#i also added that little extra bit of artemis running for president that a-c-u-l-o-s and i came up with because it's hilarious

[weeinterpreter]

Could u please write a fic of artemis dying again..? Pleaaaaaaaase i beg u .

He hadn’t thought of them in a long time, but that afternoon Artemis caught himself repeatedly, reminiscing about the two people that were absent in his life.

Juliet Butler had lost her hardest battle almost fifty years ago. The cancer had moved fast. So fast that she didn't even have time to say goodbye. Dear, old Butler never recovered. Alex liked to say that the loyal servant had died from a broken heart.

Artemis sat up, slowly, wincing. Alex was by his side in an instant, pushing a pillow further up.

"And that, despite my healthy lifestyle," Artemis joked, gasping for breath. Alex chuckled, the lines around his eyes growing deeper. A grey strand of hair fell over his forehead.

"You mean caviar and Earl Grey? How did you ever survive without me?" Alex asked, placing a wrinkly hand over Artemis's.

"How ever, indeed," Artemis murmured, examining the age spots on his hands. Their grip had weakened over the years. The arthritis had restricted Alex's movement, but they were still as warm as ever. "You know, I always expected Butler and me to die on a deserted island... or was it at the foot of a volcano? No, no, it was in an abandoned mine shaft. And Bach's... Mozart's Requiem would play in the background, stopping–"

"Stopping at the note, Mozart finished himself before dying?" Alex finished with a raise of his eyebrow. "How very melodramatic."

They shared a quiet laugh before Artemis became serious again.

"I'll be miserably lonely in Hell."

"Of course, you will," Alex said with a snort. "But I'll get you out and then we'll sneak up into Heaven and you start trafficking priceless angel memorabilia. As long as there are no staircases to climb."

Artemis laughed until he coughed violently. He wiped away the tears from his cheek with a trembling hand, and the two men sat in silence, listening to the birdsong outside the window. Almost like their personal little concert.

Suddenly, Artemis frowned. "What time is it?"

"2:23 in the afternoon," Alex said, almost apologetically. "I will say 'hi' to them for you."

Artemis nodded, relaxing. "Did I mention I am still de facto president of the People?"

"Only about 325 times, love," Alex said, rolling his eyes.

Both looked up to see their daughter and granddaughter entering. Roisin – her eyes red and swollen – stopped next to Alex, bending down to kiss first him, then Artemis on the cheek.

Meanwhile, Aisling climbed on the bed, hugging a doll to her chest and regarding Artemis for a long moment.

"Will you get better?"

Roisin's lips trembled, and she turned away, rushing to the window. Artemis waved his granddaughter closer.

"Unlikely," – he wheezed – "but I can tell you where I have hidden my secret fairy treasure."

Aisling's eyes went round.

"When I was about your age, I kidnapped a fairy and stole all her money."

"That's not very nice, is it?" Aisling asked, wrinkling her nose.

Smiling at the indignation in those big green eyes, Artemis shrugged. He didn't finish the story as his body shook with another coughing fit. Roisin lifted Aisling from the bed.

"Grandpa can tell you the story another time, darling," she said. "We'll let him nap for a moment, okay?"

Aisling waved them goodbye. Artemis weakly lifted his hand, but dropped it back on the cover.

"I’m tired."

Alex smiled, his eyes treacherously moist. "Rest. I can read you something, if you like?"

Artemis nodded and closed his eyes one last time.