Redeemed (Sequel)

Chapter 2

Storm P.O.V.

"Come on, Storm!" Raven shouted, dragging me toward the front door. He was grinning as he pulled me down the front steps and out into the street. "Why are you so excited about going to see this girl?" I asked, feeling just a little bit jealous. He winked over his shoulder at me and replied, "When you meet her, you'll see why." I sighed and let him pull me through town, his wings fluttering and twitching with excitement.

Artemis P.O.V.

I was curled up on the couch with my favorite book and a hot cup of mint tea when I heard a knock at the door. "I'll be right there," I called, marking my place and standing up to stretch. Luna walked up and nuzzled my feet, purring softly. "Aw, come here, Luna," I cooed, scooping her up in my arms and walking to the door. Standing on my front porch was Raven and a man I had never seen before. He was tall, with a lean frame and muscular body. His ash-brown hair almost covered his pale grey eyes. The intensity in those eyes was startling. "Hi Raven," I smiled. "And...Storm, I presume?" He nodded and stared at the ground. "Please, come in," I said, stepping aside to let them inside. "Is that a cat?" Raven asked. "Yeah," I giggled. "This is Luna. She's a bit shy around strangers." I smoothed back her sleek, black fur. "I love kittens," I mumbled.

"Really?" Raven asked, his face lighting up with joy. "Yeah, they're just so adorable," I squealed, nuzzling Luna. "I love animals," he admitted, blushing. "Do you, do you mind if I hold her?" He looked so excited, I just couldn't tell him no. "Of course I don't mind," I replied, handing her over to him. "Besides, if you keep her occupied, she won't bug me while I'm cooking." He sat down on the couch, playing with Luna. "More food?" he piped up excitedly. "Yes, more food," I giggled as I walked into the kitchen. Storm trailed in behind me hesitantly, taking a seat at the table as I refilled my mug with tea. "Thank you," he whispered, staring down at the worn wooden table. "For?" I asked, sitting down across from him. "Raven came home safe thanks to you," he mumbled. "Yeah, I heard you two got into a bit of an argument," I replied.

He blinked for a minute, seeming surprised. "Yeah," he sighed. "He usually stays gone for days when we argue, but he was back within a few hours this time. He was happy...and he had forgiven me." I placed my hand over his and smiled softly. "I didn't do anything but tell him something he already knew deep in his heart," I said. He looked up and I could see the faintest smirk on his lips. "Well, what was it that he already knew?" he asked. I let go of his hand and stood up. "That's for him to tell you when he's ready," I grinned as I rummaged through the cabinets for the ingredients I needed. He laughed, quietly at first, but then I heard his deep laughter. It was a joyous sound, but his eyes told me it was rare as well. "You are something else," he chuckled. "Thank you," I smiled, turning to face him and curtsying. "And the food Raven brought back? It was delicious. Thank you for that as well," he said, his voice still barely above a whisper. "Well, I'm glad you liked it, and I hope you're hungry because I'm about to make something even better. It's one of my favorites," I replied. "M-Mind if I help?" he stammered. "No, not at all," I chimed happily. "It would be nice to have a little help." His eyes lit up although his expression stayed blank. "Where do we start?" he asked.

He was very helpful, but he didn't know where anything was. I couldn't hold back my laugh when he opened the spice cabinet thinking the pots and pans were in there. His confusion was adorable. His sleeve moved down a little when he reached for a pot, and I saw metal braces on his arms. There were transmutation circles engraved into them. "What kind of alchemy do you do?" I smirked. He jumped and dropped the pot. "Oh, um-- I...you saw that?" he stuttered nervously. "Yupp," I answered. "What kind of alchemy?" He glanced down at the ground and whispered, " I can control the atmosphere around me." I smiled at him, my interest piqued. "So you can make weather with your alchemy? Is that why you're called Storm?" He nodded, glancing up at me only to spare a half-smile. "And what about you? With the last name Elric, I presume you followed the footsteps of your uncle and father?" he asked, leaning against the counter. I went around the kitchen, gathering ingredients as I answered, "Yeah, I became a state alchemist. I am the Archer Alchemist, the first state alchemist to do alchemy through a weapon. It's something that took a lot of studying and practice to perfect. Especially since I use a long-range weapon." He nodded, his cloudy grey eyes focused on me. The intensity of his gaze both intimidated and attracted me. I turned away, hiding my blushing face. "Can you get me the butter out of the fridge?" I muttered. He grunted in reply and opened the fridge. 'Why does he make me so nervous?' I wondered.

