A.N:/ Hey people who read this ;D I'm back from my lazy retirement. Yeap I upload so slowly! I'm going to say sorry now. Also thank you to those who review, favorite, and subscribe. I love you guys. This was written at 12:02 pm so It may be OOC and not probable to occur. But I just love Dick/Artemis/Wally! It's my author's fantasy. It will happen someday I have faith!
Another side note here, I probably suck at grammar and or sentence fluency etc. If you see any stuff like that could you leave a review pointing it. Thanks! :3
If you love it leave a review too ;)
There aside I can't help but say you're one good looking evil do ore! EXCELSIOR
Disclaimer: I don't own
The cold water cascaded along his bare back. A fist was clenched at his side, eyes open as he watched the water slide on the tile he was leaning his forehead on. Richard Grayson was not Batman. He didn't want to lead the team but if he had to he would.
He was sixteen now, he had grown taller and broader. Everyone, especially Batman, expected something from him -To grow old, to be more stoic, more prioritizing, and more unemotional- he could be like that sometime but not live with it.
He closed his eyes and remembered no one knew his secret identity but Wally. The shivers that the chilly waterfall created made him calmer about the situation.
How many hours had he been here anyway? The mission ended long ago, and he didn't lose track of time only because his IPod was almost finishing with its playlist. He would cherish this time because in the shower he didn't wear his dark glasses, he had no secret ID, and he would act more like himself not like the son of Bruce Wayne or the heir of Batman. He would let himself have feelings for team mates; he would relax his muscles and enjoy a good rock song.
That didn't matter now, today was one of those lonely and depressing nights when he debated with himself if he wanted to form part of the team, of the league of Batman. He finally raised his wrinkled fingers and closed the shower.
~O~
Artemis sat on the couch bored, one callused hand behind her neck and the other busy throwing grapes at her mouth. It was 9:08 pm and her teammates seemed busy with their own distractions to notice her form sprawled all over the couch.
Maybe they weren't even there but she didn't know. The blonde had been the first to hit the showers and the first to finish. Wally was suddenly in her personal space and had snatched the last grape that was almost reaching her lips.
"Wally!" she shrieked angrily. The speedster chuckled and stole a peck. "I'm grounded tonight babe." He said apologetically. Artemis smiled frowning slightly. "It's ok I'll just hang out with Megan or Bird boy or something."
"Someone called?" the mentioned ninja piped from behind Wally. The redheaded jumped like a screeching cat. He mentally face palmed at the so hated ninja thing his teammate always did. Robin did his signature cackle after playfully pushing his best buddy. His cerulean eyes were hidden by his shades again.
"Yea, dude, as I was saying before being rudely interrupted…" Wally explained nodding towards Robin who merely shrugged still smiling. "…Mom and dad are mad at me for failing everything but physics and chemistry"
-"What? I always thought you were a geek!" Artemis mocked him. "No! I'm not! I'm just a science genius not an English prodigy!" Wally yelled annoyed by his girlfriend and best friend who were laughing madly at his flushed cheeks. "Okay guys let me finish this time…" Wally crossed his hands and pouted sitting on top of Artemis's stretched legs purposely. She yelped and punched him hard, to which he just flinched and continued "So, my best pal who's still learning how to be a best pal..." He paused to address boy wonder that was facing the couple "Will make you, Artemis, company to make up for that date?" Wally finished sheepishly.
"Sure." Artemis said but crossed her arms and looked away from Wally. The speedster was about to kiss her goodbye when the computer announced the arrival of green arrow. He froze and yelped a quick 'bye' before disappearing to the zeta tubes.
~O~
They were just sitting beside each other on the green couch. The TV had their favorite 'No signal' channel. She didn't know what to tell him. She barely knew him; all she knew was that he was the most heroic, intelligent, and sneaky sixteen year old bastard.
Artemis did want to talk because it intrigued her profusely the now grown up Robin. She felt strongly curios about him, his past, his dark side, and maybe it was because of the way he handled his secrecy.
She glanced to him and barely registered a dark speck of blue in the eyes of her friend. 'He was staring?' Artemis thought. She quickly took her eyes away when he flashed his eyes to the TV again.
There had to be a topic with them. 'He likes action movies? Is he a dog or cat person? What music does he enjoy? Does he have a crush, a girlfriend, a lover? Why do I want to know all these?' Artemis was getting nervous as her mind kept bringing questions about the cute guy/kid who she actually never saw as a kid.
Her gaze was on her lap trying not to feel awkward. He was stiff and his hands kept fiddling. Never had she thought Robin could feel unsure. Artemis gathered courage to face him and opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out.
He had his fingers laced on top of his lap and his head bowed. Artemis noticed and immediately asked "Are you okay?" He was daydreaming apparently because he flinched when she spoke. It was a small flinch but Artemis noticed it clearly. "Uh- ye-yeah sure Arty." He grinned but Artemis didn't buy it.
