Tango
When the two of them appeared on the dance floor, half the guests were almost paralysed with shock. The date was new years eve, the event a ball in the main hall of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the guests a lavish mix of socialites and old money. These two were the latter, easily seen because they looked down on people with a grace and ease that made those being looked down upon feel honoured more than insulted. When a bleach-blonde pop star smirks, their quick silver rise and fall is seen in their eyes. When old money smirks, there are generations of riches and breeding to back them up.
There was no hand in hand wander to a clear spot on the dance floor, they were arm in arm from the moment they met, and the shared intake of breath was enough to cause the other guests to step back. Neither noticed, no one mattered as much as the partner reflected in their eyes. Mr and Mrs Fowl were elated; they had heard that Minerva Paradizo was attending, but were unsure as to Artemis' reaction to the female they had gotten to know in his absence. Minerva's father stood open-mouthed at his unsocial daughter's swift entrance onto the dance floor, accompanied by a raven-haired youth of a similar age and similar expression of disdain and zeal, that rare mix.
The rest of the attendees were at a loss, those who knew either dancer stunned by the sudden display not only of sociability but passion.
Artemis and Minerva were perfect partners. She in a soft blue halter-neck gown, her heavy gold hair piled artfully atop her head; he the ever immaculate shadow in black, black, black and a hint of white at the face and hands. But dressed in garbage bags they would have shone, each body undulating against the other in perfect harmony with the music. Fox trot, waltz, swing, and jazz had all passed with neither a twitch nor glance in the other's direction, but the smooth rumble of the tango pulled them together like electromagnets- an unromantic simile the genii would no doubt appreciate.
Artemis stepped back gracefully, pulling her close and breathing deep, eyes locked. Anyone would have thought them deeply in love, in fact everyone did, but the eye contact served a different purpose. The two of them knew each other, had taken time to train together, study physiology, develop an intense understanding of the other's habits, twitches, muscular strain. Now, as the held each other, stared at each other with matching smirks, the slightest change in expression, in the muscle beneath their hand, told them exactly how to move.
The grace was unmatched. The beauty, articulation of them caused a hush, an embarrassment from the other dancers who fell back in much the way as film side characters would to the leads. And how they lead. In the quiet their steps against the marble matched with the music that was now playing for them alone, twisting and swaying as their breath came out in a single hushed gasp.
The performance lasted only minutes, the pair slowing and trailing towards the rim of the hall to the lulling of the music, stopping altogether at the final note. At this point it should be noted their expressions remained identical to the beginning of the dance. Smirks, haughty and amused and disdainful, jarring the effect of the passionate performance they had given. The crowd remained silent, unable to move until the two of them did.
"Well," it was Minerva who broke the magic. "You make an almost tolerable dance partner, Master Fowl. Such a pity about the two left feet," she sniggered, releasing herself. Artemis turned his head to the side, unperturbed.
"Do forgive me, Miss Paradizo," he emphasised 'Miss,' pointing out a difference in station and wealth that would only matter to old money such as they. "I am unused to a partner with so little experience. You should consider study." Her lips parted slightly, as though about to retort, then thought better of it.
"I will not rise to your bait, Master Fowl. Unlike some, I accept that my knowledge is missing in areas, and attempt to rectify such. It is far more useful than the childish notion of intellectual omnipotence." Not another word, she turned her back and walked away. Artemis let out a low chuckle and turned towards his parents, ignore the confused stares of the guests-cum-audience.
The limited verbal shots they exchanged didn't come cheap, the drive back to the apartment involved a lengthy conversation with his parents that seemed to need no input from him, focusing on manners, 'feelings', girls, and where he had learnt to dance. They returned to the hotel still pleading with him to try, try to be friendly to others, up until the moment he shut the door to his separate hotel room. With the twins' need for attention while their parents and siblings attended the event, and their need for protection while Mr and Mrs Fowl passed out on the bed, Artemis had donated Butler for the evening, so now he was alone.
An hour was spent on his laptop, checking up on things.
Another on his phone, doing the same.
Sneaking out of his room into an unused suite had been planned beforehand so took far less time.
Despite this, he was still berated for lateness on arrival.
"I've been here for twenty minutes, mud boy." Came an invisible hiss at his ear. "Twenty minutes spent wondering whether I was in the right place or not." The hiss was ignored.
"It's good to hear you, Holly. I take it Minerva has not arrived, then?" The door opened as he spoke revealing the blonde girl and a bag, which caused a smile. "How synchronised."
"You just arrived then?" chirped Minerva pleasantly. "When will Holly-"
"I've been here waiting for you useless humans!" The fairy shimmered into view, cheeks ruddy as her hair. The younger pair just chuckled together. "Don't be angry," cooed Minerva earnestly, the first sincere words from her mouth all evening. "I've missed you," she added, staring honestly at the fairy, who, for all her defences, couldn't remain angry at such a display. She smiled reluctantly back.
"The thought of your company hasn't been altogether a terrible thought," she replied, more verbose than usual. Artemis raised his eyebrows. "Yeah, I thought of that earlier, shut up." He simply shook his head, smiling a softer smile than usual. "Anyway, what are we doing? It better be good, I'm not supposed to be here."
