Title: Call It A Bloody Stalemate
Category: Young Justice
Pairing: Wally/Artemis, general team bonding
Summary: It's that time of the month when Artemis can find herself fending off hormones, emotions and the lure of certain, red-headed Speedsters. (Edited 6/20/2012.)
Disclaimer: If I owned Young Justice, I don't think I'd have approved of this ridiculous hiatus.

Call It A Bloody Stalemate

stalemate: a situation in which further action or progress by opposing or competing parties seems impossible; deadlock, impasse, draw

This is the third mission Artemis is missing in the week. The rest of the team has travelled to the quiet snow-capped mountains in Canada, a gorgeous tropical rainforest in Northern Brazil and now the towering heights of New York City, all in the span of four days. And she has missed all of it. Why? Well, why else would a girl miss out on a little bit of violent fun?

Her period.

Artemis blames Black Canary completely for informing everyone that her less-than-satisfactory performances while sparring are only due to the effects of her period. This is the first time her period has actually gotten in the way of anything involving the team and it is humiliating, to say the least. It's not exactly her fault that the cramps are, for unknown reasons, worse than they've ever been to a point that she sometimes can't even stand up straight during training, so no one blames her. But still. It's embarrassing and Artemis wishes that the team just blame her already instead of being weird about it so that interacting with them won't be so damn awkward.

M'gann doesn't have to deal with Earth's collective female menstrual cycle because she's a Martian and apparently Martians don't have to ovulate. Artemis isn't sure if they even have eggs to spare for baby Martians. She can't look at Kal'dur because the leader is nice enough to offer her looks of pity and sympathy with what's probably a touch of embarrassment every time they're in the same room. He's a good sailor and the nicest guy Artemis knows but in this situation, she doesn't want any sympathy from the guys. She would rather have Kal'dur react like Superboy, who merely crinkled his nose during debriefing when Black Canary informed them of Artemis's… problem, or like Robin, who, for once, had no idea what to say and instead coughed into his hand, avoiding eye contact with Artemis for the rest of the day. The rest of the week, actually. And Wally, bless his soul. He, as the "man of science" that he is, when Black Canary had broken the news (and what news it was) to the team, had proceeded to rain fact upon sweet biological fact on the team on the menstrual cycle of a woman. It hadn't really bothered him but the idea that one of his admittedly very female and very attractive (but you never heard him say that) teammates was dealing with a period was so awkward that the easiest way for him to deal with it was to make fun of it. Needless to say, Artemis had given his shoulder a generous bruise for his unnecessary factual impertinence.

Now, Artemis is stuck at the cave, handling the computers and feeding the team intel while they intervene a drug shipping in New York City (New York City! Of all the missions she misses, it's the one in New York City!). Ever the team player, Artemis had refused to go home and "take the week off," like Batman had suggested. The Batman had told her to "take the week off" because of her "condition" (his words, not hers). Artemis narrows her eyes as she types away on the glowing screen on the keyboard, remembering how Wally had guffawed at Batman's instructions, not hiding his amusement at the situation, and how she had flushed a deep red, stomping away to her room and slamming the door as hard as she could. Banned from missions for a week! Sometimes, Artemis hated being a girl.

"Kid Flash, caution on your side of the warehouse, there are three thugs up ahead," Artemis says into her mouthpiece, but she hardly reaches the end of her sentence, hearing the sounds of fists making contact with skin, a few grunts and a muffled yell before Wally's amused cocky voice feeds into her earpiece.

"Thanks, babe, but I think I've got this. Maybe you should take a break, what with your period and all—"

"Kid. Flash. You are on a mission and you will focus on said mission instead of bringing up my menstrual cycle!" Artemis scolds him through the earpiece. She is tempted to pull the entire communications device off of her ear, throw it to the floor, and smash it with her boot just so she doesn't have to hear Wally's mocking voice. Doing so would cut her off from the team though, and M'gann's telepathic range doesn't reach from Happy Harbor all the way to New York. They need the extra information for this mission so Artemis takes a deep breath and lets it out before turning back to the matter at hand.

