Jaime shut off the shower reluctantly, and stayed there, dripping onto the tile. Quiet. Warm. Alone in the shower. He rested a hand on the wall, leaning his tired weight against it, breathing the humid air deeply, mind empty for the first time in days.
Well, not fully empty.
As he stepped out of the shower, mindful of being extra slow since Milagro was sure to start banging on the door if her whining was anything to go by, Jaime mused over the past few weeks. Artemis had barely let him out of her sight while at the Watchtower; and they'd been texting more, except now, it wasn't as... tense.
She would check in, as usual, but would also text Jaime just because, it seemed, and Jaime found himself replying in kind. The other day he'd sent her a picture of this really fat cat that was sleeping on a wall on his way back from school and she had actually replied without any venom:
Artemis: damn, need me one of those for when it gets cold at night _
It was weird, but Jaime was, for once in his pitiful existence, not about to question it. Currently, his relationship, if you could even call it that was the one thing going well in his life and... He figured he may as well take what he could get.
"JAIME! LET ME IN!" Milagro screamed and whined in the hallway, banging on the door, just as he had predicted she would, interrupting his thoughts. "I gotta pee! You don't even wear make up so what's taking you so long?"
Jaime pulled off his towel from its hook and wrapped it around himself. "Okay, okay, jeez you're always so loud in the morning," he huffed, unlocking the door. Milagro barrelled in as he left and he felt the door slam behind him.
He effortlessly checked his bedroom's locks as he dried himself off. Picking clothes from the appropriate pile after rooting through all his garments and folding them back as they had been, he then gathered whatever homework could be handed it and put it in the 'done' pile, which was much thicker than the two others. He was mindful to take only assignment with a relatively close due date to school with him.
He'd tried to hand in one assignment well before it's due date the other day and his teacher nearly blew a gasket when Jaime refused to waste time 'revising' and 'perfecting' it. He'd spent the necessary amount of time on it and was done. Artemis found it quite funny to imagine him arguing with a teacher.
Artemis: youre always ready to please, I cant imagine you arguing w him i nfront of the class like that
BB: I am NOT
BB: I am a strong, independent hero!
BB: I've toppled regimes I'll have you know!
Artemis: ...
Artemis: jump, boy
Jaime made a face. Something about the exchange felt... off, like an itch at the back of his mind. He ignored it. He thought about not playing along, but the last time he hadn't she had gotten upset... and he didn't want to ruin the mood by irritating her. It really isn't that serious, he told himself. Jaime stared at his screen. His stomach clenched. He told himself it was just a joke.
Finally, he typed a reply. He exhaled through his nose. This is stupid. Just a joke, he told himself again as his thumb hovered over the keyboard.
BB: How high, Mistress?
Artemis: now that's a GOOD dog!
So much for being a strong independent hero, he thought wryly, and his stomach settled at seeing Artemis's happy reply. The two continued texting until the end of the school day and distantly Jaime mused that, this is what it must be like to have close friends like in the movies.
He hadn't been texting Bart or Connor nearly as much recently, though they hadn't reached out much either. This reminded Jaime of his and Connor's hang out. It was coming up soon, and he couldn't remember if he had told Artemis he was going to be doing that. Not that he needed to; she wasn't the keeper of his schedule or who he was allowed to see, but this was the type of thing friends shared with each other.
BB: I'm excited for Friday
Artemis: why lol? teacher assign extra homework?
Artemis: nerd
BB: lmao no
BB: I'm seeing Connor, gonna show him around town
There was a pause in the conversation. First, a beat, then longer. Going from a slow reply, and growing into a pregnant, awkward silence. Jaime fiddled with his phone. Artemis probably just forgot to press send or something, he told himself. She'd never done that before. Just as Jaime was about to hit her up, his screen lit up.
Artemis: cool.
BB: What's up?
Artemis: nothing. it's cool you're hanging out w him ig.
BB: did I miss something? Are you two in a fight and I picked the wrong side, or..?
Artemis: no, I just think its weird you would hide that from me
Jaime felt uneasy. This conversation was not going how he'd imagined it. He hadn't been trying to hide anything from her; at least... he didn't think so. He'd just forgotten.
Artemis: besides, its not like WE had plans or anything. so why should i care?
BB: I wasn't trying to hide anything, Artemis, I promise!
BB: I just forgot, and I remembered just now
Artemis: ...
He looked at the screen, seeing Artemis was typing for what seemed like an eternity, but no message came in. Jaime felt weird; he really hadn't been trying to hide anything. And it wasn't like Artemis had asked to see his schedule, just his location. Monitoring like that had always been enough to keep them both feeling safe, but Jaime guessed that she was still rattled by his disappearing act last week.
BB: I swear I'm not trying to disappear on you
Artemis: idk if I believe that
Artemis: first you hide this
Artemis: then you take Connor out around town. WE shoudl go first
Artemis: to make sure it's safe
BB: Bc it's not safe wit hConnor?
Artemis: dont joke. I meant for your dissociation dumbass
Artemis: he doesnt know remember?
Of course, he thought, and suddenly, everything made sense to Jaime. He hadn't thought about all of that.
The people.
The sights.
The smells.
The sounds.
The everything.
He felt exposed all of a sudden. Stressed. His hands felt clammy. The room felt smaller, somehow.
She's so much smarter than me, he thought, smacking his forehead. He nearly blacked out stuck in a hallway at school, of course the big city on a Friday evening would raise Artemis' hackles.
Maybe she's overreacting, he thought. He was still able to go out and fight on a battlefield with a million things going on at once. He started typing his gentle refusal, but his thumb hovered above the send button. The more he thought, the more he hesitated. Was he really willing to bet against her instincts? And raise her ire? No, he thought finally, erasing the message and sending this instead:
BB: am Big Dumb...
