[ Robin looks behind him, seemingly satisfied with the distance between the two of them and the sunbathers down the beach. He sits just above where the waves reach, picking up a small stick and tracing patterns in the sand. ]
If you're with someone, you're supposed to trust them, right? And I have this whole secret identity thing, and... [ He shrugs again. ] Conner and M'gann, they kinda have it easy. They're just... them. But someone who likes me as Robin, or someone who likes me at school — they'd only be seeing half the picture.
[ Zatanna had kissed him, and Barbara had kissed him, and he thinks he likes them both. He’d liked Zatanna an awful lot, before everything had gone so wrong, but now he just feels guilty about that. But either way, Zatanna can never know Dick, and Barbara can never know Robin.
It’s different with Wally. Wally knows him: he can see where Dick and Robin connect, the parts of both of his carefully constructed selves that are real. And when he talks to Wally, he feels like a whole entire person. Like he’s not pretending to be anything for anyone.
Robin feels guilty about liking him, too. ]
There's exactly one person who really gets it, but it'd never, ever happen, so — that's one more secret I'm keeping from someone who thinks they know me. It's not easy, you know? Hiding things from my friends.
[ He thinks she might understand that part, at least. ]
[Artemis sighs heavily and sits down next to him. It never occurred to her that Robin felt that way. He always brushes things off with a laugh and a grin until even the fact that nobody knows his real name just feels like a big joke that everyone gets to be in on.
Who knew that Robin the Boy Wonder would have so much in common with Artemis, the super villain brat.
She's never been a good liar, but sometimes it feels like all she ever does now is lie and lie and lie and she hates it. These are people she's fought and trained beside, people she cares about and they think they care about her, but how can they? They don't even know her.
It's too late now, though. Breaking the team's trust would be worse than if they'd never trusted her at all. Just look at what happened after Louisiana...
Sometimes she wonders... how could it have been any worse if she'd just told them the truth? The actual truth?
Wally would probably still hate her, but at least she wouldn't have to feel like a liar any more.
... she just wouldn't get to feel like a hero any more either.]
Secret identities are... the worst.
[It sounds unbelievably lame, but it's the best she can do. She understands what he's saying all too well, because just the fact that she understands? Yeah, she has to keep that a secret too.]
[ Robin's brows knit, and he's right on the verge of just spilling everything he knows about her, just to tell her it's okay, that it doesn't matter, that it's never mattered and she's proven herself a hundred times over. ]
... You know, I was really glad when you joined the team.
Roy was never on the team. And that's not what I mean.
[ Robin folds his arms behind his head, flopping back down on the warm sand and glancing sideways at her. ]
You know how hard it was being the only person without superpowers? It's like — I've gotta work doubletime just to keep up. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade it for anything, but it's rough. So when you showed up... it was cool. I knew you'd get it.
[ The corner of his mouth quirks up in a fond smile. And maybe this is too much, or it makes what he knows too obvious, but it needs to be said: ]
... I know you get what it means to want this so bad you'll do anything for it. Training til everything hurts, hiding things from everyone you know, explaining crazy bruises to people at school and making excuses when you're out all night and forget to write a history paper. The others — they work hard, too, but it's not the same. They stop fighting crime, they can still lift buses and fly and almost break the sound barrier. They're naturally super.
You and me — we're just normal kids. All we have is what we do. And what you do — Artemis, you've been a hero since the first day you walked in.
[Something catches in Artemis's throat and it takes a minute before she can trust herself to speak.]
That's all I want. To be a hero.
[She hugs her knees tightly. The urge to confess to Robin is so strong, she almost can't resist. He gets it, he gets her, surely he'd understand this too.
But after what he just said, she can't ask him to keep her secrets for her. Assuming he'd even want to...
... And what if word got back to Wally?
Instead she clears her throat.]
Apparently it wasn't good enough for this place, though. Everybody's gotta have a super power.
