Always Traught

Stitches

"It's just a scratch," She said as he ran his gloved thumb over to the cut under her left cheekbone.
"A scratch doesn't require stitching, Artemis. You're still bleeding," Dick frowned. The blonde pushed his wrist away and smiled at him.
"You worry about me too much," She chuckled, "I've been through much worse, Dick. I'll live."
"You might not. You could easily lose two pints of blood! Your face has more blood vessels which means more blood!"
"From a small cut under my cheek? What are you? My mother?"
"No, I'm your best friend. And I worry about it more than you know, Artemis," Dick sighed as put his hand back on her face. He applied a bit of pressure to her cut. Artemis didn't even wince.
"I know you do, Dick. I worry about you too. I worry about everyone, especially after Wally. I can't help it."
They were silent for serval more seconds. The conversation got deep really fast. Every time they mentioned Wally it was like the air went stiff and brittle.
"How is Ha-Violet?" Dick asked to make conversation.
"She's just like a child, which is good but also not. She's always happy and full of wonder. I don't want that to fade, but I know it will. That happiness always does. Violet likes hearing me sing to Lian and me telling her stories. I like that too. She's already convinced herself that she was going to learn Vietnamese to communicate with me, and I told her I already knew Arabic. She was really happy about that."
"She's like a daughter you want to protect?" Dick raised an eyebrow and smirked at her. Artemis shook her head.
"I'm only twenty two, Boy Wonder. There's no way I'm going to be a mother to a sixteen year old!" The archer exclaimed.
"You would make a great mom, Tiger. You're already great with Lian too," He continued to smirk at her. He stopped when something clouded in her eyes.
"I'm not Liam's mother. Jade is."
"Okay."
The bioship landed a little bit rough, which made them grip onto the bed she was on. Once they were sure they were completely on the ground, Artemis jumped off of her bed and started to walk out towards the exit.
"You are still getting stitches!" Dick said as he walked up to her.
"I'll be fine!" The blonde exclaimed as she threw her arms in the air. Dick shook his head and picked her up bridal style. He could have sworn he heard a yelp from her.
"You are getting stitches and I don't care if Forager has to hold you down with all four of his arms."
"I'll scream rape!" Artemis sassed.
"I'll duck tape your mouth!" He sassed back. Artemis laughed as she leaned her head against his shoulder. His toes crinkled in his boots when he felt the texture of grass underneath his feet.
"Okay, Prince Charming," The blonde whispered after she snuggled against him.
"Just go to sleep and shut up, Sleeping Beauty," He chuckled, "You know I'm cuddly."
"You are totally a bottom spoon, Dick, don't lie to yourself."
"One day I will show you my professional cuddling skills, Crockpot."
"I think I might die from blood loss before that ever happens," She chuckled as he spun them around.
"That's why you need stitches!"
"No!"
As the best friends were joking with each other, Brion, Violet, Connor, and Jefferson all looked at the pair. Forager was looking too, but he was busy eating a hotdog. No one knew where the alien had gotten it from, and they quickly learned not ask.
"Are those two dating?" Brion asked with his arms crossed.
"No, Dick has a girlfriend ... At least I thought he did," Connor had his own eyebrow raised. Jefferson was looking at them in confusion. Violet clapped her hands and grinned from ear to ear.
"He doesn't act like it," Jefferson said.
"Forager can tell Dick Grayson and Artemis Crock make each other very happy," Forager said as he munched on his hotdog.
"Artemis could use love in her life! She has shown me so much!" Violet cheered. She started to levitate a little bit, so Brion pulled her back down.
"Yeah, but it's weird," Jefferson said.
"From the guy who had sex with Helga a few days after you met her," Connor scoffed.
"You had what!?" Brion yelled.
"I told you to keep it a secret!" Jefferson yelled at Connor. The clone shrugged.
"Did Jefferson Pierce perform a mating call with Helga Jace?" Forger asked.
"Mating call?" Connor questioned.
"Yes, member's in Forger's hive rub their legs to together to produce a chirping sound. It brings all the male humans to one's yard, even though Forger owns no property. That means human males cannot come to Forager's yard, because Forager does not have one."
"Why are we doing mating calls?" Violet asked innocently.
"We are not talking about this," Brion exclaimed as he stormed away. Violet quickly flew after him, which made Forager roll after her.
"Do chirps turn girls on?" Jefferson asked. Superboy punched him in his shoulder, which made the older man squeak.
"Of course not! We're human!"
"You're half Kryptonian and your fiancé is a Martian. You can't qualify as human," Jefferson snapped at him. This got Connor thinking.
"Wait? Do Martian's have mating calls?" Connor scratched his chin.
"Anyways, fifty bucks if Dick and Artemis are banging," Jefferson betted.
"Sixty bucks if she gets pregnant," Connor betted on their friends too.