"Oh god...fuck..." Artemis gasped as she wrapped her legs around Wally's head, rhythmically moving her pelvis in time with his tongue. Wally was on his knees at the base of their bed; Artemis's hands wound tight in his hair. A moan escaped her lips and a sheen of sweat covered her skin. Artemis's hair stuck to the back of her neck and droplets clung to her throat. Her back arched and she screamed out reaching climax, "Z-Zatanna," she gasped, broken and needy, before collapsing back onto the bed. Wally froze, his hands which had been tightly gripping her ass fell limp.
A silence filled the room, sucking out all the heat. "Wally, I-" Artemis started, propping herself up on her elbow, but she just couldn't find the words and silence filled the cramped room once more.
"Forget it okay? Just forget it," Wally muttered, the floor creaking as he stood up. He made his way towards the bathroom, swearing under his breath as he stubbed his toe on something in the darkness. A stream of light shone across the bed for a moment as Wally flicked on the the bathroom light. But, the light was short lived as he closed the door with a loud thud, and left Artemis alone in the darkness. She sighed, letting her head fall back onto the pillow and covering her eyes with her forearm. What was she doing wrong? Artemis removed her arm and stared at the popcorn ceiling, hoping for an easy answer. The first time? Sure, an accident, a slip of the tongue, brain short circuiting in the heat of the moment. The second time? Not so much.
Artemis groaned, rolled over and forced herself out of bed. Her bare feet rubbed against the rough carpet as she shuffled across the room to the dresser, opened one of the drawers and pulled out a shirt. "Wally?" Artemis called once she was fully dressed. She knocked lightly on the bathroom door, hoping for an answer, anything to keep her from doing what she was about to. "Wally?" She tried again. A sigh escaped her lips as the sound of running water filled the small space. Part of her knew he wouldn't answer, a bigger part-and she hated herself for it-was counting on it.
"Hi, I-uh," Artemis struggled, her hand balled up into a fist inside her jacket pocket as the well groomed man behind the desk looked up from his book with an aggravated sigh.
"You 'uh' what?" the concierge asked raising his eyebrow, clearly not amused that Artemis was there, let alone asking him for something.
Artemis's lips formed a tight line, and she swallowed hard, "I was wondering if I could see one of the residents? She-" Artemis paused, realizing how truly idiotic she sounded, standing in the lobby of a fancy New York apartment complex at 11pm asking to see someone. To be fair, she hadn't remembered that New York was three hours ahead of California and the Zeta tubes- "She doesn't know I'm here." Artemis finished, cutting off her internal monologue.
Silence filled the empty lobby for a few moments as the concierge stared at Artemis, "You do realize that I can't just let anyone who claims to know one of the residents wander around the building right?"
"Right I-" Artemis closed her mouth, wondering just what she thought was going to happen in the first place. That everything would just work out and she would see Zatanna and...and what? "Sorry for wasting your time," Artemis mumbled as she turned around, stepping away from the front desk, her eyes on the floor.
"Artemis?" a familiar voice rang out. It was a question, but her tone held more than that. As if she knew the answer was always 'No' or a confused glance or strange look, but she would keep asking. Asking every time she saw that blonde hair and tanned skin, but every time she knew, the hair was always a shade off, or the skin too light. And the eyes-the eyes were never the same stormy gray that her archers were. Artemis's head snapped up, standing a few feet in front of her, stood a very tired looking Zatanna, her arms full of grocery bags. "Artemis." she said again, the shock and genuine joy at seeing the blonde filling Artemis's ears. "What are you doing here?"
"I-" I miss you. Artemis's throat felt tight as she struggled to form words, "Why were you grocery shopping so late?" Artemis asked praying to whatever god was out there that her voice sounded normal.
Zatanna smiled as she laughed, the expression almost erased the tired lines beneath her bright blue eyes. Artemis swallowed watching her, how long had it been since she'd heard that laugh? "My new job as some pretty tough hours, I have to get it done when I can."
"Right," Artemis nodded, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly unable to meet Zatanna's eyes, "You're with The League now."
The two stood in silence for a moment as Zatanna watched the former archer, "Do you want to come up... for some coffee or something?" Artemis froze and Zatanna's smile fell fractionally as she tried to read the emotions coming from her friend.
