Disclaimer:
Me: Hey, Starfire… You think you could muscle Glen Murakami into giving me the rights to Teen Titans?
Star: Do not mess… with the Jeff!
Me: Oh, sorry, wrong Starfire… I'll be going now
Star: There is only one Starfire… And that Starfire… is the Jeff!
Me: Yeah, yeah, but just in case… I'm just going to go find the other Starfire and ask her…
Star: Are you saying that… you dare to mess… with the Jeff?
Me: No, no, why would I mess with you? I'm just trying to get the rights to Teen Titans, just like everyone else… I'll see myself out, kay?
Star: No one messes… With the JEFF!
*Tamaranean war-cries*
Me: Does… anyone… want to call… 911…? Thanks…
Me: *wakes up in hospital* Sorry guys, looks like I still don't own Teen Titans… Oh well… All rights go to the Warner Brothers, Cartoon Network, Glen Murakami, anyone I've left out…
Chapter Two: Tryst
Kid Flash
I ran, ran anywhere, anywhere that wasn't where she was. Those who said I couldn't just run away from my problems were completely and utterly wrong. As long as I can run, I can run away, right?
How in the Sam Hill could I have been that stupid? Like I realize it's possible to be a little stupid from time to time… Sometimes, you're allowed to go to the point of deathly stupid, but this… No, this was on a whole freaking scale. If we were going from 1 being calling Beast-Boy-calling-Raven-sexy-stupid to 10 as Beast-Boy-kissing-Raven-on-the-lips-after-bringing-her-out-of-her-room-while-she-was-reading…. In-front-of-the-four-other Titans-stupid… Heavens to Betsy, this incident merits at least a 13. Sidenote, messing with a half-demon powerhouse concerning whether her crush likes her or not even though it's painfully obvious to any partially-sentient organism was not one of my better ideas… I still have the scars from that one…
Of course, neither was this idea… Yeah, Wally, just wake up early, make her breakfast, tell her you like her, unconvincingly at first… Then say it again… Then test out your motivational speaking skills and hero it up a bit. Afterwards, as if you haven't forced a freshly-sharpened longsword through your lungs enough, boldly ask her if she likes you. Brilliant, absolutely bloody brilliant genius, Stephen Hawking would be so proud.
Even if all of that happened… If I just hadn't asked her if she returned my feelings… I'd have room to work with, if nothing else. Even giving her time to cool off after breaking into her room… Which is apparently a criminal offense, not that I would need to know… Usually, I operate on the other side of the law, so I wouldn't know. Even convincing her that she liked me afterwards wouldn't have been more than nearly impossible, but no, Wally, you just had to drive the final nail into the coffin. Stupid, stupid, stupid idiot. Wait 'till the Titans inevitably catch wind about this latest endeavor… I will never hear the end of it, will I?...
Why doesn't someone actually kill me now? It's not like I have much left to live for anymore, right? My world has been viciously shattered into an innumerable number of pieces, rendered beyond repairs, and will most likely be only somewhat back to normal after decades of therapy. My love life, once as grandiose as Roman Empire, has, much like every other great government presiding over an insuppressibly large realm, has been diminished to nothing more than ashes and/or dust, depending on the semantics of the sitch. The once-infallible Kid Flash, is nothing more than any other hopeless Joe on the streets, doomed to eternal unrest and damnation by the girl he loves.
Okay, maybe I'm being a little dramatic… I did win Best Actor at my middle school 3 years running… After all, there's got to be some hope, right? Maybe when she said she never wants to see me again, she meant that she was going blind, and that was just her way of telling me?
Another prodigal idea brought to you by Wallace West Enterprises… Where other companies promise supreme idiocy, we deliver on it…I just hope that when I have to run my family's company, it'll go better than the current status of my love life
God, Jinx must think I'm a total loser now… Nah, she probably thought that of me beforehand… After this fiasco, I think she's pushed me one level beneath that. I mean, what kind of brainless numbskull admits his undying love to a girl that almost turned him over to a malevolent psychopath and would gladly do so again if given the chance? Love isn't just blind; I guess it also manages to cut off blood circulation to the nervous system…
I'm a hopeless idiot, aren't I? … A hopeless idiot that she never wants to see again. Normally, I wouldn't be fazed by that. I've known my fair share of girls that say words they don't mean. As a superhero, I'm pretty qualified to judge the truth with a glance. But by the look in her eyes, she wasn't joking around with me. Christ, I'd rather be in Rouge's hands than never be around her again… Being in the same city as you but having to avoid you at all costs? Jinx, you are quite the sadist. You almost make the villain life seem bearable. Maybe I'd even be fine with that… If I couldn't convert you… Even if you were bad and I was good, I'd live, wouldn't I? But now… Now I have no chance with you… I should've relied on skill, not sheer luck. Or maybe I should've had skill to begin with… Maybe I should've been 220-pounds of motorcycle-riding, gun-toting, tattooed masculinity instead? Sadly, my Schwinn Hybrid Vantage F2 isn't exactly a Harley…
God, she was right about me being such a senseless, dim-witted fool… If I had Robin's cool, Beast Boy's wits, or even Cyborg's hard-core technopath mentality… I might've survived that one. I might've been able to build myself a Harley. Or mesmerize her away from the fact that superheros are kinda broke.
We don't even get paid for running around the city all day saving lives! It's so unfair…I mean, yeah, the reward of a thing well done is to have done it, but then again, was Ralph Waldo Emerson ever desperately trying to impress a girl? If my parents weren't around… I'd be in one heck of a jam when I'll actually be fending for myself. I do have parents though, so for now, I'm still doing better than a young Batman…
I bet our dear team leader could've taken a moment to explain a few things… Seriously, Robin, you spent an entire week on teaching us how to break out of a cage but not one second on building motorcycles? Or figuring out if a girl likes you? How to charm your way into a girl's heart 101? This is practical knowledge, buddy. Stuff that would've actually taught me something. Sure, if Jinx put me in a cage, I could get out… But after the last time, she'd probably use a level 4 containment field… Which is inescapable for us minor-league superheros-in-training…
But noooo, we had to learn the "essentials", like washing dishes by hand or cleaning an entire bathroom from top to bottom. You didn't even show us how to clear browser history properly. Of all the things, Robin, that may have been useful, considering the Titans are sometimes nothing more than… ridiculously hormonal teenagers with the best wifi in a 300-mile radius… Only you would be neglecting the useful stuff in a way that no one else would be forgiven for… That's our Robin, all right...
It's impossibly difficult though… But I'll try… It's just not like I can't not talk to her ever… Even bypassing the whole liking-her-more-than-I-value-my-life thing, I'm a superhero, she's a supervillain. I patrol the freaking city she lives in! It's not like I'm never going to run into her committing a crime. And then what in tarnation am I supposed to do? Cover my face? Screw it all!
My strength finally runs out, pardon the pun. I knelt down in the…
Where in God's name am I? This… looks a desert… Great, Kid Flash, that narrows it down… Like there's only one desert on Earth. God, I wish there was only one desert on Earth… Sadly, there are too many deserts to possibly know them all by name… But there is only one Jinx in the world… And I managed to screw that one up, big time…
God , why am I such a hopeless idiot? You let me get all the others, why not her? Did you have to pick the one that I couldn't live without? Are you really that sadistic?
