Author's Note: I got this idea from reading a fanfic for the X-Men (don't judge me :D) and I thought that it would make a really cool one-shot for our little band of misfits. I love this idea, though. I started to wonder what they would like to outsiders, random people that refuse to see what's there or what is there. Fascianating to think about.

So first, I need to give credit to Tarafina for thinking of the "random stranger POV" first. I'm just going to give it my view of how the world sees our little group. :D

And secondly, the Edison Group is gone. :D So, this way, I get to set the pace and not make them run.

Disclaimer: I do not own Darkest Powers. I just like to play with the characters. :D

Now that that's out of the way, on with the one-shot. Enjoy. :D

You Can't Help But Smile

Stranger #1

Walking among the clothes racks in yet another trendy store that my daughters drug me to, I couldn't help but notice the rather odd-looking group of teens browsing through the racks.

One was a rather cute blond Asian, who had a look of "I'd-rather-be-anywhere-but-here" on his face as he listened to a black-haired beauty who was basically insulting how he dressed, rather bitchily, too.

Off to the side, there was a hulking figure with dark hair that hid his eyes and a disconcerting air about his that made me want to run screaming from the store. Standing beside him, there was a girl-child. She had her hand over her mouth in an effort to stop her giggles at the scene before her.

Suddenly, he pulled her to him in a rather rough way, almost bordering on abusive for how much the girl weighed. She slammed into his torso as he growled.

Quickly turning away, I signaled to my girls that we were leaving. I wanted to be out of before they started trouble.

Stranger #2 (a man)

Sitting down at the table in the food court, I couldn't help but look up from my meal at the sound of a pretty laugh from a few tables over.

What I saw was four teenagers that looked like they had nothing in common. There was a blond Asian that looked rather easy-going and jockish, a gorgeous dark-haired teen that looked so stuck-up that she might have a broomstick stuck up her ass, a small blond girl-child that was the source of the laugh, and a rather intimidating looking brute that looked like he'd rather go kill something than sit there.

Considering all of this, at first glance, you couldn't tell why they were hanging out together. But as I sat and ate my lunch, I started to notice things.

The blond boy and the dark-haired girl weren't fighting, they were bantering affectionately. You could tell by the grins that they flashed at the brutish boy and the small girl when the other wasn't looking and by the twinkle in their eyes as they went back and forth, enjoying slinging com-backs.

The big guy had his arm draped over the back of the small blonde's chair. Every once in a while he'd smirk at the banter in front of him while the small girl laughed. Every so often he'd lean down and whisper something in her ear, either causing her to blush or lean up against his side affectionately, intimately. One could wonder what the small blond saw in the big brute, but you wouldn't have to look very far to know. It was in the way he sat by her, protectively. Or the way he'd play with the ends of her hair as it brushed against his arm, or it could have been the small smile he'd give her when she laughed or slung a come-back at the two in front of them.

One could also wonder what he saw in the small girl. Again, you wouldn't have to look very far to know. For her size, she didn't show any fear of him, and she was comfortable being so near him. There weren't many others around their table, obviously made uncomfortable by him, but she made sure he knew that she wasn't cowed by his presence by keeping a hand on his knee, occasionally leaning into him. It was in the secret smile she gave only him, or the way she played with his hand that would brush against her shoulders, tickling her. It was in the way that she looked at him, like he was the only man for her, making sure he knew that he was cared for and nothing would change that.

I smiled as I finished my lunch.

It's amazing what a little observation reveals to someone who has the ability to look at the underlying gestures.

It's amazing and you can't help but smile as you realize that sometimes, differences are what defines relationships, that those differences make another love you.

You can't help but smile at life's sweet lessons.

So? What'd you think? I liked the contrast of the two totally different strangers. I, for one, love to people watch, so I brought that element to the table and thought I did alright. Review! Please! Let me know what you think. :D