I'd Lie

Summary: Zatanna pursed her lips. "Fine. You like Wally, I like Robin."

Artemis raised an eyebrow. "If you ask me that question one more time? I'd lie."

Rating: T

Pairing: Pre-Spitfire and hinting of Chalant

AN: I haven't updated it over two months, so I thought [considering I've been in a happy Spitfire mood lately] I would write another chapter to appease you people and to stop bugging me about updating.

However, those who had chided me for not updating have been a monumental help in me deciding to update. Whoever has said something, I thank you.

Now, this is some happy pre-Spitfire, set before their New Year's [RIGHT BEFORE], and therefore it will ensue denial and a whole lot of secret Spitfire love.

Why am I writing this? Because I am feeling incredibly desperate for some Spitfire love. Plus, I've written a lot of Spitfire that has taken place after they go to college, yadda yadda.

Review if you want some other of my stories updated and I will do my best to get to it!

~Nat

[OoOoOoO]

"I could tell you his favorite color's green

He loves to argue, born on the seventeenth

His sister's beautiful; he has his father's eyes

And if you asked me if I love him,

I'd lie~"

Taylor Swift, 'I'd Lie'

"You know you like him." Echoes in Artemis's ears and that brings her out of her somewhat dream state - shaking her head as she removes her eyes from the lovely piece of man in front of her.

Her head turns and she stared directly into Zatanna's unmistakable blue eyes. "I don't." She answers sharply, before averting her gaze to the wall and keeping it there, no matter how much she wants to move it back.

They're currently in the middle of sparring, not Zatanna and Artemis specifically, but Wally and Robin. Now, everything would be just hunky dory if Wally West hadn't decided to take off his shirt. In comparison to Conner, sure, his muscles may have been lacking, but it was the naked sight of those lovely washboard abs that made Artemis go crazy inside.

Butterflies swirling in the pit of her stomach, doing dances on her spleen and positively making her feel like a lovesick child.

"Yes you do." The magician decided to continue on in a teasing, yet serious tone, turning her stare to Wally and Robin's intense match.

Artemis's eyes narrowed whilst returning to Zatanna. "You do realize how big of a hypocrite you're being right now."

"Hmm?" Zatanna returns, all too enthralled by watching the solid, graceful movements of her very own crush.

A smirk made itself apparent on Artemis's face as she stepped right in front of Zatanna, blocking her view of the ever attention-drawing boy wonder. "Hey!" Was the sound of annoyance that spurted from Zatanna's lips, clearly not happy with the archer's block.

"Two words." Artemis offered. "You." She pointed to Zatanna, before jabbing a thumb over her shoulder. "Robin." Before making a heart with her fingertips and appearing much too smug when the red hue curved over the magician's cheeks.

"No-no." Zatanna insisted, shaking her head and swallowing the lump in her throat.

"You don't like him?" She quizzed. "Really? Not so sure."

Zatanna pursed her lips. "Fine. You like Wally, I like Robin."

Artemis raised an eyebrow. "If you ask me that question one more time? I'd lie."

[OoOoOoO]

The first Artemis met Wally's father [which had been purely coincidental due to Wally's insistence on helping her with her Chemistry project], immediately Artemis noticed that Wally had his Father's eyes.

That deep, marveling green that captivated and brightened the face.

Wally's Father may not of had the bright red hair or the synchronized dotting of freckles on his cheeks - he just had those eyes.

But before Artemis could mutter even a greeting to the over-powering man, Wally had already latched onto her wrist and dragged her along to his room with the force of an army.

"Hey, hey - let go." Artemis grunted, yanking her wrist out of the vice tight grip once they finally arrived in his room [which was surprisingly clean by the way] and rubbed at it ruefully. "What's your problem?"

Wally's eyes floated around the room nervously, never exactly landing on anything in particular. "Nothing, nothing." He bit his lip in a nervous habit and looked at her. "So…chemistry?"

And that instantly dropped the subject. For the next fifteen minutes, Artemis watched him ramble on and on about molecules and bonds, while she just stared at him, admiring him in a secretive way that was allusive to him.

He was too busy acting with this macho know-it-all façade and he was happy to just be informing her on something that she didn't know about.

It was cute - in a way.

