fic: please leave your taste on my tongue (young justice; artemis/wally/zatanna/dick)
Title: please leave your taste on my tongue
Author: empressearwig
Pairing/Fandom: Young Justice; Wally/Artemis, Dick/Zatanna, Wally/Zatanna, Zatanna/Artemis, Dick/Artemis, Dick/Wally
Spoilers: Through 2x4, Depths.
Rating: R
Word Count: ~6500
Disclaimer: I own nothing, this is all for fun. This hasn't happened. Yet. Etc.
Summary: For Wally's 21st birthday, they play spin the bottle.
Author's Notes: This is for torigates, because she asked. A lot. There were other bad influences, too. They know who they are.
"I slept with your boyfriend last night," Zatanna said. "Pass the bread?"
Artemis did not pass the bread. Instead, she narrowed her eyes at Zatanna who was sitting across the table from her wearing an expression that was trying desperately to be innocent but had mischief written all over it instead. "Explain."
Zatanna gave into the grin that she'd been fighting a losing battle against. "Gee, Artemis, it's like you don't believe me."
"That could have something to do with the fact that he was in bed stealing covers from me last night," Artemis said dryly. "Or trust. There's that too. Wally would be sad that that wasn't my first answer, probably."
"But the bed thing is easier to prove," Zatanna said sagely, nodding her head. "I get it."
"Of course you do," Artemis said. It was why they were friends. "Now, like I said--"
"I believe it was more like an order," Zatanna interjected helpfully.
"--fine, ordered, explain." Artemis leaned back in her chair and folded her arms over her chest. "I'm waiting."
Zatanna reached across the table to snag the bread basket and tore the corner off a piece. She popped it in her mouth and chewed slowly, watching Artemis with knowing eyes. "It's killing you that I'm not telling you, isn't it?"
"No," Artemis denied, too quickly for it to be believable.
Zatanna gave her a look.
"No. Yes."
Zatanna laughed and finally answered. "I had a dream. We were making out on the sofa in the Cave. He was a great kisser. Is he a great kisser? I mean, I assume he is at this point or what else is the point, but god. I never would have imagined it. And his hands." She leaned forward, pressing her own hands flat on the table. "Let me tell you about his hands--"
"No," Artemis said, holding up a hand of her own to ward off the rest of whatever it was Zatanna was going to say. "I really don't need to know your lurid fantasies about my boyfriend."
Zatanna pouted a little and slumped back in her chair. "That's not nearly as much fun for me."
"I know," Artemis said. "Sorry."
Zatanna shrugged. "It's okay. As long as I can still tell you about the thing Dick did last night."
"Sure," Artemis said. She helped herself to the bread. "What are friends for?"
*
"Hey, babe," Wally said when she walked in the door. "How was lunch?"
"You don't want to know," she answered. She dropped down onto the couch next to him and scratched Bruce's ears.
Wally looked at her curiously, and she shook her head. "Just trust me."
"Okay," he said agreeably. "Chinese tonight?"
"Yes," Artemis said. She leaned over to kiss him, lingering over it more than she'd meant to. "Sounds good."
"We could skip dinner," Wally tried, sliding his hand up from her waist to cop a feel.
Artemis laughed and pushed his hand away. "Nice try. I'm going to go shower. Call it in, please? You know what I like."
Wally waggled his eyebrows at her. "I do indeed."
Artemis was still laughing when she got in the shower. This was the strangest day and she was a person that knew from strangest days.
She just needed a good night's sleep, she decided. A new day where her best friend wasn't having sex dreams about her boyfriend and her boyfriend wasn't muddling up her already muddled head with terrible come ons.
A new day. She liked the sound of that a lot.
*
Lips skimmed over her throat, her chest. Someone moaned--it sounded like her.
Her hands clutched at shoulders. His cupped her breasts, her ass. Hands spread her thighs wide, and his lips chased them down across her stomach, trailing kisses across her skin and leaving heat in their wake.
His mouth settled between her legs and her hands knotted in his hair, the strands of it soft beneath her hands. A finger dipped inside her, and then another. His mouth joined them, lips and tongue and teeth, and she arched up off the bed, unable to stay still even with his hands holding her firmly in place.
Dick, she cried.
Artemis woke with a start. She sat straight up in bed, her heart pounding in her chest. She ran a hand through her sweaty hair, trying to control her ragged breathing.
That didn't happen, she thought to herself. She didn't just dream about her boyfriend's best friend, one of her best friends. It couldn't have happened, so it didn't. That's all there was too it.
"Babe?" murmured Wally, his voice thick with sleep. He ran a hand down her back, and she wanted nothing more than to curl into him and let his hands stroke away any thoughts of what might have been. "Everything okay?"
"Just a bad dream," she said instead. "Go back to sleep."
"M'kay," he agreed, his eyes already falling back shut. "Love you."
"I love you, too," she said. She watched him until he fell back asleep and then climbed out of bed and padded into the kitchen on bare feet.
She poured herself a drink of water with still shaking hands and drank.
Zatanna, she decided, would pay.
*
"I hate you," Artemis said, when she called the next morning. "There are no words to describe how much I hate you."
Zatanna laughed--well, she cackled, really, there was no other word for it. Clearly she was still spending too much time with Dick even though they'd been officially broken up for at least six months at this point. It was hard to keep track. "Something you want to tell me?"
"You don't deserve to know," Artemis grumbled.
"<>Pfft," said Zatanna. "Since when is oversharing about deserving to know?"
"Maybe it should be," Artemis said.
"You wouldn't have called if you didn't want me to know," Zatanna said reasonably, far too reasonably for Artemis's liking. "So come on, spill already. I have to be to the Watchtower in like, an hour, and haven't showered yet."
"Fine," Artemis said, exasperated. Arguing with Zatanna was like arguing with Dick, which meant that it was impossible. "After our little talk yesterday, I had a dream of my own last night."
She could practically hear Zatanna grinning through the phone. "And?"
"And--isn't this weird for you?" Artemis tried. "Me telling you about the sex dream I had about your not-boyfriend?"
"No," Zatanna said. "It's not at all, which is one of the many reasons that Dick is my not-boyfriend. And I'm not you and require details."
"There's really not much to tell," Artemis said. "Foreplay and someone that I thought was Wally going down on me, only to have my subconscious decide to play a fun little game and have it be Dick instead. And then I woke up."
"Ah," Zatanna said. She sounded suspiciously sympathetic. "Didn't get off, did you?"
"No," Artemis said slowly. "How did you know that?"
"You'd be in a much better mood if you had," Zatanna said matter-of-factly. "Dick is great at oral sex. A master at it, even."
Artemis's head hurt. She pressed two fingers against her temple, trying to stop the pounding. "Zatanna, you know he wasn't actually in bed with me, right?"
"Of course he wasn't," Zatanna said. "You and Wally aren't like that. Now, us on the other hand--"
"Yes," Artemis interrupted, shuddering a little. "I've heard. I don't need to hear again."
"Your loss," Zatanna said, her shrug evident even through the phone.
"I hate you," Artemis said.
She hung up the phone and let her already aching head thump against the kitchen table. Now she was going to have thoughts of threesomes rolling around in her brain all day.
That was not what she needed. Not what she needed at all.
*
By that night, Artemis was practically coming out of her skin. After her classes, she spent an extra hour at the gym, beating the hell out of the heavy bag, but even that didn't help.
She was horny. Hitting things wasn't going to help.
It was Monday, which meant that Wally had a late lab on the opposite end of campus from their apartment. Artemis waited for him on the couch, her hands curled into fists by her sides, her legs bouncing up and down with their suppressed need to go up to check the windows to see if he was finally almost home.
There was a noise on the stairs and Artemis stood. The lock rattled and the doorknob turned.
Wally stepped inside, a wide smile on his face. "Hey, babe," he started. "Miss--"
Artemis jumped him before he could say another word.
*
They had sex twice in the living room before they even made it to the bedroom, and then Artemis had her way with him again.
After, Wally lay on his back panting. "I'm not complaining," he said, turning his head to look at her. "Please don't think that."
"Okay," she said. She slid her hand down his body with clear intent, but he batted it away, lacing their fingers together and settling their joined hands safely on his stomach instead. She pouted, and god, she hated herself for it. "Spoilsport."
"Just answer one question for me first," he said. "Then you can do whatever you want to me."