His smile was mellow and his eyebrows were furrowed, clear sign something was wrong. "Doesn't work with me Bat boy you should know." Artemis adopted her usual challenging attitude. Richard could read her too and gave up trying to avoid.
"It-It's the mission, today's mission." He shifted his body to face her now. "I- I don't want to risk anyone anymore, I don't want to act as if being so calculative and serious is my style."
Artemis listened carefully. He was opening to her; the guy she thought had the hardest shell from everyone. Robin continued "I was talking about this to Canary the day of the mission, the-the day you died…" He said unsure to continue. "The thing was that I didn't- I don't want to be like 'him'…"
She smiled and encouraged him to keep going; she wanted to listen to his feelings. "But lately… I've been acting like Batman again. And I can't tell anyone for that same reason and I've been hoping I could, be-because I want you- and-and the team… to trust me, to know I trust you… to tell you and the team who I am in reality." He finished not daring to look into her blue gray orbs.
The guy sure knew how to pull her heart strings. He looked so vulnerable and innocent. Now she knew how he saw her the day the Reds attacked. She couldn't resist anymore. She reached for his neck and hugged him tightly against her body.
"I trust you little buddy" Artemis said noticing how he went stiff because of the nickname she had used. He kept his head hidden on the crook of her neck anyways, nuzzling her hair slowly.
Not knowing what to do next or if breaking the hug would be okay Artemis began lifting her head. "Can you stay one more hour?" Robin breathed against her. She was going to reply but he cut her off rather desperately "Please just hold me a little longer" And it came muffled and shy like he was afraid of asking anything of her.
Her eyes widened a bit. Still unsure Artemis remained holding him. They could always have a friendly hang out, and it had been a pretty tough mission after all. "Okay." She sighed softly.
~O~
'I shouldn't be doing this.' Dick thought sadly but his mouth opened to say something different. "Can you tell me how we ended up here again…?" The black haired said pointing to the carnival's Ferris wheel.
"I'm cheering you up." Artemis stated in a matter of fact tone.
"Again I ask… why?"He said not believing what could be open for a sixteen year old at eleven pm. "Because we are friends, and you happen to be my boyfriend's best friend, and you were left here to make up for my date." The last part she said it somewhat annoyed.
The fair looked alive and colorful, brightened by the lights of the different mechanical games. "We should try the booths first." Artemis said smirking at Robin. He grinned back at her "You read my mind." They walked enjoying the pleasant mood they created with each other. They had won every single game they had tried, constantly trying to best the other.
When he won a small teddy robin plushy he smirked and gave it to her happily. She laughed in her husky voice hugging the teddy and he couldn't help but blush slightly. They were having a delicious midnight snack when they glanced at the towering Ferris wheel.
They didn't need words to know what they had to do then. "Race you." He said playfully shoving her aside. Artemis was never too old for a challenge. They came agitated to the short line and he tried talking between pants "I win." "No way!" The archer yelled at him.
He watched her confident pose and fire like attitude that looked simply adorable. "Okay it's a tie." She smirked and grabbed his hand and pushing him in a booth.
Her gray eyes looked satisfied and kept that proud look until they were at the top of the wheel and the night couldn't look more beautiful. 'She is beautiful...' He suddenly panicked for having such a thought and she saw the change in his face.
"What?" she asked but he didn't say anything. She then followed his gaze to the breathtaking landscape of stars and city lights. "They make us pay for what we could have in a Gotham rooftop." He said still facing the night sky, hoping she would mistake the dark red contrast to his white skin with the chill of the night.
She snorted a 'totally' then they shared a glance and started laughing lightly. "You know what's funny; my idea of cheering someone up is beating the crap out of bad guys." Artemis said looking at him now. "That's my idea." He huffed playfully.
"Then why didn't you propose it first?" Artemis taunted. "You are the one in charge of cheering me up not the other way around." Robin retorted. "And it's dumb for you to wear shades in the night." She confronted him. "How random you are." He said amused by her attention. "You're funny Robin." Artemis said confirming her randomness.
"Was that sarcasm?" She just laughed at him. They hadn't noticed but they had slowly inched closer and closer with each word.
They were so comfortable with each other's presence they didn't feel the difference until she turned and was nose to nose with the sixteen year old. The Ferris wheel moved at that moment and Robin had crushed his lips with his best friend's girl. The wheel kept moving but he kept his mouth attached to hers.
Somehow his brain only thought it was a good idea to move his lips with hers. Now that he analyzed this she hadn't pulled back either. So he deepened the kiss because he was being himself, with her, right now. 'We're just friends' but he merely tilted his head to the side to kiss her fully. Ideas of how wrong and depraved they were, how this would change everything…
'Wally.' It felt like seconds until both of them realized what had happened. They pulled back simultaneously, she let out a choked gasp and his face looked alarmed and shocked. They scrambled away from each other as far as they could in their seats.
He looked away his brows furrowed, lips pressed downward, eyes connecting with the ground that was getting closer every second. He wanted to have guilty thoughts in his head at the moment but all he heard himself say was 'Just hold me a little longer.'