mercury on my lips

[artemis adrian monroe]

Artemis Monroe wasn’t a rare sight when the sun kissed the horizon and slipped out of the sky. He was always doing one thing or another, whether he was trying to forget his recent activities at a club or slipping quietly through the dark streets, hoping to go by unnoticed. He was either in the middle of everyone, shining like a star, or completely isolated by the black night. Tonight his only friends were the stars that tried their hardest to peek through the black ink and past the bright city lights. Unfortunately, their normally brilliant light was faint in the distant sea. The androgynous male could be seen slipping out of the door of an apartment building, heels in hand, and his mess of white curls scattered haphazardly around his face. His normally bright blue eyes were dull in the streetlights gaze and casted down toward the ground. Each bare step he took was cautious as if he were afraid that the slightest noise was shatter the silence and wake the world to his presence.

Artemis could feel his skin crawl and a, what seemed to be, permanent scowl of disgust was painted on his features. When the home he had just left was far behind him, he paused only to put his heels on once more. How many times has he done this? God, he’s lost count. But there were certain things in life he needed and he had to get it somehow. At the moment, he needed to get home so he could wash the shame (and a few layers of skin) off his violated body. He almost wanted to crawl in a ditch for a little while. Oh god, if his mother knew that he had managed to sink as low as she had… She would have a fucking field day. He was supposed to be better than this. Well, at least he could say it was temporary.

Right?

Safe from secrets he kept locked behind the door he left behind them, Artemis walked tall with the confidence he was always drenched in – even though inside he was twitching with anything but that. He kept the clutch not fat with money tucked beneath his arm as he picked at his hair. The white, slightly unbuttoned blouse hidden beneath his black, leather jacket and the black skirt he wore told nothing of his previous activities. He took the time to fix himself after he was thrown in the dirt again. No one could know. Not even… His long stride slowed as he thought about him. Even if he was millions of miles away, he still felt horrible for keeping him in the dark. Artemis didn’t enjoy secrets and knew that him of all people would be able to understand and help. But Artemis also knew secrets were necessary to keep people in his life. And as far as the blonde was concern, he didn’t need any help. He was doing just fine on his own.

Artemis grasped the black clutch in his hand and crossed his arms over his surprisingly flat chest. Maybe… he had it right all along. Maybe Artemis finally understood why he did what he did. He could see it so distinctly. Hell, he already copied his mother. Why couldn’t Artemis copy him, too? It would be easy… Or at least he made it seem easy. It wasn’t like this thought was foreign to Artemis’ mind. Ever since he seemed to slip deeper and deeper into the rut he was already drowning in, the thought has crossed his mind along with the vivid vision of crimson and the hopeful promise of relief.

Artemis huffed an agitated yet relieved breath that sent a puff of white into the cold Parisian air as he neared his place. He fished his keys out of his jacket pocket and crossed the barren street before he noticed a figure standing in front of his door. The man paused and stared wide eyed at the unexpected company.

At him.

tags:

[/color] luuuuuuuke ♥
words:[/color] 669
notes:[/color] i missssssed hiiiiim
creds:[/color] template by pluto; lyrics to the gazette
[/size][/blockquote][/justify][/blockquote]

[luke]

He hadn't forgotten a thing. Luke's mother and father had been convinced that he would forget his way around Paris, get lost in the streets and run into even more trouble then he'd already gotten himself into. They'd been sure that he wouldn't even remember where he lived, which was why they'd secured him a dorm at La Lumineuse instead of letting him return to his old house, but they were wrong. Wandering the streets of Paris, Luke wasn't at all lost. He knew exactly where he was going, he'd known it since he'd gotten off the plane. Of course, he'd had to get out of the airport first, take the metro into the city, get unpacked and make the little two person dorm as much as a home as it was ever going to be.. but after a few setbacks, he'd slipped out from under his brother's watchful eye and gone out into the city. He'd made a promise, and even though his reckless behavior and indifference to the outcomes of his actions made him a pretty bad keeper of promises, he had sworn that he was going to keep this one. This was for someone that was more important than his own life, after all.

