(I'm thinking of doing a Scapegrace and Thrasher story arc soon. Maybe...?)

The Monster Hunters

Right now, being a Monster Hunter was not good news.

Okay, so they weren't dead, and nothing was broken or fractured anymore, but Gracious had a killer headache. Plus there was nothing to do, so he had taken to complaining to Donegan, who just told him to shut up and made him feel bad.

Because there was nothing to do, he decided to heave himself out of bed and go for a walk.

As he wandered, his thoughts turned to his girlfriend. Well, not really his girlfriend, because he didn't have one, but how much he wanted one. And that he should probably stop thinking about them like puppies or something.

Gracious was short, and he was nerdy. With cool hair and muscles as an added plus. There must be at least one girl out there who found that attractive.

On cue, he walked into girl. Or a girl walked into him. Whichever way, it hurt his newly mended bones and made his headache slightly worse.

"Ow," he muttered, reaching up to hold his head. He glanced at the girl, who was glaring at him.

She was smaller than him, and that was saying something. She was small and petite; her figure almost childlike. Her red hair was wavy and thick, and fell almost to her waist. She glared at him with orange eyes. His mouth fell open.

"Watch it," she snapped, stepping back. She noticed his open mouth and her lips twitched. "Take a picture, kiddo, it'll last longer."

"I – uh, I'm Gracious," he blurted out. Oh, smooth, he chastised himself inwardly. Real smooth. Meet a gorgeous girl and make a fool out of yourself, as usual.

The girl smiled now, showing her perfect teeth. "I'm sure you are. Most people who meet me usually are."

"No, that's my name," he explained. "Gracious O'Callahan. I'm a Monster Hunter."

She laughed. "Obviously. I'm just messing with you. My friend has a crush on your partner."

"Oh…" he said, still staring at her. She looked about twenty five. "Uh… do you want me to introduce them?"

She shrugged. "Nah. Then I couldn't laugh at her as much."

Gracious just hummed. She was captivating.

The girl stuck out her hand. "I'm Serenity. Serenity Williams."

"Oh! The Sensitive!" Gracious reached out to take her hand.

She laughed again. She really did had a pretty laugh. "The one and only."

Their hands touched, and she hissed and flinched away like she had been burned. He stared in horror. Was he really that bad?

She looked up at him again. Her pale skin had turned pink under her blush, and her eyes had changed colour to a deep purple. He had heard she did that. It was a by-product of her power: emotional intuitiveness. She could sense and manipulate emotions.

"Oh my god," she breathed, reaching out for him again. This time when they touched, she didn't flinch away. "It's you."

Gracious puffed up proudly. "Well, I am quite famous in-"

"No," Serenity interrupted, still gazing into his face. She had lost the blush, but her eyes were still violet. "You're my counterweight."

"You're what?"

A smiled graced her pretty face, and he felt a jolt in his stomach. Please let this mean something good.

"Counterweight. Deana's idea, really. She thought soul mate was too cheesy. When she met Cas, I felt the power of their emotions. They were made for each other, though they didn't know it at the time. Neither did I, really. But when my two other friends found love, the same powerful emotions were there each time. And when I touched you-" she took a shuddering breath and closed her eyes. "It was almost overwhelming. Guess it just needed touch for it to affirm itself."

He felt light headed. Soul mate to the most beautiful girl he had ever met? Was he hallucinating? He was probably hallucinating. Donegan would have put something in his drink, thinking he was funny.

"Am I hallucinating?" he asked. He was leaning against a wall, Serenity pressed up against him. He wanted to embrace her, but was worried that she would tear his arms off if he did. "I mean, believe it or not, I don't have beautiful girls telling me they're my soul mate every day."

She pinched him.

"Ow."

"Real enough for you?"

"Yes."

"Look at you. You're goofy, and silly, and adventurous. And smart. An inventor, right? I'm pretty serious, and powerful, and more of the stay-at-home type. We balance each other out. Or at least, we will do, when we're together. You'll have to educate me, you know."

Gracious smiled so widely his face hurt. "We'll get together?"

"Well, yes. I can't abandon my counterweight." She grinned up at him. "I'll take you out when you're headache is gone."

He nodded, and bravely put his arms round her. She didn't protest, or kill him. Instead, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him right on the lips.

He got back to the Medical wing and sat down on Donegan's bed.

"I have a girlfriend," he announced happily, prodding his friend in the ribs.

Donegan scowled at him. "Whatever. You've been gone for all of half an hour. Don't try and lie to me."

"Ever heard of Serenity Williams?"

He propped himself up on one elbow and looked at him. "Enlighten me."

"You do know her. Beautiful red head, shorter than me, Sensitive?"

"Oh yeah. Sure I know her. What about her?"

"You know what her powers are?" Gracious was practically bouncing with excitement.

"Empathy and stuff. Emotions. Yeah. Why?" Donegan sat back. "Get to the point, Gracious."

"I'm her counterweight," Gracious revealed, and was about to explain what that meant when it became clear that he didn't have to. Donegan's mouth was hanging open as he stared at him.

"Woah," he said. "Do you know how rare that is?"

"What?" Gracious frowned.

"Meeting your counterweight. Most people don't. That's – this is great!"

Gracious brightened. "You believe me?"

"Well, yeah. You can't lie, you idiot," Donegan laughed and clapped him on the shoulder.

"I really can't," he admitted. "It feels like I'm going to be happy forever. Is this normal? Am I going insane?"

"That's love at first sight, I guess. Can you stop talking now? My head is killing me?"

"Fine." Gracious lay down. "I guess I'll go to sleep. I have a date later."

"Thank god," he said. "You know this means you can't moan about not having a girlfriend."

"Yeah, but I can boast about having one."

"Oh, great."