Her lips curved up into a smile. Whatever she wanted had so many possibilities. "Promise?"
Wally let out a heavy breath, but nodded. "That look makes me think that I'll regret it, but yes. I promise."
"Then you can ask," she said.
"Thanks," he said wryly and let go of her hand so that he could prop himself up on his elbow. He looked at her with his serious concerned face, and something in her stomach twisted with guilt about the thing she wasn't telling him and the thing he was almost certainly going to ask her about next. "Is everything okay?"
"Fine!" she said brightly. She reached over to stroke her hand down his arm, making sure to keep it a strictly non-sexual gesture. "Why?"
He stared at her, mouth agape. "We just had sex three times."
She shrugged and tried to look innocent, which was really ridiculous considering the amount of sex they'd just had. "I missed you?"
Wally snorted. "Right. You didn't even let me take my shoes off the first time, Artemis. I know I'm irresistible, but come on. I'm not that irresistible. What gives?"
She frowned at him. Talk about ruining the mood. "Well nothing, now."
"Hey," he said. He tipped her chin up so that she had to look at him. "Don't be like that. I was worried about you."
And just like that she melted. Because really, that was why she loved him. Well, that and the sex. She did not underestimate the power good sex could have in a relationship.
"I'm fine," she said, and it wasn't even entirely a lie. "I promise."
"Okay," he said. He leaned in to kiss her and she let him, winding her arms around his neck.
"Round four?" he whispered against her lips
Artemis grinned and nudged his head down. "Why don't you get things started this time?" she suggested.
To his very great credit, Wally immediately got the hint.
*
Hands. Everywhere there were hands.
A mouth closed over hers, swallowing her broken sob. Lips skimmed lower, settling at her breast. She clutched at their head, weaving her fingers into the silky hair she found there. A tongue teased at her nipple, and she sobbed again with pleasure.
"Tell us what you want," Wally said, his breath hot against at ear. "Tell us what you want, Artemis."
The mouth at her breast lifted and moved lower. Her legs were nudged apart and she felt someone there, between them, hot breath so close to where she wanted it and yet so far away that it ached.
"Tell us," Dick said. One finger slipped inside her, a tease that she couldn't help but arch helplessly against. "Whatever you want."
"More," she said, her body twisting in their hands. "More, please".
Hands on her shoulders shook her awake. "Artemis, wake up," Wally said urgently. "Artemis!"
She pushed his hands away, trying to catch her breath.
"You're not alright," Wally said, she thought mostly to himself. "I should have trusted my instincts."
"I'm fine," she said.
Wally shook his head stubbornly. "You've woken up like this two nights in a row. That's not fine."
If only he knew, Artemis thought, but she pushed that aside. She sat up and took his face between her hands. "Wally," she said, willing him to believe her. "I am fine. I swear."
She could see him weakening, and she pressed her advantage, leaning in to kiss him. She poured herself into it, all the feelings she had for him and only him, and begged him silently to trust in this even if he didn't trust the words coming from her mouth.
"Okay," he said, when he drew back. "I believe you."
She sighed with relief and curled herself into his arms. "I love you," she said.
He kissed the top of head. "I love you, too."
It took Artemis a very long time to fall back asleep.
*
It was still dark in Palo Alto when Artemis zeta-ed to New York. She was tired and cranky and still horny, though how that was possible she didn't know, and Zatanna had done this to her so Zatanna was going to fix it.
She said as much as when Zatanna finally answered the pounding on her door.
"You broke my brain," Artemis said plaintively, knowing that she was coming dangerously close to a whine. "Fix it."
Zatanna actually had the audacity to clap her hands in delight, but she stepped back from the door and Artemis pushed her way in, throwing herself down on Zatanna's lumpy futon.
"You had another dream," Zatanna said. She closed the door and crossed through the small space to loom over Artemis. Zatanna tapped at Artemis's legs with the toe of her knee high boots. "Tell me everything."
"I don't want to," Artemis said, and that time it was definitely a whine. "I just want to be able to sleep, Zatanna. I can't even sleep anymore without things happening, and I need to sleep."
"Poor baby," Zatanna said. She sat down next to Artemis and patted her on the leg. "Tell me everything, and I'll give you a spell that should help with that."
"A real friend would just give me the spell," Artemis grumbled, even though she knew it was worthless to complain. Once Zatanna got an idea in her head it stayed there, and that was another thing that she blamed Dick for. Maybe if she thought about it long enough, all of this could be Dick's fault. She'd like that. "But fine."
"Yay," Zatanna said, clapping her hands again. She grinned at Artemis's disgruntled look. "I make no apologies for the fact that I like story time."
Artemis stared at her. "There are many times that I don't understand why we're friends."
"I know," Zatanna said cheerfully. "But you love me anyway. Now talk."
"Fine," Artemis said. "It wasn't just Dick this time."
Zatanna gasped and covered her mouth with her hands, glee shining in her eyes. "You had a threesome dream?"
"Yes," Artemis snapped. "And it was your fault, so I don't know why you're surprised."
"That's a fair point," Zatanna allowed. She nudged Artemis with her elbow. "Who was the other person? Was it me?"
"It was Wally."
Zatanna tipped her head back and laughed. "Oh, that's even better."
"I'm glad you're enjoying my misery," Artemis said wryly.
"What are friends for?" Zatanna asked. "Now come on, there's more. What were they doing? Were they kissing? I've always thought it would be really hot."
"No," Artemis said. She could feel herself start to blush a little, and that was ridiculous because she was not a prude. "It was all very me focused."
"Ohh," Zatanna said knowingly, and Artemis really didn't want to know what was going on in her mind. "Was it good?"
"Yes," Artemis admitted. "Very, very good."
Zatanna nudged her with her elbow again. "See, was that so terrible? Sharing is fun."
"If you say so," Artemis said. She dropped her head to the back of the futon and turned it to look sideways at Zatanna. "How do I make this stop? You've turned me into, well, you."
"Being me is fantastic, thank you very much," Zatanna said.
"I'm not disagreeing with you," Artemis said. "I just liked being me. With what you considered a vanilla, but extremely active sex life and all."
Zatanna sighed heavily. "You don't know what you're missing. Wait." An evil grin bloomed on her face. "That's it."
"That look on your face terrifies me," Artemis said. "But what's it?"
"Wally's birthday," Zatanna non-sequitured. "Dick and I are still invited, right?"
"Of course," Artemis said. "You're the ones that commissioned Hal to find him speedster-friendly booze. It seems only fitting that you should share in the experience."
"Then all we have to do is get the boys drunk and play spin the bottle. Or truth or dare, but I know how you feel about that game."
"Only masochists play truth or dare with Dick Grayson," Artemis said automatically. "Or you, for that matter."
Zatanna flipped her hair back over her shoulder and tried to look modest. "We all have our own special little talents."
"Yes," Artemis said. "And yours make me very glad that you're on my side."
"So we're agreed then?" Zatanna asked.
Artemis wrinkled her nose. "I don't know, spin the bottle? It just seems so junior high."
"And therefore fun," Zatanna said. "And innocuous. And not a thing that we'd be doing so that I can see Dick and Wally kiss and that you're doing so that you can get whatever other urges you're having out of your system."
"I am not having other urges!" Artemis protested. "Just because I'm dreaming about Dick against my will doesn't mean I actually want to have sex with him."
Zatanna looked at her pityingly. "I think you actually believe that."
"Because it's true."
"Of course it is," Zatanna said, patting her on the knee again. "You just keep telling yourself that."
She stood and loomed over Artemis again. "Now do you want that spell or not? You can crash here for a few hours."
"Yes," Artemis said. "Please."
"Peels sselmaerd peels," Zatanna said, stroking her hand over Artemis's forehead. "I'll see you Saturday night."
Those were the last words Artemis heard before she fell sound asleep.
*
It was Saturday night and Artemis was as jittery as a virgin on prom night, or at least as jittery as she assumed one would be not having been one herself. She kept checking the fridge to make sure that the alcohol hadn't disappeared and rearranging the shot glasses that were lined up neatly on the kitchen counter.
Wally watched all of this from one of their kitchen chairs with a bemused look on his face until finally he snagged her around the waist and pulled her onto his lap. "Babe," he said affectionately. "It's just Dick and Zatanna and they're just coming over to drink. Why are you so nervous?"
