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KEYS UNDER THE PURPLE POT, INTO THE LOCK AND...CLICK. Breaking into someone's apartment was far much easier when the security system was this pitiful. Shadow observed the dingy apartment. It was small, cold and lifeless. Exactly how it looked like two years ago.
She switched on the lights in the kitchen and carefully scoured through the cabinets, looking for the ingredients she needed. For someone who hadn't been allowed to eat anything that was remotely good, Shadow knew how to cook. She had learned that skill too. She didn't know why, but it was something that excited her, partly because the particular skill was taught to her in Italy, where she had also been learning the language of Mafia men and Italian grandmothers.
With everything found, she began to work her magic and soon enough the kitchen island had a display of the most wonderful foods. From pancakes to pasta, there had been everything one could think of and possibly more. She was quite proud of herself in that moment, patting herself on the back for a job well done.
She placed the pasta in a container and made a nice setting for breakfast and now leaned against the counter, closing her eyes resting for a moment. She heard footsteps in the hall and her eyes snapped open and she turned to the figure standing in the doorway "Morning. Breakfast?" She questioned monotonous "What the hell?" The figure spoke up, an arrow pointed towards Shadow who tsked "I wouldn't do that if I were you."
"Are you gonna kill me?" They asked and Shadow smirked "No, you wouldn't be standing here if I did" The figure nodded, lowering the bow and arrow before letting out a sigh "Good. Because, I am" She walked forward and wrapped her arms around the young girl who stiffened at the contact. The human touch was that little snippet of physical affection that brought a bit of comfort, support, and kindness. It didn't take much from the one who gave it, but it could make a huge difference in the one who received it.
Shadow hadn't been hugged in a long time, not as far as she could recall. Nothing could ease suffering like the human touch. She might've had skin next to her skin, but when was the last time she let herself be touched? She wasn't shown any affection, not by her parental figures or by anyone else for that matter and as she hesitantly wrapped her arms around the other girl, she realised she yearned for this feeling. Contentment, comfort. Acceptance.
"I missed you" They mumbled and Shadow had a gentle smile grace her face before it went away
"And I you, Artemis"
Artemis crock had been possibly her one true friend and last bit of sanity. She met the older girl when she was only six years old and she had managed to make friends with a very reluctant Shadow. From then on, the two had become close, closer than the people around them and provided each other the small sense of freedom and security that they hadn't been given. Two children from similar backgrounds who grew up far too early.
For Shadow, normally, seven minutes of another person's company was enough to give her a headache and was perfectly content as long as people left her in peace. But with Artemis she wasn't all too fond of the loneliness anymore.
The blonde pulled away and slapped her arm. Hard. But it didn't affect the girl "Two years, you drop off the surface of the earth and then suddenly show up in my apartment with—are those pancakes?" Shadow nodded, her face blank as usual "With syrup."
She smirked slightly tempting her friend "Just how you prefer" Artemis glared at her before sitting down on the island stool "You're forgiven" Shadow snickered "If it is truly that easy, you must raise your conditions of forgiveness" She rummaged through the drawers looking for forks but couldn't find any "Trust me, anybody else would've gotten an arrow and a black eye. You're lucky I love you"
In truth, Artemis knew it wasn't Shadow's fault, the circumstances whatever they were, would have forced her to cut all contact whether she wanted to or not. Who better to understand the life of a girl like her, when Artemis had seen first hand just what the Shadow's were capable of. Atleast she had it easy, Shadow not so much.
"As are you" Shadow responded "Now do you not own cutlery? I have been trying to find a fork but..." Artemis sighed and pointed to the cookie jar on the counter "I had heard of cookie jars housing cash, not cutlery"
"Dad prefers not to keep anything stab-able out in the open" Shadow rolled her eyes. She had always despised Lawrence Crock or as he was otherwise known, Sportsmaster. He believed his children had to follow the same path as himself and was delusional enough to believe he was somehow a good man. Artemis had been different, in many ways she and Shadow were alike and Shadow knew that when her father was out doing the dirty work for someone else, the girl was making a difference in the world, trying to.
