thisismylife | [Video; Backdated to June17th]

[Video; Backdated to June17th]

[The video feed opens up with Artemis settling into place, looking more subdued than usual and a little sheepish at doing this at all.]

Uh, so. I sort of... owe some of you an apology for my actions over the past few weeks. I know I've been acting... well, out of the ordinary is probably a gross understatement, but I think that's... I think that's all been resolved now. I just wanted to say... sorry. Mostly to people I might have upset or hurt by things I said or did. So. I'm sorry. I'll, uh. I'll make it up to you, if I can.

And to everyone else, uh. Just ignore the girl making an idiot of herself over here. Thanks.

[The video feed clicks quickly off again after that, although Artemis will still be reachable via the journals or to anyone who wants to swing by the apartment.]

[Video; filtered to her floormates on as high a security feed as she can manage.]
[A moment after she finishes the previous transmission, she sends out a second one to her teammates she shares the floor with. The others from her world who'll understand the news she's got to tell them. The secret she wants to get off the chest, so what happened over the last few weeks won't be something that continually hangs over her head like some threatening dark cloud.]

Uhh, look, I owe you guys an explanation and I'm sorry I wasn't up front with this from the start, but I spent so much time hiding it back home that it's... it's almost a habit at this point. But I don't want to lie and I'm tired of always having to keep who I am a secret and it just made everything else these past few weeks all the worse, because it was something that could be used against me. That's happened before and I'm tired of it. I don't want it happening again.

Zatanna knows this already. She was there when I told my team. It took me a long time to be able to trust them with it. Too long, to be honest, and it was all my insecurities that made me keep it quiet as long as I did.

My story from back home, the one that I sort of maintained here, was that I'm Green Arrow's niece. His protege. From Star City. That's not true. It's a story that Batman and Arrow came up with to keep my identity safe when they recruited me for the team.

My name is Artemis Crock. I'm from Gotham. My mother was Huntress, an ex-con. The rest of my family... aren't even ex. My sister Jade goes by Cheshire. My dad... He's known as Sportsmaster.

[She hesitates a moment, taking a breath, because it's no easier admitting it a second time around, to a second team. Once had been bad enough.]

I was raised to join with them, but I made a different choice. Left that behind. And my efforts were apparently enough to get me noticed, earn me a place on my team back home. And I worked hard to deserve it. I still do. But it's still... something that hangs over you. And the whole shard thing sort of... blew all those old insecurities and fears out of proportion all over again.

So I'm sorry. Sorry for not telling you all earlier. Sorry for being a pain in the ass these past few weeks. I'll understand if this changes how you see me, or if you don't really want me to be part of the team after this. But... I wanted to let you know.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

But you're way more interesting.

[Artemis's lips quirk faintly as she takes another bite of ice cream.]

I'm not sure Robin's completely settled on who he is. And he's really focused on getting everyone out of here and back home again. I'm not sure he leaves himself room for anything else.

Tell me about it. That's all he kept saying when we talked: focus on the work. Don't let things distract you. [Zatanna shoves a spoonful of ice cream into her mouth, then shakes her head.]

Why do guys have to be such a pain?

Because they're guys. Isn't that reason enough? [She leaned against Zatanna's shoulder in comforting solidarity.] Personally, I think some distraction would be good for him.

Oh right. For a second I forgot how the universe works. [But thank god Artemis is back and she understands. It's been murder living on a floor of just guys for two weeks.]

Yeah, but good luck telling him that.

I don't think anyone's had any luck in telling him that. [Artemis snickers all the same.] This is the third time today I've had this conversation.

Oh, but the suggestion's come up of maybe traveling out to the beach for the day. Saying it's a team training day or something. Because beach.

This is the third time you've talked about someone having trouble getting Robin to go out on a date because he's a workaholic? [Okay, Zatanna knows what Artemis means, but she can't help herself.] Should I ask who my competition is?

[The idea gets a smile, though. The beach sounds like fun, even if they have to disguise it as training.] That's a good enough reason for me. Any idea when?

Not a date. [Artemis laughs at that, shaking her head.] More getting Robin to go out for anything that doesn't involve his obsessive need to... keep doing what he's doing. And then not get stared at like you've grown a second head when you suggest a break.

[She shrugs at that.] No idea. One of these days when the weather's nice, maybe. I could certainly use some sun.

Well, what do you expect? I’m sure he hates any reminders that he’s a human being. Especially one with emotions. [Since that had been a thing he brought up specifically, she’s allowed to pick it out for mocking.] It’s kind of sad though. You know when we were all possessed, he said he used to always be like that?