"I'm not," she said, proud that her voice didn't come out as a squeak. She turned her head back towards his. "It's just--you only get one 21st birthday. I want it to be perfect."
"Aw, that's sweet," Wally said. He kissed her gently. "But since a perfect 21st birthday usually means someone holding your head while you puke out everything you ate for the last week, maybe we could just aim for pretty good instead?"
Artemis smiled. He was still such a dork. She loved it. "Deal."
She leaned in to kiss him again, but then there was a knock on the door. They hadn't even managed to get up to answer before Dick and Zatanna were standing in the doorway, a chorus of "Happy Birthday's" ringing loudly through the air.
"Dude," Wally said, as he and Dick did a manly handshake thing that Artemis was going to mock with Zatanna later. "Don't you knock?"
"We did," Zatanna answered for him. "It's not our fault you two were too busy doing whatever it is you were doing." She pressed a paper bag into his hands and reached up to give him a hug and birthday kiss on the cheek. "That's from us and from Hal. It should--"
"It should get you every bit as drunk as we are tonight," Dick said.
Zatanna frowned up at him. "I was going to say that."
"You were taking too long," Dick said. He slung an arm around her shoulders and squeezed. "You love me."
"You bug me," Zatanna said, but she didn't shrug his arm off.
Interesting, said Artemis's brain. Outloud, she said, "Drinks are in the kitchen."
"I hope you got me the vodka I like," Zatanna said. She smirked at Artemis and Artemis frowned at her. "You know what I'm like when I drink it."
"Yes," Artemis said, before Dick could say anything that he'd not regret later. "We do. And yes, I did."
"Excellent," Zatanna said. "Let's get this party started!"
*
Two hours and more shots that Artemis could remember later, Zatanna finally broached the subject of spin the bottle.
They were all sitting on the floor, someone--Dick, Artemis thought--having decided that if there wasn't enough furniture for all of them to sit on that none of them could sit on any of it. Zatanna reached behind her for the empty bottle of vodka on the coffee table and set it on the ground between them.
"We should play," she said.
Wally groaned and Dick rolled his eyes, but neither of them said no, which to Zatanna was as good as an actual agreement.
"Birthday boy goes first," Zatanna said, nudging the bottle in Wally's direction.
Wally sighed, but reached out to set the bottle spinning with a flick of his wrist. "I hate this game," he grumbled. "I always get stuck kissing Sally Braddock."
"Who's Sally Braddock?" Artemis asked.
"The shyest girl in my seventh grade glass," Wally answered. "She'd barely let me kiss her cheek, let alone anything else. I mean, wasn't the whole point of the game to slip tongue to people that wouldn't let you otherwise?"
"Aw," Zatanna said.
Dick cackled.
The bottle pointed at Artemis.
"I don't think that'll be a problem here," Dick said.
Zatanna clapped. "Kiss!"
Wally grinned at Artemis and waggled his eyebrows. "Gimme some sugar," he said, his words slurring far more than they did when he tried to drink earth alcohol. Whatever it was that Hal had brought back had actually worked.
"Never say that again," Artemis said, but she climbed into his lap and wound her arms around his neck, pressing her lips against his. She licked her way into his mouth and the kiss turned dirty, much dirtier than she'd meant it to be, especially with Dick and Zatanna sitting right behind them, even if that was the whole point of this ridiculous game.
Wally's hands slid down her back to cup her ass and a piercing wolf whistle filled the air.
Artemis gave Dick the finger behind her back, but slid off Wally and back to her original spot on the floor. She poured herself another shot, proud of the fact that her hands were still steady and drank.
"Oh, good idea," Zatanna said. "Before you spin, you drink. New rule!"
"I don't think you can make new rules mid-game," Dick argued. Zatanna gave him a look and he held up his hands in surrender. "Or you can if your name is Zatanna. I don't know what I was thinking."
Artemis laughed. She didn't know why it was so funny.
"Your turn," Zatanna said.
"Right," Artemis said. She spun the bottle and watched it turn, getting dizzy as it went. She hated spinning.
It stopped on Zatanna.
"Happy birthday to me," Wally cheered.
Dick leaned back on his arms and grinned. "Make it good, ladies."
Zatanna rolled her eyes. "Please. Like you haven't seen us do this before, Mister 'I Dare You Two to Kiss for the Billionth Time.'"
"True," Dick said. His grin got wider. "But it was worth it every time."
"Pervert," Zatanna said fondly.
"Just the way you like me," he said. He slapped her on the ass. "Don't you have someone to kiss?"
"Yeah," Wally said. "You should do that."
Artemis crooked her finger at Zatanna. "You know they're useless to us until we get this over with."
"You say get this over with like kissing me isn't amazing, Artemis," Zatanna said. She started to crawl through the middle of the circle, a dangerous gleam in her eye. "It makes me want to prove things."
Zatanna pounced and Artemis fell back against the floor in surprise. Her reflexes were usually much sharper than that; she blamed the alcohol. Zatanna's mouth covered hers, wet and hot, and fine, Zatanna was awesome at this.
There was a moan, hers, and Zatanna pulled back grinning in triumph.
"And that's how it's done, boys," she said. She pressed another gentle kiss to Artemis's cheek. "Always a pleasure."
"Likewise," Artemis said, pushing herself back up to a sitting position. She felt like she'd been battered by a small hurricane.
Zatanna beamed and took her own shot. "I believe that makes it my turn," she said and she reached for the bottle, sending it spinning wildly out of control.
"Eager much?" Dick asked.
"You're just jealous you haven't gotten to kiss anyone yet," Zatanna returned. The bottle stopped on Wally. "Ha! And still no love for you." She patted Dick's leg. "At least you're pretty."
"Very pretty," Wally said. He held out his arms for Zatanna. "Now where's my kiss?"
"I'd like him back in one piece, please," Artemis requested, as she watched Zatanna head for Wally's lap.
Zatanna reached over and squeezed her hand in a not at all reassuring way. "I promise."
She kissed Wally, and god, it was strange to watch. Strange to think that Wally's lips were on someone else's, that someone else was reaping the benefits of the considerable time and energy Artemis had put into training Wally into kissing exactly the way that she liked.
It was strange, and goddammit, it was hot.
Wally's hands flailed in the air before settling at Zatanna's waist. Artemis could see the muscles in his arms contract as he tightened his grip, the way they clenched there instead of moving elsewhere. She heard the muffled groan that fell from his lips when Zatanna ground down against him.
Zatanna pulled back from him with a smile, swiping her thumb across his lips. Still perched on his lap, she turned to Artemis and said, "Well done."
"Thank you," Artemis said dryly. "Now would you mind getting off my boyfriend?"
"Oops," Zatanna said. She scooted back across the floor to her seat and fanned herself with her hand. "Wally West," she said. "Who knew?"
"Me," Artemis said. "Why did you think I've kept him around all this time?"
Dick cackled again and Zatanna punched him in the arm.
Wally pouted at Artemis. "Gee, thanks."
"I didn't say it was the only reason," Artemis said. She tried to move over to kiss him, but Zatanna's hand shot in between them.
"No non-bottle kissing!" she said. "It's in the rules."
"I'd like to see these rules some time," Dick said. "They're very interesting."
"Whenever you like," Zatanna said, tossing him a look that could only be described as an invitation. She turned back to Wally. "Your spin, handsome."
"Thanks, beautiful," Wally said. He reached out for the bottle and then stopped. "Wait." He reached for his bottle of bright purple alien alcohol instead and poured himself a shot. "Cheers," he said and tipped it back. He shuddered as it coursed through him. "Remind me to buy Hal a fruit basket."
"Done," Dick said. "Now take your turn already."
"Patience, my young padawan," Wally said. He spun the bottle and they all watched it turn until it landed pointing straight at Dick. Wally looked up at him, amusement dancing across his face. "Bet you wish you could take that last thing back."
"He doesn't," Zatanna insisted eagerly, practically bouncing up and down. "Kiss!"
"Yeah, kiss," Artemis said. Maybe Zatanna's comment about how hot she thought it would be had wormed its way into her brain, but Artemis was suddenly just as eager to see this happen as Zatanna was.
"Well, if you insist," Wally said.
