A/N: Hello, friends! I am, in fact, still alive! AND I just finished a story that has taken FIVE YEARS to write, and it is posted and ready to go! Welcome the new team, Teen Titans Keystone! :D Its members include Jinx, Kid Flash, Hot Spot, and Argent. While Jericho had shown up in a previous chapter, I tried writing the series with him, and...didn't quite work out, so Titans Keystone has 4 members instead of 5.

To celebrate, I am posting a new chapter about two of its members, Jinx and Kid Flash, here. From now on, any chapter in this collection marked "KS" in its title is a oneshot for that new series.

This chapter takes place immediately after the episode "Lightspeed," where Kid flash is introduced.

WARNING: There is some mental instability and cutting in this episode, so if those things concern you, of course feel free to skip or take breaks as you need from reading.

6/29/20

T*T*T*T*T

Jinx twirled the red rose in her hand, now one of her only possessions. As See-More faded from sight, she knew that if she was lucky, this would be the last she'd see of him. She couldn't go back to their base. Nothing was left for her there, and what little possessions she had, she knew were expendable even when she first got them. The only thing she really missed was her sketch pad…. She didn't like the idea of Gizmo or Billy Numerous shoving their ugly noses in her artwork.

Speaking of her teammates—ex-teammates—she probably had a day or two at most before they realized she wouldn't be coming back. They might go looking for her...but Jinx wasn't too worried. This wasn't her first rodeo.

Madame Rouge and her goonies were still a concern, but she wouldn't be back right away. The madam had to lick her wounds first. Other criminals on the street knew from Jinx's reputation not to mess with her, and so long as she didn't stir up too much trouble, the superheroes shouldn't pay her any attention if she steered clear of them.

So long as she stayed low, she would be fine. The night's cover helped shield her as she crossed a few blocks, then leapt up the roof of one building. No fire escapes, no stairs. Just a nice empty roof that no one but birds went to—and her, of course.

Hidden in the corner of the rooftop, held in place by a pair of bricks, was a small bag. She had a few stashes like this hidden all over the city that even her team didn't know about. Not that it'd be a surprise to them. Knowing their backgrounds, they would have a few stashes around the city, too. ...If they were smart. That was always the question.

From the bag, she took out a pair of clean jeans and a dark purple hoodie. They were hardly fashionable, but at least they were clean and inconspicuous. Some cash was tucked into the pockets. Not a lot, but enough to get her by in a pinch.

…Like this one.

She got changed in a nearby public restroom. Patting back her horse-shoe shaped hair into her hoodie, she left the small building. If she'd known hours ago that she would've been out on the streets by the end of the day, she would've slept through the morning. Nocturnal habits were better on the streets. No one would bother you in the morning if you took a nap on some park bench or grass, and during the nights was the best time to travel undetected. But after the exertion of this night, she needed some sleep.

Her first instinct was to find some obscure corner in the city to sleep, but this time, she would need something else. It pained her to do it, but she handed over what little money she had for a room for the night. That money would have lasted her weeks, otherwise. But it couldn't be helped. She sighed as she opened the door to her room. The motel was cheap, and the owners hardly blinked at her unusual appearance. It was clear: "no questions asked."

If her gut was right, she wouldn't have to be sleeping here—or in the streets—for long. And if she did...well, she had other stashes, too. She didn't bother with going under the covers or even untying her boots, instead crashing into the bed fully-clothed. Her thoughts rattled about what plans she had to make next, and her pulse quickened.

She was cutting off her team, all the roots she'd ever known. Was she ready for this? What would she even do afterwards? She couldn't see herself jumping directly into super hero work, nor would she want to. She might not want to be stuck in the same deadend she'd been in for a while, but she wasn't ready to turn full patriot, either. So where'd that leave her? Doing a nine-to-five office job?

She snorted. As if.

Whatever happened, she'd figure something out; she always did. Turning in bed, she rubbed her arms, chasing away the gooseflesh, and pulled her sleeves down to her wrists. The thoughts swirled in her head, but the day fighting Kid Flash and Madame Rouge had taken its toll. Soon, her mind couldn't outpace the exhaustion of her body, and her thoughts settled into a muddled haze.

The next morning, she was awake as soon as she heard the rustle.

Her eyes stayed closed even as she spoke. "Didn't anyone ever tell you it's rude to break into a woman's room unannounced?"

A warm chuckle.

"Sorry, but I thought you wouldn't like it if your friends saw us together. Too soon, you know?"

Jinx sat up. Kid Flash was leaning on the doorway, that crooked grin on his face. Jinx frowned—she didn't even have time to straighten her hair—but at least her gut had been right. He was here.