"He should, I assume everyone has had the urge to poke him with a knife at one point or another" Artemis smiled before shaking her head as Shadow gave her a fork "So, not that I mind, but what exactly brought on this lovely breakfast? We've really got to get better security, the keys under the pot are..." She trailed off as she took I bite of her pancakes, sighing in content and Shadow stared at her for a moment.
Her eyes were swollen slightly, indicating she had cried last night, the bruises on her arms from her patrolling the streets and her pink pyjamas, that she claimed to hate but were her comfiest pair, worn on days when she couldn't sleep "I knew today would be distressing for you, I only hoped to bring some sort of ease, perhaps lend a shoulder"
Artemis frowned "You know?" Shadow shrugged, picking up a strawberry "I may have 'dropped off the face of the earth' but I still remembered you. I kept tabs—by the way, your neighbour is growing marijuana on the rooftop and he is most certainly the one who stole your shoes"
"I knew it!" Artemis said "Ugh I am so going to kick his ass the next time I see him" Shadow gave her an amused look and proceeded to eat the strawberry as they discussed all they had missed in each other's lives, the younger one successfully taking the blonde's mind off from her mother returning from prison today.
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SHADOW WAS SAT ON A BENCH WATCHING ARTEMIS NERVOUSLY TAPPING HER FOOT. "Will you stop that?" She questioned "There is nothing to be nervous about, she is still the same woman"
Artemis stopped and turned to look at her, a far-away look in her eyes "I'm not the same girl" Shadow sighed "No you are not, you are better. However, she will be far more nervous than you and with your father's absence..." Artemis sighed "I know, I won't say anything"
Like she had once said, unhappy families were unhappy in their own ways. Never the same. Artemis' life was rife with dysfunction. An absent mother, a treacherous father, a selfish sister. The girl herself had been incredibly honest about her situation and at times she would speak bluntly, after having kept it in for so long. A thing that got her in trouble with her old man but she wasn't going to change all the best parts of herself to benefit someone else. Shadow liked that about her, it was one of the reasons she admired Artemis.
But at times it was a human thing, to hold some empathy towards someone. In this case, someone who lost far too much for someone who cared too little. There was a large honk that broke Shadow out of her thoughts. Bus twenty seven from Bludhaven had arrived and the doors opened with a hiss and whir as a woman in a wheel chair rolled out and Artemis stood straighter with a plain look. Shadow's presence bringing some sort of help.
"Artemis, is that you?" The woman questioned, her eyes glistened slightly and Shadow saw several emotions passing through her eyes at the moment, the most noticeable, regret. "Hi mom" She spoke up, looking down at her feet and her mother looked around, only spotting a young girl but not the man she wished to see "Your father?" She questioned and Artemis gave her a sympathetic look before irritation gripped her tone "I reminded him it was today but..." She trailed off and her mother nodded, the sadness and disappointment evident on her face
"I understand"
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IT HAD BEEN HOURS SINCE THEY RETURNED HOME AND SHADOW HAD WARMED UP THE FOOD AS ARTEMIS SET THE PLATES, HER MOTHER FRESHENING UP. "You think she'll be ok?" Artemis questioned as Shadow took the pot off the stove "I believe it will take time but, yes" Artemis sighed "It feels weird" She admitted "having her back, it's all I wanted when I was little but now..."
Shadow looked at her, her face was ever barely decipherable for anyone but Artemis saw emotion through her eyes, how she'd usually express it with people she was close to "Your priorities have changed as have your views. You will be alright, Artemis. It will obviously take time to adjust" The girl nodded before silently pulling Shadow in to a side hug "Don't know what I'd do without you" Shadow was stiff at the sudden contact but managed a rare smile "Lay dead in a ditch?" She spoke teasingly and Artemis pushed her away "One time"
Shadow had saved her when one of her father's training exercises had gone too far. It was quite dark to joke about the situation where the blonde could have lost her life, but their life had enough misery. The universe had laughed at them, they might as well laugh along.