He leaned across the circle, palming Dick's cheek with his hand. He pressed his lips against Dick's, almost tentatively at first, and then with more force. Dick's hands came up to Wally's shoulders, gripping at the sweater that Artemis had bought him for his birthday. It made her want her hands to be there too, helping Dick tug the sweater up and over Wally's head, both of their hands exploring the skin beneath.
"So hot, right?" Zatanna whispered in her ear.
Artemis blinked and shifted her eyes sideways. She didn't know when Zatanna had moved next to her, only that she was there now and staring at Dick and Wally like they were the greatest thing she'd ever seen. Artemis wasn't sure she was wrong.
"Yes," Artemis said and turned her attention back to the show.
They'd moved closer, both of them up on their knees now, their chests pressed firmly against each other. It looked like Wally was biting at Dick's lower lip and Dick slid his hands down to Wally's ass and squeezed.
Wally yelped and pulled back, frowning at Dick. "Uncalled for," he said.
Dick shrugged and sat back down, adjusting his jeans in what Artemis was sure he thought was a discreet way. From the elbow in the ribs that she got from Zatanna, Artemis knew that she'd seen it too.
Wally fell back into his own seat, doing his own jean maneuvering and Zatanna slid back into her spot. This time there was no question that she was actually bouncing up and down in glee.
"That was so hot," she said. "Please say you'll do that again. Pretty please."
"Maybe if you're good," Dick said, pouring himself a shot and drinking it back.
Zatanna's lip slid out in a pout. "But that means it will never happen."
"Exactly," Dick said. He sent the bottle spinning and Artemis watched it turn, half hoping that it would land on Wally so they could get an immediate replay showing.
It stopped on Zatanna instead.
"Thank god," Dick said, and he dragged Zatanna into his lap, fusing his mouth to hers.
Artemis had to resist the urge to fan herself. She didn't really go in for manhandling--at least not often--but that display of brute strength was ridiculously arousing. She shot Wally a sideways look, wondering if she could talk him into trying it. Then again, all she had to do was get naked and Wally was pretty much willing to try whatever she wanted.
She turned her attention back to Dick and Zatanna.
Watching them kiss was like watching a pair of expert and utterly filthy dancers, she decided. They had done this so often that they could anticipate the other, whether it was with a hand redirecting the movement of a face or a nibble at a lip that led to a heartfelt groan, Artemis was sure that they'd done all of this before.
She was equally sure that if she let them, they'd strip down and have sex right here and now, and though she found the idea far more appealing that she had even hours before, she wasn't quite to that point yet.
"Children," she said, trying to sound stern instead of turned on beyond belief. "Do I need to get the hose?"
"Not unless you and Zatanna want to have a wet t-shirt contest," Dick said, emerging from the depths of Zatanna's grasp. He deposited her back in her spot with as much ease as he'd picked her up in the first place, and Artemis gave into the fanning.
"Right?" Zatanna said. She patted her chest. "It does something to me, let me tell you."
Wally shook his head. "It's not even worth the effort to make that dirty," he said mournfully. "Because it already was."
Zatanna laughed and patted his knee. "I think that means it's my turn," she said. "I need a drink."
"I'll get it," Artemis said quickly. Too quickly.
Zatanna arched an eyebrow at Artemis as she watched her pour. "Eager, are we?"
Artemis pushed the shot across the circle. "Just drink."
"Oh, I will," Zatanna said. She tossed the shot back. "But I won't forget that either."
Zatanna reached into the center of the circle and set the bottle spinning. Artemis wasn't surprised in the least when it stopped on her.
"Aha!" Zatanna crowed. This time she crooked her finger at Artemis and asked, "Will you walk into my parlour?"
"Said the spider to the fly," Artemis answered. She crawled across the floor until she was kneeling over Zatanna. "Quoting poetry to a comparative lit major is just not fair, you know that, don't you?"
"That was the idea," Zatanna said. "Now kiss me."
Artemis did.
It was different being in charge, she thought, as her mouth pressed lazily against Zatanna's. She swiped her tongue against the seam of Zatanna's lips and her mouth fell open, parting on a sigh. She kissed Zatanna slowly, thoroughly, as if they had all the time in the world, which Artemis supposed they did. It wasn't as if the boys were going to complain about seeing two extremely hot girls feeling each other up.
Zatanna tugged at her waist, and they fell back against the floor together, their legs intertwined. Zatanna's hands slid up, under the clingy sweater that Artemis was wearing. Artemis bit at her lip in punishment. She didn't want Zatanna getting any ideas about who was running this show.
Artemis went back to exploring, lips and hands and tongues, driving herself a little bit crazy with lust. Zatanna just felt so good pressed against her, soft where Wally was hard, giving even though Artemis knew she'd rather take. She could have kissed Zatanna forever, might have, if somewhere in the back of her mind she hadn't heard Wally curse reverently, low under his breath--
"Jesus," he said.
--and it brought her back to her senses. She rolled away from Zatanna, her back pressed flat against the floor. She tried to catch her breath, but it was nearly impossible. Jesus, was right.
She sat up and moved back to her place across the circle, refusing to meet Zatanna's eyes as she did so. She didn't want to see the dazed look that she was sure was in hers reflected back at her.
"Alcohol," Artemis said. "Give me alcohol now."
Someone pressed a shot into her hand and Artemis drank it down. She reached into the circle and let the bottle fly. It spun and it spun, and for a moment it seemed like it would never stop.
But it did stop and when it did, the bottle was pointing at Dick.
Artemis raised her eyes to his and was shocked at the naked arousal on his face. She shouldn't have been, if she'd looked at any of them they would have looked the same. She would have looked the same. But this was Dick, and she'd never seen him look at her like that before.
He moved closer, one hand coming up hesitantly to cup her face. "Can I?" he said, and then he did, swallowing the yes she would have said.
His mouth was hot, and his body, because somehow she was straddling his hips, was hard. She ground down into him, into his obvious arousal, and all she could think about was how good he felt pressed between her legs. His hands were hard at her hips, helping her move over him, torturing them both.
"Fuck," she said, tearing her lips away. His mouth immediately went to her throat, nipping at the skin, and her hands curled into his hair, to push away or to pull closer, she wasn't sure. She summoned all the willpower she still possessed. "Stop. We have to stop."
No one else said a word.
Dick set her away from him with shaking hands, and all she could hear was ragged breathing, his and hers. She watched him pour himself a shot, tip it back, imagined running her mouth down the exposed line of his throat. She looked away.
The bottle spun and it landed on Zatanna. The two of them fell together, in a tangle of limbs that Artemis didn't want to see, but couldn't look away from.
They devoured each other, their mouths fused so tightly together that it was impossible to tell where one began and the other ended. Dick rolled them so that Zatanna was on top, and she tossed her head back, grinding down on him with utter abandon.
Zatanna clearly did not share Artemis's issues with using Dick for orgasms. Or maybe it was that Zatanna didn't have a boyfriend there watching.
Artemis reached over to take Wally's hand.
Zatanna cried out and she shuddered, Dick's mouth pressed against her throat. She fell boneless atop him, and Dick's hands stroked down her back. It as a surprisingly gentle gesture considering what they'd been doing five seconds earlier.
"Mm," she said finally, stretching her body over his in a way that Artemis frankly thought was mean. "I needed that."
She reached up to kiss Dick once more and then clambered off him, leaving Dick to grimace his way back into a sitting position. She poured herself another drink, licking her lips as she took the shot.
She spun the bottle and it stopped at Wally.
Wally let go of Artemis's hand and slid over to Zatanna's side. "Be gentle," he said, the words coming out on a shaky laugh.
Zatanna patted his cheek and leaned in to kiss him. It was sweeter, softer than Artemis had seen Zatanna kiss anyone before. There was no urgency to it, no purpose other than pleasure, and Artemis wanted to kiss her in gratitude.
The kiss ended and Wally smiled at Zatanna. "Thank you," he said, and moved back to his original seat.
Artemis poured him a shot of his alcohol and he raised it to his lips on trembling hands. He set the glass aside. With one hand, he reached for the bottle, with the other, for her.
The bottle spun.
Artemis held her breath.
It landed on her.
"Oh, thank Christ," Wally muttered, and then before she could blink, Artemis was swept up in his arms and heading for their bedroom. "Don't break anything," he called back over his shoulder and then he was shutting their door firmly behind him.
He dropped her to the bed. "Naked, now," he ordered. He was already stripping off his own clothes.
It was the last comprehensible thing that either of them said for the rest of the night.