"I-yeah, sounds good," Artemis said her tongue darting across her dry lips. What the hell was she getting herself into. "Here, lemme help you with those," she reached out to the magician taking some of the paper bags into her own arms. Zatanna looked away, a slight flush spread across her cheeks as their hands brushed; fumbling with the groceries. The two made the rest of their way up to Zatanna's apartment in silence.
Artemis let out a low whistle as Zatanna flicked on the lights, "Nice place Zee," the nickname she hadn't used in years slipped out. Artemis inwardly kicked herself as Zatanna paused for a moment before making her way to the table and setting down the groceries. Artemis walked over and began to unload the bags, but had to pause every few seconds and ask Zatanna where things went. The magician would answer with a smile; lips pursed and a sparkle in her eyes that-good god, thought Artemis-should be illegal. And for several minutes they unloaded groceries in comfortable silence as a pang of longing shot through the archer.
How domestic they must look to the outside eye. And for a moment Artemis let herself think about coming home everyday to Zatanna, to going grocery shopping together, and bickering over dinner and whose turn it was to do the dishes or take out the trash; but in the end Zatanna would always give her that bemused smile and Artemis would do whatever she asked. The archer would have sushi instead of mac and cheese every night, walk the garbage down sixty flights of stairs to the dumpster, scrape crusty, week old food off of dishes and unload a million grocery bags for that smile. To be able to come home at night and wrap her arms around Zatanna-around her magician. To lean in close and inhale that which could only be described as Zatanna; the smell of rose petals and vanilla and fresh rain and all these things that Artemis couldn't begin to list. She would lean in, knowing the raven haired woman was all hers and-
"Artemis?" the archer felt a warm hand on her shoulder a second before she turned as the carton of milk slipped through her fingers. Zatanna jumped-her hand jerking away from Artemis as the carton made a loud thud against the counter; spilling all over the two women.
"Shit-I'm sorry," Artemis said as she grabbed the new roll of paper towels sitting on the thinking and completely disregarding her own soaked jeans she began to try and dry Zatanna's shirt.
"...Artemis?" Zatanna asked- attempting to suppress a full blown grin and a slight blush.
"Oh," .shit. "I-uh," Silence filled the room; Artemis's cheeks were on fire and her hands wound in Zatanna's probably expensive shirt. Before the archer could further embarrass herself Zatanna's laugh echoed throughout the kitchen-enveloping the two.
"I haven't laughed that hard in a while" Zatanna managed to get out as her laughter died down and her breathing returned to normal.
Artemis managed a small smile as she looked away, "I'm really sorry Zee."
"It's no problem," she smiled, "Naelc pu eht ssem." With next to no effort on Zatanna's part the paper towels began to wipe up the milk. "Magician remember?" she said with her signature smirk in place. "Come on I think I have some jeans you can borrow for now."
Artemis would later swear she didn't watch Zatanna's hips swing subtly as she walked towards the hallway, "No it's fine really I-"
"Come on," Zatanna cut her off as she turned around to face her once best friend, "besides it gives me an excuse to show you the rest of the place." Zee winked before continuing down the narrow hallway. Artemis followed.
"Bathroom...guest bedroom-although I use it as a second closet," Zatanna spoke as she gestured to doors on either side of the hall, "Rent controlled, unbelievable view, secure building, but the closet space is basically nonexistent." She paused outside a door at the end of the hall, "I hope you're not expecting much..."
Artemis smiled gently, "You couldn't underwhelm me even if you tried."
A warm silence filled the air as Zatanna beamed, scarlet slowly spreading across her cheeks. "...Thanks." Artemis rubbed the back of her neck as they walked into the room, desperate to change the conversation. The archer cleared her throat as she walked further into the room. Zatanna knelt down and began digging through a pile of denim. "This feel familiar," she laughed.
Artemis joined her laughter; light airy tones mixing with high raspy ones, "It's not my fault you always had better clothes."
Having found a suitable pair of jeans Zatanna stood, "No matter what, somehow during the night we would always end up raiding my closet."
Artemis smiled wistfully and muttered mostly to herself, "Yeah, but it never ended the way I wanted them too."
She reached out to grab the jeans when Zatanna's hands gently and feather light covered her own. Together they stood there, gray meeting blue. "Me either," Zatanna murmured breaking the silence as she looked away.