BB: Hadn't thought of that
Artemis: thats why Im here Blue :)
Artemis: K glad we got that out of the way
Artemis: so thursday night sound good?
Good for what? Jaime peered at his screen. Was she actually serious about doing this restaurant tour with him before he could do it with Connor? Jaime didn't know if he had the cash - or the time and energy - to do that. Twice in one week was pushing it for most people; for him, it was a lot. He suppressed a shiver at the thought of disturbing his schedule not once, but twice. And one of those hadn't even been planned until a couple of days prior!
Jaime didn't want to.
BB: Tbh I don't think my parents will let me go out twice in a row like that...
BB: Considering Thursday is a school night too
BB: And I just came off of being grounded
BB: Maybe you can come with on Friday instead?
Artemis: and be a 3rd wheel to you guys bromance?
Artemis: nvm.
Artemis: it was stupid of me to ask
The rest of Jaime's night was spent texting and talking with Artemis; much to the delight of his mother and sister. They were so excited Jaime was glued to his phone talking to girls like a normal teenager, but Jaime didn't feel normal, or like this conversation was good. Artemis was upset, he could just tell, even if she was playing it cool. Jaime couldn't find it in himself to really fault her, she was just trying to look out for him and make sure that when he had his actual hangout with Connor he wouldn't... disappear again. Apparently going along with the two boys wasn't good enough for her; it just wasn't safe enough.
That had given Jaime pause. Was he doing the thing again? The thing where he treated an entire situation like a game because of how unaware he was about it? Was he really that sensitive that a crowded restaurant would really affect him?
It was just him and Nightwing when he clocked out last time. That was traumatic news, he tried to convince himself, but his paranoia was quickly winning out. A sharp breath, a weight in his chest, his hands hovering over the keyboard:
BB: So what do we do?
Artemis: Ill handle it ;)
Jaime sighed; the anxiety leaving his body was replaced with a general sense of unease. He wasn't sure whether to be relieved the choice was taken away, or if he should feel like he'd signed his life (or at least his weekend) away.
Artemis would not tell Jaime what her plan was and reminded him - rather annoyedly at times - that she was handling it. After a day, Jaime's unease grew as Thursday and Friday approached and he still had no idea what was going on. He was getting a headache…
Diligently keeping an eye out as he made his way through school his phone - his, until recently, main phone - dinged with a message from Connor. He almost missed it. He was so used to texting Artemis on his new phone, he barely recognized his old ringtone anymore. He briefly wondered how many texts he had missed because he assumed it was someone else's phone.
Unlocking the screen revealed that, no, he had not missed many texts. In fact, Jaime hadn't missed a single one and they were all replied too. All 5 texts, accounted for… he thought dismally.
Sometimes he felt like a loser. He looked at the notification:
Connor: Bummer about Friday, would've been fun…
The whole read text much like Connor's bullet-point-form speech. He asked that Jaime tell him about his cousin's quinceañera, apparently Artemis and Megan were talking about it like it was a pretty big deal. He didn't get it himself, but hoped Jaime had fun. And ended the text by saying he wished Jaime would've told him himself; Connor wouldn't have been mad,
He's probably used to it, Jaime thought sheepishly. He took a second to read the text over, the realization that Artemis had effectively cancelled his bro date. Is that what she meant by she'll handle it? Jaime fumed, he had thought that maybe she would do something silly like call him out of school - Nightwing had done that in the past - or maybe case the joints Jaime would plan on going to with Connor or… something.
This really sucked. He'd gone out of his way to make sure Connor knew he was making time for him; he'd thrown his schedule out the window for the weekend since he was supposed to be doing meal prep that evening, and superhero work after; everything would be crunched! He hated it.
On top of all of that, I have to reschedule! Jaime groaned inwardly.
He quickly texted Connor an apology, claiming forgetfulness and how he would never really go to these things, but a stray paranoid thought stopped him dead in his tracks; sentence hanging half-finished.
What had Artemis told Connor? Had she told him that Jaime had forgotten about the quinceañera? Or that his mother sprung it on him last minute? Or something else entirely? For that matter, if he were to reschedule, he needed to check with Artemis first, so he erased his text message and reached out to Artemis on his other phone.
Artemis: smart cookie
She related the details of her lie and a good time for rescheduling to Jaime, who then fashioned an appropriate response hesitantly. It all felt very weird. Unease crept up his neck as he typed; and something uncomfortable twisted in the pit of his stomach when he received another message from her.
Artemis: show me before you send it
Artemis: you'll prob make a mistake, gotta make sure.
Jaime made a face. He wasn't so dumb he couldn't make up a single text message, and promptly started typing a message telling her so, but… what was the harm in her double checking? Jaime often wished he had another person to run things by - beside the scarab; homicidal little creature. Besides, as bad as it felt, Artemis got him, looked after him; found him when he was lost.
Maybe he was lost right now.
He sent her his draft.
To her credit, Artemis only changed most of Jaime's message. He read over her corrections. His words, but not really. His voice, but distorted. His throat felt dry, like he was losing his voice. In a way, maybe he was. He gripped his phone, perhaps more tightly than he meant to, arrested by a moment of hesitation. Looking over the typed message, unable to press send for a time.
With a resigned sigh, he sent it.
Though Jaime tried not to dwell on it, he couldn't help but feel like he was being a bad friend. Artemis replied that planning outings like this was a two-way street, and besides, she and Jaime were just making sure that he could handle stuff like this before going out 'unsupervised'. Connor knew nothing about Jaime's episodes, and Artemis took great care to remind him that she did.
That she was looking out for him.
