A/N: Sorry to everyone for taking such a long time to update. I've had 2 weeks away from home, and a particularly stressful time in my home life. With exams coming up in may/june, it may be a while till the next chapter-so enjoy this one and don't forget to Review!
The door slammed shut, leaving Artemis alone in the bathroom. For a moment, the young genius just stood there stupidly, his mouth hanging open as his brain tried to work out what had just happened. 'Obviously just shock' Artemis though to himself. 'Holly can't have expected to walk in and see me like this-damn Butler; he knows I finish at 12 every day. Then again, she did look kind of cute when she blushed'.
As he wrapped a towel around himself and walked through into his bedroom, however, he immediately quashed the thought. 'Holly is a friend, Artemis-and an elf on top of that'. Artemis smiled as he pulled on his boxer shorts 'a very cute, pointy eared, red headed…OH GET A GRIP OF YOURSELF'. "This is no way to go on" he muttered to himself, pulling on a black pair of Levi's and a sky blue shirt. Since Hybras, Artemis (with Juliet's assistance) had undertaken a complete overhaul of his wardrobe. Having destroyed countless Armani suits on his adventures with the LEP, Artemis had finally decided that dressing so formally (especially when, for most of the time, the only other person in the house was Butler-his parents and siblings having moved to New York), was no longer de rigeur.
Also, the relative conformity of his new attire gave him an anonymity that Artemis enjoyed-he was no longer the arrogant aristocrat with his bodyguard when he went out, but just another Irish teenager enjoying the Dublin afternoon.
Holly's legs carried her back down to the lounge, her mind reeling from what she had just witnessed. Artemis was a friend. Not just a friend, but a human friend. 'But does that matter?' a small voice in the back of her mind whispered 'Juliet and Trouble are happy together-and he did look so'…"ENOUGH" the elf screamed.
"I should hope not" a lilting Irish voice that Holly knew all too well said from behind her "it would be no good for my ego if the first girl I've had to stay wanted to leave after only 10 minutes".
"No, it's not that Artemis" Holly said, the colour uncontrollably rising in her cheeks once again "it's just…, oh never mind." The elf smiled as she pulled him into a hug. The smell of his eau de toilette was sweet but masculine as he pulled away.
"I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't know-Butler just said to come up and find you, and I followed the music"
"Don't worry" Artemis smiled "I'll make sure it doesn't happen again. If you have any other complaints please let me know."
"Oh I'm not complaining" Holly replied, an evil grin beginning to spread across her face "I quite enjoyed it-you've certainly…err…developed since I was last here."
This time it was the young Irishman's turn to blush scarlet. "Um, thank you, I guess Holly. You're looking fabulous, as ever."
Holly was surprised. It seemed Artemis had developed a sense of embarrassment as well as in other areas during her time away. And this was something she could not wait to take advantage of.
"Oh really, Arty" she swooned, eyelashes fluttering as the evil smile spread even wider. "So what is it that makes me so beautiful, then?"
For a moment, Artemis stood gobsmacked. Holly and he had always shared good banter, but she had never flirted with him before.
"Come on Holly, this is ridiculous" Artemis laughed. "It's lunchtime-let's walk down to the pub by the river and have a bite-their chef's pasta is truly exquisite."
"Ok Arty" Holly, still fake-swooning, grinned "but not until you tell me what it is you like about me".
"For goodness sake Holly, I was being polite" Artemis, now slightly annoyed by Holly's immaturity, retorted-failing to notice Holly's sudden blanch at his words.
"Only a nicety'. The words stung, and somewhere deep down Holly felt a pain, that, even though she thought Artemis moderately handsome, she just couldn't find a reason for.
"Fine" the elf pouted, turning her back on the teenager. "I'll call Foaly and tell him I'll be back sooner than expected-after all, I can't possibly stay with someone who doesn't fully appreciate me."
"Oh for goodness sake, ok" Artemis sighed. "Your ability to exasperate me patience is clearly undiminished." Holly's sweet smile was answer enough.
"Naturally" holly confirmed "I'm the most wonderful girl you've ever met."
"Something like that" Artemis muttered under his breath.
"Come on then Arty" Holly giggled, enjoying the way Artemis squirmed when she contracted his name. "'Fess up, what is it about me that makes me so wonderful?"
Artemis hesitated for a moment, before turning quickly and sitting down in a high-backed leather armchair opposite Holly. "Why are you even interested" he asked, a twinge of annoyance and discomfort rising in his voice that Holly did not fail to notice.
"Oh Artemis, a girl always likes to have her ego massaged" Holly drawled laconically "go on then-spill,"
"Well" Artemis began, stopping to move a raven black lock behind his right ear "you're hair has always been kind of pretty". He stopped as Holly began to twirl an auburn strand in her fingers, sucking on the tip before deftly flicking it away.
"Uh huh" she nodded "go on."
"Your eyes" the boy continued. "They're such a lovely hazel colour-It's been nice having one to look at all the time."
"Oh Artemis, that's so sweet" Holly cooed. "And?"
"And…And…And that's…that's it…really" he stuttered into silence. Holly pondered. Since meeting Artemis, she had seen him display almost every emotion. Even though he strived to control them, she had always been able to read the wunderkind's emotional tells. But this was the first time she had ever seen him at all nervous. Certainly, he had been scared when confronted with the troll-infested temple. And he had been frustrated when he had had difficulty solving the problems his relationship with the LEP had thrown up. But Holly had never seen Artemis nervous before.
There was a soft groan, as Artemis pulled himself up out of his chair-and realised that a comfortable silence had overcome them for almost a minute. "So, to dinner then". His smile was forced, and Holly could almost see the invisible armour closing around him, shutting his emotions off from the world.
"Oh". He turned, as through remembering something that had, in the moment, been forgotten. "And your temper. I'm always so calm-it's good when I'm around you-you're so free with your emotions. I like being reminded of that. Even if it does involve a buzz-baton."
He continued down the stairs, picking a black jacket from the coatstand next to the door. Holly pondered his words; her temper had certainly got her into trouble on more than once occasion. She was a hot-headed spitfire-the antithesis of Artemis' iceman. The symmetry pleased her. 'But the thing is' Holly thought, a warm feeling spreading through her, 'any iceman can be melted with a little heat'.
