw Holly's finger on the floor. You were freaking out no matter how calm and cool you wanted to seem. That punch hurt though, she sure had a heavy hand."
"And I remember when you thought that Maria was pretty. I didn't see why though. She was Spanish and all but did you see the size of her forehead? Butler's palm could be considered small in comparison…"
"And oh God don't get me started on your birthmark. But I'm still sure it's somewhere around your body!"
Artemis listened to all in silence, only interrupting occasionally to ask a question. Orion answered everything effortlessly. Somethings he didn't answer, but Artemis couldn't expect him to remember everything. Either that or Orion just didn't want to answer.
"Why did you stay with my memories?" asked Artemis.
Orion shrugged, popping a noodle inside his mouth. "I don't know. I'm not even sure how I got to this body. I just know I woke up from a coma and I already had a life. How convenient, right? It's strange, really. But even though I awoke with your memories, I don't have Daniel Riley's memories. I'm completely blank. All I know is that I was born in the state of New York, raised in a farm and that I'm 20 years old."
Artemis finished eating. "How long are you going to stay?"
"A month," said Orion. "Then I have to go to a presentation in Paris. The Last painting is quite famous."
Artemis looked up. "That was the moment before we died, correct?"
"The precise moment, actually," said Orion. "We died with a bang, didn't we?" He laughed, as if it was the funniest thing ever.
Artemis frowned. "I don't particularly find it funny. "
Orion shook his head. "I'll tell you one day, maybe later if I have the chance."
Artemis's frown deepened. Orion was hiding more than a few things from him, he felt it.
The following days were passed telling Artemis more about his life. The simple things he couldn't tell him over dinner. Orion took him to lots of places just to tell him this. The forest, an empty field, calm places like that to just talk. Orion made it seem like some spectacular story that Artemis loved hearing.
Artemis found himself to be actively participating in the conversations at some point. Giving his opinion or giving a snarky remark. Orion would laugh and poke fun at him the whole time.
Orion also started conversations easily with Butler during that time, because he remembered Butler so easily. Butler was wary of Orion, but he answered him anyways. After a while he trusted him, and Orion got even more closer to him. They were old friends, after all.
By the third week, they met up once more by the gallery. "Come on," says Orion. "We'll go to this studio they lent me. I have more drawings about our adventures. I mean, yours."
Artemis and Butler followed him to an old building that Orion described as perfect though the white paint was chipping off. They went up the creaky stairs and into the apartment. The bed was in a corner of the room, the kitchen in the other side, it looked small.
"It's not this," says Orion. opening a door that was by the kitchen. "Close your eyes!"
"Don't be cliché, Orion, just open the door." Artemis rolled his eyes.
Orion pouted and opens the door. That room was far bigger than the main room, it had a big glass wall that overlooked downtown Dublin. On the walls there were sketches and other paintings hung up.
"Look!" said Orion, running over to one side of the room and showing him a painting of a bearded man with tombstone teeth. "It's Mulch!"
"The kleptomaniac dwarf, right?" asked Artemis, looking over it.
"Right on the money. I have a lot of drawings of Butler and Holly, but no point in showing you something you already know."
"Show me anyways," says Artemis. "Show me everything."
Orion was incredibly obedient to Artemis. He showed him everything, from the pencil sketches to the watercolor paintings. It was all so perfect.
Artemis saw a black portfolio, and picked it up. Orion blanched and swiped it from his hands. "Nope not that!"
"What's so bad about it?"
"They're failed drawings!"
"You already showed me more than a few."
"They're older crappier drawings!"
"Orion, hand it over."
"No!"
"Orion," repeated Artemis more sternly.
Orion bit his lip, and pulled a drawing out. It was a drawing of Artemis in his Armani suit. "That's all I can show you."
Moments later, they went to the kitchen to eat. Apparently, Orion has been surviving under take out the last month, and he made himself some instant ramen for today.
Artemis wasn't going to eat that. He sent Butler to go get takeout while Orion finished his ramen.
"You're such a girl, Artemis," Orion laughs. "Even after death."
"I'm not going to eat plastic," Artemis gave a disgusted face.
Orion shrugs and put the cup down. "I'll be back in a minute. Need to use the bathroom."
Once he left Artemis had the biggest urge to see what was in that portfolio. He argued with himself, knowing it was rude and if Orion was like him, he'd get angry that Artemis went poking around his things while he wasn't there, but he didn't particularly care because he wanted to know what he was hiding.
While Orion was in the bathroom, he stood and walked over to the gallery, and looked over the portfolio.
They were all drawings of him. Him on his desk, him asleep, every drawing was of him.