"You okay, Artemis? Maybe you do need to lay off the stress a little," Robin this time. He sounds tentative to talk to her and that makes perfect sense to Artemis because in the past week, this is the first time he's spoken more than two words to her that aren't greetings or farewells.

"For your information, Robin," Artemis makes sure to emphasise the bird's name because she can and she sounds extra tenacious when she does, "I'm doing fine here, I don't need to be babied, and you have company," she adds in just in time for Robin to do his ninja thing and take down the last layer of thugs that are guarding the shipment.

"Guys, Artemis is a big girl. A period is nothing to her and she'll probably be back with us in no time," Zatanna whispers into her communicator, following up immediately with a quick spell to gag the thugs she's in charge of. Artemis smirks. The girl always has her back, even and especially when she doesn't ask for it. Then she remembers what they're talking about and flinches.

"Team, can we please focus on the mission right now?" she shuts her eyes and presses two fingers to her right temple to massage off an increasingly aching migraine.

"Agreed. It would be wise to forget about Artemis's… condition… in favour of the task at hand," Kal'dur informs everyone, bringing their attention back to the illegal shipment, "Robin, the motion sensors on the shipment, please."

With the sounds of Robin working away at the shipment's security system, Artemis stands back in boredom wishing more than anything that she could be in New York City with the rest of the team, fighting crime under the gloriously fluorescent glow of the Empire State. She was probably going to miss out on a lot because after every mission on the field, if the location was somewhere interesting, somewhere the team had never really explored, the team usually took the time to change quickly back into their civvies and spend a few hours in that location. Thinking about it frustrates Artemis to no end but she has nothing to punch and no one else is currently at the Cave for her to vent to or yell at so she forces out a sound of strangled aggravation and lamely shoves her face into her hand.

"Was that one of us or was that our secretary?" Conner Kent has the nerve to ask.

"Excuse me?" Artemis rasps into her mouthpiece.

"Conner!" M'gann berates him and Artemis can hear the Martian giving the Superboy a slight shove while Robin snickers in the background. Zatanna and Kal'dur sigh, knowing that that was probably Artemis's last bit of patience they just lost (and they're right), but Wally just doesn't even bother. Artemis hears him snort, catch himself, but immediately start laughing after that.

"I didn't expect that out of you, Supey, but now that you say it –" Artemis stops him before he can even finish his taunt.

"You know what, since you all are having such a fine and dandy time in New York City without me playing secretary from the Cave with all of our elite equipment and technology, then maybe you don't need me for back up intel after all!" she snaps roughly at the whole team.

"Artemis, Superboy didn't mean that!" M'gann starts but Artemis has heard enough.

"I'm on my period, you guys, and if none of you are mature enough to handle that, then I don't know what the hell kind of team I've been with for the past six months!" she finally pulls out her communicator and throws it at the computer's holographic screens, not caring that it launches straight through the screen and clatters onto the floor behind the computer.

Artemis stomps to her room for the second time that week and slams the door twice as loudly for good measure. She also doesn't care that she's acting immature and that no one is even at the Cave to hear or deal with her tantrum.

Back in New York freaking City, Kal'dur, M'gann and Zatanna throw the other three heroes accusing looks of disappointment. Robin makes like he's been focused on the motion sensors the entire time, Conner looks on with an indifferent expression on his face, and Wally rubs the back of his neck in an awkward and almost ashamed manner. Kal'dur clears his throat expectantly and Conner's eyes snap to the Atlantean. The Superboy sighs.

"Okay. Whatever. I'll say sorry when we get back," he mumbles, rolling his eyes. Their leader nods, switching his gaze to the thirteen year old Boy Wonder, who risks glancing up and, making eye contact with the older boy, sighs with equal defeat.

"I will, too," he promises. Kal'dur lets the youngster get back to his forgotten task and finally turns to Wally, who raises his hands in defense.