"Are you going to blink?" Broke her away from her thoughts as Artemis blinked then, shifting her head from her hand and looking at him quizzically.

"Huh?"

"Are you going to blink - ah-hah! There is it. You blinked, finally." Wally said, grinning shortly. "You've been staring at me for the past ten minutes and I swear you haven't blinked once! Creepy, but I didn't exactly know you were that attentive. Makes a guy nervous sometimes."

The blonde did her best to cover her blush and sucked in a disbelieving breath. "Well, you wanted my full attention, so you got it." She stretched her arms over her head, rolling her shoulders stiffly.

The speedster pushed the chemistry book away, shutting it and crossing his legs under him, turning towards her. "Let's take a break." He offered in a chipper way.

Artemis fell back against his bed, not objecting to the idea at all. "Alright." She paused, turning to look at him. "What are we going to do?"

"I dunno." He answered cluelessly. "Talk?"

"About?" Artemis further pressed.

"Things."

"Like?"

"Let me just ask you some questions, alright?" Wally finally decided on, releasing an annoyed breath.

"Fine." Artemis said with a smirk, turning her head straight. She was just satisfied that she'd gotten the reaction she'd been wanting. "Shoot Wall-man."

"Relationship status?" He asked immediately.

Artemis scoffed, turning her nose up to the question. "What are you? A nosy Facebook information box?"

"Just answer the question." He whined insistently, brow furrowing as he patiently [while tapping his foot] awaited her answer.

"Well-" She drew on, making Wally's Adam's apple bob irritably. "There is this one guy." Artemis emphasized, popping nearly every consonant and driving the speedster mad. "But-he's far too clueless."

"What's his name?" Was his next, immediate question.

Artemis sat up on her elbows, quirking a brow. "Want his address and phone number too? So you can stalk him?"

Wally curled his lips back in a disgruntled expression. "Very funny."

"I know." She whistled calmly, lying back. "His name's-" She trailed off, trying to think of something, before blurting: "Walter. Walter…Williams."

This earned another one of those screwed up faces Wally gave when he didn't exactly comprehend words. "Walter Williams? What century is this guy from?"

"Eighteenth." That earned a questionable expression and she slapped his knee, earning a yelp. "Our century you idiot! Of course I'm interested in a two hundred year old man, yes - that makes a lot of sense."

"Hey! Excuse me for believing you." He weakly rebutted, his knee throbbing in pain from the smack. God she had some strength in those arms. "So this Walter Williams." he said his name in a tone full of unconcealed malice. "Where does he go to school?"

"It's official, you're a stalker."

"I'm serious Artemis."

Ooh. He said her name. That meant that he was really being serious.

"Gotham Academy."

"Oh yeah! You go there!"

That made her sit up and look at him. "How do you know that?" She questioned, folding her arms and narrowing her eyes.

Wally fumbled for words and ended up staring at his shoe. "Uhh…I was waiting there…for a friend one day…sorta…saw you."

"Oh." The blonde replied simply, appearing surprised. "Alright. Continue on with the interrogation stalker."

"How old is he?"

"Sixteen." She answered. "His birthday was a little while ago."

"Oh really? What month."

"Um…Nov-December."

Wally's brow furrowed. "November or December? I didn't catch which one."

By this time, Artemis was very fed up and threw her arms up in an angry way. "Why does it freaking matter Wally?" She ran her hands over her face and sucked in a deep breath before releasing, trying not to crush him at this point. "Change the subject." She ordered.

"But-" Wally started to protest.

"CHANGE - THE - SUBJECT." She growled now, her eyes flaring in a frightening way that nearly made Wally quiver in his seat.

"Fine." Wally nearly squeaked and cleared his throat to raise the octaves in his voice, thinking. "Alright, your musical preference." He gestured in a professional way. "I am a man of classical music."

Artemis scoffed, half-smiling. "Mhm and my name's Ludwig van Beethoven." She replied sarcastically, re-resting her chin in her palm. "I prefer Evanescence and Skillet."

Wally made a face. "What?" Artemis questioned with a frown.

The speedster - in turn, threw his hands up dramatically. "That's so depressing! How can you like that stuff? It's like…watching a puppy die or something."

"Oh grow up." She scoffed. "What are you? Five? The entire world's depressing Wally! Some music sung about it isn't going to change anything."

