Chapter Ten

Wally was watching Dick work out in the gym. Dick stretched his hands over his head, ran, and then did a number of acrobatic moves that Wally couldn't even name. Wally cheered from the sidelines enthusiastically, but Dick just shook his head at him as he wiped his face with a towel.

"You're not gonna work out at all?"

"I'm injured!" Wally protested, holding up his arm in a sling

"Yeah, yeah." Dick laughed as he jogged back to the mat.

"How long are you going to do that, anyway?" Wally watched him, sipping a drink.

Dick shrugged. "I guess I could take a break."

Wally jumped up. "Yes, snack break!"

"I said, break, not snack break."

"Hey, every good break includes a snack!" Wally explained. "Especially during a workout. You need to re-energize, get some electrolytes!" They walked to the kitchen, pushing each other. When they got there, Dick grabbed a water from the fridge.

"Hey, dude, see if there are any of Miss M's cookies left." Wally suggested.

Dick opened a cabinet and found a Ziploc bag of slightly burnt cookies. "These what you're looking for?"

"Mmmm…" Wally grabbed them and started eating, two at a time.

"Can I ask you something?"

Wally swallowed. "Sure, dude, you can always talk to me." Dick sounded serious, and Wally wondered what it would be this time. He didn't know if he could handle another identity switch, the changeover from Robin to Nightwing was enough.

Dick spun his half empty bottle on the island, "Why do you flirt with M'gann so much?"

Ok, not at all what I was expecting. Wally felt relief flood him. Why was Dick acting so shady about such an obvious question. "What do you mean? She's hot!"

"Yeah, but you and Artemis?"

Oh. He wondered briefly if Zatanna had put Dick up to this conversation, but Dick had known Artemis for years too. "Me and Artemis are just friends." Wally answered firmly.

"Friends?"

"With benefits sometimes," Wally replied a little smugly. "But just friends. That's what she wants."

"Why do you think that?" Dick cocked his head.

"Uh, because she's said it, like a million times. Do you know how impossible it was to even get her to be my friend? She basically hates me." Everyone else on the team could see how much she disliked Wally; he couldn't believe he had to spell it out for Dick.

"I don't think she hates you," Dick said, rolling his eyes.

"Well, she certainly doesn't like me. Did you see her asking Superboy out the other night?" That had been a gut wrench. Wally was used to rejection, but that had been a special pain, to watch this amazing strong woman stomp all over him so publicly.

"She made you that sling." Dick pointed out. That was true. It had really been unexpected, and Wally still had that sling stashed, an extra special souvenir. "And besides, she only asked out Connor after you flirted with Megan in front of her."

"You think she's jealous?" Wally considered, grinning. Now that would be pretty cool. He wasn't really into the possessive type, but hey, Wally was a flexible guy. Dick shrugged. Wally remembered her comments about Connor, not just the other night, but even on the first night they met. He shook his head. "No way. Artemis can have any guy she wants. She doesn't do jealous."

"Anyone can do jealous," Dick rebutted frankly.

"Does Zee do jealous?" Wally asked pointedly.

Dick grinned. "Oh, Zee does jealous. She does it very well."

Wally hooted. "You dog!"

Artemis was running harder than she should around the park. She knew she was pushing herself too much. But she could not outrun her rage. In front of her face, he flirted with Megan. When she was right there. And yeah, she asked Connor out, but it was just instinct. Doesn't he have any respect for me? This is why relationships weren't worth it. So, he wants to sneak into her bed at night, but during the day, he wants to flirt with anyone he wants.

Granted, that's the way Artemis usually operated, but she'd never do that to his face. Except I did. She remembered. And then on the very next mission, Artemis made him a sling and got her ass handed to her in return. Fuck, do I have any respect for myself. Finally, she came to a stop in front of the water fountain. Her legs were cramping, and she had a stitch in her side. Sinking on a bench, she drank from her bottle of water.

Finally, she stood up, and she walked slowly home.

Artemis got home to find Zatanna in the middle of a yoga session.

"Oh, hey. Don't mind me."

Zatanna looked up from her complicated pose. "Hey, no worries. Everything okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, just went for a run, and maybe went a little hard. Gonna go take a shower." Artemis went into the shower and scrubbed down. Still, she couldn't get rid of the pains in her legs, and in fact, she was starting to get a knot in her back.

She padded into the living room in her jeans and a shirt to find Zatanna chilling, still in her yoga outfit.

"Feeling better?" Zatanna asked.

"Not really." Artemis shrugged. "I just can't get rid of these knots. Hey," Artemis had an idea. "Can you use magic to make me like a potion or something?"

