Bizarre Love Triangle
Disclaimer: I do not own Galactik football and I make no money from this fanfiction.
Set during early season 1. I got the idea because I was re-watching some episodes and it seems like Artegor is always hanging around Adium's office so I thought maybe something that happened there. I was also a little bit inspired by 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' and that situation with the Skipper/Brick/Maggie love triangle. Also the fic's title is of course from the song 'Bizarre Love Triangle' by New Order which has always reminded me of Aarch/Artegor.
Artegor was always out for blood. He was constantly storming into Adium's office demanding explanations, giving orders; he was always irritated by Akillian's failures. Adium personally found it amusing, she had no love for the Red Tigers, and it was interesting to see Artegor march around the place- back when they had been team-mates he had never marched, he had skulked around. But that was what the Smog would do to you.
Over the years Adium had changed too. She'd become more professional, he once wild red hair was tamed in a bun; she wore a neat, crisp, business suit. She used to wear short skirts and the highest heels possible. When she went out then she would get noticed; she had mattered. She used to go out and have fun, but now she spent most of her time working, one didn't get to become League President by slacking off. That's why small things like Artegor's behaviour amused her.
She wasn't sure how it had happened. But somehow something had started between them on one of Artegor's numerous visits. It was highly unprofessional and extremely confusing to her. She had never been attracted to Artegor and they had always disliked each other- it had never been personal enough to have been hate.
Artegor knew exactly how the affair had begun (neither of them was involved with anyone else but it still felt like cheating), Adium had started it. She'd aggressively gone and kissed him and Artegor had hated, hated it but he'd responded anyway. He resented every minute he wasted with her but he liked the idea that this could hurt Aarch. Every moment he was with Adium he imagined Aarch watching them, the hurt he would see on his face. 'I can hurt you, just like you hurt me,' he thought. Even after years his hatred for Aarch was red-raw, fresh as the day that Aarch had left, now he'd do anything for revenge.
Adium knew that the whole thing was wrong for both of them. Adium still loved Aarch, she had never really fallen in love with anyone else though she'd dated a few people over the years. Those men had had a hard act to follow. Aarch had been her first boyfriend, her childhood sweetheart. She'd been devastated when he had left, the whole thing had been made worse by all the journalists who had jumped all over the story. The whole thing was so public; they had all known about the relationship, they had been a golden couple back in the old days. As for Artegor, it was hardly well known how he felt; he'd never publicly been attached to anyone. But Adium knew. Oh yes, Adium knew how he had felt about Aarch- she'd always been perceptive when it came to relationships and Artegor was not as good at concealing his emotions as he supposed. She didn't know what happened between Artegor and Aarch on Shadows, (there was no way of her knowing) but she knew that it had made Artegor hate Aarch with a passion.
They never really talked. Adium would take Artegor back to hers and then a couple of hours later he would leave again without saying a word. She preferred it that way, if they didn't talk about it then it felt less real and she felt less guilty about it. It was compartmentalised off. Artegor didn't speak because he had nothing to say to her, it wasn't about her at all, in his head he was always sneering at Aarch.
Aarch had arrived then suddenly arrived back on Akillian to form a team. No doubt running from whatever planet he had been living on, it was difficult to keep track. Adium was surprised to see him back, everyone had accepted that Aarch would never return to Akillian and no-one particularly wanted him back- he had been so beloved of the Planet that when he abandoned them the love had instantly turned to hatred. Aarch was always loved upon his first meeting with anyone and usually despised when he bolted off to his next adventure.
Adium felt guilty enough over the affair with Artegor that when Aarch came to see her, to request that he could set up a team (it was all strictly business), she treated him more kindly than she could of- she knew that Norata wasn't going to be so gentle, and she knew that Artegor would try to rip him to shreds if he could. There was nothing she could do about that, she really had no influence over Artegor at all, whether personal or professional.
Still, she'd made them shake hands before the Red Tigers vs Snow Kids match. She had to be the mature one in the situation, there was no way that Artegor was going to reach out to Aarch of vice-versa. At this point she was just sick and tired of the both of them, they were so childish, they were still the stupid little boys they had been when they had run-off to play for the Shadows, desperately trying to keep their selfish dreams alive when their planet was in crisis. She still couldn't really forgive Aarch; not completely.
As things worked out, Aarch's Snow Kids won the match and Aarch seduced Akillian all over again and gave them hope. (There was something about his shining blue eyes that made him easy to forgive.) Artegor had left for the Shadows without saying a word to anyone, taking with him Sinedd. No-one missed him when he left; no-one felt angry, he'd never really mattered to them at all. She found one of his red shirts in her flat, he must have left it accidentally one time, she didn't remember. She threw it out without a second thought.
Please review! I'd love to know what you think!