Metal Has No Heartbeat (A Blue Beetle/Jaime Reyes [Young Justice] Fanfiction)

Ten: Furnace Boyfriend

I mean, I'd call it awkward.

Lenore being Lenore is smiling cheerfully and claiming it is fine.

Axel is still trying to decide how he feels, by the looks of it.

We're in the mountain's 'living-room', which is basically a very metallic styled open floor plan of a kitchen and lounge. There is a sofa, table, mat and TV. Right now some people are on the floor, some are sitting on the seat and some are standing.

They are all staring at us, trying to decide who will go first. It's introduction time; they already know us but we don't really know them.

Also, M'gann is blushing and refusing to meet my gaze. I suppose she could see what Jaime and I were up to about an hour ago, which makes me blush.

Nightwing is the one to sort things. He makes Miss Martian start and they go down in age order. We are introduced to her, Superboy (Conner), Batgirl, Bumblebee (Karen), Lagoon Boy (La'gann), Beast Boy (Gar), Robin, Wondergirl (Cass) and Axel and Lenore meet Jaime.

Axel seems reluctant to look Jaime in the eye. 

"Where is- Uh," Lenore ponders her first question for the team.

"Blade?" Nightwing answers for her. She blushes and nods. Weird. "Blade has decided to take a break from her mask for a while. We both think it will be good for her. She needs to decide how she is going to cope with the situation at hand," a female voice says from behind us.

I twist around on the couch, to see the Black Canary, member of the Birds of Prey, walking towards us.

"Hello there," she smiles, "I see the three of you are settling in nicely."

Before I can smile back I feel her words. Cope with the situation... Cope with the situation?

"Forgive me, but exactly what is Blade having to cope with?" I ask, managing to obtain a curious tone rather than a snide one.

Canary simply smiles, "I'll explain, as I'd like to talk to all of you, if you wouldn't mind."

Great. Therapy. Like I haven't had enough of that after having metal cells implanted in my body during hours of torture.

"Of course," Lenore smiles, rescuing Axel and I from a moment of reminisce.

"Fantastic. When you're all done here perhaps I could begin with you, Gold?"

I don't look at Lenore but I know she's still smiling, refusing to let fear cloud her expression. She was always one to do that; act like a flower princess to pretend everything is okay. And hey? If it works, she should keep doing it. I do the same but with a smile of 'chilled mischief' instead of 'the world is made of candy and gumdrops'.

The group sort of eases up after that. I watch Lenore walk away with Black Canary and instantly miss her comfort. I don't really care for Axel and with him being so grumpy lately it's worse.

That's his cover, not that it works. He acts grumpy to hide fear and believe me when I say these people are terrifying. Flight, mind-reading, transformation, super strength, super speed.

Wait.

"Where's the fast guy?" I ask, looking around the room. Smaller conversations quieten down as Nightwing answers.

"He's retired for now," he responds. I suppose a couple of them have gone; Aquagirl, Troia.

"What about the water guy?" Axel adds. Of course! Aqua...lad! Aqualad! Where is he?