Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice
'Bride With a Paper Ring'
by Song Six
She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of having power over her emotions. She was not going to act weak. She was going to stand here, fight her battle, and take it on without ever staring anywhere but his eyes. This was warfare, and she would win.
She sat there with as much pride she could muster up sitting up straight. She would keep her arms at her side, no defense mechanisms here, she was fine. No fidgeting, no touching of her long blonde hair, no toe tapping. No weakness.
He sat across from her with the nerve to smirk at her. But he couldn't help it. He always thought she looked cute, even when she was angry. Actually, especially when she was angry. The way her giant pink lips would stick out in a pout, the way her blue eyes would glower with passion, and then her tanned cheeks would slightly puff out. It was cute.
"You're a really pretty girl," she could slap him. How dare he say something like that right now?
"But that isn't enough," he stopped smirking suddenly holding a straight face. She huffed at the fact he had just started to grasp the seriousness of the situation. But they were barely serious with each other, so it was hard, unnatural.
"I loved you."
Responding in the only way she knew, with spite, she said with confidence, "The key part of that is the past tense."
"I mean, I still do," an ache pushed at her inside.
He looked at her with a glimmer of hope, but not the kind she wanted. She wanted to be able for things to go back to yesterday, but there was no way that was going to happen.
"I know," it was the truth after all.
They sat in silence, with blue eyes locked onto one another. She stared at him searching for something, searching for answers. He looked at her the way he always did, which didn't make sense considering the situation they were currently in.
When no one said anything for awhile he decided to speak up, "It wasn't about just looks. It was who you are too you know."
"Really now?" she responded curiously, but with some defense.
"When I first saw you, I knew who you were," she already figured that part out a long time ago.
"You did?" But she wanted to know his side.
"Yeah, why do you think I approached you?" he asked, referring to that fateful day a charming stranger approached her while she was simply just another civilian attending Gotham Academy.
She shrugged her shoulders, but she never looked away. She used to believe there was no way he would still be interested in her knowing it was her at the time. However, it was in their relationship she figured him out. She found how her dynamic just matched up to his in perfect sync, and he knew that. She could push his buttons the same exact way Wally could push hers.
But she wouldn't drop his name right now. There would be no point. This wasn't a normal fight. It was, the end.
"You're fiery, you're cynical, you're always looking to do what's right in the very end. Even though you don't show it to everyone," her lip quivered as he poured out what he thought of her. It hurt, it hurt more to hear why he wanted her than to hear why he didn't, because that left hope. Hope that would lead her into circles.
"You make me sound like an anti-hero," she smirked at the thought of some fellow supers and vigilantes they knew. He did as well.
"You also have my kind of sense of humor," she bit back a smile. That would be weakness, that would be her falling for him all over again. The look on his face told her he thought things were getting better, at least a little.
Instead, she put her defense up higher, "So not only is my face not enough, but neither is my personality."
He frowned deeply, "You know that's not what I'm trying to say."
"No, that's just how it is," her voice cold, calculated, and unforgiving. He grabbed the edges of the cushion of his seat in frustration. He was getting sick of this really fast. He just wanted to make peace, but she wouldn't have it now would she?
"Would you stop it?" he demanded angrily
"Stop what?" she mocked staring down into him even harder. He had to look away again.
He shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut rubbing his temples. There was no talking to her, she was stubborn as a mule and almost as hard headed as he was. That is why he did love her after all.
"Stop trying to make me feel bad?" he almost pleaded. She flinched, she had this sour face as if she were offended. Only because she was.
"Why shouldn't I make you feel bad? Give me one freaking reason," her voice shook, and her pouting lips trembled. She still kept her arms at her side, her back straight, and her eyes locked onto his.
It was difficult. She felt like something was being torn away from her, like her feelings didn't matter in that moment. He knew how she was feeling just taking one glimpse at her. He could always read her emotions, that's why he chose to give into defeat rather than fight.
He looked down pitifully unable to take on her icy blue eyes once more, "I'm sorry, I should understand how you feel. This is my fault."
She wasn't interested in winners and losers anymore when he said that. Even if she won this fight it wouldn't change anything. Instead, she just wanted to keep prodding him for what he was doing to her.
"It's not anyone's fault. You're just feeling…how you want to feel. It's human," he would give anything to hear her speak with any voice than one of carelessness and fact.
"Exactly, I'm only human," he tried responding hoping to get some effect
"So go be human," it was his turn to feel an ache pulling at his chest. A pressure pushed at the back of his eyeballs, and his throat dried up with anxiety.
"Please understand…" he begged with a small voice, something unusual coming from a man that was normally so confident, so cocky, so damn proud. But she had the ability to make him this way.
"Understand what?" he knew what was coming, "You still love her, so go."
He still couldn't find it in himself to look at her again. She was breaking out the big guns. She was applying skill. She was treating this like it was: warfare. But he was going to try to disarm her. He wasn't going to respond like it was battle. He was going to make peace.