*
In the morning, Zatanna made them pancakes.
Author: empressearwig
Pairing/Fandom: Young Justice; Wally/Artemis, Dick/Zatanna, Wally/Zatanna, Zatanna/Artemis, Dick/Artemis, Dick/Wally
Spoilers: Through 2x4, Depths.
Rating: R
Word Count: ~6500
Disclaimer: I own nothing, this is all for fun. This hasn't happened. Yet. Etc.
Summary: For Wally's 21st birthday, they play spin the bottle.
Author's Notes: This is for torigates, because she asked. A lot. There were other bad influences, too. They know who they are.
"I slept with your boyfriend last night," Zatanna said. "Pass the bread?"
Artemis did not pass the bread. Instead, she narrowed her eyes at Zatanna who was sitting across the table from her wearing an expression that was trying desperately to be innocent but had mischief written all over it instead. "Explain."
Zatanna gave into the grin that she'd been fighting a losing battle against. "Gee, Artemis, it's like you don't believe me."
"That could have something to do with the fact that he was in bed stealing covers from me last night," Artemis said dryly. "Or trust. There's that too. Wally would be sad that that wasn't my first answer, probably."
"But the bed thing is easier to prove," Zatanna said sagely, nodding her head. "I get it."
"Of course you do," Artemis said. It was why they were friends. "Now, like I said--"
"I believe it was more like an order," Zatanna interjected helpfully.
"--fine, ordered, explain." Artemis leaned back in her chair and folded her arms over her chest. "I'm waiting."
Zatanna reached across the table to snag the bread basket and tore the corner off a piece. She popped it in her mouth and chewed slowly, watching Artemis with knowing eyes. "It's killing you that I'm not telling you, isn't it?"
"No," Artemis denied, too quickly for it to be believable.
Zatanna gave her a look.
"No. Yes."
Zatanna laughed and finally answered. "I had a dream. We were making out on the sofa in the Cave. He was a great kisser. Is he a great kisser? I mean, I assume he is at this point or what else is the point, but god. I never would have imagined it. And his hands." She leaned forward, pressing her own hands flat on the table. "Let me tell you about his hands--"
"No," Artemis said, holding up a hand of her own to ward off the rest of whatever it was Zatanna was going to say. "I really don't need to know your lurid fantasies about my boyfriend."
Zatanna pouted a little and slumped back in her chair. "That's not nearly as much fun for me."
"I know," Artemis said. "Sorry."
Zatanna shrugged. "It's okay. As long as I can still tell you about the thing Dick did last night."
"Sure," Artemis said. She helped herself to the bread. "What are friends for?"
*
"Hey, babe," Wally said when she walked in the door. "How was lunch?"
"You don't want to know," she answered. She dropped down onto the couch next to him and scratched Bruce's ears.
Wally looked at her curiously, and she shook her head. "Just trust me."
"Okay," he said agreeably. "Chinese tonight?"
"Yes," Artemis said. She leaned over to kiss him, lingering over it more than she'd meant to. "Sounds good."
"We could skip dinner," Wally tried, sliding his hand up from her waist to cop a feel.
Artemis laughed and pushed his hand away. "Nice try. I'm going to go shower. Call it in, please? You know what I like."
Wally waggled his eyebrows at her. "I do indeed."
Artemis was still laughing when she got in the shower. This was the strangest day and she was a person that knew from strangest days.
She just needed a good night's sleep, she decided. A new day where her best friend wasn't having sex dreams about her boyfriend and her boyfriend wasn't muddling up her already muddled head with terrible come ons.
A new day. She liked the sound of that a lot.
*
Lips skimmed over her throat, her chest. Someone moaned--it sounded like her.
Her hands clutched at shoulders. His cupped her breasts, her ass. Hands spread her thighs wide, and his lips chased them down across her stomach, trailing kisses across her skin and leaving heat in their wake.
His mouth settled between her legs and her hands knotted in his hair, the strands of it soft beneath her hands. A finger dipped inside her, and then another. His mouth joined them, lips and tongue and teeth, and she arched up off the bed, unable to stay still even with his hands holding her firmly in place.
Dick, she cried.
Artemis woke with a start. She sat straight up in bed, her heart pounding in her chest. She ran a hand through her sweaty hair, trying to control her ragged breathing.
That didn't happen, she thought to herself. She didn't just dream about her boyfriend's best friend, one of her best friends. It couldn't have happened, so it didn't. That's all there was too it.
"Babe?" murmured Wally, his voice thick with sleep. He ran a hand down her back, and she wanted nothing more than to curl into him and let his hands stroke away any thoughts of what might have been. "Everything okay?"
"Just a bad dream," she said instead. "Go back to sleep."
"M'kay," he agreed, his eyes already falling back shut. "Love you."
"I love you, too," she said. She watched him until he fell back asleep and then climbed out of bed and padded into the kitchen on bare feet.
She poured herself a drink of water with still shaking hands and drank.
Zatanna, she decided, would pay.
*
"I hate you," Artemis said, when she called the next morning. "There are no words to describe how much I hate you."
Zatanna laughed--well, she cackled, really, there was no other word for it. Clearly she was still spending too much time with Dick even though they'd been officially broken up for at least six months at this point. It was hard to keep track. "Something you want to tell me?"
"You don't deserve to know," Artemis grumbled.
"<>Pfft," said Zatanna. "Since when is oversharing about deserving to know?"
"Maybe it should be," Artemis said.
"You wouldn't have called if you didn't want me to know," Zatanna said reasonably, far too reasonably for Artemis's liking. "So come on, spill already. I have to be to the Watchtower in like, an hour, and haven't showered yet."
"Fine," Artemis said, exasperated. Arguing with Zatanna was like arguing with Dick, which meant that it was impossible. "After our little talk yesterday, I had a dream of my own last night."
She could practically hear Zatanna grinning through the phone. "And?"
"And--isn't this weird for you?" Artemis tried. "Me telling you about the sex dream I had about your not-boyfriend?"
"No," Zatanna said. "It's not at all, which is one of the many reasons that Dick is my not-boyfriend. And I'm not you and require details."
"There's really not much to tell," Artemis said. "Foreplay and someone that I thought was Wally going down on me, only to have my subconscious decide to play a fun little game and have it be Dick instead. And then I woke up."
"Ah," Zatanna said. She sounded suspiciously sympathetic. "Didn't get off, did you?"
"No," Artemis said slowly. "How did you know that?"
"You'd be in a much better mood if you had," Zatanna said matter-of-factly. "Dick is great at oral sex. A master at it, even."
Artemis's head hurt. She pressed two fingers against her temple, trying to stop the pounding. "Zatanna, you know he wasn't actually in bed with me, right?"
"Of course he wasn't," Zatanna said. "You and Wally aren't like that. Now, us on the other hand--"
"Yes," Artemis interrupted, shuddering a little. "I've heard. I don't need to hear again."
"Your loss," Zatanna said, her shrug evident even through the phone.
"I hate you," Artemis said.
She hung up the phone and let her already aching head thump against the kitchen table. Now she was going to have thoughts of threesomes rolling around in her brain all day.
That was not what she needed. Not what she needed at all.
*
By that night, Artemis was practically coming out of her skin. After her classes, she spent an extra hour at the gym, beating the hell out of the heavy bag, but even that didn't help.
She was horny. Hitting things wasn't going to help.
It was Monday, which meant that Wally had a late lab on the opposite end of campus from their apartment. Artemis waited for him on the couch, her hands curled into fists by her sides, her legs bouncing up and down with their suppressed need to go up to check the windows to see if he was finally almost home.
There was a noise on the stairs and Artemis stood. The lock rattled and the doorknob turned.
Wally stepped inside, a wide smile on his face. "Hey, babe," he started. "Miss--"
Artemis jumped him before he could say another word.
*
They had sex twice in the living room before they even made it to the bedroom, and then Artemis had her way with him again.
After, Wally lay on his back panting. "I'm not complaining," he said, turning his head to look at her. "Please don't think that."
"Okay," she said. She slid her hand down his body with clear intent, but he batted it away, lacing their fingers together and settling their joined hands safely on his stomach instead. She pouted, and god, she hated herself for it. "Spoilsport."
"Just answer one question for me first," he said. "Then you can do whatever you want to me."
Her lips curved up into a smile. Whatever she wanted had so many possibilities. "Promise?"
