Wade Barrett led Star through to the basement of a seedy-looking establishment somewhere in Europe. He'd been called by the man who ran the fights here, and offered a lot of coin to come and do battle – even more if he managed to win.
Wade wore his coat over his shoulders, a black shirt and a pair of thick pants with boots. On his pants was his symbol, an anchor. He had told Star once what that anchor meant.
"An anchor is strong enough to hold a ship in place. It can pull a man down and finish him off. So that's why I chose it."
"Okay kid, here's how it's going to work." Wade muttered as the pair sat down in a dark corner of the room. The place was filled with thugs, all of them terrified Star, who was close to soiling herself with fear. "You need to use those eyes of yours to tell me the correct path to beat my opponent. We figured out that you can only see four minutes and twenty-three seconds into the future at most, so we need to wait until the last possible moment, okay?"
Star nodded, trembling. Wade groaned.
"You need to be able to speak." He growled at her. Star gulped.
"Y-y-y-yes W-W-Wade..." She stammered out. Wade sighed.
"I won't let anyone hurt you. You're safe as long as you do exactly as I tell you to." Wade stood up and took off his shirt, revealing a muscular body that had most women swooning. "How do I look?"
Star looked at him blankly.
"You're mean." Wade teased. That got a small smile from the frightened girl.
"OI! Barrett! You're up!" Someone yelled. Wade looked at Star, whose eyes turned yellow.
"H-h-he's...he's got something in his glove...it's-it's sharp. H-h-h-he'll use it...when...when you try to finish him off...y-y-you're s-s-stronger than him..." Star tried her best to describe what she saw. "Y-y-y-you s-s-s-should be a-able t-t-to f-finish him off quickly..."
"That's what I needed to hear." Wade ruffled her hair. "Stay right there and don't move."
Star sat obediently where she was. Her eyesight was poor after using her power, and she couldn't see past her nose. She could hear the sounds of the fight going on, the yelling, the cheering, the jeering. She heard Wade yell, and tears began to run down her cheeks. Was he hurt?
Suddenly there was a loud booing, and Wade laughing. Star tried to breathe normally, but she was terrified. She felt someone lean over her, and nearly fainted.
"It's all right Lucky." She heard Wades voice as he put his shirt back on. "You were right about the blade, bastard nicked me with it but I got him good. Let's get out of here."
Star clutched his arm tightly as they got the hell out of there as quickly as possible. Star rubbed her eyes, her vision starting to return to normal.
"How are your eyes?" Wade asked.
"G-g-g-g-getting b-b-b-b-better..." Star blinked a few times. They were standing on a snowy street, and Wades bag looked considerably fuller.
"Will you stop stuttering?! It's getting annoying." Wade groaned.
Star reached for her headband, only to remember that Wade had thrown it off her when they'd first met. Tears welled up in her eyes and she looked away from him. Her headband had been the only thing she'd had, her only possession, and she had earned it through hard work under her old masters top bodyguard, Sasuke Kowareta. She was one of the few girls that her master had who had managed to earn a headband, and it had been the one thing that had kept her going through the hunger, the fear, the cold and the abuse.
"Don't tell me you're crying AGAIN." Wade rolled his eyes.
"N-n-no!" Star tried to stand up straight and pretend she wasn't scared. She failed miserably, but Wade didn't fail to notice her effort.
Sighing, he found a dry place under the eaves of a building, and got down on one knee. "On." He said.
Star looked at him blankly.
"Get on my back, I'll carry you." He explained, exasperated. Star did as she was told. Wade was warm, and his shoulder was comfortable. Star soon dozed off, dreaming about winning fights with her headband on.
–
"Valentines Day," Wade Barrett said as he ate his breakfast a few days later. "Is one of my favourite days of the year."
Star raised an eyebrow. Watching television over the past month or so, Valentines Day just seemed like a stupid excuse for couples to be pathetically disgusting. She had a hard time believing someone like Wade would enjoy things like that.
"Do you KNOW how many couples break up on Valentines Day?" Wade continued. Star snorted into her breakfast cereal. THAT was more like it. "I like to get a table by myself at an expensive establishment and see which couples in the building are going to break up."