Although Jaime's stomach dropped a little, like he was on the edge of a precipice, he felt relief at her words; like she was standing there with him.
BB: So do you have any dietary restrictions?
And with that, their conversation turned to much more enjoyable topics.
Friday came and Jaime found himself looking at the clock; staring as the seconds ticked on by. He recalled his outing to the Watchtower, feeling like he'd been cooped up for the first time in months - and here he was with that same exact feeling again.
Let's hope it turns out better than last time, he thought, turning his attention to scanning the hallway outside of class. He had a feeling it would, with Artemis there.
The day passed by sluggishly. It was as if everyone had conspired to put Jaime through the longest Friday ever; teachers speaking in monotone voices, explaining things like AP Biology with less gusto than a dead slug. Students, usually filled with the vibrant and exuberant energy of youth and the patience of a toddler, all seemed content to just amble along between classes; even the damn crosswalks were counting down slower than usual, Jaime was sure of it.
But none of that mattered when he met up with Artemis at his local music store. The afternoon sun offset by a warm, comfortable breeze; the wind blowing in Artemis' long golden hair, carrying the scent of her shampoo to him. She was leaning against the wall of the store, looking remarkably distracted - normal.
Jaime knew better. He could tell by the furtive glances, the only minutely relaxed pose; crafted, like a model's, but tense like a tiger in reality - Artemis was as alert as ever.
And cute. The thought snuck in before he could stop it, making heat creep up his neck as he took in her outfit. It was nothing special, much like Jaime, she was wearing one of her usual outfits; a brown shirt worn over a white tank top with her midriff exposed, skinny jeans, and her knee-high black boots.
Jaime trudged up to her, in his usual grey hoodie with a white tee-shirt underneath, jeans, and grey shoes. Kinda bland looking, he thought as he caught a glimpse of his reflection in the store's window.
Artemis pushed herself off the wall and walked the few steps left between them. She flashed a smile at him, and he momentarily forgot what they there to do; taken aback by how normal this all seemed.
"You got here pretty fast," she said as way of a greeting.
"I was excited to," he replied, and he could've sworn her smile became more genuine. "The whole day felt like molasses; I kept looking at the clock," Jaime chuckled and ran a hand through his hair, suddenly feeling self-conscious.
"Aww, you were excited to see me? That's sweet," she said, leaning in. Jaime's mouth went dry as she leaned in just a little closer. A couple walked by, shooting them a quick glance before moving on. His stomach tightened. "Don't change, Reyes." she pinched his cheek playfully.
Why did this feel different? Why did this feel… like something else?
Jaime made a big show of playfully swatting her hand away, feeling a blush creep up his neck. He didn't know why it felt so easy with Artemis at times. Like he didn't have to think, or worry; he could just be, and she'd take care of the rest. Was this normal? He never really thought about it. But Artemis made it feel normal. "Okay, okay, enough," he said ruefully. "I got my cheeks pinched plenty enough when I was kid visiting my aunts and grandparents!"
Artemis chuckled and leaned back, crossing her arms. "So, what'll it be? Where were you planning on taking me?" she asked easily, like she already knew the answer, her relaxed manner bringing a smile to his face. He had a feeling today would be fun.
Jaime mirrored her, crossing his arms, as he looked up in thought. "Well, we could start here, do some window shopping before we catch some grub," he said. "There's a good taquería nearby. I-It's not classy or anything-" Jaime couldn't think of a good reason why he would need to take Artemis somewhere fancy- "b-but it's really good! A-And, uh, and-"
Artemis put a gentle hand on his arm. "Jaime," she interrupted gently, chuckling. "Breathe! Whatever you like is fine. Don't sweat it, okay?"
He obeyed without thinking, inhaling sharply, ignoring the heat on his cheeks. With a sigh, Jaime composed himself. "Then for dessert I thought maybe... There's this little shack that makes really good homemade ice cream. Actually, their coffee is really good too!"
She eyed him for a second, one eyebrow raised. "This isn't what you had planned for Connor, was it?" she asked knowingly.
Jaime chuckled, feeling caught. "A-Ah, no... Well, the taquería yes, but I figured Connor might've liked to swing by a few other spots, too."
"I see," Artemis hummed. "Why the change?" she asked playfully, a mischievous glimmer in her eyes.
Jaime sputtered, blushing.
"Connor would've probably hated this anyway," Artemis mused, stretching. "He's not exactly the 'foodie' type."
Jaime hesitated - just a fraction of a second - then he nodded, voice lighter than he meant it to be. "Yeah, I guess."
For a moment, Jaime had the strangest feeling that he should've been somewhere else; that this wasn't what today was supposed to look like. He shifted on his feet, figured he should say something; about Connor, about the plan, about…something.
Artemis tilted her head slightly, like she'd caught something in his expression, but she just smiled at him, and the thought slipped away._
Without preamble, Artemis turned toward the store, shelving their previous conversation as if it had never happened. She looked through the window, as if she was a normal girl, doing normal window shopping on a normal day, with a normal guy. At least one of those things was true, all in all, it was a pretty normal day in El Paso.
She caught his attention when she tapped on the storefront's window with her knuckle, motioning at a row of fancy electric guitars: Les Paul, SG, PRS all in burnt cherry or supernatural reds.
"Didn't you mention your dad used to play or something?" she asked.
Jaime blinked. "Uh, yeah, taught me everything he knows," he said at length, voice warm with pleasant memories.
She smiled, turning to face him. "So," she asked, her smile turning into a smirk. "Planning on showing off, are we?"
He snorted. "As if, knowing me I'd probably fall trying to get set up on a stool and wind up with a hefty bill for a broken guitar. Besides, you really think I should hop on a stool and start serenading you?"
