This was a request by iloveyou-iknow: Can we possibly have a spitfire drabble or prompt in honor of Artemis and Wally meeting each other?
I can't think of a better thing to do :) Hope you like it. I am working on my other stories and I hope to update them soon. Look forward to it and wish me luck.
Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice or its characters.
August 8th
Artemis rolled over tiredly on the futon scrunching her nose when her exposed toes trailed along the cool wood floor sending a pleasant shiver along her spine at the sensation. Burrowing further into the blanket and frowning Artemis stretched her arm and foot outwards running it along the other side of the mattress trying to locate the missing source of heat that was her boyfriend.
It was the beginning of August and Wally and her hand just moved in together - or more aptly yesterday they had finally drug every single box from the moving van into the apartment fifteen minutes from Stanford campus and made the final trip to the furniture store and made what felt like the fiftieth phone call to their parents assuring them that they had arrived safely and, yes, they had enough to eat.
She now lay on their mattress surrounded by a fort of cardboard boxes. Boxes that contained the articles from both their lives that would now comprise their life together. They hadn't had time to unpack anything yesterday because of course the first thing they had to do was set up was the kitchen. No fridge, microwave, or stove meant a very unhappy speedster. By the time they had crawled onto the futon that was serving as a substitute bed last night both parties were thoroughly exhausted. However, she was now seriously regretting not putting up the curtains as the blaring sun drove between her eyelids forcing her to blink tiredly awake.
Scrunching her nose and cracking her eyes open Artemis was greeted with the sight of an empty futon. Sighing the archer stood up stretching popping some of the kinks out of her back before she let a smile grace her features as she stared down at her attire or lack there of - she was wearing one of Wally's t-shirts. They'd been too tired to go digging around for her clothes in one of the boxes somewhere in the far corner of their apartment they had dubbed a gazillion box land so she'd been saddled with wearing one of Wally's old shirts which was loose and hung down just past her hips. The cotton was soft to the touch and gently worn and Artemis mused she could actually get used to wearing Wally's attire as his scent enveloped her and the fabric that had once been pressed against his skin skimmed across hers.
Weaving her way between the boxes it was clear that Wally had begun to unpack as she observed the Styrofoam confetti that covered the floor. Clearly he had been searching for something in particular since some were left half opened while others completely abandoned in their half unpacked state. How he had managed not to wake her through his scavenging she'd have to ask him later while explaining, again, the importance of starting one job and finishing it before jumping to another.
Reaching what would serve as their kitchen for the next four years Artemis was both shocked, pleased, and wary as she stared at the laid out breakfast before her walking her fingers along the edge of the elegant oak table the Wests had kindly donated to their new home. Wally had teased that it wasn't officially theirs until they had christened it. Looking at the meticulously prepared meal Artemis picked up a lukewarm pancake munching on it as she tired to figure out what exactly Wally had unpacked and hadn't. At least the kitchen was operational. He'd hung up a calendar by the kitchen above the sink and Artemis was amazed to realize it was already the eighth of August where had the time gone? Orientation would begin next week, then classes, and it was just so shocking to realize she was eighteen years old, going to college and living with her boyfriend never in a million years would she have ever imagined this future.
Artemis felt an almost giddy sense of accomplishment overwhelm her she'd done everything everyone in her family had told her was impossible. She had won. So screw you Dad.
Deciding she better investigate why food and Wally were not currently getting to know each other on a more personal level she headed down the hall to the bedroom, which was really the only other place the speedster could be. Although the room did not contain her dashing boyfriend it appeared that he had been here at one point because the once empty space with it's bare bamboo floors and pristine walls now housed two pictures; their glass catching the light streaming in through the windows from their new position on the wall.
Staring at the two framed letters Artemis let a smile grace her features as she chuckled lightly the sentimental idiot had gotten their Stanford acceptance letters framed and they now hung proudly on the bedroom wall side by side. She usually didn't like his souvenirs cluttering up his room but she'd let this one slide.
Returning the living room she wondered where Wally was. For one dreadful moment she was scared that he had left and she flashed back to a horrific moment from her childhood when she had watched her father walk away when the neighborhood bullies ganged up on her. In childish naivety she had called out for the man and he had never turned around. Not once.
