Title: Wordlessly
Characters: Dick Grayson and Artemis Crock
Pairings: One-sided Traught(/sobs), Spitfire and bro!Birdflash
Summary: He didn't want to possibly cause their relationship to fall apart by words shrouded with jealousy or selfishness. Yet, he didn't want to lie to Artemis or Wally, by giving either advice that he can't fully support.
Notes: Done for the 30 Day Drabble Challenge; Day 16. Writing this broke my heart but one-sided Traught is so dfjhfkjdshfUGH
Prompt: Thanks
Disclaimer: Nope, characters not mine.
Richard Grayson looked around the posh place, trying to spot the right shade of blonde among the countless heads in the Gotham Academy cafeteria. Frustrated with his height, or rather lack of it, he pondered if anybody would notice if he jumped and held onto one of the pillars so he can get a better view of the surroundings.
Yeah, probably.
He sighed and shook his head. Where was Artemis?
Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted her archer friend's familiar back on the garden bench just outside. She was slouched over the table top, head resting over her folded arms and gazed out dazedly to the front.
His shoulders slacked and a wistful look was seen on the acrobat's face before it was gone, as if it was never there.
He started to walk over to her, albeit knowing she would prefer to be alone right now. He had already heard from his best friend about the latest Lover's Spat. Apparently it occurred just a few minutes ago, during their lessons, when Wally sent a particularly nasty message. Artemis had taken it the wrong way and turned her phone off. Of course, Wally had to turn to his best friend since they were in the same school and she was actually good friends with The Boy Wonder's secret identity.
Damn it all.
It's not that he didn't want to help Wally but, this was Artemis. Okay, so maybe Wally didn't know that he, Richard 'Dick' Grayson, was— is in love with Artemis Crock. It was ever since that incident with Red Tornado's siblings, really. Dick just knew that Artemis was the girl. But Dick was no idiot, far from it. He'd seen Wally and Artemis's chemistry right from the start, and he wasn't about to do that to his best friend. Or the girl he loved.
Just… damn it all.
Dick stood behind Artemis's figure. She looked so sad and tired. So… not Artemis. He placed his hand on her shoulder and said nothing. He didn't want to risk it.
If Wally and Artemis have to go through these challenges together, it's best be without any advice from his mouth, as Dick Grayson and as Robin. He didn't want to say anything he'd regret, in both aspects. He didn't want to possibly cause their relationship to fall apart by words shrouded with jealousy or selfishness. Yet, he didn't want to lie to Artemis or Wally, by giving either advice that he can't fully support.
The blonde didn't stir as he sat beside her. He knew that she knew he was there. He also knew that she knew he wouldn't ask. He never did.
Instead, he wordlessly dug inside his bag for a small bar of chocolate, courtesy of Babs when he passed by her on the way to the cafeteria, and waved it in front of her face.
This time, Artemis stirred out of her stupor and took the chocolate from his hands. She looked at it and, slowly, a small sad smile crept onto her expression. He turned to Dick, her eyes reflecting not anger nor frustration but just sadness.
To his surprise, she enveloped him in a tight hug.
"Thanks," Artemis whispered.
It hurt not to say anything, but he couldn't— he shouldn't.
A/N: Okay so I wrote this real quick so I didn't get the time to look it over so if there's anything, let me know, okay? Come and sob with me over one-sided traught