A/N: Hey, I've been waiting for the Atlantis Complex to come out before I started writing AF fanfiction again. No worries. No extreme spoilers here (again, extreme.) Anyway, we all know how awkward some conversations can be…..Enjoy.
Artemis sat up from the bed in his clinic. It had been several months since he had been admitted for treatment concerning his Atlantis Complex and, according to the doctor, he had been making great progress.
"Good morning, Artemis," Holly said from his bedside, "How are you feeling?"
"Pretty good," he yawned, "Tired as always, but good."
"The therapy must be pretty rough."
Artemis laughed a little, "Well, it is better than what humans would have done to me a few decades ago."
"I guess so," Holly joined in with a little chuckle, "So, I hear the doctor said you're almost ready to leave."
"Yes, he said that I can leave at the end of the weak."
"And your physical condition? How are you feeling after all of the therapy?" Electroshocking was a well-practice method of dealing with Atlantis Complexes and it should be noted that the electroshock therapy administered by Fairies was much more controlled and advanced than that of humans.
"Very well, actually. I think it has actually stimulated my body. Just yesterday I decided to run on one of the treadmills on whim alone."
"That's good to know."
"Holly, why are you so concerned?"
"Because, you are a good friend, Artemis," she walked over to the door.
"I understand that, but why the sudden interest in my physical well-being? I mean, I understand I'm not the pinnacle of fitness, but it wasn't really a problem." He chuckled at his little joke.
"I just had to make sure I could….push you a little."
"What do you mean?"
Holly answered by locking the door and turning around with a vicious smile, revealing her many pointed teeth.
"Holly, what are you—" He tried to get out of the bed, but he was held down by leather straps that bound his lower body to the bed. "Holly," he said nervously, "why am I strapped to the bed?" He found it odd that he was more concerned with where she got the straps (the hospital, being run by Fairies who could easily bind others with magic, did not keep a supply of straps) than with what she intended to do to him.
Holly's smile widened and she cracked her knuckles as she slowly made her way over to the bed.
"Holly," Artemis's voice cracked and he could feel sweat beginning to form, "are you okay?"
"Oh, I'm fine Artemis," she said, "I just have a question I want answered."
"What is it?" he asked nervously.
"So, Loverboy," she said provocatively. Artemis figured out just what this was about before he slapped him hard across the face. "What the hell was that crap that you were spouting." She shouted.
"Look, it was the Complex. I couldn't control myself."
She slapped him again, "Oh, cut the crap. As delusional as the Complex can make you of the world around you, it wouldn't make you think that crap. And I don't care if it was you or Orion that said it, the fact of the matter is that it's your head, and I want answers."
"Look, I don't know what-" she slapped him again, harder,
"Don't give me that crap, as idiotic as that Orion character was he wouldn't lie…well, intentionally at least. The only things he knew were the things that went on in your head. So, that means the flirting couldn't have been his doing entirely." Artemis slowly reached over to his bedside table only to have Holly laugh, "looking for this?" she said, dangling the remote just out of her captive's reach. She dropped it and kicked it under the bed.
"Holly, please listen to yourself. You sound ridiculous." he tried to sound convincing…it didn't work. She had him in her clutches and she wouldn't let him go until she heard what she wanted.
The only problem with that was he was too afraid to admit it.
"D'Arvit," Holly screamed, "I'm sick of this. Do you have any idea what it is like for me, an adult Elf, to be confused over some 15 year old human boy?"
Artemis, lacking the heart of a romantic, could only think of one thing to say, "…16."
"What?" Holly snapped.
"I turned sixteen a while back, remember…" he trailed off as Holly's angry face stretched to one of annoyance and shock. She stood there, silent, her left eye twitching a little, "Umm, Holly." no sooner than the words escaped his lips did Holly burst into laughing. "Holly, are you okay?" he was genuinely concerned.
"Leave it to you…" she forced through her laughter, "…to correct a girl who just confessed that she has feelings for you." she calmed herself and looked at the speechless boy. "Artemis, are you okay?"
