Disclaimer- Do not own Young Justice or any of it's characters.
Sorry for the crazy gap, lost my motivation to update there for a bit. I made a few minor changes to the last chapter if anyone is interested.
Lots of text conversation beloooooooooooooow!
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Chapter Length: 1,962 words
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Fire Head:
Sooo… what's it like?
Artemis frowned in confusion at the text message that woke her up at one in the morning. She had been reading through an advanced science textbook she'd snagged a few days ago at a used book store, when she'd drifted off to sleep.
Wally had invited her over for lunch earlier that day. The redhead had seemed odd around her, making Artemis concerned that perhaps her revelation the night before had unhinged him more than he first revealed. But he'd been perfectly cheery and hadn't mentioned anything about it.
The odd part had been how at every moment of comfortable silence he'd open his mouth at her, gape like a fish, then struggle for a couple of seconds to blurt out something at her.
She'd gotten the feeling he really wanted to ask her something, but before he could do it he'd been called in to work and Artemis hadn't heard from him for the rest of the day.
Until now.
She stretched and yawned luxuriously before bothering to text back.
Artemis:
What's what like?
Fire Head:
Being… you know. Uuuh… werewolf.
That was all? That's what he'd been struggling to ask her over lunch?
She laughed internally, feeling fondness for the dork. It was only natural for him to want to ask her questions; in fact, she was quite surprised it had taken him this long, given his inquisitive nature.
Artemis:
I don't know. What's it like to be a pasty legged science nerd?
Fire Head:
Not as interesting as being a werewolf, I can tell you that.
Artemis:
Don't be so sure, Wallman, you're pretty interesting yourself.
The blonde grinned to herself when it took him an extended amount of time to text back, and she couldn't help but imagine him getting flustered, trying to come back at her with something clever no doubt.
Fire Head:
It's the information I vomit up that's interesting, my dearest Artemis.
Artemis:
That's funny. I was thinking it was more along the lines of your dazzling charm, intimate knowledge of all things scientific, and your ability to eat three pies in ten minutes without anyone's help.
Fire Head:
You slay me! Now how's about answering my question, Miss Dazzling Charm.
Artemis:
It's…
Artemis thought.
What was it like to be a werewolf? She had never really considered it, it was just what she was and had always been since birth. Craving raw meat, hearing sounds from miles away, smelling people and food and objects in great detail, the change… it was just… her.
Like Wally being just Wally. Like Paula being just Paula.
It was a whole lot like just being. A human being. That's what Artemis had come to realize from hanging out with Wally, from opening herself up to more human beings than she ever had before.
Artemis wasn't so different from them, discounting her furry problem.
She was a human being; she acted a lot like one. She watched tv when she was bored, she argued with her mother over dumb things, she went shopping with Zee (even if that was a newer thing). She tried to fill her head with knowledge from school books, she laughed, she cried, she got mad, she ate when she was feeling down, she wanted friends (now had them), she wanted a better home, a better life.
Being a werewolf… wasn't as different as she'd first thought.
Artemis:
It's like being a human, I guess. But with pack politics thrown in? I don't know, it's… not really that crazy. Minus the wolf part, I mean.
It was the best way she could think to describe it to him.
Fire Head:
Come on, I'm sure it's more exciting somehow! Artemis, you turn into a giant, bipedal wolf woman!
She laughed out, leaning against the wall beside her bed, face bathed in a swath of moonlight that filtered in through her blinds.
Artemis:
You're going to have to get a lot more specific, dork.
Fire Head:
Fine. Pack politics. Explain that to me. Can't be any more boring than human politics.
Artemis:
It's more like pack etiquette I guess. Our system. Alpha, beta, then the rest of the pack, just like wolves. Alpha sets the laws of his particular pack, the beta is his vice president I guess you could say. Everyone does what the pack leader says and lives happily ever after.
Fire Head:
Interesting… and who is your pack leader?
Artemis bit her lip hard, turning her face to glance out into the night. The moon was high and crescent shaped, the stars all but covered in an abyss of black ink from the light pollution.
It wasn't that she didn't trust Wally with the information, it was just that she wondered if there was some line she needed to draw with the questions she answered, or how truthfully.
The texts were between the two of them alone, there was about a one in a million chance her dad would for some outlandish reason ever look at her cell phone and see what had been exchanged tonight… and Wally would probably find out from Artemis sooner or later.
If things kept going the way they were between them, she couldn't expect he would never ever inquire about her parents. She was pretty sure it was only out of respect for her privacy he hadn't already grilled her about her them, anyway.
She was done lying to him. That part of her had gone out the window with her werewolf revelation.
Artemis:
My father. Lawrence Crock.
Fire Head:
….oh man. I did not see that coming.
Artemis:
Yeah. He's no good, Wally. He's the cause for all of this town's problems in the slums. He controls the werewolf population in Gotham and they'd follow him to the edge and back because they're scared of him. I... dislike him, to put it nicely.
