I'm back with another installment of the long intricate universe! Hope you didn't miss me too bad!
Enjoy and review!
NJPNJPNJP
The morning was quiet, as it was lately. Music played softly on the air and there was murmurings but nothing jarring. Until…
"No." Christopher frowned.
"No what?" Cyborg asked, preoccupied with potatoes.
"I don't want that." He set his sippy cup down.
"But it is the juice of oranges!" Starfire exclaimed, wide-eyed. "Your favorite!"
"I want a cup."
"You have your cup." She picked it up to make sure it was his. "Yes, this is yours."
"No, Mommy. I want a cup like you."
Cyborg and Raven looked at each other then the little boy in shock.
Starfire was shocked herself. "You do?!"
"Yeah, Mommy." Christopher kicked his legs gently.
"What's going on?" Nightwing asked as he, Jinx with Talah and Bumble Bee with Calvin and Marco walked in.
"Chris wants to use a big boy cup." Raven told him as Starfire burst into tears.
"What's wrong, Mommy?" Christopher was worried. "Did I do something bad?"
"Of course not, Chris." Nightwing put a hand to his shoulder before hugging his pregnant wife. "It's alright, Star."
Starfire sobbed. "My bumgorf is the growing up! Soon he will leave me!"
"He will?!" Bumble Bee's face crumpled.
"Why?!" Jinx followed right behind.
Raven sniffled and wiped away a tear as she moved a box of chocolates. "They're all growing up."
Nightwing and Cyborg grimaced. They looked at each other, lost as a newborn deer in a snowstorm.
All four wept as if their children were being taken away that very moment.
The tower began shaking.
"Bas!" Cyborg and Nightwing came to the same conclusion at the same exact time.
Christopher slid from his chair and went to hug his mother's legs. "I'm not going anywhere, Mommy. Don't cry. I love you."
Calvin rubbed Bumble Bee's leg. "No cry, Mommy."
Marco shrieked as he patted her face.
"You need to start talking." Jinx told Talah as she sniffled.
Raven put a hand to her stomach then remembered that she had two kids that could talk. "I'll be back."
"Are you all- is it over?" Cyborg was still a bit terrified.
"Yes, it is, you big scaredy cat." Jinx mocked.
"Are you sure?" Nightwing asked his wife.
Who nodded. "I am the sure. I am quite gladdened now. Christopher shall try the cup and see how he does. It is a rite for him and I am gladdened that we are here to see it."
"Glad to see it?" Cyborg snorted. "He doesn't go anywhere."
Bumble Bee and Jinx turned so fast, he jumped back.
Nightwing and Starfire added to the glare, albeit for different reasons.
"I'm sorry?" Cyborg hid his face.
Starfire rolled her eyes. "Come, bumgorf. Let us choose a cup for you."
Christopher took her hand and began hovering. She did as well and both flew over to the cupboard to choose a mug for him to drink out of. "I like that one!"
Starfire took it down. "But it does not describe you, little one."
"I know but it's yellow and yellow is a happy color."
Bumble Bee burst into tears. When they all looked at her, she put up a hand. "Don't mind me!"
Nightwing wasn't sure he should let it go but she'd already turned her back. "Okay… What are you drinking out of your cup, Buddy? Think you're ready for some coffee?"
Christopher cracked up laughing. "No, Daddy!"
"It's good." Nightwing teased.
"Not the way you take it." Bumble Bee mumbled.
The Sagittarius was glad his sister was happy again but that didn't mean he wanted her against him! "Thank you."
"You're welcome, tar drinker."
He didn't know why he expected any different. He pulled a long suffering face that made Starfire and Christopher giggle. "Let's get you that orange juice so you can try out your new cup."
"What's tar?" Christopher wanted to know.
"Your daddy's morning drink." Bumble Bee finished giving Calvin his sippy cup and Marco his bottle (he could feed himself now).
Starfire giggled.
"I see you're a tart apple." Nightwing shot back.
"Still sweeter than your tar." Bumble Bee winked at him.
Nightwing tried not to laugh but his lips kept twitching. "Why can't you let me win?"
"I wasn't taught to be no loser." She snapped her fingers.
"Yeah, Batman's your dad." He chuckled.
"But he's your daddy, too!" She stuck her tongue out.
"He's my dad, too." Jinx sulked.
Nightwing smiled at her. "You can have him."
"Stop tryin to give my daddy away!" Bumble Bee faux snapped.
"You don't want him!"
"I do, too! He gave me a great birthday present."
"Don't let the shiny stuff fool you. At a certain age, he'll give you the talk."
Bumble Bee's nose wrinkled and she cocked her head slightly.