Wally let out a heavy breath, but nodded. "That look makes me think that I'll regret it, but yes. I promise."
"Then you can ask," she said.
"Thanks," he said wryly and let go of her hand so that he could prop himself up on his elbow. He looked at her with his serious concerned face, and something in her stomach twisted with guilt about the thing she wasn't telling him and the thing he was almost certainly going to ask her about next. "Is everything okay?"
"Fine!" she said brightly. She reached over to stroke her hand down his arm, making sure to keep it a strictly non-sexual gesture. "Why?"
He stared at her, mouth agape. "We just had sex three times."
She shrugged and tried to look innocent, which was really ridiculous considering the amount of sex they'd just had. "I missed you?"
Wally snorted. "Right. You didn't even let me take my shoes off the first time, Artemis. I know I'm irresistible, but come on. I'm not that irresistible. What gives?"
She frowned at him. Talk about ruining the mood. "Well nothing, now."
"Hey," he said. He tipped her chin up so that she had to look at him. "Don't be like that. I was worried about you."
And just like that she melted. Because really, that was why she loved him. Well, that and the sex. She did not underestimate the power good sex could have in a relationship.
"I'm fine," she said, and it wasn't even entirely a lie. "I promise."
"Okay," he said. He leaned in to kiss her and she let him, winding her arms around his neck.
"Round four?" he whispered against her lips
Artemis grinned and nudged his head down. "Why don't you get things started this time?" she suggested.
To his very great credit, Wally immediately got the hint.
*
Hands. Everywhere there were hands.
A mouth closed over hers, swallowing her broken sob. Lips skimmed lower, settling at her breast. She clutched at their head, weaving her fingers into the silky hair she found there. A tongue teased at her nipple, and she sobbed again with pleasure.
"Tell us what you want," Wally said, his breath hot against at ear. "Tell us what you want, Artemis."
The mouth at her breast lifted and moved lower. Her legs were nudged apart and she felt someone there, between them, hot breath so close to where she wanted it and yet so far away that it ached.
"Tell us," Dick said. One finger slipped inside her, a tease that she couldn't help but arch helplessly against. "Whatever you want."
"More," she said, her body twisting in their hands. "More, please".
Hands on her shoulders shook her awake. "Artemis, wake up," Wally said urgently. "Artemis!"
She pushed his hands away, trying to catch her breath.
"You're not alright," Wally said, she thought mostly to himself. "I should have trusted my instincts."
"I'm fine," she said.
Wally shook his head stubbornly. "You've woken up like this two nights in a row. That's not fine."
If only he knew, Artemis thought, but she pushed that aside. She sat up and took his face between her hands. "Wally," she said, willing him to believe her. "I am fine. I swear."
She could see him weakening, and she pressed her advantage, leaning in to kiss him. She poured herself into it, all the feelings she had for him and only him, and begged him silently to trust in this even if he didn't trust the words coming from her mouth.
"Okay," he said, when he drew back. "I believe you."
She sighed with relief and curled herself into his arms. "I love you," she said.
He kissed the top of head. "I love you, too."
It took Artemis a very long time to fall back asleep.
*
It was still dark in Palo Alto when Artemis zeta-ed to New York. She was tired and cranky and still horny, though how that was possible she didn't know, and Zatanna had done this to her so Zatanna was going to fix it.
She said as much as when Zatanna finally answered the pounding on her door.
"You broke my brain," Artemis said plaintively, knowing that she was coming dangerously close to a whine. "Fix it."
Zatanna actually had the audacity to clap her hands in delight, but she stepped back from the door and Artemis pushed her way in, throwing herself down on Zatanna's lumpy futon.
"You had another dream," Zatanna said. She closed the door and crossed through the small space to loom over Artemis. Zatanna tapped at Artemis's legs with the toe of her knee high boots. "Tell me everything."
"I don't want to," Artemis said, and that time it was definitely a whine. "I just want to be able to sleep, Zatanna. I can't even sleep anymore without things happening, and I need to sleep."
"Poor baby," Zatanna said. She sat down next to Artemis and patted her on the leg. "Tell me everything, and I'll give you a spell that should help with that."
"A real friend would just give me the spell," Artemis grumbled, even though she knew it was worthless to complain. Once Zatanna got an idea in her head it stayed there, and that was another thing that she blamed Dick for. Maybe if she thought about it long enough, all of this could be Dick's fault. She'd like that. "But fine."
"Yay," Zatanna said, clapping her hands again. She grinned at Artemis's disgruntled look. "I make no apologies for the fact that I like story time."
Artemis stared at her. "There are many times that I don't understand why we're friends."
"I know," Zatanna said cheerfully. "But you love me anyway. Now talk."
"Fine," Artemis said. "It wasn't just Dick this time."
Zatanna gasped and covered her mouth with her hands, glee shining in her eyes. "You had a threesome dream?"
"Yes," Artemis snapped. "And it was your fault, so I don't know why you're surprised."
"That's a fair point," Zatanna allowed. She nudged Artemis with her elbow. "Who was the other person? Was it me?"
"It was Wally."
Zatanna tipped her head back and laughed. "Oh, that's even better."
"I'm glad you're enjoying my misery," Artemis said wryly.
"What are friends for?" Zatanna asked. "Now come on, there's more. What were they doing? Were they kissing? I've always thought it would be really hot."
"No," Artemis said. She could feel herself start to blush a little, and that was ridiculous because she was not a prude. "It was all very me focused."
"Ohh," Zatanna said knowingly, and Artemis really didn't want to know what was going on in her mind. "Was it good?"
"Yes," Artemis admitted. "Very, very good."
Zatanna nudged her with her elbow again. "See, was that so terrible? Sharing is fun."
"If you say so," Artemis said. She dropped her head to the back of the futon and turned it to look sideways at Zatanna. "How do I make this stop? You've turned me into, well, you."
"Being me is fantastic, thank you very much," Zatanna said.
"I'm not disagreeing with you," Artemis said. "I just liked being me. With what you considered a vanilla, but extremely active sex life and all."
Zatanna sighed heavily. "You don't know what you're missing. Wait." An evil grin bloomed on her face. "That's it."
"That look on your face terrifies me," Artemis said. "But what's it?"
"Wally's birthday," Zatanna non-sequitured. "Dick and I are still invited, right?"
"Of course," Artemis said. "You're the ones that commissioned Hal to find him speedster-friendly booze. It seems only fitting that you should share in the experience."
"Then all we have to do is get the boys drunk and play spin the bottle. Or truth or dare, but I know how you feel about that game."
"Only masochists play truth or dare with Dick Grayson," Artemis said automatically. "Or you, for that matter."
Zatanna flipped her hair back over her shoulder and tried to look modest. "We all have our own special little talents."
"Yes," Artemis said. "And yours make me very glad that you're on my side."
"So we're agreed then?" Zatanna asked.
Artemis wrinkled her nose. "I don't know, spin the bottle? It just seems so junior high."
"And therefore fun," Zatanna said. "And innocuous. And not a thing that we'd be doing so that I can see Dick and Wally kiss and that you're doing so that you can get whatever other urges you're having out of your system."
"I am not having other urges!" Artemis protested. "Just because I'm dreaming about Dick against my will doesn't mean I actually want to have sex with him."
Zatanna looked at her pityingly. "I think you actually believe that."
"Because it's true."
"Of course it is," Zatanna said, patting her on the knee again. "You just keep telling yourself that."
She stood and loomed over Artemis again. "Now do you want that spell or not? You can crash here for a few hours."
"Yes," Artemis said. "Please."
"Peels sselmaerd peels," Zatanna said, stroking her hand over Artemis's forehead. "I'll see you Saturday night."
Those were the last words Artemis heard before she fell sound asleep.
*
It was Saturday night and Artemis was as jittery as a virgin on prom night, or at least as jittery as she assumed one would be not having been one herself. She kept checking the fridge to make sure that the alcohol hadn't disappeared and rearranging the shot glasses that were lined up neatly on the kitchen counter.
Wally watched all of this from one of their kitchen chairs with a bemused look on his face until finally he snagged her around the waist and pulled her onto his lap. "Babe," he said affectionately. "It's just Dick and Zatanna and they're just coming over to drink. Why are you so nervous?"