Hearing a scuffle Artemis quickly got into a fighting stance and leapt out from behind the boxes to find Wally in a pair of swim trunks carrying a bunch of beach essentials.
"Wally?!"
"Who are you?!" questioned Wally sternly before dissolving into snickers at Artemis's shocked expression, "Priceless I know."
"How is that funny? How is any of this funny?" said Artemis sternly, "And why are you in swim trunks? We are cleaning up this disaster zone of an apartment before you even think about hitting the beach." Wally just sent her a lopsided grin cheering,
"Happy anniversary!" Artemis stared at him; eyes wide. Mentally she went through a list of possible anniversaries it could be. It wasn't New Year's and neither of them were buzzed so it couldn't mark the beginning of their coupledom. It wasn't the anniversary of their first time because Wally tended to try and spice up their relationship on that day which although interesting usually failed abysmally and somehow ended up on Facebook courtesy of Dick. It wasn't even the anniversary of when they had their first official date which sadly was April 2nd (because Wally was a wuss) and she wasn't even sure why they celebrated that one. But she still drew a blank as she gaped at Wally decked out in his finest beach gear. Although she was pretty sure he hadn't worn those faded yellow and red swim trunks since he upgraded to a speedo last year to make her jealous when girls ogled him. (She had started wearing a very revealing bikini in retaliation.)
But this was not the time to recall Wally in a speedo. He was usually the one who forgot these sort of things, so far he'd forgotten four Valentine's Days in a row and counting, but she felt very uncomfortable being out of the loop as she took in Wally's expectant smile and cute sunscreen covered nose.
"Anniversary, er, yeah…" Was this one of the ones she needed to buy a present for?
Wally's face fell primarily because he could read her like a book and could tell she was bluffing but also because she probably had forgotten something that meant a lot to him. That stung as she took in his crestfallen expression.
"You don't know what today is?" He asked plaintively. Artemis wrung her hands together and wracked her brain trying to cobble together a feasible answer that wouldn't put her in the doghouse.
"Give me a hint?" she asked nervously there was something familiar about this scene. Very familiar. But she was too tired to even try to give it any more thought.
"It's August eighth," he emphasized raising the cooler and beach ball in his hands, "The first day we met. Baywatch."
Artemis felt her cheeks heat up in embarrassment. It had become a peculiar tradition between the pair to spend the day together just hanging out but with all the chaos of the last few weeks and having to move all their stuff in yesterday she'd completely forgotten that it was fast approaching.
"I'm sorry Wally," she conceded, "I forgot."
"Come on Artemis it's an important day. The most important day!" exclaimed Wally gesturing to illustrate his point. "We met today five years ago!"
"I know that Wally," groaned Artemis, "But it's been a little crazy. You forget Valentine's Day every year yet when I forget the first day we met I get lectured?"
"But today's the one that matters! It was the day I first developed feelings for you!"
Artemis's eyes widened and she gawked at him, "You disliked me!"
"I lied! You were pretty and blonde and laughing at me!" He stalked over to the couch and slumped down on it, "I even finally worked up the nerve to dress up, recreate the scene, and everything." Artemis couldn't resist she burst out laughing which only resulted in Wally sinking further down the couch.
Artemis looked down abashedly spying some discarded bubble wrap from when Wally had been unpacking bending down she picked it up and walked over and joined Wally on the still plastic covered furniture.
"Bubble wrap," teased Artemis apologetically sliding beside him on the couch offering him one of his favorite articles. It was amazing their china had actually made the trip since he had deflated all their bubble wrap within minutes of her beginning to pack the dishes.
Wally pouted.
"Come on Baywatch I'm sorry. I'm still amazed the trunks fit."
"You're terrible Artemis," sighed Wally taking the proffered bubble wrap and popping a few absentmindedly.
Artemis slung an arm over his shoulder squeezing it.
"Breakfast is getting cold, Wall-man."
"It was supposed to be a surprise."
"Well you certainly pulled it off so magnificently that I forgot about it." She kissed his cheek nestling her head on his bare shoulder. "We actually pulled it off."
"Yeah," sighed Wally happily brushing his fingers along her exposed thigh.
"Not until we unpack."
"You forgot our anniversary."
"Suck it up."
