Waltz Of The Persistent Plot Bunnies

Thief

Holly shifted closer to Artemis and laid her head on his shoulder. She felt him flinch slightly at the touch, but he said nothing. She leaned her back against the rough tree bark and stared at the stars, lost in thought.

A few minutes past before Holly broke the silence.

"Artemis?" She said in a small voice, twirling a blade of grass around her finger.

Artemis turned his head to look at her. "Yes, Holly?"

Holly looked up at the Mud Man and smiled. Her little Arty had grown up. When she had first met him, he had been but a child. Now, at age twenty-two, Artemis was a full-grown man. A small part of Holly's mind noted how handsome he had grown in eleven years.

Holly shook her head slightly, pulling herself back to the present. "Do you remember the day we met?" She asked.

Artemus chuckled. "I remember like it was yesterday."

The elf leaning against him sighed. "When you kidnapped me, you stole something from me, and you never gave it back."

Artemus frowned. "I sincerely apologize, Holly. Why didn't you tell me this sooner? What is it? I can have Butler find it and retur-"

"Arty." Holly interrupted. "I don't want it back. You can have it. There's no one I trust more to keep it safe and unharmed."

Confusion spread across Artemis's face. "What is it?"

Holly smirked. "You're a smart Mud Boy. I'll let you figure it out. Clue Number One: It's not something you can really take, per say. It's just a phrase people use. A metaphor."

Artemis knitted his brow in thought. After several minutes, he sighed and shook his head. "Clue Number Two?"

Holly yanked the blade of grass out of the dirt and studied it intently. "Clue Number Two: you can't live without it."

Again, Artemis thought, and again, he failed to come up with an answer.

"I dont know, Holly. What is the next clue?"

"Come on, Arty." Holly encouraged, tapping him on the head. "Work that big brain of yours. Clue Number Three: it's red."

Holly went through Clues Four, Five, and Six, and still Artemis was stumped.

Holly laughed as Artemis scowled in frustration. "I know something you don't know!" She teased.

"Clue Seven." Artemis grumbled.

"Clue Number Seven: it starts with an 'H' and rhymes with art."

Artemis's face went slack. "Oh."

"Oh is right, genius. You are an insult to genius kind."

But Artemis was too lost in thought to hear the insult.

"So...the answer is heart..." He muttered to himself. "I stole her heart..."

"A prize for the winner, please." Holly snapped him out of his world of thought. "When I first laid eyes on you, Arty, my subconsciousness knew that I would fall for you. It might have been Stockholm syndrome, it might have been love at first sight. Call it what you will, but when I left the Manor that first time, a piece of my heart stayed with you. That piece encouraged me to go back, to make you a better person so that I didn't fall in love with a monster. Piece by piece you stole my heart, and now you have the whole thing. I love you, Artemis Fowl, and I want you. All of your flaws, all of your quirks, all of your annoying comments and witty retorts, because that's what makes you you. That's why I fell in love with you, Artemis, and that's why I went on all those crazy adventures with you."

Artemis stared at her in shock. "What...what am I supposed to say to that?"

Holly leaned closer. "Nothing, idiot. You're supposed to kiss me."