"So where do we go from here?" she said, standing up and crossing the room to the mirror to comb her hair, as if it was expected to tidy up with someone you just spent the last few days trying to kidnap.

"You seemed the type to always have a plan," Kid Flash said. "I was interested in hearing your ideas."

"Well, I didn't lure you over here—"

"Lure? Are we still in the luring phase?"

"—just to exchange pleasantries. I'm still a bad guy in everyone else's books."

Kid Flash nodded. "We can fix that. I can give Robin some calls."

She frowned. She didn't like being under the traffic light's thumb, but if she was thinking strategically, he was the one with the most pull. "Do you think he'd agree to that?"

"Probably. All of us hero types are suckers for second chances."

Jinx smirked. That she knew. But she lifted her chin. "I'm still thinking things over. I don't want to be a villain anymore, but I'm not too keen on being a goody-two-shoes, either."

"One step at a time," he said. "Where will you be staying?"

"I can find my own place."

"But wouldn't that make you an easy target?"

She rolled her eyes. "I've lived on the streets for years, and have fought most of those guys who'd come after me—and beaten them. I can take care of myself."

"But you were on a team before," he pointed out. "Now you're not."

She pursued her lips.

"Stay with me." He raised his hands as if surrendering. "No strings attached. Except for, you know, not slitting my throat in the middle of the night. That might be a deal breaker."

She snorted.

"Think about it. Twice as much firepower to fend off attackers. Another person to take shifts. And I can vouch for you with the rest of the supers," he said. "And I wouldn't push you into superheroing work if you don't want to. If you want to take the time to just figure yourself out first, you can do that. You can see what it's like to live like anyone else. Without fearing retaliation."

"That sounds...extremely boring."

"I'll throw in some entertainment for free. I hear I'm very amusing."

"That's a generous way of putting it."

"And I can give as much flak as I give." He grinned, sticking out his hand. "Deal?"

Jinx hesitated. It wasn't the worst offer she'd received. And at least this way, she wouldn't have to be looking over her shoulder 24/7. Finally, she nodded, and took his hand. "Deal." Jinx tilted her head. "Where is your place, anyways?"

"Keystone City."

"In Pennsylvania?"

"Yep. Do you have your stuff?" Her mind quickly flitted to all her secret stashes.

"Give me until the end of the day," she said. "Meet back here tonight?"

She expected him to worry that she might've been setting up another trap for him, or if he believed her, to protest and insist that she needed a guard on the streets. But instead he just said, "You sure you'll be okay?"

"Yeah. I can take care of myself."

"Okay," he said. Then gave a lopsided smile. "That'll give me time to clean up my place."

T*T*T*T*T

By the time Jinx had retrieved all her stashes, night had already fallen, and her whole life was packed into a single ordinary backpack. She found Kid Flash waiting for her outside the motel door. "That's it?" he said.

"That's it." She didn't tell him that the backpack wasn't even half full. All it had was two changes of spare clothes, whatever money she had, and the bare necessities.

"So, how're we getting from California to Pennsylvania?" she asked.

Kid Flash squatted down, his back to her. "Hop on."

"You're kidding me."

He wasn't kidding.

Jinx didn't even know if she'd screamed the entire ride—the wind was too loud in her ears for her to hear anything—but when the world finally stopped spinning and she found her feet on solid ground again, held steady by a touch on her shoulder from Kid Flash, her throat was immeasurably dry and her eyes stung.

"Let's...never...do that again."

"Hey, you did pretty good, Lucky," he said, looking completely unaffected, curse him. "You didn't even—whoop, never mind."

Jinx heaved into the closest bush. She was regretting this already.

A hand rubbed her upper back until she was ready to stand straight again. "I didn't like that bush anyways," he said.

She peered up into a fancy-looking house, illuminated in the darkness from the light pouring out large windows and glowing ornaments in the garden.

"This is your place?"

He laughed. "I wish. Mine is a few blocks away. But I thought we'd get changed into regular clothing, just so no one follows us."

Made sense to her. They walked another block before coming to a public restroom at the local park. She was still in her jeans and hoodie, but she added a pair of sunglasses to hide her eyes. There wasn't much she could do about her skin or hair color right now, but it'd have to do. Kid Flash, of course, was already waiting for her.

Jinx almost did a double-take. Not because he didn't look like himself or anything—if she imagined him in his suit, it was no surprise who he was—but the realization that he was a super showing his regular identity to her...was something else. Certainly not something she thought she'd get to cross off her bucket list...at least not without some pain and coercion involved...

His hair was the same, although his blue eyes didn't look as piercing without his mask framing them. And yet his whole face seemed brighter without any fabric to interrupt the straight, angular lines of smooth skin. He wore a pair of blue jeans and a comfortable looking orange and yellow jacket that a runner might wear, with a sturdy pair of white tennis shoes.