Please be answering no to that last question…
I pulled up the GPS function on my watch, surprised to find out it works it the middle of nowhere.
Even if my wits, charm, and dashing good looks have failed me… At least technology still has my back?
I brushed away a tear, and for the official record, running at lightspeed dried out my eyes, and was most likely the reason tears were falling so fast, you know, to replenish the moisture lost…
God, I'm pathetic… Sure, deny it all you want, Wally… But this girl meant something to you…The rest didn't matter like you did, Jinx… The rest meant nothing compared to you… Artemis, Miss Martian, I can't even remember any more of them… Every second spent with you makes me forget hours spent with any of them…
No, Jinx wasn't at all like the rest… Jinx was the first girl who ever made me smile that much… Jinx was the first one to ever kill me if I went too far… The only one who could resist my charisma… And the first one I ever cried for. I'd rather die instantly having known her than live a hundred years without.
But by Jove… This is something even the fastest boy alive can't work around… This calls for a… higher power… Something…demonic in nature… Or at least, I'm going to need some backup. After all, what are teammates for if not to annoy them with your girl problems? As long as none of them guess the girl in question correctly, that'd be my best bet…
So guess who's taking a trip to Titans Tower? Guess who's also unwelcome in Titans Tower after a certain incident with sporks? Guess who is going to Titans Tower regardless? Guess who is essentially going from one death to his next?
In case your guessing skill is worse than my flirting (as evident by Exhibit A: Death by sorceress), the answer to all of the above… is yours truly.
Jinx
And if I might like him… Then telling him that… may have been a slight mistake on my part…
But that's just my luck, isn't it?
Well, I might as well take a goddamn shower before I attempt to figure out my goddamn problems. I'd like to see what Jinx Alter has to say about this…
Eventually, I'll name my conscience something… But what would do? Might as well turn some music on too, can't hurt the mood… I doubt today could get more interesting, but I'd rather not say that aloud.
You see, throughout my few years of life, I've learned that humanity can sometimes defy fate… But that we still shouldn't tempt them cuz I'd rather live 'till tomorrow… And that when you've dug yourself a deep enough hole… Quit while you're behind…
If I'm ever important enough that anyone decides to turn my early life into a reality show… These are the important life lessons they should focus on. I'll have to make a note to the directors of that to disregard this entire day… Possibly the week, maybe the year in its entirety, not quite sure when I'm going to be done figuring my life out.
"Let's just use some of the wifi we don't pay for and… Wait, I had Gizmo download music onto my phone last week cuz the wifi was getting annoying. How does this goddamn thing work? Can't I just click on the song and… PIN number? When did I set a PIN for this thing? Ugh… Let's hope it's 1…2…3…4… Thank you, self, for being way too lazy to choose something harder"
I wasn't going to waste mental energy picking a song, so I just clicked the first one on the playlist and hopped in the shower. Thankfully, the boys weren't up, so the hot water was all mine. Jinx: 1, H.I.V.E: 0… Well, the rest of the H.I.V.E…
(Losing him was blue like I'd never known…)
(Missing him was dark grey all alone)
(Forgetting him was like tryna' know somebody you never met…)
(Cuz loving him was RED!)
(Burning red…)
Taylor Swift was right… Pro tip: If you're trying to get boys out of your head… Don't pick a goddamn country singer who essentially refers to boys in all her songs…
But for what it was worth… T-swizzle ain't wrong. I did just lose him, voluntarily, and now I kinda feel blue enough to invent a time machine, going back to the days of black-and-white TV, changing my name to Louis Armstrong, and picking up a trumpet. Somehow, that seems easier than tracking down Kid Flash and changing my mind on that pertinent question he just had to ask me. I… don't want to go back to him and say I was lying or that I changed my mind…
I don't look back… I don't, no matter who it is, I've never been the one to cry or run or…
It's a bit empty without him… I almost wish he was around or something… It's like something just isn't right… Something's off about the world… My world…
Dark grey is actually pretty decent way to describe what I'm feeling right now, though… It's like someone was really bad with the paints in their elementary art class and decided to put the black in the only white, and just screwed up terribly. That child may have been dropped on the head at some point…
Yes, white paint thingies from Crayola do exist, they're just about as rare as… Oh, a decent guy with hair that appears to be continuously on fire and piercing icy-blue eyes…
Stop it! This is supposed to be a sacred place. The showers are reserved for casual deep thought. Not Kid Flash thoughts… Or Kid Flash… Nope, definitely not entertaining that thought…
Do I want that to happen between us? Do I not want that to happen between us? God, I bet calculus is easier than this… I'd like to meet someone who can figure emotions quicker than derivatives with power rule.
And the roses… The most goddamnned thing of them all… I may have not the slightest inkling about what red feels like, but… If red means that sometimes someone can make your spine tingle and induce this physically impossible feeling inside your stomach… all just when their hand touches yours for the briefest of instants…Then they were indubitably red.
As the song drew to a close, I rushed out of the shower. There are days when you can waste the entire 24 hours… And then there are those weird times when you don't have a spare second for anyone… I fished through my wardrobe for something Kid Flash would kill to see me in… I was saving it for something special, but I figure… This is special enough?
With my luck, it won't matter what I pick, will it?
I closed my eyes, picked out a flowing dark violet dress that cut just low enough to accentuate the minimal cleavage of a developing teenage girl and stared into the soul-searching depths of my mirror.
Could I even resist myself?
… I could bother checking the weather to see if I have to bring a jacket, but meteorologists lie more often than I do, so…
Plus, I bet Kid Flash wouldn't mind giving me his if it came to it… There might be a bright side to this love thing after all?
I wonder what the H.I.V.E. would think if I came back wearing a sweatshirt that had Kid Flash plastered all over it?...
That is… If I like him… That question still remains unanswered… I… don't… know…
The one thing I want to know… and I don't… It's funny how life works out that way, isn't it? I can recall what Mammoth's favorite TV show used to be when he was 4… I even remember what kind of crayons Gizmo liked to eat when he was 6… The blue kind, apparently the yellow ones were too soft and the taste of the purple ones were too unsavory.
But do I know if I like Kid Flash or not? No. No I don't!
Damnit, with the brain space taken up by the H.I.V.E's useless details, I might've been able to formulate the perfect plan to find out. But instead, I can tell the nearest passerby that Billy Numerous has seen all 182 episodes of Winx Club and that his favorite character happens to be Flora, the Fairy of Nature.
Well, I might as well start with Gizmo's place.
As I walked in, I noticed his mechanical legs were repaired… Funny why he keeps doing that… They break every other day when the Titans are involved… Kid Flash even made special note to never leave those legs unharmed during battle.
"So, Gizmo… I see you've managed to repair your most brilliant creation… Anyways, I've come up with a truly infallible scheme, and I kinda need a favor, you in?"
