Kiss Me, I'm Irish {An Artemis Fowl Fan Fiction}

Chapter 33: Unexpected Friends

Hey everyone. Sorry for the month delay. I've been swamped with school work. Plus I just started working in the financial aid office again as well, so that has been taking up a lot of my free time. Not to mention wedding planning. The good news is that I think I've figured out times I can actually write, so I hope I'll be able to write more and upload in a more reasonable timetable. Anyways, everyone thank yarncat for the inspiration for this chapter! Hope you all enjoy! :)

******************************************************************************

            Diana sat uncomfortably in the study. Dinner had been over for a while now, and Artemis had just finished giving her a tour of his uncle's manor. The couple had just taken a seat, and Diana was still feeling uneasy after the conversation at dinner. She had never been interrogated by a boyfriend's parents before, let alone openly compared to another girl. Although Artemis' mother hadn't said she preferred Minerva to her, the girl could tell she did. It was all too obvious. Diana silently wondered if Angeline wasn't the only one who felt that way.

            "I do hope that my family has not frightened you," Artemis broke her thoughts. "They can be a bit intimidating at times."

            Diana shrugged. "They're weren't too bad. I've just never been questioned like that before."

            Artemis set down the cup of tea he had been drinking on a nearby end table. "You mustn't take it too hard. They're just not entirely sure about our relationship," he assured. "In time, they will grow fond of you, as I have."

            For some reason, Diana was not so sure about it. Try as he must, Artemis wasn't going to ease her mind so easily this time. There were still a few things troubling her. "If Minerva was never anything more to you than a friend, why does your mother seem to favor her so?" she bravely inquired.

            Artemis sighed. "When I was trapped in Limbo, Minerva had grown close to Butler, and they spent a lot of time together, so I can presume she saw my parents on a regular basis. I'm not exactly sure what transpired in my absence, but whatever it was, it made my mother biased towards her." He took a deep breath. "Minerva and I are far too alike to be romantically involved, which is something I wish my mother would learn. You don't need to worry about that."

            Diana nodded, acknowledging his statement. She stared blankly at her feet, wondering if he was being honest about it. She had no reason to doubt Artemis- he hadn't given her a reason to- but at the same time, she was so used to being lied to by guys she couldn't quite shake the feeling. Diana really wanted to believe him, but her mind was too busy living in the past, reminding her of everything that could go wrong.

            The girl felt a hand gently lift her chin, and within a few moments, she was staring directly into Artemis' eyes. "I mean it," he asserted. "Do you honestly think I would have asked you to be my companion if I wanted her? What would that accomplish?"

            Diana pondered that for a moment. Artemis had made a fair point. "Nothing," she said back quietly.

            "Exactly," Artemis replied. "So try not to let that bother you. My mother... is just difficult. She'll come around in due time."

            "I sure hope so," Diana sighed. She leaned back slightly in her chair, moving away from Artemis, just in time to see a certain blonde girl standing in the archway. Artemis also took notice, and stood, picking up his cup in the process.

            "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Minerva asked unsurely.

            "Not at all," Artemis insisted. "Would you mind keeping Diana company for a moment? I'm going to run this cup downstairs. I'll be right back."