"You can call me Wally," he said—she wouldn't—and offered his hand to her with a smile. "Nice to meet you."

"Pleasure," she said, taking it. "You know, you would look more inconspicuous if you didn't have that whole color theme going on."

He laughed. "Probably, but I wore these even before I became You-Know-Who. The 'other guy's' just a copycat." They started walking as he continued, "Robin said he'd cover your bail for now, so you should be safe here."

"That was fast. When'd you call him?"

"Yesterday."

"...Night?"

"Morning."

Jinx raised an eyebrow. "When I was still attacking you?"

"I had a gut feeling."

Jinx shook her head. Heroes really were oblivious. "That seems generous, even for a traffic light like him."

"Oh, it came with some very strongly worded speeches and threats to certain body parts if anything goes wrong. But he's a good guy at heart."

"That sounds more like it," she muttered. "But I won't make you regret it."

He flashed a smile. "I believe you."

Jinx looked away, clearing her throat. "So who pays for your place?"

"My Uncle Barry. My parents aren't in the picture much, so my aunt and uncle chip in," he said.

Jinx gave him a sideways look, but he didn't look bothered by the fact he'd brought up his apparently estranged parents. No one Jinx knew would have shared even that much that quickly. Or risk their necks for her. "That's generous of him," she said finally.

"People are pretty generous in general." He shrugged. "He's a really good guy. One of the best I know—and I know a lot of good guys."

She rolled his eyes at his joke.

As they walked, the fancy houses grew smaller and closer together, before giving away into apartment buildings. They stopped at one—a brick building that looked like it was built in the Industrial Revolution. "We're on the third floor," he said, letting them in.

When they stepped inside his apartment a moment later, Jinx looked around. It wasn't as messy as she had expected; he did say he'd clean up. A rack of dishes were drying on the counter in the small kitchen, and a beaten sofa that looked like it'd been handed down through several apartments was in the living room, with the only other pieces of furniture being a coffee table with a few video games and a game console on it and a bulky TV.

"Kitchen, living room," Kid Flash said, then pointed down a short corridor. "Bathroom to your left—don't worry, I cleaned—and then bedroom."

Jinx nodded, taking it in. It definitely wasn't Taj Mahal, but it'd beat living in a cheap motel or the streets. "Thanks," she said. "Where can I set up?"

"You can put your stuff in the bedroom."

Jinx raised her eyebrow, a hand to her hip. "If you think—"

Kid Flash quickly raised his hand. "I'm sleeping on the couch, don't worry."

Oh.

Jinx frowned. "I can sleep on the couch. Trust me, I've slept on worse things. A couch will be fine."

"That's even worse." Kid Flash scrunched his nose. "Now I can't give in. You deserve a nice bed to yourself."

"But—"

"My apartment, my rules. Bed."

She rolled her eyes, but headed towards the bedroom, with Kid Flash waiting behind in the living room. The room was small—just a bed, a dresser, and a small closet with a screen—but she wasn't picky. The bed was made with simple cotton sheets, and no dirty clothes or empty miscellaneous bottles were peeking out from corners like any one boy's room she'd been to. He might've even dusted.

It took her less than five minutes to set up, stacking her clothes neatly on a chair in the corner—she didn't want to steal his drawer space...although, she did take a quick peek—and her toiletries in the equally tidied bathroom, leaving behind only her extra cash in her backpack, stashed in the closet. Once she was done, she asked Kid Flash if she could take a shower. A day spent foraging all over town required a shower afterwards.

It was already late by the time she got out, and the two didn't say much more before retiring for the night, the speedster to the couch made up with blankets, and her to the bedroom.

T*T*T*T*T

Chores caused the first fight.

They quickly found out that unless they wanted to burn the place down, Kid Flash shouldn't be the cook. (Honestly, the speedster should've already known that, but apparently he only bought take-out meals when he lived by himself, having never tried his hand at cooking before). Jinx's first meals were too elaborate for her own good, and ended up tasting...strange. (Kid Flash said they'd got jinxed, and she gave him a look for that). Jinx wasn't much of a chef herself, but after a few tries, her meals were at least edible.

Fortunately, Kid Flash was always hungry enough that he'd eat just about anything, so any failed dishes didn't go to waste. While she hated to part with the cash, they agreed to order take-out. A lot. And after some bickering (and some pillows thrown), they'd finally agreed that Kid Flash would do the dishes and fold the laundry since he could get it done in seconds, while Jinx would put the laundry in the washer and dryer and cook the meals. Making the bed and couch, they agreed, was a two-person job. (One corner of the bedsheet would always pop up if two people weren't on the job.)