"I want to be able to still be friends," he tried, but she laughed bitterly and even snorted
"We weren't even friends to begin with. Remember? You hated me? I was your replacement. Well how ironic I was hers…only more temporary don't you think?" It was a low blow, and she could tell he felt it. His brow was scrunched up and his shoulders were tense.
"Making me feel bad won't get us anywhere," he grounded out
"And trying to be my friend won't either," she said with no affliction
"Listen to me!" he screamed at her grabbing her by the shoulders and pulling both of them down to their knees. His lightly tanned face inches from her, but never once daring to look her in the eye. It was funny, she noticed, how despite how he looked he did not have freckles like Wally.
"First off, get out of my face. And no, you listen to me. You should have never even left her for me," she asserted while shoving him away from her as if his touched burned her skin.
He breathed heavily and looked down, almost apologetically for touching her at all. He had no right. She sat back in her seat, but he remained in front of her on his knees. It was a bit patheticlooking.
"Me and her weren't even together to begin with. Before you I was always a loner you know that," he half whispered, but she heard
"Maybe you should have stayed alone," now she was just saying whatever she could to hurt him. She knew this, and she knew how spiteful it was, but that's how she speaks. With spite.
He signed loudly and closed his eyes as if trying to find a serene place in his mind. She still stared at him, but she wondered to herself how she even let this happen. She should have known. He wasn't one to be able to stay in someone else's company for so long. He was right, he was a loner.
"I just need time…"
"Time?" she didn't let him finish, "To convince her to settle down with you the same way I s-stupidly did? News flash, she's a bad guy. And she's smart, so she won't be stupid to cha-"
"No!" he pulled her back down with him, only this time in an embrace, she wiggled to escape but he wouldn't let her, "Just…please…listen to me…I'm not leaving you for her."
"Then why…are….you…leaving?" she asked as she continued to struggle
"It's not fair…" he told her sternly, and she stopped.
She wasn't going to let him feel any pity for himself, "You wanna know what's not fa-"
"NO! You don't get it!" she was shocked, and his body shook. She was not expecting that at all. He held her tighter and a small whimper almost escaped from his lips, but he caught it, "it's not fair to you…" he whispered gently
"It wouldn't be fair to you if I kept staying with you…"
"Still feeling something for her?" she knew that wasn't quite it, but she wanted more
"It's not just her," that hurt, but at least it was not the main reason.
She relaxed in his arms, and she let her fury dwindle, "Then what is it? Tell me why I should stay here and just…" she than stood up bringing him up with her as well, "…accept this."
He hesitated for a second before saying, "Because, it's not fair to love you if I can't give you everything."
"What do you mean?" she questioned
He inhaled deeply before speaking again, he still wouldn't look her in the eye though, "Artemis, I've never known what love was, until you. I really didn't. I never even knew what it was like to have to be committed to something. All I had was a plan, to stay a man who only needed himself."
He let go of her, and turned around. He was really starting to lose it, he was pouring out his feelings now. He was really telling her all his insecurities. Vulnerability was not something he was very familiar with. You had to fight it out of him, which she had done on a consistent daily basis in their relationship.
"I'm sure both me and Ollie know how that feels," she muttered knowing fully well just how under the belt it was
He turned on the heel of his foot glaring at her getting into her face again, so close she could feel his breath, "Shut up. That is not the same thing and you know it," he spat out with venom in his voice
She was caught off guard by his relapse, but she refused to be intimidated by him, "Whatever."
He snarled at her with flaring nostrils grinding his teeth. She merely crossed her arms at his sudden child tantrum and continued to look him square in the eye no backing down. He backed off and looked away running his fingers through his hair before looking her dead in the eye. This time, his blue eyes were filled with something different she could not quite pinpoint.
"Look, if I stay with you, down the road…later on, you'll only regret it," what was it? What was he trying to say?
"Like I don't regret having to go through with this at all?" she bit back vindictively, but he continued to stare into her eyes that way. With a look of true and sincere…
"You will hate," with a rough calloused hand he took hers and placed it over his chest," that I never gave more to you than half."
…sorrow.
The touch of his hand was warm over hers as she felt each beat pulsate under their palms. Her dewy eyes were planted to the ground refusing to look up at him for the first time through this conversation. She kept blinking trying to stop any falling droplets. She then just wanted to be able to hold him and wish for it all to go away.
She didn't want to accept he was right. Because if she did that would mean he could never come back. Even if he didn't love that other woman. Even if he wanted to be with her. He couldn't, because he'd never find it in himself to just stay.
She chose to just stand there unmoving. As soon as they go back into the motions of life it would really be over. She desperately didn't want that.
"I'll miss you." No you won't she wanted to say, to make him stay. But she knew it wouldn't work.
Quicker than she could pull out an arrow, it was already over. He was already gone. The warmth of his hand lingered on hers, and she cried.
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