Between Artemis Crock and Wally West (Kid Flash) and Richard Grayson (Nightwing) and M'gann M'orzz (Miss Martian) and Conner Kent (Superboy) as romantic.
The moon hung low in the Gotham night, shrouded by a thin veil of mist that softened the harsh outlines of the city's jagged rooftops. A gentle breeze played through the alleyways, whispering secrets only the shadows could understand. High above the streets, perched on an outcrop of gargoyle-adorned gothic architecture, were two figures cloaked in the anonymity of darkness.
Artemis Crock's emerald green eyes were fixated on the streets below, yet her mind was adrift with thoughts she dare not voice. Beside her, the ever-dexterous Nightwing, formerly the Boy Wonder known as Robin, shared in her silent vigil—his body a picture of relaxed vigilance, a stark contrast to the tempest of emotions concealed beneath his calm exterior.
The stillness between them was a familiar comfort, akin to the sense of having a trusted companion by one's side in the heart of danger. However, the air felt charged that night, like the charged calm that heralds a storm. The chemistry of their long-standing friendship was undergoing an indefinable alchemy, and both were acutely aware that something was unsettlingly different.
Nightwing's hand found its way to Artemis's shoulder, a simple gesture that sent an unforeseen shiver through her, jolting her back to the present. Her pulse quickened, she realized, not from the cold, but from the unforeseen proximity of someone she had known as a friend for so long. "Artemis," he began, his voice penetrating the quiet. "You seem...distant tonight. Is everything okay?"
Her eyes met his, and for a moment, the noise of the city faded into insignificance. "I'm fine, Dick. Just tired, I guess," Artemis replied, her voice betraying a hint of the turmoil within. She knew he wasn't fooled; his perceptiveness was one of the many traits that made him a formidable detective.
Nightwing surveyed her face, the subtle flicker of concern in his eyes belied his professional detachment. "We've survived battles, saved worlds, and faced nightmares together," he reminded her, his voice soft but earnest. "If there's something brewing inside you, Artemis, we'll handle it. You're not alone."
Artemis felt the walls she had meticulously built around her feelings starting to crumble. For a moment, she wanted to allow herself the luxury of leaning into the promise of solace he offered. But alarms sounded in her mind, a stark reminder that their lives were bound by the call to heroism and that vulnerabilities could often be exploited.
Her gaze shifted back to the city, her stance resolute. "I know, but this is something I need to figure out on my own," she responded, her voice steadier than she felt. In her heart, conflicting emotions waged a quiet war, one she wasn't ready to confront—not yet, anyway.
The unspoken words hung in the shadowy space between them, as potent as any villain they'd ever encountered. Silence enveloped them once more, a cloak of unacknowledged tension that neither hero was prepared to lift. For now, they stood together, gallant guardians against the Gotham night—each battling an internal enemy neither had anticipated.