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“Someone’s always coming around here trailing some new kill,” Artemis’s heartbeat pulsed against Zatanna fingertips, “says I seen your picture on a hundred dollar bill.”
Zatanna didn’t shift her balance as she peered upwards, meeting the charcoal-colored eyes of her girlfriend. Most people didn’t know this about her, but Artemis had a great voice. She rarely used it though-- that was too girly, too weak, too a million things that the teenage archer couldn’t let people see her as. Zatanna never understood who dictated the rules in Artemis’s universe-- who decided what was okay and what was too soft. Right now though, she was satisfied in pretending she wasn’t paying attention; as long as it’d get her to sing.
“And what’s a game of chance to you, t’ him is one,” she continued, burying her face in Zatanna’s thick hair, “of real skill. So glad to meet you, Angeles.”
It had been a long day. Zatanna didn’t really celebrate Christmas but Wally went all out with candy and Robin had bought gifts for all of them. It was Conner’s first holidays and M’gann wanted to make it special so they were somewhere in Happy Harbor on a date. Kaldur had spent the last week in Atlantis and wasn’t due back until after New Years. Since Wally and Dick had gone to their own homes, it was just the two of them in the cave now. (Well, Red Tornado was there too but he was in his apartment working on his “friend” as Z had dubbed it.)
“Picking up the ticket shows there’s money to be made. Go on and lose the gamble, that’s the history of the trade,” Artemis ran her fingers down Zatanna’s long arms. “Did you add up all the cards left to play,” her voice drifted and rumbled like melting candle wax, “to zero and sign up with evil, Angeles?”
Zatanna swallowed through the dryness of her throat, pressing her face into the warmth of Artemis’s sweater. She missed her dad.
“Don’t start me trying now, uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh.” It was easy to forget about stress when they were together. Everything was easy when they were together. “‘cause I’m all over it, Angeles.”
There wasn’t a lot to understand about Artemis. She was one of the most complicated people Z had ever met, but behind all that, she was simple. Artemis knew what it was like to be hurt, she didn’t take shit, and if she let you-- you’d love her more than anything in the whole world.
Reaching towards her, Artemis held her chin in her calloused hands, “I could make you satisfied in everything you do.”
Zatanna let out a laugh despite the water that stung at the edges of her eyes. She sighed and leaned further into her.
“All your secret wishes could right now be coming true--”
Zatanna had taught Artemis the world was full of magic-- she taught her to look for the kinds of beauty Artemis wouldn’t have thought to look for before.
And Artemis? Artemis had taught Zatanna it was possible to feel pain and still feel loved.
Zatanna couldn’t imagine a better message.
“And be forever with my poison arms,” Artemis messaged the stiffness of her neck, wiping the tears from Zatanna’s cheeks and looking into her enchanting blue eyes, “around you.”
Zatanna slid forward, meeting Artemis halfway for a kiss. She could taste the hum in her throat.
“No one’s gonna fool around with us. No one’s gonna fool around with us-- so glad to meet you Angeles.”