Return Chapter 6
Twenty minutes later Artemis and Dick sat in a booth at Dick's favorite breakfast place in Bludhaven.
"I can see why you like Bludhaven so much?" Artemis said as they waited for their food.
"And why is that?" Dick asked.
"Because it's so much like Gotham it's scary, it makes you feel like you never left home" Artemis said knowingly.
Dick smiled "You know most people would find it creepy that you understand me so well".
Artemis laughed "Don't you mean jealous. I'm pretty sure there are hundreds of girls who would love to be in my position right now".
Dick smiled leaning forward "And what position is that 'Mis?"
"Waking up in bed with Dick Grayson ward of Bruce Wayne and having him take you to breakfast. I'm pretty sure you never do that with any of your one night stands" Artemis said grinning.
"You'll never be a one night stand, you're too important to me for that" Dick said quietly staring her straight in the eye.
Artemis' didn't know what to say so she looked down at her lap as Dick leaned back in the booth looking anywhere except at her. Thankfully the waitress saved them from any more awkwardness by bringing them their food.
"Here you go, by the way you two make an incredibly cute couple" the middle aged women said causing Artemis to blush and Dick to cough awkwardly.
"Oh umm thank you" Dick said quietly.
The waitress didn't notice their hesitation and moved back behind the counter.
"Well that was weird" Dick said as he dug into his food.
Artemis nodded her head but didn't say anything, biting into her food her eyes widened "Oh my god this is amazing" she said.
Dick smiled "I told you it was the best food around. And they serve breakfast all day, along with the other food. My favorite is their hamburgers there all amazing".
"I think I know where were coming for lunch" Artemis said smiling, the awkwardness completely forgotten.
Dick laughed "Whatever you want to do is fine with me".
"Well then I want to talk about you. Where have you been all this time?" Artemis asked.
"It's more like where I haven't I been" Dick said "I spent a lot of my time in Europe doing some business for Bruce, actually using all of the different languages I was forced to learn. My favorite place was Greece, the architecture and history was amazing I actually visited the temple of Artemis, it was really cool, you would have liked it".
"Let me guess you used all those wonderful languages to pick up women?" Artemis asked.
Dick grinned "For business as well, but mostly for picking up women".
Artemis shook her head "You're such a dog".
"Thank you, we should go to Greece it'd be fun to get away" Dick said randomly.
"You just got back and you're talking about running off again" Artemis said.
"Yes but I want to take you with me" Dick said grinning.
"Like I can afford to go to Greece right now, besides you need to see your family and the Team" Artemis said shaking her head.
"I want to see the Team and my family but I would much rather go to Greece with you" Dick said looking down at his plate.
"You're afraid to see them. You're afraid that they'll reject you" Artemis said knowingly.
Dick sighed "I didn't exactly leave on the best terms with Bruce or Zatanna and I'd rather not get a lecture from Barbara".
"Are you still in love with Zatanna?" Artemis asked.
"No and I don't think I ever was, but I wanted to be, she deserved me to be in love with her, she deserves a lot better than me. But she knew I was in love with someone else even when I didn't" Dick said leaning back in his seat and staring at the ceiling.
"Who?" Artemis asked quietly.
Dick laughed leaning forward on the table "It doesn't matter, I never stood a chance with her anyways. Can we talk about something else?"
"Sure, so do you want me to help you start training again or is the all mighty Nightwing gonna do it all by himself?" Artemis asked grinning.
"I would love your help, we should start today I'm getting really bored just sitting around" Dick said.
"Okay but I'm gonna have to go home and get some different clothes and feed my dog" Artemis said.
"You can bring Norman back to the apartment if you want I don't care" Dick said.
"Are you sure, because your apartment doesn't look dog proof?" Artemis asked skeptically.
"It's fine, I'll walk you to the zeta's so you can get your stuff but I can't go with you. I need to get the training room ready, it hasn't been used in a while" Dick said.
"Okay that's fine" Artemis said as she motioned for the waitress to come over with their check.
"I've got it" Dick said pulling out his wallet.
"Okay but I'm leaving the tip" Artemis said.
"Was everything okay?" The waitress asked setting the bill on the table.
"Yes everything was great thank you" Artemis said as Dick handed her the money. After Artemis left the tip the two left the restaurant heading towards the zeta tube so Artemis could go to her apartment and get some different clothes and Norman.
"Alright I'll see you in an hour or two" Artemis said as they stood in front of the zeta tube.
Dick nodded his head "Yeah I'll get you set up in the security system so you can just come in".
