I've wanted to do this chapter since the beginning of this fic, so here it is, in honor of Hayley Kiyoko's new song! Enjoy!
In this chapter, italics mean that the speaker is speaking in French
Warning: CHAPTER IS GAY
"Do we really have to do this?" Artemis growled as she poked at her hair, a look of disgust on her face.
I pulled anxiously at the fabric around my torso, the satin squeezing uncomfortably.
"It's for a good cause, and it's not...that terrible..." I said, straining to by optimistic.
"Even I'm having doubts about this." Megan said, balancing from one foot to the other in her heels.
In case you're confused as to what's happening: I'll explain our unfortunate predicament.
The whole team was going undercover for the night...at a gala held by Bruce Wayne in honor of some French embassador and his daughter, who were both on the wrong side of both the League of Shadows and French extremists.
Unfortunately, this meant we had to fit in with the wealthy guests, hence why Megan, Artemis and I were in a backroom in Wayne Manor; distastefully looking down at the gowns that were provided for us.
Artemis was dressed in a long, form-fitting, black dress with green satin shoulder straps. She wore green shoes with a low heel, and her long blonde hair was in a side-braid.
Megan's daffodil dress was a little floof-ier, with a strapless bodice and a tutu-esk skirt. White pumps and here ginger hair in bouncy curls perfected the look.
My dress was a soft rouge-pink satin with an a-line skirt and a sweetheart neckline with lace covering up to my collar-bones. I also wore sparkly silver heels that were killing my feet, and my hair in a careful pin-up.
"I mean, how are we supposed to fight in these?" Artemis exclaimed.
"Hopefully the evening won't come to that." I said calmly, although I felt like screaming. "We're just here for security measures."
Artemis groaned loudly.
"At least we're not the only ones suffering." Megan said. "The guys have to wear suits."
"I really hope Superboy doesn't destroy something..." I hummed, going to fiddle my hair but was sorely reminded it was all pushed back.
"What about boy bounder?" Artemis asked. "First he misses the Kent Nelson-Doctor Fate mission, then he gets excused from this?"
"He's...probably just doing patrol?" I guessed. Robin wasn't one to slack off, which made his absence peculiar.
Artemis snorted. "Right."
***
The gala started off without a hitch, although we did have to force Superboy out of the dressing room.
The music was nice, the food was delicious, Bruce Wayne was as charasmatic as usual, and there were no security breeches.
Even if the small talk with the people (most of which centered around 'who are you?' and 'why are you here?') was dull and slightly annoying, all was well.
What surprised me was when the embassador's daughter came up to me. She couldn't have been older then Megan, had curly blonde hair, blue eyes, freckles, and a heart-shapped face. She was, without a doubt, very beautiful. But I was not one to judge a character by their looks.
"Hello." She said, catching me by surprise. Speaking in a foreign language at a public gathering where most of the guests probably didn't speak the language was considered rude. But nonetheless, I followed her lead.
"Hello miss, it is lovely to meet your acquaintance."I said, bowing my head slightly in respect. The girl smiled and bowed her head as well.
"Please, call me Jeanette."She said. "I have to say, it is nice to find another French-speaker here. All these anglophones...My brain hurts."
I laughed good-naturedly, understanding. It can be hard, even if you're fluent in the other language, to speak a language other then your own for long amounts of time. Non-stop translating can get tiring.
"I completely understand...Jeanette."I said, hesitating to use her name. "I'm happy I can be of some help."
"Why are you here, if you don't mind me asking? Most of the guests are American, not do I recognize you."
"I'm an acquaintance of Mr. Wayne's."
"Really? You don't strike me as the rich type."
Of course, I'm from a lower-class family...
"He works with my father."
"I see."
She looked around at a bit, and seemed pleased that there wasn't a crowd around us. Suddenly however, my comm buzzed to life.
"Zephyr: keep an eye on the embassador's daughter. If she stays with you, she'll be easier to keep track of." Aqualad's voice said.
Well okay then.
"Would you like to go somewhere else? Away from all these people?"Jeanette asked, touching my arm slightly. I felt my skin heat up at the contact before nodding, having none out of ideas as to how I should 'keep an eye on her', I nodded.
She grabbed my hand and started pulling me through the crowds of people.
"...and there goes Lina." I heard Wally's voice say.
She stopped when we reached a balcony. I stepped back onto the railing as she sighed and slowly followed my path.
"I hate these things." She muttered.
"You seem like the type of girl that would love it."I said, thankful that the team wouldn't hear us without me pressing the com.
"Being shown off like a prize to be won?" She scoffed. "No thank you."