Her mother entered the kitchen and sat on the small round dining table offering them a smile "Feels good to shower in a room without a thousand eyes watching me" Artemis grimaced and took the dish from Shadow's hand and began serving it to her mother, the three women silent.
Artemis then filled her own plate and Shadow took a seat on the table "How are you?" She questioned as she looked at Shadow who nodded at her "It was nice of you to cook" Artemis' mother acknowledged her "I know Artemis isn't too fond of it" She gave a light smile as Artemis rolled her eyes, muttering "You boil water wrong and suddenly..."
"I hope it tastes alright" The woman smiled ruefully as she looked away "It is far better than what I've had in the last six years" Another uncomfortable wave passed over the room, not for Shadow but she could see the rigidness in her friend's body. It was silent again before her mother spoke again "You have homework?"
Artemis raised a brow, pausing in her bite "Mom, it's summer" She stated and they went back to the silence. Shadow felt Paula Brooks glancing at her time and again. She had been wary of the young assassin wanting nothing to do with her old life and hoping the same for her daughter, hoping for something better "Artemis could you please bring me my medication?" The blonde nodded, standing up and walking out if the room.
"I assume you have something you wished to say without her presence?" Paula looked at her slightly alarmed, never having heard her speak to her directly "I-Yes" She looked down before looking at the place where Artemis sat "This life. I have lived it, suffered because of it. I wish nothing to do with it anymore and I hope Artemis stays far away from it as possible. I—It is rotten of me to ask you this" She had a pleading tone "But as her mother, I want what is best for her, I want to keep her away from everything and everyone that is involved in this life"
Long story short she wanted Shadow to leave her daughter the hell alone and never see her again. She was no idiot, she understood quite well what the woman implied and Shadow could see the way everything had affected her. She had known first hand just how dangerous the League could be. Paula Brooks' marriage had fallen apart and her condition was worse. Fatigued, depressed and ridden with fear. Not to mention, now that she planned to leave everything behind her, she would have to subtly avoid coming under radar.
Shadow said nothing, her heart and hope shattered. Once you had put the pieces back together, even though you may look intact, you were never quite the same as you'd been before the fall. She had fallen many times. If she hadn't been in the room and remained away from the eyes of Paula she could have had her friend. But, she would have to give up Artemis at some point. It was inevitable. They were both on opposing sides of the equation.
She knew in her heart that Artemis would become a great hero while she would remain the villain who burned the entire world down. That was just how it was. Paula had not been wrong to be worried, Shadow was a killer, a soldier. She was capable of doing all things yet incapable of being human. She wasn't, not in anyone's eyes. She was something they feared.
She swallowed her own pride, murdered her hopes and made a good breakfast all in one day. She placed her hand on Paula's, an unspoken promise of many words. Her word. She would not see Artemis nor would she let any harm come to her.
After all, if she knew at all what family and love felt like, it was all because she had been loved by Artemis. She loved Artemis. She was her friend, her family, her sister. She would be better.
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WHEN ARTEMIS RETURNED, SHADOW WAS GONE "Sorry, it took so long I couldn't find the bag" She paused, looking around to see everything placed away neatly, only her own plate remaining "Where's Shadow?" Her mother sighed "Artemis..." The girl raised a brow, looking at her mother's guilty expression "Are you serious?"
"She's dangerous" Artemis gave a mocking laugh "As opposed to what? Dad, Cheshire, you?" Her mother's eyes narrowed "You will not see her again, Artemis. She's given me her word" Artemis scoffed "After you basically manipulated her into doing that? Mom, you took advantage of her integrity." Artemis' tone deflated "You took away the one person who helped me through all of this." She shook her head "I only wish the best for you and I am not going to listen to anymore of this"
"Yeah. No. This is just great. Welcome back home, mom" She spoke sarcastically before leaving and going into her bedroom. Laying on the bed. Turning her gaze to the poster on the wall. She wished she could fall down some rabbit hole, but she wasn't Alice, there was no wonderland for people like her and her little white rabbit was now gone.