Artemis smirked "I was just trying to find you".
Dick laughed as he stepped towards her pulling her into a hug "I know you were" he whispered into her ear. Without thinking Dick kissed her cheek "I'll uhh see you in a little bit" he said with a slight blush on his cheeks. Shoving his hands in his pockets he turned around heading back to his apartment, leaving a slightly confused and blushing Artemis by herself.
Two hours later Dick was in the training room working on the un-even bars, he wasn't sure when the last time he had practiced his gymnastics was, but he diffidently missed it. Of course he couldn't do everything he used to because of his injuries but it still felt good just to touch the gymnastics equipment. He was so focused on what he was doing that he didn't notice Artemis walk into the training room.
Artemis stood leaning against the door way watching as Dick practiced. She had never really seen Dick practice his gymnastics he always did it in private so people didn't figure it out. But jeez even injured and the guy was amazing.
Dick didn't even notice her until he landed his routine and went to get his water.
"Hey" he said smiling at her "Were you watching me?"
Artemis smiled walking towards him "I've never actually seen you do your gymnastics, it was really good by the way".
"Thanks, it's been a really long time since I've been able to do that, I didn't realize I missed it so much until I actually started" Dick said sitting down on the bench.
Artemis sat down next to him "I couldn't even tell that you were injured".
Dick laughed "I used to be a lot better than that. And so were my parents, my parents were incredible at what they did".
"I'm sure they were" Artemis said setting her hand on top of his squeezing it.
Dick turned his hand so that their fingers were intertwined "I've always wished that I could have saved them. But then I think of the life I have now, and what it would be like without Bruce or Alfred, and what my life would have been like if I never met Wally, or Kaldur, anyone from the team. I think of how I'm saving people's lives so that no kid has to go through what I did. And I think of you" he said whispering the last part while staring into her eyes.
"What about me?" Artemis whispered back.
"I think of your childhood and how you're such an incredible person despite that. Even though you're a little hostile at times, you're a caring, loving incredible person" Dick said softly.
"I think you turned out pretty great as well boy wonder" Artemis said smiling back at him.
Dick laughed looking back at the training room "Should we get started?" he asked breaking the silence.
"Yeah we probably should" Artemis said letting go of her hand and standing up. But the weird thing was that when she let go of Dick's hand she realized how cold hers was. "Right so you want to start with some hand on hand or what?" she asked turning around to face him with her hands on his hips. But Dick wasn't there.
Yamm Artemis legs were kicked out from underneath her and her she hit the padded floor flat on her back. She looked to see Dick crouched down smirking at her.
"Consider that the starting payback for the flying kick to the jaw, the arrow in the shoulder and kicking me into a coffee table" Dick said.
Artemis narrowed her eyes "Oh it's on boy wonder". Artemis flung herself up landing on her feet she immediately jumped at Dick who rolled out of the way but received a fist to the face when he landed.
The two of them kept going for over an hour until both of them had a large amount of sweat building up and they were both breathing heavy. They didn't stop until Artemis gave up being tactful and just tackled Dick to the ground. Artemis landed on top of Dick's chest, her face very close to his.
Dick didn't say anything as he moved a piece of loose hair out of her face, and neither did Artemis when she moved his fringe out of his eyes. Neither said anything as their hands lingered on each other's faces.
"Artemis I uhh I really want to kiss you" Dick said his eyes never leaving hers.
"Than do it" Artemis whispered already moving her lips towards his.
Dick didn't even hesitate when he pressed his lips to hers cupping her cheek tenderly. Artemis responded easily running her hands through his thick black hair. Artemis wasn't sure how long they stayed like that but eventually Dick rolled them over so that he was now hovering over her, they didn't pull away until breath became absolutely necessary.
Dick's blue eyes were full of lust and want, and Artemis' greys' eyes were full of the exact same thing.
"Artemis?" Dick questioned without saying the actual words.
"I want this" Artemis said pressing her lips back onto his. Eventually Dick stood up pulling her with him. Setting his hands on her thighs Dick hoisted her up so that Artemis' legs were wrapped around his waist. Skillfully Dick left the training room, passing a sleeping Norman on the couch and went up the stairs to his bedroom, without breaking the kiss. When Dick gently laid her on the bed he pulled away.
"We can stop anytime you want, just say the word" Dick said sincerely.
Artemis sat up grabbing at his shirt and pulling it over his head "I want this, now stop talking and kiss me already" she said smiling at him.
Dick didn't have to be told twice when he pressed his lips to hers moving her further onto the bed.