"The weapons talk." Nightwing clarified.
She laughed.
"Daddy, are you being mean to Grandfather?" Christopher asked suspiciously.
"No." Nightwing hid his grin. "Maybe."
"Yes!" Bumble Bee laughed.
"Naughty." Christopher beamed.
"And what do we do when someone's been naughty?"
"The no-no chair!"
"No!" Nightwing laughed. "Not the no-no chair!"
"Daddy, you're combined to the no-no chair for…" Christopher thought about it. "One minute, thirty seconds!"
"Aww!" Nightwing stomped over to the timeout corner and sat in the chair there. He set his elbows on his knees and his chin on his fists.
Starfire thought it was hilarious and giggled herself to the ceiling.
"You likin the corner, 'Wing?" Cyborg lifted a brow.
Nightwing waited for Christopher to be looking away before he flipped Cyborg off.
Cyborg cracked up.
Raven walked in with Charlotte and Sebastian. "Why are you in the no-no chair?"
"Daddy was naughty." Christopher piped up.
"Oh really?"
Nightwing concentrated very hard and pushed his emotions at the empath.
She wrinkled her nose at him.
"Are you ready to do this?" Bumble Bee asked Christopher.
"Yeah!" The little boy celebrated.
Starfire set the mug on the table and sat him in his seat. "Begin!"
"Wait!" Bumble Bee moved. "Now go!"
Christopher smiled for the camera before picking the mug up with both hands. He wrapped his lips around the edge of the yellow ceramic and brought the cup up.
Too far…
Juice went everywhere! It surprised him and he dropped the cup to clutch his now sopping wet face but luckily the heavy clay didn't break.
Starfire brought a wad of paper towels over and began mopping up the spill that was on the table, chair and floor. "It is all the right. You are fine."
Christopher didn't particularly relish that experience. He just wasn't sure if he should cry.
His aunts jumped in, congratulating him on doing such a good job.
Nightwing got up from his chair and walked over to stroke his five year old's back. "You did good for your first try. Now try it again but this time, only lift it a bit."
Christopher looked up at him, miserable.
"It's okay. You can do it."
Christopher picked up the cup and put it to his lips again. He raised the mug just a bit. "I can't get it."
Nightwing peeked inside. "It's not a lot in there. You can slam it back."
"Slam it back?"
Nightwing made the motions.
Christopher was unsure.
Nightwing got at eye level with his son. "Do you trust me?"
Christopher nodded.
"You can do this. I believe in you."
Christopher nodded again and faced his challenge. He put the cup to his mouth and tipped it far back. The liquid inside flooded his mouth but thankfully not his nose again. He set the mug on the table. "I did it!"
"Yay!" His family yelled.
"What are we celebrating?" Changeling scared everyone in the kitchen.
"Ah!"
"Sorry." He shrugged.
"Chris just drank from a big boy cup." Bumble Bee answered his question.
"Alright!" Changeling held his hand out for the little boy to slap. "You're going to be a grown man in a little bit!"
"No!" Cyborg's and Nightwing's eyes widened.
"What?"
The four women began crying.
"My bad…"
"Welcome!" Argent spread her arms wide. "Haven't seen you guys since New Years!"
Titans West greeted her warmly.
"How's the birthday boy?" Bumble Bee asked.
"He's so cute in his birthday outfit! Kole shopped for weeks to find it." Argent told her as she led them to the elevator.
"We haven't started thinking about birthday stuff yet. Cal hasn't said a thing about what he wants."
"Candy, Mommy." Calvin looked up at her.
She bopped his nose. "You want candy for your birthday?"
"I want candy now."
The boys snickered.
"Okay, baby." Bumble Bee conceded. "Wait until after we see Junior."
"Okay, Mommy!" Calvin was happy, already envisioning the candy he'd receive.
"What about you guys?" Argent stopped at the level for rooms and got out. "Any birthday plans for the kids yet?"
Starfire shook her head. "No. We have not decided as of yet."
"Us either." Raven shrugged. "But we have plenty of time. It's only March."
"Good point." Argent stood aside while they went to the usual rooms to put away their stuff.
"But I don't want to start too late." Bumble Bee came from her room first. "Just in case he wants something big."
"Big like what?"
"I don't know. Maybe a carnival or something?"
"That sounds most amazing!" Starfire came from her room.
"A carnival how?" Raven came next with a trepidatious frown.
"It'll still be just us but a spectacle." Bumble Bee explained. "They rarely leave the house and we haven't taken them to a carnival yet. That's rude. I love the carnival."
"As do I." Starfire nodded. "We have been remiss in our duties as fun parents."
