Cookies

He still hadn't noticed.

She'd been standing there for almost ten minutes, and he still hadn't noticed. She knew he was thick, but this level of stupidity was almost dangerous. If she had been an assassin, he'd be dead twenty times over. A couple of times she'd debated saying something to him, just to see what he'd do; maybe spook him a little. Though, if spooking was her goal, she'd have to have a good plan; the boy had reflexes like lightening. No pun intended.

"Two eggs," he mumbled to himself. "Need two eggs." He bee-lined for the fridge and stooped to rummage. He made a displeased noise, the very same noise she found adorable, and mumbled again.

"No eggs." He stood up, very not amused. "Of course there are no eggs." And, with a speed that would have made Flash proud, he was gone. The only clue to where he had gone was the computer recognizing his exit. She didn't know when he'd be back, so she stayed put.

He was back in the kitchen before the computer finished announcing his arrival, a carton of eggs in tow. He put them in the fridge, keeping two for his own use. Crack. Crack. Both went in the bowl. He grabbed a whisk and stepped back from the counter to mix. That was went he spotted her.

"Gah!" He almost dropped the bowl but those reflexes caught it before it even got too far. "What are you doing here?"

"I live here too, ya' know. Well, kind of." She crossed her arms. "I could ask you the same thing."

"I," he said proudly, "am baking."

"You can't bake." She snarked.

"Sure I can." He countered. "It's science. Kitchen science. I can do science."

"Baking is not a science."

"Yes," he huffed, "it is." He looked so cute. "Sodium bicarbonate. You need it to make the cookies rise. When mixed with a liquid it produces carbon dioxide bubbles that make the cookies fluffy. Without it, the cookies will be flat and hard and very not tasty. The sodium chloride slows the production of CO2 so the bubbles don't dissipate into the air before you put them in the oven. The fat, or butter, keeps the flour from forming an extensive network of gluten so the cookies stay lighter, then the combination of fat and protein, which is found in eggs, keeps the shape of the dough.

"If just one of the delicate ratios of ingredients is changed, the whole cookie could come out tasting like shit."

"Wow, that's oh so impressive. I bet you're so proud of yourself," she said with dramatic sarcasm.

"Yeah, because you're just the queen of—never mind. Not like I care what you think anyway." He turned away from her.

"Hi, Wally!" A cheerful Martian floated through the kitchen entrance. "Hey, Artemis!"

"Hey, Honey." Wally's tone completely changed when he addressed the green-skinned beauty. Artemis rolled her eyes.

"What are you doing, Wally?" M'gann asked, landing next to him, completely ignoring his advances.

"Baking." He tipped the bowl to show her. "You always make cookies for us; I thought I'd make some for you."

"That's so sweet, Wally." M'gann smiled.

"Not as sweet as you."

Artemis had had enough of this garbage. Fortunately, Superboy walked into the kitchen, looking for a glass of milk.

"Hello Superboy." M'gann's attention was instantly diverted. He nodded a greeting to her, then to Wally and Artemis. "What're you up to?"

"I'm, uh," he responded. "watching TV. With Robin."

"That's cool." The Martian smiled. Superboy poured his glass of milk and walked out, an uninvited, love-struck Martian close behind.

There was that look again; the displeased one, the one that looked oh-so-adorable on his pale, freckled face. Exit M'gann stage left. Line, Artemis.

"Oh, ouch. I bet that hurt. You didn't even get a chance to launch into your riveting cooking-science lecture. That would have impressed her for sure." This earned her a scathing glare.

"Yeah, like Supes even looks at you ever. Does he even know your name?" Wally retorted.

"Ooh, burn." She extended the vowels for effect. "Using Superboy as a comeback is so old. Keep up with the score, Kid Oblivious."

"Oblivious! I'm not oblivious!"

"So you know M'gann has no, and never will have any, attraction towards you as anything more than a friend?" His painful silence was her answer. "I thought so. You don't know anything Flash Kid. Flash would be disappointed with how slow you are."

The bowl slammed on the counter and instantly he was in her face.

"What the hell is your problem?" His green eyes were narrowed dangerously. He had red eyelashes. "Did you purposefully seek me out today, just to make it a living hell? Why can't you ever just mind your own goddamn business?" He stopped his tirade, waiting for her response, and she noticed she had been casually watching his lips form the words.

"My problem?" Artemis glared. "My problem is you. Your stupid, illogical pursuit of M'gann. Your corny-ass pick-up lines! Your denial of what's smacking you in the face! Three strikes you're out, Flash Kid, and I'm pretty sure that was strike thirty-two."

"It's Kid. Flash. Goddamnit!" He growled. "I'm tired of your high-and-mighty attitude! You the hell do you think you are to judge me?"

"I'm tired of your ignorance! Are you blind?" Artemis was really just egging him on now; she liked the way he spoke, even if he was mad. She looked at his lips again.

"Ignorance of what? M'gann's disinterest?" He took a step back and crossed his arms. "Thanks for the newsflash! I never even noticed!" She took a step forward.

"Then move the hell on, idiot! Stop making an ass of yourself and accept defeat like a man!"

"I don't need you to tell me that! I've been moving on!" He stepped forward, too, not letting her gain control.

"And everyone's applauding you." They were face-to-face, angry faces on at full power.

"Great! That's great!" He gave in and pulled back. "I don't need to put up with this shit." He turned to leave.

"You're not running from me, Kid Flash." She grabbed his wrist, and with them being about equal strength, the only option was Wally zooming off, dragging Artemis with him. He turned to face her.

"Let me go." He said darkly.

"What are you gonna do, Kid? Take off? That'll be quite a ride."

"Let me g—"

Artemis tugged on his arm, surprising him into a stumble and, taking advantage of the situation, grabbed either side of his blue, plaid collar and kissed him full on the mouth. She pulled back and looked him straight in his surprised, green eyes.

"I-" He blubbered. "…what-"

"You don't know anything." She pushed him away from her, releasing his shirt. He took hold of both of her wrists before she could escape.

"That's probably true." He was still bewildered. "But I do know that kissing you feels really good."

Leaning against the counter, his arms around her waist, hers around his neck, lost in a passionate kiss, was how Superboy found them later, when he went to get some more milk.