"I could," Zatanna mused. Artemis celebrated silently. She knew having a magician for a roommate had to have its perks. "Or you could just go to the cave and use the hot tub?"

Artemis' eyes lit up. "Yes, Zatanna, you're a genius."

By the time she got to the cave, Artemis was almost buzzing. The hot tub in the cave was one of her favorite places—it just instantly relaxed her, all warmth and luxury and tiny massages. Working for a world class team like Justice League really came with benefits. As Artemis walked through the cave, she heard voices from the kitchen, but she didn't pay any attention. She had laser focus. Just as she was about to enter the bathroom with tub, she felt a breeze by her side.

"Hey beautiful," Wally stood in front of her. "Didn't expect to see you here."

"Just here for the tub, Wally."

"Oh, yeah? Sure you're not here to see me?" Wally asked, waggling his eyebrows

She smirked back at him, before noticing the crumbs right by his lips. Megan's cookies. Her smile dropped. "I'm here for something a little more satisfying actually, West."

She stomped by him, but instead of turning him off, she seemed to be spurring him on. He followed her in. "Oh, I can satisfy you plenty, babe."

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Kid." Artemis warned, kicking off her shoes and reaching over to check the temperature of the tub.

She looked back and saw Wally staring at her ass with open desire. Feeling powerful, she turned towards the tub and thought to herself, this I can work with. Not turning around, she took her shirt off, revealing a small bikini top. She slipped off her jeans, stripping them down. Artemis stepped out of her pants, leaving her shoes behind as well, and climbed into the tub.

Wally sped over, "Can I join you?" Artemis considered for a moment. But she came here to relax. And Wally was all stress to her right now. How did that happen? He was supposed to be fun, a plaything. Instead, she was thinking about him all the time, and she had the body aches to prove it. When she was with him, she didn't know how to act. When they were apart, she couldn't stop thinking about him.

So instead, she raised her eyebrow. "The cast can't wet, right?"

Wally frowned. "I'm sure if we're careful…"

"Better safe than sorry." Artemis sank down.

At that, Wally pouted but then brightened. "Well, I can keep you company."

"Thanks, Baywatch, but I came here to be alone." Artemis answered harshly. "Besides, I'm sure M'gann is missing your help in the kitchen." There was a beat, and Artemis almost felt bad for being mean. But then Wally spoke.

"What, are you jealous?" Wally asked, incredulous.

Artemis stiffened, opening her eyes and glaring at him. "What gave you that idea, Baywatch?" She was pleased to see he withered a little under her stare.

He rubbed his hair. "I, uh, well, I mean, I'm just saying if you are jealous, like you shouldn't—"

Artemis growled. "I am not jealous. I don't do jealousy."

"That's what I said," Wally exclaimed. "But Dick said—" They've been talking about me? About how I'm jealous?Artemis thought to herself furiously.

She laughed bitterly. "Yeah, well, I think you'd know better than to listen to Dick. You can flirt with whoever you want. I know I sure as hell will."

Wally narrowed his eyes. "Fine."

"Fine." Her lips tightened. "Glad we're on the same page, finally."

"Yeah, guess we are." Wally spit out. Artemis turned her back on him, sinking into the water to indicate they were done talking. He seemed to get the message, because a moment later she heard the door slam. She sat up and put her face in her hands. Great, Artemis. She didn't know how she felt, but this certainly wasn't helping her relax.

She closed her eyes and laid back. She tried to block out all thought, especially all thought of Wally, of Red Tornado, of her family, of Sportsmaster saying that that there is a mole on the team, of the fact that maybe he expected that mole to be her. All of it needed to go away. A poem came to mind, and she repeated it to herself:

I have gone out, a possessed witch,

haunting the black air, braver at night;

dreaming evil, I have done my hitch

over the plain houses, light by light:

lonely thing, twelve-fingered, out of mind.

A woman like that is not a woman, quite.

I have been her kind.

I have found the warm caves in the woods,

filled them with skillets, carvings, shelves,

closets, silks, innumerable goods;

fixed the suppers for the worms and the elves:

whining, rearranging the disaligned.

A woman like that is misunderstood.

I have been her kind

I have ridden in your cart, driver,

waved my nude arms at villages going by,

learning the last bright routes, survivor

where your flames still bite my thigh

and my ribs crack where your wheels wind.

A woman like that is not ashamed to die.

I have been her kind.

I have been her kind. Artemis repeated to herself. Over and over. I am Artemis, I am not ashamed. I am not a woman, quite. I am a woman misunderstood. I am not ashamed. I have been her kind.