There were some of Artemis kissing himself, or at least it appeared so. He held his reflection's hands, his reflection kissing his forehead, and some more that made him blush. He wondered why Orion would draw him in such a way.
But with each drawing the reflection's hair grew longer, and it even had glasses and trendier clothes than him. He guessed immediately who it was, and a heavy ball seemed to drop in his stomach.
The floorboard creaked and Artemis slammed shut the portfolio. Orion was standing at the doorway. "Why do you always do what you want?" he asks, sighing. "I told you for a reason not to look at them…now you saw why."
Artemis stared at Orion and they stared at each other. "My reflection is you, correct? You're the one in these drawings."
Orion nodded solemnly, he looked at the floor and took his glasses off again. Every time he did that, Artemis knew he was going to be painfully honest. As if the glasses got in the way from looking at him directly in the eye. "After I awoke…I missed you Artemis. Terribly and it was so frustrating. I missed your sarcastic little thoughts, seeing your face in the mirror everyday and living everything you do. Sharing a body with you was so great and I didn't even realize it. Living in another body is what I've always wanted. But I just don't feel complete without you anymore."
Artemis's heart thumped. All this time, he's been missing his other half, that being Orion. He didn't know Orion made up such a big space in his life.
"I looked for you like crazy. And I knew it was near impossible to get close to you. But here you are. God, what a miracle."
Orion stepped forward to grab his portfolio, Artemis stood behind him. "The drawings are lovely. I feel the same way."
Orion laughs bitterly. "You don't feel the same thing. You never will. I love you Artemis. I'm obsessed with you, can't you see? You're present in every painting, you're always in my mind. You can't even fathom the depth of how much I love you."
Artemis couldn't answer him. He's never thought of being with someone else, but Orion knew everything about him. The thought of Orion loving him as much as he did, made Artemis realize that Orion loved every little thing of him. Even when Orion knew Artemis's sins and defects. He accepted and loved him. His heart swelled and thumped rapidly.
"You're the only one…" Artemis paused, wondering how to make it sound the less cheesy possible. "You're the only one that knows everything about me. And yet you accept me for who I am. Thank you, Orion. Thank you for loving me. Please let me learn how to love you back."
Orion stared at him for a long time, then ran forward to hug Artemis tightly. Orion shook, Artemis thought he was crying. When Orion looked up, Artemis saw tears in his eyes that proved he was.
"Let me kiss you?"
Artemis watches him, and nods. "Yes."
Orion leans forward, tentatively pressing his lips against Artemis's. Artemis stood there with wide eyes, not quite sure what to do. Orion laughs in between the kiss.
"You didn't know what to do when Holly, a female, kissed you, much less know what to do what your other male half kisses you."
Artemis gave him an angry look and pressed his lips against Orion again, and Orion accepted the challenge, holding Artemis's waist and making the kiss faster, occasionally squeezing to encourage Artemis to follow his rhythm.
Artemis's lips were as soft as Orion remembered. They stumbled in the kiss. Artemis flustered and had to pull away several times to catch his breath. Orion would just give an amused smile and continued kissing him, wanting to make it deeper but that would cause Artemis to go off running in panic.
So he made the kiss gentle. Artemis was disarmed by the change of pace, but he preferred it. He could keep up, move the way Orion wanted to. His arms roamed Orion's body, touching his sides, his chest, his shoulders and lastly his shoulder length hair. He ran his hands through that hair, as smooth as it looked.
Orion stopped and hid his face on the crook of Artemis's neck. "I've waited a whole lifetime and death for this," he whispered. Artemis felt his breath on his neck.
"But you weren't alive before," answers Artemis. "Now that you are your own, will you leave me alone?"
"Of course not. If I could, I would give the whole world to you. If I can't, I'll be the world for you."
"Let me guess, those abandoned geography paintings were for me too?"
Orion pulled away. "Of course! I know you appreciate serenity and silence. Imagine, the whole world, you, me, silence, and nature."
Artemis gave a slight chuckle. "I don't think silence would be in the mix. You would never be quiet."
"You're so mean!" laughs Orion. "I never spoke once when we shared bodies!"
"But once you got the chance you spouted ridiculous fantasy gibberish, harrassed Holly and Foaly, and kept saying something about a bivouac." Artemis walked to the kitchen, arranging his collar.
"I made them appreciate you more! You should at least thank me for that!"
Artemis gave him a smile, and Orion gave him one back. It wasn't reminiscent of Artemis, Artemis didn't see himself anymore. He saw another being called Orion.
Butler knocked and Orion opened the door. "Good thing you came, Butler. Artemis was just about ready to die from starvation."