Heathens

six.

The three younger Heathens blinked in shock when they saw Tigress out of uniform sitting next to their leader, her arm wrapped casually around Jade as she ate the ebony haired assassin's onion rings. The blonde noticed the looks she was getting and shrugged. "What? A girl can't enjoy some dinner with her older sister and teammates?"

"Uh, since when are we your teammates?" Jason asked, snatching the onion ring out of Tigress' hand.

She stared at him, hand still raised in the air. "Okay, rude, you clearly knew I was going to eat that." She turned to Jade, an expression of mock hurt on her face. "Jae, you didn't tell the rest of the team about me? Ouch."

Jade smirked. "I told Rose."

Tara and Jason whipped their heads to glare at the aforementioned mercenary, who raised her hands in surrender. "Cheshire mentioned she had a sister, not that her sister was freaking Tigress!" Rose narrowed her eyes at the blonde. "What are you even doing here, Kelloggs?"

Tigress smirked and the three younger Heathens could see the family resemblance. "I already said it, didn't I? I'm here to celebrate our victory." The younger three Heathens stared back at her and she rolled her eyes. "You're welcome, by the way."

Rose spluttered, "What?"

Tigress's lips twitched into a wide smirk, a near carbon copy of her sister's. "Do you really think that my arrow would get stuck?" She tossed her head back and laughed, only to be elbowed by her sister who felt the gazes of the customers in the restaurant on them. The blonde had reduced to chortling, reaching over to pick another onion ring despite Jason's scowl.

Tara tilted her head as Jason eyed the onion rings as if they were traitors. "Uhh, yeah?"

"Well, sorry to burst your bubble," Tigress munched on the ring, "but I purposely sabotaged the mission for the team, and that foam does not come out easily. So, you're welcome."

She smugly smirked, watching the three teens as if waiting for a response. All she got was a scoff from Rose, an eye roll from Terra and a pointed look from Jason. "We could've handled ourselves," was his deadpan response, "We didn't need your help."

Jade rested a hand on her sister's elbow, both having a silent conversation that lasted seconds. When it ended, the cat-themed assassin turned to her Kittens. "Guys," she calmly said, "This team is still young. We have a lot to learn, both about our enemies and ourselves."

Tara leaned back into the cushion, muttering something about how the amount of case files back home were begging to differ. She was supported with two hums of approval.

"I'm just saying, we should take help where we can get it," She caught their gaze, frowning at the somber expressions. "Just until we don't need it, okay?"

Silence filled the booth as the younger Heathens shared a look, took a deep breath, and then nodded simultaneously. "Sure thing," Rose muttered.

Tigress simply kept quiet and reached over to snag another onion ring, frowning when the plate was empty. She arched an eyebrow at the only boy, who had his cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk and a huge grin on his face. The daughter of Deathstroke noticed this and stifled giggles as Tara leaned back in disgust. He said something, which was either "Cookies go pouting" or "Looking for something?"

The blonde shook her head, slightly impressed. She turned to her sister, who had a cleverly disguised look of amusement, gesturing to the kids. "Good batch," she mused, "When are you going to adopt them?"

Jade turned a bright red as the teens spluttered. The cat-themed assassin couldn't help the automatic response that flew out of her lips, "They're taken."

Silence filled the table as all eyes fell on her. Artemis poked her sister, a smirk dancing on her lips. "So, you were considering it?"

Her sister glanced at the kids, avoiding their eyes but reading their tense postures. "They, uh, are basically the kids of Deaths-"

Rose obnoxiously coughed, drowning the name of her father's alter-ego. Terra crossed her arms, scoffing and visibly biting her cheek to hold her words back, muttering something that sounded suspiciously of "Dad-killer, more like it."

Jason, who was still furiously chewing, attempted to say something, only to choke. Both girls on either side slapped his back in perfect sync. After a good minute of coughing, Jason pointed to Jade, "Ain't my father, but he sure is my daddy - ow!"

He rubbed his shoulders, where both girls had hit him once more. "Guys," he protested, "I wasn't-"

"That is my father," Rose hissed, pink dusting her cheeks as Terra waved her hand around, fanning her own face and not making eye contact with the only male.

Artemis laughed into her - Jade's - soda as the mother cat leaned over and flicked the raven-haired boy on the nose, which immediately scrunched up. "Jason!" She hissed.

"Ow! Watch the nails, lady!" He pouted, "Is it pick-on-Jason day?"

"No," Rose scowled, "It's beat on Jason because he says stupid crap day."

"I thought it was funny." Artemis hummed, sipping the soda obnoxiously.

"Nobody asked you, blondie." Rose snapped, still flustered over Jason's statement.

The said woman raised her hands in mock surrender, a smirk dancing on her lips. "Just saying," she cooly replied, "just using my right for freedom of speech. Is that not a thing?"

"Whatever," Terra responded this time, glancing at the white-haired teenager, "Kelloggs."

Rose gave Tara a side smile, quickly fixing her face when Jason arched a brow. She scowled at the look he was giving them, whacking him another time.

"Ow! What'd I do this time?" Jason whined.

Before Rose could reply, Artemis cleared her throat. Almost immediately, all eyes turned to the blonde, who started to wipe her hands on an unfolded napkin. "Well," she announced, placing it down in a crumpled mess, "Would you look at the time? It simply flies when you're having fun."

"Besides," she shot a wink at her sister before slipping out of the booth, "Mom gets worried when her daughters aren't in bed, and we don't want that happening."

She cast one last look at the cat-themed assassin, eyes burning into Jade before she turned heel and left as silently as she entered, a loud goodbye the last thing they heard from the double agent.

As soon as Artemis was gone all eyes fell on Jade, who stared calmly back as she sipped her soda. She arched her brow. "Yes?"

"Dude, your sister is hot." Jason ducked under the three girls' hands as they all went to hit him, snickering as he crawled under the table to escape.

"Do you have no shame?" Tara sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

Jason grinned widely. "Nope." 

Author's Note: Hey y'all! Sorry for the delay in update, life happens. 

Strap in for a wild ride, the twists are just starting. ;)

-beans