"Hey, uh . . ." Wally started hesitantly, and Artemis looked over at him with a satisfied grin. They were drying off from their sparring match – Artemis had won this time.
"Yeah?" she asked, and Wally rubbed the back of his head with his towel, looking sheepish.
"I just wanted to say that I thought you did a pretty good job during your simulation. When you were leading the team, I mean," he said, and for a second, Artemis was so taken aback that she didn't know what to say.
"Oh," she said, looking at the ground. "Thanks." She shrugged. "I could've done better."
"Don't be so hard on yourself. You did fine. Better than I did, anyway." He grinned at her, laughing at his own embarrassment. He always tried to make things into a joke.
"Where's this coming from?" Artemis asked in bewilderment. They'd been at each other's throats ever since they moved into the mountain, and now all of a sudden he was trying to be nice to her? She didn't buy it.
Wally shrugged, looking defensive now. "Everybody keeps saying we have to get along, right? I'm just trying to make an effort."
"So you're not trying to like, put the moves on me or something? Because that is so gross. I thought you were in love with M'gann."
Wally blushed and glared at her. "No, I'm not trying to put the moves on you! I'm just trying to be nice!" He crossed his arms over his chest. "And I'm not in love with M'gann. She's just really hot. Would I like to go out with her? Yes. But I'm not in love with her."
"Good, because she has a crush on Conner," Artemis said, and she smiled when Wally's face fell.
"What?" he asked.
"Hate to break it to you, buddy, but she's a lost cause. I'd give it up if I were you," she advised, and Wally shook his head.
"Nuh-uh. Nope. She's not dating Conner, is she? That means I still have a chance. Supey's got nothin' on me," he said confidently, sticking out his chest. "The Wall-Man's an expert when it comes to women."
Artemis laughed out loud. "Is he now?"
"Please. I bet you dream of me at night," he said, wiggling his eyebrows at her. "Even you can't resist my many charms."
Artemis made a gagging motion. "In your dreams, Kid Idiot."
"In yours, Blondie," he said, and then he winked at her. For some reason, she blushed.
"Uh, anyway," Wally said nervously, seeming to realize what he'd just done. "Wanna hear a joke?"
Artemis shrugged carelessly. "Sure."
"Why don't they play poker in the jungle?"
"I don't know, why?" Artemis wiped herself down with her towel and took a sip of her water.
"Too many cheetahs!" Wally said, holding his hands out as if he was presenting something. "Huh? Huh? Come on, you have to admit that's funny."
"More like terribly corny," Artemis said with a smirk, and Wally frowned as she started walking out of the gym. He zipped to her side to catch up with her, causing a gust of wind to brush across her back. Her spine tingled.
"Okay, I've got another one," Wally said, following her through the halls of the mountain. "What's a pepper that won't leave you alone?"
He grinned, waiting for her to answer, and she sighed. "What?"
"Jalapeno business!"
When he got no reaction from Artemis, he frowned. "Oh, come on! That was funny!"
"Nope." Artemis shook her head, hiding her smile.
Wally followed her around the mountain, giving her all the jokes he had in his arsenal. When she laughed at none of them, he put his foot down.
"Okay. That's it. My mission – and I choose to accept it – is to make you laugh by the end of our first mission, whenever that may be. If I win and I make you laugh, like hysterical, rolling on the floor laughter, you have to buy me all the Chicken Whizees I want for a week." He smiled smugly, and Artemis raised an eyebrow at the challenge.
"And if I win?" she asked, already knowing she would.
"If you win . . . then you can call me Kid Idiot for the rest of my life," Wally said, and Artemis smirked.
"I was planning to do that anyway," she said, and the redhead rolled his eyes.
"Fine, then . . ." He gave a resigned sigh and closed his eyes. "If you win, I'll let you use me for target practice."
Now that was interesting. Artemis pretended to think for a second.
"You drive a hard bargain," she said, and then she smiled and stuck out her hand. "Deal."
Wally shook it, and little jolts of electricity went through her fingers. Wally felt it, too, because his eyes widened and he jerked away. Artemis pulled back and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Be prepared to wear some extra padding under your costume," she said, smiling at Wally. "Or some armor. I never miss a target."
"Oh, yeah? Well, be prepared to laugh until you cry," Wally shot back. "I'm so gonna win this one."
"Not a chance, Kid Idiot." She sauntered away from him down the hallway, her long blonde ponytail swinging behind her. Wally watched her leave, terrified of the sudden fluttery feeling he felt in his chest.