Jinx wasn't sure what he expected of her when it came to crime fighting, despite his reassurances at the motel—and to be honest, she wasn't sure what she expected from herself. But to her relief, they agreed she should keep a low-profile at first, and stay out of any fighting.

Keystone City was more industrial than Jump, and while it wasn't her preference, at least one good thing was that it was easier to stay inconspicuous. She'd brought some spare clothes, a simple pair of faded jeans, a few shirts, and a hoodie. She hated dying her hair, but she did buy a wig, and donned a pair of sunglasses whenever she went out. While she couldn't do much about her skin color, her long-sleeved clothes covered what they could.

And if anyone did recognize her, the superheroes at least wouldn't be jumping down her throat. Her bail was paid, and a court date was set.

Life was quiet. And boring. But at least it was her life.

T*T*T*T*T

About a week into her stay, Jinx had a nightmare. Flashes of her old teammates hunting her down, cornering her, zapping her—and Madame Rouge's wicked smile overlooking it all. She didn't remember much else, but it was enough to make her scream in the middle of the night. Apparently she was louder than she thought. When her eyes snapped open, Kid Flash was crouched next to the bed, his hand stroking her hair. "Shh, it's okay," he whispered. "Just a bad dream."

His blue eyes caught the few rays of light, shining despite the darkness. His hair was mousled in his face, clearly having just woken up, but he was still beside her.

"I'm fine," she muttered, starting to push him back. Kid Flash relented, letting go.

"Alright…" he started to walk away.

...Fuck it. "Wait!"

He turned on his heel. "Yeah?"

"This is your bed, too. Just...don't hog the sheets."

"You sure…?"

"Just get in already. It's cold."

She thought he would've dove under the covers, but instead, he took up just the edge of the bed, giving her space. She almost wanted to roll her eyes. Almost.

They slept like that, without touching.

In the morning, she found herself laying on his chest. His breaths rose smoothly, rising and falling. The faintest of freckles dusted the bridge of his nose, and his mouth was parted just slightly.

Jinx swallowed. She gingerly detached herself before he woke up, and slipped out of the room.

She needed to clear her head.

T*T*T*T*T

She was waiting for him by the time he got up. She'd made breakfast, consisting of...bagels with cream cheese (hey, she never called herself a cook). "We need to talk," she said before he even sat down.

"Okay…?" He rubbed blearily at his eyes. He was still in his old t-shirt and boxers.

"What's the deal between us?" She knew there was some connection between them, and had expected him to make his move once she moved in...but he hadn't. Some guise of heroic chivalry, she guessed. And wanted to roll her eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"You don't let someone who could've easily stabbed you in the back live in your apartment indefinitely, without even paying rent, hero or not."

The corner of his lip crooked up. "Who said about not paying rent?"

She dropped a wallop of cash into his lap.

He frowned. "I was joking."

"I know, but I decided to take you seriously. So." She sat down opposite of him. "What is this between us? Do you like me?"

His cheeks instantly reddened, but this time she did roll her eyes. Figures the guy who's all talk can't walk the walk. "I do like you," he said, his hand rubbing the back of his neck. "But I didn't...want to take advantage of you."

She snorted. "How chivalrous. But I wouldn't have you let you, anyways. I've been in worse places before, and I can tell when I'm getting taken advantage of. I fought off Madame Rogue, didn't I?"

"That you did."

"So...are we a thing or not?"

"Would you...like to be?"

Jinx pulled him by the collar and kissed him. "Does that answer your question?"

But he didn't speak, instead kissing her back.

T*T*T*T*T

The following days were blissful.

They'd wake up in his bed together, have breakfast together, and then he would go off to school while she got to know the city streets in disguise. Things were quiet...and that made Jinx antsy.

Of course, the universe loved to mess with her.

Only a few weeks in, the Brotherhood of Evil launched their attacks. Kid Flash could not ignore them, of course, and at this point, neither could Jinx. When Kid Flash dressed for battle, she already had her ass-kicking boots on. They joined the fray together.

But she felt the nerves come back to her when she saw her old teammates. Seeing the look of betrayal on their faces when they realized it was her they were fighting.

But she didn't let them see it. The hexes flung from her fingertips, and she flashed that same Cheshire's grin to hide the emotions tearing up inside her, just as she had against all her enemies before.

T*T*T*T*T

With the threat dealt with, they returned home. And to the regular rhythm of their life. Jinx had enjoyed their routine before, but now...the monotony had started to grate.

Wake up.

Kid Flash goes to class.

She takes a walk.

Kick super ass together.

...Grab some ass...

Kid Flash goes back to class.

She goes home.