Artemis's heart pounded in her chest as the room spun. Her breath caught in her throat and she struggled to swallow-to speak-to say anything. To turn around and run as far as she could. To go back to california-to Wally and to forget. "Artemis...?" Zatanna breathed; her voice low. The blue in her eyes had been almost completely eclipsed by her pupils. She had this wind blown look on her face as her lips puckered mere centimeters away; if Artemis just leaned her head slightly...she could...
"Zatanna...," the archer murmured-giving in as the magician's lips melted against hers. Their lips barely touched at first. As fear and hesitation gave way to desperation. The women grasped at each other looking for something neither of them could admit to. Zatanna's lips were soft and warm and smooth and needy and loving-
"This...this was a mistake I-I should have never come. I'm sorry," Artemis muttered, abruptly pulling away. Her hand covered her lips as she tried to gather herself before fumbling towards the exit.
"Artemis wait!" Zatanna called as she stood up, "Stay," she pleaded; wrapping her slender fingers around Artemis's wrist.
"Zee..." Artemis warned, closing her eyes and unconsciously leaning into the other woman's touch. She yearned to wrap her arms around the magician. To hold her tight until that scowl disappeared, like she used to. Not once did it ever cross Artemis's mind that she would be the one who put it there. "You know I can't."
"Why?" Zatanna snapped, "Wally?" Hot, angry, tears spilt over her flushed cheeks, "How long are you going to lie to yourself Artemis? You don't love him," Zatanna looked up, her crystal eyes meeting the stormy gray of Artemis's, "You never did."
Artemis opened her mouth and inhaled, ready to speak-to defend herself, to defend Wally-but nothing came out. Instead she stared at Zatanna for a moment, before dropping her gaze. "I could," The former archer quietly responded. She clenched her fists moving out of the raven haired woman's grip, "And I will."
A spiteful, yet hurt laugh made it's way out of Zatanna's mouth, "Is the alternative really that bad?"
Artemis threw her hands in the air and took a step forward, before pinching the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger-free hand at her hip. "This thing," she gestured aggressively to the space between them, "You and me-it would never work..." Artemis sighed, as Zatanna watched her, "Being with Wally is easy."
"God, you are so selfish!" Zatanna exclaimed as she stood up, invading Artemis's personal space. "How easy do you think this has been for me? I haven't seen you in years, Artemis, years," The intensity in Zatanna's voice had melted away, streaming down her face along with the tears. Her voice was soft and vulnerable like all the fight had gone out of her. Zatanna half collapsed, half sat back down on her bed, "All I got was Dick Telling me you moved to California, no note, no phone call, no goodbye. You were just...gone." The magician choked back a sob, "And then one day you just show up in the lobby of my apartment building." The soft light glinted off her tears, "What am I supposed to do with that? Tell me Artemis, tell me," she begged the archer.
Artemis closed her eyes, her own tears beginning to fall, "Zee, please...please don't do this," she breathed, her voice low as she struggled to inhale.
"Don't do what?" Zatanna asked; her eyes-still filled with tears-unwavering.
"Just...don't," her voice shook and her lip quivered, "I-...you're right." Artemis could taste salt, "I stayed with Wally because it was easy. And I came here tonight because I-in the years I've been gone, I haven't stopped thinking about you once. You drive me crazy Zee and it scares the shit out of me. And if I ever did something to hurt you-if I allowed myself to love you then I fucked it up I-I-" In a second Zatanna's lips were on hers. Her fingers wrapped gently around the blonde's waist-pulling her in close. Artemis gasped into the kiss and her whole body stiffened. Zatanna just pressed her lips against Artemis's that much harder trying to convey everything she felt through her lips.
This kiss was different; it wasn't hesitant or curious or accidental. It was rough and desperate and needy and broken and ugly and everything they always wanted to say but never could. Artemis surrendered; melting against Zatanna-giving in. Her body gravitated towards the magician as Zatanna pulled her in-desperate for touch. Together they laid- a tangled mass of limbs on the bed.
Zatanna pulled away-Artemis chasing her lips. Their breathing was sporadic at best as they moved against each other-starved for contact. Zatanna straddled the archer as she ran her hands up the magicians sides- attempting to remove her shirt. Zatanna was more than happy to comply as she leaned forward and ducked out of the tight fabric. "Fuck Zee," Artemis murmured the tears drying in tracks down her cheeks as her head spun.