Fire Head:
I see. He sounds like a real charmer. Nothing like his daughter though. I don't know if you heard or not but she's dazzling when it comes to charm. I was lucky enough to meet her.
She snorted.
Artemis:
Lucky you, huh? Stumbling across the wounded daughter of a werewolf alpha. I was so mad at you, when you found me. I couldn't believe a human could be so idiotic.
Fire Head:
And do you still think that now, Miss Crock?
Artemis:
Absolutely. Your brain is damaged.
Fire Head:
Good to know. Hey, you never told me... what did you do to get yourself shot that night?
Artemis:
Basically everything my father has told me not to do all my life. I was helping humans in secret, when and wherever I could. I tried to stay pretty indirect but... sometimes there wasn't much choice. I came across a mugging in action and it was just happening, so I caused a distraction, enough to give the victim time to run while I got in the way of the shooter. As a werewolf. Not my brightest moment, but I couldn't just stand there and let someone get hurt. Evidently that gangster was one of the wiser ones because the bullet had silver laced on it. I think he tried to get a couple more shots in on me, I'm not sure… things got fuzzy after that. Luckily he turned tail and ran.
Fire Head:
Hmm… that explains the burning around the wound.
Artemis:
It felt like someone was taking a welding torch to my side, if that gives you any idea of how bad silver burns. My hand on the silver trophy? Just as bad if not worse. Wolfsbane in my throat and lungs? I wanted to lay down and die.
Fire Head
Hey, no worries, I had you in good hands.
Artemis:
Yeah, you did, I'll give you that one. You've got some magic fingers there, firehead.
Fire Head:
They can dish out a mean massage, too.
Artemis:
Don't make me take you up on that offer.
Fire Head:
Anytime, Beautiful. So anyway, just to reiterate… let me see if I'm picking up on the right points of information here. I'm guessing from what you've said that your pack really hates humans. Our friendship would probably not go over too well, would it?
Artemis:
Correct. Way correct. I didn't even want to see you again at first… at all. I didn't want to bring my scent right back to your doorstep. You were a stupid human that helped me and I was grateful, but I didn't want you in my life at all. For your own safety.
Fire Head:
But you did come back.
Artemis:
I did…
Fire Head:
I'm glad you did.
Artemis:
What, not worried the pack will come down on your head? I figured once I started dropping this heavy stuff on you, you'd remove me from your contacts and never talk to me again.
Fire Head:
Nah, didn't even cross my mind. We got each other's backs, besides, wouldn't they have tried something already? It's been months.
Artemis:
You are insane. Truly insane. Maybe that's why I like you.
Fire Head:
So you admit my pasty legged charm has worked on you?
Artemis:
Pfffft, don't flatter yourself. Any other questions about me, Wallman?
Fire Head:
No, just an observation.
Artemis:
And that is?
Fire Head:
Well, I feel I now know you are, as I had previously come to the conclusion, a hardened badass. I mean, it's like you're some kind of vigilante werewolf. Just need a mask and a cool name, then you'd be right in business.
Artemis:
Yeah, Artemis snorted to herself as she typed. And maybe you can create an experiment that gives you the speed powers from your dream, and we can team up every night.
The mere idea of it was amusing her greatly, but something about the fictional arrangement did sound incredibly cool.
Fire Head:
That… would be incredibly asterous.
Artemis:
What?
Fire Head:
Nothing. Dick likes to make up words, did I forget to tell you that?
Artemis:
Kind of.
Fire Head:
Well, it's a thing.
Artemis:
Tastic. You can tell me all about it another time, I'm beat.
Fire Head:
Look at that, you've already caught on! Dick would be so proud, I'm about to shed a tear.
Artemis:
Please don't.
Fire Head:
Too late.
Artemis:
Oh brother.
Fire Head:
I'm kidding, Artemis. Anyway… I guess I'll say goodnight now. And uh… I'm just, you know, really glad you shared this with me. All of it, I mean. I kept feeling like I was sort of… missing something about you. Now I know what it was, and it's frankly pretty amazing. You're kind of amazing.
How could Wally ever know how much trust she put into him, to show herself like that? It had taken her so long to put her fears of rejection to the side, but over time he'd wheedled his way into her life so deeply that she couldn't stand the lies anymore.
To hear that it meant something back to him, to know that he'd waited so long and patiently for this missing puzzle piece about her. It made a lump form in her throat, and a smile curve up her lips. Her face felt flushed as she typed back her snarky reply.
Artemis:
I'm one of am a kind, West, and don't you forget it.
Fire Head:
How could I, you turned my world upside down.
Artemis:
I can't say that I'm sorry about that.
Fire Head:
Don't be.
Their texts deteriorated rapidly into tired, single-worded replies after that, until at last Artemis didn't move herself or open her eyes to respond to the vibration of her phone.
She fell asleep with her heart at ease and her breaths even.