Of Lions And Lambs

As soon as I opened the door I saw what I hated the most, and that being the case, I proceeded in promptly turning around and slamming the door closed. However, thanks to the object of my immense dislike, my plans had been foiled...

Before I could make my less than discreet escape, they latched onto my wrist in an uncharacteristically vice-like grip, refusing to budge, even despite my numerous attempts to shake it off and then suddenly-before I could put up anymore struggle-I found my self face-to-face...

with him...

Artemis Fowl.

It was a situation I was not comfortable in to say the least and as if to confirm my doomed fate, the door closed behind him, isolating us from the rest of the world.

"Your avoiding me." It was a statement. Fact.

His piercing indigo eyes bore through my own hazel ones.

Suddenly, in this position, his voice, his demeanor, everything about him, seemed more imposing than ever.

My voice shook as did the resolve in my eyes as I forced my mouth open.

"Get out..." I said, trying to sound tougher but it came out as a whimper instead.

He raised his eyebrows, eyes twinkling with a sadistic mirth.

Then he smiled.

I gulped.

It was his vampire smile.

Ominous. Unnerving.

But every time I saw it, my heart threatened to flutter out of my chest.

I couldn't tear my eyes away from his frustratingly beautiful face.

I was hooked and Artemis knew it.

He pulled me closer.

"I just want to talk..." His voice was low, flirtatiously low.

I set my face in a glare, but that didn't keep him from advancing a step closer towards me.

Instinctively, I took a step back.

This continued until, oddly, his grin grew wider.

And it was only when I took to precautionary steps back, did I realize why...

My knees hit the arm rest of the couch and as they buckled from behind I fell, back first, flat on the long piece of furniture.

I could've gotten up any time except for one little problem...

Artemis' face was hovering inches above mine.

He was leaning from his standing position close to the couch and I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat, desperately trying to fight down the heat that was threatening to crawl up my cheeks.

I failed.

As if he already didn't know I would.

He looked infinitely amused, as if my defiance brought him some sort of sadistic pleasure.

"W-What do you want?"

I hated my self for stuttering and for suddenly becoming breathless.

"I told you..." he began again in the same low tone. He lowered his face to an alarmingly close proximity to mine, moving his head so that his lips were adjacent to one of my ears, making me realize that had he not done so, our noses would have probably touched."...I just want to talk..."

My ear tingled and unconsciously I shivered at the sultry whisper.

Eyes closed I relished the warmth of his breath.

My heart beat picked up noticeably and even my stomach clenched and unclenched restlessly.

Then, much to both my relief and surprisingly, disappointment, Artemis pulled away-straightening his back- no longer leaning over me or my couch. I took the opportunity to sit up, trying in vain to calm my frantically throbbing heart. Fuming inwardly (at both his manipulativeness and my less than impressive resistance), I thought this is why I hated him.

He sat down next to me, straightening his tie, more out of habit than necessity whilst casting me a sidewards glance.

"Go, get dressed in something nice."

The suggestion...no...polite demand, threw me off guard and for the first time today, I noticed how he was dressed more formally than usual.

His obsidian Armani suit- the colour of his raven hair -looked of a finer glossier material than his regulars and his elegant silk cravat was the same captivating colour of his eyes.

Out of an interesting blend of both curiosity and confusion, I unintentionally dropped my guard.

"Are we going out?"

He smirked. "Would you say yes if I asked you out?"

Realizing the absurdity of my question, I crossed my arms over my chest and huffed out a rather defiant "Of course not!"

He chuckled having known all along what the answer to that question would be.

And perhaps even at my naivety.

Not wanting to discover which one more so, I left to get dressed.

* * *

When I came I was astonished to see the lights dimmed, two crystalline stem glasses along with expensive sparkling vine on the table across which Artemis was standing, perfectly poised, gently placing a disk inside the stereo.

I clasped my hands together, shyly taking two or three steps towards him. The clicks of my heels against the marble floor alerted him to my presence. He turned his head in my direction.

Blue-black orbs scanned me, from my black dainty heals, to my matching sequined black cocktail dress with a cerulean satin sash, to my wavy brown tresses spilling over my shoulders to finally resting on my face.

Though his glance was casual and unassuming, in that brief moment of silent inspection I felt more self-conscious than I have felt in my entire life.

