Chapter Text
It was a terrible morning.
Five meetings, a presentation to the Council for his Ice Cube project, and a barely-contained explosion while he, Foaly, and Qwan were running tests on No. 1. And it wasn’t even lunchtime yet. Artemis needed a break.
But where to go? He’d just left the Ops Booth. He’d be ogled at outside Police Plaza. And he was definitely not going to the cafeteria again. Not after the Sweartoad Incident. His socks were still vaguely slimey.
Without realizing it, Artemis found himself in a much older part of Police Plaza. The old corridor hadn’t even received the new LEP Fresh Start paint job.
“You look like you just wrestled a troll.”
Artemis turned around to see his best friend smirking up at him. Holly looked sharp, confident even- she must have been having a better day than he had been. He sighed out something that was a mix of jealousy and relief.
“Nothing that terrible. Though, given the way things are going, I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if a rampaging troll wasn't in the offing.”
Holly’s face went from upbeat to concerned. She reached out and cupped the left side of his face.
“Bad day?” said Holly.
“Bad morning, technically,” said Artemis.
Holly looked around the corridor. Left then right- No officers. No cameras. No evil pixies bent on world domination.
She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. Both of them closed their eyes. This new part of their friendship- this breathtaking, impossible, unspoken part- was barely a week old. And yet Artemis somehow knew he would never tire of it. Not ever.
She broke the kiss first. They were both smiling now. It seemed Holly Short’s happiness was a contagious thing.
“You owe me for that one, Fowl.”
“Dinner after work?”
“And a movie.”
“Oh, how will the Fowl finances ever recover?”
She laughed and punched his shoulder goodbye. Evidently there was business she had to attend to on this floor.
He inhaled deeply and closed his eyes. What was it that he was stressed out about again?
It was a great morning.