Typical Wade. Star was giggling now. It actually sounded like fun, seeing how much Valentines Day was really a sham.
"I've never had a date who actually liked playing that game with me, but I think this year I might have someone who appreciates how stupid Valentines Day is." Wade grinned. "What do you say Lucky? Wanna be my Valentine this year?"
Star nearly burst with happiness. "Y-yes please!" She grinned back."I-I bet t-that I can p-pick more couples that b-break up t-than you c-can!"
"Hey, that's not fair, you have your eye powers!" Wade pointed out. Star smirked. "You're becoming a nasty piece of work, aren't you?" Wade looked at her approvingly. Star beamed.
Later on after he'd gone to "work", Star had sat down at the kitchen table with her pencils and paper. She had intended to study and practice her writing, but she ended up drawing instead.
She drew a rather poor stick figure of herself beating up another stick figure. She drew her headband carefully, remembering how it felt to have the strong metal of the forehead protector against her forehead, proof that she was strong. Headbands were only given to the girls who had mastered Paralysis Slaps, a ninjutsu move where the user channeled power through their hands to aggravate the nerves of their victim, leaving them unable to move. Star remembered how she'd thought of her chakra paths while she was being abused, the only thing that had kept her from breaking completely.
She flinched. Those memories were bad, and they made her feel sick. She wondered if Wade would abuse her like that, and she shook the thought off. He'd made no attempts to abuse her, the worst he did was yell at her and tick her off. That wasn't nearly as bad as...well, no need to dwell on the past.
Getting her headband had been a big day for her, because it meant that she was strong. It had lit a small flame inside her, one that told her that if she could master the ninjutsu, then maybe, maybe she might have a chance at getting away from the horror that was her life.
She looked at the drawing. She frowned. Wade had told her that she wasn't a broken star, that she was Lucky. She had drawn the picture with a broken star headband.
I'm NOT broken! I'm Lucky! Wade said so! I'm not broken! I'm NOT!
She tore the picture in half, and started drawing again. This time when she drew the headband, she put Wades anchor on it instead.
That's better. Wade's my friend. He said so. He looks after me and feeds me good food and lets me sleep in a nice bed and makes me comfortable and pats my head and lets me watch television and he calls me Lucky. Wade's my best friend.
Star hadn't realized how exhausting the whole morning had been. She retreated to the couch, where she fell asleep watching television. That's how Wade found her when he got home, looking at her drawings before joining her on the couch and falling asleep himself.
–
"There you go! Don't you look nice?" Wade Barrett beamed.
Star certainly did look pretty. Her long hair was pulled into a ponytail, and she wore a modest baby-blue dress with sleeves to her elbows and the hem just above her ankles. She had a nice pair of flat, shiny black shoes and one of Wades smaller coats on.
Star looked in the mirror. She almost didn't recognise herself – usually she wore one of Wades shirts and a pair of pants. She smiled up at Wade, glad to have his approval.
"C'mon then, dinner is at seven." He took her hand. It was Valentines Day, and Wade, as promised, had booked a very expensive dinner for the pair of them. He wore a light blue shirt, a pair of dry-cleaned and pressed slacks, shiny black shoes, a thick silver chain and one of his long coats over his shoulders. His hair was slicked back and he almost looked handsome.
His nose is too busted. Plus he just looks like a knob. Star giggled to herself, not quite game enough yet to tease her guardian.
"What are you smirking at?" Wade poked her ribs as the pair waited for a taxi.
"N-n-nothing." Star tried to act as innocent as possible. Wade chuckled.
They slipped into the taxi and headed to the resturant. The view over the Thames was brilliant, and Star was quite in awe. She had only been in places like this as a slave, unable to enjoy the ambience, but tonight she was a princess.
Wade politely pulled her chair out for her, and the waiter took their coats. The resturant was warm and smelled delicious, and Star couldn't help but be excited and scared. The waiter brought their menus, and Star did her best to try and read it.
"I think I found a starter you'll definitely appreciate." Wade chuckled. Star looked at the menu again, and saw the one word that Wade was talking about. She giggled.
