Hey lovely readers! Welcome to this story! I kind of have started to ship taught... like a lot. And that is what inspired me to write this! If you could do me a favor and please review, telling me what you thought, I would be forever in your debt. Also, if you enjoyed this one, check out the other two I've written for Young Justice! And without further adieu, onto the story!
oOo
Artemis wiped the sweat from her brow as she walked to the drinking fountain in the cave. With the encouraging feeling of a hard workout, she glowed with satisfaction as she evaluated her improvement over the past month. Canary had praised her greatly on the skill she was gaining, and even Batman's usual thin- line mouth curved upward slightly with the hint of a smile. With this thought she brought her head up from the drinking fountain and jumped ten feet backwards when she saw Robin leaning smugly against a wall, watching her.
"What do you want?" she asked gruffly, trying to hide that his popping out of nowhere thing still had affect on her.
"Just wanted to congratulate you on a great practice," he said, standing up straight and coming closer. "And to ask if you wanted to be my one-on-one partner today."
Artemis was confused. "Wait, you mean like, right now?"
"I think you're finally worthy of a firsthand combat with me," he teased.
"But, we just finished practice…"
"Don't think you can handle a little extra?"
"No, it's just-"
"You're scared?"
"No!"
"Well then let's go."
"Fine! Let's go!" Artemis accepted and followed him to the gym. She was exhausted from their earlier workout, but she couldn't back down from the challenge. Her rivalry with Robin had grown as her skill did, and though he was one of her best friends, she would never admit that he was better than her. She wouldn't admit it back when she could barely punch him in the arm, and she wouldn't admit it now.
Robin had run ahead, and when Artemis found him in the gym, he was wrapping gauze around his wrists in preparation for the match. She began doing the same, as her wrists were already sore from practicing earlier.
"So…" Robin casually began. "What's up with you and Wally these days?"
"...He didn't tell you?"
"Well, yeah, but-" he paused. "I thought you guys kinda, I don't know, didn't really like each other."
Artemis cleared her throat. "We didn't, but then he, um, it turns out he actually likes me a lot, so… yeah."
Robin nonchalantly continued wrapping his wrist. "And you like him- a lot- too?"
"Yeah, of course."
"Wow," he finally finished fidgeting with the gauze and looked up at her. "Never thought I'd see the day."
"The day when I would get a boyfriend?" Artemis' eyebrow curved skeptically.
"No," Robin laughed. "The day when Wally would actually get a beautiful girlfriend!"
Beautiful. The word echoed in Artemis' mind, as well as Robin's. He hoped he hadn't gone too far.
Artemis showed no sign anything was out of the ordinary and stepped into the combat square. "Ready?"
Robin replied by removing his shirt and throwing it aside, earning an eye roll from Artemis, then striking a fighting stance.
Artemis was the first to strike, but naturally, Robin was prepared for it. However, she was more agile than he had expected, and was able to keep the upper hand for quite a bit of the match.
It was painstakingly long, and eventually the pair began to slow with each attack. Every minute that passed was a grueling one. Artemis could feel her limbs shaking, sweat dripping down her forehead, but she didn't want to give up. She could tell Robin was tiring as well, as his reactions to her maneuvers became slower and slower. Finally, when they were on opposite sides of the square from each other, he held his hands up for a time out. Artemis relaxed and met him in the middle.
"When did you get so good?" he asked jokingly through his ragged breathing.
"Probably when you took pity on me and showed me your moves," she grinned. "That was a mistake."
"Showed you my moves, did I?" He gave her a smirk and came closer, striking a mock pose of sultry seduction. "Specifically which ones?"
She smirked. He wasn't getting the best of her. She eyed him with a smirk and replied, "That's a dangerous game your playing," slowly licking her lips, trying her best to be sexy. It would be enough to get him flustered, and that would be the end of this little wile.
Suddenly Robin had her cornered in his arms, lightly brushing his nose against hers. "Teach me," he whispered, smiling.
She immediately blushed, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't hide how flustered she was. He had her.
This made his smirk grow even wider, and he pulled her a little closer.
"Let go," she tried to inch her face away from his and stammered, "I- you-"
"What?" Robin smiled.
"You're- I'm not- just let go."
He obeyed but wouldn't wipe that stupid smirk off his face. "I guess I win, then."
"Shut up."
She tried to whip him with the towel she was using to dry her face off. Then she turned and exited the room without another word, but couldn't keep a small smile from finding its way onto her lips. Robin watched her go, never letting his grin fade, even after she was long gone. Wistfully, he laid on the mat and stared at the ceiling, wishing that someday, things could be different.
oOo
Five years later, Dick walked down the sidewalk on a blustery February day in Palo Alto, California. He watched the leaves being whipped and thrown in a flurry from the wind.
His thoughts trailed back to the team. Not the new team, with the brand new high schoolers and rookie heroes. Just the plain old team. The one he could fight along side with, compete with, tell anything to. It was different now. Much different. He hadn't realized how different it was till the day Wally had left- taking Artemis with him.
He shut his eyes at the memory. It was as if it had happened yesterday. He knew Artemis was fully devoted to Wally, why wouldn't she be? But there had been a tiny part of him, just a small glint of hope, that she had the feelings he had had for her for so long. Maybe she had- he couldn't tell. All he knew is that knowing it stressed her out. She couldn't handle both he and Wally at once. She was constantly worried about Wally, constantly worried about his feelings. Wally thought it was because of the missions, he still thinks it today. That's why they left.