Repeat.

She'd never watched so many movies before in her life... She was almost excited when the monotony was broken by a call from Robin, about a month after they disbanded the Brotherhood of Evil. Kid Flash moved to share the communicator screen with Jinx, but she hastily backed away, angrily mouthing protests. She didn't want to talk to Boy Wonder, especially when she was in his debt!

Kid Flash gave her a bemused look, but took the call into their bedroom. Jinx hovered outside the door, listening...something about Private HIVE calling himself Sergeant now? Jinx rolled her eyes—show-offs. Some of his goonies had attacked heroes around the world. That rang a bell. Kid Flash and Jinx had fought off a few green supers terrorizing the city not long before.

Eventually, curiosity got the better of her, and she knocked once, before entering.

"Oh, hi, Jinx," said Traffic Light himself, and Jinx gave a quick smile, wiggling her fingers at him in greeting, before sidling up beside Kid Flash.

"I'm surprised you two haven't strangled each other yet," he said, but his tone was good-natured..

"He's still here, isn't he?" she countered. If he was being friendly, she supposed she could oblige.

"Loyal friends, the both of you," said Kid Flash. "Bird Brain was just telling me about his plans to form new teams."

Jinx turned up an eyebrow. "You're thinking of building a superhero army?"

"Not an army. Give me some credit," Robin said. "But we already have Honorary Titans. It wouldn't be a stretch to form teams."

"Was this because of the Brotherhood of Evil?"

He nodded. "They rose to as much power as they did because all the villains united. Sergeant HIVE—"

"Private," interrupted Jinx. "Don't validate him."

"Private HIVE capitalized on it. It was easy for them to pick off heroes individually. But if the heroes join together…"

"We'd be a united force," finished Kid Flash.

"Exactly. Private HIVE was already capitalizing on it, but he was manipulating scared kids off the street to do it. But if we did it, and did it right, we could provide a safe place for so many new supers to learn how to use their powers without endangering themselves or others."

But Jinx was frowning. "But that doesn't mean they should automatically be part of a superhero team. Take it from me, a school training everyone to be soldiers doesn't lead to healthy people."

"True," he conceded. "That's why I'd contact supers who are already working as heroes to form teams first. Whether new trainees want to join is up to them, but we'll still offer training to anyone."

"That could work," Kid Flash said. "But I don't think you called us just to get a Yes Man. You have your fanclub for that." Ah, so he was seeing where this was heading, too.

"Hardly," Robin smirked. "Seeing as you two are already working together, and Kid Flash has some experience from his own mentor-hero, I thought you might be interested. You don't have to give an answer now, but just think it over."

The two glanced at each other. "We will. Thanks."

"Give it some thought," Robin said. "I think you two could do a lot of good."

Once they ended the call, Kid Flash leaned back on the bed. "What are you thinking, Lucky?"

"It's a good idea," Jinx admitted. "I mean, he's an amateur strategist, of course."

"Of course."

"But it could work." She stretched out next to him, but didn't meet his eyes. "Did you want to join?"

"Hmm...it is tempting," he admitted. She nodded, trying to keep her expression carefully neutral. But he took her hand, and she looked up to see him smile. "But I like being a duo just for now."

She nodded. This new life was...different, but she didn't feel ready to be a goody-two-shoes and join a team yet, either. She finally smirked. "We are doing just fine on our own."

"Exactly." He laid onto his back. Not to mention that school's been kicking my butt."

Jinx frowned, coming to his chest. One thing that had come to a surprise for Jinx was Kid Flash's enrollment in a college. He was taking part-time courses when he could, and fighting the rest of the time. ...Show-off. But there was that small feeling of pride, regardless.

And she planned to show him that.

T*T*T*T*T

Kid Flash came home late that day. His clothes were orderly and he still smiled when he walked through the door...but that was the problem. He walked. At a normal pace.

He hugged Jinx like he usually did and kissed her tenderly, but then slumped onto the couch. "I'm beat," he said.

"No kidding," Jinx said. She brought him over a platter of once-warm Chinese food.

He immediately perked up. "You cooked this?"

"I tried to," she said. "Then threw it away. I ordered this."

He laughed, before taking a bite. "Tastes great to me."

"So what happened today?" Jinx asked.

"I usually get a break between my two classes, but this time some guy with a violin as a weapon was terrorizing the local music theatre, so I had to stop him, and made it just in time for my next two-hour long class. What's the point of having super speed if you can barely make it class in time?"

"To catch criminals in time," she answered.

He managed a tired chuckle. "Apparently."

"I'm planning on taking over some of that fighting," she said nonchalantly. Her arm itched, and she scratched, before lifting her arms and stretching the muscles.