She shrugged. "I mean, if you want to impress me, Reyes—"
He groaned, shaking his beet-red head as he pulled open the door. "Not happening." He motioned for her to go. "Ladies first."
Artemis smirked, but her gaze flicked back to the guitars. "Guess I'll just have to take your word for it," she said simply, leading him inside. "Such a gentleman," she teased, looking at him over her shoulder.
Following her inside, Jaime wondered, just for a second, what Connor would've thought of all this, but then Artemis smirked at him, and the thought passed.
The two shopped around the store for a while. Jaime hadn't pegged Artemis as a big music afficionado, but she spent a surprising amount of time among the vinyl. Apparently, she used to know someone who collected them, long ago, so it was like taking a walk down memory lane for her. They both looked at every kind of instrument, trying to find the most expensive of each. There was a violin perched high up on the wall behind the counter that had one or two zeros more than anything else in the shop and Jaime wondered who in their right mind would pay so much for an instrument.
"Probably Bruce Wayne," Artemis mused.
"Definitely, and he'd have no clue how to play it," he replied, chuckling.
"It's about the prestige, Jaime. Peasants like us wouldn't get it!
Had he ever spent this much time with someone—just like this? No masks, no missions—just walking around? He wasn't sure. If he had, it felt like a lifetime ago. But it felt easy. Almost too easy. It was different too, With Artemis, it was easier; smoother. Maybe that was just her, or maybe—maybe it was him.
He hadn't felt this way in a long time. Not like this. But maybe it was nothing.
As Artemis talked with a clerk about the violin, Jaime sneakily retreated to vinyl section. He pulled out the ones that she'd spent the longest time staring at – reminiscing, she had said - and memorized them. He wasn't going to buy them, especially not when he didn't even know if Artemis had a record player, but this might offer him a glimpse into her world, her music of choice.
"C'mon, you done being antisocial?" she teased as she smacked his arm playfully, knocking him from his reverie. "So, where to next? Got another place in mind?"
Jaime thought for a while. They'd spent more time than he thought they would in the music shop, but he wasn't quite sure if it was time for supper yet. Artemis hadn't seemed hungry just now.
"It's up to you," he said easily. "Is there any kind of store you wanted to see? Or if you're hungry we can go to the taquería, or if you're just feeling like a light snack or drink there's some good cafés not far. But if you-"
Jaime was interrupted when Artemis grabbed him by the chin, squeezing his cheeks together somewhat as she turned his head to look at her.
"You have got to breathe when you talk, you sound like Bart," she teased, and released him after a moment when it was clear he wasn't going to continue spewing out options. "Take me to the prettiest spot you know, that's what I want."
"Oh? Uh," he paused for a moment. This was not something Jaime had thought to think of. "I mean sure!" he added quickly. "But why?"
"I want to see what your city has to offer; the quiet place where people go to get away from tourists," she told him, as if his choice of the prettiest spot was somehow such an interesting psychological intrigue. "Where's the make-out point, y'know? The best view in town. That."
Jaime hesitated. A second too long, maybe. Was this normal? He never thought about it before. He could take her somewhere simple—a park, a quiet street- but that wasn't what she asked for. She wanted the best. The prettiest spot. The kind of place that meant something.
This was different. He knew it. But saying no never even crossed his mind. He wasn't even sure what the prettiest spot in El Paso was. But he wanted to see if she'd smile when he picked one.
Jaime had warned her he wasn't quite sure how to get there. There was always the bus. Jaime could probably suit up and - his cheeks reddened at the thought - carry her there. His parents were at work still for a while, so no, he couldn't borrow the car. Not that his parents would be too keen on him taking it for an unsupervised drive.
He'd only scratched it once.
So, when Artemis beckoned him to her motorcycle a few blocks from the music store, Jaime felt both excited and embarrassed. For one, he'd never been on a motorbike before, and for two, it felt weird that even though he was supposed to be showing her around town, she was the one who was driving. Wasn't that usually the guy's job?
"Hold on tight, Reyes, don't want you falling off halfway," she told him. Straddling her bike, she shot him a look as she fastened her helmet. She didn't have a spare for Jaime, but the scarab would handle it if anything happened.
Was this normal? It wasn't like he'd never been close to her before. But this—this felt different. Artemis shot him a look, a sideways glance and a smirk and he decided he didn't care. Jaime swung his leg over and sat behind sat behind her. The moment the bike kicked forward Jaime had no choice but to tighten his grip on her hips.
Not sure if he was already overstepping some boundaries, he tried to lighten his grip so that he was holding on with the barest of touches, but the bike lurched forward again, and suddenly, his arms were locked around her waist. No choice. No second thoughts.
"Hope you know where you're going," he muttered, tightening his grip, his chest nearly pressed against her back.
Artemis laughed. "Relax, Reyes. Just enjoy the ride."
The warmth of her back against his chest felt…closer than he expected. But it was fine. It was just a bike ride. His fingers flexed slightly where they rested against her jacket. He told himself it was just to adjust his grip.
"See? Told you you'd hold on," Artemis teased over the wind.
Maybe she'd planned it that way.
Despite Artemis' driving, the ride was relatively quiet. High winds weren't exactly conductive to having a proper conversation. Besides, Jaime's mind was caught between the heat of the girl he was all but hugging to himself, and the vast expanse of the Texas skies. His mind wandered, eyes fixed on the horizon. This wasn't how he thought the night would go. But maybe that wasn't a bad thing.
Artemis passed a car, and Jaime nearly buried his face in Artemis' neck. Being a passenger on a bike was somehow more terrifying than flying solo in the air. He wasn't sure if he should let go, even when he could.