"What? She's on her period. She's allowed to throw a fit or two. Not my fault," he reasons. Kal'dur shuts his eyes in exhaustion (it's not like he expected Kid Flash to be reasonable, though) and actually walks away from the group for a few moments to compose his patience, forcing M'gann and Zatanna to take care of Kid Flash.

"Listen here, KF," Zatanna snarls, jabbing her finger into Wally's chest, making the Speedster yelp in both surprise and pain, "if you're even the least bit of the gentlemen you always say you are," jab, "then the first thing you're going to do when we get back to Mount Justice," jab, "is apologise," jab, "to," jab, "Artemis!" Wally slaps her hand away because the manicured nail of her pointer finger is going to leave a bruise that's going to smart for the next four hours.

"Okay, okay! God, I'll apologise, just put that finger away," he protests, backing away from the young magician and walking over to stand next to Robin while he finishes hacking. M'gann and Zatanna shake their heads and retrieve Kal'dur. M'gann can't help but ask Zatanna, "Did you put a little bit of magic into that command for Kid Flash or was that all you?" Zatanna gives the Martian a lopsided grin and playfully blows at the tip of her pointer finger in a way that makes her look like a satisfied Western cowgirl on a killing spree.

"Let's just say that every girl has her own bit of practical magic in her."

x-x-x-x-x

The team ends up having a harder time getting back to Happy Harbor without anyone back at the Cave updating them on the status of civilian air traffic. They all agree that it would be wrong to do any sightseeing without Artemis there and head home immediately after the NYPD are informed of the thugs' deeds and the shipment is taken care of. The ride to Mount Justice is just as quiet and empty as the previous ride to New York. It's not really much of an awkward silence, but the team (minus a certain yellow and red Speedster) collectively understands that it's because Artemis isn't around to bicker with Wally about everything and nothing. They don't say anything about it because they're not sure how Wally would take the news. Nevertheless, the hour-long ride feels like it extends for ten or more hours and Wally West can't take it and he doesn't know why.

When the bioship makes its landing, Wally is the first one out of the ship and heading towards the showers before anyone can call him back for debriefing or another lecture on girls' emotions.

Artemis hears the bioship arrive before the backdoors even open. She can recognise each voice from her team and fumes a little harder, throwing her old and dirty softball against the wall with more force. It had been about an hour and a half since she ditched the computer room and in that time, she had to take a shower, eat a sandwich, watch a little TV, and basically fulfill the role of Useless Archer Who Can't Help Because Of Her Stupid Period.

She's about to throw the softball at the wall again when her door opens. Robin and Conner are standing in the doorway, still in their dusty costumes with flecks of blood and dirt here and there, looking anywhere but at Artemis. Artemis, in turn, faces her body towards them and grips the softball tighter. Robin seems to notice because he steps forward quickly and says, "I'm sorry, I'm still thirteen-years-old, and I don't have any sisters, and I've never dealt with periods before, and I promise I'll be cooler about all this in two years."

Artemis squints her eyes and loosens her grip on her softball because that is just about the weirdest apology of which she's been on the receiving end. Before she can say anything, Conner speaks up in a hesitant tone, "We're both sorry. It's not that we were being immature. Just a little… stupid." He forces himself to look the archer in the eye and he looks so genuinely embarrassed and out of place that she sighs, puts the ball down and gets up.

Artemis is not a touchy person. But apparently her hormones think differently because they channel some sort of softness within her and urge her to walk right up to both boys and give them each very rare, very quick, and tight hugs. The two boys are obviously a little bit more than surprised, judging by their wide eyes, and she smirks and shoves them out of the room gently, "I'll see you in the morning, guys."

Both Conner and Robin are a little weirded out at the hug and hesitate for a few seconds before moving of their own accord and away from the hallway to hit the showers. Artemis heads back into her room when another cramp hits and she curls into herself, grabbing hold onto the nearest shelf.

"Artemis?" Zatanna rushes into her room followed by M'gann and Kal'dur and takes a hold of her arm to steady her.

"Artemis, are you alright?" Kal'dur asks, stepping up and holding onto her other arm.