"Are you sure?" he asked. "I mean, I know you'd kick butt," he added hastily at her upturned brow, "but do you think you want to do that?

"Yeah, I do. It's been boring staying cooped up all day. I could use the time to sharpen my skills. You wanting to focus more on school is just a nice benefit."

The corner of his mouth quirked up. "Glad I could be an extra benefit."

"Convenient, isn't it?" And besides, she had fought criminals before during her stay, but she'd always fought them with Kid Flash by her side. Standing up against enemies by herself seemed daunting, but...she was top of her class for a reason.

She's been a villainess for years. What could possibly go wrong by playing the hero?

T*T*T*T*T

In the span of a week, Jinx had fought off two...criminals. (Villains sounded weird. Not everyone who committed a crime was villainous, but everyone who commits a crime is a criminal...or so she reasoned it). They weren't that hard, actually. A few well-placed hexes, and they were down and out. Clearly amateurs; not any Academy students she knew of.

Jinx wished crime was always like this—then she could say that superheroes' jobs were overrated, when they just sat on their butt more days of the week than not. But...that wasn't right. Keystone might've been different, granted, but a typical day at Jump saw at least one major super-criminal a week. Not upgraded petty thievery like this.

She wanted to mention it to Kid Flash, but in between flitting through his classes and helping other parts of the city, she didn't have a good opportunity. And besides that, she also had her hands full with the...repercussions of her battle. While she had no casualties and she caught the criminals each time, the police and government did not care for her...methods. Too much destruction of public property, they said. She scoffed. Raven didn't care about property when she ripped the mailboxes from the sidewalks, or Cyborg when he threw a stranger's car at a monster.

But the fines came nonetheless.

And she had to show him. "I don't get how they expect us to save the city without so much of a dent in the sidewalk, but…" she sighed. "I'm...I'll do better."

But he just smiled and threw them over his shoulder. "Death and taxes, Lucky. Superheroes just get fines added to the mix."

"Aren't fines technically a form of tax money?"

"Not the point, Lucky. But don't worry too much, Uncle Barry can argue this. They're not supposed to be fining us, anyways. They're just fining you because—well, because— "

"I'm new," she finished lamely. "...And an ex-villain."

"They'll get over it," he said.

Jinx frowned. "But your property damage was only a fraction of mine. I looked it up," she added with a roll of her eyes when Kid Flash looked surprised.

He schooled his features back into a reassuring expression. "Relativity, Slowpoke. One perk of superspeed is that it doesn't usually come with blowing stuff up. Usually," he noted. "There are exceptions. Plus, I was trained to be more aware of stuff like this. Your powers are different."

"Destructive."

"Different. And I'm guessing the high-ho Academy didn't have Mitigation of Property Damage as a popular course."

Her lip quirked up. "You could say that. They only taught us enough to prevent unwanted casualties. Don't want a bigger target on our backs than the ones we've already planned for."

"And that is something we can practice." He grabbed a plastic cup, and tossed it from one hand to the other. "It's all about discipline, Lucky. Restraining yourself long enough to think before you act." He set the bottle on the table. "Try knocking that off without causing any damage."

Jinx gave him a look, but acquesised. The easiest move, of course, would be to just hit the target itself... lightly. But where's the fun in that? Kid Flash was leaning on his elbows, bouncing his knee so the table rumbled.

Jinx's eyes flashed, and his elbow suddenly slipped from under him, hitting the plastic cup.

The corner of Kid Flash's lip stretched up as he realized what happened, and he titled an eyebrow at the sorceress. "Oh, so that's how you want to do it, huh? Fine, I'll show you discipline!"

And before she knew it, she was on her back with Kid Flash smurpling into her neck, until she was drowning in laughter.

T*T*T*T*T

The next criminal Jinx fought was a joke at best. Some boy who thought he could rule the world just because he had a magic hammer. A well-placed hex, and said hammer was lodged in a tree, with the boy trying desperately to pull it out. By the time the police came, Jinx had taken pity on the boy and hexed the hammer down...where it crumbled.

Not so magical after all, apparently…

But on the bright side...minimal property damage! She'd take her wins where she could get them.

Jinx was just wrapping up the report with the police when she heard a screech. Her head whipped towards the sound just in time to see a car racing past a red light. Jinx's hand instinctively shot out, pink hexes flying from her fingertips. The road surged up, and the cars swerved to avoid it. The speeding car crashed into a lampost, while the opposite traffic rear-ended each other.

In an instant, chaos broke out—horns honking and people scrambling out of cars—and just like that, Jinx's saw her good work get ripped into shreds.

T*T*T*T*T

Jinx came home to an empty apartment that night. She'd been thoroughly lashed by the police for not only causing such massive property damage, but also for injuring the drivers and half a dozen other civilians as well.