They arrived at the edge of Scenic Drive, surrounded by the vastness of the Texas landscape. El Paso wasn't a big city by any means, but the Hueco Mountains to the east, and the low but sprawling downtown to the south under the infinite blue canvas punctuated with splotches of white cloud always made Jaime feel so small. So unimportant.
What a breath of fresh air, he thought, letting out a relaxed sigh.
"I'm enjoying this more than you'd think," Artemis said teasingly after a while, having removed her helmet some time ago. "And just to let you know, bike's been cold for a while now, I think you're good to let go "
Jaime hadn't realized, lost in thought when they had arrived, that he still had his arms locked around Artemis' waist, which caused him to practically leap off the bike when she spoke, as if he'd been burned; his face and neck red enough to look it, too. How long had he been like that? He had no idea. Long enough for the bike to go cold. Long enough for Artemis to notice.
She disembarked with ease, keeping her eyes on him all the while. "So this is it?" she asked, her stormy grey eyes locked onto his soft brown ones.
This wasn't just about the view anymore. But if it wasn't, then—
"The prettiest spot in town?" she added with her sweet almost - almost - innocent smile, cutting through his slightly panicked thoughts.
Jaime swallowed. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to respond. Heat crept up his neck. Her eyes asking a different question from the one voiced. His palms felt a little sweaty. He shifted on his feet, glancing toward the skyline, but her gaze didn't waver.
She tilted her head, waiting. Expecting.
What was he supposed to say? That this was the nation's largest urban park? That it was home to the highest peak in the county? That Jaime never thought a girl would ever look at him like Artemis was right now; like mezcal and honey, burning his veins from the inside just with a look? That he used to come here to stargaze with his family as a child?
Artemis still held his gaze.
Swallowing the dry lump that had formed in the back of his throat, Jaime licked his lips, his eyes flicking instinctively to her still-smiling mouth. "I-I'd say so," he squeaked out. "At least-" his mind promptly stopped working midway through the sentence, not knowing if what he was saying was normal or absolutely deranged- "Prettiest view from where I'm standing."
Artemis's smile grew, reaching her eyes. A little more, and Jaime was sure she would bite her lip and sway coyly. She did sway, and so did Jaime's heart—plunging into a wonderfully terrifying vertigo. She closed the distance between them; his breath hitched, fingers twitching slightly at his sides, resisting the urge to reach for something—anything—to ground himself.
"Do you have any fond memories here?" she asked casually, as if Jaime wasn't breathing her air - as if she wasn't a hair's breadth away from-
All either one of them had to do was lean in.
War drums were beating against Jaime's temples; a thunderous applause for his ears only. When he looked down, he stared at her gently smiling lips for a second too long-
With a lingering smile, as if she too had heard the drums, Artemis leaned back and turned to the immense urban park. Just like that, the drumming died down to a normal easygoing thumping rhythm, and Jaime felt...
Like he'd missed a step going down the stairs; relieved he made it, but a little scared, and maybe a little disappointed? He wasn't sure if he was supposed to be relieved or if he wanted to take the step he'd missed.
Clearing his throat awkwardly, Jaime tried to think of an answer to her question. He turned to look at the park around them, taking in the sights as Artemis did. "We... We used to come stargazing here, years ago my family and I," he finally told her, eliciting a hum in reply.
"Nothing fancy," he continued when she didn't speak up. She was still looking off towards the horizon, but turning towards him just enough that she gave the impression that he had her attention more than the scenery did. Without realizing it, he adjusted his stance to match. "Just blankets, hot cocoa, and the light pollution, I guess. I don't know why we were so obsessed with doing that." He chuckled with a tint of morose nostalgia. "We haven't done that in a long time. Not since..."
He hesitated.
"Not since you got the scarab," she replied for him, finally turning to fully face him.
The reality of it hit Jaime like a bag of bricks. He'd been alone for so much longer than he'd realized. And Artemis had just spoken it into existence as if it was nothing; like she already knew what he'd been about to say. He looked down and took a second to breathe. Had she meant it so casually? Or did she already know? "Yeah. That... That's a few, like what, years, I guess? I haven't really spent much time with my family considering I live with them."
His voice trailed off into the mountain breeze that blew by, carrying a breath Jaime hadn't known he was holding. He thought they might slip into a comfortable silence, right when Artemis spoke.
"I know what it's like to sleep in a place that looks like home, but you feel you don't belong to anymore." She spoke softly, tiredly—like someone who had been fighting alone for too long. "Family doesn't get it, friends don't get it - not really. Lonely doesn't begin to cover it."
Jaime sidled closer to he; she looked so vulnerable. She exhaled and didn't move away, if anything the air between them had grown lighter. "Tell me about it," he replied gently.
To his surprise, she did. Artemis told him about her father, Sportsmaster, and of her childhood. In comparison, Jaime felt like his upbringing was a paradise. She told him how her undercover work had affected her.
"I know it's not the same," she told him, and as another breeze blew, she leaned against him; maybe for warmth, maybe for support.
Maybe for something else.
"But sometimes your subconscious just can't let go," she said, voice just above a whisper as it trailed off.
"Like there's two people living in your head," he remarked, surprising himself. He hadn't meant to say it out loud, but now it was out there. "And there's not enough room for both of them."
She stilled. Just for a second. Then, softer than before, she murmured, "Yeah."
They didn't speak again right away. The wind carried their breaths, mixing with the distant sounds of the city as they continued to lean against each other for some time; longer than either of them had expected - until the sun started setting and their stomachs rumbled. A somewhat disruptive end to an otherwise quiet outing.
"Let's go get those tacos you mentioned earlier," Artemis said at length, nudging him gently.
Jaime didn't really want to move at first, he was comfortable. For a second, he thought they could stay a bit longer, but Artemis had nudged him again, and that was that. He glumly realized he wasn't sure when the last time was that he'd hugged someone, or touched someone outside of a fight. It was nice. He almost felt like he could sleep right there, leaning against her.
