Author's Note: I got inspired after seeing a gif set on tumblr where they compared Blue and Impulse's relationship to Wally and Artemis's and it was honestly so cute I had to write this. Also, Impulse is like fifteen in this. So slight AU.
Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice.
Jaime Reyes has a problem. A big problem - actually, scratch that. He has a short problem from the future. So, technically speaking he didn't have a 'big' problem, but it was mentally pressing. Three months ago, Bart Allen AKA Impulse had shown up. His intentions were pure enough - to stop Jaime, the Blue Beetle, from enslaving the Earth and joining the Reach. But the more time he spent with Bart, the more he realized something: he actually liked the kid.
Sure, Bart was well, impulsive, naive, and often times down right rude. But the kid had attatched to him, practically stalking him like a stray dog everywhere he went. He regularly 'scanvenged' any and all food Jaime was keeping for himself. He had absolutely no boundaries - case and point being the multiple times he had to throw him out of the bathroom while he was showering. Jaime rarely had a moment to himself with the speedster nuisance around.
Except, in the oddest way Jaime couldn't force himself to believe that Bart was a nuisance. For every missing bag of Chicken Wizzies, every invasion of privacy, and every bad joke: Jaime couldn't get truly angry.
/Perhaps you are developing feelings for the boy, Jaime Reyes./ The scarab suggests, the metallic buzz of the voice making the back of his head tickle.
"I don't think so," Jaime mumbles.
/My sensors show your pulse speeding. That is an idicator that you are lying./
"Shut up, okay?" He snaps, trying to focus on his homework. He clutches the pencil hard, nearly snapping it. He hated with the scarab was . . . right.
At first, the annoying habits were bared in the sort of way Jaime would Ty's. Like a friend. It was easy to laugh off, but he still wasn't scared to chew Bart out for barging in unannounced. But the longer he had to deal with it, the more he craved it. The idea of being Bart's main focus made his chest swell with a weird sort of love. Not the kind he felt toward his mom or his sister. But one that was inexplicably different.
/You're in denial Jaime Reyes./
"And you're acting like you know an awful lot about emotion for a machine," he gripes, trying harder to keep his mind from wondering.
It was a classic case of denial. Of course he liked Bart, but only as a friend. A very cute friend with suspiciously kissable lips. He drops his head against the table, letting in thud. Maybe that'll knock the thoughts from his head.
/You'll need to hit harder to induce a concussion./
Jaime sits up and drops his head again. And a third time. It was giving him little more than a headache and something new to focus on.
"Jaime?" His mom calls, gently knocking on the door.
"Come in," he answers with his face still pressed against his desk.
"Something on your mind?" She asks, sitting at the edge of his bed. She reaches a hand forward and places it on his back, gently massaging in circles.
Jaime can feel heat rise to his cheeks. He didn't want to talk to his mom about this. "No, I'm fine."
"Well, you're making an awful lot of racket for someone who's fine," she implores, still rubbing circles.
"I don't wanna talk about it Mom," Jaime offers finally.
"Well, I'm here if you want to tell me about who you're so smitten with."
His cheeks turn even redder as his mom leaves. She had always swore that mom's can tell exactly what's wrong with their kids. And now seemed to be no exception. She closes his door and he sits up again, exhaling through his nose.
Jaime only really knew one person with any knowledge on long term relationships he'd be willing to talk to about it. He armors up and props open the window before soaring out. He zips through the cool night air. A good walk always helped him clear his mind, and he figured a good flight might help too.
It kind of worked. 'Kind of' being the key phrase. Although he did allow himself to get lost, his mind kept meandering back to the source of this whole fiasco. The little twerp who was probably following him right now for all he knew.
He lands softly outside the off campus house in Central City. He'd only been here maybe once or twice before. It wasn't quite so late on the coast, so he was pretty sure he wouldn't be intruding on anything.
His armor retracts and he walks up the steps. He really would have never thought one of his teammates could maintain a lawn this well. 'Knock, knock, knock.' He raps his knuckles against the door only three times before stuffing his hands into his jacket pockets. It wasn't urgent - well not life in peril urgent anyway.
The door swings open and Wally jumps in a moment of surprise. "Hey, Jaime. How's it going?" The red head greets, stepping to the side to let the younger in. "Shouldn't you be in bed or something, though."
"Well, kinda. I just had a question, hermano."
Jaime makes himself comfortable on their sofa. For a rental, they had really made this place look like a home.
"Ask when you're ready then," Wally says, sitting in an armchair near the him.
Jaime sighs, a blush on his face before he can even start explaining himself. "I've been having some issues with this person I really like. I think that they're pretty oblivious to it though. Like, we hang out all the time and I'm not sure how to go about talking to them about it. And you're the only person I really know who isn't one of my parents that has had any experience with relationships and I'd really like some advice."
Wally cracks a soft grin, unlike the stupid ones he normally wore. "A wise man once told me, 'Find your own little spitfire. One who won't let you get away with nothing.' It made me realize I like Artemis. If that helps you anyway."
He glances up, returning the smile to Wally. The simple phrase made a surprising amount of sense. "Thanks, hermano. I-I think I understand." Jaime stands up and quickly hugs Wally before exiting with a quick good bye.
"Ayye! Jaime!" Impulse calls, suddenly running up. "I saw you heading here and I followed! What's up?" Bart cocks his head.
Jaime grins big. Of course Bart had followed.
'One who won't let you get away with nothing,' rings in his head as Bart starts to babble.