"Aw that's not good!" Changeling jumped in. "I'm always fun!"
"Always?" Bumble Bee asked as Raven said dryly, "Fun?"
"Yes!" He glared at both. "I'm always fun! I'm a nonstop party!"
Kid Flash laughed.
"And what's so funny about that?!"
"Um… nothing."
Changeling narrowed his eyes.
"That's not very fun of you, C." Bumble Bee teased.
"I see you're all against me…"
Raven patted his hand.
He brightened. "I don't need you guys! I got my Rae-Rae!"
"Yay for me…"
Argent giggled. "Let's go up."
They returned to the elevator and rode up to the top level. They spilled out and walked to the common room, which was heavily decorated for Junior's birthday.
"Junior!" The little kids ran over to the newly turned one year old. "Happy birthday!"
"Hi, guys!" Kole exclaimed.
The girls went to embrace her as the guys waited. "Hi, Kole!"
"So I'm invisible?!" Cheshire grouched.
"Do you hear something?" Bumble Bee asked.
"Ha, ha! Very funny!"
"Do you want a hug or not?"
Cheshire walked over. "I shouldn't want one from you."
"That don't hurt my feelings."
Terra and Argent giggled. Kole outright laughed.
Cheshire scowled as the boys snickered.
"Be nice to my girlfriend!" Red Arrow snapped.
"Please!" Bumble Bee held up a hand.
"Don't talk to him like that!" Cheshire set her hands on her hips.
Titans West looked at her in shock and awe.
"I know." Argent whispered. "It's so weird to have her be nice to him."
Bumble Bee smiled wickedly. "So we can't make fun of the love of your life?"
Cheshire blushed. "Shut up."
"No, but he's your one true love."
"Stop it!"
"He's your other half."
"I'm warning you!"
"That you've never been happier?"
Cheshire screamed loudly before stomping out. Red Arrow followed behind.
"You're bad." Changeling wrapped an arm around Bumble Bee. "I like it."
"It might be my favorite part." Nightwing agreed.
Starfire smiled and elbowed him gently. "No."
"I feel like we've been ignoring the guys." Bumble Bee didn't remark upon it one way or another. "How are you doing, Hot Spot? Jericho? Mas y Menos? Aqualad?"
All five were snickering madly. "Hi, Bee!"
"I love the way you're unconcerned with whether she's mad at you or not." Hot Spot said.
"She'll get over it." Bumble Bee shrugged.
Kole giggled. "How have you guys been? Anything new?"
"Christopher has learned to drink from an adult cup!" Starfire bragged.
"Really?!" Titans East was impressed.
"It was just this morn." She nodded. "He did very well."
Hot Spot went to Christopher and held up a hand. "Good job, buddy!"
Christopher hit it. "What I do?"
"You don't know what you did but you still gave me five?" Hot Spot tickled him.
Christopher fell out laughing. "Yes!"
Bumble Bee elbowed Argent slyly. "Someone's exhibiting major fathering skills."
Argent blushed to her roots. "Bee?!"
"Just saying. He'd be a great father and isn't that sexy?"
Cyborg side-eyed her, wheels turning in his head.
"That is the most splendid idea!" Starfire hissed. "Friend Hot Spot is the charming! Make a bumgorf!"
"Guys?!" Argent was so embarrassed and hoped Hot Spot was too far away to hear.
"It's not the worst idea." Jinx said.
Kole giggled. "Snatch him up, Toni!"
"Ugh!" Argent groaned.
"Hello, Rose!" Kole greeted her son's aunt. "I'm glad you could make it!"
"Me too." Rose Wilson (Ravager) nodded. "Have you opened gifts yet?"
"Oh no. You're right on time." She took the present and set it on the table housing gifts.
"Cool."
Kole led the younger girl to the rest of the party and went to pick up her baby boy. "Look, Junior! It's Aunt Rose!"
Junior made growling noises.
"Yeah, Aunt Rose. Say hi."
He headbutted her chest.
"You can't say hi?"
He looked up at her blankly.
"That's okay, sweetheart. You'll say it when you want to."
He smiled, showing off two teeth.
She tickled his chin and he cracked up.
Rose smiled. "Can I hold him?"
"Sure." Kole patted the seat next to her. Rose sat down and Kole handed the bouncing blond over.
Rose cuddled him close. "Hey, Junior. Remember me?"
"I think he does. It's only been a few months since you've seen him last." Kole piped up.
Junior stood up on Rose's lap and reached for her hair. She wasn't fast enough to catch his hand before he had a large tuft between his fingers and was pulling it, hard. "Ow! Let go, Junior!"