Nothing had been the same since then. The cave felt empty. Dick felt lonely. He had hoped that the new Nightwing identity would help him move on, but it only made the transition more painful. Now he was alone, leading a team of children, besides Conner and M''gann.
He stirred out of his thoughts as he approached a duplex and knocked on the door. A moment later it was opened by a familiar face, one that he had been cheered to see so many times, but lately held a shadow.
"Dick, what are you doing here?" Wally asked, with slight hesitation. "I came to ask you a favor," he replied, not able to keep his eyes from traveling over Wally's shoulder and into the living room.
"At least let him in, Wally," came Artemis' voice from inside.
Wally stepped aside, and Dick thanked him as he closed the door behind him. "It's about Roy," he began. "A few of us are worried, and are going to go talk to him. I wondered if you wanted to come."
Wally paused. "Yeah, I think that'd be a good idea. What time are you going over?"
"We're not really sure of his whereabouts, but Ollie is going to keep an eye open for him tonight and contact us by radio. Would you like to meet us by the Star City zeta tube around 7:00?"
Wally nodded. "I'm going into work now, and I get off at 6:30. I'll come straight there." He turned to Artemis and she nodded in approval. "How deep do you think he's in?" he asked warily.
"Too deep."
Wally grabbed his coat and and slipped on some shoes. "Thanks for coming," he said as he opened the door. "I'll see you at seven." He stepped out, leaving the door cracked for Dick to follow. He hesitated at the door, and turned back around as Wally left.
"Artemis, there's one more thing."
She bit her lip nervously. "Yes?"
"There's a mission, something we- Kaldur and I- have thought up. I was wondering if you'd be interested."
She turned and looked out the window, worry spread across her face. "I don't know, Dick. You know how Wally feels about-"
"Please, Artemis. This is about you, not him. Please consider it."
She leaned against a wall and put her head back, shutting her eyes. "You know why I quit the first time."
He came a little closer. "This is the last time I'll ask anything of you, I promise."
She looked him straight in the eye with an unreadable expression.
"After this, you never have to see me again."
She took his hand gently, her other hand touched his cheek. "If I came, it would be so hard to leave-" she broke off suddenly, then swallowed, "-you."
Dick came closer, holding her head softly between his hands. Her forehead touched his, and she could feel his breath on her neck. His fingers brushed her hair aside.
"I'm sorry," she choked. "I shouldn't have said that."
"It's good to know," he looked into her eyes, still caressing her cheek.
"Dick, I love Wally, and I've committed myself to him."
"Things could have been different. I won't sit and wonder about it now, though," he smiled sadly and stepped back. "I promise I'll never try to hurt you, or Wally. But we need you to come back."
She looked at him with determination. "I'll go."
oOo
A few hours later, the group of friends bade each other good bye. "Is there really nothing we can do?" Dinah asked Oliver worriedly. "I'm afraid he's on his own," he replied solemnly. Roy refused to listen to them, his closest group of friends. Too caught up in searching for the original Roy, he had let himself completely go, no longer seeing his purpose in life as anything else. "I'll let you all know if we hear anything from him," Ollie spoke to the little group. "For now, thank you all for coming and doing your best. All we can do is pray that our words will get to him somehow."
They dispersed and began to return to their various homes. Wally and Dick walked in silence towards the zeta tube before parting separate ways. The raven haired boy bent his head, letting strands of hair brush over his eyes. He wanted to go where Wally was going. He wanted to go to where she was. But no. Where Wally was going was somewhere he could never go.
Dick stepped aside to let his companion go into the tube first. "Hey," he stopped him before he stepped in. "Remember Valentine's Day. Artemis deserves the best. She's really a special person."
"Oh yeah, thanks dude. She would have killed me if I had forgotten again."
He was gone a moment later, and Dick was left alone. He couldn't help thinking of all the gifts and kind words he would have showered on Artemis if shewas the one he was going home to. He gave a long sigh and glanced one more time at the lonely, desolate streets of Star City. The song of the wind whipping in between skyscrapers matched the song of his heart: a wandering soul, lost at every corner, forever chasing itself, but never catching up. It mocked him with its chilling bite, and he shivered before taking a step into the zeta beam, then being whisked away to his own home.
Fumbling fingers reached in his pocket to find the key to his apartment. It was silly really, such small keys for such large fingers; it was nearly impossible to hold it steady before inserting it correctly into the lock. When finally within his own four walls, the usual tinge of loneliness welcoming him, he sighed for the second time that evening and glanced out the window. Though he had just come from the outdoors, he felt drawn to gaze at the picturesque view of the moon and its many admirers twinkling nearby. The moon, so similar to many of the wants and needs of people like himself, could never really be obtained. But to gaze at it in wonder and fancy that it is yours gives comfort in knowing it is always there, but only disappears from our view. It never fails.
oOo
I've made a YOUTUBE VIDEO that goes along with this story, SO LOOK IT UP if you liked it! It is called: "Young Justice Dick/Artemis Someone Like You". And yadayadayada authors note... REVIEW!
Oh... and thanks for reading :)