It was almost night time in Jump City. For most people it meant that they were done for the day, and the time for relaxation could begin. For their resident heroes however, it meant the work is just beginning.
Patrolling has been staple in Titans Tower since the beginning. Each Titan had their own day of patrol, Saturdays and Sundays were displayed on a special roster. Trading, switching or betting for one of those days are allowed, within reason. Today is a Monday, which means it's Beast Boy's turn to patrol. Please refrain from using 'Garfield hates mondays' jokes.
The Changeling was currently stuck between the reports from last week and the superhero formely known as Robin, Nightwing, who was scouting through them looking for leads. "Not everything's connected y'know." Beast Boy sighs. "Honestly, you're starting to act like Question."
Oh lord, Nightwing was actually pouting now. The pout soon changing into a scowl. "Some things are connected. How about this!" Nightwing digs through his pile of alerts, before finding the object he was searching for. Throwing the report in BB's lap, he continues. "The Jump Museum has had four false alarms in one week. Weird, don't you think?" A nod came as answer. "Thought so. I want you to scout around the Museum, look for anything suspicious."
"Can I go now?" Beast Boy groaned. Nightwing gestures him away, not looking away from his reports. Walking towards the roof, Garfield hears footsteps walking in his direction. Using his supersniffer, he identified that person as Raven. Panicking, he turned into ant and dropped to the floor. Pleasedon'tseemepleasedon'tseeme replays in his mind like a broken record.
"Garfield?"
Other words are replaying in his mind now, unmentionable ones. Sighing, he morphs back into himself. "Heeyyyy Rae-Rae, how's it hanging?" Hoping that didn't sound as awkward as he felt right now.
Raven just raised an eyebrow. "...Are you okay?" She asked.
Evidently, it did sound that awkward. Neat.
"I'm fine." He stammered, before displaying his trademark smile, forced this time.
Raven blushed."Alright. Can we talk? In private?" She asked, her gaze not meeting his, her hands playing with the edge of her cloak. Beast Boy's face whitened. He knew what she wanted to talk about, and honestly? He wasn't ready for this conversation. Not by a long shot. So he did what any good hero would do. Avoid it like the plague.
Looking towards his wrist, which was obviously missing a watch. "Oh look at the time, I've got to go! Like right now, patroling is serious stuff!" He brushed past her, and before Raven could actually comprehend what was happening, he was gone.
Sitting on a rooftop overlooking the museum, Beast Boy mused his current predicament. His musings were cut by the alarm coming from the museum. "Never a quiet night, eh?" he chuckles to himself, before calling Rob- Nightwing.
"Alarm went off again, I assume?" Nightwing said, with a smug smile. Beast Boy rolled his eyes and nodded. "Want us to back you up?" He asked.
"Negatory, Nightlight. Probably a false alarm again. I'll call if I need backup." Nightwing agreed, and shut off his end of the line. "Here we go.." He mutters to himself. Arriving at the entrance of the museum, he morphed himself into an spider, skittering underneath the door towards the receptions desk. The museum looked dark and there was a loomy atmosphere floating around the room. Beast Boy morphed back into his human form and shivered, maybe in fear, maybe because of the cold. He then noticed a light coming across the hall. According to the helpful sign above the door, it was the 'Antique Animals' collection.
Sneaking with the stealth of a hunting lion, he approached the door. Carefully looking inside the doorway, he saw all kind of animal figurines hidden safely under glass cases, made with different materials. Gold, ivory, and ruby and others. "Must've been another false alarm." He says to himself. Suddenly a familiar voice spoke up to his right.
"You shouldn't say things like that, Beastie. You might jinx yourself." She chuckled.
Beast Boy's eyes bulged in surprise at the voice, his jaw almost hitting the floor.
"Get it? Because my name is Jinx." Her smile slipping a little. "It was supposed to be a play on words." Jinx was lying down like a lazy cat on her back, on top of a glass case of one of the exhibits, her legs dangling down the side.
With immense speed, Beast Boy reached for his communicator, but before he could do anything with it ,the object was shot out of his hand by a well-aimed hex. She waggled her finger at the changeling. "Uh-uuh, you won't be needing that, Beastie." She chided.
Beast boy cursed internally, before seizing up his... Opponent? Ally? What was she nowadays? She sure looked different from the last time they saw eachother. Her hair was shortened, curling just below her ear, framing her face. Her collar and skirt no longer sported their spiky ends, but were now stream-lined. And it was a lot shorter than it used to be. Noticing the odd look she was giving him, he tried to make dig himself out of the awkward silence. "Erhm, you look nice." He failed.