Kole had to help. She'd had plenty of practice since he loved pulling her hair as well. "You stop that!"
Junior, meanwhile, laughed. He thought it was a game.
Jericho walked over and clapped twice. Junior looked for him then brightened and reached for his father. That was their code. Dad was trying to get his son used to his unique brand of voice early on and special claps were it.
Jericho dropped onto the couch and took his son from his sister and made faces. Junior cracked up laughing.
"You're such a great dad." Rose watched him as he winced from Junior pulling on his curls.
He nodded.
"You know, I've been seeing someone."
Jericho turned sharply.
"Don't be like that, big brother. He is a very nice guy."
He rolled his eyes.
"He is! I met him at the library."
He frowned.
"Yes, I go to the library!"
He made a face and turned away from her.
"I'm really offended! I've gotten into reading a lot over the years!"
He inclined his head.
"Apology accepted."
He looked at her.
She sighed and relaxed. "He's a funny, sweet, smart guy. He reminds me of you."
He frowned and glared at her.
"Don't be like that! He does! He's very morally upright. He might even be uptight. But I like him."
He sighed heavily, the absence of sound making it deeper somehow. He jerked his head upwards.
"Really?!" She was afraid to hope.
He nodded.
"Oh, thank you, Joey!" She hugged him.
"What's going on?" Kole was way confused.
"Joey said he wanted to meet him. I promise you guys will like Trevor."
Kole watched Jericho mouth the name Trevor with a sneer. She bit back a laugh. "Sure."
"Hey, buddy?" Red Arrow picked up Christopher and turned him sideways. The little boy giggled. "Feel like showing us how you drink from a cup?"
"Uh huh!" Christopher tried to right himself but he was in midair.
Red Arrow set him on his feet. "Alright! We got your back!"
Christopher ran to his mom. "Mommy, can I have a cup so I can show Uncle Roy I know how to drink now?!"
"That would be wonderful!" Starfire ran her hand over his hair. "Friend Kole, may I request a cup please?"
"Sure, hun." Kole grabbed a cup from the cabinet and filled it with water before handing it over.
Starfire gave it to Christopher. "Be the careful."
Christopher nodded, excited to try again. He wrapped his little hands around the cup awkwardly, missing having a handle but powering through anyway. He remembered what his father said about going slowly and tipped the cup back slightly. Water filled his mouth and he drank deeply until he felt like stopping.
Everyone clapped and the guys whooped.
"Are you next?" Jericho signed to Charlotte.
She thought about it before shaking her head. "No."
He smirked. "That's alright. Everything in its own time."
"Will Junior drink like a big boy soon?"
"Not anytime soon, sweetie."
"He'll be like me! And Cal. And Bas. Bas likes milk a lot. Mommy gave him his own sippy cup after he said his first word."
"I heard his first word was juice."
She nodded excitedly. "Uh huh! I taught him how to say it!"
"Good girl! Good big sister!"
"Mommy's going to have another baby. Bas is going to be a big brother."
"You're going to have to teach him how to be a good older sibling."
"Huh?"
He signed it again.
"What does this mean?" She signed "sibling".
He spelled it for her.
"Oh!" She smiled widely. "Am I a good sibling?"
"Yes." He grinned.
"Cal and Marco fight a lot."
"Do they?"
"Uh huh. Marco tries to take all of Cal's things and Cal doesn't want to play with him."
"Brother stuff."
"Chris wants a brother. He says me and Cal gots brothers so he wants one, too."
"What about Talah? Do you think she'll get a brother?"
"Uh huh. It's the year of the boy."
"Year of the boy?"
"Aunt Karen taught me the Chinese Zodiac."
"Where's boy on it?"
She giggled. "No, Uncle Joey! I made it up!"
"You made it up?!" He tickled her with one hand.
She fell out laughing. "Yes!"
He picked her up and shook her side to side. She screamed with laughter, making her brother laugh and clap, making his powers turn on and off the lights.
"Come on, Bas." Changeling picked him up. "You're going to give everyone nightmares."
The baby pulled his hair and shrieked.
"Ow! Ow! Use your words!"
"Daddy!"
"I got you, BossMan." Changeling lifted him and twirled around, making it seem like Sebastian was flying.
"Don't shake him too much, Changeling." Raven warned.
He ignored her and twirled faster.
"Changeling!"
Still he went faster.
"Changeling!"
Sebastian was having fun… until he wasn't. His grey skin with the green tint got a darker shade of green before he threw up.
"Uh oh!" Changeling stopped spinning and looked at his wife.
Who was not amused. "Gar!"