Okay, I wish I could write this topic a bit better, but basically, it stems from me thinking about my own insecurities. Personally, I don't struggle with thinking I'm fat... nah, mine are different, but I always figured that if any of the YJ members thought bad about themselves, it would be Artemis, right? So... I hope you enjoy/tear up a bit. Maybe you'll relate, maybe you won't. It's just a drabble on my part. I wanted to portray sad Artemis and compassionate Wally.
And thank you to AmyElise16 who I feel like I should thank.
And Ravenhearst.
And filipinochick.
And justintheconstantreviewer who helped me fix the choppiness of last update!
I love every single one of my readers! (If you'd like a shoutout, let me know! ;))
Disclaimer: Nope. Still don't own. Believe me, I've checked.
"No one likes you, scholarship kid. You're not pretty, you're not skinny, and you'll never, ever fit in here. Mirrors never lie. You must not be looking hard enough into your own."
She'd run away, too terrified to look back, too terrified to look ahead.
Mirrors never lie. And for once, it looked liked Brittni might be right. Artemis picked at the red and inflamed bump that sat on her nose, taunting her. She'd run a hot shower to fill the bathroom with steam. From what she heard, that helped you lose weight... even if only for a short time period.
A tear trickled down her face, trailing through the sweat that already soaked through her pores. Artemis was sitting, clutching her knees, as if to push all of the evil of the world away from her.
"Maybe they're right... Maybe I am worthless."
A buzz came from the counter top. She'd accidentally left her phone in her school blazer, which now lay in a limp heap on the fake marble. Slowly, she stood and walked over.
A text... from Wally.
Where are you? Training tonight...
Crap. Through the jumbled mess of her brain, she'd forgotten all about that. But it was too late now to get all the way to Happy Harbor. She quickly texted back,
Sorry, I forgot. Not coming.
Slowly, she went back to her corner where she huddled back up against the wall.
Black Canary was facing the five teens. "Where's Artemis?" she asked, grumpily. Canary hated anyone being late.
Everyone had shrugged.
"I'll text her..." Wally sighed, pulling out his phone. He only had her number so he could spam her on occasion.
A few moments later, he got his reply. "Hmm... that's odd."
Robin cocked an eyebrow. "What's odd, KF?"
"Er, she's not... coming?"
M'Gann looked over in shock. "Artemis never misses training! She's even here when NO ONE ELSE IS."
Kaldur nodded. "M'Gann is right. Artemis must be faced with an emergency."
All five teens looked expectantly at their 'den mother.' Canary sighed. "If Artemis isn't here, she has good reason. We need to respect that. Now, Kaldur, you and Robin take the floor..." She stepped back as youngest and oldest boy stepped forward to spar.
Wally spent all of training thinking. What could have stopped Artemis from coming? Why did he care so much? No, he most certainly did NOT have feelings, but still... He resolved to go 'pop' into Gotham after training. Maybe he could find something he could use against her later... Except... Black Canary said not to bother Artemis.
Several hours later, Wally overcame Black Canary's orders. As soon as training was over, he took off for Gotham City.
In a few minutes, he arrived at the apartment building that he knew belonged to Artemis.
Carefully, he walked up the stairs and knocked on her door. It was opened by Ms. Crock.
"Uh, hi Artemis' mom!" he said brightly. "Is Arty around?"
"Oh, hello Wally! I think she's in her room. Would you like to come in?" The middle aged woman reached up to unlatch the door and opened it wider so he could slip through.
"Thanks, Ms. Crock. Do you mind if I go check on her? She wasn't at training today."
The woman nodded, and rolled back to the table where she was eating a bowl of soup and reading the paper.
Wally found his way through the halls easily. "Arty?" he asked, softly, when he came to her door. There was no answer. He opened it quietly to find the room dark and empty. "Artemis?"
A faint light came from a door to the right. Steam was seeping through the cracks. "Artemis!" he cried, knocking on the door.
It had been hours. Her skin had turned pruny and began to look old. "Artemis!" a cry startled her from her daydream.
Wally. He must be here to rub something in her face. Looking around the darkened room, she found her discarded bathrobe in a pile where she had left it two nights before. Carefully, she opened the door to stare into the face of her teammate.
"What?" she asked, trying to sound snarky, but it came out as a crack.
"I came to check... Have you been crying?" the boy asked in shock.
"No, why?"
"Your eyes are all puffy and red."
There really was no escaping the fact that she'd been crying on and off all evening.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"No... Look, let me get dressed, okay? Could you maybe, get out of my room?" For once, Wally didn't argue. He simply turned and walked out of her bedroom.
Throwing on some old clothes, she called to him to let him back in.
"Artemis, what's up?"
"Nothing, just stupid girls from my school. Hey Wally?"
"Yah?"
"I'm not fat, right?"
His emerald eyes grew large.
"No! How could you even think that?"
"What about pretty? Am I pretty?"
Why was she having this conversation with him? Wally's discomfort was obvious. He rubbed his neck awkwardly.
"Gee, Arty..."
"I'm not, am I?"
He sighed, and sat down on the edge of her bed. It sank from his weight. "You never let me finish. Artemis, I think you're the most beautiful girl I've met in the whole world. You also happen to be the only girl my age who can kick my butt or can make a comeback as fast as I can. I admire you, and lately, I've been more and more intrigued by you."
Artemis looked up at him, his face full of sincerity. Her hair was lying flat against her back, tangled in several places, and sweat dripping from every pore of her body, but Wally was staring at her with a look that didn't say 'ew.' If she was reading it correctly, it was more of a look of longing than anything else.
"Thanks Wally..." she sighed.
He stood up and came around to where she was sitting. "No problem, Arty." She smiled weakly. Reaching down, he cupped his hands under her chin and tilted her face up so her eyes were staring into his.
And very, so very slowly, he leaned down...
and he kissed her.
"Artemis? I've never, in my life, hated you."
"You know, Wally? I feel the same way."
Okay, someone asked for a kiss, so there it was! I know, this update was a tad bit depressing. Sorry bout that. Kudos to whoever can guess the mean person was in the beginning! (hint: she's my only oc.) Please review, it means the world!
~Val
