A/N: Since I got such a positive response with the first part I decided to keep going! Thank you to everyone who reviewed and said they liked it. You're the real heroes! Hope you enjoy! P.s I'm forewarning you the language might be a bit rougher.
Ruby Minds
Artemis, for whatever reason could not stop thinking about that night on the beach. From a scientific point of view there was no reason why when she looked at Wally she felt this warm tingly feeling spread through her. So, she tried to look at Wally as little as possible. Because the truth was Artemis was bad at handling and dealing with her complex emotions. Specifically of the Wally-related nature. She's had little shocks before. Of what, she's not sure, but whenever Wally did something that was unusually not-Wally, she would feel al gooey inside.
And this was the part where Artemis hated herself, because whenever she felt like she could open up to someone, her mind starts waving red flags and sirens go off. In retrospect Artemis figures its a coping mechanism, an old survival tactic from who she used to be. And because Artemis is constantly worried about someone getting too close, she is ready to run away to preserve herself. And that's the part that pisses Artemis off the most because its so fucking cowardly.
But Artemis knows she can't change that about herself. Or maybe she doesn't want to, which is the far more terrifying option.
So, Artemis pushes Wally away. Because he got to close. And the inside, scared, very human part of Artemis is screaming at her for denying herself this opportunity, this idea that one day she could be happy. But the tired, abused, angry part of Artemis wins, because she's so used to letting that side of her get what it wants.
She stops staying at the cave as much as she used to. Even if debriefings are at two in the morning Artemis stubbornly Zetas home, making excuses to M'gann that her mom needs her help in the morning or she has to catch up on chores. And because M'gann is M'gann she smiles through the hurt and says of course and always says next time. Even if they both know Artemis will refuse.
Eventually Artemis starts to hate Wally, and herself a little bit more. And maybe its not actually Wally this time, but what he represents. Safety, friendship, and a little flicker of love. All things Artemis has been denied before. And she hates herself for becoming distant because this team has only offered friendship and safety and Artemis just can't handle it.
So, she evades and excuses herself, knowing that something's bound to happen, but she will be damned if she doesn't try to hold it off.
—
"We need to talk about this." Wally stated very clearly.
Artemis looked up from her physics textbook, "Talk about what?"
Wally looked at her incredulously, "What do you mean what? That little moment we had on the beach! It was an intense bonding moment!" He says and throws his hands up in the air. Artemis is studying at the island in the kitchen, and she mentally curses herself for deciding to sit here. Of course the Bottomless Pit would stumble upon her here. She further curses herself for forgetting her key in her house, and her mom was at some Vietnamese book club (something about her mom trying to keep busy and make friends) so her mom wouldn't be at home until late. And Artemis isn't going to force her mom to come all the way home just to unlock a door, when the cave is perfectly good. Of course Artemis checked through the whole cave before she sat down to do her homework. Robin, the second largest threat to her quiet, seemed to be in Gotham with the Batman, she already knew that Kaldur was in Atlantis for the week, on some business with Aquaman. M'gann was going to her first human sleepover with some girls from the cheer squad. Artemis smiled sadly after M'gann called her almost bursting with excitement. And after M'gann hung up to go pick out nail polish, Artemis let a few tears leak out because damn, as much as she put on a front, M'gann was so important. She was the sister that Artemis had always wanted, and Artemis was screwing everything up.
That left Conner and Kid Mouth. Conner didn't worry Artemis. He'd probably grunt about school or M'gann then back away, so Artemis hadn't bothered looking for him.
Which ended up being her downfall because Wally had been with him. And Artemis was minding her own business and didn't notice he was there until he asked that question. Artemis didn't jump, but silently cursed herself for not hearing him. She was entirely too comfortable with his presence.
"Oh that." She answers writing down some formulas, "What is there to talk about?"
"Hah funny," Wally grumbles as he strides to the snack cabinet and pulls out a pack of Double Stuf Oreos with WALLY'S! IF YOU TOUCH YOU LOSE A HAND sharpied all over the package.
Artemis smiles inside but stuffs down the glowy flicker that started in her heart, "I wasn't trying to be." She goes back to her physics problem, trying to calculate velocity.