Sounds good to me. Of course, you know what else that means. [And Zatanna’s smile just may turn a little wicked. She knows how much Artemis likes these things, after all.] We have to go shopping for swimsuits.

I wonder what happened? [Artemis frowns slightly.] He doesn't like to talk about it. Or Batman. Or Gotham. It's hard to imagine him not around, y'know?

[Zatanna's suggestion gets a groan and an eyeroll.] Oh god. Not shopping. Haven't I been punished enough?

He said he just grew up. [Zatanna hadn't been in a frame of mind to press then, and like Artemis says next...he doesn't like to talk about it.] So hard I really don't want to do it.

[Even if she already is, a little. But there's a quick reprieve, and Zatanna grins again as Artemis groans.] It's not a punishment. And it's not like there's a bunch of different places for you to be dragged to, either. One store, where all the bathing suits will probably be in one neat line for you to look through. You might even have fun.

Yeah, me neither. [Artemis couldn't imagine a team without Robin on it. Didn't want to. He was so... vital.

She made a face at that.] Fun? It's shopping. Those two words don't coincide in my vocabulary.

[Well, since they agreed on avoiding the completely depressing topic...]

Then we'll have to change that. Besides, it's not like you've got a schedule bursting with activity. You can at least give it a try.

Besides...maybe you'll find something to impress one of the boys.

[Artemis rolls her eyes.] Yeah, because that's at the top of my list right now. Pretty sure I've mortified myself enough for one month, Z.

Edited 2013-07-14 20:25 (UTC)

And what makes you think that you're going to mortify yourself? I know it isn't your looks. [And Artemis better not think that either, since they do have mirrors in the apartment.]

I just don't think I'm the sort that's going to impress the boys. [That was neutral enough.]

What? Since when? [Nope, she's not letting this go.]

Since always. Pretty sure they don't think of me like that. And besides, there's... [Wally. She wasn't sure what to do about that.]

Right. Because the guys are really open and honest with what they're feeling.

[That cut off sentence gets her interest though, and Zatanna leans closer.] There's what?

I don't think even Luceti can do anything to help that.

[Artemis's tone is dry at that, but she shrugs at Zatanna's question, before asking one of her own.]

Is it weird? Having this thing for Robin, I mean. When he's... not the same one from home?

I don’t know. They could make us all tell the truth. Not that I’m wishing for that to happen. [Because there are secrets Zatanna doesn’t exactly want to share with the population at large either. She just thinks it could happen.

The question catches her off guard though, and her eyes widen a bit in surprise before she leans back against the couch.]

I don’t know. Maybe sometimes. {Zatanna stirs around her now half-melted ice cream.] It’s not like I think he’s our Robin or anything. I mean, if he were, then this wouldn’t be half as crazy as it is. [Because Zatanna’s pretty sure that whatever had been happening back home had been mutual. In Luceti—hell if she knows.]

Edited 2013-07-15 23:31 (UTC)

[She makes a face.] Ugh. Me either. That would probably turn out to be a nightmare. There are just some things I'd rather not know.

It's just... it's hard to keep it separate sometimes. There and here. I mean, we have lives back there. Friends. [And this whatever it was she and Wally had been dancing about for weeks.] And here....

And can you imagine the aftermath? Not only what we don’t want to know, but what people don’t want to say. [Zatanna thinks about it for a moment, then grins.] Although I wouldn’t mind learning Robin’s real name.

[Zatanna nods, shifting to put her feet on the edge of the couch so she can draw her knees up to her chest.] Here is here. And it’s not supposed to count. But it’s not like we aren’t living it, right? I mean, even if we won’t remember, we’re here now.

[Artemis opens her mouth and closes it again, giving her a sympathetic look, because crap, now what does she do?] You'd probably have better luck getting it out of Batman. Wally said he's the one that forbid Rob from giving it.

[She takes another bite of her melting ice cream, finishing off the bowl.]I know. And hell, I've been here for a couple months now. I just... I don't know how far to let things go here, when back home is still there waiting for us.

[Yeah, no. That's not the look of someone who's just joking.] Wait a minute...do you know his name? How do you know his name?

[Man, talk about not fair. Artemis better be glad Zatanna likes her.]

It's hard. But we're not supposed to remember anything from here, right? And we show up at the same moment when we left, so it's like we were never gone. [Zatanna shrugs a shoulder, thinking about it.] I think it's okay to have some fun, and it's not like any of the boys are probably looking for more than that either. Especially not Robin, who tries to avoid fun like the plague.

I... [Artemis winces and crap. Crap crap crap.] ...don't?

Yeah but it'd be just my luck to think about starting something here and then Wally shows up. Which would be good and bad and... Oh, I don't know.

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