Thank you so much for keeping with this! I know you all are getting frustrated with the large amounts of sexual tension! But that's largely why I wanted to write this! It's going to be a while until they get together, but they'll still be flirting and bantering all the way there! If you haven't noticed yet, I really enjoy writing in the small things that hint at their growing relationship, small touches, niceties, and times when its hinted at just how much they've gotten to know each other. And I also wanted to write this as them slowly falling in love.
In each hunt, they learn a little more about each other. They also grow and become better people, which is what a beautiful relationship is about. Two people who are better individuals together than they are apart.
Fifteen minutes later the blonde was back in front of their motel and Wally eagerly threw their gear in the back seat before hopping in.
"You know, I worry that you're going to ditch me one of these times," He spoke up, relaxing into the seat and expecting a long ride.
Artemis smirked, "Think it through Wally, would I really leave my stuff behind?"
"Good point," He agreed, pulling a hoarded bag of chips out of his pocket.
"You shouldn't be eating," She chided, a secret smile hinting at her lips.
Wally stopped chewing abruptly, his head whipping to stare at her as she drove, "Did you do something to my chips?" He whimpered.
"No," Artemis laughed, pulling something out of a cup holder and tossing it at the redhead, "But you're gonna have to wait half an hour to get into the water now,"
Wally held the new motel key in the palm of his hand and stared at it as though he had discovered the holy grail. His eyes widened when he realized that his partner was serious and he clutched the keychain in his grip, "Seriously!?" A huge grin taking over his face.
"Seriously," She smirked, slowing the car before turning into the Cozy Corner Motel parking lot.
"Sweet!" He cheered, accidentally hitting his fists on the roof of the car, "Jacuzzi time!"
Artemis had barely parked the car before Wally had grabbed his bag from the back seat and rushed to their room, the redhead having collected the room number from the key he still held. She snickered at his childishness and collected her things in a more careful manner, making sure to lock the car before heading into their room.
"Oh dear," The blonde muttered, tossing her bag onto the bed as she took in the room, the door shutting loudly behind her and closing off the dimming evening sunlight. The walls were dark beige and there was only onebed, "We're not staying the night," She announced, her lips straightening into a grim line as she eyed the sultry red comforter and pillows.
Of course the Jacuzzi room was also the honeymoon suite.
Artemis listened with half an ear as Wally rustled around changing in the bathroom, entertaining herself by inspecting the Jacuzzi filling up in the back of the room. It was a bright red color and a decent size.
But the shape.
The blonde cursed, rolling her shoulders back and wondering if she could still grab her redhead and ditch the hotel before he convinced her to join him.
It was shaped like a giant heart. Which, although sickeningly romantic, was not the problem that Artemis saw. The Jacuzzi was obviously made to suit two people, as there were two seats in it. One in each curve of the heart. But that also meant that they would have to share the area of the Jacuzzi where they're legs stretched out.
Artemis wrinkled her nose. She didn't want to share her Jacuzzi space with Wally. He had cooties.
"Heeey," Wally grinned as he sauntered out of the bathroom, sporting a pair of bright red and yellow swim trunks.
Artemis turned her head briefly to raise an eyebrow at the redhead but found her cheeks reddening at the sight of his bare chest. He was infuriatingly fit and all of his freaking muscles were defined due to his morning work-out regime and his trunks were low enough to catch a view of that 'V' in his hips and good god that boy had freckles everywhere and she hated the fact that she found them attractive and-
The blonde turned abruptly, grabbing her bag, and took two exaggerated strides into the bathroom, locking the door securely behind her. Artemis rubbed her hands over her cheeks viciously, trying to get her blush to go away because she did not blush. Especially from the sight of her partner. Even if he did have quite a bit of lean muscle and too many freckles for his own good.
"Jacuzzi's almost ready Arty!" Wally's cheery voice came through the door, thankfully saying nothing about her face, had he noticed. She wasn't sure if he had.
Artemis chose not to respond as she was changing into her swimsuit. She still didn't know how he had gotten her size, but he'd done well. Her bikini was simple, a deep green with a tied halter top. She refused to tell him that she actually was rather fond of how it looked. The blonde stuffed her clothes back into her bag after she'd finished changing and piled her long hair into a messy bun on the top of her head, completing her process before stepping hesitantly out of the bathroom.
She tossed her unneeded bag back onto that ridiculous bed and pursed her lips as she watched Wally staring at the water with eagerness.
"It's not-uh," Wally had looked up to speak but his words got caught in his throat as he took in the attire of his companion, "Uh-The water," He finished lamely, one hand reaching up to scratch at the back of his head.
"That's not a complete sentence," Artemis smirked, walking across the worn down carpet to stand beside the redhead, crossing her arms across her stomach. His eyes darted over to her for a moment and she resisted a smile when his ears slowly matched the color of his hair.
Wally shrugged and leaned over the Jacuzzi to turn the water off, flipping the air jets on immediately after. A grin lit up his face as the tub abruptly turned into a foaming rush of hot water. Artemis sighed and knitted her brows together, "Do I have to?"
