Breaking Your Own Heart (A Birdflash Fanfiction)

Breaking Your Own Heart (A Young Justice Fanfiction)

Artemis had a habit of barging into Wally’s room at the most inconvenient moments, which made him regret ever telling her his passcode. Usually, her intrusions ended with the pair making out on Wally’s bed, but this time was different.

Wally was halfway through changing into his civilian clothes, having just arrived after a hard training session with the Flash in Central City, when Artemis barged in. Wally yelped, holding his t-shirt over his bare chest.

“Ever heard of knocking?” he squeaked. Artemis rolled her eyes at him.

“Just put your shirt on. I need to talk to you.”

Wally threw his t-shirt on over his head, getting his arms stuck in his haste to get dressed. “What’s the occasion?” he asked when he finally sorted himself out.

“I need you to call Robin.” Judging from the look on her face, he’d done something to piss her off. Majorly.

“What’d he do this time?” Wally sighed, adjusting the communicator in his ear. It sometimes got dislodged from its usual resting place at high speeds, but the cowl usually stopped it from flying off into the great blue yonder.

“Zatanna’s crying.” Artemis’ scowl deepened and Wally just wanted to smooth the creases on her forehead. She wasn’t wearing her cowl for once. “You do the math.”

Wally awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. “Uh, they’re fighting?”

Artemis raised her eyebrow.

“What? Oh. Robin broke up with her?”

“Apparently he told her that she needed somebody who could give her the love she deserved.” Artemis snorted. “He practically said, ‘It’s not you, it’s me.’ Ugh. I want to strangle him… but Zee wants to know what’s going on with him. He’s been weird all week.”

“And you want me to find out what’s up?” asked Wally.

“Duh. You know him best.” Artemis gave him a knowing look, the reasoning behind which was completely lost on Wally.

“Yeah, I guess I do. Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Because you’re an idiot.”

“Thanks, babe. You sure know how to make a guy feel special.”

Artemis offered him a small smile, which softened her features. “Talk to Robin.” She gave him a quick peck on the lips.

“I’ll give it a shot,” Wally said slowly, still trying to puzzle out his girlfriend’s expression. “I can’t promise he’ll tell me anything, though. He likes his privacy.”

To Wally’s surprise, Artemis leapt at him, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist. She usually didn’t act quite so spontaneously. More often than not, she was on the receiving end of Wally’s fits of affection, not the other way around. She preferred a steadier pace.

“That’s all I can ask,” she said into his shoulder, her voice strangely tight.

“Hey, Arty, you okay?”

Artemis drew back, plastering on a smile. “I’m fine, Wally. Get talking to Robin. I need to get Zatanna some ice cream and help her bemoan the entire male species. Nothing against you.” She kissed him on the cheek and left the room. Putting aside her strange behaviour for the moment, Wally sat on the edge of his bed, frowning. Robin had spent weeks practically fawning over Zatanna before they finally got together on New Year’s Day. It seemed unlike him to just drop her like this. Then again, Wally had been so preoccupied with the dizzying joy that was finally having Artemis that maybe he hadn’t noticed his best friend’s relationship going south. The explanation felt false to him, though. Wally had always been acutely aware of Robin, where he was, what he was doing, picking up on those little cues that everybody else missed.