This is one that some of you may recognise... I posted it last year (I think) and deleted it earlier this year for some unknown bloody reason.

Anyway - this is for all you A/H saps. I hope you're satisfied ;)

And the soundtrack is 'Faithfully' by Journey (they're in America! They need a big, cheesy American love ballad!)

Little Lidded Boxes

'Artemis!' Her voice was faint, straining to be heard above the winds whipping into her open helmet. She had folded her arms across her chest, clenched her gloved hands into fists. 'Artemis!'

The man in question turned to smile at her, releasing his own, thinly-gloved hands from around the rail of the boat. 'Holly!' he said happily. 'You're here!'

Holly Short scowled and trudged the extra few metres to his side, her wings folding neatly into the rig at her back. 'Yeah, I'm here,' she grumbled, struggling to stay steady as the deck tipped beneath her numbed feet. 'Though I haven't a c-clue why.'

'You look cold.'

'W-well n-noticed.'

'Stay here.'

She watched as he strode towards the boat's cabin, catching a glimpse of the big man behind the helm. Holly gave a shaky nod and raised her hand. Butler nodded back. Then Artemis came out again, opening a large coat in his hands.

'Here.'

Holly shoved her arms through the sleeves, Artemis helping to pull it over her shoulders.

'T-thanks.'

'No problem.'

Holly shivered once more, pulling the hood up over her helmet. 'M-my suits h-heating core f-failed somewhere o-over O-Ohio.'

'Ah.'

He put his hands back on the rail and went back to staring at the view.

And what a view it was. They were cruising along the East river, just coming under the bulb-lit, steel behemoth of the Brooklyn Bridge. It was evening, and they could still hear the hectic horns and blasts of the city even above the chug of the barge's engine. They could see the lightning blur of traffic streaming along FDR Drive and the towering, star-studded skyscrapers that made the New York City skyline so infamous.

Holly relaxed against the safety bar; if it weren't for the stupid cold and the pollution stinging up her nostrils, it could almost have been described as a perfect night.

Artemis looked at her, watching her red fringe whipping across her face and the steady, peaceful gaze of the eyes beneath it.

The elf sighed heavily. 'So,' she said. 'Why am I here again?'

Artemis blinked, his wits temporarily blown away. 'Er…'

'Please say you remember.'

He scowled. 'Yes. Yes, of – of course I do.'

Seeing Artemis just that little bit flustered made Holly's heart thrum that little bit quicker.

'Well?'

Artemis reached a hand inside his jacket.

For one bizarre moment, Holly thought he was going to pull a gun, but what came out with was quite a bit different. It was a box: small, red and lidded. Holly's eyes widened. She didn't know a whole lot about Mud Men and little lidded boxes, but she knew enough–

'A-Artemis,' she stuttered, the cold having nothing to do with her sudden speech impediment. 'W-What are you–?'

Then Holly's heart almost stopped as Artemis sank down to one knee.

'Holly Coral Short…' he began.

Her breathing had become painful, grating in her throat.

'Would you do me the honour…?'

Oh My Gods.

'Of holding this box while I re-tie my shoelace?'

There was a frozen moment, Artemis smiling up at her, Holly staring down before–

'You–'

Artemis yelped, his arms curled protectively over his head as the elf whacked him repeatedly about the shoulders and neck.

'You–'

'Ah!'

'Complete–'

'Holly!'

'And–'

'Stop!'

'Utter–'

'Don't!'

'Mud-Weasel!'

She finally stopped her assault, her chest heaving. Artemis risked a glance up.

'I'm sorry,' he said quickly. 'I'm so sorry.'

Holly continued to glare at him, her eyes a little brighter than they had been a minute ago. 'So you … So you should be… Scaring me like that. Frond…'

Artemis used the hand rail to lever himself up again. 'Scaring you?'

'Yeah,' she breathed, still flustered. 'I thought… I thought you were going to ask…'

'What?'

'Matrimony!'

Artemis bit his lip and Holly's eyes immediately narrowed to slits. 'What?'

He shook his head, avoiding her face. She growled at him. 'What?'

His mouth twisted, and he hesitated, before repeating in a strained falsetto. 'Matrimony!'

She punched him.

'Ow!'

'Do not mock me, Artemis Fowl.'

'But it was funny–'

She tried for another blow but he dodged. Holly leant back onto the rail with a huff. After a few moments of fuming she realised she still had the box in her hands. 'So what is in here then?' she snapped.

Artemis's expression sobered. 'Open it.'

Holly looked at him. His voice had dropped. He was no longer teasing or playing with her now. His mismatched eyes were steady, mature. He was all mature now, a grown man of twenty-three years.

'What's in it?' she repeated quietly.

'Open it.'

'Artemis–'

'I promise it won't explode.'

She cupped her hand hesitantly over the lid and cranked it back.

Inside… was a button.

Holly groaned. 'Artemis.'

'What?'

'What is this?'

'Press it.'

'No way.'

He looked out across the river and sniffed bracingly. 'Well you'd better do it soon or it'll be too late.'

Holly's face dropped. 'And what's that supposed to mean?'

'Well… too late for us I should say.'

'What?'

He smiled at her. 'Press it.'

She didn't move. She just looked out across the river again, at the swarms of human life only a few hundred metres from her. She felt the human life beside her move just that little bit closer.

Get a grip. He's not even touching you.

