catgirl ! crushed (nightwing)

«chapter six: shadows»

  Ours. It doesn't feel right to say that anymore. And that makes it hurt even more.

  She seems to read the pain on my face. Her expression softens, "What happened, Cat?" She whispers, taking my hands on her's. "What happened between you both that made you leave?"

  "It wasn't him," I say, my voice suddenly a lot smaller and it's hard to imagine that the very same voice, the very same person, faced two of the world's greatest assassins hours before without batting an eye. "I didn't leave because of him, Artemis. But-"

  "Then explain yourself and get back together," She shakes my hands in hers, "Gosh, you both seem miserable anyways."

  I take my hands out of hers and take a step back, "Artemis, he doesn't want me anymore."

  Artemis's eyebrows draw together as she looks at me, "Are you serious? Of course he does. You don't-"

  "He told me so, Artemis." I say wrapping my arms around myself before I take in her confused look and say, "He didn't tell you."

  "Tell me what?" She questions, and I feel sick. They all thought it was just me.

  I shake my head, clenching my fists, "Artemis, I came back six months ago. He told me to leave again." The words feel like acid against my tongue as I say, "He doesn't want me anymore."

  She shakes her head, almost as if she were trying to will it to not be true, that it can't be true. Believe me, I've tried and no matter how much I want it to not be, it is.

"He is miserable, I-"

  "I don't want to talk about it anymore," I say looking down at the floor.

  The floor that he held me on when I was stabbed and bleeding out.

  I close my eyes tightly, my nails digging into my skin to keep me focused and rooted in the now.

  When I look up, Artemis is watching me with a concerned look, but she doesn't say anything else.

  "Just forget I told you about it," I mutter, "please." I add, looking in her eyes before I walk past her and out of the medbay.

  When I walk back in, Lily is sitting with Conner Jefferson and Jake smiling up at them through her lashes shyly. All of the boys' expressions soften on her.

  I roll my eyes and put my hands on my hips, "She is a natural." I say with a smile, causing her to look at me with a grin before she disappears completely.

  Conner starts looking around, "Where did she-"

  "Her favorite place to hide is in Cat's shadow," Alex says, answering before Jake or I have the chance. "Any chance you can't find her, it's because of that."

  "Is she scared of us?" Halo asks with a frown, disappointment in her tone.

  "She can still see and hear if she is in the shadows and not transporting somewhere." I explain before I nod to Brion, "And she saw Mr. Hot-Headed Prince try to melt me and those two idiots," I nod to Jake and Alex.

"Hey,-" Alex starts, but Jake cuts him off.

  "I think you meant one idiot," He says before coughing, "Alex."

"Hey!"

  "Lily?" I ask ignoring the two behind me when I see Brion's guilty, downcast face.

  She appears a moment later, her only reaching to my stomach as she looks up at me.

  I am aware Dick has been studying me ever since I walked back out, maybe since he first saw me earlier. I try to ignore it and the feeling of his eyes burning through my skin as I crouch down to Lily's height.