"I would have thought it was made glamorous: being the daughter of a wealthy embassador." I said, and Jeanette laughed sadly.
"It's not. As the middle child I'm in this place where I probably won't inherit anything, but I still need to be successful; and as a girl, that usually means marrying the son of a wealthy family."
"It's the twenty-first century."I said, astounded. "Shouldn't you be able to marry for love?"
Once again, she snorted.
"My type of love, absolutely not." She hummed, and I raised an eyebrow.
"What does that-"I suddenly understood, and winced. "Oooh."
"I'm sorry."She suddenly said. "You probablydidnt-""No, it's okay!"
She turned to me with a look of hope and confusion.
"Do you mean you-"She was cut off by a gunshot sounding, and I grabbed her and curled us into the ground. The window behind us shattered and screaming was heard inside.
"We need to get you to safety NOW!"I hissed.
"Lina, is the daughter-""She's fine." I said into the comm, pressing it. "We're outside, but I was able to save her before the bullet hit."
"What! Who-""I'm sorry Jeanette."I cut her off, reaching into a hidden compartment of my dress and grabbing my mask, sliding it onto my face. "But we need to go!"
It was now my turn to grab her as I formed an air-tight shield around us and we ran into the room. When we entered, I saw Kaldur escorting the embassador to a safe room. I followed suit and moved her to the room.
"What about you?" Jeanette asked, hanging onto my arm. I smiled and placed a hand on hers.
"I'm a superhero." I said coolly. "This is what I do."
And with that, I pushed her into the safe room and slammed the door shut.
***
The attack was short lived as the team quickly rustled up the gunmen (French extremists against labour laws) and turned them over the authorities.
"Well...That was exciting." Megan said, playing with her hair.
"Indeed." Kaldur smiled.
We all turned as the doors to the safe room were opened and Jeanette came running out. The moment she saw me, she launched over to me and engulfed me into a tight embrace. Before I even knew what was happening, I felt her lips press against mine.
There was a moment of awkward silence as my eyes turned to the size of saucers and I felt my face heat up like it had been stuck in an oven.
After a long, pregnant moment: Jeanette released me. She looked up at me with a look of adrenaline and relief in her eyes.
"Thanks you! You saved both me and my father." She said, using English but her thick accent was still definitely there.
"I...Um...It was..." I stuttered, completely brain-dead.
"I think what she means to say is it was a group effort." Artemis said, coming over and patting my back. Not trusting my ability to speak, I nodded vigorously.
"Well thank you, all of you." The embassador said with a smile and a nod. "But it was a long night and I believe my daughter and I should be going. Come on Jeanette."
Before leaving; Jeanette turned to me again, blushing.
"I suppose this is it?"She asked.
I blushed profusely, choking on the rock in my throat before I reached over to a nearby table, grabbed a pen, and wrote my cellphone number on her arm.
"Call me: if you ever need to talk, or...Ya."I said, much more smoothly then I thought it would be.
Jeanette smiled so widely, I thought her face would tear in two.
"Thank you..."She went to leave, but then turned around. "I just realized I don't know your name."
I laughed good-naturedly before smiling at her.
"For now: call me Zephyr."
Jeanette smiled, nodded and ran out.
***
It was halfway through the fly to the cave, which had so far been in silence, before Wally finally spoke up.
"So are we just not gonna talk about the fact that Lina seems perfectly fine with being kissed by a girl?" He exclaims. "Because, I don't care if you swing that way Lin', but-"
"Wally! Shut up!" Artemis growled, throwing glares at him.
"I am...A little confused about the situation." Megan said, turning to me. "Do girls often kiss other girls?"
"If that's what they like...Ya..." I said, feeling uncomfortable at the sudden attention.
"Well is that what you like?" Megan asked and I blushed, cleared my throat and went on to choose my words carefully.
"I...Like to think I care for people for their personalities and how we interact with each other; rather then what gender they are." I said, playing with my hair anxiously. "And I don't like putting a label on myself: I'm just me."
"Damn." Superboy says, smirking. "I think that's the most you've talked in one go since Cadmus."
"And that's just the way we like you." Wally said, ruffling my hair which makes me giggle.
"Queer Lina confirmed." Artemis smirked, raising her hand to throw me a high-five, which I awkwardly return.
"We appreciate that you know that you are able to share this with us Lina." Kaldur says, smiling at me. I smile back.
Definitely not how I pictured this night going...
I look over my teammates-no, my friends and laugh along as Artemis punches Wally's in arm.
But really, I don't think I'd have it any other way.