'What if it makes the moon drop out of the sky?'

He pointed at her sharply. 'I did that once, and I acknowledged that it was a mistake at the time.'

The boat had slowed to a crawl, the engine barely murmuring in the water.

'It's now or never,' he whispered.

They were sailing right by the tip of Manhattan. The light from the buildings were reflected back in Holly's eyes and for a moment she couldn't quite help but be struck by them.

'Now or never.'

Excitement and trepidation were sparring in the pit of Holly's stomach. She already knew which one was going to win.

'What will it do, Artemis?'

'Do you trust me?'

The boat engine cut and there was silence.

She tore her eyes from the city – 'with my life' – and plunged the button down.

For a second nothing happened…

And then every light in every building along the Manhattan side of the East River went out.

'Oh my Gods,' whispered Holly, as the already tumultuous noise of car-horns reached a staggering crescendo. 'What have you done?'

Artemis grinned into the darkness.

Holly grabbed his sleeve, pulling him down to her level. 'Artemis, I swear to–'

Then there was a deafening squeal. Holly swore and jumped back, Artemis catching her elbow.

A hundred, meteoric lights shot across the sky.

Holly's eyes widened. 'What–?'

Boom!

Each rocket exploded, one by one, showering a suddenly shadowed Manhattan with stars.

Holly gaped at them.

Artemis laughed and there was another crack, violet glitter raining down from above. 'Fireworks,' he announced, almost gleefully, 'presidential fireworks to be exact. She's coming to the city in a few days but I decided they could be put to better use–'

He was interrupted by another cataclysmic Bang!

Holly ducked. 'How did you–?'

Bang!

'I know a man. He has all the numbers– '

Boom!

He looked at her and it was her turn to laugh.

He's amazing, she thought. He's amazing, beautiful, magnificent–

Crack!

His expression was exultant, his gaze darting from rocket to rocket, spark to spark. Holly knew she should be watching the show above but she couldn't, she couldn't take her eyes off him. His pale skin was flashing with colour, emerald, fuchsia, scarlet, gold…

'Artemis.'

He looked at her, drawn by her voice. 'A-hmm?'

She reached up a small hand and put it to his cheek. 'Artemis…'

The sky fell silent. There was nothing in the darkness, only the crowing chaos of car horns and a new, sharp smell of smoke.

Holly suddenly felt like an actress on stage and it was time for her cue.

'Artemis,' she said quickly. 'I… I know this isn't exactly a new thing… I mean, I know we've had our moments, over the years, but… And I know, I know I said that… that we couldn't but I–'

Light suddenly exploded into her face again. The lights of Manhattan had re-awoken. She flung a hand over her eyes, squinting into the sudden glare. Artemis faced it without a shield. She glanced out from under her elbow, her mismatched eyes dilating. Then her arm dropped as she studied the new skyline, noticing that not all the lights had come back on. There were shapes illuminated using the windows of the buildings… no not shapes… letters.

'Artemis…?' she asked shakily.

'Holly,' he said, repeating the words now ignited in two hundred foot letters across New York. 'I know it's been a while since I last told you this.'

The buildings all blacked out again, only to relight with a new phrase.

'But at the time I wasn't really feeling myself.'

On the last building there wasn't a word – only a simple constellation, the belt of which every child would recognise.

'I also know that you told me I could never kiss you again.'

The words faded slowly this time, painfully drifting the night back to black.

'But I wonder now whether you've changed your mind.'

Holly put a gloved hand to her mouth.

'And since I've now recovered mine…'

She gave a small laugh.

'I just wanted to tell you… that I love you.'

The last four words exploded across the skyline, expanding until the lights burnt through Holly's eyelids and into her retinas.

'And wish to fly and fight and feel with you.'

Artemis's voice lowered slightly.

'For as long as my life allows…'

Holly immediately put her hand back up to his face and he closed his eyes, leaning into her touch. Behind them, the lights of FDR Drive filtered back into place. She put her boot on the first rung of the rail and stood up so she was just above him. Artemis immediately wrapped his arms about her. They stayed there for a long moment, just holding each other: Holly with her arms about his neck, Artemis's face pressed to hers.

'I love you so much.'

Artemis's brow furrowed. 'I'm sorry?'

She pulled back, looking him straight in the eye. 'I love you.'

And then her gaze dropped to his mouth. Artemis's dropped to hers.

'So…'

'Yes, I've changed–'

Holly felt like her brain had been knocked into the back on her head, such was the force of Artemis's kiss. But that didn't stop her reciprocating; she clutched her fingers into his hair, bringing him closer…

Then there was a blast of a horn. Artemis and Holly whipped around. Butler was stood in the Captain's cabin, pulling on the blower and whistling at the top of his lungs. Soon, all the boats of the New York City Harbours had joined in, though probably hadn't a clue why. The cacophony of horns on land reached a new level and Artemis grinned, pressing his forehead to Holly's.

'I love you.'

'I love you too.'

Something clicked in Holly's hand. She looked down. The button inside the little box had fallen out, revealing a cushioned section below it. Something was glittering in its folds.

Artemis slowly unwrapped his arms from Holly's waist, sinking down to one knee whilst keeping his eyes on hers.

'Holly Coral Short…'

D'aww :')

I lost all the reviews for this last time so it'd be lovely to harvest some ones :)

Humour me?