Oh, like you have a choice in the matter…
"I'd like to help… But… We're all kinda pressed for time as it is, Jinx"
Doing what? Watching TV.. No that isn't TV… I don't know what that is… Do I want to know?
"Just… hack into the city's telephone directory or something and get me the phone numbers of the Teen Titans… I'll even make sure not to accidentally destroy your mechanical legs on my way out"
Goddamnit, Gizmo, I'm a busy girl, I have places to be, things to do. I don't have time to waste debating! Especially not goddamn now!
"Numbers? Why would you need numbers? Are we going to prank-call them into submission? I wouldn't have come up with anything better myself, Jinx… But after this, I really should get back to my work" he said, sighing, closing a few windows of what seemed to be an anime… High School DXD?
Is that… What is that girl… Yup, I definitely did not want to know but now I do… I have seen that which cannot be unseen. I think those tentacles are going to be what's keeping me up at night from now on… Kid Flash wouldn't be pleased to note that his reign of sleep deprivation has come to an end…
After a bout of frenzied typing, Gizmo printed out a neatly organized table for me, and then proceeded to pull up… some of his animated fantasies for his viewing pleasure. For the record, I think I may have rushed out of that room faster than Kid Flash could've, but don't tell him I said that… He's way too arrogant to let his title be challenged.
I took a deep breath. This required courage, guts, skill… Three things which left me almost immediately.
Well, I guess calling him directly and asking for a rendez-vous would be out of the question since I really don't want to… And the Titans are particularly keen on trusting me… So, well… There's about one person who wouldn't want to kill me on sight… Although the hugs I get when I'm out for a casual stroll make me think that she does… Let's hope she picks up… I mean, I wouldn't pick up, so I don't know how this is going to work out… I doubt she's even awake this early on a Saturday morning if there's no crime to stop…
"Good morning friend… This is Starfire, of the planet Tamaran, and I am pleased to make your acquaintance. May I please know who is speaking?"
Good signs, good signs… Not sensing any hostility thus far… She probably isn't tracking my location but just in case, I'll move around my room?
"Oh, you're awake… Didn't expect that one… Um, so this is Jinx… Remember me? Well, that's kind of a stupid question… I mean, of course you remember me, I may have tried to destroy you and your friends countless times, like last Tuesday… Hell, our teams are like mortal enemies or something. Rumor even has it that on Friday nights, you guys play darts with pictures of us… You know what, maybe it's best if you… Don't remember me? Just… Forget the entirety of what I said… It didn't happen… Please?"
Ow! Goddamnit, why did I leave so many things on the floor? Including this lego… Hell, what are these things made of, industrial-strength steel? Christ's sakes, just cover an entire town with these hellish creatures and the inhabitants would indubitably surrender within seconds?
"I see… You are most definitively not the Jinx of the H.I.V.E. Five, then? But that… I suppose… unknown stranger, I extend the hand of the friendship to you and welcome you with a traditional Tamaranean folk song"
After 5 minutes of hearing Starfire belt out incomprehensible words, silence ensued, neither of us knowing exactly what to say now that we didn't consider the other as the bane of our very existence.
If I ever switch sides… I'll first demand earplugs so that I never have to hear that again… No offence, Starfire… Your singing is fantastic… Your lyrics are not…
"Um, so I guess you might be wondering, uh, why I called you up so early on a Saturday morning… Well, so the thing is, uh, Kid Flash and I… had a… falling out, if you will… And I'm not really sure he'd want to talk to me… Well, I kinda may have said I never wanted to speak to him again… ever…. So, um, yeah…"
Has anyone ever sounded even half that stupid on a phone conversation? Just imagine what I'd be saying if this was discourse with Kid Flash… It'll be a cold day in hell before I'm going to… Actually, it kinda is a cold day in hell already so… Not too sure how that'll play out.
"I understand, friend Jinx. You have come to me for the moral support and the advice after your "breakup" with the friend Kid Flash. Although I am relatively inexperienced with such things on Earth, I was witness to many of the Tamaranean courtship customs, and I am sure my extensive knowledge of the magazines for the teenage girls will prove most useful!"
I swear, if smiles were audible, I would've heard one through my phone as she said those words.
Have I ever been half that happy? Is that what I feel like when Kid Flash's around? Happy? It's this weird thing I've never had before… Like everything wants to come spilling out of me, like my entire body just wants to dissolve into his… Half the time, it's because I want to tear him apart limb from limb, but… The other half of the time… I don't know…
"Breakup? What breakup?"
So he just assumes we're together? Where in hell did he draw that goddamn conclusion from? One thing's for sure here, Kid Flash ain't no artist, eh? We haven't even gone on one date, how are we together?
"Well, I assumed that since friend Kid Flash has lying here for a few hours-"
"Kid Flash said we broke up? We can't break up? We were never together in the first-"
"Friend Kid Flash has not spoken a single word since he entered Titans Tower. He is… not, however, silent as the mouse, as you would say. No, I assumed, friend Jinx, due to his incoherent babbling that the two of you had… some misunderstandings…"
Incoherent babbling, eh?… Blackmail material galore… After this is all said and done, I'll have to ask him about it… It'll just be a little payback for the past crimes he's committed against me, to even up the score.
"Wait, so you knew about Kid Flash and… me… the roses, the random appearances, the works?"
If the Titans knew… What are they planning?... A full-scale invasion? Surprise Kid-Flash-in-my-bedroom again?
"Ah, friend Jinx… You underestimate a Tamaranean's emotional intellect… In fact, I was the person who figured out that he liked you… Only slightly after he knew for himself… I know the all, I see the all… And for a price, I may even tell the all. You have a lot to learn, little bumgorf…"
Bumgorf? I am not a bumgorf… What's a bumgorf? Well, the way she said it made it seem endearing, so… I'll assume it's a good thing?
"So… You aren't against the idea of a hero… and a villain… um… being… together? Of me… and him?"
Is that even possible? Is that a good thing? Do they have rules against that in their handbook? I thought they'd do something about it in the rules… After all, we don't want a hero like, oh, say, Kid Flash to end up switching to our side?
"The rules that friend Robin has instituted require me to say that I am quite against it, friend Jinx"
Oh, that's nice… So pursuing anything is utterly criminal for both of us… I'll keep that one in mind.
"So, um, I need… a favor… Not anything criminal or anything, just… Could you get Kid Flash to go sit on a bench in Jump City Central Park in around an hour or so?"
Not like a date or anything, right? That's not a date? No, this is nothing like a date at all… Just two people who may or may not like each other… hanging out at the park where we'll just talk… casually… about our feelings…
Goddamnit, now I sound like I'm going to a therapy session… Although I don't quite know which of us needs therapy more… Probably him, to get over that sandwich obsession…
"Friend Jinx, I require your word that you have no ulterior motive about such a meeting… Well, you must have not the dark ulterior motive… I suspect you do have some hidden intent regarding meeting Kid Flash in such an open space… Do you not?