She rolls her eyes. "Thanks, you look less like an kid and more like the idiot I always knew you'd grow into." She curled her legs up to her chest, her head resting on her knees, her eyes not leaving his. "Let's cut to the chase, I lured you here because I require your... "She paused, thinking for the right word to say. "Assistance."
Beast Boy holds up his hands in defense. "Oh no no no, I don't know what you're planning to do with Wally, and yes he kinda deserves payback, but I'm not going to- Hey!" he was interrupted by another hex that landed in front of his feet.
"Okay, since you're really getting on my nerves, let's bring in some ground rules, okay? Rule number one: No mention of Wally. Rule number two: No other Titans. Got it?" She growled, her hands sparkling with pent up magic. Beast Boy nodded. "Good." Her face softened, and her hand lowered.
"I take it you're the cause of the 'false alarms' the last few days?"
"Why yes, Mr. Holmes. Twas I!" She mocked. "Simple, really. Just make alarm go off, hide until they leave a few times and Robbie will think it's suspicious enough for a routine inspection. He's so predictable." She gloated, her trademark smirk appearing on her face. "Then just wait until Monday, and here you are."
Her gloating was interrupted by the communicator beeping in the background. Beast Boy started making a move towards the object, still eyeing Jinx. The witch's eyes started glowing. "What did I just say, Beastie? No goody-goodies." Her hands starting to spark with magic again.
"If I don't take this call, they might think something's up. And then they'll be here in under a minute. You don't want that do you?" Jinx shook her head. Beast Boy picked up the communicator, and turned it on. "What's up, yo?" He asked with his trademark grin. Cyborg was not amused, however.
"What took so long, BB? Everything alright?" Beast Boy fought the urge to roll his eyes.
"Yeah bro, and I found out the cause of the false alarms!" He cheerily exclaims. "Apparently a family of squirrels thought this museum was a cozy hotel. Their scurrying around caused the alarm to go off."
"So you don't need us to help you out?"
"Nah, dude. I'm just going to relocate them to a nice little tree nearby. We're still in negotiations. Gotta go bye!" Beast Boy wiped the sweat from his brow and sighed in relief. He hated lying to his friends, but his instinct was telling him to hear Jinx out. Speaking of the pink enchantress. "So, now that their taken care of, let's talk about what the hell this is all about."
Jinx looked at him with wide eyes. "You- ehm." Did he just lie to his friends? For her? She swallowed the lump in her throat. "Right. Something that is mine has been taken from me. I need your animal tracking skills to find the place she is being stored."
"What's in it for me?"
Jinx smirked and shifted her legs apart, before pointing towards her skirt. "How about this?" Beast Boy ears shot up and his face turned red. Jinx cocked her head, before noticing exactly where she was pointing. "Not that, you pervert!" She blushed. Her finger then tapped the glass case on which she was seated. In it rested a green statue of a lion made out of jade. The nameplate called it 'The Emerald Beast of the West.'
"I appreciate the sentiment, but no dice." He crossed his arms. "Unlike you, I don't switch from good to bad whenever it suits me."
"I don't change sides, Logan!" Oh boy, she was using his actual name now. Which means she's losing her temper again."I'm always on my side! Got it? Mine." She growled with clenched fists. If looks could kill, he'd die by her glare.
Then her face shifted from angry to tired. Exhausted, even. "Look, are you going to help me or not?" She sighed.
He thought about it for a minute before agreeing. On condition that the reward would be discussed later. Jinx spend some time getting her gear she hid in the corner, before walking alongside Beast Boy towards the exit.
They stood silently in front of the entrance. "So, where are we going Jinx?" He asked.
"My place."
"Oh neat. How are we getting there? Teleportation? You going to create a platform we can ride on? Are you going to summon a magic cab?"
Jinx just grinned with malice.
Beast Boy collapsed on the street. "It's hurting in places I didn't even know I had." He groaned.
"Thanks for the ride, Beastie. If the hero business doesn't work out, you'd make a great ride at a petting zoo." She petted his head with fake affection. "Best horse, would ride again." She winked.
They walked, or in Beast Boy's case, crawled up the stairs towards Jinx's apartment.
Beast Boy was surprised at the state of her home. It looked like a hurricane went through it. Tables and chairs were flipped over, almost all of her stuff was scattered around the floor. It made his room look clean in comparison. "What hell happened here?" He questioned.
Jinx ignored his question. "You want something to drink?" She walked towards the fridge grabbing a Soder Cola for herself. Beast Boy just asked for water. While Jinx was searching the fridge for something edible, Beast Boy spotted a pictureframe lying on the facedown on the floor. Thanks to his curiosity getting the better of him, he picks up the forgotten photo.
The picture contained a radiant Jinx hugging an ocelot. His musings were interupted by a water bottle hitting his head. His eyes met the glaring ones of Jinx. Beast Boy cleared his throat. "I assume the object you're missing is your pet?" He asks waving the picture around.