"I'm not," she said, proud that her voice didn't come out as a squeak. She turned her head back towards his. "It's just--you only get one 21st birthday. I want it to be perfect."
"Aw, that's sweet," Wally said. He kissed her gently. "But since a perfect 21st birthday usually means someone holding your head while you puke out everything you ate for the last week, maybe we could just aim for pretty good instead?"
Artemis smiled. He was still such a dork. She loved it. "Deal."
She leaned in to kiss him again, but then there was a knock on the door. They hadn't even managed to get up to answer before Dick and Zatanna were standing in the doorway, a chorus of "Happy Birthday's" ringing loudly through the air.
"Dude," Wally said, as he and Dick did a manly handshake thing that Artemis was going to mock with Zatanna later. "Don't you knock?"
"We did," Zatanna answered for him. "It's not our fault you two were too busy doing whatever it is you were doing." She pressed a paper bag into his hands and reached up to give him a hug and birthday kiss on the cheek. "That's from us and from Hal. It should--"
"It should get you every bit as drunk as we are tonight," Dick said.
Zatanna frowned up at him. "I was going to say that."
"You were taking too long," Dick said. He slung an arm around her shoulders and squeezed. "You love me."
"You bug me," Zatanna said, but she didn't shrug his arm off.
Interesting, said Artemis's brain. Outloud, she said, "Drinks are in the kitchen."
"I hope you got me the vodka I like," Zatanna said. She smirked at Artemis and Artemis frowned at her. "You know what I'm like when I drink it."
"Yes," Artemis said, before Dick could say anything that he'd not regret later. "We do. And yes, I did."
"Excellent," Zatanna said. "Let's get this party started!"
*
Two hours and more shots that Artemis could remember later, Zatanna finally broached the subject of spin the bottle.
They were all sitting on the floor, someone--Dick, Artemis thought--having decided that if there wasn't enough furniture for all of them to sit on that none of them could sit on any of it. Zatanna reached behind her for the empty bottle of vodka on the coffee table and set it on the ground between them.
"We should play," she said.
Wally groaned and Dick rolled his eyes, but neither of them said no, which to Zatanna was as good as an actual agreement.
"Birthday boy goes first," Zatanna said, nudging the bottle in Wally's direction.
Wally sighed, but reached out to set the bottle spinning with a flick of his wrist. "I hate this game," he grumbled. "I always get stuck kissing Sally Braddock."
"Who's Sally Braddock?" Artemis asked.
"The shyest girl in my seventh grade glass," Wally answered. "She'd barely let me kiss her cheek, let alone anything else. I mean, wasn't the whole point of the game to slip tongue to people that wouldn't let you otherwise?"
"Aw," Zatanna said.
Dick cackled.
The bottle pointed at Artemis.
"I don't think that'll be a problem here," Dick said.
Zatanna clapped. "Kiss!"
Wally grinned at Artemis and waggled his eyebrows. "Gimme some sugar," he said, his words slurring far more than they did when he tried to drink earth alcohol. Whatever it was that Hal had brought back had actually worked.
"Never say that again," Artemis said, but she climbed into his lap and wound her arms around his neck, pressing her lips against his. She licked her way into his mouth and the kiss turned dirty, much dirtier than she'd meant it to be, especially with Dick and Zatanna sitting right behind them, even if that was the whole point of this ridiculous game.
Wally's hands slid down her back to cup her ass and a piercing wolf whistle filled the air.
Artemis gave Dick the finger behind her back, but slid off Wally and back to her original spot on the floor. She poured herself another shot, proud of the fact that her hands were still steady and drank.
"Oh, good idea," Zatanna said. "Before you spin, you drink. New rule!"
"I don't think you can make new rules mid-game," Dick argued. Zatanna gave him a look and he held up his hands in surrender. "Or you can if your name is Zatanna. I don't know what I was thinking."
Artemis laughed. She didn't know why it was so funny.
"Your turn," Zatanna said.
"Right," Artemis said. She spun the bottle and watched it turn, getting dizzy as it went. She hated spinning.
It stopped on Zatanna.
"Happy birthday to me," Wally cheered.
Dick leaned back on his arms and grinned. "Make it good, ladies."
Zatanna rolled her eyes. "Please. Like you haven't seen us do this before, Mister 'I Dare You Two to Kiss for the Billionth Time.'"
"True," Dick said. His grin got wider. "But it was worth it every time."
"Pervert," Zatanna said fondly.
"Just the way you like me," he said. He slapped her on the ass. "Don't you have someone to kiss?"
"Yeah," Wally said. "You should do that."
Artemis crooked her finger at Zatanna. "You know they're useless to us until we get this over with."
"You say get this over with like kissing me isn't amazing, Artemis," Zatanna said. She started to crawl through the middle of the circle, a dangerous gleam in her eye. "It makes me want to prove things."
Zatanna pounced and Artemis fell back against the floor in surprise. Her reflexes were usually much sharper than that; she blamed the alcohol. Zatanna's mouth covered hers, wet and hot, and fine, Zatanna was awesome at this.
There was a moan, hers, and Zatanna pulled back grinning in triumph.
"And that's how it's done, boys," she said. She pressed another gentle kiss to Artemis's cheek. "Always a pleasure."
"Likewise," Artemis said, pushing herself back up to a sitting position. She felt like she'd been battered by a small hurricane.
Zatanna beamed and took her own shot. "I believe that makes it my turn," she said and she reached for the bottle, sending it spinning wildly out of control.
"Eager much?" Dick asked.
"You're just jealous you haven't gotten to kiss anyone yet," Zatanna returned. The bottle stopped on Wally. "Ha! And still no love for you." She patted Dick's leg. "At least you're pretty."
"Very pretty," Wally said. He held out his arms for Zatanna. "Now where's my kiss?"
"I'd like him back in one piece, please," Artemis requested, as she watched Zatanna head for Wally's lap.
Zatanna reached over and squeezed her hand in a not at all reassuring way. "I promise."
She kissed Wally, and god, it was strange to watch. Strange to think that Wally's lips were on someone else's, that someone else was reaping the benefits of the considerable time and energy Artemis had put into training Wally into kissing exactly the way that she liked.
It was strange, and goddammit, it was hot.
Wally's hands flailed in the air before settling at Zatanna's waist. Artemis could see the muscles in his arms contract as he tightened his grip, the way they clenched there instead of moving elsewhere. She heard the muffled groan that fell from his lips when Zatanna ground down against him.
Zatanna pulled back from him with a smile, swiping her thumb across his lips. Still perched on his lap, she turned to Artemis and said, "Well done."
"Thank you," Artemis said dryly. "Now would you mind getting off my boyfriend?"
"Oops," Zatanna said. She scooted back across the floor to her seat and fanned herself with her hand. "Wally West," she said. "Who knew?"
"Me," Artemis said. "Why did you think I've kept him around all this time?"
Dick cackled again and Zatanna punched him in the arm.
Wally pouted at Artemis. "Gee, thanks."
"I didn't say it was the only reason," Artemis said. She tried to move over to kiss him, but Zatanna's hand shot in between them.
"No non-bottle kissing!" she said. "It's in the rules."
"I'd like to see these rules some time," Dick said. "They're very interesting."
"Whenever you like," Zatanna said, tossing him a look that could only be described as an invitation. She turned back to Wally. "Your spin, handsome."
"Thanks, beautiful," Wally said. He reached out for the bottle and then stopped. "Wait." He reached for his bottle of bright purple alien alcohol instead and poured himself a shot. "Cheers," he said and tipped it back. He shuddered as it coursed through him. "Remind me to buy Hal a fruit basket."
"Done," Dick said. "Now take your turn already."
"Patience, my young padawan," Wally said. He spun the bottle and they all watched it turn until it landed pointing straight at Dick. Wally looked up at him, amusement dancing across his face. "Bet you wish you could take that last thing back."
"He doesn't," Zatanna insisted eagerly, practically bouncing up and down. "Kiss!"
"Yeah, kiss," Artemis said. Maybe Zatanna's comment about how hot she thought it would be had wormed its way into her brain, but Artemis was suddenly just as eager to see this happen as Zatanna was.
"Well, if you insist," Wally said.
He leaned across the circle, palming Dick's cheek with his hand. He pressed his lips against Dick's, almost tentatively at first, and then with more force. Dick's hands came up to Wally's shoulders, gripping at the sweater that Artemis had bought him for his birthday. It made her want her hands to be there too, helping Dick tug the sweater up and over Wally's head, both of their hands exploring the skin beneath.