Am I a ghost or something? Is what I want really that transparent? That a random stranger can see right through me so easily? Or maybe Starfire has entered a first-year psychology class? Those kids come up with some bizarre-but-truthful theories all the time…
"Uh no, no, I have no intention of um… Anything like turning him into Madame Rouge or something. I guess… If you're worried about his safety, you could come with him… And just lurk in a tree or something? That wouldn't change much… As long as he doesn't know you're there?"
That almost sounds like I have some secret intention… I- I quit… There's just… I got nothing…
"Oh, one final thing, friend Jinx… Kid Flash would like to know whether you would prefer the civvies or the yellow-and red?"
Civvies? Skivvies? Underwear? Kid Flash, of all people, should know that showing up to a park in your underwear wouldn't be the best of ideas… Not that he would care… I bet he walks around the house half-naked, and if anyone tries to tell him that, he'd charge them for the view.
"Civvies?"
"My apologies, friend Jinx. I forget, you are not the acquainted with our informal slang up in the hood, yo… Civvies is what superheros say for civilian clothing… Kid Flash would like to know if you possess the preference for one or the other?"
Well, I guess if villains weren't caught, we'd have civilian clothing too? I guess the dress I was going to wear was more civilian… And it's not like it was a dead giveaway I was Jinx… No, the hair should be giveaway enough….
"Tell him to… wear something on the formal end, but not too formal… Something civilian in between a suit and a t-shirt with jeans?"
"Kid Flash would like to say that "you think too much" … Oh, he also wishes to know if you are asking him out on a "date"?"
Date? This isn't a date, Kid Flash… It's a simple meeting… Between two people who may or may not feel attracted towards each other… The two are obviously different ideas…
"Friend Jinx? Are you the "still there"?"
God, I'm going to have to come up with something crafty… If there was ever a time for my wit to kick in…
"Yeah, yeah… You know what?… Tell him it's a surprise… he'll have to wait and find out when he gets there?"
Not the worst I've said, not the best… Thank you wit, for having one hell of a clutch!
I heard an affirmative before a dial tone…
Now all I have left to do is get dressed, walk a little, and wait until my master plan unfolds…
Normally, I would have Mwhahahahaha'd but… Somehow, the villain within doesn't want to… The plan isn't even 2% evil… Except for that one part… But that part is more mischievous than evil…
Going out of our way to see a boy, are we?
Really? You literally always show up when you aren't useful whatsoever… Why do you even bother with the whole-
I was being plenty useful watching you and making sure you didn't screw anything up… If you had, I would've intervened… Except…
So I haven't messed up?
I never said that… Your song selections in the shower were catastrophic, but… nothing really messed up… This ship isn't sinking like the Titanic just yet…
Great, now I have a useless conscience that judges my music tastes. That's just peachy.
Or is it passionfruit?
What? The expression is "peachy"… Wait, you're trying to bring the topic back to Kid Flash, aren't you?
Maybe… That kind of is why I show up, isn't it?
So… You know anything I should know this time? Know anything I don't know that you want to tell me, I should ask…
You're dressed in possibly the most scintillating clothing you own, you actually attempted to style your hair, even though you've never done that before… For anyone… I don't know, Jinxy… Is there anything you want to tell yourself.
And this particular epiphany… feels like something along the lines of running into a brick wall… that's reinforced with concrete… While being carried by him at the speed of light…While having a hangover and being forced to drink vodka…
Have you actually done any of those things…?
No, I bloody haven't decided to become an absolute idiot in the past year… I value my life as much as the next sorceress?
I see… So, pray tell, what is this "epiphany" of yours?
Can you... like… leave or something?
You seem to misunderstand again… I'm your conscience… I'm literally always where you are… But I'll shut up, if it makes you feel that much better?
You know… it's not really a question of whether I like him or not… It's a question of how much…
Because I… guess there were the signs all along… Goddamnit, I'll accept it… But just this once…
I, Jinx of the H.I.V.E Five, soon to be the world's most powerful sorceress and supervillainess extraordinaire, am in love with the hopeless, brain-dead idiot that calls himself Kid Flash…
And the thing is… He's just as in love with me… Where he's already said it… I've… never said that before… to anyone… Not my parents, not my exes…. No one has ever heard those three words escape my lips… Thought no one ever would either…
But even if I wanted to… How would I tell him? How does one admit something like that to someone like Kid Flash? I bet he's had at least a million girls who've said the same. How would mine be any different?
But the thing is… He thinks I'm different… He believes that I'm going to change… That I can change, even when I don't… He even thinks I'm not all bad luck… And he's okay with going out of his way to show me that I'm not…
But the other, kinda-more important thing is… It's goddamn forbidden by both our sides… Punishable… by exile… A fate worse than even being normal…
But I guess, if we were normal… We would've been able to…
Hell, would we even know each other if we were normal? Normal people don't save or try to destroy the world… But normal people… have lives… Normal people don't have to go out of their way to… have something…
If we ever got caught…
I've just spent the entirety of my morning focusing on something that isn't crime or unicorns, haven't I?…
God, am I hopeless…
God, are we hopeless…
So… life… Would it be too much to ask for twelve hours of good luck?
Kid Flash
*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*
"Can someone let me in already? It's not like none of you aren't awake… Beast Boy, Cyborg, I can hear your gaming from here… Just please, is anyone nice enough to let me the heck in?"
Are there no miracles in this world? A guy just got hexed twice by the girl he likes… And all the two of you care about is Resident Evil 6…Can I have some mercy? Maybe a hug? From Jinx?
"Hello, friend Wallace… How have you been… How is the friend Jinx? Have you-"
The one Titan who won't want to kill me after I go psychotic about my relationship problems… I guess God does have mercy after all?
"Starfire, it's so nice to see a familiar friendly face! How's about… you don't ask how my life is going just this one time and… Actually, that's why I came here so…"
Starfire pulled out a pair of black hipster glasses and put them on, adjusting them as if they were an everyday necessity.
Oh god, the end of the world is nigh… Please tell me she's not in an acting phase right now…
On the other hand, God is apparently not all-merciful…
"Friend Wallace, I believe you require… the counseling… Come with me…"
"Starfire…?"
She's a counselor… A god-forsaken counselor… How am I supposed to?- Heck, half the real ones don't work, so an untrained Starfire couldn't be any worse, right?
"I have been trained in the ancient arts by friend Raven. Do not worry, friend Wallace… You shall figure out your problems"
Raven? Raven trained her? I take that back… Having no training is probably better than having training from a girl who wants to surpress all emotion… Though I've heard that suppressing all emotion isn't exactly what occurs when Beast Boy's around…
I suppose this is a better way to deal with my problems than confronting them directly… Isn't it?
"And then she" *sobs* "and then she" *sobs* "then she just had to"
"Friend Wallace… You do realize that you have spent the past hour and a half speaking in disjointed sentences and tears… Which happens to be quite unhealthy… Also, you've managed to eat all of Titans Tower's ice cream reserves… I did tell you turning to the cream that has been iced was a particularly regrettable idea…"
God, I'm such a girl… I've eaten enough ice cream to fill a small house by now… And cried enough to fill at least a few of those cartons….
