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After knocking on the glass of the window, it was only a matter of seconds until it was slid open and the woman climbed inside, neither of them losing any other second to press their lips together in immense passion. It was only a matter of seconds until their backs were against the mattress, her hair no longer tied high up on her head and their clothes were off and thrown somewhere across the room. It didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was that they were finally together for the night, and that they were already lost in each other's body.
A few hours later, they are both completely worn off, lost in between the messy bedsheets. Jason is resting carelessly against the headboard while Artemis' back is resting against him, her long auburn silk hair surrounding them.
"For someone whose looks speak more than words, you are quite vocal when you're in bed with me, princess" Jason teased with a smirk on his face, his hand rubbing up and down her arm.
"I can be as loud and as silent as I want to be, little one" she turned to him, moving a leg to his other side to straddle him.
"I know you do, and I love that" Jason moved his hands to Artemis' waist, then sliding them up her back. "But when we're in this kind of scenario, I like it when you're loud the best"
"And I like it when you're shut up" a smirk appeared on Artemis face before she dived in for a heated kiss.
Hands were roaming each other's bodies, ready to explore and get lost in each other once again, but a knock on the door abruptly interrupted them.
"Fuck" Jason whispered angrily against Artemis' lips, still struggling to find the will to break the contact.
"Go check it, Jason" she spoke, emotionless, as she climbed out of the bed - and his lap - and quickly got dressed.
"Artemis..." said Jason, as he threw on some clothes, rushed.
"It's alright" she spoke as she made her way back to the window. "We can talk later"
And before Jason could even say anything else, Artemis was out the window and the person outside his apartment was already knocking on the door again, this time louder.
"I'm coming!" Jason shouted, clearly annoyed, as he made his way towards the front door.
"Can you at least send a text informing me that you're coming instead of just showing up here randomly, in the middle of the night?!" Jason couldn't hide his frustration when he opened the door only to find his father standing there.
"Jason, you know I need to check on you" Bruce said. "Even without any warning. I can't give you time to hide any evidence"
"Damn it, Bruce! I'm fine! I don't need anyone checking on me!" Jason was absolutely angry at that point. "I'm not going to do anything stupid this time, and even if I did, that doesn't give you any reason to be controlling me every single hour of my day!"
Bruce shook his head. It was going to be a long discussion, one that he preferred not to have on the hallway.
------
"I'm sorry, Artemis" Jason apologized, once again, observing the woman's back. "I didn't mean for you to rush out last night'
"Don't be" Artemis replied, arms crossed while she was turned to the window, admiring the starry dark sky. "It wasn't your fault"
As both Jason and Bruce had predicted, their discussion was rather long - and heated, as always - and they were both growing tired of it.
"He is right, Jason" the redhead spoke after a minute of silence.
"I beg your pardon?" Jason asked back, confused.
"I shouldn't be with you, Jason" she turned around to face him. "I shouldn't be here tonight, or any other time, for the record"
"Artemis..." he was cut off.
"It was my fault" Artemis said while looking down. "I put you through it. I made you go through your triggers unnecessarily. I should just go"
"Artemis, no! Stop this nonsense!" Jason said. "You know it's not your fault! You aren't the one responsible for my traumas!"
"But you were getting so much better, little one, you were finally making an improvement" she reached him, taking his face in both her hands and looking at him in the eyes, a sad look on the woman's face. "and I made you hit the down low once again"
Artemis had gone back to Bana-Mighdall to sort some things out a while ago, and Jason insisted on going along with her. However, a fight came, and the couple was stuck in Qurac for a while, which triggered Jason's worst nightmares in such a hard way that he even tried to kill himself.
She blamed herself, of course, but so did Bruce. After a long fight with her and Jason, the older man had forbidden his son to relate himself with the amazon ever again. Artemis understood Bruce's position, as she had never seen Jason so low, but at the same time, she didn't. Jason had been the one to take the initiative to accompany her, even with Artemis' protests. Yet, she still wondered what could have been prevented if she insisted harder on going by herself. Artemis loved him way too much, and so she took the blame on herself.
But it was the fact that she loved him that much that kept her around.
After Jason got out of the hospital and convinced his family that he was well enough to return back to his apartment from the Manor, he contacted Artemis to discuss the matter with her. Jason told her how much he needed her, how it wasn't her fault and how his father didn't rule his life, but the man was still on a tight check, with everyone always worried and checking up on him, and Artemis was still a bit taken back.
But feelings speak louder, and the couple finally decided to maintain their relationship in secret.
"Red, it wasn't your fault" he moved his hands up to hold her wrists. "I was the one insisting on going along, even with your protests against it. It's not your fault that I have such a fucked up mind"
"In fact, I think you're the only thing keeping me sane..." his voice came out in a lower tone as he made his way towards the window, where the redhead once stood.
That last sentence made Artemis shiver, a mix of feelings twisting and turning inside her. She felt guilty, but at the same time, she felt needed. She punished herself for his downfall, she keeps telling herself she shouldn't be with him any longer, but at the same time she knows that she can't leave, because if she does, Jason will end up even worse.
In a urge, Artemis found herself walking up to the man, then wrapping her arms around his torso and resting her head on his shoulder. Soon enough, Jason's hands were resting over hers and the young couple fell into a comfortable silence for a while.
"...I love you, Jason" Artemis spoke softly. "I really do"
"I love you too, Artemis" his voice sounded in the room. "More than you could ever know"
And with a squeeze of their hands, they both found comfort in each other in the silence.