Artemis took in a deep breath, standing up and walked over to her desk to see two arrows placed there, she picked it up to examine it and found herself smiling. One black and the other green. She sighed, convincing the girl to go back on her word would be hard, her hands fiddled with the arrow before she heard the front door open
"Artemis! Daddy's home"
This was one argument she was not prepared for and she only wished that Shadow were here.
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SHADOW WATCHED THE SCENE PLAY OUT IN FRONT OF HER. The Team getting their cans handed to them by a robot designed to have the powers of the Justice League. She observed as the Robot throw Superboy into Gotham Academy and saw the other two protégés, Robin and Kid Flash head inside.
There was rustling in the tree near which she stood but Shadow paid no mind to it in the start, until she heard strange chattering and looked up to see robotic monkeys surrounding it. Suddenly a masked figure almost fell from the tree whilst swatting one of the robots and Shadow raised a brow at them before pulling out her Shuriken, Japanese throwing stars that embedded into several of them and caused the rest to come after her leaving the masked figure behind.
She took out her staff and stuck it into of their bodies before using it's laser beam to destroy the rest. Then proceeded to throw the one on her staff away. She saw that the masked figure dis the same as her and she cleared her throat. "You are lacking originality in your combat ideas"
"Oh shut up, I'm still mad at you" Shadow blankly stared at her "Of course you are" Artemis swung to the window of the gymnasium where the fight was happening and shot an arrow at the robot, distracting him just enough so Kid Flash could escape it's grasp and she watched the Team in awe. Shadow saw that look and smiled sadly to herself. This was harder than one might have expected.
"Help me disassemble him! Quick!" She heard Robin command, Artemis was busy watching and Shadow took this as a chance to escape.
Artemis left the tree soon after the fight was over, swinging onto a roof where she saw Shadow headed. "Seriously? Not a word"
"What do you wish for me to say?" Shadow didn't turn towards her "You can't possibly be listening to my mom, her track record is full of bad decisions and this is just another one" Shadow sighed turning around and walking over to the girl "It is not just about your mother, Artemis"
"Then what?" She glared, hands on her hips "If you think you can just leave..."
"Artemis..." She started calmly "Today you witnessed a Team of superheroes take down a robotic menace and you were awestruck. You wanted in. They would have to be fools not to let you" Artemis scoffed, how the girl could look inside her head and read every thought she'd never know "It is possible that at some point they will." Shadow walked forward and placed a hand on her arm "What will you and I do then? You will be the one who saves a life and I will be the one who ends it. That is just how it is"
"You can't leave me, why the hell does everyone leave?" Shadow squeezed her shoulder in comfort "I would not speak to you but I will not be living under some rock, I will know if you are in need or worried or whatever it is that is happening at some point of your life. But you will be a hero"
"You should be one too, why can't you just leave all this? You could be free and—" She cut herself off when she saw Shadow's blank face. Sighing to herself she shook her head "I hate this"
"I wish I had a choice, but my fate and yours are different. You will be alright Artemis. All will be well" Artemis remained silent as tears pricked her eyes "You bitch" She cursed "I just got you back and now you're...I won't leave you Shadow. I'm sorry but I refuse to" It was silent for a moment before Shadow leaned her forehead against Artemis'. It was one of the ways she would show her affection. It was a way to say goodbye.
Artemis closed her eyes, to keep her sadness and bay but when she opened them, Shadow vanished in thin air. She wouldn't leave her friend despite anyone's objections, that's not the type of person Artemis was. She sighed, if she ever did get on the Team, she would be glad.
But the next time she see's Shadow, they would be on different sides. Whenever that was. No matter how much the younger one didn't wish to be. That's just the way things were.
For now anyway. There's always some useless hope for a better tomorrow.