Finally, she began to feel like herself again. Artemis would not let some boy interrupt her focus. She was Artemis, she could rely on herself, and that's all she needed. She could do this friends with benefits thing. If he wanted other people, she can play that way too. As for her father and Red Tornado? If they were looking for a fight, Artemis was more than willing to give it to them.

What does this girl want? Wally thought to himself, trying to clean the apartment. One minute she's purring at him in her bikini, the next she's telling him she's basically sleeping with other people.

God, she drove him crazy. And it wasn't just the way she looked in that bikini (though he'd be returning to that vision over and over, he was sure). After their run-in at the cave, she'd been friendly like nothing had ever happened. Wally had been cautious, maybe a bit distant. He'd tried to be professional in class and during their run-in with the Reds, but she was treating him like…normal almost. He just had no idea what she wanted.

And then, today, his phone had buzzed.

"Hey, Wally, ready for another study session soon?" What does that mean? Like literally, he had no clue. So here he was, cleaning up the living room as she headed this way. But for what? Was this another hook-up, an actual study session? He got his books out just in case.

Soon there was a knock on his door. Deep breath. He sped to the door. There Artemis stood in jeans, a crop top, leather jacket and boots. She had her book bag slung over her shoulder.

"Hey," she gave a small wave.

"Hey," Wally responded, moving out of the way to let her in.

"Where's Dick?" Artemis sat on the couch.

"Out in Gotham, hanging with the Bats," Wally joined her.

Artemis began pulling out her books, "Okay, so I brought poetry and, your favorite and mine, chemistry." She made a face.

"Well, this is gonna be a long night," Wally observed.

"Fine, Wally." Artemis rolled her eyes, "Order food."

"Indian okay?" He asked as he grabbed his computer to put the order in.

Three hours later, the food was pretty much demolished. Artemis was done with her chemistry, and Wally had managed to scratch out some responses to the poetry questions. She was laying on the couch, her feet in his lap, boots and coat on the floor, reading from the book out loud.

"Okay, okay, my brain is gonna break." Wally squeezed her foot. "Can we please take a break?" Artemis had been more touchy-feely than she'd ever been, and Wally wasn't sure where that was going or what it meant, but he wasn't going to complain. He actually started to feel comfortable with her.

"Fine, fine." She started to sit up.

"Hey, that doesn't mean go," Wally protested.

"Oh yeah?" Artemis asked, "Any ideas of what we could do?" She said it with complete innocence, but she also stretched while asking, accentuating the curves of her breasts and pulling her shirt up a bit more. Ohhhh boy.

Wally gulped. Yes, she had been touchy and friendly. But neither of them had even approached the idea of a hook-up since the hot tub incident. Did he really want to be the one to bring it up? He chickened out. "Uh, well, we could watch some TV."

Artemis narrowed her eyes and stood. "I can watch TV from the comfort of my own home."

"Are you leaving?" Wally stood too, panicking. No, no, not yet.

She shrugged and walked slowly towards her boots. "If that's the best entertainment you can offer, I'll just go home," She paused and looked meaningfully over shoulder, "and entertain myself."

Without another thought, Wally sped in front of her and lowered his voice. "Oh, I don't think it'll come to that." He picked her and sat her on the arm of the couch. Holding her close, Wally kissed her. It was a kiss that started with something to prove, but quickly moved to something messy and full of need. She was letting him take control for once, holding onto his back, and it was powerful to know that he was the one setting the pace. Their tongues tangling, he moved her down to the couch and followed her, so they were lying facing one another on the couch. Their bodies lining up, she slipped her hands under his shirt. He could feel her cool hands on his chest and back, and eagerly reached up to touch her as well. Wally loved that little place where her shirt met her skin and the way she squirmed when he touched her there. Artemis pulled at his shirt, and he stripped for her. He tried to move back to her lips, but she stopped him.

"Appreciating the view?" He grinned.

"Shut up," She grumbled, but her eyes moved over him. Wally knew he had a decent body, but the way Artemis looked at him made him feel proud, to get a girl like that not just interested but excited. In retaliation, it seemed to Wally, she stripped her shirt off, and if she wanted to shut him up, that worked. She was wearing a lace white bra, and it contrasted with her tan skin. The swell of her breasts moved with her breathing, and he was speechless. Well, for a moment.

"Jesus, you're beautiful," he groaned, leaning forward. Again, she stopped him. "Babe, you're killing me."

