Avoiding Past And Future

(55) Disordered 1

CW: mentions of Zatara's bs, discussion of bad mental health

October 23

Dinah tried hard to hold back a sigh. The team had their second session today and it was going about as horribly as it was the first time.

Artemis was still resisting the thought something was wrong. Putting on a brave face, she clung onto the fact she was 'coma girl'. The first to go down. She didn't experience any of the fun parts so why would anything be wrong.

Except both Dinah and Oliver had noticed something was...off. She was acting more closed off, avoiding Oliver's offers of staying the night in Star City at the Queen estate rather than Zetaing back to Gotham during Bat hours. Usually she would have taken the offer, but for nearly a week already, the blonde had dipped as soon as they called it a night.

Maybe it was related to Oliver trying to be there for her, physically and emotionally, more than he had before. Always hanging around the girl and taking the same patrol paths. Near nightly invitations to stay the night while before it was only a weekly thing. "He's just worried about you." Didn't help at all.

"Yeah, well, he's not my dad so it's none of his concern. I can take care of myself."

The glare she had received said enough. Artemis never liked talking about her family and something about the way she said it rubbed Dinah the wrong way. While it was a good thing Oliver was nothing like Sportsmaster, she doubted that's what Artemis meant.

No more pushing the subject.

Dinah tried bringing up talking to the team about what happened but that seemed to just make it worse as well. The suggestion of opening up was met with Artemis curling up in a self-soothing ball. Gripping her arm so tightly Dinah was sure it'll leave a bruise, the girl nearly glared a hole in the floor.

"Because exposing secrets is just such a great idea. Look where it got Robin. Have you seen how mad Wally is?"

Cornered once more, Dinah opted to sit in silence. She made a mental note about how she only seemed worried about Wally's reaction, or rather, most worried about his reaction. Little mentions like that happened before, on patrols or just hanging out before the current situation. But the sole focus on Wally's reaction now stood out among the rest.

The entire team used the situation with Phantom to avoid actually talking about the simulation and their feelings regarding it. While it was great some of them at least talked, it wasn't what Dinah intended for them to talk about. But, discouraging it wasn't an option either. Something was always better than nothing.

Next on the roster was Kaldur. The young Atlantean already expressed how he blamed his shortcomings as a leader for the deaths of the team. Though only 16, he was the eldest in the group and placed most, if not all, responsibility on himself. He had tried, yet again, to resign as leader of the team. It was becoming a worrying pattern Dinah noticed. Kaldur took on more than he should and had the need to depose himself as the self-proclaimed cause of the problem instead of working on improving first and foremost.

She didn't invalidate his feelings however, no matter how illogical the thought of stepping down for a small mistake would be. They are still learning after all, they're here to learn in a safe place. Instead, she tried to use his own logic against him. Thinking of who should be his replacement, she let him come to his own conclusion on the matter.

Artemis was still too raw and untrusting of others.

Wally being too rash and impulsive.

M'gann tried too hard to please everybody.

Conner carried too much anger.

And Robin...Kaldur had paused for a moment, not wanting to admit it himself. Robin had always been the most logical choice to be the leader, they all admitted so. But, just like the very first time they had to decide on a leader, he was still so young. A level of immaturity that came through clearly now with the current debacle regarding Phantom.