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The first time Dinah sees her, she's on a rooftop in Star City, chasing after some idiots who decided it was a brilliant idea to rob a Goodwill. She's tying them up when she catches a flash out of the corner of her eye, and then another, and she looks up to catch a flash of purple - eggplant, the florist in her reminds her - and long long legs running across the rooftop.
And well, she doesn't remember giving anyone permission to take her picture.
She aims a grapple arrow and chases after her. Dinah's legs and long, too, and with her combat boots she all but flies across the rooftop, gaining on the girl, both of their blond hair flying in the wind until finally - five blocks and a fire escape and a dark little alley away - the girl gives up, stops.
"Okay," she says. Her back's against the wall and her face is pink from being out of breath and her eyes are big and moviestar blue. "Okay," she says again. "You win. I - jesus," she gasps out, clutching her side.
Dinah takes pity on her, but not enough to not subtly block her way out of the alley. "Take it easy, kid," she says. "Why don't we start with a simple question. Why are you taking pictures of me?"
As soon as she can breathe, she laughs, big heaving giggles that make Dinah's mouth twitch. She's trying not to laugh. This isn't - whatever this kid's doing, she could get hurt.
"That's not," she says. "That's not an easy question at all." She pushes her hand through her hair, tugs at it. "I mean, I'm not - I'm not like, your stalker or anything, but I." She blinks at Dinah. "It's just," she says, and now her skin is pinker, blushing. "You're amazing, you know? I'm sure you get it all the time."
Dinah sighs. She leans back against the brick next to the girl. "It's still nice to hear," she says. "But you shouldn't be out. You're just a kid. You could get hurt."
The girl snorts. "I'm not a kid. I'm almost sixteen, and - and you weren't much older than that when you started."
"You seem to know a lot about me," Dinah says. "And here I don't even know your name."
"Stephanie," she says. "Steph. I - I was sloppy tonight. I got excited when you used that arrow. But I've been watching you for years."
Dinah stares at her. "Years?" she asks.
"Years," Steph says breathlessly. "I never thought I'd get to talk to you. But I thought maybe - maybe someday I could be like you. I saved up all my money from summer jobs for archery classes. I'm good, Dinah."
Dinah swallows. "I never told you my name."
"I know," Steph says. "I told you, I know everything, all right?" She leans down, puts her face in her hands. "God, I sound like a psycho stalker, right?"
"Well…"
"I'm not," Steph says. "I just want…" she straightens back up and looks at Dinah, her eyes bright and reflecting the streetlights. "My dad, he's a criminal. Cluemaster? Probably you never heard of him. Loser got arrested in Gotham so my mom and I left his ass. But I still feel like…"
"You've got something to prove," Dinah says.
"Yeah," Steph says. She stares down at her shoes, the same color purple as her t-shirt.
"Look," Dinah says. "Let me buy you a cup of coffee, okay? We'll talk."
*
Turns out coffee and going-on-sixteen-year-old girls aren't the wisest combination. They stay in the diner until 2AM, Steph slurping down milky coffee and piling creamer packets halfway to the ceiling while she talks Dinah's ear off.
"I didn't figure it out right away," she says. "I mean, I'm not like, some kind of super genius. I probably wouldn't have figured it out at all, but I came into your shop one time with my mom and you were, uhm, wearing the fishnets." Steph blushes again, and Dinah smiles.
"They're surprisingly comfortable, you know."
"Yeah," Steph says. "I bought a couple pairs - um. Not that I. Not that I've thought of, like…" Dinah gives her a look, and Steph admits, "Okay, so I kind of have a costume. And a bow and arrow, obviously. And maybe a name, but -"
Dinah leans her chin on her hands. She's trying not to grin. What would her mother say if she were to encourage this girl? What would Steph's mother -
"What would you call yourself?" Dinah asks.
"I was thinking…" Steph says. She plays with the spoon on the table, clattering it around until Dinah puts her hand over hers and Steph jumps.
"Steph," Dinah says.
"Speedy," Steph says. "I - but it's stupid, right, I mean you wouldn't even -"
And Dinah - pauses. Squeezes Steph's hand, and looks at her. The determination in her eyes, the set of her mouth, the need in her voice. Dinah's been there. God, has she ever been there. This city isn't exactly Gotham, but it's still a mess, corrupt down to its foundations. Dinah is trying, but it's not enough. And -
And she's lonely.
"I may regret this," Dinah says. "But I'm going to teach you."
Steph squeals. The lone customer in the diner stares at them, and Steph giggles and whispers, "Sorry," to Dinah. "I - really? You mean it?"
"Yes," Dinah says. Steph's squeezing her hand so hard she may break it. "We'll need to set up some rules -"
"Yeah, yeah, of course I mean - sure," Steph says. "But when can we start?"
Dinah grins. She honestly hasn't been this excited about anything in a while. "How about tomorrow night?"
*
They train for weeks. Steph is a great shot, but her combat skills need work, and as Dinah tells her, it's not all about a bow and arrow. But Steph works hard, throwing herself into every new move Dinah teaches her, beaming at Dinah when she gets things right.
At the end of the third week, Dinah waits until Steph's done with her cool-down stretches and then sits down in front of her. "Tomorrow night," she says.
"What about it?" Steph asks. The muscles of her arms and legs have grown taut, her abs nothing short of perfect. It's hard not to stare.
"I want you to come out with me," Dinah says.
"You?" Steph asks.
"You're ready," Dinah says.
"Really?" Steph asks. "You mean it?"
Dinah laughs. "Yes," she says. "You've done wonderfully, and -" Dinah doesn't get to finish, because Steph tackles her into a hug, knocking her down onto the floor.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you," Steph says, squeezing her and rolling with her. "You won't be sorry for this, I promise, I'll make you so proud."
"You already have," Dinah says before she can stop herself, and Steph goes still. They stare at each other, and Dinah brings her hand to Steph's face, feels the warmth of her skin. "I -" she starts, but Steph stops her again when she leans down and kisses her.
Dinah could easily stop her. Steph has a few pounds on her, but Dinah's still stronger, knows a hundred ways to disarm and, not that she ever uses it, dismember. But Steph's mouth is soft against hers, strawberry chapstick and the candy she's always eating before lessons, and when Dinah opens her mouth with her tongue Steph makes this soft, happy noise.
They break apart, and Steph sits back, straddling her. She touches her mouth with her thumb, then grins. "Man," Steph says.
"What is it?" Dinah says. She's trying not to freak out about making out with a teenager. The view from the floor is helping.
"I can't believe I just made out with Green Arrow."
Dinah snorts. "Don't get cocky."
Steph grins harder. "Can we do it again?" she asks, and Dinah's about to say absolutely not when Steph stretches her arms above her head, making her breasts move in her sports bra, and Dinah sighs and flips her over, rolls them both on their side.
"Let's take this slow, pretty bird," Dinah says, and Steph shivers when Dinah hooks her leg around her.
"Anything you want," Steph says. They roll around the mat for a long while after, making out until it's time for Steph to go. Dinah walks her to the door, out through the flower shop. Steph's hair is a mess, and Dinah may have left a bruise on her neck like some teenage boyfriend. She should stop this, but -
"Tomorrow?" Steph asks, and Dinah smiles at her, cups her cheek and kisses her again. "Tomorrow," she agrees.