On Earth, it was a law that every person had to get tested at 18 to sort them into a category that would determine their future. There were only 2 groups to fit in: Littles and Caregivers. The littles were people who needed extra assistance in their day-to-day lives as they slipped into a younger headspace. Becoming a danger to themselves as they could not take care of themselves, someone else would step in to ensure that the littles were safe. These caretakers are the Caregivers. To make the best match between Littles and Caregivers, they will be put into a celebration group packed with the best possible match for them after taking the test.
Of course, some people still don't have to take the test or even announce their results. Only the rich have been able to succeed at this, but that doesn't mean that they get away with it. Some have been caught pretending to be a little when charged with breaking the law. They never told their category, knowing they'd get caught doing something wrong one day. Littles were always perceived as innocent making it easy for people to pity them, but hard for them to take Littles seriously when in power.
As it is an Earth law, Shayera Hol never had to take the test, and neither did her teammate J'onn J'onezz as they were non-native to Earth and mostly took to living in Javelin 7. When she returned to the Justice League there were a lot of questions regarding her category from not only the humans on Earth but also the extended Justice League members. She was strongly against taking the test fearing that once the results came back, she would be kicked out of the league with nowhere to go. Her relationships were still being rebuilt, and she wanted nothing more than to be a family again.
Her fear of being outed scared her to the point of a new kind of nightmare terrorizing her and haunting her in the darkness, making her flee her cage of a room to the kitchen. Fill a kettle halfway with water before putting it on the burner on high. She settled on the couch, flipping through channels on the TV (situated on the wall across from her) while adjusting her wings to get comfortable.
"Can't sleep?" a familiar voice muttered to Shayera as the body came around to the front of the couch looking down at the redhead before plopping into the seat at the other end of the sofa. Diana was complicated, to say the least. She was one of the ones to object to Shayera's return. The princess made it clear that she wished the worst for the traitor. Never once taking her eyes off her, wanting to make up for letting her guard down the first time and now suspecting anything. But after helping Diana in her homeland they became somewhat of friends. Surely not the best of girlfriends but they were good. They would talk, sharing stories of their childhood. Diana was more so the storyteller with her softer childhood.
"Yeah finna have some tea and some snacks to try and help." mumbled the redhead, putting the remote down to curl into a ball after settling on a kid's show called Bluey. It was a good show and helped to put her to sleep on rough nights like these.
"Were you planning on sleeping here as well," Diana jokes, nudging Shayera's thigh with her foot. Instead of coming in contact with some sort of cloth material, there was nothing. In her haste to leave her cage, the redhead forgot to account for her clothing. All she had on was an old oversized hoodie that Flash allowed her to keep (he wouldn't let her return it knowing that she had a small amount of clothing to wear), some woman-boy shorts, and Justice League ankle socks. She didn't even think about the possibility that she might encounter someone when leaving. Embarrassed, her tan skin became tinted in pink blush, she tried to hide the growing blush behind her wings while pressing her face further and further into the armrest, pretending to pay attention to the show, hoping that her teammate wouldn't say anything to tease her. " I was in a rush and didn't think anyone would meet me." she was muffled.
"Mmm, well how bout I go fix your tea and get us some snacks and we can keep watching the show before going to sleep," Diana proposed, ignoring Shayera's confession, already getting up and making her wake to the kitchen where now a loud whistling kettle became known to the ears of Shayera. The redhead's face was scrunched in confusion about what just happened. But it was only for a couple of seconds as she became happy that she was getting things done for her. She sat up, glad to sit back and wait for her food. Her smile spread wide when she saw Diana bringing her food and tea, holding the teacup in one hand and the snacks in the other.
She arrived at the couch dropping the snacks into Shayera's lap before bending down to place the tea on the hard metal floor beside the couch. "I set a timer on my phone for 4 minutes for the tea to steep and then you'll be able to have some. Right now you can munch on the snacks quietly while you watch your show, Okay?" The princess stood up to address Shayera accordingly, giving her a soft questioning stare while waiting for an answer. The thanagarian was at most shocked at the treatment that her friend was giving her. It was not that she didn't want this sort of attention, but to get it just out of the blue had her worried that maybe this was all a trick to get her to spill her secret to the group that way she could be easily kicked out of the league.