Of course, that wasn't saying much. It wasn't like Luke regarded his life as a very important thing. He'd tried to kill himself twice now, in just a little under a year. Wasn't that pathetic? No wonder his parents hadn't wanted him to come back to Paris; who said that he wasn't going to try it again? Luke's argument against that had been that even though he'd been trying exceptionally hard to wipe himself off the face of the Earth the first time, the second time had been different. He hadn't really wanted to kill himself. Or, well, maybe he had, but he'd stopped halfway through. There had still been enough blood loss for him to pass out on the kitchen floor, but he'd stopped, hadn't he? Luke could have really killed himself, but he hadn't. Koby hadn't found him until he had lost a good amount of blood from his arms, but he could have done something so much quicker than that. He'd had the option to efficiently snuff his life out, and he'd chosen to just give Koby a bad replay of that time in the barn. Except he'd been awake and crying in the barn, and the second time.. well, he had been out cold and bleeding on the floor.

But that wasn't important now. What was important was the fact that he had a promise to fulfill, and that wasn't going to happen if he just stood around in the cold, staring at the cracked sidewalk in front of him. Anyway, it wasn't like he was the only one that was freezing. Luke had a small dog clutched in his arms, who was currently snuggling up against him for warmth and whining. When picking out the puppy to bring to Paris, he'd chosen the most passive one, and so there was no need to keep her in a dog carrier or anything. She wasn't about to run away, and if she did, Luke was still clutching a dull blue leash in his right hand that was latched to the collar wrapped around the puppy's neck. It took a few seconds to gather the willpower to move his feet, but he managed it. The only physical problem that he had was his hands, which he was once again in the process of repairing; every other part of his body worked just fine. It was the mental bit that kept him from jumping out of bed in the morning or running around. He just didn't have the will to be animated or active anymore, though that changed a bit when he was singing.

Once he started walking, it didn't take Luke that long to reach the studio apartment. This was one place in Paris that he wasn't going to forget any time soon, no matter how many months he'd stayed at home in Australia. Luke shifted the puppy to one arm, making a large effort not to drop her, and lightly knocking on the door with his free hand. Yet, after a few moments of waiting, no one responded. Sighing, Luke sank to the ground next to the door, resting his forehead in one hand and watching the puppy curl up next to him. It was odd, that the person he was looking for wasn't home.. he usually was. It wasn't like Luke could expect everything to be the same, though. He'd been gone for far too long, and things must have changed. Maybe he'd been forgotten by all his friends, even though he'd spent all of his time thinking about them. Missing them. Luke couldn't expect anyone to miss him, though. Hell, he wouldn't miss himself. Hadn't missed himself, judging by the way he'd tried to kill himself twice. Well, with the apartment seemingly empty, he might as well wait for a while. He was too tired to stand up, at least until he was sure that no one was going to come home tonight.

Once upon a time, standing hadn't hurt so much. He'd worked on a farm as a kid, how could he not get used to standing for long amounts of time? It had just been normal for him, easy. Right. Now everything was wrong, wasn't it? What had happened to his old self, the one that was happy? Maybe Luke had killed himself, and someone else was living in his body now. It certainly felt that way. He should tell his therapist that, maybe the man would find it interesting. Luke wasn't interesting, though. He was like a zombie these days, pointless. Why had he even bothered to return to Paris, when no one wanted him here? The singer was just about to grab the puppy and leave when a familiar figure walked up to the door. God, this was why he'd came back. When Luke saw him, it was like everything was right. Like it had been stupid and unnecessary to erase himself. Some part of Luke knew that it had been necessary, and that this world would be better off without him in it, but that part was shoved into a dark corner of his mind when he was around.

”Artemis,” he said softly, looking up at him. ”I kept my promise.” Why did he feel so whole when Artemis was around? He didn't even have to fake the smile that spread across himself when Artemis came into his view, and he normally had to fake every positive action that he made. Luke refused to call it love, because he knew that if he ever loved someone, it would just be a burden to them, but he still liked the artist. Maybe a little more than he should like anyone, but that was one thing that he wasn't about to go around talking about, not even with his therapist. Artemis was special, in Luke's mind and heart. The singer didn't feel so damned broken around him, and why in the world would that be considered anything other than amazing? It didn't even take that much effort to stand up, the puppy in his arms once again and the grin remaining on his face. ”I missed you too much. Can I have a hug?”

notes "lumis! and hurr is the puppy he mentions"
words "one two three nine"
tags "artemis"

[artemis adrian monroe]

