The first thing she noticed is just how close he's standing. He was seriously invading her personal space. Not that she minded, of course. She did as he instructed and drew the bow string back. Her elbow gently nudged him in the chest, backing him off a bit. The heat radiating between them dissipated as he backed away and she frowned. Finally able to focus properly she exhales. The arrow flew, hitting the target about two inches from the center. He would have nailed the bulls-eye. She grit her teeth, ready for a lecture. Her shots were way off lately and Green Arrow called Roy to come in and help her figure out what's wrong. Green Arrow wasn't getting through to her and thought Roy could be of some assistance. Needless to say, Artemis wasn't happy about that decision.

"Here, let me see it."

He took the bow from her and started adjusting it, not saying another word. Apparently he was in a good mood and wasn't going to be so snarky today. She cocked her head to the side as she stared at his hands, his fingers swiftly making the necessary adjustments. Roy had the most insanely beautiful hands she'd ever seen. His palms were large, smooth and almost square. She watched as his long fingers nimbly adjusted one of the stabilizers on the bow, the movements graceful, fluid. He looked up at her, raising an eyebrow, and held out a hand.

"Can I see one of your arrows?"

All she could manage was a nod and drew one from her quiver, handing it to him. He finished putting on a pair of gloves and guided the arrow in, drawing his arm back in one quick motion. She stepped to the side to observe and couldn't help but continue to stare. The gloves he wore fit like a second skin, the black leather molding to the shape of his hands perfectly. She glanced down at her own for a moment, seeing the callouses and the rough spots she had from not wearing gloves. Flexing her fingers and turning her hands over to look at her palms, she suddenly noticed how shabby her hands looked. She shoved them in her pockets self-consciously.

He released the string, the arrow striking the target dead center. She sighed quietly.

"I think that adjustment took care of your problem," he said, handing the bow back to her. "Give it another try."

She gripped her bow firmly and guided an arrow into place. As she raised her arms to take her shot he once again stepped way too close behind her, using his own arms to show her how another way to hold her bow. His broad chest pressed against her shoulders. She could feel his voice vibrate in his chest as he spoke. She tried to tune him out and resumed studying his hands. His fingers had no scars and neither did his knuckles. He obviously hadn't ever broken a finger since all ten were perfectly straight. His hands being in such a condition surprised her; he excelled at hand-to-hand combat and she assumed he would have injured himself at one point.

Even though he was shooting left-handed, his movements looked natural. The index and middle fingers curved around the bow string and gently tugged it back. She managed to nod and he stepped away, his arms no longer around her shoulders. Slowly she drew the string, exhaled and released it. The arrow hit the target, knocking Roy's arrow to the floor. She turned to him, smiling, to see him nod in approval.

"Well done. I'm impressed." He removed his gloves and the bracer from his arm, setting them down next to his own bow. "Come here, I want to see something."

She laid her bow on another table and approached, unsure of what he's doing. He held out his hands, motioning for her to show him hers.

He took her left hand, her shooting hand, and noticed a couple of callouses. Turning it over, he ran his fingers over hers, stroking her palm. She swallowed hard.

"You know, you should really think about wearing gloves. Prevents the callouses that screw up your shot." He looked down at her, seeing she wasn't paying attention. "Earth to Artemis? Ever tried wearing gloves?"

"Uh, sorry. What?" She looked up at him, distracted once again by his hands and the way they were touching hers.

"Gloves. You should wear them. They protect your hands. You should know how important that is."

"Never thought about it, I guess."

"I'll have to get you a pair. The woman who makes mine can make a pair for you. Let me see your hands again."

He held up his hand to hers, their palms flat against each other. Before she realized what she's doing, her fingers gently curled and wrapped themselves around his. His hands were soft and smooth and warm. He mirrored her action and stepped closer, a smirk twitching at his lips when he realized how nervous she was at their close proximity.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath to calm herself. The air had become stifling, humid, as if she were standing in a South American jungle instead of the training room.

"I didn't realize you were into holding hands, Artemis. Last time I checked we weren't in junior high." As he spoke she startled and tugged her hand back like she'd been burned, a furious pink blush rising on her cheeks.

"I.. it's just.. your hands," she mumbled. "They're so.. perfect. It's weird."

Roy turned away quickly to smother a laugh and she was grateful for the distraction. "The gloves should be ready next week. Think you can make do until then?" He put his gloves on, then picked up his bow and his arrows. The distance between them cleared her head and she could finally think straight again.

"Psh. Of course. I'll be fine." She tossed her blonde ponytail back over her shoulder.

"Good." He started to leave, then hesitated for a second. "You know, you're kind of adorable when you blush like that," he called over his shoulder. "See you next week."

With a huff she picked up her bow, whipped out an arrow and let it fly carelessly. It missed the target completely and embedded itself in the wall behind it.

"Damn it," she muttered, crossing her arms over her chest. "That is totally not fair."