"I'm good, guys, I'm fine," she waves them off and the other three immediately start launching into heartfelt apologies about the team's behaviour earlier.

"It's not your fault," she tells them. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier, too. I was being…" Artemis pauses, "delusional?" she offers. Zatanna snorts in a very unladylike manner and both Kal'dur and M'gann smile weakly.

"I think livid would be a better word," Zatanna teases. Artemis chuckles and plops down onto her bed. She looks up at her three teammates, all of whom are watching her with subtle worry in their eyes.

"I'll be fine guys, this is nothing. Can we just forget everything happened and start again in the morning? I'll even make breakfast!" The other three grimace at the idea. The last time Artemis offered to make breakfast (it was for Kal'dur's birthday), she had set the stove on fire in the morning and it was only thanks to Wally's (surprisingly) quick thinking and Zatanna's position next to the fire extinguisher that nothing serious had occurred. It wasn't that she was a bad cook, it was just that she was prone to accidents in the kitchen. Batman had personally banned Artemis from using the Cave's kitchen but that didn't stop her from cooking whenever she felt like it.

"A-as long as I get to help!" M'gann agrees hesitantly. Artemis smiles at her and puts her hand on M'gann's shoulder.

"Times like this, I envy you for not being a human," Artemis jokes. M'gann shakes her head and laughs while Artemis ushers them gently out of her room. She thanks them, bids the three good night and tries to settle into bed one last time. Artemis walks towards her bed, a generously comfortable twin-sized one with extra fluffy pillows and a mattress she sinks into so easily, it sometimes feels like it could swallow her up. The archer smirks as her mind registers again the true strength of Batman's financial stability and how lucky the team is that all of their charges and finances were taken care of by the likes of Bruce Wayne, billionaire playboy tycoon.

Artemis is about to reach for her softball when another cramp hits. This one doesn't go away for the next five minutes until it fades into a dull pain in her abdomen. Artemis curses whatever gods are up there for giving her the worst kind of cycle ever. She knows for a fact that she won't be able to get any sleep tonight - she never can whenever she's on her period - and settles into bed, content to just lie there, turning her softball in her hand and tossing it from one hand to the other.

She thinks of her teammates and all of the members in the team right now. She thinks of how frequently they keep surprising her. She had known that someone was going to apologise but she figured it would've been Kal'dur or M'gann or even Zatanna apologising for the whole team. She thinks she's underestimated Robin's and Conner's disposition and just how much they care for the team - the whole team. They might show it in their own demented way but they do care. That much, she knows.

Then she thinks of Wally. Honestly, she doesn't expect Wally to apologise for being such a rude pain in the ass and speaking of her period in public but she never expects him to apologise for anything. Granted, Artemis doesn't really say sorry for anything she says to him either, but he deserves it whenever she makes fun of him and berates him. Like when they first met that day in August last year. Her taunts about his powers and persona were totally necessary! And every time he failed to win over a new girl with his oh, so devilishly charming pick-up lines and she would take it upon herself to let him know that he was a hopeless little geek? She isn't being mean whenever she does that. He needs to hear it. While Wally's insults are immature, rude and aim to wound, hers are clever, necessary and aim to mend. There's a difference.

What? There is.

Artemis is exhausting herself just recalling the banters of which she and the Speedster constantly occupy themselves. She doesn't like thinking about Wallace West but at the same time, she does. On that first day, she knew he was different from the rest of the team. Not just because of his attitude or of how juvenile he could be but because of his background. Wally West is still a kid just like every single one of the members in their team but out of all of them, he is probably the most normal kid in the group. Conner, M'gann, Kal'dur and Zatanna were all born with their powers and couldn't really have avoided the crime fighting (or just fighting) one way or another. Robin, well, only God and Batman knew what he used to do and where he actually came from because he had yet to reveal anything about his civilian self, but from what's already been going around the team's little (harmless) grapevine, Artemis knows that Robin is probably the one with the most heartbreaking background.