------
Tonight had been Dick's turn to spend the afternoon with his brother, and since Jason wasn't in much of cheer mood on that day, the two brothers decided to just stay in and watch some movies. Besides, the weather wasn't even good on that day, so it was the best option. Jason definitely preferred to have someone spend the day with him at his apartment than having to go to the Manor and handle too many people at once, specially Bruce - even if it was always worth it because of Alfred.
"Hey Jaybird, I'll be right back, I just need to use the bathroom" Dick said after the movie they were watching ended, getting up from his place on the couch. "It's getting late already, what do you say we order in?"
"Sure, I can take care of that" replied Jason as he reached over the couch for his phone. "Do you have any preference?"
"Whatever you want is good for me" said the older brother.
"Alright, pizza it is" Jason said as his brother left the room, heading towards the bathroom.
It was after using the toilet and turning around to wash his hands that a small object caught his attention: a hair tie.
It was a very common object, but a little random for Jason to have with his rather short hair. Sure, he could have one - or a few - for emergencies, whatever it was needed for, but Dick had never seen Jason wear a hair tie, and it was a bit odd that it was there instead of being stored, almost like it had been used very recently. Still, something felt off about it.
Dick assumed it could be Tim's, but two things immediately confirmed that theory wrong for the older brother: first, Tim hadn't hung out at Jason's apartment recently for it to be laying around on the bathroom counter, and second, there was a hair attached to the tie. A long and red strand of hair.
"Oh, Jason... What are you getting yourself into?" he whispered.
Dick wasn't against Artemis nor their relationship, at all. He didn't blame the woman for what happened, he knew how stubborn his younger brother could be, and it's not like it couldn't have happened with any other situation that triggered him. In fact, he loved the effect the amazon had on Jason. He seemed so much bright and full of energy when he was with her, and Dick was sure he had a very positive effect on her as well.
However, it was known how tense the relationship between Bruce and Jason had been recently, and if Bruce found out his son had been lying and secretly meeting up with his girlfriend after his warning, things could get pretty bad for a lot of people involved.
Dick just hoped the best for his brother, and prayed that luck would come their way and solve all of this.
------
"Hello, room" Jason spoke as he walked in, tiredly stripping out of his uniform away and letting them drop to the floor carelessly.
"Hello, books" he said as he passed his shelf stacked with literature, kicking his boots away and staying only with his shirt and pants on.
"Hello, bed" Jason finally greeted the piece of furniture he couldn't wait to lay on, now completely taking his clothes away and standing only in his underwear.
"Hello, lamp" he turned it on so he could finally see something on that side of the room and pull his covers back, but something caught his attention.
"Hello, princess" a soft smile immediately crept up to his face.
"Hello, little one" she smiled back, pulling the covers back on his side of the bed in order to invite him to join her. "Care to join?"
Not even thinking twice, Jason flopped onto the bed and pulled the covers over him before heading to share a passionate kiss with Artemis. Her hair was still damp and smelling strongly like coconut, and along with the warmth of her soft skin, he could tell she had made herself home while he was out and even took some time to shower.
With his back against her front, Artemis wrapped her arms around the man, taking the role of big spoon and then placing a kiss on the back of his neck.
"You came" his weak voice sounded.
"Of course I did" one of her hands moved up to play with his hair gently. "I would never let you spend this night alone, little one"
Jason didn't ask Artemis to come over that night, he would never do such thing. He hated dragging her into his personal battles. But she did. She was there for him. In one of his hardest days.
The day of his death.
Being such a hard day for him, Bruce and the rest of the family made sure to take the day off and spend it with Jason, not giving him room for his depressed mind to think about it, specially so soon after an incident. They all wanted Jason to spend the night over, but the man thought that they were already crossing the line there and insisted on spending the night at his apartment, like always. They were reluctant, but Jason needed some space to organize his thoughts or his head would explode. After - another - fight and Jason's stubbornness, they all agreed that, after patrol, Jason could finally go back home.
He needed space, sure, but he didn't want to be alone. So, through the sadness, his heart felt a little happiness to see the redhead laying on his bed, waiting for him. She knew how to give him the space he needed and how to pull him back, better than anyone. Her presence was the thing he expected the last but was most thrilled about on that night.
"I brought some things to cheer you up" she whispered gently. "But those can wait for tomorrow. You seem tired"
"I am tired" the sadness in his voice was noticeable. "Very tired"
"I know" pulling him closer, Artemis placed a long kiss on his cheek, feeling her heart tighten at the sight of Jason's broken emotional state. "You can rest now, you need to. I will be here the whole time"
"You're not leaving?" his sleepy eyes began to automatically shut.
"No, I am not" she replied. "I am staying with you, for as long as you need me"
Soon, Artemis' body warmth combined with playing with his hair allowed Jason to fall into a peaceful slumber, one like he hadn't allowed himself to have in weeks.
"Sweet dreams, little one" her sweet whisper was the last thing he heard before falling asleep. "I love you"
A few hours late into the night, a shadow lurked outside the window, checking if his son was alright. Bruce had just finished his patrol, and even without Jason's knowledge, the older man had promised himself he would check on the youngest, like he did every other night. To his surprise, there was a mass of red hair sprawled on the bed by his side, as well as a pair of arms wrapped around him.
Bruce was taken back at first, as he was sure the young couple had understood his rules and broken contact, but it seems something had been going on right under his nose. Only then, after preparing himself to form a speech in his mind, did Bruce notice the peaceful look on Jason's sleeping face, one he hadn't seen in a while - and one he didn't expect to see anytime soon, specially on such date.
He then decided to push that thought away and pretend he hadn't seen anything, before heading back into the night. Only that, this time, relieved that Jason was safe and sound.
Maybe Bruce had been a little too rough on his judgement. Maybe she can actually help him.