Five Second Rule

IT'S SO CLOSE, I SIMPLY CANNOT WAIT.

But I will anyway, because dying would equal no YJ watching for moi. XD

On an (slightly) unrelated note, I made a tumblr if anyone wants to follow me for news on my fanfictions and/or the occasional sneak preview. Or if you just wanna drop me a message. I love talking with my readers! :)

"Artemis!"

The blonde had heard Zatanna's voice call her name from the kitchen as soon as she stepped out of the zeta. She walked into the kitchen.

The magician was currently helping a M'gann that was franticly darting about the kitchen, tending to about five different things at the moment— scooping cookie dough, blending a fruit smoothie, preparing what looked to be lasagna for dinner that night, mixing some cake batter, and chopping some vegetables for salad. Zatanna's rushed over to help chop the vegetables and turn off the blender for the frazzled Martian.

"Artemis, thank goodness!" M'gann exclaimed, putting the lasagna in the oven and wiping her brow. "We need your help! Zatanna and I want to make a special dinner for Rocket's birthday, and we need one more person."

"Why didn't you ask the boys?"

"Connor isn't here, Kaldur's in Atlantis 'til tonight, Robin set the kitchen on fire last time we let him in here, and Wally would probably eat everything," Zatanna supplied from her station cutting vegetables.

"So can you help?" M'gann asked, giving Artemis the sweetest puppy-dog eyes ever. "Please?"

Artemis sighed. "Okay," she relented.

M'gann's smile was almost blinding. "Okay, you can split the cake batter evenly into three cupcake tins, bake them in the oven for 25 minutes, wash some strawberries and make some vanilla buttercream frosting. After the cupcakes cool, can you decorate them, too?"

Artemis mentally catalogued the list and nodded. "Okay, I got it, M'gann."

"Thank you!" the Martain exclaimed before returning to her cookies and what looked like soup.

Artemis trudged over and started with the cake batter.

"Mm, it smells amazing in here!"

"Wally, get out," Artemis snarled. She was the only one left in the kitchen. M'gann and Zatanna had went out to with Superboy and Robin to get some last minute decorations (and a gift on Superboy's part), and Artemis was left to decorate the cupcakes that had finally finished cooling down.

"Hey, I just want to help," Wally said defensively.

Artemis scoffed, gently placing a strawberry atop a frosted cupcake. "Help demolish all the food before the birthday girl even gets here?"

"No, of course not! I'm the only one that hasn't helped, so come on, Arty!"

"Don't call me Arty," she growled as she began to frost the last cupcake on the counter.

"Well, Arty, are you gonna let me help?"

"No."

"Please, Arty?" Wally warbles annoyingly.

"Shut up," she ground out between clenched teeth.

"Come on, Arty!"

Silence.

"Arty."

...

"Arty."

...

"Arty!"

...

"ART—"

"Okay!" she screeched, startling the speedster. "Dammit, Baywatch, you can help! Just... carry this plate of cupcakes over to the table while I clean up," she said, waving him away with her hand. "And don't screw it up."

"Yes, ma'am!" he said, grabbing the tray of twenty-four cupcakes. He turned his head to face her as he walked. "See, I can do stuff without screwing u— AHH!"

With a loud crash and clatter, Wally tripped over a small trashcan and spilled the cupcakes all over the floor, landing flat on top of them.

Artemis looked angered beyond words— eyes blazing with a murderous fire.

"Five second rule?" he joked weakly, an uneasy smile plastered on his face.

"Wally," the blonde started slowly, which made Wally's stomach churn with foreboding. "You. Are. Dead." Wally scrambled up and dashed away as Artemis followed him in hot pursuit, swearing at the red head violently over his panicked screams and apologies and pleads to be spared.

When the Team returned with decorations, a dozen cupcakes were sitting neatly frosted and decorated on the table. Artemis was seated on the couch watching the television with a smug smirk on her face as a cupcake and frosting covered Wally sat bound and gagged to a chair across from the blonde— eyes screaming for someone to help him.

The next one is called Double Doubles. Look out for it!