AN: The product of insomnia, and too much Artemis Fowl.
Disclaimer: If I was Eoin Colfer, then Artemis and Holly would be in Brazil with three kids by now.
You're on the phone with your girlfriend
She's upset
She's going off about something that you said
She doesn't get your humor like I do
Holly sighed quietly, listening to Artemis' one sided phone conversation. He and Minerva were fighting. Again. They always seemed to be fighting.
"Minerva, it was a joke!" Artemis pleaded. "I meant to say that I have every right to tease you because you hadn't yet read 'On the Road' and then I was going to poke you and smile, but you stormed off!"
There was another pause while Minerva retaliated. Holly pretended to be engrossed in Butler's copy of 'Weaponry Monthly'. She didn't want to have Artemis catch her eavesdropping; as testy as he was about Minerva, he could do something drastic, like cut her off from the fridge. She shuddered at the very thought.
"Look, Min," Artemis said testily. "If it means that much to you, then I'll make it up to you. I'll take you to the Cliffs of Mohair; they're really quite beautiful-" he was cut off by Minerva's shrill voice. He turned away from Holly, and ran a hand through his raven hair.
"You want to go shopping in Paris again?" Pause. "Yes, you know I'd do anything for you, but we've already been three times this past week.
Holly snorted. Poor Artemis. He hated shopping almost as much as he hated France. If she and Artemis were together, she'd go with him to these cliffs of his in an instant, and then she'd take him . . . she shook her head quickly, as if trying to get rid of those thoughts. When did she start thinking about her and Artemis being together?
Artemis was just finishing up the conversation. "Alright, I'll pick you up at ten. Love you too," he finished distractedly, and hung up. He flopped on the bed beside Holly and massaged his temples.
"I f-ing hate f-ing Paris" he cursed softly.
"What was that?" Holly intoned sweetly. She knew just what he'd said, but Artemis so rarely cursed, it was such a gratification when he got caught.
"Nothing," he said too quickly. He rolled over so he was facing the wall.
Holly sat up and propped her chin in her hands. "Why are you still together, if you always agonizing over stuff when you're with her?" she asked
Artemis sighed, but didn't turn to face her. "I'm not sure anymore if it's because I loved her, or if it's ongfbecause she loves me," he said quietly.
Holly bit her lip. She almost wished she hadn't asked. She rolled him over. "Come on, Mud Boy," she said playfully. "Let's go out to the garden. We can explore," she pouted. "Pretty please?"
He smiled that smile that always caused her to wonder if it was just for her. But no; Minerva probably saw it a thousand times a day. But did it cause her breath to hitch in her throat, or the blood to rush to her face, like it always did when Artemis smiled at Holly? Holly was pretty sure it didn't.
Artemis rose gracefully. When did he become gracefully? He offered her a hand that suddenly seemed a lot bigger and stronger then hers. "Let's go," he said, smiling. And she grabbed his hand and allowed herself to be pulled up