Our eyes met for a brief moment and time itself seemed to be standing still.

He looked away first and the floor seemed to have become entirely too fascinating for me.

"Now that wasn't so bad was it?" he asked light-heartedly.

When I lifted my eyes of the floor, I saw his hand out-stretched towards me. I hesitantly complied, placing my fingers in his cool palm.

In a split second, with an unforeseen agility, he twirled me towards him and suddenly I found my self wrapped in his arms. My eyes went wide and my heart thumped loudly against my ribs.

"You look exquisite..." he whispered, drowning me in the sincerity of both, his sapphire eyes and his lovely words.

As if on que romantic music began playing, no doubt from the disk he had put in earlier. Swaying slowly, he gently rocked me back and forth to the music. We gazed intently at one another and as for me, I felt absolutely and positively smothered by those gorgeous eyes of his.

I could feel my face flush, my stomach flipped and tossed once again.

I looked away, attempting to conceal my embarrassment.

Artemis took my embarrassment as dislike .

He tried to make light of the situation.

"You are aware that I don't bite...well at least not usually..."

I smiled, albeit half-heartedly.

"Oh, come now... I'm not that bad..."

It was meant to be another light-hearted remark, but his real emotion shone through.

His eyes were dead-locked on to my profile.

I looked at him from the corner of my eyes, smiling slightly.

"That's like a lion, telling a lamb that it's a vegetarian..."

This was also meant to be a light-hearted remark, but my real emotion shone through too.

Artemis' expression was unreadable, but he pulled me closer to himself, securing his arms tighter around me.

I continued.

"Or...or...the hunter telling the hunted...that he was...in love with it..."

I wasn't smiling this time. My eyes never left his face. We even stopped dancing.

The atmosphere became tense.

Fear-clawed at my insides. Fear of what I dreaded he would do all along. Fear of abandonment.

Now that the attachment had been made, the very thought seemed unbearable.

And this was why I hated Artemis Fowl in the first place...

He must have noticed the hurt expression in my eyes as he slowly closed his own for a fraction of a second. He let out a heavy sigh, all the while leaning in closer towards me.

This time our noses did touch and I couldn't help but feel startled at the sudden close proximity.

Looking into them directly, the tenderness I found in his deep blue depths, warmed me to the core and swallowed me whole.

His lips parted. "I guess...the lion fell in love with lamb..."

The lines barely registered, when he completely demolished the distance between us, brushing his lips gently against mine.

It was a simple rub of the skin but it sent electricity surging through my veins, from the top of my head the tip of my toes.

Entranced, my eyes teared up with joy, a few tiny droplets streaking down my face.

From there on the rest of the night was spent in gentle embrace, my head on his chest, his hands occasionally running through my hair or even tenderly running down the length of my back, swaying gently in our own private dance, oblivious to everyone and everything but each other.

Slowly, I was lulled to sleep.

* * *

The next morning, I awoke to the incessant ringing of my cell-phone.

As I groggily looked around for the clock, I couldn't help but to gasp.

It was noon.

I was on the couch.

I was still clad in my outfit from yesterday.

And Artemis Fowl was no where to be seen...

However, there was one more thing.

Wrapped around my shoulders was an obsidian jacket, reminiscent to the raven hair on the head of a certain boy I know. It was soft and smooth, it felt as good as it looked and smelled even better.

I realized that it had kept me warm all night, as if he had kept me warm all night.

I smiled warmly at the thoughtful gesture and distractedly picked up my cell phone, which hadn't stopped ringing through the whole ordeal...

"Hello...?"

"Hey! Finally! I've been trying to reach you all morning!!!" The high-pitched rant of my friend's filled my ears. "God! You sound exhausted! Have a hard day yesterday...?"

At the question, I smiled tenderly at the jacket and the memory of its owner and chuckled lightly.

"No..." I replied. "It was just perfect..."

"So I guess...the Lion fell in love with the Lamb..."

Author's notes: So what do you guys think? I'd like to know what you thought of this little One-Shot, whether you liked it or not, reviews would be massively appreciated and besides that...I would like to know whether or not I should keep this a One-Shot or maybe write another chapter but this time through Arty's point of view? Or should I try writing a lemon or making this more...I dunno...smutty?? Or maybe, should I start building up a story on this? Or any other suggestion you may have will be appreciated. So...press the green button!