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[real_archer]

It's Artemis. Leave a message.

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[performance]

That sounds like it'd just give you killer headaches.

[ Robin pushes himself up from his flopped position in the sand so he's sitting up next to her again. ]

[real_archer]

Thank you! Yes, it does! And I get motion sickness.

[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?

[performance]

[ ...laughing ]

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.

[real_archer]

It was still pretty intense.

[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.]

[performance]

[ 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. ]

All done.

[real_archer]

Here, give me those. My turn to look like an idiot.

[She takes the novelty sunglasses and sort of grumpily shoves them on her face.]

[performance]

[ Robin laughs, a little like his mid-mission cackle, but lighter and breezier. ]

Who wore it better?

[real_archer]

[Now that is a totally natural, normal, and familiar sound. Artemis grins.]

You're the shades expert, you tell me.

[performance]

You're prettier in them than I'll ever be.

[real_archer]

[Huff]

Please. Tell that to your fangirls.

[She knows he's joking, but her cheeks still turn a bit pink.]

[performance]

C'mon, I don't have fangirls...

[real_archer]

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.]

[performance]

[ 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. ]

[real_archer]

[She shrugs.]

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.

[performance]

Woooow. I'm that popular all the way out in Star City?

[ INNOCENT, INNOCENT SMILE. ]

You'd think they'd be more into Red Biceps out there.

[real_archer]

[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.

#Secretidentityfail]

[performance]

[ you're adorable ]

Bet you'll have your own fanclub pretty soon.

[real_archer]

Noooo....

[That would be bad. That would be so bad, Robin has no idea. That's basically the only reason she's okay with using her actual name as a code name--she figures the public won't hear about her, so it shouldn't matter. Also, how perfect is an archer named Artemis? She's pretty sure everyone will just think that's her super hero name.

... Right?

Also she and Green Arrow couldn't come up with anything better at the time.]

No way. That's the whole point of covert ops, right? No one's supposed to find out who you are.

[She's actually getting a little panicky about the idea.]

[performance]

[ Oops. That was the wrong thing to say, even if he'd meant it casually. Abort, abort... ]

Well, technically. I mean, I guess.

... You know people used to think Batman was an urban legend?

[real_archer]

[Nice try, but now she's going to be worrying about that all day (and seriously, it's about time, Art)

Batman as an urban legend, though? That she can believe. Batman was basically the boogeyman in the Crock-Nguyen household until Huntress took her fall and everything became too real.]

Yeah, well he's kind of terrifying... I mean, if you're a bad guy.

[performance]

Hey, even some good guys are a little terrified of him.

[ Dick might not listen to gossip, but he's heard the jokes... and the not-quite-jokes. As for how much of it's true — even Dick's not sure sometimes. ]

But I'll tell you a secret: I've seen Batman eat a hotdog. Talk about shedding the aura of mystery.

[real_archer]

[Artemis smiles wryly. She's been on the team for a while now and taken orders directly from the Dark Knight himself. She's even seen him in her living room, which was beyond weird...

Doesn't quite make up for everything, but she doesn't flinch at the Bat silhouette anymore.]

I'll believe it when I see it.

[performance]

... Hey, do you wanna get snow cones?

[real_archer]

Oh my god, yes.

[She gets up, brushing sand from her bare legs, and then offers him a hand up.]

[performance]

[ He grins and takes her hand, pulling himself to his feet and getting his balance in the sand. ]

That place up on the boardwalk had like fifty flavors on the sign.