Slowly but surely I'm revising a lot of my old shorts. Most of the first couple of chapters are really early works, so please feel free to start from the end and work backwards!
From the original A/N: The suggestion of this story came frommusic lover bwg. I hope that this is everything she thought it would be... Probably not. This is my firstactualromantic one-shot instead of just flirting. I'm making big steps in my writing of fanfiction career. (Psh... who am I kidding? What career?)
Disclaimer: Please stop teasing me. I don't own it. If I did... A bit of spitfire would already be in the cartoon.
Artemis slammed her head down on the desk. If she was going to pass Chemistry, she really needed to get a tutor because this homework was impossible, and it was only the fourth week of school! She felt a presence sit down next to her. "Need any help?" the boyish voice asked. She looked up and found Robin intently, or as intently as a kid wearing sunglasses could look, staring at her textbook over her shoulder.
"Not to be rude, but how can you help me?" she asked. The kid was a freshman—a genius freshman, but still a freshman. "I get that you're smart, but I'm pretty sure you don't have any training in high school chemistry."
"You'd be surprised." He replied almost sagely and leaned over to look at her homework. After a moment, he actually began to explain it, but all Artemis heard out of his mouth was what the teacher from an old comic would say, which was nothing but gibberish. "Wah Wah wah..."
"Stop. You're just confusing me more!" she groaned. Robin stopped with a hurt expression on his face and he stood up.
"Well fine then. Guess you don'tneed any help." He walked out of the room and she continued on her tortuous page of problems.
Two hours and three of M'gann's cookies later, nothing was finished. She'd re-read her book about four hundred times, but everything still seemed like an alien language to her. The refrigerator door opened behind her and she spun around to find Wally. Wally was a science freak. He might possibly even be able to help her, if she could get past his usual annoying attitude.
"Hey, Baywatch!" she called out, getting his attention.
"What?" the speedster asked, spraying cookie crumbs everywhere.
"You're good at science, help me!" she demanded.
Wally looked confused, but then a devious glint entered his eye. "Fine, I'll help you. But..." he trailed off.
"But what?!" Artemis asked, becoming exasperated. If he was going to ask her something ridiculous, she might as well just take a low grade and shell out the extra money for a tutor.
"You have to play a game," he said. Artemis didn't like the sound of this.
"...What game?" she asked slowly.
"Truth or Dare, of course! Kaldur will only play if Robin does, Robin will only play if Conner does, Conner will only play if M'gann does, and she'll only play if you do. And you, under normal circumstances, won't." It was true. Wally had been begging her to play for a while, and each time she'd said no. "If you want my help, you have to play."
She really did need help, and this seemed fairly simple. She mused over his proposition.
"Fine. One game and one game only." Wally smiled in agreement. Of course, he was only doing this so he might possibly get to kiss M'Gann. After all, you can't say no to a dare, she thought bitterly.
Twenty minutes later, all six of the teens were seated in a circle in the living room. "Rob, you go first," Wally stated. The youngest boy smiled. "Truth or dare?" Wally asked.
"Dare."
"Okay, I dare you to... erm... lick the toilet bowl!"
"Wow Wally, you must be really proud to have thought up such an original dare." When the two boys were younger, Robin had dared him to do the exact same thing. Wally had never forgotten it.
The teens crowded off to the bathroom, where they watched Robin expertly lick the toilet seat. Wally satisfied, they went back to the living room, but not before Artemis whispered to Robin, "You didn't really, did you?" He shook his head and grinned. That was the perk of working with Batman to track down the Joker. You learned to do some illusions.
"Conner, you go next!" Robin said excitedly. Superboy frowned.
"Truth."
"Do you hate Superman for not taking you in as a son?"
"No comment."
"You have to comment, Supey!"
"Fine. Yes. M'gann, truth or dare?"
"Truth!" the green girl chirped.
"How long have you had an intense crush on me?" Conner asked, trademark frown etching at his features.
"Since I first saw you!" she said, with no embarrassment. The two looked at each other in a way Wally hoped he'd never have on his own face because even Superboy looked a bit sappy, and that was just too much of a change from the normal scowl.
"Artemis," M'gann said, "Truth or dare?"
"Dare," Artemis answered grouchily.
"Hmm..." M'gann thought hard for a second. "Hello Megan! Do a back handspring! Lamest dare ever, but that's okay!" She smiled so largely, Artemis was sure her face would split. But of course, she did it. Easily and perfectly.
"Um," Artemis looked for her victim, "Kaldur, truth or dare?"
The Atlantean pondered his options for a moment and replied, "Truth. I do not wish to lick the toilet bowl or have to perform any acrobatics today."
"What do you miss most about Atlantis?"
"My friends, Tula and Garth." That was a simple enough answer. "Robin, truth or dare?"
"Dare."
"Go eat the rest of M'Gann's cookies."
Wally began to protest. "No fair! Cookie eating? I would do that for free!"
Robin grinned as he opened the fridge door. "Looks like you already did. My dare has been completed for me. Now... Wally. Truth or dare?"
Wally answered immediately before thinking about who was asking. "Dare!"
He regretted that decision. Judging by the look in Robin's eye, this wouldn't be good. Rob smiled. "Alrighty, you have to kiss Artemis full on the lips and mean it for at least 10 seconds."
Artemis gasped. "Oh my gosh, NO. I refuse to do this! I'll fail Chem!"
Wally, who really didn't want to do this either but refused to look wimpy, simply said, "You can't back out. You already promised to play."
Bound by her word, Artemis steeled herself. If she was going to have to do this, might as well play it up. Wally stood up and walked to where she was seated. Sighing to herself, she stood up as well and he put his arms around her waist. He looked nervous. Like, really nervous. If he was going to show weakness, than she'd just have to take advantage of it. Putting her own arms around his neck, she moved in faster than he anticipated.
Surprisingly, Wally was a really good kisser. Immediately, his lips morphed to match the shape of her own.
"Ten... nine... eight..."
She wasn't quite sure how much of this she'd be able to stand.
"Seven... six... five..."
Wally, on the other hand, was enjoying himself. Who knew that the girl he hated would turn out to be the girl he was kissing right now? M'gann would have been better, but at least he was kissing someone.
"Four... three... two..."
Actually, this wasn't so bad for Artemis either.
"One... Okay guys. You can stop now."
But Wally didn't want to stop, and judging by Artemis' lack of pulling away, she didn't either. When both pulled away, Artemis realized she was breathless. She hadn't taken a breath during that entire time, and apparently kissing uses up oxygen much faster than her normal exertions. She noticed with satisfaction that Wally was bright red—as red as his hair. "Lookin' a bit pink there, Wall-Man."
He grinned, almost sheepish, "I sunburn easily."