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Yue remembered being seven and holding her mother's hand as they went from apartment to apartment in the small building complex, collecting candy from their neighbours on Halloween night rather than travelling into the dark streets surrounding Crime Alley.
She remembered the costumes her mother would spend weeks saving up to buy from the local corner store, and she remembered the last Halloween they spent together when she was twelve; She dressed up as a fairy that year, with a pair of cheap wings that her mother had to hand-stitch back together when she got them caught in the doorway of her bedroom.
After moving in with Bruce Wayne, Halloweens were no longer spent trick-or-treating but rather on patrol to protect the city from itself. Spending three years like that, she can't help but think that today is odd.
She's benched until Black Canary clears her for active duty, so instead of wearing the Flamebird suit and perching herself on a rooftop to watch for crime, she's wearing another fairy costume and getting ready for a party like any other teenager would.
"I've never been to a Halloween dance before," M'gann says as she rifles through the plastic bag of supplies she had bought the week before for Conner's costume. "Well- I've never done anything for Halloween before, actually."
Yue stands in front of the small mirror on the wall of M'gann's bedroom, smearing pink lip gloss across her lips before she smiles. "It was nice of you to invite the team." With one last look in the mirror, she turns around to face the girl. "I think a Halloween party is just what all of us need right now."
"That's what I was thinking!" M'gann nods excitedly, and then her smile falters. "But it's a shame that Robin and Kaldur can't come."
"Yeah, parties aren't exactly Rob's thing," Yue replies with a shrug of her shoulders. It wasn't a complete lie, he didn't mind parties – he had been planning his birthday for a while now – it was Wayne Galas he detested.
She glances down at her phone, watching with a grin as a text from Wally lights up the screen. "Adding final touches now and then I'll be on my way, babe." Her cheeks heated up at the pet name, she was sure no matter how many times he had called her that over the last two weeks, she would never be used to it.
"Was that Wally?" M'gann asks, her lips curling into a smile of her own as she stares over at her friend.
"Yeah, he said he's almost ready."
"I'm really happy for the both of you," she says. "At least something good came out of..." Yue doesn't miss the look of guilt and regret that flashes in M'gann's eyes as she cuts herself off.
A knock taps against the door quietly and when M'gann answers with a "come in", the metal door slides open and Black Canary leans her head inside. The hero's eyes scan over the girls, a soft smile tugging at her lips. "Hey, girls." She greets as she enters the bedroom. "I have time for another session if one of you would like to come in before you leave for the dance."
