The Arachnid (Various Young Justice x OC)

Downtime

Kaldur was thrown into the wall, a dent forming on the metal. Clayface stood above the knocked down team, their faces and suits a mess of mud, clay, and dirt.

Arachnid's eyes slowly opened. She pressed the SOS button attached to the collar of her hood.

The villain laughed and went over to Kaldur. He was going to finsih this once and for all. The glass above them shattered, Batman falling through and throwing boomerangs at the villain.

They exploded and Clayface lost his arm. Batman pulled out a taser, which melted the villain completely. Batman was not happy with the co-leader.

——

The team lined up in the cave of Mount Justice. Batman stood in front of them.

"I need to talk to Aqualad." Batman told the group. "The rest of you, hit the showers and head home."

"Head home?" Superboy asked. "I am home."

Robin stayed with Kaldur.

"Just Aqualad." Batman told his protege.

He quietly made his way to the showers with the rest of the boys.

"I am sorry you had to intervene." Kaldur told the hero. Marie listened in, sticking to the ceiling. "I know the team performed poorly-"

"The team performed adequately." Batman interrupted. "Marie was right to call me when you were all at the lowest point of the fight. The problem was you. You're their co-leader, and your head wasn't in the game."

"No, you are..." Kaldur sighed. "Correct. Of late I am not even convinced I belong on the surface world. For so many years, it filled my every thought. But now that I am here, my dreams are all Atlantis."

"Atlantis... or someone you left behind?" Batman asked.

Marie raised an eyebrow. How did her mentor know, last time she checked the only reason women showed any interest was because he was rich and good looking. He had no way with women at all.

"You can split your time between the surface and the sea, but not your mind." Batman told him. "Either you're here 100% or you need to walk away. Make a decision, Kaldur, and make it soon."

Batman walked out of the room. Marie followed him, staying on the ceiling. He stopped in one of the hallways.

"Head to the showers, Marie. Then to the Batcave." Batman said. "Like I ordered." He looked directly up at her.

She smiled innocently and jumped down. "Yeah, I'll do that." She walked off to where Artemis and Megan were as Batman headed home.

Marie entered the locker rooms first. She grabbed the spare clothes she kept in there along with a bath towel. She headed to the showers. She excited at the same time as Superboy excited the boys' shower rooms.

Superboy dried his hair with a towel. He silently watched as Marie kept her dark hair wet. It had begun to curl naturally.

"I didn't know your hair was naturally like that." Superboy stated.

Marie turned to him. Her spider senses had already warned her he was there.

"Yeah, I always try to straighten it." She replied bashfully. "I didn't think my natural hair looked good-"

"You look amazing." Superboy said before thinking.

She smiled and looked down. She started heading to the library part of the cave.

"I meant, it looks amazing." Superboy corrected, following her.

"Do you and Megan mind if I stay here for a little while?" She asked him, changing the subject. "I should get to know my team, and you two are a part of it."