“Luke,” the name parted his lips in quiet disbelief. The artist was beyond surprised to see anyone outside his door, let alone someone that had left Paris so long. “Oh my god…” Artemis could feel everything he was worried about just ebb from his body at the mere site of this… man. The previous thoughts drifted to the back of his mind, all of his self-pity disappeared. But the shame… The shame was still there, gnawing at his itching skin and clawing at his chest. That presence only grew more intimidating at the sight of the singer. If Luke knew what had happened right after he left… What Artemis had gotten himself into… He would not be standing there, would he? Artemis couldn’t blame him. But none of this stopped a wide smile from stretching across Artemis’ features as he flung himself at his old friend and enveloped him in his arms, completely oblivious to the puppy. “Luke! I missed you so much…” God, Artemis was so fucking lonely with Luke left. It was pathetic; it really was. Yeah, Artemis had other friends, and he was supposed to become an “uncle” soon but they just weren’t the same as Luke. Artemis worried more about his financial issues and how he was going to make rent. Nothing stopped him from partying harder or drinking more, either. It was amazing how easily he was able to slip into a new way to income. All it took was the casual mention of an escort on the television and Artemis knew what he had to do to keep his world from spinning off its axis.

But Luke was back, and that was all that mattered. Save the bitter cold that was biting harshly at Artemis’ bare legs. “You must be freezing! And the puppy!! Your brought a puppy! That poor thing; Luke, why isn’t it in your jacket? Awww!” Artemis quickly moved passed him and unlocked the door so they can find shelter in the warmth of the studio apartment. “Don’t mind the mess,” he added after a quick glance around: dirty dishes in the sink, clothes sprawled across the floor and the bed, pin ups of unfinished but well done drawings all over the walls, some of them hanging on by a fraction of a corner… It looked like a tornado passed through. But it always had. It was Artemis’ organized chaos. In this little piece of hell, he could find anything. Well, most of the time. “I need to take a quick shower because I smell like sweat and ew,” not to mention shame and regret, “because I was at a club. So just… make yourself at home?” A brilliant smile lit up Artemis’ face as he slowly backed away from Luke and toward a small hallway that lead to the bathroom. “I’m holding you prisoner for tonight so don’t go anywhere, okay? I want to talk.” Artemis shot him a meaningful look before disappearing down the hall. Though, after a split second, his light voice could be heard floating from the bathroom, “There are bowls in the cupboards so the puppy can have water! Again, don’t mind the mess~.”

Artemis slipped quietly into the bathroom and locked the door. He didn’t want to take the ritual shower that normally followed a night out in some random man’s bed. He wanted this to be quick and he was determined to make it just that. There was no time to scrape three layers of skin off; there wasn’t even time to wash until his skin was red. He could put aside his obsession for the night and reserve his time for the one that matters the most to him at this very moment. Luke. He was the sole person in the artist’s thoughts. No one else could measure up to him and Artemis honestly didn’t believe anyone else ever would. At least not now when his mind was swimming with bliss Artemis hasn’t been able to find in a while. He didn’t know how or when or why Luke had become such a dominate figure in his life, how he had become the most important person. The man had his own problems and he didn’t need Artemis to add on to that. Maybe that was what it was. They were both broken in their own way. Yet Artemis didn’t feel that way when he was around the other. Perhaps… Their jagged edges meshed in imperfect perfection and together they can make a cracked whole. Whatever it was, Artemis didn’t want to give it up. He was addicted. After all these months, he was addicted.

Artemis, just as he had hoped, didn’t take too long in the shower. In mere moments, he was stepping back into the main room – the half living room, half bedroom mix. He was the most masculine he had ever looked now in a pair of boxers and an oversized t-shirt. He always was when he was at home. “Back! Did you miss me?”

tags:

[/color] luuuuuuuke ♥
words:[/color] 807
notes:[/color] such a cute puppy!
creds:[/color] template by pluto; lyrics to the gazette
[/size][/blockquote][/justify][/blockquote]

[luke]

”I didn't mean to give you a heart attack!” Luke protested when Artemis could only stand there and stare at him. He shifted self consciously for a moment before welcoming Artemis into his arms, moving the puppy a bit so she wouldn't be suffocated. Wouldn't that be horrible, if the dog that he'd brought for Artemis died before Arty even got to meet her properly? Luke doubted that Artemis' weight alone would even hurt the puppy - he was way too skinny these days... - but no matter how calm and passive the puppy was, being squished between too people would most likely make her freak out. So, her leash still in his hand, he loosened his grip on the dog slightly so she could jump to the floor before wrapping his arms around Artemis, breathing in his scent and sighing happily. ”I bet I missed you more,” he mumbled into Artemis' hair, closing his eyes until Artemis pulled away and headed into the house. Even if Arty hadn't asked for Luke to come visit him before anyone else, Luke probably would have done it anyway. Sure, he had other friends like Anouk and Parker, but were they really worth sneaking away from Koby for?

