It started out as envy.

Jaime was of slim build: 140 pounds and barely inching over 5'7. He didn't have the most endurance, wasn't the most intelligent, didn't have the best strategies, lacked a sense of humor, and definitely was not the strongest.

It didn't help that everybody on the team thought he was a schizophrenic.

Most of the team had either been born with their talents or acquired through means of their own. Everyone on the team wanted to be here. Everyone except him.

It was all a stroke of misfortune that Jaime decided to pick up the stupid scarab and it latched itself onto his back like the parasite it was. All a big headache when the "World's Greatest Heroes" came knocking on his door, informing of his newfound powers and his duty to the world. That he was some legacy and needed to honor the death of his predecessor.

He was brought in the same time as her.

She was taller than him and three times as muscle-bound. She was smart, perky, fun, made quick friends with the rest of the team, and she wanted to be there.

Also didn't talk to herself. That was probably another plus.

Cassie Sandsmark was everything Jaime Reyes was not. And it ate away at him. He spent most of his free time locked up in his room asleep. It was the only way to stop the persistent chatter of the AI and the ringing of her annoying laugh as she told another story about her demi-god father Zeus while the rest of the team listened.

He wanted to be normal. He wanted to go home. He didn't belong here.

However, it only took one night to change his opinion of his place in the superhero world. To change his opinion of her.

It was in the early morning hours on a typical weekend when Jaime woke up starving. He had skipped dinner the last few nights in a row and now was paying the price.

We require vast quantities of nutrients, preferably Vitamin A, C, D, Calcium, and Iron the AI stated in its typical monotone fashion, repeating it over and over inside Jaime's head.

"Alright, alright!" Jaime screamed at the AI, throwing off the covers and racing towards the kitchen. "Callate, you stupid thing!"

So focused on his frustrations, Jaime didn't hear the approaching footsteps as they followed after him.

"Stop right there, Garfield!" Jaime whipped his head around, glad the glare he was throwing back at her couldn't be seen by the nitwit behind him. "You know you're not supposed to visit the kitchen after midnight!"

Jaime didn't dignify her with a response. He turned his head forward and continued walking towards the kitchen. Was he so small and puny that he could easily be mistaken for a boy two years his junior?

"Oh, you're asking for it this time!" she huffed and within a matter of moments, Jaime was thrown to the ground, his arms pinned by her strong, nimble fingers.

"What'cha gonna do now, huh Garfield?" her face was close enough that he could see the whites of her eyes and the arch of her button-nose. He was disgusted to think that on top of all her other talents, she had to be drop dead gorgeous.

"No se, Cassie," Jaime almost spat in her face. "How about you stop calling me Garfield?"

Her eyes widened and she bounced off of Jaime as quickly as she had pinned him. "Oh, I'm sorry Jaime! I thought you were Garfield!"

"Yeah, I noticed," he grumbled as he stood up and continued down the hall.

He let out involuntary growl when he realized she was following him. And talking.

"It's just that Garfield has been late-night snack binging this past month and we want him to be healthy, you know? And, well, it's dark and you're usually never out of your room so I just thought it was Garfield trying to sneak into the kitchen again and I'm sorry I -"

"Are you done?" he snapped at her as he turned the light on the kitchen, revealing her form to him. She wore a black T-shirt that traveled to her mid-thigh and fluffy pink slippers. He was surprised at the frown she wore on her face. Jaime was sure he had never seen that before.

"Well, um…" she looked around the kitchen. "What are you going to do?"

"What's it look like I'm doing?" Jaime crossed the room towards the refrigerator. "I'm hungry and I want to eat."

"Oh," her voice was distant, so different from its usual rambunctious quality. "I see…there's some leftovers from tonight's dinners in the fridge."

He opened the refrigerator door and noticed a large container of spaghetti and meatballs, with a smaller box of garlic bread to the right of it.

High in carbohydrates, protein, and iron. Lacking sufficient amounts of Vitamin C and Calcium. Orange juice would be beneficial, the AI reported.

"Like I didn't know that already," he said as he took out the food and looked for a big enough plate. "I have been living for the past sixteen years, you know."

To reach full potential, proper food intake will be required. Height and muscle mass are beneficial in close combat, a skill that has not been acquired.

"Oh, so you're going to jump on the bandwagon and say I'm too small too?" Jaime plopped a big scoopful of spaghetti on his plate and placed two pieces of garlic bread on either side. "Look, I eat as well as I can - "

The AI continued to speak as he placed the food in the microwave. Skipping meals does not contribute well to health. Not compatible with the amount of strain on the body when engaged in combat.