But she was hungry, and Jaime knew better than to mess with a hungry woman; his mother had made sure of that.
"Sounds like a plan," he replied, letting her push off of him. He followed her to her bike. "We should be there in just a few minutes, considering your driving," he teased, feeling comfortable.
It was minute, but there was a shift. Artemis stiffened for barely a moment - had he blinked he'd have missed it entirely - but he noticed.
Jaime also noticed the edge in her forced chuckle. Or thought he did.
Had he actually annoyed her? He hadn't meant to. But the way she covered it up so fast…
That was enough for him.
"W-Which is better than my driving by far," he added apologetically. "I've been barred from borrowing the car, my parents don't trust me after I brought it home scratched." That was fast. He hadn't even thought about it. Just—fixed it.
There was a short silence as Artemis equipped her helmet and settled herself on her bike. "After seeing you fly, I'm not surprised," she replied, clearly teasing, but Jaime felt like there was more to it. Then Artemis lifted her visor and shot him a smile, patting the space behind her. "Get on, I won't bite."
She smiled like nothing had happened. Maybe nothing had. Maybe he was overthinking it. But he still felt like he'd just stepped on a landmine and barely made it out. Her smile lingered just a second longer than usual, as if she'd caught something; was testing something. Jaime sat down behind her. And then, just like that, it was gone.
Jaime startled when he felt her grab his hands. "Look," she began, casually, "I know you're probably still in your 'girls are icky' stage, but you gotta hold onto me, my guy." She wrapped his arms around her waist, squeezing his hand with hers. Somewhere in the back of his mind, a voice whispered that he should have protested. He didn't. "I don't wanna be bringing you to the hospital and have to explain to your mom why this is how she's meeting me."
"She'd honestly just be thrilled I was in the same vicinity as you," he replied distractedly, feeling her heat against him as they adjusted their positions; melding together. Maybe he should have said something. But he didn't mind. Not really.
She hummed at that, something unreadable in her expression, but she didn't let go of his hand just yet.
It was prime time for the taqueria to be packed: Friday night, great weather, amazing ambiance, and even better food. Jaime was already mourning their ruined supper before they'd even found a spot to park. He tried to tell Artemis there were a few other places that were pretty good, but she shushed him and insisted he take her there.
"That's what you wanted, right?" she asked, more serious than the situation called for.
"U-uh, yeah, I mean-"
"Then that's what we'll get," she replied, and gently pushed him in the general direction of the restaurant.
Jaime swallowed nervously, afraid of having the evening ruined because of a long wait just for some tacos. He opened his mouth to protest, but her hand on his back was firm, reassuring. He let himself be led.
The two walked the few blocks to reach their destination in comfortable silence. Hadn't he just been worried about this place being packed? Funny how fast that concern had disappeared.
They reached the taqueria, which was thankfully only respectfully busy, and the owner greeted Jaime warmly, like a nephew.
"Jaime!" he cried out, coming out from behind the counter to hug his favourite customer.
"Fernando! It's been a while!" Jaime replied, returning the hug and shooting a glance at a very amused Artemis.
"A while!?" Fernando stepped back thwacked Jaime with his cap. "This guy, the lifeblood of mí taquería for years! Then-" he smacked Jaime again- "nothing? Who's gonna be putting my kids through college?"
Jaime rubbed his head ruefully. Sheepishly, he replied, "It's been a busy… year." He cleared his throat, choosing not to dwell on the fact that Jaime's favourite food joint hadn't seen hide nor hair of him for even longer than that.
"You were putting his kids through college?" Artemis muttered conspiratorially, just as Fernando launched into a tirade about feeding the souls of the youth.
"Look, I would stop here between my, uh… shifts, and sometimes during, okay?" he replied bashfully. He wasn't a glutton, but tacos go down easy, and when they're as good and cheap as Fernando's, people tended to stuff themselves.
Speaking of.
He was halfway through Jaime's regular order - an outlandish amount of tacos, considering his usual appetite - when he stopped dead in his tracks.
"What?" asked Jaime, following his eyes to Artemis. "Oh."
"Oh?" asked both Artemis and Fernando. The former much more amused than the latter, who looked about ready to explode.
"Y-Yeah, 'Oh', as in…" Jaime paused, feeling foolish. "Oh, what an honour it is to present to you, Artemis." He did a little bow with a flourish, casting a sidelong glance at Artemis, who smiled at his joke. Straightening, he added, "She's pretty much the reason I'm still alive."
Fernando shook Artemis' hand with the gusto of a mother meeting her son's superhero. "An honour to make your acquaintance," he said, with a bow mirroring Jaime, though much more playful and exaggerated. "You take after your father," he said to Jaime in an obnoxiously loud stage whisper.
Before either of them could address that, Fernando directed them towards a booth by a window. "Where are my manners, it won't do to make a lady wait! Please, sit, sit!" Fernando cried, snapping his fingers for a server to bring a menu.
"You should be taking notes," Artemis teased Jaime.
"Maybe I should leave the two of you to demonstrate how this is supposed to go?" Jaime replied in kind, maintaining his composure despite his blush. The words had barely left his mouth when Artemis placed a hand on his forearm.
"Don't leave," she said in a low voice, only for him to hear. Her dulcet tone seemed to make time slow.
Mild panic gripped his heart. Ice. The North Pole. He nearly jumped out of his seat—stayed only by Artemis' tightening grip. Looking at her, he noticed her schooled, but worried expression. Open enough only for those who knew her to understand the silent worry.
Breathe, she mouthed at him.