*Ring* *Ring* *Ring*
"An unknown caller… I must take this, friend Wallace… I am terribly sorry, but I shall return with a solution… Have no fear, Wallace… There is nothing that trounces Starfire, the great and powerful MWHAHAHAHAHAHA"
Is it just me… Or was that almost evil… Creepy evil? Or has she been watching too much fantasy lately? Come to think of it… That sounds a little like Oz the Great and Powerful…
"Uh, Star, I'd appreciate it if you didn't laugh like that ever again… Star? Starfire?"
She proceeded to say a few words and then belt out a Tamaranean folk song… Somewhere in the mess, I heard Jinx's name…
"Star… Is that Jinx?"
"Friend Jinx has requested that we forget the past and her previous life as… Jinx"
"So it's Jinx, but… not Jinx"
"Precisely, friend Wallace. I believe now we have all reached the "understanding", have we not?"
"Well, it's better than nothing, isn't it?" I asked, allowing a slight smile to appear.
Jinx can't want to call a Titan without a good reason, can she? Albeit I'd like it better if she called me… Starfire while I'm here is… pretty close, isn't it?
If I heard the other half of that conversation, I might've been somewhat at peace, but hearing Starfire's end just wasn't the same… Although some of the conversation was about a breakup… Emotional trauma… Oh my God, could Jinx… have had a boyfriend? It wouldn't be that unlikely… She is pretty likeable, so… 'Specially when her hair is down… I wouldn't be surprised if a few of her exes sent her roses as well…
"Friend Wallace… Jinx has invited you to the park… Do you accept? On Tamaran, this would be considered a declaration of formal war… If you require assistance, know that I would not hesitate to-"
Park? Invitation? What should I wear…? Does this mean… she… she likes me? For someone who said they never wanted to see me again… She sure isn't too keen on staying away from me, is she?
"Star, it's a date… She probably wants to just talk… I don't think us people of Earth declare war by going to the park… Either way, I'm going to have to wear something to the park, so… You wanna ask her what the dress code happens to be?"
Park, eh? I wonder what she plans to do with me at the park… I should probably bring a sandwich, seeing as how it'll be close to lunchtime by then.
"She wishes that you wear… the more formal attire between the suit and the street thug uniform"
"Street thug? I thought a supervillainess like her would've preferred street thug? At least if I was dressed like that, we'd get away cleanly if we were caught?... Well… At any rate… Kid Flash has a job to do… Ask her if it's a date?"
"Uh huh… I see… Friend Jinx says that you will find this out upon arrival… I would suggest that… If you lack any formalwear, you enter friend Richard's room… And not the room of the Beast… The Beast would provide you with little aid… I believe he invented the "street thug" look"
So street thug means wearing casual ripped clothing everywhere… Plausible terminology, I'll give her that…
"Thanks, Star… I'm probably going to have to talk to Robin at one point or another, so I might as well go now and borrow his clothes while I'm at it… I could run home but that seems like work… A lot of work… And I'm pretty lazy, so…"
All my formalwear is in the dry-cleaning shop after last week's slew of dinner parties that Uncle Barry inevitably found a reason for me to attend… Robin should still have a tie or three left lying around, right?
"I believe that was the sarcasm, no? But I believe that your speech impediments have disappeared upon receiving friend Jinx's offer… I do hope they do not return when she is around you… That often occurs to friends Richard and Beast Boy… Although I find it adorable, I do not think either of them enjoy it very much…"
"Well, at any rate… I still have to pay a visit to a certain Titan before I get changed, so… I'll come back when I'm finished… Or if I'm dead, ask Raven why she killed me?"
I rushed out the room before Star could ask why I was going to, quite arguably, the most dangerous room in the entire tower, bar none… Not even the training facility tops a mad Raven.
*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*
"Don't enter. In fact, I'd prefer it if whoever that was… just left… And never came back…"
I opened the door, not even bothering to vibrate through it. I wasn't here to show off, or because I had a death wish… Though most human beings would consider being in the same room as the most powerful half-demon in existence to be a death wish in and of itself… I've been thrown into an ocean my fair share of times so far, and lived to tell the tale.
"Very witty, Rachel… Is that your default voicemail or something? Anyways, I'm not really here to chat, per se… Seeing as how you are the magically competent person I know… I'm here for a… favor"
With Raven around, always choose your words carefully… It's hard resisting the urge to say whatever comes to mind, but it'd be harder going on a date with Jinxy when I'm dead, won't it?
"You never were one to listen, were you?"
Please tell me she's not bringing that up again…
"I saved lives, Raven, multiple lives"
"By endangering others, Wally… What would've happened if your plan failed? Can you even fathom the destruction that would entail?
"… Let's let the past remain in the past, Raven… I came here for the future"
How's about we cross that what-if bridge when we come to it, huh, Raven? When was the last time one of my outlandish ideas ended in utter failure?
"This is about Jinx, isn't it? I keep telling you, you have no future with her. There's nothing, she's evil, you aren't, leave it at that! I can't just make her not be evil… No magic in the world is capable of that… No good magic is…"
Well, it's not like you've never used dark magic before, now is it? Either way, Jinx has good within her… I see that, everyone would see that… The problem's just that she doesn't see that
"You used to think that you were evil, didn't you? That you were born to end the world? How'd that work out for ya?"
Maybe touching on a nerve there, but it's kinda your fault, Raven…
"That," Raven snarled, "was different… I tried to help as much as I could. That's why I became a Titan, and that's why I'm still here, Wally… We have an obligation to protect this world… Or have you forgotten already?"
And this is where Wally West Enterprises decides to tactfully change the subject…
"Anyways… My favor," I said, handing her two bracelets, one shining scarlet crimson in the minimal light of Raven's room and the other the color of a clear morning sky in summer.
"These are… Power inhibitors… Specific power inhibitors… Your design?"
Of course it's my design… Do you know of any other mad boy genius within a 100-mile radius? I mean, come on, people… I replicated an experiment the Flash did so perfectly that his powers are my powers with no adult supervision… All I had were a few lab notes… Name anyone else who's that good…
Or that reckless… That could've blown up in my face… Quite literally…
"I analyzed my powers and Jinx's… I'm going to be pretty reckless, and even I couldn't predict the consequences… If worst comes to worst… You have to use them…"
"By any means, these are… Unusually strong… You don't trust yourself much, do you?"
"Ever been in love with evil, Raven? There's no telling what I'd do if this blew up in my face…"
Raven winced and seemed lost for a moment, as if deep in thought…
… Right, the Malchior incident… Why did I- How thoughtless would I have to be to… dig up that old memory from the grave?
"I'm sorry, Raven… I didn't mean to… pour salt on old wounds"
If I thought I touched on a nerve before… That was infinitesimal compared to what I just said… Score 1 for Wally West Enterprises, 0 for Wally West…
"Malchior… used me… Malchior never loved me to begin with… But… As much as I hate to admit it, Malchior knew exactly what he was getting into… And since Jinx let you walk fairly unscathed from Rouge's clutches, I'm guessing she wasn't saving you for her own ulterior motives… Be careful, Kid Flash… Just… Don't be too reckless… The Titans need you… After all, your sandwiches are the best in Star City if they have mustard? Whatever would we do without them?"