[ Robin's thrown by the subject change for a moment, but then he laughs, light and easy. It's more solid ground, anyway — he's never considered himself all that great at motivational speeches. ]
Right? Didn't they get the memo that we were getting along just fine without 'em?
[Artemis is relieved by the change in tone--it was getting a little too intense for her.]
Team No Powers, that's us. I'm not sure how being able to see really really far is supposed to help my archery, anyway. I mean, if the target's out of range, it doesn't matter how well I can see it.
[This is a gripe she's held on to for a while and it feels good to get it off her chest.]
[ Robin's smile softens — not that she can see it — touched by the wordless way she gives him his privacy. He swaps the glasses out, not sure where to set the other pair, just holding them in his lap. ]
Trust me. Robin is like, the thinking girl's sidekick crush.
[One good thing about going to Gotham Academy is she doesn't hear as much about "Oooo, Robin, he's so mysterious." Though she does have to put up with freshman girls squealing about Dick Grayson. Whatever--that guy's only famous for being rich.]
[ Robin's never paid attention to that kind of thing — the tabloids are ridiculous, and besides, the idea of anyone actually having a crush on him just sort of makes his stomach do ungraceful somersaults. Not like they know him, anyway, so what does it matter? ]
Didn't know you followed the gossip.
[ He miiight be trying to shift the focus off himself. ]
[ABORT MISSION. OPERATION COVER YOUR TRACKS IS A FAILURE.]
They are! I mean, but whatever, right? I know both of you now, so it's weird.
[Also, Red Arrow is a JERK. The only reason she's not mentioning this is that she's already feuding with one of Robin's friends, no reason to make it more awkward.
It doesn't occur to her that Red Arrow is also her "uncle's" protege, so maybe that would be weird too. Or that it would be weird to refer to Red Arrow as if she met him at the same time as Robin, which she totally did.
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[ Robin looks behind him, seemingly satisfied with the distance between the two of them and the sunbathers down the beach. He sits just above where the waves reach, picking up a small stick and tracing patterns in the sand. ]
If you're with someone, you're supposed to trust them, right? And I have this whole secret identity thing, and... [ He shrugs again. ] Conner and M'gann, they kinda have it easy. They're just... them. But someone who likes me as Robin, or someone who likes me at school — they'd only be seeing half the picture.
[ Zatanna had kissed him, and Barbara had kissed him, and he thinks he likes them both. He’d liked Zatanna an awful lot, before everything had gone so wrong, but now he just feels guilty about that. But either way, Zatanna can never know Dick, and Barbara can never know Robin.
It’s different with Wally. Wally knows him: he can see where Dick and Robin connect, the parts of both of his carefully constructed selves that are real. And when he talks to Wally, he feels like a whole entire person. Like he’s not pretending to be anything for anyone.
Robin feels guilty about liking him, too. ]
There's exactly one person who really gets it, but it'd never, ever happen, so — that's one more secret I'm keeping from someone who thinks they know me. It's not easy, you know? Hiding things from my friends.
[ He thinks she might understand that part, at least. ]
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[Artemis sighs heavily and sits down next to him. It never occurred to her that Robin felt that way. He always brushes things off with a laugh and a grin until even the fact that nobody knows his real name just feels like a big joke that everyone gets to be in on.
Who knew that Robin the Boy Wonder would have so much in common with Artemis, the super villain brat.
She's never been a good liar, but sometimes it feels like all she ever does now is lie and lie and lie and she hates it. These are people she's fought and trained beside, people she cares about and they think they care about her, but how can they? They don't even know her.
It's too late now, though. Breaking the team's trust would be worse than if they'd never trusted her at all. Just look at what happened after Louisiana...
Sometimes she wonders... how could it have been any worse if she'd just told them the truth? The actual truth?
Wally would probably still hate her, but at least she wouldn't have to feel like a liar any more.
... she just wouldn't get to feel like a hero any more either.]