He did, feeling his thumping heart hammer against his ribs. He focused on the heat of Artemis' hand. His eyes shot to hers, sending a silent plea for help.
She placed another hand, this one making its way to Jaime's cheek. The warm hand feeling like both a shocking slap and a comforting blanket.
Fernando, who had been reaming out an annoyed server, all but squealed when he noticed the gesture. "You two lovebirds are adorable!" He dropped two menus on the table and walked off. "Don't let me keep you!"
Jaime's hands curled into tight fists, sucking in a quick breath.
He held it; like he couldn't let go.
"Hey," Artemis whispered calmly, "breathe out, dumbass."
He did, and tension poured from his frame. "I-I'm sorry," he stuttered out, looking away.
Artemis was still cupping his cheek. And touching his arm. She waited until he looked at her in the eyes. "Don't be, that's exactly why I came, right?"
Jaime melted a bit in her hand, safety and warmth overshadowing his anxiety. Something flashed in Artemis' eyes. A thought? A realization? But it passed before Jaime could catch it. "Y-You're right. Again," he added, his voice lightening. "I sense a pattern."
"Well, when you're perfect like me, it's bound to happen," she quipped lightly. Her expression softened and she leaned in, eyes boring into his. "You okay?"
Honestly, no he wasn't okay, but not for the reasons she thought. Well, partly. His heart and brain were all tangled up and upside down. But with Artemis cradling his cheek and smiling at him like that-
Like he was somebody. Like he was her sun.
She smiled and hummed at that, something unreadable in her expression. Almost pleased. Almost… something else.
He should have pulled away. Maybe. But he didn't. Because she was warm, and steady, and—
Jaime swallowed. He wasn't going to think about it. Not now. Maybe not ever.
Finally, when Artemis moved her hand, Jaime almost shivered at the loss of warmth.
Walking through the old market after they had eaten their fill of tacos, with a few more thrown in - for the lady - Jaime felt the closeness between he and Artemis more than the world around him. Their hands brushed together as they walked. He took a sip of his creamy iced coffee, eyeing Artemis' black one, when she caught him staring, she bumped him with her hip.
"Watchu want?" she asked, her teeth biting into the straw.
"You didn't add anything to your coffee," he replied, incredulous.
"You've said that, like five times now. You haven't even tried it," she said, bringing her cup up to his face, almost stabbing him with the straw. "Try it, c'mon." She wagged it at him.
Jaime laughed, dancing this way and that to avoid being poked in the eye. "Okay, but only if you try mine too, otherwise it's not fair."
She stared at his coffee like it had personally offended her, making a face. Finally, as he was about say something, she deftly put the straw in his mouth. "Life's not fair, now drink up!"
It tasted bitter, but good. Kind of like Artemis, Jaime thought. "It's better than expected," he replied honestly, taking another sip of his own. "Now this one's too sweet! Ah, you ruined it for me," he groaned dramatically, leaning against Artemis.
"Ugh, you're heavy!" she complained, making a show of collapsing slowly under his unbearable weight. Jaime stayed on her, until she was almost crouched and he almost couldn't right himself.
They resumed walking, Artemis drifting a little to the side, looking around. She shook her icy cup distractedly, looking for a garbage. As he moved to follow her, Artemis jogged a few steps to a stall, telling him to wait there, and he felt part of him leave with her; the absence visceral.
She threw her empty cup in the bin and asked the clerk something. Jaime waited. The clerk handed Artemis a wet paper towel. Jaime checked his phone - the unopened text from Connor still hanging there. Artemis took the paper towel and wiped down her hands. Jaime looked around, feeling out of place. Throwing the used paper towels away, Artemis wiped her hands on her jeans and finally walked back to Jaime, who had come to a dead stop, waiting for her. She wasn't even gone for two minutes, so why did it feel longer? She walked up beside him and wordlessly took a step, and he followed, noting that she hadn't sidled up to him like they'd been walking for the past while.
Jaime made his way closer, more than before she left, feeling a bit flustered at the thought. Artemis glanced at him, smiling as if she hadn't just left him stranded in the middle of the sidewalk; but she noticed him come close and she did too, their hips bumping every few steps.
Jaime took a deep breath, feeling Artemis' eyes on him, like she could feel the gears in his head turning and grinding. This hadn't been the way Jaime had intended to spend his Friday night - part of him still felt like a bad friend to Connor, but if Artemis hadn't been there he'd have had an episode right in front of Fernando and Connor. He was glad she had been there, he affirmed as he stubbornly ignored the myriad of thoughts and emotions that swelled within him at that, and wondering what would happen if she wasn't there next time?
What if Jaime was alone? What if Jaime let someone get hurt? Because he was weak, and tired-
"You're going to say something stupid," she said, deftly interrupting his spiralling thoughts.
"Hm?" Jaime started. "What do you mean?"
She wasn't really smiling anymore. "You have that look in your eyes."
Jaime looked off to the side for a beat. "What look?"
"This one," she said jabbing a thumb in his general direction. "It's dark. I don't like it, Jaime," she said the last part softly.
She really did read him like an open book, didn't she? One with pictures and detailed instructions, he thought glibly while also acknowledging how easily she brought him back. "I'm sorry, it's just…"
"Hey, I will be there," her voice brooked no argument. Before Jaime could ask any 'what if' questions he had, she continued, "In person or on the phone. Just send me a single letter or a dot. Hell, you could probably just think hard enough and Megan would pick up on it and I'll be on my way."
Jaime looked at her. You promise? His eyes asked.
Artemis met his eyes steadfastly, holding his gaze. I promise, her eyes replied.
He hadn't even noticed when he drifted closer, but he liked it.
Artemis bumped her hip against his again. Easy. Simple. He was already hers.
Jaime smiled to himself.
