Waited Long Enough

Artemis smiled. It was different than her usual smirk and graced her lips, her whole face, beautifully. "Yeah. I guess I can do that."

"Really? You will? That's-that's great." He had already been blushing, but her response only made him turn redder. He rubbed the back of his neck.

"Can you even dance?"

"Yeah. Mom made me take lessons when I was little."

"Nerd."

"Oh yeah? How do you know how to dance then?"

"My background's subterfuge, remember? I learned anything that would make me a better tool."

He grabbed her hand. "You're not a tool anymore. You know that, right?"

"Yeah." She grinned. "But I still know how to dance."

The chamber group had already started playing and the wedding's dance-floor was already full, but Artemis dragged Wally over there. He put his hand below her shoulder blade and she put hers on his shoulder. He was so much taller than he was when they first met, a little over a year ago. They started dancing.

"Y'know, if dancing made any sense, I'd be leading you."

"Suuure. Just keep on telling yourself that, Arty."

"Screw you Wally."

"Are you offering?"

"One day, I'm going to wipe that grin off your face."

"Haven't you done that enough already?"

"I'll take your entire mouth off. Then I won't have to listen your insufferable voice."

"Ha." They traveled across the dance-floor slowly, passing Oliver and Dinah, the groom and bride. Oliver winked at Artemis. She scowled back.

"I could look at that scowl forever."

"Wally. You're seventeen. That's way too young to get sappy."

The marriage had been nice so far. It was wonderful to go to something celebrating love instead of death. Dinah, of course, had looked lovely in a small a-line dress with a strapless sweetheart neckline and Oliver had probably never been happier. Most of the league and the team was there. Roy had even made it, had danced once or twice with some dark-haired girl Artemis didn't, and was now sitting in the back with Kaldur, peacefully enjoying wedding cake.

"You know, your dress almost matches my tie. It's as if somebody planned it."

"Your tie, West, matches your eyes, because you think they're your best feature. And you know how frequently I wear this shade of green, which is different than your tie's."

"You mean you think my best feature isn't my eyes? Is it my charm, then? My physique?"

"No way in hell. If it were your appearance, then I would've dismissed you the minute I saw you."

"I thought you did."

"I really liked Kid Flash. And then I found out he was an insufferable idiot. I was mad, sure, but I couldn't just dismiss you."

"That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me."

"It's like you're constantly creating moments and then constantly destroying them. Is it a hobby?"

"I think it's a teenager thing."

"Hmph." His hand had slid down her back and was resting comfortably at the small of her back, drawing them imperceptibly closer.

"So what is my best feature?"

"You accepted me, even though—"

"Whoa there." He stopped dancing. She stopped too. "All of us accepted you. And I wasn't very accepting at first."

"I mean, you always ready to accept, to forgive me. You just wanted the truth."

"Oh." They started dancing again. "Well, honesty, you know, it's what relationships are built on."

"Then someone must've really screwed up my recipe."

"Nah. Yours just needs a few times to perfect."

"This metaphor is stupid."

"Hey, my best subject is science not english."

"You're such a nerd."

"Ah, but I'm your nerd."

They slow-danced through the next couple of songs, gradually growing closer and closer until there were just a couple scant inches between them. "Hey Artemis?"

"Hm?"

"Got another question for you."

"Oh?" She looked up at him. He was biting his lip.

"What would you say if I asked if I could kiss you?"

She smiled again. "I'd say you sure as hell waited long enough."

He pulled her flush against him and leaned down to kiss her. Her hand that wasn't embraced in his flew up to tangle in his hair.

There was no clapping when they pulled away from each other, though Wally was pretty sure that Dick at least had been watching them from some corner. Together, they walked off of the dance-floor to join Kaldur and Roy in eating wedding cake.