Artemis is really trying to finish this stupid Vietnamese Literature paper that her asshole teacher had granted her the pleasure of this weekend, but when Wally sidles up to her, his overwhelming scent of pine and a musky hint of wood wafting into her nostrils, she can't help but shoot him a brief glance through the corners of her eye, almost condescending to do it.

"What do you want, Wally?" she questions almost suspiciously, wary of the silence around them. Usually, Wally snatches the notebook away, staring at it in almost disgust, but today, he is waiting patiently on the stool opposite her. She looks up now to catch the full severity of his face and her eyes widen fractionally in alarm. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, I'm fine," he shrugs, sounding almost solemn. Okay, something is definitely up. "It's just that . . ." He leans in a bit closer, almost like he's about to confide a secret in her and her posture both relaxes and tenses at the proximity of his body towards hers. "The time has come, my dear Artemis. We can't deny our feelings any longer, can we? It is our destiny, after all. Tonight, it is vital that we lose our virginities together."

Artemis tries to pick her jaw off the floor while she unconsciously jumps in her stool in complete shock. "Excuse me?"

"Believe me, I wish it was more special, but it's for a good cause, okay?"

"Wally, what in the freaking hell makes you think I am willing to lose my V-card to the likes of you?" Her eyes narrow in the blackest look she can manage as she slams her textbooks close. Something tells her that this is going to be a very long argument.

"Oh, come on. It's just for a mission." She isn't expecting that and Wally almost eagerly rushes to explain, green eyes lighting up, "The next mission is up against some uber-creepy cult who prey on the bodies and souls of innocent virgins. I mean, remember that Cobra cult who were selling their strange, strength-inducing science-lab elixir to the highest bidder or whatever?"

"Yeah, I've heard about that . . . " She's being cautious with her words, still furious at the extremely weird proposition he had bestowed upon her. But he is speaking the truth. She remembers this was some mission Kaldur had described to her. "Still don't see where our virginities have anything to do with this."

Wally looks like he is fighting the urge to roll his eyes. "Of course you don't. Basically, this cult believes that virginity is a pure source of power and shit, and Robin claims they can use their magic powers to manipulate us and stuff." Now, he does roll his eyes, but then again, he's always scoffed at the idea of magic, even though his best friend has a pretty obvious crush on a more-than-capable magician. "Kaldur also mentioned it."

But this is Artemis and she isn't fooled easily. "Uh-huh," she finally replies after a pregnant pause. Wally's face almost falls, but not in the way she expected. He looks almost . . . offended.

"You don't believe me," he states rather than inquires. She scoffs herself.

"Obviously! Come on, Wally. You just want to get me in the sack, don't you?"

"No!"

"Excuse me, but the Justice League have better things to do than hunt down cults who 'prey on virginity'."

"Exactly, which is why we're doing it. You can ask Kaldur." He looks almost smug, a smile tugging his lips. He knows Artemis trusts Kaldur with her life since he doesn't act like a two-dime idiot like most of the group in their free time. "Besides," Wally continues, looking worried. "At this rate, we're going to be the last ones. Robin and Zatanna are clearly going to do their homework, if you know what I mean." He nudges Artemis with his elbow, playful side back and she rolls her eyes again, walking around the kitchen island into the living room.

"Why are you asking me of all people?" she demands, throwing her hands up, back to him. He stops on the steps into the living room, hands shoving into his pockets.

"Well, M'gann is Conner's girl and as much as I love shameless flirting, I'm not going to throw myself onto another man's woman." Artemis doesn't contradict that. She knows deep down that Wally is a good-hearted guy. Of course, right now she's having a hard time remembering that. "And two, the only other girl who is single is Zatanna and while she's pretty attractive, Robin will throw my ass to the curb, both literally and figuratively, if he hears about that."

"So you're choosing me because I'm the only available choice?" she nearly shrieks, whirling back around, pinning him to the wall with another glare. But he recovers quickly and starts walking towards her, almost like she's a crazed lion or something.

"I've got my preferences, okay? One," he ticks these 'preferences' down on his fingers. "She's gotta be hot." Wally's eyes quickly wander up and down her figure in a brief once-over, so fast she can't even punch him for it, really. But maybe for the goofy grin crossing his face. "You fit that option quite nicely, actually."

Artemis huffs and crosses her arms over her chest, pretending to be interested in where he is going.

"Two, I have to know her. One night stands aren't in my playbook right now." Artemis raises a disbelieving eyebrow at that, but Wally either doesn't see it or ignores it, as he goes on. "And three, there should be consent, as in a mutual liking to one another. And . . ." He pauses just for a moment, probably for dramatic effect, before saying, "And we all know you're crazy about me."

Artemis smirks, venom in her voice as she replies, "Believe that delusion all you want, Kid Flash. You're not getting any tonight." She turns on her heel and heads back for the kitchen and of course, Wally follows close on her trail.

"Fine!" he says. "I was just trying to help you out. Now the cult can gladly use your perfect body in one of their incredibly inhumane sacrifices, hurling you into a fiery volcano that's as big as your ego." He enunciates the last few words almost angrily before opening the fridge and diving into it. Artemis sighs in exasperation herself as she flips back through her notebook, words spinning off the pages when she feels Wally's chin brush past her hair and lay on her shoulder, munching on a chip. He smells so good and his touch is setting every cell in her aflame. All she wants to do . . . All she needs is . . .

