I don't own AF. Let's clear that up. For the legal purposes. I like this one, almost as much as the last one, actually. They're equal. My faves are the ones from Artemis's POV, #22, #45 and #50. tell me yours in a review? And, it ends sadly again . . . . why can't I make a happy one?
1. Concentration
Whenever the two girls would spar, it was never truly a fight because neither could ever really concentrate on the fighting.
2. Contrast
Holly and Juliet were like a pen and a piece of paper; completely different (tall, blonde and gorgeous coupled with small, auburn and dangerously pretty) but without one, what would you do with the other?
3. Reject
Both females were pretty popular in regards of having people ask them to dinner and/or a movie (or, truly, any date as Chix was rather . . . creative), but all suitors were quickly rejected, and occasionally told to sod off, while the formally mentioned females let thoughts of the other cloud their mind.
4. Beauty
The girls, being very close (yet, slightly awkward) friends, would have "girl's night out"s, but whenever Juliet asked "Do I look alright?", Holly never looked before answering "Yeah!", as she never had to; but Juliet often left with way to much eye shadow on.
5. Rest
Holly never got much rest; she was an officer, she had friends and she was constantly beating herself up for being in love with the best of them.
6. Game
The wrestler flung her oppenent half way across the ring; it was more than simply winning a match, as she'd seen Holly the past day and needed to show herself she was still Juliet, despite how many female fairies she fell in love with.
7. Empty
Holly decided to quit Juliet cold-turkey, with out telling Juliet mind you, but her life seemed empty without the shining blue eyes and mischievous grin.
8. Philosophy
Juliet has a slight philosophy with life, a Hakuna Matata if you will, that she'd never let life pass her by; then she realized that was what she was doing with Holly.
9. Guilt
Holly felt absolutely horrid about not talking to Juliet, it was tearing her apart, so, she deiced human contact was necessary.
10. Cry
Juliet had not felt so alone with out "her" (she knew it wasn't true, but she liked the sound of it) Holly, even when she was at the academy and every cell of her was calling for the elf.
11. Home
Juliet answered the phone at the manor, and actually called out Holly's name in joy, as she asked if Juliet was there, instead of her home (where she'd- apparently- tried already).
12. Impressed
When Juliet called out her name, Holly imprinted, ingrained and all but seared the sound into her mind, in case they were ever separated for too long again.
13. Perfect
It was a bit perfect, too perfect, really, a balance of friendship and (not)unrequited love to last.
14. Reach
Holly, ever the untraceable firebrand, was the first to try to breach the distance of friendship to courtship, and did so in that one phone call.
15. Stolen
Juliet could almost call the moments with Holly stolen, she didn't know what they meant to her, the little hugs, all of made her feel a bit creepy, but that one question, request whatever it was changed it all.
16. Protective
"Juliet, it really kills me to see you with some of those guys," there weren't any, really, just some smokescreens, "And . . . well, I love you, and I want to know if you want to go out, like that."
17. Telephone
Juliet stared at the phone, heard Holly rattle of excuses and apologies, and couldn't help but think of what a wonderful device it is, before screaming "yes"s and "of course"s.
18. Passionate
Holly, of course, felt a bit bad for dumping all that on her, and said her sorries before having her eardrums popped with screams of "YES!!!!", and could only dance passionately, and run for surface clearance to visit her Juliet.
19. Notice
That night, or day depending on your species, Holly raced to the manor, right into Juliet's window, and (once the window was opened) kissed her passionately, but that was when Artemis realized that he might not, actually, get all he wanted.
20. Lightning
That day, or night depending on species, the sky was crackling with the electricity of many a lightening strike so Holly couldn't leave; which made for a very awkward day of Butler's "I-May-Have-To-Kill-You" looks, Artemis looks, which were a bit of a mix of "How-Could-You?" and jealousy, while Juliet's were loving until the lightening flashed, making her own expression terrified.
21. Wrong
Flying home, Holly realized how wrong a match they made; a human and a fairy, not to mention they're both female.
22. Confusion
Month's later, Trouble, Holly's boss, was questioning her on the ridiculously gleeful expression on her face, all she could do was giggle a bit and say that something was completely official- or something, as she was rather focused on the simple child's promise ring on her finger.
23. Cover
Juliet's finger shone with a pretty little promise ring- she never took it of, and everyone asked her who the lucky man was, but all she did was laugh and stare at the ground, her eyes lovingly blank.
24. Disappointment
Unfortunately, gay marriage laws- for both Ireland and the People- dubbed it illegal, so with their plastic promise rings, Juliet and Holly were "married"; Butler wast the minister, and Artemis was the incredibly glum ring bearer.
25. Power
Artemis always- never- usually had complete control over his- everyone's environment, but with Holly and Juliet's cursed- beautiful relationship, he just felt completely out of control, like a car speeding of the track- not that he ever had control over the cars he rode in, anyway.
26. Apathy
It's not like Juliet cared that Holly spent most of her time around buff testosterone-filled men constantly, like Holly barely cared that Juliet spent all of her time not with the fairy with skilled women who had similiar interests; no, neither was jealous, they had complete apathy.
27. Village
Haven was a bit more of a monstrous village, than a true city and news traveled fast, especially if the news was about a certain Holly Short and the MudMen.
28. Indestructible
Holly Short was supposed to be incapable of being destroyed by anything, especially rumors, but, way deep down, Holly was still a female, no matter how rough around the edges or short the hair cut.
