𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐘 ― d. grayson ¹

⤿ twenty

It continued to hurt, and since she was still shocked, she remained sitting, closing her eyes to focus on something else. She had to chose not feeling any pain.

"Does it hurt?" Dick appeared before her, resting his arms on her knees. She opened her lids and sighed, now clouding the ache. He looked genuinely troubled, and so naive crouching in front of the fighter.

Artemisia tugged on the hem of her white shirt, thinking of an illustration for her past sting. "It feels like someone punched me several times," her words made him chuckle because he could only imagine what it felt. "Nothing I can't handle."

"Good to know," Dick beamed, patting her leg softly as he got up, a soft growl of his stomach sounded once more. Both grinned a second time, understanding the reaction before such a delicious smell. "Come on, let's have some breakfast."

He extends an inviting hand, and though she did not need aid getting up, Artemisia took it happily, preserving his sweet manners. However, she noted, as they neared the door, each began taking a step further from the other, as if they were uncertain about being seen together.

By the time they had reached the hallway, there was a safe distance between them, and their hands were no longer together, not even brushing their fingers. But such action would only delude anyone if they hadn't arrived last, and at the same time.

The chattering breakfast table went mute when Garfield sighted them walking over. No one ate, no one drank. All eyes were soldered on the pair that entered the large kitchen. Artemisia locked eyes with Zach, and she could foresee he had something in mind to irritate her. She could only wish it wasn't anything inappropriate that made her flush.

"Good morning, you two." Zachary commenced with a cheeky grin, delivering a mischievous wink to a shy Artemisia. "Slept well?"

Each found a spot in the long table, being forced apart, not that they complained much, a slight space felt nice. The woman found herself beside Rachel and her quiet mother, who had been munching quietly, studying her surroundings.

Dick, on the other hand, sat near Zach, replying to his earlier question. "Never better." He served himself some coffee and added: "why?"

"Just wondering. Nothing in particular." Zach shrugged, taking a moment to sip on his daily dose of caffeine. His eyes, though, traveled towards Artemisia, watching her serve some pancakes on her plate.

She could feel his gaze burying on her skull, yet she managed to ignore it, searching somewhere else to look. Unfortunately, as her irises moved around, they caught with Dick's, and a weird energy filled the table. She went back to her meal, eyes wide with embarrassment, and flushing red as well.

From her right, Rachel chocked out a snicker, hiding her mouth behind her sleeve. Seconds later, Gar joins her, spitting some of his coffee back into the mug. Artemisia glared over the table, noting that Zach and Kory were also trying to hold back a laugh.

When her eyes passed by Rachel's mother, the woman was just smiling sweetly, admiring the not-so-silent connection they had forged. However, behind that curious and happy spark, there was a splotch of darkness. She could not grasp her finger on the source, but she could only assume it had appeared from the grief of being separated from her child.

Artemisia looked away from the woman, her gaze sharpening when she caught Zach bugging Dick, perhaps stepping a bit past the line. Or perhaps, if she'd thought for a second, her embarrassment exaggerated what truly was happening. "Okay, stop it. We get it, you connected the dots. Great job." She rolled her eyes, dropping the fork by her plate. Her sarcasm came out as harsh, though the group did not care.