"Well," he murmured, "Min and I spent the evening dancing-"
"-and thought you might enjoy it." The boy and girl were remarkably, almost unsettlingly, synchronised. She held up the compact bag, setting it on the large double bed that took up half the room, and pulled out a small laptop and connectible speakers. Holly's eyes widened.
"What? I don't dance!" Artemis rolled his eyes while Minerva fiddled with the laptop.
"Everyone dances, Holly. It is a natural desire."
"Vertical expression of a-"
"Min, don't you dare." His growl was as playful as it was dark, and responded to with laughter from the bed. "That is not a conversation topic I choose to touch on before dance lessons."
It was a conversation topic they were all avoiding, and would continue doing so, no doubt. Holly proved this by returning the conversation to the topic at hand.
"You can't make me dance."
"We can, and we will. It's important for all well bred ladies and gentlemen to know how to dance."
"I'm not a lady. Or well bred... Or a gentleman." Holly's words were punctuated with a sudden low beat and highly Spanish voice emanating from beside them. Artemis closed his eyes briefly, hips and shoulders beginning to sway in a manner few had seen from the reserved youth.
"Besides, it is a wonderful way to release stress, something you of all people should appreciate." Holly watched him as his movements became sharper, Minerva coming to stand beside her. He held out his hands, eyes still closed, expectantly.
"You're both insane." Stated Holly flatly. "It's a side effect to genius." Min chuckled through her nose, and held out a hand to Holly.
"Holly dear, don't be a spoil sport. Next time we'll do whatever you feel like." A mix of psychology and a younger sibling made Minerva a skilled non-verbal negotiator. She look pleadingly into Holly's face until the elf weakened.
"Just. This. Once."
Artemis purred triumphantly from his swaying position on the carpet, eyes opening to slits. "The only issue is height- How shall we go about this?"
How they went about it was far from the way Holly would have preferred. Before her was her lead partner, the dashing Artemis Fowl and his mismatched eyes. Behind her was her main instructor, the elegant Minerva Paradizo, using her position as a support to force proper weight distribution at the hips. They had started at the bed, Artemis and Min taking turns showing Holly moves and positions she was increasingly enjoying and resenting showing expression about. The dance class had devolved, as everything they did, into non-sexual intimacy; the three now pressed together in a parody of the Tango, somehow still moving in time with the music.
This went on... and on. Any such denials at the beginning had disappeared beneath the plain understanding that they were where they were for a reason. Minerva loved Artemis, found him fascinating and equal and worthwhile. Holly... she found him amusing and different and kind. A different reason, but she loved him just as strongly. And Artemis. He loved them both.
He admitted it, repeatedly, and refused steadfastly to choose between for a myriad of reasons that both Holly and Minerva suspected just came down to his inability to choose. Holly had been confused, uncertain, a little insulted- it was Minerva who took the step to ask her rival if they could be friends, for his sake.
And now this. Minerva was alone with Artemis due to their living in the same world, but Holly visited him, talked to him, whenever possible. And sometimes the three of them met up and Artemis never showed a hint of preference, offering apologies for his behaviour but not his affection.
Holly was pressed between them now, two different kinds of warmth against her, and thought she could begin to understand his feelings. She was becoming more friendly and affectionate to Min, and vice versa, taking a step to understand why the one she loved loved this other as well.
A click and the music disappeared, Minerva quickly explaining that she'd set the computer to turn off when it was time for her to return to her hotel room (that she and he was in the same hotel seemed highly coincidental only because noone knew that it was they who had booked the rooms for their families). It was time for goodbyes.
Artemis, looking uncharacteristically down, sat on the bed slowly. The two of them joined him, and in moment the three were pressed together; wordless and motionless, sharing heat and comfort. After a moment of silence, "I love you both," came the murmur. "I'm sorry for this but I love you both." Minerva sighed and petted his hair gently.
"This makes me happy- don't be sorry." Holly smiled at the other girl from over Artemis' chest.
"I'm happy too. If I find out this is you trying to express and voyeuristic lesbian fetish I'll fuck you up, but for the moment I'm happy." A silent pause in the room.
"You know nothing about romance, Holly," sniggered Artemis lightly. "Besides, the only fetish I've displayed is a passion for proverbs." He leaned over, kissed her on the cheek, briefly turning away to do the same to Min. Holly realised she didn't mind that he turned away to kiss her as well. "It seems it does take two to tango. Two more."
"......You're an idiot, mud boy."
"She's right, Artemis."
"Most probably."
A/N: This is my second reference of Tango between Arty and Minerva. I don't know why. I love the idea of their intellect being so high they can predict eachother's movements. Also, the ending. Weird, I know. I didn't feel like ending romantically, because this weird as threesome relationship doesn't seem romantic. It seems... logical, in a sense. Fittingly twisted. So I wanted them to share a love, but also a sense of humour they don't show anywhere else. I'm annoyed that the same age/wealthy/same personality genius is also named after a Greek god, so I think of her as Min.
I hope you enjoyed my take on Arty's relationships with these characters, Min/Arty/Holly is my OTP, and I was the first one to use it! Seriously, Tug of War is the first fic I know of in the Artemis Fowl archive to have this idea. Hell yeah I'm smug about it.