Hawkgirl knocked on one of the quarters.
"Diana?"
The door flung open to reveal the Amazon holding a wash cloth, eyes and cheeks smeared with dark splotches. "How in Hades do you remove these things?"
Shayera gaped before breaking down in hysterics.
"Shy!"
"I'm sorry – it's just you look awful." She held her sides. "You never look awful. Even when we went to Tartarus or when you were beaten up by Braniac-slash-Luthor or when – "
Diana glared. "I get it."
"Sorry, ok wait, be right back."
A few minutes later and after a round of make up remover and cleanser, Diana's face was scrubbed clean.
"So you gonna tell me what that was about?"
"The make up?"
Shayera rolled her eyes. "No, the giant spider in your room. Yes, the make up!"
Diana sighed. "Audrey heard about tonight's gala and insisted I borrow her stylist and make up person."
"Why?"
"I don't know, it's Audrey."
"And you agreed? I thought you hate that stuff."
She shrugged. "She was persistent and I suppose years of magazines in Man's World finally got me curious enough."
Shayera's mouth drew into a slow grin. "You are the worst liar Diana."
"I'm not lying!"
"I think it has got to do with a certain bat billionaire."
Diana gave an aghast look. "I don't dress up for men Shy. What self respecting Amazon would do that?"
The redhead grinned wider.
Her glare slowly fell away. "Fine, he was an added incentive."
"Uh huh, so did it float his boat?"
She frowned. "There was no boat – "
"I mean did he like it?"
Diana's face darkened. "He made a fool of me."
Shayera winced. "I highly doubt that Di. It's probably just his Bruce Wayne act."
"Even so, it was unnecessarily excessive. He was practically drooling." Diana recalled the dumb, starry look in his eyes and the vile smirk on his face. "Ugh, that disgusting man pig!"
Shayera tapped her chin. "Have you considered he only did that to drive you away?"
"Maybe but... Ugh!" She buried her face in a pillow.
Shayera gave consoling pats. "It's ok Di. It happens to the best of us."
"Why do I bother?" came a muffled reply. "I'm supposed to uphold the ideals of female empowerment and here I am wanting this man who doesn't want me."
"Oh, hewants you. He's just afraid of wanting you."
"That's even worse. It gives me hope which makes me try, and then nothing happens and I end up with a bruised ego and an identity crisis."
"Feminism and love are not at odds with each other. And desiring someone doesn't make you weak."
Diana resurfaced from her bed. "Thank you for the kind words, sister."
"You're welcome."
"So what should I do?"
"I'm the worst person to ask but in Thanagar I'd lasso him up til he confesses."
Diana quirked an eyebrow. "Then how come John is a free man?"
"I've come to respect Earth and its human relationship protocols even though it can be silly and impractical."
"Which is?"
"You wait and see."
"That is a silly and unproductive."
"Isn't it?"
The two women sat in shared commiseration until Shayera spoke.
"We want what we want, but there's a limit to the hits we take as well. I've decided to stand my ground. If John wants me enough, he'll have to prove it."
"And if he doesn't?
The Thanagarian warrior gave a small resolute smile. "It's his loss."
Diana squeezed her hand. "You have my heart, sister."