Wait what? Did she just-? I'm not just good for sandwiches, you know!
"I am not to be objectified… There's a person attached to those sandwiches, you know… A living, breathing, reckless human being!"
"Right, right… At any rate, don't you have better places to be?" She asked, tossing a book aimed at my head.
Raven throwing books is not something the world should take lightly… I'll take it as my cue to leave before things get worse… Even lightspeed can't escape the clutches of dark magic…
I left the room, closing the door behind me only to find both Cyborg and Beast Boy eager with anticipation.
"I'd love to play some Final Fantasy VII today boys, but I have… places to be, things to do, you know, the usual…"
"Or is it… More than the usual? Starfire tells me you've got yourself a… date?" Beast Boy smirked, elbowing my ribcage. Cyborg's grin grew wider…
What have I gotten myself into this time…?
I smiled a generic, gentlemanly smile and tipped an imaginary hat to them both.
"In that case, I wouldn't want to keep the lady waiting, now, would I? I'd best be off then, lads, pip, pip, cheerio, and all that nonsense"
Keeping a British impression in your back pocket really comes in handy from time to time… Score 1 for Uncle Barry and Kid Flash, 0 for the antagonizers. In fact, dinner parties are all the rage with one of these… I actually have a hat at those so it works a lot better then. Who knows, maybe I'll take Jinx as my date the next time I have to go and she'll be slightly impressed by my remarkable breadth of talents?
"Friend Kid Flash, it is almost the clock of 1 and you are not even dressed? I fear that being the fastest of the Titans has made you lose track of time more quickly than Beast Boy when he received the 4th Fallout, although you may have eaten less… That was not the most pleasant of days… Friend Robin's heart was nearly attacked when he saw the hospital bills, or so he said…"
Game time, Flash… You got one shot, don't blow it.
"I'll… go get dressed, Star… Thanks for the reminder," I said, vibrating through Robin's room…
Wow, the Boy Wonder may get a stroke from spending exorbitant amounts of money every now and again… But he certainly doesn't hesitate when it comes to wardrobe choices… I don't think he'll mind if I nick a few things, after all, this is full of other guys clothing, Armani's, Klein's, Hilfiger's… He can't argue with me "borrowing" what's already been borrowed, now can he?
"So Star… Not that I'm concerned about Jinx's intentions… But she could be followed… I think it'd be a good idea if you stuck around… I know this really nice pizza place across the street from Central Park?"
"I believe the same, friend Wallace… If you were to be attacked, I do not believe we would be nearly as strong of a team without you. Thus, I have already taken the necessary precautions to protect you on your romantic endeavors"
"You didn't… Invite the entire team to keep an eye on me, did you, Star?"
"Of course not… friend Wallace? Just Robin and I will be on watch… Was that a… mistake on my part? I did not know that you wished for the privacy with friend Jinx… Perhaps you are hoping to do the sleep with her sometime soon?"
"St-St-Starfire, don't kid around like that, it isn't good for my blood pressure," I somehow replied, waving my hand around in an attempt to dismiss the idea to the darkest depths of Tartarus, mortified that she brought up that up…
I mean, yeah, I've thought about it… Maybe more times than I'd like to let on… But I am a hormonal teenage guy, after all, you really can't blame me of all people… Blame my endocrine system instead?
Heck, I'm not even close to getting her to like me yet… So it'd probably be best if I shelved those ideas for a later date… Maybe even never… I don't think either of us are legal either, so…
God, this must be the most perfect possible weather in the most perfect season in all recorded history. Just being here with the wind in my hair… It almost makes being in a button-down shirt and tie bearable…
"You're late," Jinx said impatiently, coming up behind me and moving to my left side… "Don't you superhero boys know it's not polite to keep a lady waiting?"
"Oh, so you've moved on from being a supervillainess now? Does this mean you're… Joining us?"
Jinx's eyes widened, realizing her mistake… As long as we're at a park and we're not going to use our powers… I might as well resume our games, no?
"I see you haven't changed a bit, have you? Doesn't surprise me at all though… in fact, I kind of expected it… Alll you hero boys are the same… You fall in love with one girl and move on within the day," she said, sighing melancholically to indicate her frustration.
"Whoever said I was over you? Whoever said they could get over you, Jinxy?"
"Several, actually… Several of them have tried to kill me in spite… I'm surprised you aren't one of them, Kid Flash"
"It's against a hero's honor to kill for vengeance… But don't call me Kid Flash… It makes me feel like I'm still on the clock. And well, superheros rarely get time off, so I'd like to treat this vacation as much like a vacation as possible"
"So… What are you suggesting I call you? Moron? Numbskull? The reason I'm not on the Brotherhood?"
"I'm shocked to hear you have such a high opinion of me, Jinxy… It's almost touching…" I said, moving my hand to my chest to better convey my heartfelt words. "But in all seriousness, Jinxy… Just… Call me Wally… Wally West"
"Wally? What kind of parents name their kid Wally?... I have to say, that explains a lot about you… Wally"
"It's actually Wallace Rudolph West… the third… But judging by your reaction to Wally, that introduction wouldn't have gone any better, would it?
"I- uh… They- they used to call me Lucky…"
"They?"
"My family… They used to call me Lucky… I don't even remember the name I was born by, but I remember being called Lucky"
"So for a girl who thinks she's bad luck… Even her family said otherwise?"
"It's a stupid nickname from people who are… dead…People that will never matter again because I'll never see them…"
"I-I'm sorry… I didn't know that… I mean, it was probably more than likely that someone like you wouldn't have… I-I'm sorry… Just… I'm sorry… I don't know how it feels… But part of what keeps us heros alive is that we have a family to come home to every night… Even if it's just the Titans… We treat each other like family. We might not be blood, but at the end of the day, we're all each other's got"
Family… Something Jinx… Something Lucky never really had… If she did… Would things be different? Would she… be different?
"Your outfit is nice… But it's not exactly something I expected you'd wear… It's dark and intimidating… But not very… you…"
I looked down at the dark purple shirt, navy blue striped tie, and khaki slacks I "borrowed" from Robin's wardrobe.
"Not exactly mine, to be honest… My formalwear is in dry-cleaning after last week's slew of dinner parties, so I had to borrow Robin's… These days, I hear Batman's got a new Boy Wonder, so him and Robin don't get out as much as the Flash and I… Must be nice, being a supervillain… You all never have to go to parties, dress up nice, and make stupid polite conversation with every conceited, obstinate billionaire or billionaire's child you meet?"
"Are you including yourself in the conceited and obstinate?"
"Touché, Lucky… I guess I have to mention a slight portion of attendees are roguishly charming individuals who are basically the life of the party… Perhaps I'll drag you along sometime?"
"You never cease to surprise me, Wally… I think this may be the longest civil conversation we've ever had…The longest I've gone without hexing or cursing at you…"
A random comment intended to create silence… Something's on her mind, isn't it? I can feel it… It's like she's waiting for everything to fall in place before she does anything but…
…Is this a date? Did she bring me here just to tell me that… She doesn't not want to see me ever again? That… despite my being a hero and her being a villainess… She's willing to take a chance on me?