Secret identities are... the worst.
[It sounds unbelievably lame, but it's the best she can do. She understands what he's saying all too well, because just the fact that she understands? Yeah, she has to keep that a secret too.]
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[ Robin's brows knit, and he's right on the verge of just spilling everything he knows about her, just to tell her it's okay, that it doesn't matter, that it's never mattered and she's proven herself a hundred times over. ]
... You know, I was really glad when you joined the team.
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Yeah? Well, I guess you needed an archer after Red Arrow left you guys to do his solo act.
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[ Robin folds his arms behind his head, flopping back down on the warm sand and glancing sideways at her. ]
You know how hard it was being the only person without superpowers? It's like — I've gotta work doubletime just to keep up. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade it for anything, but it's rough. So when you showed up... it was cool. I knew you'd get it.
[ The corner of his mouth quirks up in a fond smile. And maybe this is too much, or it makes what he knows too obvious, but it needs to be said: ]
... I know you get what it means to want this so bad you'll do anything for it. Training til everything hurts, hiding things from everyone you know, explaining crazy bruises to people at school and making excuses when you're out all night and forget to write a history paper. The others — they work hard, too, but it's not the same. They stop fighting crime, they can still lift buses and fly and almost break the sound barrier. They're naturally super.
You and me — we're just normal kids. All we have is what we do. And what you do — Artemis, you've been a hero since the first day you walked in.
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That's all I want. To be a hero.
[She hugs her knees tightly. The urge to confess to Robin is so strong, she almost can't resist. He gets it, he gets her, surely he'd understand this too.
But after what he just said, she can't ask him to keep her secrets for her. Assuming he'd even want to...
... And what if word got back to Wally?
Instead she clears her throat.]
Apparently it wasn't good enough for this place, though. Everybody's gotta have a super power.
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Right? Didn't they get the memo that we were getting along just fine without 'em?
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Team No Powers, that's us. I'm not sure how being able to see really really far is supposed to help my archery, anyway. I mean, if the target's out of range, it doesn't matter how well I can see it.
[This is a gripe she's held on to for a while and it feels good to get it off her chest.]
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[ Robin pushes himself up from his flopped position in the sand so he's sitting up next to her again. ]
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[She glances over at him and realizes he's still wearing the goofy sunglasses.]
... Wow, I forgot you had those on. Do you want yours back?
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Wow, uh! So did I. Did that make this whole conversation way less intense, or what?
I'll take them back, if you want to trade.
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[She takes off his sunglasses and holds them out to him. Automatically, she turns her face away and looks down the beach so he can change glasses.]
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All done.
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[She takes the novelty sunglasses and sort of grumpily shoves them on her face.]
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Who wore it better?
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You're the shades expert, you tell me.
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Please. Tell that to your fangirls.
[She knows he's joking, but her cheeks still turn a bit pink.]
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[One good thing about going to Gotham Academy is she doesn't hear as much about "Oooo, Robin, he's so mysterious." Though she does have to put up with freshman girls squealing about Dick Grayson. Whatever--that guy's only famous for being rich.]
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Didn't know you followed the gossip.
[ He miiight be trying to shift the focus off himself. ]
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I watch the news. And I go to high school.
[Wait, that was maybe too much info... time to cover her tracks?]
Err... In Star City. Of course.
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[ INNOCENT, INNOCENT SMILE. ]
You'd think they'd be more into Red Biceps out there.
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They are! I mean, but whatever, right? I know both of you now, so it's weird.
[Also, Red Arrow is a JERK. The only reason she's not mentioning this is that she's already feuding with one of Robin's friends, no reason to make it more awkward.
It doesn't occur to her that Red Arrow is also her "uncle's" protege, so maybe that would be weird too. Or that it would be weird to refer to Red Arrow as if she met him at the same time as Robin, which she totally did.
#Secretidentityfail]
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Bet you'll have your own fanclub pretty soon.
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