Chapter Text
“Ughh,” Zatanna groaned, materialising from the zeta tube along with me and the equally exhausted Robin, Aqualad, and Artemis. We had just come from another mission - and an especially draining one at that.
“I just want to sit down,” I agreed as I rubbed the back of my neck, still sore from me being thrown against a wall.
“And coming from you, that can’t mean anything good,” Dick teased. He wiped some dirt off of Zatanna’s forehead before pulling her arm around his shoulders to support some of her weight. She gave him a small smile of thanks. Pftt, let the kids play. Just wait until he sees how it’s done with me and Miss M.
“Lucky for you, friends,” Kaldur interjected with a sigh, “for I am yet to debrief with Batman. For this particular case, I’m afraid it will take a while.”
Artemis put a supportive hand on his arm. “Good luck,” she said, but with her eyes only half open. She’s definitely been pushed to her limits on this one. Still doesn’t make me want to roll my eyes at them any less though, just for the record.
“Thank you, Artemis,” he said before leaving.
I made my way to the pantry, as I always did after a mission, to grab, and I quote Dick on this one, “the biggest fucking bag of freeze-dried Chicken Whizees I have ever laid eyes on,”. But of course, not before I caught him giving Zee a sly look with a smirk. Geez, those two need to get a room! Come on, they’re just thirteen! Practically babies!
Then I saw it. Those two were pure evil.
Zatanna plopped right into a chair, looking a little too pleased with herself, and Dick slid into the one facing opposite of her, feet up on the coffee table. Do you know what that leaves? That lefts me with the couch. The couch that Arty had already half occupied.
Oh, no, no, no, no, no. I was not going to sitting beside her. Not after that whole telepathic training session. Nope. I was making sure to keep my distance. No way was I going to give anyone even the slightest reason to think it meant anything. Well, maybe except Black Canary. She already thinks that she’s got me all figured out.
I stood a little hesitant behind the couch, carefully eyeing the only remaining spot in the living room. Artemis and I sharing a loveseat did not sound at all appealing. In the end, my aching muscles won out, and reluctantly I sat down, munching down on my food like a machine.
I knew Dick had been trading out his utility belt for Cupid’s bow for a while now, and my reaction to Artemis’ ‘death’ hadn’t helped my case either. But since when did he get Zatanna in on it? One kid ratting on me if I even so much as looked at Artemis was bad enough, but now two - forget it.
I remember that time the three of us tried to take down Kobra. Yeesh. He wouldn’t even let me defend the good name of Kid Flash without calling it ‘our latest romantic moment’. And seriously, I ask him to cover me, and what I get is a ‘you got it Romeo’. What was that supposed to mean? How else was I supposed to get Artemis to the other side of the room and past Kobra without carrying her and using my super speed? Never mind.
I was almost to the bottom of my bag when Dick turned on the TV. It was my Aunt Iris doing a report on an ongoing car chase. I’m not sure why this made Zatanna have to hold back a laugh.
Normally, I’d be there in a (kid) flash, but at this point, I’m not even sure if I could make it to my room without tripping. Plus, my suit was torn up in some parts, and singed on others.
With a satisfying burp, I crumpled the now sadly empty bag and threw it over my shoulder. I stretched out my arms and put them behind my head. A quick little nap wouldn’t hurt anybody.
The second after I closed my eyes though, something fell into my lap. I would have jumped right out of my seat if I wasn’t so frozen in horror. This only sent Zatanna in fits of giggles that she no longer bothered to contain. A big, smug smile was plastered across Dick’s face.
I hadn’t noticed Artemis had fallen asleep already. She had been slowly slipping from her upright position, to completely horizontal, lying down on my lap. All I can think is, I must be a lightbulb, because I am so screwed.
Zatanna got up and headed for the shower claiming the show was over, but not without a self-satisfied grin.
“On the contrary,” My so-called best friend pointed out, “It’s only begun.”
I gave him a dirty look and he backed off a little.
“You’re blushing Wall-man. Feeling the aster?” Dick slowly got up, raising his hands in mock surrender, “I’ll leave you two lovebirds to cuddle in peace.” He started following in Zatanna’s direction.
Oh hell no, he was not getting off clean for this one. “Hey Robin,” I called.
“Yeah?”
“You are such a Dick.”
“Ha. Funny.”
“I am going to kill you for this, you know?” I jokingly threatened.
“If Artemis doesn’t kill you first,” He smirked before turning in to the hallway.
I opened my mouth to retort, but for once in my life, I had no comeback. He was right. Artemis would kill me. It doesn’t really matter that she was the one that fell asleep on top of me or anything. Nooo, she would blissfully ignore that ‘minor’ detail in her attempts at shooting an arrow right through my chest. If she woke up right then and there, I would be toast.
All that considered, I stupidly decided to wake her up via poking. I figured, rather have her scream wildly at me now, than have her scream wildly at me, plus have the rest of the team see us like this later.
Once again, bad idea Wally. Because things just got a whole lot more awkward.
I nudged her shoulder with my finger. Instead of waking up, she shifted in her sleep, rolling over to face away from the television and towards me.
