The Bird & the Blade

Restraint

Damian's point of view:
   I watched the fighting with little interest even as Hunter observed them. She calculated their every move, watching for repeats in pattern of their movements. Her eyes never left one opponent for to long before switching back. She seemed to enjoy watching Beast boys transformations but her gaze was cold and untrusting when directed at Raven.

   It was odd, Raven was no more evil than her inherited abilities but it seemed to make Hunter more reserved. I stood by her side with enough distance not to cause any glances but it was killing me. Her eyes when I told her on the beach were sickening. Her eyes were wide, her face had fallen in dismay, her eyes immediately directed themselves away from me.

   Even after my explanation her gaze remained away from mine. I wished her ever watching gaze would have stayed away though. She saw my scars that stretched across both sides of my body. The scar from my almost death due to the hands of my genetic clone. I still felt the pain of the sword when ever their was to much pressure. I had never wanted her to see the wound but when her fingers grazed the scar all I thought was about another attack.

    When I realized it was her she managed to get a full glimpse of me before I turned away from her. I pushed off her questions to spare her horror and instead tried to forget it. I could see the burning gaze of her eyes though. I couldn't look for long, I didn't want to see her disgust in her eyes, the horror at the marks. Her curiosity though was there even despite my best attempts to push it away.

   Now though what annoyed me was less of the instance on the beach but more her gaze watching Jon. While he was the closest companion I had and my best friend, he was showing off for her. It probably wouldn't have bothered me as much as it did if she didn't look to be amused by his cocky and overdramatized attacks on starfire.

   Starfire was slow to counter him originally as he was much faster than she was and stronger but she countered him after she analyzed his moves. Kaldur wasn't as thrilled with Hunter and it was obvious. Aquaman's young apprentice wasn't as trusting of Hunter as the others. His gaze when he wasn't talking with Jaime aka Blue Beetle, his glare was directed on Hunter. I knew she noticed it but didn't react to his menacing looks.

   I had the urge to throw my arm over her shoulder protectively but it would expose us. I wanted her to get adapted to the team and then trust her without my romantic affiliations for her. That didn't end well with Tera and Beast Boy. Kaldur still didn't completely trust the changelings decisions.

   It was Kaldur's water control that really put Hunter on edge enough to make her back up. It seemed the distrust wasn't just one way, both seemed suspicious of the other. I looked at her before I watched everyone else. They seemed uninterested in the match and us at the moment so I asked "What's wrong?"

Hunter barely took her eyes off her analytical watching as she said "Aqualad." I nodded before I watched her. I was waiting for her to continue but she didn't. I nudged her slightly and she looked at me confused before she realized my curiosity probably radiating from my gaze and clarified "He controls water and electricity neither which is my favorite thing." I nodded remembering her distaste for water training in the assassins but the electricity was new.

I felt my face turn down in frustration as I raised my eyes brows. She got the hint eventually with an amused smile before she said "I'm not a fan of electricity simply for the metal in my claws." I was surprised I hadn't considered it earlier before suddenly I realized the true danger of her being near anything electrical. Her body was more conducive than a car but yet she lives and breaths meaning electrical shocks were life threatening.

I realized her distancing from Kaldur was probably the safest option as they seemed to be opposites of each other. I didn't realize I had moved to stand in front of Hunter protectively till Jon came up behind us and was talking to Hunter.