He comments, "Laaame."

She slams it shut again and socks him in the shoulder, shoving him and her feelings away. "Would you leave already?"

"Make me," he challenges and Artemis just glowers at him for a moment before stuffing a piece of chicken salad into her mouth, a leftover dish from last night.

"You're impossible," she grumbles, under her breath but loud enough for him to hear.

"Which is why you're so desperately attracted to me."

She shoots him a look over her shoulder, golden locks flying. "Okay, would you stop playing the 'You're Into Me' game?" she exclaims, rising from her seat to face him. "Because if anyone's into anyone, it's going to be you in me."

There's a long, awkward silence, and Artemis finally realizes what she had said, and it had sounded a lot more suggestive than she had intended. She spins away, a hot blush creeping up her neck and she can just picture the smirk reaching Wally's lips. She throws her face in her hands with a loud groan.

"Artemis, get real," he says, as if her comment had not sounded like a complete invitation to jump into her bed. "Have you even seen your uniform? All tight and showing off too much of that gorgeous skin and curves of yours. Stop using your head, Artemis, and just admit to what your heart says."

The fire inside her is back and she shoots back, "My heart? Wait, my uniform? Sorry, but have you looked at yourself in a mirror recently, and don't tell me you haven't. That's a lie. Your own uniform is tighter than spandex needs to be, Pretty Boy."

"Oh, so you've noticed?"

"You noticed first!" she retorts.

Wally opens his mouth to snap something back, but then considers her sentence. He quickly tries to fix it. "Oh, yeah? I'm not the one who's constantly throwing myself onto me in all of our missions and may I just say that your hands always tend to roam in . . . uncharted territory?"

Artemis gapes. "Okay, that's to save your life! If you wanna die via a nuclear missile or something, give me the heads-up, alright?"

"Look, the mission's tomorrow, and personally, I don't want to be standing on the sidelines."

"There is no need to lose your virginity, Wally," Artemis almost growls in frustration. "Besides, did Batman, like, instruct us to do it? Is it in the mission requirements?"

"No," Wally answers slowly after a long pause, "but it was in the warnings." When she rolls her eyes, he notes, "Which must be equally important, right?"

"Wally, for the last time, the answer is no."

"Fine, but when the rest of the Team gets to kick some serious cult booty, and we're busy playing Tic-Tac-Toe on the Bioship, you will be eating your words."

"I seriously doubt that. I mean, Robin and Zatanna will be with us," she adds sarcastically. Wally doesn't look that impressed.

"Oh, please. Those two got it easy. If you would just admit to yourself that you like me-"

"Sorry? I thought we were off this topic."

"Well, Robin and Zatanna have made it obvious that they have a mutual crush on one another."

"He's fourteen. And we're friends, right?"

Wally doesn't answer, voice now blocked by a potato chip, face puzzled. Artemis then rolls her eyes and focuses on her homework, ignoring the feeling gnawing on her heart that matches what was on Wally's face when she asked that stupid question.

It's not that she likes him or anything, but there's something about Wally West that she knows she won't find in anyone else. And she really needs it.

...

And Wally is absolutely right about her eating her words, and she hates it. Seriously, they're out in the middle of a desert, the night dark and alluring, a cool breeze whipping around them, and Artemis is about to step out another foot away from the Bioship when she feels an arrow flatten in warning against her neck. She throws a horrified glare at Roy, the slits in his mask narrowed.

"You can't go any further, sorry," he says.

"Why?" she snorts.

"Virgins are easy victims of this cult." When she opens her mouth to protest, he adds, "I know, it's stupid, but I've seen photos of what they do. Personally, I don't want that happening to you."

It's kind of nice to know that Roy cares, but Artemis crosses her arms and states, "Alright, but I guess all the Team is staying here."

But Roy calls over his shoulder, "Miss Martian, Superboy, Aqualad, let's move."

Her mouth falls open again. "What about you? Aren't you a virgin?"

"Please," he scoffs when he walks past her. "Took care of that years ago."

M'gann shoots an apologetic look with her hand still in Conner's and Artemis guesses she shouldn't be mad. They're not exactly the subtlest of people. Conner gives a shrug, probably not realizing the embarrassment he should feel and Kaldur looks equally apologetic as he gives her a shoulder a reassuring squeeze. She doesn't even look over at Wally because she just knows he's smirking. But he's walking behind her and whispers in her ear, breath sending heated tingles through her body, both out of anger and something deeper . . .

"Told you so," he whispers. Robin and Zatanna are waiting patiently by the side of the Bioship, speaking in hushed tones about something, so Artemis gives him a look. Wally continues, eyes laughing out of his mask, "You know, the Bioship's empty. We can still solve this little problem and get back-"

He barely misses the speeding arrow aimed for his forehead, Robin laughing at how frustrated Artemis looks right now.

"Never mention this again, or I will kill you, Wally West."

A/N: Hope you liked this! I sure enjoyed writing it. Please review! -N