Oh God. This on most instances would be good - very good in fact. I mean, what hormonal teenager wouldn’t pass this up? Especially Wally ‘Ladies Man’’ West. But at the same time, this, is also very not good.
Having Artemis this close to me must have driven me insane, because it started a mental argument in my brain. It went a little like this:
I should not be enjoying this.
Come on, Wall-man. There’s a pretty blonde in your lap, why not? The other me cooed.
Because that ‘pretty blonde’ is Artemis. Artemis! Do you, er I, not get that? She would knock me out in one hit if she woke up right now.
Don’t pretend. I know you can feel her lips brushing against your thigh. It gives you goose bumps. And you like it.
Damn, I’m annoying. But we’re right in the middle of Mount freaking Justice. 24/7 security cams. Which the Boy Wonder has probably already hacked, and is currently recording, if not already watching.
Small risk for a big reward. Don’t think. Just feel. Just feel her fingers delicately trailing down your back. Nice, huh?
I have never before wanted to slap myself so much. Maybe because I’m right. Or maybe because I’m still sitting here when anyone on of The Team, or worse, The League, could just walk in!
Quiet kid, or you’ll miss all the fun. Just admit you don’t hate this - or her - as much as you let on. Her warm breath on your skin, Wally, you don’t want it to stop.
Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! But my suit. As much as a total chick magnet it is, a skin tight, superhero spandex, red and yellow suit isn’t effective at hiding … things.
Please tell me I did not just think that.
So, you admit you're getting a kick out of this. Why not stay a little longer?
For a second, I almost did. Why deny myself the pleasure of my own little spitfire any longer?
Then I got a wakeup call. Artemis was tired and fast asleep. She didn’t know what was going on. She wasn’t in control of what she was doing. For all I knew, she thought I was Superboy.
I was half way done slipping out from under her before she reached for my wrist. I figured, that was it. She woke up, and was going to rip my arm off.
Instead, she clung on loosely, and mumbled something under her breath. I like to imagine she said ‘stay’. Damn it, Artemis. I shook my head, knowing I was going to regret what I did next.
I scouted around to make sure nobody else was there. The coast was clear. Gingerly, I slipped one arm under her knees, and another behind her back, picking her up bridal style. Could I have just left her on the couch to continue her nap? Absolutely. So why didn't I? No fucking clue. As I said, I was going insane.
“Artemis, please don’t wake up until I get you to your room,” I pleaded as I snaked one of her arms around my neck. And naturally, she just had to nuzzle into it. This girl is going to be the death of me.
Dammit Wally! You’re not supposed to be liking this. I scolded myself. You’re not supposed to feel this way.
On the seemingly endless walk, I began to realise just how many times we’d been in this position before. Carrying her this way, I mean.
There was that time we had our memories wiped in Bialya, in the Bayou facing the Injustice League, and countless on other missions. Even in that stupid training mission, you know, before she died. Funnily enough, it was actually a manoeuvre Black Canary thought up for us. Rapidfire, she’d call it. I would pick Artemis up and run as she’d shoot down the bad guys. I never really thought about how natural it felt, having her in my arms.
What was I thinking? I’m so burnt out it’s made me delusional.
I finally made it to her room and gently nudged the door open with my foot. Damn, her room was neat - the total opposite of mine. I set her down on the white comforters and kind of just watched for a bit. I didn’t think I’d make it this far - not without waking her up, not without running into anybody else.
Spoke too soon. Captain Marvel stood by the entrance, a finger up in questioning, his mouth hanging open, about to say something.
But I cut him off before he can ask what the hell am I doing. That would be mortifying.
Don’t. I challenged with a death stare, and he moved on without a word, his head tilted to the side like a confused puppy. Captain closed the door on his way out.
I pulled the covers over her and thought about changing her out of her filthy costume and into something more comfortable than mud stained leather pants and a midriff torn to ribbons at the back.
Then I realised how creepy the logistics of getting he changed would have been, and also, how dumb a plan that was. If she hadn’t woken up earlier, she was definitely going to wake up then.
I sat on the edge of her bed and settled for removing her mask and laying it on the bedside table. I undid her ponytail and was just about ready to go.
But I couldn’t. I just couldn’t leave her side.
All I wanted to do was crawl in under the covers with her and never leave. I wanted her head on my chest, listening to my heart beat race from just being with her. I wanted to memorise every inch of her with the tips of my fingers. I wanted to know the taste of her lips.
She was so beautiful.
Wally stop! Get a grip man. I hadn’t noticed how long I had been staring, or that I even was for that matter.
“I’m just tired, and it’s making me delirious,” I muttered, trying to reason with myself. “Artemis isn’t beautiful, the bed is. I don’t want to crawl in with her. I just want to lie down.”
I was only half convinced by that speech, but it was enough for me to start walking out before the other half let me do something stupid. I turned around one last time before leaving, and I wished I hadn’t.
Because before I knew what I was doing, I jogged up to her bed, and planted a kiss on her forehead.
What the hell was going on with me … us?