Wade ordered them a plate of the Spiced Honey-Glazed Chicken Wings as a starter. The waiter took their starter menus and topped up their glasses of water before leaving them to talk.
"Unfortunately this is one of those places that won't take single-person bookings on Valentines Day." Wade complained, sipping his water. "So I always have to bring someone, and most women are sappy and romantic."
"I-I hate it. T-there's n-nothing good on t-television because it's all V-Valentines r-rubbish." Star tried her best to control her stutter.
"Don't you watch the kids shows anyway?" Wade asked.
"I-it's even t-there." Star looked disgusted. Wade laughed.
"Poor Lucky." He looked around. "A lot of sappy couples in here tonight."
Star activated her eyes, turning them bright yellow. She snorted.
"I-if t-the guy b-behind you orders a-a s-soup, t-this will be g-good!" She said.
Wade raised an eyebrow. A minute later, the man behind them ordered a soup.
"You always order soup!" His date complained. "And I always have to clean your shirts afterwards!"
"You know I have problems with my weight!" The man fired back.
"Maybe if you'd EXERCISE...!"
Wade and Star tried to keep their mirth under control as an argument broke out at the next table.
"Oh aren't we going to have a fun evening!" Wade grinned as Star sipped her water. "Your eyes okay?"
"T-t-they'll be f-fine." Star replied, smiling. She had never felt so happy in her entire life. She was at a resturant with her new friend Wade who wasn't going to hurt her.
"Oh god. A super-rich looking couple just walked in." Wade said quietly, spying the most hilarious-looking couple he'd seen for a while. "She's wearing the entire jewellery store and he's probably old enough to be her great-great-grandfather."
Star giggled. Just then, the waiter returned with the chicken wings and some napkins. The pair enjoyed the starter, Star thinking that there was nothing in the world nicer than honey. They cleaned their fingers in the little bowls that were provided, and Star activated her eyes again.
She nearly died with trying to hold back laughter.
"T-t-the s-s-soup!" She giggled. Wade looked confused.
"W-w-watch the r-rich c-couple." Star told him. "A-also, t-t-there's going to-to be a-a m-mix-up."
"Excuse me?" Wade looked around.
Suddenly, the soup that the man had ordered came out. Just then, one of the jewels from the rich ladys dress fell off (not that she noticed). The poor waiter slipped on it, the soup going flying and landing on the rich man!
Wade disguised his laughter with a sip of his water, nearly choking. Another waiter came over with the menu for their mains as another waiter served a couple by a large window their champagne.
"Oh Ronald!" The pair heard a large lady cry, while "Ronald" looked completely confused. His partner had pulled a shiny diamond ring out of her drink!
"I didn't buy that!" He squeaked. His partner went white.
"You moron! That was supposed to come over here!" Someone else called angrily.
"You can't do anything right can you?" The other partner snapped.
Wade and Star couldn't control themselves. Tears of laughter streamed down their faces.
Then, as they were finishing dessert, there was a noisy break-up from further inside the resturant. There was a loud screaming and something smashed as a lady with way too much make up ran out of the establishment, her make up running down her face.
Overall, it was a great evening out. Wade Barrett and Star decided to walk home, enjoying the crisp night air.
"Did you have fun tonight Lucky?" Wade asked.
Star nodded eagerly. "T-thank you Wade." She smiled up at him."V-Valentines D-Day is f-fun!"
"I figured you'd think so." Wade ruffled her hair. "I do have one more present for you though."
Star looked at him quizzically. Wade pulled a small rag out of his pocket and handed it to her.
It wasn't just a rag. It was a long strap of good fabric, and in the middle was a forehead protector with an anchor on it.
Wades anchor.
"Happy Valentines Day Lucky." Wade said.
Star felt tears well up in her eyes, and she fastened on the headband.
"You look great." Wade told her.
Star skipped the rest of the way home, Wade following her with a grin.
Again I had the stupid "There's someone out there for you" conversation at work. There is no one out there for me, because I don't want anyone! So I wrote this chapter as a way of flipping off the sappy, romantic types who insist that relationships are the be-all and end-all. Plus I wanted to show how Star got her new headband.