-Inspired by my beautiful friend who likes to come over and watch slashers with me. The moodboard up top was one I originally made for her-
"If I had my way I wouldn't be trusting this to either of you." Oliver set an envelope on the table. "You've got keys, and there's money for whenever you want to order pizza. Now, I've frozen my bank accounts for the entire time I'll be gone, so don't even think about it."
"Think about what?" Artemis asked.
"I-- just DON'T." He repeated. "You two are the only people allowed in here this weekend."
"And that doesn't mean you can go out all night either." Dinah added.
"Yeah, exactly."
Roy took umbrage with that. "Not you too, Dinah! You know what we can do."
"Oh, do I ever..." She chuckled, looking between them. "I'm just teasing! Have a good time you two." Dinah gently pulled the girl's ponytail over her shoulder. "And don't forget your homework. Roy, keep an eye on everything?"
"I will!" The boy said, stalking off upstairs. "I'll be working on my application essay"
"I'm sure" Oliver grinned. "Oh, and Roy? Don't tear out the centerfold this time, those magazines are expensive."
"OLLIE!"
He chuckled, sliding the envelope at the younger teen. "The number for the emergency room is on the back, along with local contacts if the rogues outnumber you,"
"We'll be fine." She sighed. "Just have a good time, okay?"
"You too, kiddo, and remember: keep things chill around here."
As soon as the door was shut, her phone was out; everyone else's mentors would also be heading off to the watch tower for the trip. She hit conference call and waited, eagerly.
"Hello?" Robin picked up first.
"Is he gone?"
"Yeah, Bats headed out an hour ago. what's up?"
A smile curled at her lips. "A party."
"A party?"
"What party?" M'gann chirruped.
"A party over here. Ollie doesn't need to know."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Kaldur asked, he must have been listening the entire time.
"What? Don't want to come?"
"No, I'm coming." The older teen assured her. "But we all agree this is a secret we will guard with our lives?"
"Duh!" Robin giggled. "I'll get dressed up with Wally and head over."
"Great! Meg, bring Conner to come. This is gonna be awesome!"
Artemis leaned against the knocking door. "Pizza?"
"Just us chickens." Wally's voice replied.
Artemis unlatched the door and whipped it open, letting the light of the foyer spill out onto the deck, coming face-to-face with a stranger; sloughing skin, dry lips, loose eyelids slouching around watery yellow eyes.
Artemis, staggered back, gripping the door, ready to slam it.
Her face fell in embarrassed realization. "Very funny, guys." She snatched the face from Dick's hand. "Where did you even get this? The Halloween stores won't open for three months now!"
"We found it in his attic, thought it'd get a laugh." Robin pushed past her.
"Well haha." Artemis replied. "Come in here."
"We brought drinks." Wally added, swinging a six pack of cans at face level.
She rolled her eyes, taking the cans. "What a feather in both your caps. Everyone's in the living room."
"Is Roy here?"
"Left like two hours ago to go clubbing."
"Well, we'll have to thank him for hosting while he's out."
"Is that soda?" M'gann asked excitedly as they entered.
"Well ..."
"Consider it soda-and-some..." Wally caught Kaldur's glare. "What? We also have juice and normal soda and stuff!"
"I'll just have a cup of Ribena, thanks." M'gann added, though morbidly curious about the cans.
"What are we doing?" Conner asked, he'd only ever been to Wally's birthday party (because it was at his house) and didn't know what parties entailed when there were no adults and no singular person to lavish attention on.
M'gann had been to two parties, one was Wally's birthday, another was a party that involved a lot oof jumping and screaming in a dark room. Neither seemed like what was happening right now. "Are we dancing?"
"It's better than dancing." Artemis replied, opening a cloth grocery bag and removing a stack of DVD boxes.
Robin gaped. "Are those from the stone age?"
