JADE (young justice/robin)

47. miss olympian

Star City
July 28, 07:16 PDT

jade.

"Now, there's been a lot of speculation over you two," the pre-recorded broadcast for some talk show played over the TV. The audience immediately started ooing and aahing. "I just, I have to ask... is there something going on here?"

That was every interviewer, newscaster, or journalists favorite question. They loved drilling the idea into our heads, in hopes that we'd finally confess we were more than partners. I never thought this would be part of my ice skating career, but now that it was, it all felt extremely overwhelming. I hated the spotlights and the attention; the constant articles and misinterpreted quotes, the even more grueling schedule to satisfy all our new sponsors.

We were welcomed back to Gotham as heroes. The pride of a town who didn't know either of our names previous to the medals. Now our faces were on dozens of billboards, magazine covers, TV commercials... All the things we had to attend to each day, despite the fact that I wanted nothing more than to crawl in a hole and hide.

Miles handled the sudden fame a lot better than I did. He enjoyed all the attention, and soaked in every interview and photo shoot. Not to mention, millions of girls around the world were now begging for his attention—which he loved even more.

His charisma made up for how uncomfortable I was. I didn't really talk in the interviews, but Miles would vouch for me every time, explaining that I don't talk very much at all. No matter what we were doing, he'd direct their attention to my participation in both singles and pairs skating. "Isn't she incredible?" he kept telling them.

Of course Miles answered the lady from the talk show. "I promise we're just friends for now."

"For now?" she gloated. "Does that mean there'll be a little something in the future?"

Miles pretended that there was a hint of nervousness in his laugh, when really this was easy for him. Keeping the facade alive. Not only were we PR trained to do so because it "kept us relevant," but, I think, in a way, it helped Miles convince himself in his own head. 

"She's my closest friend," he deflected. "That's all we're worried about for now."

The audience kept cheering and the host kept prodding.

Artemis turned the volume down on the TV, before setting plates down for Lian and I. "I thought you two weren't talking anymore?"

"We're not really," I muttered, still staring disgustedly at the TV. "But we have to finish press tour, and we're good at pretending."

"Some would say a little too good," Arrow winced, flipping pancakes on a griddle. "Car, could you get the syrup. It's in the pantry."

I got up from my seat, stepping past Brucely who was already inhaling his breakfast. I pulled the pantry open, scanning for the little bottle of syrup. When I finally spotted it, someone started knocking on the door.

"Hey, Roy—I mean, Will. Will. Sorry, still not used to it."

The bottle slipped from my hand and shattered on the floor. Both Artemis and Arrow turned to give me a similar alarmed look. "Shit," I mouthed, closing my eyes in hopes that I'd wake up from this dream.

Dick kept talking, though, and I stayed frozen in my place. "Is everything okay in there?"

If he tried to peek in, Arrow didn't open the door any further for him. "All good, Richard. I mean, Dick. Who are you here to recruit this time?"

"Was hoping Artemis could join me." I heard him say. I was practically holding my breath, hiding in the kitchen's corner. "There's a meta-human trafficking syndicate in Markovia. Shutting it down should only take a day. Quick in and out."