And when it comes to her own background, Artemis doesn't even want to think about it. Ex-cons and villains everywhere in the corners of her childhood and backstory. It disgusts her to no end how affiliated she used to be with The Shadows and she thanks whatever beings are above that have kept it so that the team knows and suspects nothing.

And then there's Wally. Wally, with two parents who love him (at least, as far as Artemis knows), an uncle and aunt who are basically like his second parents, a normal school with above-average grades, a handful of friends that he can count on, and an alternate life where he can do good and fight crime. Wally had the choice to deal with the responsibility of being a superhero or to remain a civilian. A harmless, unknowing civilian. And he had chosen the harder path, the one that turned him into a hero.

His image pops up into Artemis's mind without her even trying. Wally, with the shock of red hair and the gleaming emerald eyes that never fail to pick her out of the crowd and throw her a look of either mischief or contempt. Wally, who cared about her when it felt like they were the last two people on earth back in Bialya. Wally freaking West, who drives her up the wall on a daily basis but somehow manages to have her keep coming back for more. There is something about Wally West that has attracted Artemis's undivided attention but at this point, she's not sure she wants to find out what it is and why it's so luring anytime soon.

Artemis spends the next good hour on her bed, playing with her softball and curling into and out of herself, dealing with her cramps and cursing her genes. When a particularly bad spasm has ended, she's angry and her abdomen is hurting enough for her to pick out a basket in the corner of her room in the dark and throw the softball into it. She sits up in bed and takes deep breaths.

She's bored and in pain. And she definitely hates being a girl right now.

Just when Artemis is about to get up, there's a knock on her door. She frowns and glances at the digital clock on her bedside table. It's a quarter to midnight and everyone should have hit the hay an hour ago. She gets up and answers the door, and is faced with none other than Wally himself.

Her first instinct is to narrow her eyes at him and stick her tongue out before slamming the door in his face but she sees that he's holding her personal green mug that's filled with something that smells deliciously like hot chocolate and now she's a little suspicious. Wally really isn't the kind of guy who walks around with other peoples' mugs filled with hot chocolate so she asks him what he wants instead.

"I wanted to give you this. Um, courtesy of Zatanna threatening me to come and apologise for being a jerk earlier tonight." He holds out her green mug to her and the light from the hallway flashes off of its gold-lined rim. Artemis doesn't make a move to take the mug and eyes it cautiously instead. She has to momentarily chase off the ridiculous thought that he's poisoned it with some weird chemical that'll knock her out so he can infiltrate her room and steal her clothes and books or something.

Wally stands there for a good thirty seconds before crying out, "Could you just take it, please? It's not like I poisoned it or anything." Artemis sneers at him and takes the cup, muttering, "Wouldn't you?" just to spite him.

"Of course I wouldn't!" he protests, looking genuinely peeved off, "And for your information, you're lucky I even had the heart to make you that. That's a secret Speedster recipe, that is," he informs her proudly, puffing his chest out a little.

"Excuse me?"

"Whenever Aunt Iris is feeling particularly cranky or she's on her period or she's just in a really rough mood, the Flash, my Uncle Barry," like she didn't know the Flash's civilian identity already, "makes her this special hot chocolate and she feels better in seconds."

"Really now," Artemis does her best to sound unimpressed and to keep the admiration from her tone. Wally rolls his eyes and leans against her doorway.

"Just try it, Blondie. I swear it's not poisoned." Artemis rolls her eyes in response but takes a little sip from the cup. It's just a little sip but she feels a large portion of her cramps melt away instantly. Her eyes flash ever so slightly in shock and she downs half of the hot chocolate in seconds. Her cramps are gone.

Her cramps are gone!

"What did you put in this?" Artemis asks the smug Speedster, "You did not just trick me into drinking unprescribed painkillers, Baywatch." He has the audacity to laugh at her accusation but she ignores him anyway and inhales the rest of the cup.

"Good, huh?" he presses, taking the cup from her as she feels around her abdomen. Her cramps have completely vanished for the time being and Artemis has never felt so free before and she wants to hug Wally and wait, what? No, that's a stupid idea, so she pushes it away and chooses to shoot him a look that said, 'Not bad, West.'