Raven P.O.V.

"Food's ready!" Artemis' soft voice chimed from the kitchen. I set Luna down gently on the couch and all but flew to the next room. A pot of chicken and pasta was in the middle of the table, along with a fresh baked loaf of bread. "What is that?" I asked in awe. "It's called chicken alfredo," she replied as she served our plates. The chicken and pasta was covered in a thick, creamy sauce and it smelled wonderful. She piled our plates high, but I saw how small her plate was. She barely had half a slice of bread and one scoop of pasta. "Why aren't you eating?" Storm asked the exact thing I was about to. She blushed and kind of hid behind her hair. "I, um...well, I like to cook. I just, I can't eat much," she muttered, looking embarrassed. I smiled at her and took a large bite out of my food. "Why not?" Storm urged, staring at her. He dissected people with his piercing gaze, and I hoped Artemis wasn't too uncomfortable because of him. She shifted around in her seat for a moment, looking very upset. "W-well, my body-- I mean, the way I...I" I slurped the noodles loudly, interrupting her. "If it makes you feel any better, I could eat the entire pot by myself anyway." She smiled at me with gratitude, going back to her small plate.

I saw Luna jump up in Artemis' lap. Artemis smiled down lovingly at the cat and fed her a slice of bread. She was so gentle and kind. She really was amazing. Luna sniffed around, peeking her head over the edge of the able. Suddenly, Luna leaped onto the table. She padded carefully across the table, sniffing at the pot. She turned her attention to Storm and began stalking toward his plate. "Good kitty," Storm mumbled, putting his hand down in front of his food. Luna meowed softly and licked the tips of his fingers before continuing down the table. I smiled at the adorable little kitten and continued eating. "Raven, look out!" Artemis shouted. I looked back up in time to see Luna leaping at me. She nestled herself on top of my head, curling herself up for a nap. Storm and Artemis were laughing, and I couldn't stop myself from joining in.

"She likes you, Birdy," Artemis laughed. I dropped my fork and glared at her, my wings curling around me self-consciously. "Do you really have to draw attention to the fact I have wings with a stupid nickname like that?" I asked. She pushed her plate away, her golden eyes sparking with anger. "Your wings are beautiful and unique and they make you different, wonderfully different, from everyone else. Even without the wings, I'd probably still like you and I'd probably still call you Birdy because your name is Raven. Your wings are completely irrelevant to the nickname I gave you, so stop being so damn sensitive!" she snapped. I didn't know what to say. I was speechless. 'Did she really just say that?' I thought, dumbfounded. I stared at Storm for confirmation. He just looked at me like, 'Yeah, that just happened.' I just stared at her as she picked up her plate and set it in the sink. Luna was sound asleep on top of my head.

Storm P.O.V.

It was well past nightfall when we left Artemis' house. She had called him Birdy the rest of the day. What was funny was, the more she said it, the less it bothered him. "So, you like her?" Raven asked, nudging me. I was glad it was dark; Raven couldn't see me blush. She was beautiful, funny, tough, sweet, and an amazing cook. What was there not to like? "Yeah, she seems nice," I replied nonchalantly. "She is, she really is," he sighed dreamily. I turned to him, feeling that familiar pang in my heart. "D-do you like her?" I asked, staring at him. He turned to me with wide eyes and a frown. "What? No! No, of course not," he sputtered. "I mean, she's nice an all, but totally not my type." I nodded, feeling a little bit better that he had no interest in her. "I think I'm gonna go for a walk," I sighed. "Okay," he smiled. "See you at home." He flew out of sight, and I was left alone in the darkness with my thoughts. I don't know what it was about Artemis, but I couldn't wait to see her again.

Raven P.O.V.

I was so happy. Artemis was so sweet. I mean, she was tough and fiery, but she was a sweetheart. She really understood me, and she never judged. My heart soared just thinking about her. 'I should ask her out,' I thought, smiling as I sped through the night toward home. I had this weird, knotty feeling in my stomach. I couldn't wait to see her again.