A/N: GUESS WHO STARTED ANOTHER FIC. Yeah, this kid. And it's almost a year since I started Shoot Straight for the Heart and I still haven't finished that. Who's got focus? Not me! Weeeeeee.
And NO WITTY TITLE FOR YOU. Because, screw you guys, I suck at titles and this is straight to the point.
YoungJLi and apennyfarthing made excellent YJ Hunger Games videos on Youtube (SPONSOR).
ONWARD.
Justice Games
Artemis startles herself out of sleep. She's tangled up in damp blankets, kicking clear of the snarls of her dreams. Growling, she shoves the coarse sheets off her legs, letting her feet dangle off the side of her bed. As she sits, her hands smooth her long, blonde hair into a ponytail with a stripe of green cloth.
Her stomach twists uncomfortably. She knows what today is. She knows, and she refuses to let it affect her.
She absently scratches her sister's cat behind the ears. The tabby purrs lowly, fixing Artemis in an amused green stare. "Who's a sweet kitty?" Artemis coos, a curl to the corner of her lips. The cat flattened her ears, looking severely at her human. Artemis smirks, sliding off the bed, pleased. "Good girl, Cheshire. A wise sister of mine once told me that in this family, it's every girl for herself."
If she's going to pretend she doesn't have an overdose of worry and fear coiling up in her insides, then she'd better get some work done. What kindof work varies from employer to employer. But in the greasy streets of Gotham, there's plenty of disgruntled crime lords who're looking for someone like her. Someone who doesn't miss.
Out of all the Cities of the Nation, Gotham City is easily the worst. Crime, corruption, and an irregular bus schedule. This place is a smog filled blot on the map, especially when compared to the shining Capital, Metropolis... where over a dozen of unfortunate kids will be shipped off in less than twenty-four hours.
Artemis winces, in the middle of clipping her belt buckle. She'd been trying to steer her thoughts away from the Reaping today.
On the rooftops, she glowers at the smoke rising over the horizon. Just like any other day, she's got a job to do. Mr. Dent won't let her use the Reaping as an excuse for missing her deadline, and neither will she.
"Going somewhere, Princess?"
Pivoting on her heel, Artemis notches an arrow in less than three seconds, the taut bowstring cutting into her cheek. "Show yourself. Now."
The shadowy figure melds out of the darkness. There's a smirk on Red's face as he passes her to put a foot on the low wall surrounding the rooftop. "Nice moves," he sneers, crossing his arms over his chest.
Artemis bristles, lowering her bow. "What're you doing here?" She declines letting the bowstring go slack, though. Today might actually be the day she shoots him. Since day one, it's been each other's goal to chaff against the other's nerves.
"Checking up on you," Red responds, shrugging. His eyes don't quite meet hers. And that's something she capitalizing on in a heartbeat.
"Bullshit," Artemis snarls, noticing and loving the way he shifts uncomfortably. "You never coming sniffing around this part of Gotham unless it's the anniversary of her death-" Roy's head whips around, teeth clenched, eyes blazing behind his lightly tinted shades. Artemis' hands clench around the grips on her bow. But she's not done. Not by a longshot. "-or you need a favor. And you're not toting flowers for her grave, so it's the latter. Cut the crap and just spit it out."
He's trembling. He's trying not to showcase his weakness, but he's always been too easy to read. It's so incredibly pathetic and endearing at the same time. Maybe that was why Jade loved him. It was ridiculous how hard Jade had fallen, something Artemis vows solidly against ever doing. She pegs Jade's epic head over heels act as genetic hiccup inherited from their mother, since their father had abandoned them all those years ago and Paula stillwore his wedding ring. But Roy's plaintive expression might be why Artemis feels inclined to release the tension on her bowstring and place a calloused hand on his shoulder. He was really warm.
"Red, what do you want?" She doesn't know his real name, not even after Jade disappeared with him all those years ago. He shudders beneath her fingers, muscles flexing, face contorting and tightening.
"It's... I... her." For a moment, irritation pulses along her veins, seeping into her pores. If Red was having girl problems, he better not be crawling to his... whatever-Jade-was-to-him's sister. That was askingfor an asskicking.
"...Lian," Red utters weakly, his voice too muddled by emotions for Artemis' liking. She's not good with words and emotions. She's better kicking in doors and shooting targets (people or otherwise).
"Uhm. Who?"