"You think too much, don't you, Lucky?"
"And you don't think at all…"
"Hey, I'll have you know that plenty of thought goes into every action I take… Every last one… I don't think even Robin puts more thought into his plans with Starfire," I said, musing regarding just how close the Boy Wonder is to revealing his affections.
"Really?" she said, letting out a wry, mocking laugh. "Did you stop to think for a minute that picking me was a mistake? Did you think about what would happen if you got caught? If I was caught with you? Well?"
"Yeah, Jinxy… Yeah, I thought about all of those things… And I decided they don't matter… I don't care if this has to be a secret for a while… I don't care if I have to give up heroing here and move to some god-forsaken place in the middle of nowhere for security reasons. I don't care if they throw me in jail and incinerate the key… I don't care… And I was kinda hoping… That you felt the same way, but…"
She turned to face me for the first time and…
Wow… She's… Beautiful… I can't put it into words… She's breathtaking and… I don't know even my own feelings anymore… I thought I experienced them all, the butterflies, the heart-racing, the irregularity of one's cardiac muscle jumping from one's throat to one's stomach in split seconds involuntarily… But now there's this weird peace that's come over me… I'm used to the uncertainty… In fact, I think it's even how I thrive, playing off of that to throw the other person off balance and make them feel uneasy while pretending to be confident. But with Jinx… It worked initially, but Jinx is… just as rash and unforgiving as I can be… It'd be pointless to continue this game…
But the look in her eyes tells me… I'm not alone in thinking that… I bet we could stand here for hours… We could stand here for hours, without a single word coming between us, like a staring contest that neither of us want to really win...
Jinx
I think I could be lost in those eyes for eternity and a day… It wouldn't be too impossible to just stay like this… forever, would it?
*Vroom* *Vroom* *Vroom*
I shook my head frantically as I was forcibly returned to civilization. Over my shoulder was a blonde on a motorcycle, wearing dark green everything…
Please don't let it be her… Please don't let it be her…. Please don't let it be-
Damnit… It's definitely her…
"So, Kid Flash… I have something you might want to take a look at," Artemis said, handing Wally a piece of paper.
"This is… an official request to come back to the team… Signed by all of us… All of them," Wally said, quickly correcting his mistake.
"Yeah… It took a bit of convincing but we decided we… want you back with us… I want you back with us," Artemis asserted, taking his hand in hers.
Their hands are visibly touching… I can feel my eye twitching… Who does she think she is, interrupting our conversation? Can't we just be two teenagers in the park for forever and a day? And just when I was so close to just telling him, goddamnit! I asked you for a few hours of good luck, life, and you didn't deliver!
"We talked about this, Artemis… When I decided to leave, I wasn't coming back… There'll be new heros to take my place, but they need me more here… Now more than ever, with the Brotherhood of Evil closing in"
"You wouldn't give it a second thought? If not for your teammates… then for lil' ol' me?" she asked, smiling seductively.
Oh, two can play at that game, you know! You'll soon see I'm no stranger to the art of feminine wiles, Ms. Artemis…
One of my hands clenched itself into a fist, while the free hand intertwined with his left.
"You two think maybe you could continue this conversation in a little bit, say after we're done here? It is terribly rude to interrupt a date, after all…" I said, coolly, I hope, with every ounce of restraint I possessed keeping me from having purple bolts blast her well into next week.
"Oh, is that what you were doing? So, Wally, is this the latest? I must say, I thought a guy like you had better taste… I've never heard of any gentlemen that prefer… pink"
Well then, I guess you don't think Wally's much of a gentleman? Maybe you're the one that doesn't deserve someone… like him?
"I think Wally's old enough to make his own decisions, Artemis… That's probably one of the reasons you two broke up in the first place, isn't it? Maybe he left so he could act more independently of you… and your team?"
But what I really want to know is… What's going through Wally's head right now? The girl he likes and his ex are at odds and he hasn't taken a side… If anything, he'd probably take Artemis's… But he hasn't said anything to favor either of us… Does he plan to just… let us duke it out and he'll go out with the victor?
"Well, well, well, Wally, you sure know how to pick 'em… She must be quite a handful? Sure you don't want to come back home with me?"
Oh my God, I am not fighting over something so trivial as a boy … I am not in goddamn 7th grade to do something as goddamn stupid as fight over a boy… But then again, Kid Flash isn't just any boy…
Sure, he's insufferable at times… At all times, and sure, he might be slightly sketchy at times when he breaks into your room and watches you sleep… Which he'll never admit to but I know he did… But the way I find roses in places only I would look is… kinda cute and his hair does this awkward thing where it sticks up it random places and his eyes are impossibly easy to get lost in until you find yourself and I think I could fondle his earlobes for hours on end, I bet they're irresistibly soft and...
I might as well surrender him to Artemis right now… While I've been over here daydreaming, she's probably got a master plan all worked out… So much for luck, eh?
"I'm not turning around, Artemis. Not for you, not for any of them. Sure, they were good friends, and we made quite a few memories together… But Jump City needs another hero… The Titans are overwhelmed with the amount of crime in the city, and I don't think they'd get past the Brotherhood without me. The Justice League is busy, and… And I even like it here… I like the people, I like the atmosphere… I like the freedom to do whatever I want to do, whenever I feel like it"
"So what? You think we couldn't give you that? The team's willing to compromise, Wally… If Jump City needs a hero, we can find someone to do the job… Just not you… The team needs the fastest boy alive back… We all do"
"I made up my mind when I left, Artemis… If all of you are ever caught in a jam, I'll offer my assistance… temporarily… But the team will have to live on without me… A team needs to survive changing times, changing people… I like the weather here too, Artemis. Jump City's a nice place, you know? But most of all, I like Lucky. And until Lucky has a reason to leave, I'm not going anywhere"
"You're refusing to come back to the greatest young superhero team in recorded history for a girl? You're ditching us for a girl?"
"It's not just about her, Artemis… It's more than that… The Titans are a family, and I… guess I'm a part of that now… In their darkest hour, a family helps each other. I can't just abandon them because my former team wants me back. I'm sorry, Artemis… But… I'm staying… With Lucky"
He turned to me as Artemis got back on her motorcycle, muttering something about how morons will never change as Wally's hand gave mine a squeeze and the faintest of arose to his lips…
"So… I still like you… A lot… Anyways, where were we?" he asks coyly, turning to face me, brushing a stray hair out of my face.
"The court had yet to find its verdict on you breaking into my room," I said, tracing my index finger in a circle on his chest before lightly attempting to push him back.
"Oh, God, Jinx… Don't tell me you're still hung up about that… It was like… forever ago, right?"
"If by "forever ago", you meant this morning, then yes, forever ago"
Nice to see he really hasn't changed… Even though I crushed his hopes and dreams, he's already back on his feet… Perhaps because he knows?
"If we're going to play on the justice system's field… I think it's only fair that you tell me how you feel, isn't it?"
"Oh, but I already have... Or did you forget? It was only a few short hours ago…"
Even when we both kinda know, toying with him is still fun… it's only fair, after all, he did tell me without me asking him, so I should get to tell him at my convenience, right?