"Can you give me an answer," came a gentle voice, this time right in front of her. At the moment that it took Shayera to process her thoughts, Diana took her seat almost right next to Shayera. Grasping the redhead's chin to turn towards herself, caressing her cheek with her thumb. Snapping out of her head, Shayera gave a slow hesitant nod.
"Thank you, baby." The name that was spoken with such tenderness it almost made some tears fall. Shayera would give nothing but to get some comfort from the gentle hand. She yearned for it to stay, but at last, Diana moved away to become comfortable herself. She moved to her original spot on the couch, stretching out to get comfortable. Her legs stretched out all across the couch with her height.
They continued to watch the show in silence, the only noise being the exchange of snacks and small comments now and then. Watching the show had Shayera wandering off to a paradise life, one where she wouldn't have to hide the fact that she enjoyed being taken care of. A life where she would be embraced with even a caregiver for her. She didn't care who they would be, happy just to have someone that was willy taking care of her and showing her love. Possibly the best world she could imagine, but at last she can only imagine the world and only for a short time not wanting to mistake it for something that could happen. Shayera came back from the sea of her mind to continue watching Bluey, beginning to drink her tea, having become content with the reality that things may never progress to her dreams.
The redhead, too engrossed in her day never noticed the gaze seeping from across the couch. She wasn't the only one stuck in daydreams. Diana gazed upon her companion wondering what life would be like if they were more than friends. Almost everyone who came in contact with Diana knew that she would be a caregiver with no doubt, but it became official when she took the test making her one of the 4 caregivers of the founding members. Excluding Shayera with her refusal to take the test even though they already have their own beliefs that she is a Little. She couldn't help but think back to meeting her matches.
Instead of going to a room with her match like usual, she had to go on a mission with them. It was a simple mission; stop the bad guys from selling drugs and make sure they end up where they were supposed to be. On the mission, there was Diana, Black Canary, Huntress, Fire, Ice, and Shayera. When they found out what the mission was they all knew that someone must've just got their test results. After putting all the bad guys away with the cops they decided to get some takeout and have some girl talk while doing the mission reports. Once they were settled inside Dianah's room with their food and papers they began to ask the questions that had been hanging in the air since they heard of the mission. Turns out all of them except for Shayera have recently taken their test, the results being that Diana, Black Canary, and Ice were caregivers while Huntress and Ice were classified as Littles.
Huntress was the one to point out the fact that Shayera was probably a little along with her and Ice. Although Huntress had no ill intent when she said it Shayera took offense, arguing that just because she was put on this mission doesn't mean that she was there to even the ratio. The two began going back and forth with each other yelling to get their points across; Huntress would point out how obvious it was to everyone with her childish behavior and her obsession with stuffed animals. Shayera would just throw back with how she wasn't even human so these laws don't apply to her. The remaining 4 tried to interject and change the subject, but the two wouldn't let up. There were words thrown on both sides about the other until Shayera got up gathering her paper with her while still yelling back at Huntress before leaving out in a fit of rage.
The remaining ladies only stayed for a few more minutes before they began to excuse themselves (mostly to calm each other down) to their rooms. It was Black Canary with Huntress who already looked like she was planning a lecture in her eyes, and Ice with Fire leaving together with Ice rubbing soothing circles on Fire's back trying to calm her nerves. Once all the goodbyes were said and done Diana took a moment to process everything that just took place. She never knew why Shayera was so adamant that she was not grouped as a little. The princess thought that would be the best thing for the Thanagarian as it would get her the proper care she needed.
She couldn't help but feel an urge to comfort her friend. Diana wasted no more time making her way out of her room in a speed walk to the door just a couple of doors down from hers. She knocked three times at the door and received no answer. She stopped herself from knocking for the second time, hearing the soft cries coming from the inside. Her stomach turned in pain at hearing her cries. She used her earrings to gain access into the room finding Shayera balled up on the bed with her head tucked into her knees. She stayed in balled together not even noticing another's presence. Diana herself was struck with emotions after seeing her friend in such a vulnerable state, that she rushed to the side of the bed nearly tripping on some clothes on the floor just to get to Shayera.