"Just shut up and let me eat in peace, you son of a - "

"Jaime, are you okay?" His eyes widened and his mouth sewed shut. He had forgotten she was there…

Jaime turned around to meet her gaze, her blue eyes soft with worry. Well, that was that. She would confirm to the rest of them that he was crazy. There would be no chance for an explanation, no chance of redemption. Cassie was the golden girl. Whatever she said, went.

"Jaime…" she walked over to him and he almost shuddered as she placed her hand on top of his clothed shoulder. "If it's not too personal, may I ask who you're talking to? I'd like to know."

"…Let me grab some orange juice, first," he brushed her shoulder off and took a glass from the cupboard. Life couldn't get any worse when you had to explain yourself to someone you loathed because you didn't want to be put in a loony bin.

So he drank and explained. Explained and drank. How he got the scarab. The technology behind it. The AI and how it intersected whenever it wanted to. Cassie stood and listened, keeping quiet when he took a bite of food.

"And that's why I talk to myself," Jaime finished, taking a hearty rip out the garlic bread.

"That's actually…" she started, her gaze trailing across the floor.

"What? Creepy? Crazy?" Jaime offered as he gulped down another swig of orange juice. "Repulsive? Susp -"

"Cool," she blurted out, a large smile engulfing her face. "That's pretty cool!"

"Um…" Jaime blinked a few times, taking in the way her blue eyes shined in the florescent light. "Como?"

"That's amazing that you have that kind of ability with your armor!" she moved towards him and unexpectedly placed her hands over his. "You communicate with the technology you use in combat! It helps you find the weak spots, identifies their strengths, what will work and what won't. It's almost like divine intervention! It's like my half-brother Hercules. I've been told he had ways to communicate with my father during his battles. And Odysseus always had Athena on his side. This is so cool, Jaime! Wait until I tell Barbara, she's going to love it since she's all into that…"

She continued on and on but Jaime could no longer focus on the words. All his attention steered towards the warmth of her hand enveloping his. The way she leaned towards him, her bright eyes just inches away. The way she seemed so comfortable in his presence and that it didn't matter that he had been a jerk to her just few minutes before.

She accepted him.

"I'm so happy to have a friend like you, Jaime!" she said as they made their way back to their respective rooms. "You have to let me in on the conversations sometimes. I'd love to hear what the AI has to say."

"Yeah, sure," he agreed as they reached his door. "That sounds like fun…"

"Soooo," Cassie giggled as she hovered a few inches off the ground. "I was wondering if you would like to help me and Babs out with some data collecting tomorrow. It's going to be on the beach and should be tons of fun!"

"Um, I'm not -" he turned to see her face an inch from his, their noses close to grazing. His heart skipped a beat and he was suddenly so confused. He envied Cassie. He didn't like Cassie. Cassie was everything he was not. Cassie was -

A quick peck on the cheek and he immediately replied, "I'll be there."

She giggled again, "Good."

Cassie floated a few feet down the hall before she gave him a quick little wave. "Good night, Jaime. Sweet dreams."

"N-night, Cassie," he waved back as she turned around and flew out of sight.

Detections of escalated heartrate and increase in temperature. Searching for infection.

"It's not an infection," he told the AI as he crawled into bed, the feel of Cassie's lips still lingering on his cheek.

"It's infatuation."

After that day, Jamie focused on the team. Talked to the others. Enjoyed their company, especially Tim and Lagoon Boy's. While there were still some like Mal and Superboy that glanced at him whenever he communicated with the AI, all it took was a quick wink from Cassie to reassure him that he had a place on the team. That he belonged there and he was welcomed.

That he was just every bit of a hero as they were.

"Hey!" Cassie's bright eyes caught his, her lips fixed in a pout. "You're growing! You're almost as tall as me!"

"Oh?" he crooked his eyebrows and stood up straight. She was right; he was only a half-an-inch or so away from her eye level.

"Well, I have been eating right," he grinned as he flexed his arms. While still nowhere near her volume, he was getting stronger and light on his feet. "Why? Afraid of a little competition?"

"No…" she gave him a coy smile and she trailed off, making her way to the exit portal. "I just like my men a little shorter."

It took him a few moments to pick up on her flirtation and she was already outside by the time he understood.

But boy, he was out the portal faster than Kid Flash and praying she didn't feel like playing cat-and-mouse.

Because he was always the mouse.

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CI: Why are there still no tags for Jaime and Cassie? It's been a month, ... Get you act together!

Also, hope you enjoyed! Expect more of these two in the future~