The wind whipped through Jaime's hair as Artemis weaved through the quiet streets of El Paso, the roar of the engine filling the night. Jaime felt her warmth against him, how her waist fit in his arms snuggly - and maybe for the first time that night, he realized that he hadn't had a headache all day. Still had had a flashback, but he hadn't run; because of her.
How easy had he breathed today? How light had been the burden on his shoulders, that he hadn't noticed he'd even been carrying anything with him at all? And when he had that weight, that fear, Artemis shouldered the load with him - grounding him; mooring him before he could drift off to a stormy sea and disappear.
He rested his head on her shoulder, eyes glazed over in thought. Was this - was she - what he needed all along? Artemis adjusted herself enough to bump his head with the side of hers in an unconscious gesture - like she was hugging him back.
Jaime wished they could take the longer way home.
The evening unfortunately drew to a close, and Jaime realized with a start that he wasn't going back to the Watchtower but had to go home. He had to ask Artemis to drop him off. Probably was going to have to endure endless teasing from his sister - or more likely mother, at this time.
"Maybe if I'm lucky, she'll be asleep," he said distractedly, as they marched back to Artemis' motorcycle.
Artemis raised an eyebrow, and smirked at him. "Trying to make me your dirty little secret, Reyes?"
Jaime sputtered as he joined her on her motorcycle, arms wrapping around her waist automatically. Comfortably. Like she belonged in his arms. Or maybe—just maybe—he belonged here, hanging onto her. Artemis smirked as she felt him settle against her. No hesitation. Just trust. Just comfort. Funny how quickly he'd gotten used to this.
Would it have been this easy with Connor? Jaime felt a small pang of guilt at the thought. He still felt uneasy about lying to his friend, but he didn't have time to dwell on that when the engine roared to life.
Artemis sped off as he secured his grip on her. Just a few weeks ago, he wouldn't have thought twice about flying home on his own. But this? This was better. The two were pulling up in front of his home in record time thanks to the empty streets and her expert driving. The ride home was fast. Too fast. It always felt like there wasn't enough time with her. His house had never seemed so small before.
She slowed to a stop in his driveway, and the two waited there wordlessly for a few minutes, neither willing to break the spell. Finally, she put her hand on his, a silent reminder that if he wanted to sleep, he'd have to let her go.
Jaime pondered for a second longer. Steeling himself, he disembarked and turned to face Artemis - only to find her parking her bike and following suit.
"Let me walk you to your door," she said, her voice thick with… something.
Jaime swallowed the lump that started forming in his throat. "O-Okay," he replied with difficulty, but there was a smile on his face accompanied by a blush.
They walked the few steps up to Jaime's front door, facing each other, blinded to their surroundings. Lost in their own universe.
The world held its breath.
His fierce brown eyes locked onto her beautiful grey ones.
Her lips were parted, as if waiting…
Jaime leaned in, and so did Artemis.
She whispered something in his ear. Something you say only to someone that's yours. Jaime was deafened by his own blood pumping, Artemis' words hanging in his ears. He stood there, frozen, and beet-red.
Artemis leaned back, a self-satisfied smile on her pretty pink lips. She glanced down and adjusted his shirt in a surprisingly intimate yet casual moment.
The door opened and they froze - well, Artemis froze, Jaime had already been frozen since she'd whispered in his ear - revealing Jaime's mother. She stood there in her dressing gown, a soft smile on her face. "Oh, don't mind me, keep going. You two remind me of his father and I when we were younger."
Artemis let her hands drop, nodding and smiling at Bianca. "It's so nice to finally meet you, Mrs. Reyes," she replied, extending a hand to shake.
Bianca Reyes eyed Artemis' for a moment, grasping her hands warmly before she gently pulled Artemis in close. "Look after him," she simply said, and wrapped her in a hug. "It's been so long since he spent more than five minutes with a girl."
Artemis snorted, casting a sidelong glance at her date. He still stood there, dumbfounded and blushing. "Jaime you should probably close your mouth, sweetie," she teased, honey dripping heavily off the pet name - which got his attention. "You'll swallow a fly, and then we won't hear the end of it."
Jaime's jaw snapped shut with a 'click'. He looked indignant, but there was a smile on his lips. "You talk like I'm Bart or something, he's the chatterbox, not me!"
Artemis and Bianca shared a look, and a knowing smile. Finally, she told the kids that she was going up to bed, now that Jaime was home. "Don't take too long, now."
The door shut gently, and Jaime turned to Artemis, who was waiting by the steps. "I think I'm supposed to walk you to your bike now," he said, breaking the silence.
She hummed. "And then I have to walk you to your door, right?"
He smiled. "It's only right."
"Trapping us in an endless cycle, I take it?"
"I wouldn't have it any other way, " he replied, voice soft, just above a whisper.
Artemis smiled at him, and bit her lips, swaying adorably, eyes half-lidded. For a second, he thought she might kiss him. For a second, she let him believe it too. "You're getting good at this, Reyes," she said, reluctantly stepping down the three steps, never moving her eyes from him.
"You deserve the best," he replied, rooted by the door, pinned by her stare.
"Go to bed," she whispered.
"Text me when you get back?" he replied.
She nodded, but took her time donning her helmet and getting ready to leave. Stealing a glance or two, like she expected him to call her back.
Then she left. Jaime stood there, hands on his phone knowing he'd receive a text from her. When it came, part of him hesitated before looking down at the screen.
He was still thinking about what Artemis had said in his ears. The way the words had come out of her mouth so easily, so smoothly. Jaime's heart flipped, and for a second, he felt as if he was in free fall; her words replaying in his ears.
Jaime finally went to bed, still flustered.
And woke up, not having dreamt at all.