When she was kneeling next to Shayera, she was then finally acknowledged as Shayera looked up at her sobbing out that she was not a little repetitive. It took a lot from Diana to hold back her tears, trying to soothe Shayera with a tight embrace and gentle words that were crooked out. It was a long while before either one was able to calm down to reason, but by the end of it, both were too tired to even move, taking the time to drift off into dreamland. When they finally woke up Shyera was in little space. Surprised but not put off Diana took the time to play with and take care of her making sure not to ask any personal questions.
That day the atmosphere between the two changed greatly. Diana started doing little things for Shayera to make her life easier like reminding her to eat 3 times a day, making sure she gets a good rest, and even going as far as reading her bedtime stories to her and her stuffies. There have been times when Shayera has gotten overwhelmed with the amount of care she was being shown and would shut off from the outside world. But Diana wouldn't let her just go, she would give her space at first but once Shayera started showing signs of losing control of herself Diana would not hesitate to step in and show her that she doesn't have to do it alone.
"What are you smiling about," chimed Shayera, pulling Diana from her memories. Diana looked back to Shayera who was now propped up, watching the princess with a slight grin. Diana couldn't help the smile that spread itself across her face, Shayera looked to be the picture of Little at that moment. Her head was tilted slightly to the side, her eyes wide with her pupils blown out, and her adorable grin resting on her face.
"You think if you were a little you would mind having me as your caregiver?" Diana asked the question without much thought. The question was quiet against the cartoon playing, but it repeated itself inside of Shayera's head. Ringing like an echo, getting louder with each repeat.
Diana was surprised that the question made itself outside of her inner monologue. She didn't know what possessed her to ask such an insensitive question, or why she would even think of such a thing to begin with. She stared in shock at the redhead with her mouth wide open.
"I didn't mean it-I'm sorry." the words sputtered out of Dianas' mouth faster than she could comprehend them. They meshed together with speed, lacking accuracy. Her thoughts were racing as she watched as tears built up inside of Shayera's eyes that continued to stare into her own.
'Should she say something? Do something?' The thought of leaving even crossed her mind before getting tossed out just as fast as it came in. Before she could ponder on it any longer, she heard something that she thought she would never hear.
"I wouldn't mind being your little one if things were to work out like that. To be honest." Her voice was…loud? She was confident in what she was saying. Even with tears in her eyes, she knew that at that moment she wanted to confess one of her darkest secrets to one of her most trusted friends.
There was a moment of silence that hovered in the air over them. They stared into each other's eyes, searching for something. Anything that could give them a glimpse into the future. A future that might have both of them side by side in their wanted, no-needed roles. Diana couldn't help the smile that bloomed across her face at just imagining her life with Shayera. Her smile must've been contagious because it didn't take long for one to bloom onto Shayera's face as well.
With a boost of confidence, Diana scoots over to sit right next to Shayera with her legs bent towards the redhead to the point of them touching. " Yeah, well I would have the most adorable little one there ever was," she exclaimed. Shayera's face blossomed with different shades of pink from her ears to her neck. She didn't know how to exactly respond to such a bold statement like that. She bowed her head to hide her ever-growing blush from Diana. She played with her fingers in her lap still holding her tea. Her head was beginning to get fuzzy, and her stomach was filling with warmth all over. When she looked back up to her friend, her smile was childlike: her pupils were blown out and her smile let out a high-pitched squeal.
"You think so?" the redhead questioned as she gazed curiously up at the Amazon who towered over her.
"You think so?" her voice was higher in pitch but still hers'. Her question was playful, but you could still hear a hint of insecurity in her voice. Her eyes held questions that Diana wanted to hear so badly. It was almost like a switch had been flipped inside her head. One that has been long neglected.
"Oh, I know so!" Diana reassured, moving her arm that was closest to Shayera, but before she moved any further she abruptly stopped midair.
"May I hug you Shayera?" she asked cautiously, not wanting to push any boundaries but also wanting to be close to her. She waited patiently for an answer, although she was hoping for a yes, she knew that a no was more likely.
Instead of answering her verbally, Shayera took to moving swiftly to Diana, taking occupation in Diana's lap and facing her. She boldly settled into the princess's lap, adjusting the princess's arms to wrap around her body. Tucking her head into Diana's neck and at that moment, she finally felt at peace. Finally with someone that will take care of her.
Diana could feel her heartwarming like a heat wave sending waves throughout her body. She bent down to nurse Shayera's head, inhaling the scent of coconut and mango in her hair.