The Arachnid (Various Young Justice x OC)

Being Human

Marie sat on the couch, bored out of her mind in the cave. She watched the TV's static flash in front of her.

"Arachnid." A voice called out. "If I wasn't mistaken, the Batman had given everyone time off today."

"He did." Marie responded as she turned to face Red Tornado. She didn't even bother to put her mask and hood on. "Robin's hanging out with his friend, Kaldur is visiting family, Megan and Superboy are hanging out with each other, and not a single criminal wants to be stopped by the Amazing Arachnid."

"I've heard Red Arrow is available." Red Tornado suggested.

"He's not answering any of my calls." She told him.

There was a moment of silence. The two thought for a moment for a way to cure her boredom. Marie smiled.

"We could hang out!" She said. "I've got no one, you've got no one, we've both got no one."

"I'm afraid I don't know what it takes to... 'hang out'." He told her. He then went over to the couch and sat next to her. "But a part of my reason for being here is to be more human."

"So, who's better to be with than a teenage girl?" She asked him. "Trust me, the League members are as stiff as rocks."

Red Tornado thought for a moment. "Let us... hang out."

Marie jumped off the couch and pumped a fist in the air. She laughed. "I know just where to go first!"

——

"The Cats and Coffee Shop." Red Tornado read the sign.

"Of course." Marie said as she lead him inside. She had quickly changed into her regular clothes with sunglasses on. "People love coffee and cats. Learn how to like them too, and you're on your way to being one."

"Being a cat?" Red Tornado asked as Marie sat him down on a bean bag chair.

"No! No." She said. "To be more human."

A car jumped on Red Tornado's lap. It kept running against him, trying to get the hero to pet him. Tornado lifted his head to see Marie petting the cats as they lay in her lap. She was smiling and laughing, simply enjoying the interaction.

Red Tornado looked down at his lap to see the cat looking back up at him. He followed what Marie was doing and started to pet the cat.

"Aren't they so soft?" Marie cooed.

"I'm afraid I can't physically feel these things." He said.

"Oh." She said. "Sorry."

                                  ——

"Another part of being an everyday person is learning how to drive." Marie said to Red Tornado, who was in her car.

"How do I manually control this?" He asked her.

"Just press your foot on the gas pedal and turn the wheel." Marie said. "Make sure the car isn't in reverse."

Red Tornado didn't know how to check that. He pressed his foot on the gas pedal and the car started driving forward.

"Good!" Marie said. The car continued driving forward towards a tree. "Now turn." She said. Red Tornado didn't turn. "Red Tornado, turn." The car was about to hit the tree. "Turn! The! Car!"

A crash sounded as her car hit the tree. Red Tornado rolled down the window and looked at Marie.

"You know what, that's okay." She said. "Nothing a mechanic can't fix."