"I hardly think you would be here… at a park… with me… Jealous enough that Artemis was basically holding my hand that you decided to hold the other… By the way, she's gone, but you still haven't let go," He said, his trademark smirk persisting through the sunlight.
"You know, for someone who claims he doesn't think at all… You sure do think quite a bit, don't you?"
"Maybe, but I have my moments when my brain is devoid of all logical thought… I scarcely think you're capable of such a thing though…"
"You don't think I can be utterly irrational? You think it's out of character for me to just do something on a whim?"
"Or maybe… It is your character… But you keep trying not to do that? It's like you're holding something back, Lucky… Something you shouldn't have to hold back?"
"But what if we screw up? What if we just act on impulse and grow up with a billion regrets?"
"Wouldn't you rather regret what you did than regret what you could've done?" he asked, the words flowing from his mouth like the water from the creek I used to play in when I was young… The creek Mammoth used to dispose of crayon wrappers in…
Sometimes, the best way of thought… Is no thought at all?
I let go of his hand and moved it up to his cheek, the hand formerly on his chest securing a firm hold upon his tie and drawing him closer.
Any time you wanna stop, Wally… You are the fastest boy alive; it sure as hell shouldn't be hard for you to back away from a lovestruck pink-haired villainess?
"So whatever happened to all the roses I gave you?..."
Leave it to Wally to act completely normal in a situation like this one. Sometimes, I have to wonder if he's been out into the field and ate too many mushrooms…
"They're… in my closet… Neatly arranged… Of course, if you tell anyone I said that, I'll have to kill you, so…" I said, feeling a slight flush of heat as I momentarily glanced away before, jerking his tie and pulling him closer.
This'll serve him right for interrupting my fun, won't it?
Slowly but surely, our lips met and it was as if the floodgates had opened for every ounce of emotion I felt towards him. Pain, rage, passion, I forced all of it into the warlike kiss between us. I placed my hand on his back, pushing him closer to me until our bodies meshed, almost perfectly, like two pieces of a puzzle that never knew the other existed came together. Like this… like this was meant to be.
I leaned into the kiss a bit more and he moved a hand, running his fingers through my hair and down to my neck, scattering a tingling feeling throughout my body. I stood up further on my tiptoes and let him stand as tall as he usually is…
Big mistake, Jinx, big mistake…
Oh, fuck...
He broke the kiss as he came to the realization that I was going to fall… On top of him, and we tumbled into the grass lightly as if we were just mere feathers and not humans.
Wally's speed must have let him react fast enough to-
"See, sometimes you do stuff without thinking and then you end up on the ground… Understand my point, Wally?"
"Yeah, yeah… But if there's a pretty girl on top of you when that happens-"
He tilted his head up just enough so that his lips would reach mine and we kissed again, but this time, he deepened it, even daring to nibble on my lower lip.
God, that felt…okay… Even pleasant… I could get used to this… Although we are discovering weaknesses even I didn't know I had…
I parted my lips and gave in, knowing full well Wally wasn't about to stop with a nibble.
*Beep* *Beep* *Beep*
I heard a damnit as Wally broke the kiss and took out his communicator…
"What could it possibly be this time," he said, sighing and wriggling out from underneath me…
"Wally, great to see you smiling again! So, buddy, chum, ol' pal… Beast Boy and I… have come up with the latest and greatest sensation that's sweeping the nation… A whole new way to play… Stankball! We call it… Mega-Ultra Extreme Stankball… And well, we were kinda hoping to have the world premiere match on Titans Tower's football field tonight, so… It wouldn't be much of a match without our reigning MVP, now would it?"
He ran his fingers through his hair, smiled, and said, "I'd love to, Cyborg… I was actually planning on heading back to the Tower after my walk, so I'll see you in a few, kay?"
"Cyborg has the best timing, doesn't he, Wally?" I asked him coyly, grinning to remind him of the turn this evening could've taken.
Well, another day… Another time… I'm just happy we got to spend this much time together without anything blowing up in our faces… Maybe after all of this is said and done, we can be normal together. Or at least as normal as a superhero and a supervillainess get?
"He knew damn well I had plans tonight… The two even tried to tease me a little 'bout it… Well, if Cyborg's going to ruin my fun… Lucky, the next time you see the Titans… Give him a little something for me, will ya?" he asked, the same familiar hopeful, playful look revisiting his face.
I leaned in for a quick peck on the cheek. "Don't think you'll escape the justice system that easily, Wally… I'm not finished with you just yet…"
"So, what are the charges? I don't think Cy will miss me just yet?..."
"Originally, it was you breaking and entering… But now, the allegations against you also amount to crimes of the heart… Wallace Rudolph West III, you are hereby accused of being an insufferable heroic moron who functions as an automatic rose-dispenser and takes up an exorbitant amount of space in a girl's mind, not even stopping to think if she wants to fall head over heels in love with you"
"Well, in that case, I'd have to say… I'm guilty as charged, aren't I, Lucky?" he asked coquettishly, leaning in to steal one last moment.
As soon as our lips touched, they pulled apart, and when I opened my eyes, all I saw was a purple blur of light. Taking a deep breath in, the aroma of a rose was fresh in my mind, and glancing down at my hands, I discovered a bouquet of freshly-picked roses. Reaching in, I took out a small piece of paper.
"So, Lucky… Even though you never said it was… I hope you enjoyed our first date! Sorry that Cyborg hasn't changed… You should see Raven and Beast Boy some days… Anyways… So, does this mean… You wouldn't mind seeing me again?"
Don't push your luck, Wally…
But even if I said no… I think my heart would say yes…
Wallace Rudolph West III… The first boy who's more than just a boy… The first one I've fought with someone else over… And the first one to relentlessly infuriate the hell outta me while making me fall further and further… Might as well think over a cup of tea...
*Ring* *Ring* *Ring*
"Oh, what is it now, Gizmo… I'm kinda busy right now… So…"
"I thought you'd be ecstatic to know that… The Brotherhood of Evil has requested our help on a mission… We start tomorrow! So, I hope you're up for some good old-fashioned revenge on a certain yellow speedster? Gizmo, out!"
I clutched the bouquet of roses…
The Brotherhood of Evil finally calls us… No doubt, to make me finish what I started… The only question is… Do I want that? If I take this opportunity by the reins… Kid Flash… Wally… and I will be at odds again… I expected no less… But if the Brotherhood's involved… The last time, he almost didn't escape… I almost got what I wanted… And this time… I guess I'll know sooner rather than later if Wally was right or not about me having some good inside me… About me being better than all of… this…
I remember I said next week...I was close if you want to be technical... But this chapter was almost double last chapter in word count and only somewhat cringe-worthy so...
Anyways, reviews/follows/favorites are appreciated! So is constructive criticism... Even flames, to an extent... I promise a virtual frozen frosted-with-sprinkles sugar cookie to everyone?
Oh, and if anyone knows how to decently write a kissing scene or knows of a story with one and wants to tell me... Please?
~Lefauxlucifer