Being the quiet one has its advantages. Never being seen means you tend to notice things about people - their quirks and habits, what they do when they're nervous.- Things that tend to make you know a person well without knowing them personally, sometimes even more so then they know themselves. Snake eyes knew that, he embraced it. Knowing but not being known, that was how he worked.

Although there is always that one exception to the rule, and she just happened to be it.

*Flashback*

"Hey Snakes," She smiled as she passed by, her scarlet hair fanning around her as she turned the corner at top speed. "You should stop hiding in the dark so much, I like seeing you around when you're here." Snake eyes, when he was still able to speak, was pretty close to Scarlett but after the accident he was usually only 'there' when he was needed. Not many of the green shirts knew ASL, and he lost some of his badass edge when he needed someone to translate for him.

Scarlett didn't seem to mind though, she was one of the biggest supporters of the skill. She did everything short of tying his butt to a chair and forcing him to learn it. And- although he was too stubborn to admit it- she was right. It did work well and made everything easier…to an extent. He still didn't like being in public even with his mask on, not that he ever did in the first place, but the extensive scaring was still there no matter how much he hid it.

Scarlett just didn't seem to care though, she was always smiling at him, talking to him or just sitting near him. He appreciated it but there was still a part of him that though it was just out of pity and guilt. He got hurt trying to save her, and a part of him had been angry with her afterwards, but mostly it was a vanity and self conscious matter. How was someone as beautiful as the fiery red head supposed to love a man as disfigured as he? Let alone look at him in passing?

He steered clear, it was better for everyone that way, but she just kept coming back. She talked to him, where others would look away awkwardly because of his inability to verbally speak with them, and there lack of knowledge on ASL. Of course his JOE team didn't act like that, they all eagerly jumped at the idea of learning sign language when Scarlett brought it up. They all talked to him as if it weren't weird at all, like the accident had never happened, and if it weren't for his face it could have been. He knew what the others thought even if they didn't let it show, he was a ninja after all he knew almost everything about everyone all without once looking into there personal records (well maybe once or twice, he got board easily).

Even after all the crap he gave Scarlett about the sign language she still stuck by him and helped him learn (forced him at gun point and tied him to a chair). He eventually stopped struggling (his wrists were starting to chafe) and actually retained what she was teaching him. It actually gave him a little more insight on the little red-headed she-devil. It turned out that she used to volunteer at a school for the deaf while she was in college, and was fluent in ASL. It even brought them a little bit closer by the sheer fact that she could carry on a full conversation without stopping to think about what he said or how to say something back.

Now that he thought about it, as close as they had been before, he knew Scarlett better now then he ever did when he could speak. It was weird that one of the first things she had said to him when they really talked about the accident for the first time was that he should focus on the positive aspects that could come out of it. She had gone and listed the different ways that it could help improve his already incredible ninja abilities. She had even said that women love the strong silent type and that scars were sexy, she blushed when she said it which had actually made him pretty happy the rest of that day.

She never mentioned that getting to know the woman he was in love with a lot more then he ever could have before as one of the perks, but it was. He had found out during one of there study sessions, that she couldn't cook to save her life, even though her mother was an amazing 'wizard of the culinary arts' (her words not his). She hated apple pie but was a sucker for cherry, and was addicted to her father's tea. She never like cats all that much but loved dogs, and even had a German Sheppard growing up. She grew up riding horses and even had a few medals from competitions that she was in when she was younger.

Through out there study time (they usually ended up goofing off half the time) they had gotten to know each other more and more, and he found himself even more infatuated with the feisty sergeant. He had finally broken down and asked her how she had managed to shoot so well that she even out did him in the shooting range. (Her record of all twenty kills still stood to this day) It turned out that her father had taught her how to shoot and had been doing so since she was nine years old, it made sense considering she grew up on a farm in the south.

She told him all about her family and even explained why her sister had tried to cut her off from life support. They spent a lot of time together but it was only when they were alone, he was never openly friendly with her when they were with the other JOEs'. Besides it ruining her reputation of one of the toughest in the entire outfit, he was never one to bring attention to himself especially now, and Scarlett always had the attention of someone. Whether she was yelling at a green shirt to get their act together, or joking with the guys, or putting an overzealous man in his place for ever thinking she was weaker than him. It was hard not to miss her.

He decided it, then and there, that he would stop hiding from everyone. They were his friends, his family, and they deserved to know that he thought of them that way. Starting with Scarlett. Snake-eyes turned and followed the path that Scarlett had been racing down, determined to thank her for everything. And stopped dead in his tracks.

Sitting in bunker with CoverGirl and Lady Jaye, was Scarlett. This wasn't unusual considering they were all best friends. What was unusual was the fact that they were giving each other pedicures. He would expect this kind of thing from CoverGirl and Lady Jaye but Scarlett? The tough as nails, one of the boys, you mess with me and you families gene pool will cease to exist Scarlett O'Hara was getting her nails done and laughing like a little school girl with the former model and celebrity A-lister? It didn't seem forced at all either. She was laughing and smiling in a light care free way that he hadn't seen in a very long time.

*Flashback ends*

He had ended up seeing that smile again though. A lot more often over the years and mostly directed at him. It was no secret that they were together. It was also not a secret that the only one who could ever pull a fast one on the ever observant ninja was Scarlett O'Hara, and the only one with the guts to try. She through him for a loop more than once. Everytime he though he had her completely and uterly figured out, she always did something that left his mind spinning in confusion. There was always an exception to every rule, and she was his. He was glad for it though, she wouldn't be Scarlett -HIS Scarlett- without it.