"I…I…"
"Relax," Holly said, "I'm not going to force anything out of you. But we do have to talk about this. These feelings have been floating around for quite some time and, let's face it, putting them off to the side has caused nothing but trouble."
"I know. But would it even be possible? I mean, we're so…" he tried to find the right word and decided simplicity would probably be the best option, "different."
"Okay, so you may have quite the streak of mischievous activity, and I may be a cop who works for an organization that, quite frankly, can't stand your presence. But what does that have to do with us?" Both Holly and Artemis were shocked at how she was treating the situation. 'Must be some blossoming feminine side,' they both thought with a mental laugh. "Sure, we had our differences in the past, but you can't really deny that over the past few years we've become…closer to each other. And we have had our…moments."
"Yes. But that's not what I was getting at. I'm talking about…" he felt a knot form in his stomach, "well, about…"
"Artemis, come on, spit it out."
"Could it really work between us? A human and a fairy?"
Holly felt her heart drop, 'Is this what's been keeping him from wanting to talk about it?' she thought.
"I mean, you saw what happened with Turnball. His wife aged, he didn't…and it drove him to become—"
"Artemis, snap out of it. Turnball was demented before he met that woman. Despite your history, you are a good person. You know where to draw the line."
"But what if—"
"Artemis, shut up," she commanded, "You've seen what happens to people when they tamper with magic. You, above all others, understand the consequences of toying with something that powerful. You've experienced it first hand." she put a small hand over his. "And, most importantly, I trust you…I trust that you know not to delve deeper into it," she leaned forward and kissed his forehead.
She pulled back. The two remained silent for a moment before Artemis spoke up, "What will you do about Haven? The LEP? How do you think they'd react?"
"Artemis, for once I'd wish you'd stop being so logical."
"But Holly, what if—"
"What if they shun me? Exile me? Please, Artemis, who do you think you're talking to? I'm the one Fairy they've got who's turned her back on more orders in one year of service than most do in a lifetime simply because I didn't feel something was right. And, trust me, short of me gallivanting around, revealing the secrets of the People, Trouble won't expel me from the LEP."
"Won't Haven see you as a traitor?"
"I doubt it. People, Human and Fairy alike, tend to look up to the person who saves the world."
He threw Holly a confused look, "What are you talking about?" then it hit him, "The Ice Cube."
"Bingo. You've got some work to do."
"And if I fail?"
"Artemis Fowl openly doubting his abilities? Now there's a sight I never thought I'd see."
"Is this the part where I throw in some cheesy, romantic comment?"
"Usually."
"Well," Artemis said in the most suave, romantic voice he could must, "I guess it's because I now have something to lose."—needless to say, it came was neither suave nor romantic, but it did cause both of them to start laughing.
"So," Artemis said, "What now?"
"What do you mean?"
"What do we do? Date? A Dinner and a movie?"
"Oh come on, Artemis, what do you normally do on a night out with a girl?" Holly realized how foolish of a question this was, "Okay, you've seen the movies, what usually happens when the girl and the guy finally confess their feelings?"
Artemis was silent. He knew the answer, but was to afraid to say it.
"Here, I'll give you a hint," she leaned in and kissed him on the lips. It was a short kiss, but more than enough to send Artemis steaming. Sure, the two had kissed before, but this just seemed so much more real…intimate.
Holly pulled away smiling, "A dinner and a movie would be fine." Holly turned and headed for the door. "Get well soon," she said to him as she unlocked the door and exited the room.
Juliet and Butler walked in to check on the boy just as Holly left. As they passed each other Juliet gave her an assuring wink and Butler simply nodded.
"Artemis," Butler said, closing the door behind him, "I see you're feeling better." the boy didn't respond.
"Hey, Artemis," Juliet said, waving a hand in front of the motionless boy, yielding no response, "you in there?" she snapped her fingers…nothing.
"Huh." the siblings said in unison, both using it to represent what was on their mind.
Butler was thinking, 'This boy really needs to get out more.'
Juliet was thinking, 'He REALLY needs to get laid."
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