I was struck by a sudden urge to write a Team Headbands drabble/oneshot, and this is it. Hope you enjoy it!
Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice or any of its characters.
I'm staring out the window of the penthouse that Luthor, the man who spoke Japanese, had kindly provided. It has been a little over a month since Luthor had offered shelter, and everyone was still at an impasse. He wanted them to make a decision regarding training, but the boys were still debating, as far as I can tell. I've made up her mind. Once everyone else has decided, I'm leaving.
The reason I haven't already left is simple: my friends didn't left me at Star Labs when I didn't know what was going on, and I'm not going to leave them when they don't know what's going on. I thought Luthor was trouble when I first saw him, and I still think it. It's the way he looks at me when he thinks I'm not paying attention. Not lecherously, like other men, but more…calculating, like he's trying to figure out the best way to use me. It gives me the chills.
Sighing, I adjust my headband and tune back into the boys' conversation. I pick up words like "family," "father," "powers," and "training." My time with the guys has let me understand some English, although it doesn't help that Eduardo throws in words from another language. He calls it Spanish?
Virgil asks me something. I hear the word "think." But they could be talking about anything from dinner to new clothes.
"No idea!" I grin. Despite all of his promises of good intentions, Luthor has yet to provide me with any way of learning English, another reason I know he is up to no good. Virgil shakes his head, and mentions something about "sleep." I stand up and walk into my room. Luthor had it fitted with very traditional Japanese designs, including an expensive tansu, and a platform bed exactly like back at my sister Aiko's apartment. I wonder how Luthor knew. But then again, they're very common.
I open the lid of the tansu, close it, then open it again. A piece of paper is now lying in the chest. The chest was built using the art of karakuri tansu, which is an ancient art of Japanese carving. That's how I know the chest is expensive. It takes time to carve these.
I pick up the paper. It's a letter from my sister that I got when I was in STAR, the only letter I've ever received. It was cursory, saying hello, and that she was glad to see I was found. After our parents died, I had moved in with Aiko. We had an okay relationship, until her boyfriend moved in. He looked at me like…he was imagining unpleasant things. And then one night when Aiko was working overtime at the restaurant, he touched me. And that's when I ran. And then the Reach found me.
Someone places their hand on my shoulder, and I jump, crumbling the paper slightly. Wincing, I smooth it out and place it back in the chest, and close the lid before turning around. It's Tye.
"Sauree…erm, gomennasai," he tells me. I smile. The boys have picked up a little Japanese as well.
"Eet's…okaee," I say haltingly. I grin proudly, and Tye smiles back. He gestures to the chest.
"Whaut is that?"
"A lettur. Seester," I reply. He sits down on the bed, and I shift uncomfortably. I've handled their hands on my shoulders, arms, my back even. But I always avoid hugs from any of them. Aiko's boyfriend took care of that. But I trust Tye, so when he pats the bed beside him, I sit down. I stare down at my clenched hands. Tye places his hand on my shoulder again, and I tense. He takes his hand off, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. My eyes shift around the room, looking at anywhere buy Tye.
He says something, but I'm so jumpy that any English I know is gone. I recognize one word though. Pretty. It's what some of the tourists in Japan called me, and some of the "servants" Luthor stationed out in the hall. When they said it I get nervous, jumpy, and usually end up leaving. But with Tye it feels different. It feels…safe. He lightly places his fingertips underneath my green eye. I jump in surprise, and he starts to pull his hand back. Quickly, I grab it and put it back, and place my own hand under Tye's eyes.
He smiles softly, and I can't help but smile back. He leans in, his hand sliding down to my wrist. My eyes flutter shut, and his lips meet mine. A glow spreads through me, and I feel safe. Tye pulls back, all too soon, a hesitant look in his eyes. I smile reassuringly, tracing my fingers down his cheek to his lips, which spread into a wide grin.
"Th-thank you," I whisper. He smiles, and kisses me again. When he finishes, I reach out and take off his headband, his long hair falling in his face. He frowns, confused before I take mine off and place it on his, and vice versa. He laughs, and I join in.
I guess there are some things everyone can understand.
I liked it. This is one of my absolute favorite ships now. I just saw in another story that she had lived with her sister, so I amped up that and gave the sister a name, and now it's my personal head canon until proven otherwise. I feel being abused would give them another thing to bond over besides a favoritism for headbands. Review, please.