a bird (in a nest is secure)
The first thing Artemis learns about Robin is that he enjoys roosting in high places. She doesn't know what else to call it besides roosting or nesting. If she could fly or had a grappling gun like Robin, she'd check out the spot Robin was sitting in because she's pretty sure that there's an honest to God nest up there. He was sitting up there when she came in for team training and it was almost eerie the way he watched her from up high. He reminded her of a bird of prey and his unblinking eyes were almost owl-like. But that's just crazy talk, Artemis reasons with herself, he's just a harmless teenager. That was raised by Batman...Right, perhaps not so harmless, then. It was just her nerves that were getting to her, not anything that Robin was or wasn't doing.
The second thing Artemis learns about Robin is that he's an incredible fighter for being so tiny. No, actually, the second thing Artemis learns about Robin is that he's a little shit. Artemis learns about the fighting third but she's amazed enough that it should have been the first thing she learned. "Where did you learn to fight like that? Those don't look like moves Batman would use." Artemis asks Robin after training. She almost winces when she realizes that it sounds like she's interrogating him. She realizes she is but she doesn't want it to sound like she is.
Behind her, Wally winces and gestures toward his friend, offering to whisk him out of the room. Robin gives his best friend a tiny negatory head shake before he looks at Artemis with a gigantic, fake smile on his face. "Well, 'Mis, you're right. I've trained with several different people but mostly under Batman. I'm tiny, unlike Batman who's a heavy hitter. Now, Walls and I have plans to go kick each other's butts at Super Smash Bros."
The fourth thing Artemis learns is that Robin can disappear even when he's standing right in front of your face.
She groans in frustration and walks over to M'gann. "Does he do that often?"
"Disappear?" M'gann smiles, "You get used to it."
Artemis snorts and flicks a strand of hair behind her head, "Right. Where's the kitchen again?"
M'gann's smile turns into a full-out beam, "I'll show you! Perhaps you can tell me about some Earth girl customs?"
Artemis gives the other girl a tiny smile in return, "Girl talk? I haven't done that for a long time. Sure, why not?" M'gann gleefully claps her hands. She then grabs onto Artemis' arm and drags the blonde girl out of the training room, leaving Kaldur and Superboy behind to stare at each other.
Time passes and Artemis notices that Robin has several nests hidden about the Mountain. She asked M'gann about them and receives a shrug, "I don't go near them. If Robin wants us to know about them, he'd tell us."
Frustrated, Artemis confronts Kaldur, "You're the leader, shouldn't you know what's up with these nests of his that he's hidden all over the Mountain?"
"Batman has asked that I not pry into Robin's personal life unless it is pertinent to the mission. So no, my friend, I have not bothered him about his tendency to sit on the ceiling beams in his spare time," Kaldur clasps her shoulder, "I believe it would be best if you let the matter drop."
While she agreed to drop the issue to Kaldur's face, it was far from being out of her mind. She just couldn't let it go.
About a month after she stopped harassing her teammates about Robin's strange tendencies, there's an issue on a mission. Everything had been going fine until a bird assassin appears. Wait, Artemis realizes that it sounds like a tiny, real-life bird is an assassin. It's more like an assassin that is wearing gear that reminds her of a bird. Artemis gapes at the figure, "That's a fucking Talon, isn't it? I didn't think the Court of Owls was real."
"Did you just say Court of Owls?" Wally snaps over the mind-link.
"Um, yeah, there's a Talon standing in front of Superboy, Aqualad, and I," Artemis thinks back.
"What is this Court of Owls?" Kaldur asks.
Superboy growls, "Who cares? It can be smashed just as good as any other assassin!"
"No!" Robin yelps, "Don't engage it! They won't attack unless you attack! They're not here for any of you!"
"They're here for our target?" Wally asks.
Robin sighs, "Probably. I can't come out to help you through."
"Dude," Artemis had never heard Wally sound so serious, "No offense, but I don't want you going out to face the Talon."
"Shouldn't we stop the Talon for murdering that man?" M'gann asks, her voice laced with concern for the criminal they were staking out.
Robin shakes his head, "No, if we attack then we'll just put a bounty on our own heads."
"Beware The Court of Owls, that watches all the time, ruling Gotham from a shadowed perch, behind granite and lime. They watch you at your hearth, they watch you in your bed, speak not a whispered word of them, or they'll send the Talon for your head." Artemis recites.
"Exactly," Robin agrees, "Batman will understand why we abandoned our posts."
"Seriously, listen to Rob. We need to hightail it out of here," Wally interjects, "Like right this instant."
"Wait for the Talon to enter the house and then run for the bioship like hellhounds are nipping on your heels," Robin instructs them.
"We shall do as Robin instructs," Kaldur tells them. "We'll explain everything to Batman when we return to the Mountain."
The Talon easily breaks into the house, Artemis notes uneasily. The teenagers quickly run back to the bioship and as soon as the door closes behind Superboy, M'gann takes off. When they land in the Mountain's hangar, Robin rushes out of the ship and the other teens follow at a more sedate pace. When they arrive in the conference room, Artemis looks up and finds Robin curled up in one of his nests. She makes a small sound, finally understanding their true purpose.
The teens collapse in the chairs, only to jump up a few minutes later when Batman storms into the room. He takes quick stock of the room and notices Robin's small figure curled up in the nest. He turns toward the team and practically snarls, "What happened?"
"A Talon," Wally replies, staring straight into Batman's eye lenses unflinchingly.
"Team dismissed. We'll debrief tomorrow before training," Nobody leaves. Batman turns away from the team and in a soft tone that Artemis didn't think he was capable of, calls up to Robin, "Robin? I'm here. Do you feel good enough to go back to the Cave?" Instead of getting a reply, Robin appears next to Batman's side before he quickly disappears under Batman's cape.
"Will he be alright?" Artemis asks, ignoring the sharp look her question earns from Wally.
Batman looks at the teenager and gives the team a brisk nod, "He should be fine. Team dismissed." This time the team leaves the conference room and leave for their house or their room in the Mountain.
The next day before team training, Artemis approaches Robin, "I'm sorry for prying so much into your nests."
Robin shrugs nonchalantly, "I get it, you were curious."
"But I should have just asked you in the first place instead of going around behind your back," Artemis insists.
Robin smiles at her and Artemis can tell that this time he isn't faking it, "'A bird in a nest is secure'..."
Artemis returns the smile, "'...but that is not why God gave it wings.' Matshona Dhliwayo, right?"
He nods, "Yeah. Having a nest to come back to is nice. Usually, my nest is in the Batcave but these work when I need to feel safe and I'm not at home."
"I get that. C'mon, do you want to go get some icecream in Happy Harbour?" Artemis bumps Robin's shoulder, "My treat."
"I'd like that."