"It makes people sad!" He argued.

"Do I look sad?" She challenged.

"Yes!"

The argument continued for the rest of the evening until Wally's Mother [where he clearly got the red hair and freckles from] came and checked up on them, asking if Artemis wanted to stay.

The archer nimbly escaped that and made up an excuse about having to go home and cook dinner for her Mother [which happened to not be such a lie] and quickly avoided that.

While Artemis was walking down the sidewalk to begin the journey back to the nearest Zeta Tube, Wally ended up running out after her.

"Hey! Arty! Wait!" He called insistently, his shrill voice echoing through the neighborhood and bouncing off of houses - all ringing back into her eardrums.

She stopped in her tracks and turned around to meet his eyes. "Yes?" She asked, waiting.

The speedster looked rather uncomfortable, scratching the back of his neck and biting the inside of his cheek; it was cute to her - the obvious discomfort and she was enjoying every moment in her masochistic mind-set.

"You just…uh, left your stuff." He held out her chemistry book [mentally face palming at her stupidity of leaving it] and some papers in the other hand. "Don't think that'd be good if you went to school tomorrow without it." He said with a cheeky smile.

"No, probably not." She shook her head and glanced towards the sunset, anywhere to avert her eyes from the cuteness. "Thanks for helping me Wally, it means a lot." She managed a small smile, making his demeanor all the more cheerier.

"Not a problem babe." He retorted with arrogance.

Artemis laughed, rolling her eyes. "Whatever, good night Wally." She looked at him and met his eyes and dear God she regretted it. They looked even greener when the lights were dimmer.

Wally met her eyes and they just stared at each other for a minute. The distance was limited and Wally swallowed shakily, the gulp echoing and making her suck in a breath.

She swore he was leaning in and she ready to meet him halfway, when of course something had to happen.

"Wally! Honey, are you out there? Dinner's ready!" Came the voice of Wally's mother, making both of them jerk away awkwardly.

"Night Artemis!" He said quickly.

"Night Wally." Her tone laced with a bit of wistfulness, before she began walking away, hearing a muffled 'M'comin' Mom!' as Wally disappeared into his house and shut the door.

The walk back to the Zeta Tube was long and left her thinking about Zatanna and her own conversation the other day, remembering faintly of how in denial she was.

She couldn't possibly lov-like Wally? Could she?

That was unheard of! He was just a simpleton speedster that was far too complex for her own good. With this vibrant green eyes; those cheesy jokes, that arrogant attitude, what was there to like about him? Was she going crazy?

Artemis Crock was in love with Wally West.

Shell-shocked for nearly the rest of her way home, when Artemis walked into the apartment to be greeted by her Mother, the question had caught her by surprise.

"Do anything interesting this evening Artemis?" Her Mother asked and Artemis sucked in a breath and managed a smile.

"Yeah, I did."

She added inside her head: 'I learned Wally's favorite color's green, his eyes come from his Father, his freckles and hair from his Mother, he doesn't want to fall in love [he actually promised], he has a terrible habit of running his fingers through his hair, he gets all of his jokes from a cheesy comedy website, he was born on November 11, he enjoys classical music, he hates crying, overlooks the truth, can play the guitar and he loves to argue.

And if you asked me if I love him? Well, I'd damn well lie.'

"Yes I could tell you his favorite color's green

He loves to argue oh and it kills me

His sister's beautiful; he has his father's eyes

And if you ask me if I love him

If you asked me if I love him

I'd lie~"

[OoOoOoO]

AN: So, what do you think? Is the fifth installment in this series as good as you hopefully anticipated? I know a lot of people have been waiting for this, so I hope this holds you for a while.

I can't say I'm exactly pleased with it, because I feel like I haven't written Spitfire in AGES, ages I mean. Seriously, it's been over two months since I've last updated. I feel like I've been procrastinating.

My apologies.

OH, and if any of you have read my Victorious one-shots, I'm going to be updating 'The Little Things' now. Seven chapters I was supposed to have and I've only done one and haven't updated IN SIX MONTHS. SIX MONTHS!

Seriously? How much more of a terrible author can I get? Well, any of you that still bother to read my stories, this one's for you!

Thanks for reading,

~Nat