And the worst part was? She'd done it instinctively. Robin could've cleared the civilians away; Raven could've lifted the cars up; Cyborg and Starfire could've just stopped it with their bare hands, and Beast Boy...as much as she hated to admit it, the little green flea was ingenious enough to figure out something. But she… she just ruined it. Her first instinct had no regard to the casualties.

Was that...was that all she was? Something that caused casualties?

The news reporter's voice blabbered on, a dull thudding on her skull. Jinx had been more annoyed than anything by the reporters, but in the midst of everything, she'd forgotten about them. Only to be smacked in the face by feeds of the car accident all over again. An image of the scene flashed, and she winced at the damage she had caused. The news reporters were declaring her a menace, and Kid Flash...a fool for siding with her.

She turned off the TV. Glanced at the clock. Kid Flash wouldn't be back for hours.

She tried drawing. But all she could see were the cars ready to collide. And that fucking shit fly from her fingertips. And the road buckling, and the cars crashing, and the people screaming, screaming, screaming….

All because of her mistake.

Her hand pressed harder. Harder onto the sheet, graphite scraping dark, deep marks onto the thin surface. Her hand ached.

And her arm itched.

Her fingernails raked against her skin without her thinking about it, a line of heat that sliced through the haze in her mind, sharpening it. And she did it again, this time dragging her fingernails deeper into the skin. It burned, a line of hot fire, and she exhaled, focusing on the feeling. The white of her skin was now raised with angry red welts. Tiny pinpricks of red sprouted from where the cut had broken skin.

She stared at the blood. The little beads, shining, poised on her skin like some stupid pointlism painting. The sharpness of her mind faded, then numbed. All of a sudden, her insides had twisted up and she shuddered.

It'd been...how long? How long since the last time?

And now it was ruined.

She shouldn't have done that. She shouldn't have done that.

Why did she do it? She shouldn't have. She shouldn't.

Now she'd have to clean it up and bandage it, but there'd still be a mark; what if Kid Flash saw? What if he saw the marks and thought she was… was….

A mistake. That was all this was. This must be a mistake. This was just the calm in the storm before all fucking hell broke loose, and this was just the first sign that she'd screwed up. That there was no redemption, no stupid second chances, just—

Tiredness...

She didn't hear Kid Flash come in, but suddenly a gust of wind blew her face, like a fresh wind. She didn't say anything; just looked up to see his large blue eyes staring down at her. Then at her arms.

He didn't say anything, either. He just took her in her arms.

Something unlocked in her then. Whether it was his warm touch or just presence or something else, but it broke her inside, and that's when the tears came.

T*T*T*T*T

She didn't know how long they sat like that, leaning against the wall, his arms holding her close. But at some point he'd let her go, fast enough that she barely felt it, before returning with an armful of medical supplies. She let him push up her sleeves and hold out her arms. He cleaned out the cuts with cotton balls and hydrogen peroxide, then bandaged them with ointment, pressing a kiss over the top of each one.

"I saw the news in the middle of class," he said finally. "I came as quickly as I could. I'm so sorry."

"Why are you sorry?" she muttered, her voice toneless even to her ears. "I'm the one who fucked it all up."

"We all fuck up, Jinx." She distantly registered that's the first time she heard him swear. "I'm sorry. I didn't know it was this tough for you."

"It wasn't," she said automatically. ...Then...realized what she said. "It—I tried not to let it bother me."

"Oh, beautiful," he said, nuzzling his cheek against her face. "This is a lot of new changes, and we're still trying to figure it out." He paused. "Have you...have you thought about seeing someone?"

"Seeing someone?"

"A professional, I mean. A counselor or therapist. Someone you can talk to."

Jinx furrowed her nose. The Academy might've been great at physical problems, but cognitive ones? Ha.

"I went to one," Kid Flash admitted.

That caught her attention. "Really? You're like...the most adjusted, happiest person I know."

He laughed. "Well, I am now, obviously."

"Obviously." She was tired, and wasn't sure she wanted to have this conversation. She leaned her head back against his chest, looking away. But he kept talking.

"Everyone could use a little check-up sometime. And growing up, my parents weren't always the closest. I thought I could just fix everything, and be that little ball of sunshine they needed. But it didn't always work out, and I had to learn that I couldn't fix everything. Still learning, honestly."

"Did someone tell you to go?" asked Jinx, despite herself..

He dipped his head. "My Uncle Barry. He could see how it was getting to me, especially after I got my powers. The hard part about being a super...is that you can't always be perfect. You can't always fix everything."

"I've never fixed stuff," she said. "I've only broken things."