He opens the Oreos and jams three in his mouth and stands across from her setting the box down on the island chewing loudly with some degree of frustration. He just glowers at her while he chews, and Artemis grows uncomfortable as the crunch of the Oreos just doesn't seem to end.
She looks up with her eyebrows furrowed, "Are you mad at me or something."
Wally almost chokes, and Artemis snickers. He clears his throat, "Its not funny," he scowls when Artemis claps her hand over her mouth to hide her smile. "And I wouldn't say mad more just confused and frustrated." he continues.
Artemis doesn't say anything.
Wally sighs and closes his Oreos, that, Artemis notes, he almost finished. "I just thought that we were making strides and y'know being, well, us, I thought it was really good. Because the truth is I don't hate you Artemis, even if it seems like it and I just wanted you to know that without having to tell you. And wow I should've rehearsed this it sounds terrible." He says sheepishly.
And if Artemis was smart she would say something comforting and maybe add in some classic banter to try and keep things quiet and kind. And damn if she doesn't want to and then stand up and hug him and say thank you for trying to get her to open up, for trying to break her fucking shell and find her underneath all her safeguards.
But the problem is, Artemis is scared, which leads to stupidity and bad decisions. So, instead of saying all that she wants to, she says, "Okay."
And the hopeful look on Wally's face falls. He tried so hard and he didn't know what else to do. And that pain turns into anger because he's still Wally, "What do you mean okay Artemis?" His voice starts rising, "What is wrong with you? I'm trying here the least you could do is help me out."
The little, sensitive part of Artemis backs away, and the older, hardened cold fury steps up to the plate. Artemis' eyes start blazing and she pushes her arms up and rises from her chair, "What do you want me to say Wally? That everything is going to be different now? That magically everything is going to be so fucking wonderful we'll all turn into goddamned fairies?!" Artemis' voice starts to rise to at a lightly more alarming rate then Wally's.
Wally throws his hands in the air, "Maybe! Maybe I was stupid and thought I could fucking bare my soul to you and you would actually respond. That you would know that I didn't hate you." He yells, every word laced with anger, running his hand through his flaming hair.
"What if I didn't care that you hated me! What if I didn't care if we ever became friends, let alone liked each other. Because you are too goddamn full of yourself, and took fucking selfish to care about anything else, I didn't want to get to know you" Artemis spits. "And I still don't!"
And then she soon regrets it. Wally's face gets as red as his hair and Artemis knows that he is either going to leave or yell, and she isn't sure which one is worse.
Wally starts full on screaming, "I'M THE SELFISH ONE? YOU ARE FUCKING FUNNY AREN'T YOU?" He breathes and his voice is quiet and dangerous, "I'm tired of your bullshit insecurity and superiority complex Artemis. Fuck you for playing with my feelings then. Fuck you for making me believe that you could be a nice person. That we could be friends. Fuck you for being the selfish one." And he turns on his heel, and speeds out.
And Artemis is left with an almost empty Oreo box, half done physics problems and an empty heart. She's not sure how the fix this one. And she feels something unusual.
Tears are pricking her eyes.
When Conner walks into the kitchen after hearing Wally and Artemis leave. He didn't eavesdrop because he didn't want to invade privacy. He sees a physics book and notebook on the island and Wally's snack cabinet is open. All of Wally's back up Oreos are gone. He sighs and hopes that they haven't dug a hole deep enough they can't get out. He wishes Kaldur were here to talk sense into them.
He turns on the TV and puts on static.
—
Artemis waits until she gets home to cry. She forgot her homework at the cave, but she'll swing by in the early morning to grab it and finish it in a study hall. She waits until she's in her room, with a blanket stuffed in the crack of her door, and her mom to be asleep before she starts crying.
And Artemis hates herself. She didn't know why she had to say those things to Wally. He was right. He was trying so hard to be friendly and she was too selfish to give up part of herself. He was right, which makes it all the more frustrating. And usually she didn't agree with Wally this much and that was another thing Artemis was concerned about. Because fuck why was she like this?
She lays awake again like she did, all those days ago from that night on the beach, and still the boy with red hair and freckles haunts her mind.
—
She does eat his Oreos though. All the rest of the ones he opened today. The last few boxes she puts under her bed, out of spite.
A/N: Threeshot? Again if I get enough asks we'll see and I'll (hopefully) post next weekend!
Thank you for reading!