Artemis shushed him and shifted to kiss along his neck. Slowly, she moved along to his chest, her hands rubbing along the side. When she got to his nipple, she nibbled a bit, only to follow it with a swipe of her tongue. Wally cursed under his breath and pulled her up to take her mouth again. He needed her so bad. Suddenly, he felt the buttons on his jeans pop. Artemis' cool hand slid down, under his jeans and boxers and Wally realized that he was pathetically hard just from making out and seeing her in a bra. She seemed to notice as well. Artemis chuckled, "A little eager, aren't we?"

"Take it as a compliment, beautiful." He shrugged.

"Oh, I do." She purred in a way that made his mouth water.

Wally shifted Artemis so she was lying on her back, and he pulled her jeans down. She wriggled out her jeans. She had a bruise on her hip, and he immediately leaned down to kiss it.

"Don't," she pushed him a little.

He looked at her quizzically. "What?"

"Don't…look at my bruises." She had her arms crossed and wasn't looking at him in the face.

"Arty."

"Don't."

"Artemis."

"What." She still wasn't looking at him.

"Artemis, please don't be self-conscious." He pulled at her arms.

"I'm not," she snapped. "But I know that I have a lot of scars."

"So?"

"So, it's not exactly sexy."

"Are you kidding me?" Wally sat up on his elbows. Artemis finally looked at him. "You are so fucking sexy." She frowned. "No, really. Not just as Artemis. You are hot as Tigress. And all of these scars," he traced a small one on her shoulder, "they're badass. You're badass. You're so fucking gorgeous." He kissed the scar on her shoulder. "Any person who couldn't see that is a loser and just scared."

Artemis didn't speak for a moment, and he was a little afraid that his mouth had finally gotten him in trouble. But she reached up and pulled him down in a kiss and where there was need before, there was also tenderness now.

A while later, Wally was completely blissed out as he wrapped Artemis in his arms, her wiping her hands on his crumpled and abandoned t-shirt. Suddenly, he realized she wasn't speaking. "Was…uh, was that okay?" He asked tentatively.

"What?" Artemis looked at him in surprise. Oh no oh no oh no.

"I've never done that before…" He paused.

"You've never done what before?" Artemis looked at him with confusion and surprise, lifting herself on her elbows.

He sighed. "...with y'know, the vibrating my fingers thing" he explained.

"Oh," She answered in relief, laying back down. Wally frowned.

"Well, did you, y'know," he looked down at her in frustration. "Uh…did you like it…or not?" he ended weakly.

Artemis laughed, which was not exactly the reaction he was hoping for. But then she gave him a long, firm kiss. "Yeah. Yeah, Wally, I liked it. A lot."

"Okay," He laughed too. He pulled the small blanket that was on top of the couch over them. "Yeah, I really liked it too."

They lay there together for a moment before she sighed. "I probably should get going though."

"Hit and run, huh?" Wally smirked. "I feel so used." She rolled her eyes and pushed him off the couch, ignoring his protests as he landed on the floor.

"You know, I'm sure we could both use a shower," He watched her from the floor as she gathered her clothes.

"Maybe next time," She promised, putting on her jeans. She slipped on her shirt and sat on the armchair next to the couch to pull on her boots.

Wally eyed the boots with interest, but stood up finally, pulling on his jeans. "So, there will be a next time?"

"Yeah," Artemis stood and gathered her books. "I think so. Why, not interested?" Her lips smiled but her brows furrowed a bit.

"Oh no, I am definitely interested." Wally confirmed, reaching over to pull her close. "I'm happy for next time to be right now."

"Already?" Artemis arched her brow.

"Well, maybe after a power snack," he admitted.

"Hmmm…well, maybe soon then," she slid out of his arms.

"So, this is gonna be a regular thing?" Wally inquired.

Artemis shrugged. "I mean, semi-regular. If you want. I thought that's the point of friends with benefits. We can hang out, we can make out. Whatever. Just casual."

Wally smiled half-heartedly. "Yeah, casual." Well, I guess that answers my question of what she wants. Wally should be on cloud nine, but instead he felt his heart sink.

"Besides, isn't that a guy's dream? All sex, no strings?" Artemis smirked, picking up her jacket.

Wally tried to smile. "You know it."

"Besides, I know you have your little crush on M'gann." She shrugged on her jacket and walked to the door. "Wouldn't want to get in the way of true love or whatever."

Why is everyone so obsessed with me and Megan? It was just a schoolboy crush. Not even, really. "I don't think that'll be a problem." Wally answered slowly.

Artemis glanced at him, and he could see for a moment her eyes flash, but the look was so quickly shuttered that he couldn't be sure what it was. "Good." She replied coolly. "Happy to have it all worked out."

What does that mean?

With that she walked to the door, pulling it open. "Later Wall-man," she called over her shoulder, closing the door behind her.