"You help me," he said. "And you can learn."

T*T*T*T*T

That morning, she scheduled an appointment with a therapist.

...And she cut her nails.

The appointment didn't really tell her anything new, rather than brought things into a clearer light. (Apparently, therapists were only supposed to reflect, not have opinions of their own. …That worked for her). Jinx didn't give her specifics, of course, and stayed disguised, but gave her the broad strokes.

About her less than savory background.

About moving to a new city.

About betraying her "gang."

About trying to use her skills for good, and failing miserably.

The therapist nodded, and listened, and...for once, it felt good to vent without any reservations. Jinx didn't shy away from the nitty-gritty, either—if she was going to be judged by a stranger, then dammit, she'd spare them no pain—but the therapist just listened with a neutral, patient expression. And...just that made her feel better.

Their reflections about how this new change in life and loss of friends—healthy or not—came to no news on Jinx's part. But they did give her some advice on how to manage the feelings, and how to spot the stressors before it got really bad again.

Jinx came out of the meeting feeling...not necessarily better, but like she had a clearer sense of direction. When she went home, a present was waiting for her. She unwrapped it to find a boxed set of high-quality colored pencils.

T*T*T*T*T

"Sorry I'm late," he said, before nuzzling her. "Taylor lost his dog, and I had to help find him."

"Is that Taylor who wears shirts from when he was twelve, or Taylor who needs to change colognes?"

"The one with red hair."

"Ah, cologne-Taylor. Well, you don't have to worry about being late anymore. I'll be out at nights starting tomorrow."

"Really? Found a new date, have you?"

"Yeah, a really muscular one, too. And female."

"...Can I get in on that action?"

She snorted. "You'd need seventy-five dollars and a new sex assignment. It's a Women's Self-Defense Class."

He raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? You can already go hand-to-hand with Robin."

"True," she said measuredly. "But I thought it'd be a good way to meet new people. Make some—" she rolled her eyes for emphasis, "—friends."

Kid Flash beamed. "Let me know if you need anything. A sparring buddy, late-night massages, restaurant-cooked dinners that I pretend I've cooked."

She laughed. "Appreciated."

T*T*T*T*T

The self-defense class was held in a shabby building shared by the neighborhood's laundry mat. The class was made up of a bunch of soccer moms and too chatty college students. She steered away from both groups. But the instructor wasn't so bad. This middle-aged woman who came to Jinx's elbow, with dark skin that looked more burnt than tanned and thick black hair pulled into an uneven ponytail. She took one even look at Jinx, and said, "You. Show me what you've got."

Jinx smiled. This was going to be fun.

T*T*T*T*T

Kid Flash was always energetic. That went without saying. But lately...it was different. Instead of coming home with a bouncy can-do-attitude, he'd seem...restless. Jittery (more than usual) and uneasy.

It didn't take much to get it out of him. In fact, all it took was her standing with a hand on her hip in front of him, a frown, and her saying, "Okay, spit it out. What's wrong?"

And spit it out he did.

"I hate college."

Her eyebrows quirked. "That's a strong word for you. I didn't know you hated anything but flat soda and soggy cereal."

"That's because they're gross." He sighed, running his hair with his fingers and tugging at the ends. Jinx should really break him of that habit. She didn't want a prematurely balding boyfriend before she even hit middle-age. "I don't hate college," he amended. "But I'm not very partial to it right now, either."

He jumped to his feet, gesticulating with his hands. (Maybe he had some Italian in there?) "I miss the activity. The thrill, the constant speed."

"You're a junkie."

"I prefer to call it driven."

"Junkie." She dodged the pillow he threw at her, continuing seamlessly, "You're already in college part-time. You're still getting the best of both worlds."

"Or sucking at both," he said. "When I sit in at the lectures, all I'm thinking about is how they're too slow. In the time it takes for one class, I could be saving lives and teaching myself the same material on my own time. I could be out there, doing more, instead of waiting for a degree that I won't use for years."

"Sounds like some first-world problems."

He readied another pillow.

She allowed herself an eye-roll, but then leaned forward, letting a genuine smile slip across her lips. "Hey." She gripped her hand, and held his gaze, forcing him to look at her. "I don't know what the best path is, but it is your path. And I'll be here. Just like you were for me."

"Thanks," he said. "You are my lucky charm."

"And don't you forget it."

T*T*T*T*T

The next day Robin called again to ask about forming a new team. When Kid Flash told Jinx, his smile just a little too wide and his eyes just a little too bright, she smirked.

"Well, I'm sorry I'll miss my next class," she said, "but I suppose we could make some super-friends, too."

Kid Flash beamed. "I always thought 'Titans Keystone' had a nice ring to it."