"Not all of these are on Netflix, you know." She spread the boxes across the coffee table. "All the classics: Halloween, Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, Texas Chainsaw Masacre-- actually that one kind of sucks-- Urban Legend, When a Stranger Calls, Slumber Party Masacre, my Bloody Valentine..."
"Whoa, I haven't even heard of some of these!" Wally exclaimed, picking up a few cases to examine.
"My sister used to watch them when I was little. Left her collection at home when she took off."
"Are they funny movies?" M'gann asked tentitively.
Robin began laying out snacks on a nearby kitchen island. "To some, I'm sure."
"That didn't answer her question."
Kaldur shook his head. "I believe they are in the genre of horror and feature very graphic gore."
The Martian gasped, clapping her hands. "EVEN BETTER!"
Encased in the soft glow of the TV, Dick swigged from a can of pop. He joined a universal squeal as the heavy hunting boots stomped just past where she lay under the bed. It was fun to be scared with friends; Wally wouldn't shut up about logistics, Artemis kept remarking on how sexy the actresses were, and Conner was pacing behind them in prostration, but Dick found it all to be part of the slasher night experience.
"No no no no no..." M'gann whimpered as the killer began to lay down on the floor, right at eye level with the heroine should he turn to face the sofa. "nO NO--I mean, yes, but-- NO No NO!" As much as M'gann screamed, she eagerly refused to let them pause the movie, desperate to see more violent homicide, which left Kaldur to actually enjoy himself, not having to comfort anyone but himself.
"I swear to god, if he kills her I'm gonna..." Artemis tensed with anger and anticipation, waiting for their eyes to make contact, and the couch be overturned so he could reach her.
"She's the virgin! She didn't smoke! She's supposed to be, like, twelve! She's not supposed to die!" Wally exclaimed, gripping his friend's arm too tight.
"I can't watch!" Artemis said, watching. She covered the lower half of her face with a pillow from the nest they'd made themselves.
The doorbell rung, making all six jump. "I'm guessing that is the pizza..." Wally remarked.
Artemis gabbed he cash and slumped to the door. "Pizza? How much?" She asked, unlocking the door.
For the second time that night, Artemis ducked let out a small shriek, jumping back from the door.
"Chill, I forgot my keys."
"BUT-- BUT--" She stumbled as Roy pushed past her. "You were supposed to be out all night, clubbing!"
"I wish. I was out to dinner. Besides, Ollie took my fake ID months ago..." He stepped into the doorframe and froze, taking in the kids. Wordlessly, he took out his phone. "Oh my god, Ollie's gonna ground your ass so hard."
"DON'T TELL HIM." Artemis shouted, startling her friends. "Roy, do NOT tell him! I thought you were out partying, like we had an agreement!"
"Well we didn't, I was actually following the rules-- oh my god!" He strode over to the kitchen counter, picking up a can. "You are SO dead!" He cackled, snapping a picture.
"ROY. STOP."
"Don't you yell at me, I'm the one who could show this to Oliver." He said snidely. "Let me know when the pizza does get here." Roy bounded up the stairs. "Behave, guys. Later Kaldur."
"AUGH! THAT LITTLE--" Artemis kicked the couch in anger. "How could he be such a snitch? Why does he only respect Kaldur?!" She threw herself down in the blanket nest.
Dick shook a bag of Reeses Pieces at her. "If we're going to get grounded, let's at least have fun.
"Hey."
"Mph."
Roy kicked her again. "Do the dishes."
"You do it." She groaned, sitting up from the blanket fort, she was still next to the kitchen knife She fell asleep clutching (Better safe than sorry). "We barely used any dishes."
Roy took out his phone. "So aren't you going to do it?"
"FINE!" Artemis groaned, sitting up. "I'm gonna shatter that stupid phone.."
"It's on the cloud, so good luck." He smirked, taking one of their lukewarm, unopened drinks. "Oh, and do the laundry when you're done."
"I'm going to murder you."
Some art for you: