Title: Leave Enemies Behind

Characters: Cheshire, Speedy (Cheshire x Speedy)

Prompt: "I don't think I've ever heard you laugh before." "Laughter comes from living. I've never really lived before."

Word Count: 1633

Her day had started off like normal: a robbery or two, beating up some idiots, making money, playful banter with her enemy, the usual. So how the hell did she end up in the enemy's apartment wearing one of his t-shirts? How the hell did she end up sleeping next to him in his bed?

Everything in her day was normal until her usual coffee run. The line was once again long. The barista yet again messed up her name even though it was the simplest one on the planet. However annoying it may be, it happened everyday; it was the normal. Well, it was until they called out a certain hero's name. She had to do a double take to make sure her mind wasn't playing tricks on her. But no, she heard correctly. The barista had called out the hero's name clear as day. She turned around, coffee still in hand, to see the hero paying for his coffee. He gave the lady a smile before turning to head out the door.

"Speedy, Speedy, Speedy," she tsked as he passed by, "Flirting with women just to get a discount on your coffee." Speedy had stopped in his spot, looking over the girl with his eyes. He took in her long dark hair and the olive tone to her skin. She was indeed beautiful, but he didn't recognize her. He would have remembered a girl so beautiful. But he didn't, and here she was talking to him like she knew everything about him.

"Do I know you?" Speedy questioned, his mask crinkling at the edges.

"Oh come on Speedy, do you not recognize me without my mask?" she asked, tilting her head to the side slightly. He took a long look at her, drinking in every feature about her, the way she talked, the curve of her body, the tilt of her head.

"Cheshire?" he inquired dubiously.

"The one and only," she bragged, "Though it's Jade when I'm in civvies."

"You just told me your secret identity," Speedy pointed out.

"Maybe I trust you," Jade said tauntingly.

"You shouldn't," Speedy said as he tried to hide his smirk.

"Why not?" she asked, a slight annoyance in her tone.

"Because we're enemies," he reminded her. Cheshire smirked before taking a brave step towards him. She moved up to her tip toes, her lips inches from his ear.

"Is that all we are?" she whispered as Speedy resisted the urge to shiver. Cheshire looked up at him, her head cocked slightly to the side.

"Do you wanna go for a walk?" Speedy asked.

"Won't all the gossipers talk?" she teased.

"I don't care," he said, a grin spreading across his face. He reached his hand out, his fingers lacing together with her's. Cheshire's confident wavered, a blush spreading across her cheeks. Speedy glanced up from their hands to her, trying his best to hide his smirk. Cheshire timidly squeezed his hand in reassurance before tightening her grip on her coffee and leading him out the door.


An hour later, and Cheshire was laughing her ass off and having actual fun. Both of the teens had finished their coffee half an hour beforehand, and now they were strolling aimlessly through a park. Speedy was telling Cheshire about Titans East's last encounter with Control Freak. The humorous story led to Cheshire clinging on to Speedy to control her laughter.

"And after all of that, he still manages to think he won," Speedy laughed, shaking his head sadly. Cheshire leaned against the archer for support as fits of laughter passed her lips.

Speedy watched her, watched the way her eyes brightened up as she laughed. He watched how her smile fell effortlessly upon her lips. A small smile painted itself across his face as he watched her. He had never seen her so happy before.

"I don't think I've ever heard you laugh before," the redhead commented. Cheshire's laughter died down and her smile faltered.

"Laughter comes from living. I've never really lived before. Nothing like a normal teen at least," Cheshire spoke softly. The dark haired girl moved to a bench, sitting down and motioning for Speedy to sit.

"Is that why you're a villain?" he asked as he sat beside her.

"I'm a villain by choice," Cheshire snapped at him.

"Why? You could be so much more."

"Like what? A hero?" she questioned with disbelief, "I'm not Jinx, I can't change the error of my ways."

"But you're also not like the other villains," he pointed out, "Otherwise I'd be dead by now."

"What makes you say that?"

"I've read your file," Speedy deadpanned.

"Keeping an eye on me Arrowhead?" Cheshire questioned, her voice drenched in playfulness.

"Jade," Speedy sighed as Cheshire's smile fell. She quickly got up and straightened out her clothes.

"You know, I have things to do, I'm already way off my usual schedule," she said hastily, before turning to walk away. Speedy wrapped his hand around her wrist pulling her gently back towards him.

"I'm sorry," he sighed, "I don't have a right to tell you what to do with your life."

"I have to go," Cheshire whispered, twisting her arm out of his grasp.


Cheshire was perched on top of a roof, her mask covering the smirk she wore as her target came into view. She crouched down, preparing to jump off of the roof and attack her target. She gripped her sai tightly in her hand, the weapon raised to her shoulder. Right as Cheshire was about to strike, an arrow came flying through the air, knocking the sai from her hand and pinning it to a nearby building. By that point, Cheshire's target had seen the villainess and took off running at full speed.

"Great, now I lost my target!" Cheshire shouted in frustration, "This is your fault!" Cheshire jabbed a finger at his chest, her face unreadable behind her mask.

"My fault? You were going to kill that guy!" Speedy yelled back at her.

"That's my job!" Cheshire growled, "I'm an assassin, it's what I do! I kill people!"

"God dammit Jade! Why the hell are you sticking around with these idiots?" Speedy shouted, "You are an amazing fighter and you're wasting all of your abilities with these idiot villains! Haven't you figured it out yet? In the end, the villains never win!"

"I don't have a choice! I don't have anywhere else to go! I don't have anywhere else to stay!"

"Then stay with me."

She doesn't remember how, but in that short time frame she ended up at Speedy's apartment, which he stayed at when he wasn't at the Tower, in one of his t-shirts, sleeping next to him. That's where she was now, wide awake, staring into the darkness, wrapped up in his arms. She shifted slightly, the weight across her waist feeling quite foreign.

"Uncomfortable?" a tired voice broke through the silence.

"No," Cheshire said as she shifted once again. Speedy moved his arm from around her waist to her forearm. He lightly pulled the girl's shoulder down so that she was laying on her back beside him. Cheshire glanced up at him through the darkness. She watched as the archer propped himself up on his elbow, his gaze locked on the villainess.

"Are you okay?" the hero questioned, concern obvious in his tone. Cheshire paused, thinking about her answer.

"I'm in my enemy's apartment and in the enemy's bed, wearing nothing but a t-shirt," Cheshire said softly.

"Does that bother you?"

"What bothers me, is that I'm not as uncomfortable as I expected," Cheshire explained quietly. Speedy tried to hide his smile, but soon enough a set of pearly whites shined through the darkness.

"You're enjoying this aren't you?"

"Kind of," he grinned. Cheshire stared at him, trying to memorize the way the lights from the streets below sent shadows across his face. Cheshire leaned up and pressed her lips softly against Speedy's. The soft kiss ended quickly, both of the teens pulling away at the same time. Cheshire rested her head on a pillow, her eyes never leaving Speedy's.

"Out of all the coffee shops, you chose the one I go to regularly," Cheshire sighed.

"Hey, you were in my city," Speedy said defensively.

"Actually, my coffee shop is on the outskirts of Steel, so you weren't in your jurisdiction," Cheshire smiled.

"My jurisdiction is worldwide," Speedy said as he playfully glared at her.

"Not on the Titans. Not unless you have specific orders otherwise. And if you do go too far out of your jurisdiction, that's a lot of paperwork," Cheshire spoke softly, a mocking pout playing on her lips.

"How do you know all of that?"

"I read the Titans Network guidelines," Cheshire said as Speedy pouted. The two went back to a comfortable silence as Cheshire stared at the ceiling in thought.

"So that offer to stay with you, does that apply just to tonight or what?" Speedy glanced back over to the villainess, her eyes widened in a form of worry. Speedy reached over and placed a chaste kiss on Cheshire's lips.

"It applies to whenever you need me," he whispered gently against her lips.

"What about that offer of being a hero?"

"Really?" Speedy blurted out.

"Speedy-"

"Roy," he interrupted, "When I'm off duty it's Roy." Cheshire suppressed a grin before taking in a deep breath.

"Roy," she corrected and Speedy couldn't help but smile at the way it rolled so elegantly off her tongue. "I've been thinking, I'm in need of a change. And I'm tired of the villain life."

"You'll really switch to the good side? To the Titans?"

"Slowly but surely," Cheshire grinned before being wrapped up in a tight hug, forceful kisses pressed eagerly against her mouth.