"So hot, right?" Zatanna whispered in her ear.
Artemis blinked and shifted her eyes sideways. She didn't know when Zatanna had moved next to her, only that she was there now and staring at Dick and Wally like they were the greatest thing she'd ever seen. Artemis wasn't sure she was wrong.
"Yes," Artemis said and turned her attention back to the show.
They'd moved closer, both of them up on their knees now, their chests pressed firmly against each other. It looked like Wally was biting at Dick's lower lip and Dick slid his hands down to Wally's ass and squeezed.
Wally yelped and pulled back, frowning at Dick. "Uncalled for," he said.
Dick shrugged and sat back down, adjusting his jeans in what Artemis was sure he thought was a discreet way. From the elbow in the ribs that she got from Zatanna, Artemis knew that she'd seen it too.
Wally fell back into his own seat, doing his own jean maneuvering and Zatanna slid back into her spot. This time there was no question that she was actually bouncing up and down in glee.
"That was so hot," she said. "Please say you'll do that again. Pretty please."
"Maybe if you're good," Dick said, pouring himself a shot and drinking it back.
Zatanna's lip slid out in a pout. "But that means it will never happen."
"Exactly," Dick said. He sent the bottle spinning and Artemis watched it turn, half hoping that it would land on Wally so they could get an immediate replay showing.
It stopped on Zatanna instead.
"Thank god," Dick said, and he dragged Zatanna into his lap, fusing his mouth to hers.
Artemis had to resist the urge to fan herself. She didn't really go in for manhandling--at least not often--but that display of brute strength was ridiculously arousing. She shot Wally a sideways look, wondering if she could talk him into trying it. Then again, all she had to do was get naked and Wally was pretty much willing to try whatever she wanted.
She turned her attention back to Dick and Zatanna.
Watching them kiss was like watching a pair of expert and utterly filthy dancers, she decided. They had done this so often that they could anticipate the other, whether it was with a hand redirecting the movement of a face or a nibble at a lip that led to a heartfelt groan, Artemis was sure that they'd done all of this before.
She was equally sure that if she let them, they'd strip down and have sex right here and now, and though she found the idea far more appealing that she had even hours before, she wasn't quite to that point yet.
"Children," she said, trying to sound stern instead of turned on beyond belief. "Do I need to get the hose?"
"Not unless you and Zatanna want to have a wet t-shirt contest," Dick said, emerging from the depths of Zatanna's grasp. He deposited her back in her spot with as much ease as he'd picked her up in the first place, and Artemis gave into the fanning.
"Right?" Zatanna said. She patted her chest. "It does something to me, let me tell you."
Wally shook his head. "It's not even worth the effort to make that dirty," he said mournfully. "Because it already was."
Zatanna laughed and patted his knee. "I think that means it's my turn," she said. "I need a drink."
"I'll get it," Artemis said quickly. Too quickly.
Zatanna arched an eyebrow at Artemis as she watched her pour. "Eager, are we?"
Artemis pushed the shot across the circle. "Just drink."
"Oh, I will," Zatanna said. She tossed the shot back. "But I won't forget that either."
Zatanna reached into the center of the circle and set the bottle spinning. Artemis wasn't surprised in the least when it stopped on her.
"Aha!" Zatanna crowed. This time she crooked her finger at Artemis and asked, "Will you walk into my parlour?"
"Said the spider to the fly," Artemis answered. She crawled across the floor until she was kneeling over Zatanna. "Quoting poetry to a comparative lit major is just not fair, you know that, don't you?"
"That was the idea," Zatanna said. "Now kiss me."
Artemis did.
It was different being in charge, she thought, as her mouth pressed lazily against Zatanna's. She swiped her tongue against the seam of Zatanna's lips and her mouth fell open, parting on a sigh. She kissed Zatanna slowly, thoroughly, as if they had all the time in the world, which Artemis supposed they did. It wasn't as if the boys were going to complain about seeing two extremely hot girls feeling each other up.
Zatanna tugged at her waist, and they fell back against the floor together, their legs intertwined. Zatanna's hands slid up, under the clingy sweater that Artemis was wearing. Artemis bit at her lip in punishment. She didn't want Zatanna getting any ideas about who was running this show.
Artemis went back to exploring, lips and hands and tongues, driving herself a little bit crazy with lust. Zatanna just felt so good pressed against her, soft where Wally was hard, giving even though Artemis knew she'd rather take. She could have kissed Zatanna forever, might have, if somewhere in the back of her mind she hadn't heard Wally curse reverently, low under his breath--
"Jesus," he said.
--and it brought her back to her senses. She rolled away from Zatanna, her back pressed flat against the floor. She tried to catch her breath, but it was nearly impossible. Jesus, was right.
She sat up and moved back to her place across the circle, refusing to meet Zatanna's eyes as she did so. She didn't want to see the dazed look that she was sure was in hers reflected back at her.
"Alcohol," Artemis said. "Give me alcohol now."
Someone pressed a shot into her hand and Artemis drank it down. She reached into the circle and let the bottle fly. It spun and it spun, and for a moment it seemed like it would never stop.
But it did stop and when it did, the bottle was pointing at Dick.
Artemis raised her eyes to his and was shocked at the naked arousal on his face. She shouldn't have been, if she'd looked at any of them they would have looked the same. She would have looked the same. But this was Dick, and she'd never seen him look at her like that before.
He moved closer, one hand coming up hesitantly to cup her face. "Can I?" he said, and then he did, swallowing the yes she would have said.
His mouth was hot, and his body, because somehow she was straddling his hips, was hard. She ground down into him, into his obvious arousal, and all she could think about was how good he felt pressed between her legs. His hands were hard at her hips, helping her move over him, torturing them both.
"Fuck," she said, tearing her lips away. His mouth immediately went to her throat, nipping at the skin, and her hands curled into his hair, to push away or to pull closer, she wasn't sure. She summoned all the willpower she still possessed. "Stop. We have to stop."
No one else said a word.
Dick set her away from him with shaking hands, and all she could hear was ragged breathing, his and hers. She watched him pour himself a shot, tip it back, imagined running her mouth down the exposed line of his throat. She looked away.
The bottle spun and it landed on Zatanna. The two of them fell together, in a tangle of limbs that Artemis didn't want to see, but couldn't look away from.
They devoured each other, their mouths fused so tightly together that it was impossible to tell where one began and the other ended. Dick rolled them so that Zatanna was on top, and she tossed her head back, grinding down on him with utter abandon.
Zatanna clearly did not share Artemis's issues with using Dick for orgasms. Or maybe it was that Zatanna didn't have a boyfriend there watching.
Artemis reached over to take Wally's hand.
Zatanna cried out and she shuddered, Dick's mouth pressed against her throat. She fell boneless atop him, and Dick's hands stroked down her back. It as a surprisingly gentle gesture considering what they'd been doing five seconds earlier.
"Mm," she said finally, stretching her body over his in a way that Artemis frankly thought was mean. "I needed that."
She reached up to kiss Dick once more and then clambered off him, leaving Dick to grimace his way back into a sitting position. She poured herself another drink, licking her lips as she took the shot.
She spun the bottle and it stopped at Wally.
Wally let go of Artemis's hand and slid over to Zatanna's side. "Be gentle," he said, the words coming out on a shaky laugh.
Zatanna patted his cheek and leaned in to kiss him. It was sweeter, softer than Artemis had seen Zatanna kiss anyone before. There was no urgency to it, no purpose other than pleasure, and Artemis wanted to kiss her in gratitude.
The kiss ended and Wally smiled at Zatanna. "Thank you," he said, and moved back to his original seat.
Artemis poured him a shot of his alcohol and he raised it to his lips on trembling hands. He set the glass aside. With one hand, he reached for the bottle, with the other, for her.
The bottle spun.
Artemis held her breath.
It landed on her.
"Oh, thank Christ," Wally muttered, and then before she could blink, Artemis was swept up in his arms and heading for their bedroom. "Don't break anything," he called back over his shoulder and then he was shutting their door firmly behind him.
He dropped her to the bed. "Naked, now," he ordered. He was already stripping off his own clothes.
It was the last comprehensible thing that either of them said for the rest of the night.
*
In the morning, Zatanna made them pancakes.