"Not bad, West," she says. "You keep making those for the rest of the night and we just might have a stalemate here." The Speedster arches an eyebrow, "Aren't you going to sleep soon?" Artemis waves him off, "Even without the cramps, I never sleep when I'm on my period." She frowns at how nonchalantly she'd just told him something so personal and private. Wally didn't seem to mind though, because he shrugs and keeps talking.

"I don't really sleep during this time of the year either," he agrees and Artemis snorts. "Why? Are you also on your period, Wally?" she taunts. He makes a face at her.

"No, but it's Winter Break and I don't sleep that much during breaks. Too much to do," he explains and gestures to the hallway behind him with his thumb, "but anyway, I was going to watch a few movies for the rest of the night before I crash. Want to come with?"

Artemis contemplates the offer for a moment. Which is better? Moan and writhe in pain on her bed all alone for the next seven to eight hours with nothing but a softball and a pillow to take her discomfort out on, or watch a few movies, actually do something with another human being - no matter how infuriating they are - and consume some kind of magic drink that blocks off all kinds of abdominal menstrual pain?

Artemis isn't stupid.

"I get to pick all the movies," she declares, smirking. She knows he doesn't really have a choice but to agree as part of his apology and she's right. He rolls his eyes and pushes himself off of her doorway, already heading to the living room where the team's plasma is located.

"I thought you'd say something like that," he says over his shoulder, still walking but at a leisurely slow pace. Artemis throws him a look that Wally can't see but proceeds to follow him to the living room. She ignores the fact that he's basically just told her that he'd expected her to say yes, apology or not, cramps or none. She also ignores the fact that she would've said yes either way.

x-x-x-x-x

Artemis and Wally are still wide awake at 3:15 in the morning. Later in the day, they'll both remember that they were able to go through three and a half movies – all brand new blockbuster films that Robin had managed to download illegally in the highest quality – and that together, they were able to drink nineteen cups of Wally's magical hot chocolate (fourteen of which went to Artemis, and Wally didn't even mind). For now, they're halfway into their second movie, 21 Jump Street (Artemis isn't a chick-flick kind of gal), Wally is on his second cup of chocolate and Artemis has just finished her sixth. Wally unconsciously puts his own mug down and takes the green one from Artemis's hands, the archer handing it to him willingly. It's already become something of a routine after her third cup earlier: As soon as Artemis finishes, Wally puts his mug down, finished or not, speeds into the kitchen, whips up a fresh, new mug for her, and speeds back into his position next to the archer on the couch before the characters in the movie can even say "Action!"

Artemis takes a sip from her mug immediately, relishing in the rich, chocolatey taste that Wally has captured with as much ease as the next Barista of the Month. She releases a small sound of appreciation before sighing and letting her head fall onto the back of the couch so she was facing the ceiling.

"What do you put in this? It's too good," she asks for the fifth time, now merely out of habit, no longer out of curiosity. Artemis picks her head up to look at Wally, who is watching her from the behind the rim of his own cup.

"There's a reason it's called a secret recipe, you know."

"But it gets rid of all my cramps instantly, I swear to god, Wally, if you've drugged me somehow – "

"Speedsters are men of science, Artemis. We know how everything works and we know just what women need," he waggles his eyebrows at her and she makes a face before reaching over and pinching his arm. He jerks back, "Ow!" and rubs the red skin that she'd sunk her nails into. Artemis rolls her eyes and turns back to the movie. Wally leers at her but it's useless making faces so he keeps watching, too.

"Man, what I would give to meet Channing Tatum," he mutters out loud after a few minutes. Artemis glances at him.

"Why?" Wally looks at her and the look in his eyes says that he hadn't expected her to hear that.

"So I could tell him what a douche-bag he is," he mumbles in response. Artemis blinks once. Twice. Frowns.

"…what?" she finally asks, the movie forgotten. It doesn't matter though, because she's set Wally off.

