Shattered Angel

10: The First Date

10

The First Date

"I like you, too. Like, like you like you."

They sat in a stunned silence, the air between them thick. Neither one wanted to break the silence, but the tension was slowly growing stronger.

Ryan was the first to break the tension, clearing his throat uncomfortably, turning his head toward the wall. It was almost as if the atmosphere had become tangible. Artemis looked away, a flush slowly creeping up her cheeks.

"I- I mean . . ." She stammered, embarrassed by what she just said.

Ryan glanced at her quickly, surreptitiously, then back at the wall he had begun to stare at. "I'm going to go get a glass of water," he said, standing. "Do you want anything while I'm in the kitchen?"

He looked Artemis full in the eye, not breaking contact, no matter how much he actually wanted to just dash out of there like a jackrabbit. Artemis looked back at him, just as intensely, fear, love, and pain written in her expression. "My parents?" She cracked a small smile, but it wasn't the same as her usually bright grin.

Tears began to form in her eyes, but she quickly tried swiping them away, to hide them from Ryan. He went over and sat beside his girl, pulling her into his embrace. Sitting sideways on the couch, he wrapped his legs around Artemis' waist and tucked her head into his chest, wrapping his strong arms around her slim frame. His warm hands stroked her back and hair simultaneously, calming her down significantly, all while pressing warm, soft kisses to her hair.

Artemis wrapped an arm around Ryan and clutched at his T-shirt with her free hand. He just sat there and continued to stroke her hair soothingly.

Eventually, Artemis stopped crying enough to pull away from the comfort of Ryan. She took one look at him and buried her face in his chest again, hugging him with all her strength. The pair sat like that for a while, Ryan wrapped around Artemis protectively, until Arlene came home.

The door clanked shut behind Arlene loudly, startling the couple on the couch out of their position. "Don't mind me!" Arlene said. "Just pretend that I'm not here."

"Hi, Grandma," Artemis said. "How was shopping?"

"It was good," Arlene said, pulling foodstuffs from bags and putting them in the fridge. She leaned over to whisper in her granddaughter's ear. "Have you and Ryan finally gotten together?" She grinned like she knew a secret.

"Grandma!" Artemis flushed a deep red, her ears an neck becoming coloured, as well.

Arlene snickered. "I'll take that as a yes, then." She returned to the task of putting away groceries.

"B-besides, what if we did? What's it to you, Grandma?" Artemis asked the question in a teasing manner, playing along to the lightness surrounding them, but Arlene took it on a more serious curve.

"I'll just say this now, while it's still early in the relationship: be wary of the actions of the people around you. Many may mean well, but others aim to hurt you, and the Containment. Don't let them get to you. And if that boy even tries to hurt you in any way, I don't care how long you've known him, or how much you care for him, I will throw him in the dungeons below the Containment HQ. Understand me?"

Artemis nodded fervently, rattling her brain.

"Fair enough, then," Arlene said, smiling brightly again. "Go have fun with him. You definitely deserve happiness right now." She made a shooing motion with her hand, indicating she wanted Artemis to leave.

Back in the family room, Ryan was standing awkwardly by the couch, his face still slightly warm. His fingers tingled pleasantly, residual warmth from Artemis lingering.  He was a little confused, however, because Artemis had run away so quickly to talk to her grandmother as soon as she got home.  

Did I do something weird? he wondered.  He shook his head at himself.  No, as far as he could tell, she actually liked being held by him.  So then what was it?  She was really red when she ran out of the room too . . .

He snapped his fingers, a light bulb moment coming to him.  Maybe she was sick!  He slapped himself.  I'm not that stupid.  She clearly loves me as much as I love her, but this is all new to her.  We've known each other for ages.  It's something different, something new.

Artemis walked back into the room just then, carefully keeping her eyes on the floor.  "Hey," Ryan greeted calmly, quietly.  He watched her closely as she advanced, not moving in case she decided to run someplace else.  She looked up at him slowly, eyes still cast downward, in a way that was somehow sensual to Ryan, even if Artemis didn't intend it to be.  

She stood in place in the middle of the room, where the sunlight backlit her, illuminating her honey-blonde head like an angel's halo.  (Of course, it could have just been Ryan's vision filtering it to look like that, since he's head over heels for her.)

Ryan took a cautious step toward Artemis.  She held out her arms in response, indicating that she wanted him closer.  He closed the distance between them, enveloping her in a warm hug again.  They stood together in the sunshine for what felt like ages.

Ryan tilted his head a little, resting his chin on top of Artemis's head.  "Let's go down to the bookstore," he suggested quietly.  She nodded her assent, stepping out of his embrace.

"I apologize in advance if I break down while we're there," she said, looking at him.  Her cheeks were still tinged a light pink, but the colour suited her.  Ryan bent down a little and kissed her forehead.  

"It's okay, love," he said, grinning supportively.  "I'll protect you from what scares you.  I'll be your knight in shining armour."

Artemis just grabbed his hand in response and pulled him out of the room.  She poked her head into the kitchen for a quick minute, letting Arlene know they were going down to the store.  

"Have fun, dears, and be safe.  You never know what may be lurking about," Arlene said ominously, not looking up from what she was doing.  

Ryan shot a worried look at Artemis, but she pointedly ignored it.  "We will, Grandma.  I'll call if we decide to do anything else."

Arlene nodded.  

Down in the store, Artemis released Ryan's hand and headed straight for the door.  The photo of her grandmother was gone, and the door was, indeed, there.  The mysterious mist was seeping out from underneath, which told the girl that it was open to passage.  She turned to Ryan.  "Want to go on an adventure?"

He grinned.  "Of course!  A mysterious place with a beautiful girl.  What better first date than this?"  He burst out laughing at his girlfriend's horrified-yet-amused expression.  "Don't worry.  I won't consider this the first date, because I'm supposed to ask you out.  Speaking of which, if we survive this, wanna catch dinner and a movie with me?  I promise you will be able to change first."  

Artemis nodded.  "Of course!"  

"Good."

Artemis smiled happily at him.  "Let's go now!!"  She tugged on their intertwined hands.  "'What time is it?!'"

"'Adventure time!'"  They giggled together at the nerdiness between them and entered the door.