Anouk was probably with Alex by now, so she wouldn't have any time for him. Parker... well, Parker was Parker. Luke doubted that he would take very kindly to him vanishing off the face of Europe, even if he hadn't managed to vanish off the Earth itself like he'd been hoping for. Artemis was the only one that would welcome him back to Paris, or so Luke thought. He could relax around Artemis, because he knew that the younger man actually cared about him. There was nothing better than that. ”Since when have I ever minded messy things?” he asked, scooping up the puppy in his arms again before following Artemis into the house. He was just... happy around Arty. There was no other way to say it. Artemis was even more useful than the pills that Luke was forced to take on a daily basis. If only he could carry Artemis around in the little box that he currently had tucked into his pocket, but sadly, no matter how short Luke's fellow student was, he wouldn't fit into the pill box. Letting the puppy jump out of his arms once again, he watched her wade through the mess for a moment until she found a place she liked and settled down.

Luke looked up at Artemis for the whatevereth time this night, still smiling more brightly than he had in a long time. ”Trust me, I'm already at home. Take your time in the shower.” Truthfully, Luke hadn't been more at home for... well, for years. After he'd went on that tour with his friends, everything had seemed to go downhill. The first streak of good fortune that had come along had been Artemis, and Luke wouldn't change that for the world. Not that he cared much about the world these days... The singer nodded, smirking slightly when Artemis told him that he'd be held prisoner tonight. No, Luke didn't mind that at all. He'd have to deal with Koby tomorrow, but tonight, living in the moment was going to be necessary. And... maybe some more pills, but that was less important. Artemis may have made him happy, but without the things that helped him get by each and every day without killing himself, he wasn't going to be very fun to talk to. Wandering into the kitchen, Luke got some water for the puppy and a glass of water for himself, taking out the little pill box and downing a few of the pills before stuffing it back into his pocket.

No matter how much he loved Arty, Luke didn't want him to know about the pills. Not the pills, not the depression, not the suicide. None of that. It would just spoil their happy relationship, and that was one thing that Luke wouldn't be able to handle. He could hide from his depression when he was with Artemis, because the artist cared about him, and Luke knew that. Sure, he felt kind of bad keeping secrets, but... he would feel worse if he told the younger boy. Of course Artemis knew about the first suicide attempt – the scars on his elbows were kind of hard to hide – but he'd told him that he was fixed. That he wouldn't try that again, and that he wasn't depressed anymore. He'd lied, but that was what Luke did. He didn't know how else to keep this relationship stable and happy, but he still did the best he could. Closing his eyes for a moment, Luke settled on the couch, taking a deep breath and letting the pills take their time to sink in. By the time Artemis was back, most of the bad thoughts floating around Luke's mind were gone. Anyway, especially with Artemis in less girly clothing, it was kind of hard to think about anything other than the artist.

”You shouldn't have abandoned me so soon after I came back,” he whined, pouting and pretending to be offended. ”Of course I missed you! C'mere.” The last word was followed by Luke opening his arms for another hug. It was a bit of an effort to keep his arms in the air, but... yeah. He was fine with making an effort for someone like Artemis. Once Artemis was sitting next to him, Luke wrapped his arms around the shorter man, his head resting on Artemis's. ”Right, so what are you going to name the puppy?” he asked, watching said puppy try and fail to jump on the couch.

notes "can i just... kidnap them... and keep them in my closet? 8| they're too cute"
words "nine five six"
tags "artemis"

[artemis adrian monroe]

Artemis highly doubted Luke could possibly miss the artist more than the artist missed him. There was just no comparing how much Luke had been missed in his eyes. Honestly, Artemis was surprised himself. Perhaps the saying was true: you don’t know what you have until it’s gone. Artemis had taken the other for granted. He never realized how easily the other could simply just… vanish. Without so much as a warning, too. Artemis realized now that it was wrong of him to feel what he felt when he found out about Luke leaving… But he couldn’t help it. Artemis had felt betrayed. He felt abandoned. Of course, this was only at the very beginning. Artemis was never once angry with Luke. He never hated Luke for what he did. He was simply… hurt. Only because Artemis was never able to tell him goodbye. There was no closure or anything. The wound was left gaping without its stitches, exposed to the cancerous air. Which only begged the question… Why? Artemis was pretty sure Luke cared at least a little about him. Perhaps he wasn’t as invested in Artemis as he seemed to be invested into Luke? Perhaps Artemis was just fooling himself like he had done with Deimos?