The redhead stopped with one leg over the edge, looking back at the blonde with a frown, "C'mon Art, you need to relax," His chipper voice had melted into a more serious tone that Artemis could tell was hinting on the edge of concern. She wasn't quite sure what to do with that information though, so she stood a bit more rigidly.
Wally's smile came back and he reached his arm out for her, wrapping it around her shoulders and pressing his fingers into the muscles of her back, acutely aware of how small she seemed when it was just the two of them. With her bulky jacket full of weapons tucked into her satchel and her tough exterior shed to reveal her internal emotions, "You never relax," He tried again, pulling her gently towards the water.
Artemis sucked in a breath and made a face of uncertainty, "It's for good reason," She defended, her steel eyes watching the turmoil of the water as though it held one of the creatures they fought.
"Oh C'mere," Wally chuckled under his breath, inciting a shriek of surprise from the blonde when he suddenly picked her up, pulling her knees up and supporting her back. Artemis's face morphed into one of complete terror and the redhead laughed.
"Wally! Put me down!" She growled, her momentary shock morphing into her usual violent tendencies. However, Wally was quite used to this.
"We're relaxing!" He declared, stepping into the tub and setting Artemis down into one of the seats before settling into his own. Artemis sat unmoving for a moment, her pride not allowing her forgive him. Wally gave a deep sigh and stretched his legs out into the shared space while Artemis tucked hers in, "Are you relaxing yet?" He asked with his eyes closed.
"No," She snorted, giving the redhead a glare.
Wally rolled his head to the side on his shoulder to stare at her, "Do I need to make you relax?" He raised an eyebrow.
Artemis matched his stare with quiet intensity, the only noise in the room coming from the bubbling water around them.
The staring contest continued for a while, Artemis's eyebrows drawing farther down while Wally began making exaggerated seductive expressions to throw off her glare.
It finally concluded when Wally batted his eyelashes and successfully looked like he had begun having a seizure. Artemis let out a loud laugh and threw her head back, Wally's laughter quickly joining hers as he splashed her good naturedly. Artemis sputtered indignantly and lowered herself into the Jacuzzi until only her head was above water, "Really Wally, don't be so rude, I'm relaxing," She announced with a smirk.
"Then my work here is done," He smiled, leaning back on his elbows and closing his eyes to focus on the air jets working the muscles of his lower back.
The two sat in comfortable silence for what Artemis felt like was half an hour, but was most likely only ten minutes. Wally occasionally letting out a satisfied groan as he stretched out another one of his long limbs towards a jet. Artemis eventually untucked her feet and maneuvered them into the open water, keeping her head down as she attempted to find a spot for her legs to rest where Wally's weren't. Her careful searching was in vain and Wally ended up trapping her ankles between his calves to keep her feet still, letting out a small laugh as he did.
"Hey Wally," Artemis spoke up quietly, breaking the silence that had encompassed the room.
"Hm?" He responded lazily, tilting his head to open his green eyes and see what the blonde wanted.
"It's been over three months since we left Central...Are you happy?" She asked, watching his features carefully.
Wally frowned, "'Course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"
"I dunno," Artemis shrugged, "Some hunters hate what they do, but you still have another life," She explained, "I just don't want you to forget, in case you change your mind,"
"Are you trying to get rid of me?" He teased, although Artemis could hear the bit of uncertainty that laced his voice, the worry.
"No," She responded quickly, "No I'm not," She said clearly, to make sure Wally understood she was telling the truth.
He nodded lightly, "I do enjoy this, the gig." Wally smiled before growing serious once more, "Are you happy?" He asked.
Artemis blinked a few times in surprised before drawing in a slow breath, thinking, "I did, when I first started. When I was with Ollie. But-" She paused, collecting her thoughts, "But working alone, it's kind of..."
"Lonely?" Wally supplied.
The blonde nodded, "Yeah, and it's kind of depressing. But this job is all I know," Her shoulders wilted, allowing Wally a rare glimpse to the insecurity that she held within.
"How about now?" Wally grinned, already knowing the answer, "Not so tough anymore?"
"No," Artemis laughed a bit, "And I'm definitely not lonely anymore. This, what we have, it works," She clarified.
"Yeah, I think it does too," Wally smiled, "And," His tone changed, "If you do decide that you don't want to do this anymore. You could always live in Central with my family and I; get you a start in the normal world," He offered.
Artemis was silent for a bit, taking in his words, "Really?"
"Really," He affirmed, "We can't do this forever, can we?" He asked.
"Well," Artemis bit her lip, "Most hunters just do it until they die,"
Wally leaned his head back, "That's pretty often, isn't it?"
The blonde just nodded without a word.
"Well that too bad for them, but we've got each other's backs," Wally spoke up optimistically, making Artemis smirk.
"You sure you're still up for all this?" She checked.
Wally laughed, "Yeah. You're stuck with me Arty," He grinned, stretching back and jostling their intertwined feet.
"Okay," Artemis smiled, "Okay,"
Was that enough fluff to tide you all over for a little while? See? No kisses, but they're getting closer!
Please review to let me know what you think!
I plan to have the next hunt finished by the weekend so I can start posting, if I'm late I'll post the first chapter the moment after I'm done, no matter the time!
Love, Veg