A/N: I've been in a writing funk lately, and haven't produced anything halfway decent. So I've decided that I'm going to undertake a thirty day writing challenge that I found on Fanpop. They will all be short little drabbles, and they won't be perfect. I'm doing this so I can get words on paper and get used to it again. Hopefully after thirty days I'll be able to produce something longer.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Word count: 681
Summary: An AU in which Artemis' mother is unaware that she is a vigilante, and the lies are finally catching up to her. Prompt word is: Secret.
"Where have you been, Artemis?" her mother asks, and she's caught Artemis at the fridge. Artemis feels vulnerable in her stretched out position on her toes; a sliver of her stomach showing from under her shirt. This is her mom, she shouldn't feel so exposed. It's an ungodly hour, almost past one in the morning, her mom wasn't supposed to be awake, she wasn't supposed to see this, Artemis getting in late. This was supposed to stay a secret.
"Out," Artemis answers, knowing what a brat she must sound like. She hates herself for doing this, and she knows her mom must hate her too. When has Artemis ever given her reason to feel anything else?
Mom wheels closer, and Artemis feels something choke in her throat. "With whom?" her mother asks again, tone sharper this time, gaze accusing.
It takes every ounce of Artemis' will not to reply with a snarky, "Batman."
.
Kid Flash sends her a message through the Justice League administered communicator.
Movie night the mountain. Be here 8:00? Megan made cookies.
Artemis almost smiles. This is the third time she's received an invitation for 'team bonding', something that is less bonding and more middle school sleepover. Conner always sits next to her and Megan tries to braid her hair while Wally tries to initiate a rap battle and Robin always ends up crawling across her lap to get away from Kaldur's disapproving stare. She loves it. She thinks she loves them.
It's her phone that buzzes this time. Its Wally: Kaldur told me I had to invite u, and I've already eaten all the cookies, but ur still welcome to the movie. I'm pretty sure Rob chose horror.
She does smile this time. He's so Wally that it's endearing. She hopes he doesn't change.
Opening her door, Artemis calls to her mom, "Can I stay at a friend's house, tonight?"
Paula is at her desk, doing some sort of paperwork to finalize her transfer to Gotham Academy. She answers without looking up. "Who's?"
I'm not staying at a friend's house. I'm secretly a vigilante and I'm bonding with a group of teen sidekicks, only they don't like to call themselves that. Don't worry, Robin is there and Black Canary supervises so it's entirely safe.
"It's a new person. I met her at school." Her mouth burns with the lie.
"Not tonight, sweetie. I don't want you staying with someone I've never met."
"But mom-"
"That's final Artemis. Bring her by the house sometime and then maybe we'll talk about it."
Slamming her door, Artemis thinks she's going to throw up.
She texts Wally: Yeah I'll be there. Save some popcorn.
.
Her eye is black, and her mom is yelling.
"This is the third time this week that you've crawled in though you window late with no explanation, no care that your mother is at home, worried about you- scared for you."
Every bone she has is aching, and her fingers have started bleeding from where she picked off the calluses. She wants to go to sleep. She needs to sleep. But Artemis' mother won't stop yelling. Her mother wants to know where she was.
"What is going on with you, Artemis? You've been cutting class, sneaking around. Do you have a boyfriend you're hiding? Don't think I haven't heard that boy at your window at night."
That boy would be Robin. He tries to coax her into taking a nightly patrol with him. She tries to say no. Artemis hadn't realized her mother had been listening in. She shakes her head.
"What is it then? Drugs? Alcohol? Are you in trouble, sweetie? Just tell me if you need help and I'll help you."
Her tone turns soft, and Artemis feels it crawling up her throat again- that horrible, horrible gagging feeling.
"I'm worried, Artemis. Tell me what's wrong, and I can help you."
Artemis realizes that that feeling- the one that's been nestled in her stomach and crawling up her neck when her mom gives her that look- is the truth.