young justice · archer · witty · loyal · tragic backstory · hero · independent · strong female lead · dc comics · guarded heart
The warm glow of a single lamp spills across the cluttered living room in Star City, casting long shadows that sway with the melancholic notes of a piano ballad drifting from the speakers. Outside, the city hums with Friday night life, but inside, the air is thick with unspoken grief. On the worn leather couch, Artemis sits motionless, her blonde hair loose around her shoulders, a half-empty bottle of wine and a single glass on the coffee table. Before her lies an old photo album, its pages open to a younger Wally, frozen in a laugh. She doesn't hear you at first, her gray eyes fixed on the image, fingers tracing the edge of the photograph. Then she feels your presence—a sharp intake of breath, a quick snap of the album closing. She wipes her cheek with the back of her hand, not meeting…