29. Greatest
She didn't know how it leaked- Holly Short, the Golden Girl, In Love With a MudWoman- but life, especially work life, was never the same.
30. Animal
The press was a cruel, leech-like animal, and it brainwashed people to the point where she couldn't walk down a street without whispers and staring, even on the job.
31. Star
Thinking about it, Holly loved the stars and she wouldn't mind spending her life with them, watching them with Juliet, and maybe naming her favorites (names she would have named her children, could she've had them).
32. Respect
Then, there was one day when all the remaining respect was lost for poor Holly, when the headline read that she was pregnant with a Mudman's child, and when Holly snapped, backed her things, and said her goodbyes.
33. Fear
When Juliet saw Holly's tear stained face in her window that night, usually she entered the front door, Juliet's heart almost stopped, before racing as she ran and scooped the fairy up, inviting her in, patting her back as she sobbed and comforted her as she cried.
34. Jealousy
Artemis looked on, jealousy on his handsome features, as Holly spilled her soul to Juliet- instead of himself- and snuggled into her- not his- comforting embrace.
35. Silence
The calm before the storm, the prowl before the pounce, or, the clouds before the sun, the night before the day; all of it silent, then loud and squawking, similar to how it went the dinner that Artemis had snapped.
36. Curious
He was curious, something not even his genius mind could comprehend: "Holly, how couldn't you love me! I adore you! Please, Holly, baby, please! Why not me? Why her?!", the silence that followed his rant was crushing, Holly and Juliet were hurt and Domovoi only shocked, especially when Artemis, once again the stoic genius, cleaned up after himself and retired to his room.
37. Ego
Juliet's self confidence was completely shattered, with Artemis's twisted words ringing like church bells on the day of a funereal, making her wonder again and again why, indeed, did Holly choose her?
38. Reserved
Holly had to physically clamp her muscles to keep from sobbing and screaming at Juliet that she was the only one for her, she gave up everything for her, that she loved her, for her not to be sad, but, she couldn't, she had to be the reserved, calm girl who could cope and comfort her lover- her "wife"- even when she was on the brink of shrieking out her soul.
39. Ungrateful
They were being ungrateful, really, they should doubt the homosexual relationship of a fairy and a human, he just had to topple the domino, leading Holly into his arms, then Juliet could body guard without a weakness and everyone could be happy, especially Artemis.
40. Sun
Holly felt the sun's lazily friendly tendrils tickle her foot, and jumped up shrieking, scary a decade from Juliet, and went to hid in the closet until the blinds were closed- not a day went by without the pair knowing that they had no right to be together and that they shouldn't be.
41. Pleasant
Holly and Juliet had a pleasant relationship, sure they had secrets and regrets for the secrets, but all was bearably loving and beautiful, like the first day, when they were in each other's arms, despite the ice-like eyes boring into them, still plotting, but also having doubts, as who, truly has the right to break apart that perfect couple, especially for the purpose of greed and selfishness?
42. Foolish
He was foolish, really- for once, completely- for thinking it was right of him to split the two- no, the one- apart for his own gain, but the cogs were turning, and slow them as he may, the cracks were in the foundation; but . . . Spackle would cure them, right?
43. Confidence
Juliet and Holly were confident that they would be together for as long as possible (due to their respective life spans), yet, they were ignorant to Artemis's battle to stop and to fix, and tried themselves, only to destroy another relationship.
44. Touch
There were good touches and bad touches, a mother's hug felt good and warm and like she could protect him from the world-but, she couldn't-, Holly patting him on the arm and saying sorry, but no was somewhere in between - the meaning and the girl conflicting- and Juliet's harsh SLAP! across his face for trying the unimaginable- he almost hurt Holly- and trying patch them up, by making them start anew was bad, it hurt him outside- oh, it smarted- and inside- he felt like scum- but maybe they could be together now . . . well, there was no meddling he could do, no more keys to press; it was in their hands now.
45. Plant
Holly flew up to Juliet's eye height, and fiddled with the bouquet before ringing her own doorbell; when Juliet opened the door, Holly offered the flowers smiling sheepishly and couldn't even say her apologies, as Juliet hugged her and refused to let her go for an hour, despite a wrestling match.
46. Heartbeat
Holly-playing the part of her younger sister- curled up in a chair by Juliet's hospital bed, watching the heart moniter's steady pumping, and not finding the will to even hate the beeping noise.
47. Words
"Hi, baby," Holly whispered, stroking Juliet's wheat-colored hair, "I'm sorry, you know, we both drive the same way, it wasn't my fault, but I feel so bad," and everyone at the hospital thought she was the sweetest six year old, even if she refused to remove her hat.
48. Unfair
It was unfair- that car crash, Artemis's intervening, the LEP's meddling, the press's thing for gossip, all of it- especially, that this is how it's ending, especially that, they had to end, especially that she ran out of magic healing her spine; well, news to magic, she'd give up the use of her legs for Juliet- anything for Juliet!
49. Belong
When her sleepy eyes opened, Juliet was dead; it was a feeling no one could ever mistake for another, but, once the initial shock wore over, she wondered what would she do without Holly?
50. Live
Holly saw her "wife" flatline, and let out an inhuman shriek and leaned on her, hugging her while she still felt, smelled, seemed like Juliet; Holly's made her decision long ago- when Juliet died, she would too.