Who wanted a man that dressed like a woman? Who wanted a whore?

Though, if all of that was true, why was Luke here, now, sitting on Artemis’ couch, waiting for the second year’s company with one of the most adorable pouts he has ever seen? Was he here only because Artemis requested it? There was a time where Artemis would never dream of questioning himself. What has changed? Why was he starting to now? Yes, Luke disappeared and Artemis’ world turned upside soon after… but Luke was back. And that was all that mattered.

With that thought in mind, Artemis pushed all the other into the darkness and danced around the mess on the floor. “I didn’t abandon you! I’m right here~.” Quickly, he plopped down on the couch beside Luke and immediately tucked himself against the other’s side. A skinny arm slithered between Luke and the couch and within seconds, Artemis was clinging to his friend’s side like a child might his mother. His head rested neatly on the other’s shoulder and Artemis smiled as he felt the warmth of a second body envelop him so easily. The blonde visibly relaxed against the brunette. His free hand easily found its place on Luke’s chest and in that quiet moment, it felt as if the world had stopped and everything was right again. For that brief moment, Artemis could pretend that Luke never left and that Artemis never fell into the profession his mother had chosen. He could pretend that this master piece was real. He could pretend forever, if he wanted to.

Though, at the moment, Artemis’ attention was directed to the little ball of cute fur Luke had brought back with him. A soft giggle bubbled as he watched the poor thing try and climb onto the couch, ultimately failing in the process. “Oh, how cute. C’mon, sweetie,” he cooed, leaning forward to scoop the thing up and settle her in Luke’s lap so Artemis could tuck his own legs beneath himself and lean more on Luke. Easy access for affections. “Hmm… a name. Girl, right?” Artemis really wasn’t sure so he risked a quick peek to confirm his assumption. “Yes. I would say Aries but that’s a boy’s name.” Then again, Artemis was the name of a godess yes he was very male indeed. Though, the name could be used for both genders, if he remembered correctly. “What about…” he mused softly, staring at the puppy as he ruffled the fur behind her ears, “Ariel?” Artemis wasn’t sure where the name came from. The moment it left his lips, a fiery haired mermaid flashed in his mind. He couldn’t help but find it fitting somehow. A wide smile painted his features and he hummed softly, “Yes, Ariel.”

And that was that. Artemis snuggled up against Luke’s side, his hand returning to the boy’s chest. His gaze remained transfixed on the puppy but he had to keep a grasp on Luke. On reality. Eyes couple play awful tricks but tangible things couldn’t just vanish in a second. Could they? Wasn’t that exactly what Luke had done? Well, they couldn’t vanish if they were trapped. Luke was ensnared in Artemis’ grasp and that wasn’t going to change for a while. Still, slowly, Artemis could feel the smile fade from his lips. He couldn’t keep Luke here forever. That was just a fact Artemis could easily accept. So what would stop him from leaving if he wanted to again? What would stop him from vanishing like the dew that left with morning? “Luke, I want you to promise me something,” his voice was soft now, holding a more somber, serious note than before. Was it a lot to ask for? Artemis didn’t know… But he had to make sure this wouldn’t happen again. “If you… decide to leave again, will you at least let me know? So I can tell you goodbye…” Would Artemis let him leave if he knew Luke had the intention of going? He would probably fight to keep that little piece of his world in tact… But if it was best for Luke, he would give in in the long run.

Artemis remembered the scars on Luke’s arms and the story behind them. He had been told that he was fixed but… Artemis wondered if something like that really could be fixed. What if Luke was still broken? They were both broken, Artemis was sure of this. “If anything were to happen, you’d let me know, right?” God, now he was bordering on desperate. It was pathetic but it had to be said. “I care about you, Luke… I do. And it hurt me when you left.” He gave the other time to let that sink in. He didn’t want Luke to be upset about it, though. He just wanted Luke to know how much he really meant. How much Artemis cared. Because sometimes… that’s all it took. “I’m really glad you’re back,” he allowed a soft smile to touch his features again, “and that you brought Ariel.”

