She stood waiting with her arms across her chest, fuming mad. Pissed. Livid. The list went on.
Artemis and Wally didn't fight that often despite their rocky introduction. Sure they squabbled, but it usually ended with an eye-roll and some reluctant laughter. However, the few times they did go at it, they held nothing back. They yelled and name called. If only she had done that. He should have done this. The argument would continue until they found separate corners of the cave to cool off. Sooner or later she'd give an apologetic elbow in his side or he'd contritely flick her ponytail. She'd rub her temples, and he'd fight back a smile. Life went on.
Today was different, though. Usually there was something to actually fight about, but not that afternoon. Wally had been taunting her, and, as usual, Artemis would retort with some sass-ridden reply. They continued the pattern as they walked to meet the others for training when he said it.
"You're kind of a bitch, you know?" Wally started with a laugh.
"Beg pardon?" There was no way she had heard him correctly.
"I mean...I like you and all, but you're a total bitch. Like, no wonder G.A. dropped you off here after finding you." His voice was completely nonchalant, as if everything he was saying was a basic fact. A topic for everyday conversation.
Artemis had stopped walking. "And you're a bright ray of sunshine? Not to mention, you do not know anything about why I'm here, or why I'm not when I go home. Thank you very much." This was ridiculous. Where had any of this even come from?
"I mean, sure I get annoying, but I don't take everything personally. Not everything has to be an argument. But since you're constantly on the rag, or the offensive, or whatever, it's not a mystery Spee - ahem - Red Arrow doesn't want to work with you. And who wants to babysit all day?" By now he had turned around to face her. Wally's face remained as innocent and unapologetic as it had been when the conversation started. Did he really not get that he was insulting her?
"Yeah," Artemis stormed passed him. "Coming from the guy who called me a bitch for seemingly no reason."
"Ugh! This is what I mean! If you wouldn't take everything so personally, people wouldn't hate you."
"Not. Now. Wallace." And that's how she found herself raging mad as training with Black Canary began. She couldn't even see straight. Kaldur and Conner started the session, but Artemis could only pretend to pay attention, running over the entire conversation again and again in her mind. What the hell even happened? It wasn't until a pair of fingers snapped in her line of vision that she was brought back to the present.
"Artemis, you and Kid are up - if you think you can concentrate," Black Canary said. Her voice was stern, but held a certain tone of worry. It wasn't often that Artemis would simply zone out.
"But who could blame her if she couldn't?" Kid asked, already standing on in the sparing ring. Artemis couldn't even bring herself to roll her eyes.
"Do I have to? We always spar." Her voice was heavy with anger and she hadn't bothered to uncross her arms. Another dose of Wally was the last thing she needed.
"The two of you are one for one when it comes to sparing. Until one of you pulls ahead, you'll just have to get used to each other's faces," replied Canary. There was a playful hint in her voice that Artemis easily identified as teasing. She sighed. Just another thing she didn't need.
Artemis made her way opposite Wally as she stepped into the ring. He got into a defensive position, readying for the fight. Usually she would have positioned herself in a defensive stance as well, but today just wasn't worth it. Fists clenched by her side, Artemis held her ground, her blue-grey eyes piercing into Wally's green.
"Begin!" Black Canary's voice rang out, but neither of them moved. Wally raised his eye brows and gave a taunting smirk, hoping to elicit some sort of response from her. Artemis remained still and narrowed her eyes.
"Have it your way then," Wally conceded though not unwillingly. He charged her, but didn't sprint to his full speed. Each hit was dodged with barely a bat of her eye. Her eyes never left his, but she still managed to take in every move. He had barely warmed up when she spotted it - an opening. She swung.
Contact. Right in the stomach. The hit sent him backwards, but he didn't fall. Determined to end the match as quickly as possible, Artemis turned, elbowing him in the center of the chest. The two heavy blows combined sent him tumbling. Her boot found his chest to keep him in place as the automated voice announced her victory. She turned to look at Canary. Her arms found their way back across her chest.
"Are we done?" Sure, it was rude and disrespectful, but at the moment Artemis really couldn't care. All I want is to go for a run, or take a long shower, or take a nap. I do not want to be here.
Everyone else in the room looked between Kid Flash and Artemis. Most look concerned, although Conner's face was fairly impressed while Robin looked as though he were suppressing a laugh.
"Dude, what did you do this time?" Robin asked. His laughter was hardly contained.
"Ok. I think we're going to take a quick break." Black Canary attempted to ease the tension in the room. She turned to Wally and Artemis, who had yet to move. A faint wheezing could be heard from Wally after being knocked in the chest. "You two. With me."
Wally and Artemis stood by themselves in the briefing room as Black Canary talked silently with Batman. Artemis's eyes never left the mentors while Wally's fingers nervously snapped at an alarming rate. Not once did they look at each other.
At least, she never looked at him.
After what felt like ages, Batman and Black Canary made their way to the two younger heros. Neither looked very happy, but Artemis couldn't remember ever seeing The Batman smile. Black Canary wore a concerned expression that was much softer than the other's. Artemis's eyes went between the two. This isn't going to be good.
"This childish feud ends here," Batman stated. It wasn't an inquiry of what was wrong or why they didn't get along all the time. It was a demand.
Artemis matched Batman's gaze. "There is nothing wrong here."
Black Canary cocked her head to the side. "Artemis, you knocked the wind out of Wally with two hits."
"Well the clearly the problem is with her." Wally hunched over and crossed his arms. His nervous snapping had subsided, but he had picked up tapping his toe.
"Clearly it's with both of you if you can illicit such a response out of her," Batman countered. Wally visibly shrank under Batman's glare. "This isn't just a problem between the two of you. When the two of you don't work together, the team can't work together."
"But we hardly fight! This was the first one is weeks!" Artemis felt the volume in her voice rise. Ok, so she didn't have the best handle on her temper, but who did. Really.
"However, when you do fight, you fight with everything you've got. You both explode emotionally, and it doesn't make for a stable team environment." Concern could be seen in Black Canary's eyes and she looked between Wally and Artemis.
"Fine. What do we have to do? More therapy session with you?" Artemis asked. It was easier to face Black Canary than it was Batman.
"You have two options. One. Temporary suspension. No Zeta privileges, and no access to the Cave or any other League properties. Any missions you would get would be small and given through your respective mentors. Cats in trees and stolen purses. Meanwhile you would have to sort this out on your own time."
"What's option two?" Wally asked, clearly not liking the first one.
"Mandatory partner missions. No less than five, and you would be working together. Anytime you split up on a group mission, you go together, unless it's unadvisable. You would have individual "therapy" sessions as you called them until improvement is seen."
"And if that doesn't work?" Artemis asked.
"Simple," Batman replied. "Replacements will be found for both of you, and you will return to your respective cities and mentors until you are accepted into the League or you choose to leave. But remember, we do keep intricate records. We will remember if you can't play nicely."
Artemis felt her face morph to worry and Wally's incessant tapping ceased. The two teens looked at one another, shock showing on both of their faces.
Shit.
Haha! Hello, dear readers, and thanks for stopping by. This is going to be a side fic to work on when the words don't seem to flow for Shop Girl. Please enjoy.
And I guess if it makes a difference (it doesn't), all of the characters and cities, etc. are property of DC comics.