"He's a douchebag! He's always taking off his clothes on SNL and giving random people private lap dances and… taking all his clothes off… and… getting all the cool roles in movies and – and he got to kiss Rachel McAdams – " Artemis recalls this one time in the bioship when Wally delivered a full-on speech about the wonderful miracle that is Rachel McAdams, " – and he's just a douchey danger to all of the females on this earth because of all his ridiculous strip tease dances," Wally spits out quickly. Artemis opens her mouth to say something but Wally adds in a shrill, "And he's always taking his damn clothes off!"

Artemis can't help it. She laughs. Wally throws a hand in the air. Of course. Of course another girl wouldn't understand. She was probably just as attracted to Channing Tatum and his stupid abs as the next girl was.

"You can laugh all you want but it's true," Wally tells her, putting his mug down on the table next to his side of the couch. He crosses his arms as Artemis chortles next to him.

"Wally," she breathes out, placing her mug on the table on her side of the couch just as Wally did, "you are so jealous."

"Am not!" he retorts but rethinks that statement, "Well, maybe I am about the Rachel McAdams thing because she's a babe but other than that, I am not jealous of Channing Tatum!" Artemis chuckles and shakes her head.

"If it makes you feel any better, I've never really been into Channing Tatum," she tells him, watching as his left eyebrow quirks up.

"Are you joking?" he asks.

"Of course I am, you moron, what girl doesn't like Channing Tatum?" she laughs. Wally rolls his eyes again and he wonders briefly what the chances are of him going cross-eyed before the night ends.

"Aw, c'mon, Kid Insecure, who needs to be like Channing Tatum?" He doesn't reply. Artemis is still smiling because this is ridiculous but it's kind of cute, too. Wally, the One Who Flirts, kind of just admitted to her about his insecurities to guys with bigger muscles, who were better dancers, and who were born looking like Greek heroes.

It comforts Artemis to know that she's not the only one on the team who isn't always sure of herself or himself. It's strangely nice to know that while Artemis sometimes feels inferior to someone with the likes of M'gann, martian or not, or Zatanna, who is already stunning at the mere age of fourteen, Wally also feels similarly. Maybe to celebrities, which makes sense, but maybe even to his teammates, too.

Artemis admits that, yes, it's also nice that Wally's opening up to her even if he's unaware of it.

"I mean, yeah, so what? Channing Tatum's been in a bunch of cool movies, dated a couple of girls, he can dance, he's hot, but what kid is saving the world at sixteen years old? Which guy saved the fate of an entire country in one night while single-handedly taking down a foreign villain of the highest calibre?" She has Wally's attention now after mentioning his delivery-turned-mission involving Princess Perdita back in November.

"It's different – " Wally starts but Artemis cuts him off and continues speaking over the dialogue of the movie.

"It's not, Wally. I think you have more to be proud of than any actor in the world or any guy whose only pride is his body or his looks." Artemis doesn't know when she became so compassionate towards the Speedster but every word that's coming out of her mouth is true.

"Don't let yourself down, West," Artemis looks Wally straight in the eyes as she says this and makes sure he knows that she's serious, "You have a lot to be proud of and you're going to keep doing great things." She punches Wally gently on his shoulder and Wally can't help but feel oddly comforted at the familiar contact between her fist and his shoulder. He gives her this small smile that makes Artemis feel insanely proud of speaking up.

"Since when did you start understanding humans? Or can we blame your period again?" he jokes, shattering the quiet moment. Artemis narrows her eyes and laughs at him sarcastically.

"Ha-ha. Let all my words fly right over your head, why don't you?" she turns away from him, forcing herself not to feel embarrassed. She's surprised when Wally's suddenly grabs her in a one-armed hug, squeezing her tightly. She frowns to cover up her surprise because Wally plus her plus skin-contact is just a logical no-no in this cave but then again, this whole night has been beyond weird.

"Hey, I'm just kidding," he says, smiling not unkindly, "I just didn't know you cared so much!" Judging by the look on his face, he's teasing her.