Their reunion wasn’t supposed to be depressing.

tags:

[/color] luuuuuuuke ♥
words:[/color] 1,058
notes:[/color] me toooooo
creds:[/color] template by pluto; lyrics to the gazette
[/size][/blockquote][/justify][/blockquote]

[luke]

To sum up Luke in a few words was easy. He didn't care, and every single little action that he made was influenced by that fact. He was reckless, didn't pay attention to danger and dying, and rarely took others' feelings into consideration when he was speaking to them. He was, well, depressed. Suicidal. He was taking pills to make him happier, but those just barely managed to keep him from trying to kill himself for the third time. If there was one thing in the world that could actually prevent his death, that honestly made him want to stay on the Earth and live his life just like every other normal person did, it would probably be... Artemis. There was no questioning that, which was exactly why Luke had slipped out of Koby's grasp on the very first night that they'd returned to Paris, even after promising that he'd try to behave this time. Well, being with Artemis was behaving, wasn't it? It wasn't like they were going to go to a club and get drunk of their asses, though maybe Kobo had a good excuse to think that Arty was a bad influence on Luke, especially if Artemis had been telling the truth and had just gotten back from a club. And Luke had every incentive to believe him, because after all, why would Artemis lie?

Well, didn't that thought just make him feel peachy? Luke fully believed that Artemis had never lied to him, because why would he have a reason to? Artemis was amazing, much better than Luke himself could ever be. Because Luke was lying at this very moment, wasn't he? He'd ran away from Koby instead of actually asking if he could visit a friend, which his brother might have said yes to. But now that he'd proved himself as dis-trustworthy? Luke didn't think that he'd have Koby's permission to leave the house any time in the future. Plus, wasn't he also lying to Artemis? He'd taken his pills when Artemis had been in the shower so the older boy wouldn't ever have to see them, and he remember telling Arty that he wasn't depressed anymore. Everything was fine, right? Well, that right there was a huge lie. He would have to stop digging his own grave eventually, but... no, that thought just made him laugh. Internally, of course, but still. Digging his own grave. Oh, that was funny! Hadn't he already tried to do that twice? Yes, yes he had. And Artemis didn't even know about the second time! What a horrible fucking joke Luke had played on himself.

”Yeah, she's a girl,” he confirmed quietly, stroking said puppy's head. His other arm was wrapped around Arty's waist in an oddly possessive fashion, but he didn't think that the smaller boy would mind. A grin spread across his face when Artemis finally decided on a name, because honestly, it was very fitting for the tiny puppy. ”I love it,” he said, leaning his head against Arty's. ”It's perfect for her.” Everything about this was perfect, wasn't it? He got to spend a night with Artemis after being gone for so long, Ariel was probably the most adorable puppy in the world, and he didn't have to worry about what Koby thought about him for a few hours. Nothing could go wrong, but then of course, it did. Being as tuned in to Artemis as he was, when Arty's smile faded, Luke noticed immediately. ”What's wrong?” he asked, frowning and furrowing his eyebrows in a worried fashion. ”I won't...” His voice cracked with the lie that he'd been about to tell, and he swallowed, trying to regain his ability to speak. ”I don't want to leave you again.” No, he didn't want to, but was it inevitable?

Pills couldn't work forever, and Koby definitely wasn't making the depression go away. What if Luke tried to kill himself again? If he actually succeeded the third time? And if he was planning that, or even if he just did it spontaneously, how would he be able to tell Artemis? Obviously, he wasn't going to want anyone to stop him if he was trying to erase himself off the face of the Earth, which was why he hadn't talked to Artemis the last time he'd tried to do it. ”I... If I leave again, I'll tell Koby to contact you and tell you where I'm going.” Home or death were the only two options. Artemis could visit him in the hospital, or go to his funeral... but no. He didn't want to do that again! ”But I'm not leaving,” he said firmly, looking Artemis in the eyes. Luke wasn't going to put his best friend through that kind of worry again. Koby, maybe, since Luke didn't really care that much about his brother, but not Artemis. He was going to live because Artemis wanted him to, right? Right. ”I'm glad to be back, too.” This was supposed to be a happy night, but it didn't really seem to be turning out that way, now was it? Luke would have to fix that.

Sure, Luke wasn't exactly a master of fixing things, but there was one way that had always managed to cheer Artemis up before. So, ignoring the puppy in his lap, Luke gently cupped Arty's face in one of his hands, bringing their faces closer together and kissing him. Foolproof strategies! If only Koby could understand that he was honestly happy around Artemis... but that wasn't going to happen.

notes "sorry, didn't give you much to reply to"
words "nine two three"
tags "artemis"