"Hands off, Wallman," Artemis says flatly and he obeys, but he doesn't move back to his side of the couch, choosing instead to stay sitting close enough to the archer that their legs are touching. The atmosphere warms significantly for both teenagers from the closer proximity but they each tell themselves that it's the heater and maybe they're getting sleepy. The two teens turn back to the movie and return to their respective mugs of hot chocolate. Artemis is focusing on the movie but she hears Wally mutter under his breath, "What kind of a name is Channing Tatum, anyway?" It sounds a little less hateful and begrudging towards the actor and the Speedster sounds more annoyed than he does jealous. Artemis smirks and lets it go. She thinks she's done alright for now.

x-x-x-x-x

It's around 6:30 when Wally finally falls asleep and it's on Artemis's shoulder that his head finds a pillow. She doesn't even notice that he's fallen fast asleep on her shoulder or that, at some point between 21 Jump Street and Men In Black 3, the movie that's currently playing, her right hand had found its way into his tousled red hair, fiddling with it and playing with the strands.

During one of the quieter scenes in the movie, Artemis freezes, realising just what she's doing. She slowly turns her gaze to look at the boy on her shoulder.

She doesn't want to call it an epiphany but it sure feels like one. A big one.

Artemis is suddenly overwhelmed (and not at all whelmed) with everything she realises about what she thinks of a certain Kid Flash. She realises that his shock of red hair is her favourite physical trait of his. She realises that at this angle and proximity, his freckles don't stand out as much and they only blend into one another, looking painfully like a smattering of light red stars on his cheek bones. She realises that the freckles make him look kind of really innocent and it's nice to see him look innocent for once and not mischievous like he usually is. She realises that when his eyes are closed and his eyebrows are wrinkling and scrunched up in the middle, it looks like he's dreaming and she realises that she wants him to be dreaming good things, happy things; things that'll make him laugh and not things that make him frown like that. She realises that Wally West can look hot even when he's sleeping and –

– and she realises that she's not supposed to be thinking any of this about her arch nemesis.

An arch nemesis that she works with.

On a daily basis.

Artemis stops stroking Wally's hair for a few seconds as she realises that maybe this turmoil inside her involving a certain Speedster doesn't have to be turmoil, per se. It could be something good, too. Something fresh, and rich and new. Kind of like the chocolate he's been serving her.

Artemis realises that things are going to start changing in these parts of Happy Harbor. She realises that maybe they're going to fight less and when they do fight, it'll be about more important things. They'll quarrel of course and squabble at each other's throats like nothing's changed because really, nothing has changed. But at the same time, everything is about to change and Artemis realises that she's ready for that change and she wants it. Soon.

Artemis realises that she's being a fool of a girl. She's playing the part of damsel in distress and she realises that she's forgetting her training: No attachments, no emotions. She's here for the job and not for human contact.

But she can make an exception. Especially when she's just started the last day of her period. So she lets this go, too, and she keeps stroking Wally West's bright red hair. She rests her head on Wally's head and keeps sipping the last cold cup of his special chocolate. She lets Men In Black 3 keep playing in the background and she lets herself fall asleep next to her arch nemesis during the final scenes of the movie.

Artemis lets the team find them in the morning.

For once, she lets everything happen without holding back or trying to question everything.

Besides. She's still on her period and she's allowed to do whatever her hormones want her to do.

A/N: Wow. Well, I finished it. Just like I promised myself that I would! Please, please, please point out any and all grammatical, punctuation and spelling mistakes. I will take care of it ASAP. Also, if it won't hurt, feel free to leave a review and some ConCrit! Flame me if you like, I'm not sure what good it'll do you. Note: I am in no way affiliated with MIB3, 21 Jump Street, and I don't know Channing Tatum, nor do I hate him as much as Wally does. Promise.

So, now I can personally confine myself to my room so I can sob Spitfire tears freely. I don't know about you guys but the events of Depths added onto this new hiatus is kind of really hurting me.

Today, I learned that OTP does not stand for One True Pairing. It stands for Oh, The Pain. And that makes more sense.