Jinx snorts. "Excellent observation, Detective. Yes, she is. You've failed as a witch if you don't have a familiar." She shrugged.
"What is her name?"
"Lady. Short for Lady Luck."
"Figures." They share a smile.
After a few minutes of silence, Jinx stand up and walks towards the kitchen area again. She returned with a small pink blanket. "Use this to track the scent. When you find where the source of the scent is being held captive, we split ways."
"I was wondering about that. Can't you just use a tracking spell or something?"
Jinx shaked her head. "The bastard's got magical wards against that kind of spell."
"Who are we dealing with exactly?"
Jinx was silent for a minute. "My ex." She sighed. "And before you ask, it's not Wally."
"Do I know him?" He asked.
"You've probably heard of him, but he's not your concern." She answers.
Beast Boy looked thoughtfully, before asking. "What about our deal? If we split up, how can I trust you keep up your end of the bargain?"
Jinx grabbed a random piece of paper from the floor, scribbling something on it. "Here's my number. Call me tomorrow and we'll talk." Beast Boy furrowed his brow. Jinx rolled her eyes. "I promise I will call you."
"I take it the ex did this too?" he gestured towards the ruins that was once her home.
"Yes. Which is why I want to deal with that asshole alone. It's personal."
After charging themselves up they ventured outside. Beast Boy took the small blanket and morphed into a bear. He sniffed the object, then turned his nose towards the air. Suddenly, he caught the scent. Letting Jinx mount him again, he sprinted towards the source of the smell.
After a 10 minute run, he stopped at an abandoned gym. After Jinx jumped from his back, Beast Boy transformed into his human form. "Scent trail ends here. You sure you don't want any back-up?"
She smiled softly at him. "Thanks, but I'm good." Her face turned emotionless. "This is my fight. Thanks for the help, Beast Boy." She kissed his cheek. "You're a good friend." Walking towards the gym, she left a blushing Beast Boy outside.
Seeing no point in trying to sneak around, she blasted the doors with immense power. The first thing she noticed was a magic circle drawn out on the floor. She recognized the symbols as the anti-tracking spell, yet it had symbols for a different purpose as well. Her attention was taken away by a soft pitiful mewl coming from the cage on other side of the room. She ran towards the cage, but when she got to close, she got blasted away by a mysterious energy emitted from the cage.
"Where are you?!" She bellowed in anger. "Where are you hiding, Klarion?!"
"Right here." came a smug voice from behind her. The voice belonged to Klarion the Witch Boy. Enemy of the Justice League, master of trickery and giant wanker in general. "Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in. I knew you'd come back to me." He sneered. Oh, and her ex-boyfriend. Go figure.
"You stole my most prized possesion from me!" She pointed at the her captured familiar. "That's low, bitch boy. Even for the likes of you!"
"You left me no choice, love." He tried to reason. "You left me! Nobody leaves me! I loved you!"
"You don't even know the meaning of the word, prick." She kneeled up, still shaking from the blast. She shoots a hex, but to her shock, it turns around and hits her right back, causing her to fall back down.
"Ah yes, it seems that the defense spell works. Excellent." He claps his hands together with glee. Suddenly, a orange cat comes parading in. "Ah, Teekl. Just in time for the finale." He grabs a pair of glowing dice out of his pocket. "I was just about to take us back to Limbo Town with the fatherbox." The cat however, had different ideas.
Meow Meow
"What? Are you sure of this?" Klarion asks his companion
Meoww
"Blast it! It's never easy with you is it, love?" He walks up to the still woozy Jinx. He cups her face with his hands and forces her to make eye contact. "According to my sources, you were with someone when you arrived. Who is he?" He asks firmly.
"A f-friend." She manages the answer between gasps.
"A friend?" Klarion begins to laugh. "You don't have friends, love." He pauses. "Well, besides Randy Newman."
Then out of nowhere, a green lion jumps out of the shadows. He jumps between barely conscious Jinx and the Witch Boy, unleashing a powerful roar right in his face. Klarion jumps back in fright.
"She's got me as friend, creep-o." Beast Boy snarls. "So back off." Taking his eyes of the frightened Klarion, he inspects if Jinx is alright.
"Th-the circle. Break the circle." She groans. Beast Boy quickly turns into a octopus and sprays some ink over the runes, thereby breaking it's spell. Before he can check if it works, he gets blasted away by a hex from Klarion.
"No fair! Get your own girlfriend!" He screams.
Jinx, standing upright again, summons all her energy and unleashes a powerful hex towards the enraged boy. It hits dead centre, and before Klarion can counter, he is grabbed by the neck, courtesy Beast Boy in gorilla form.
Jinx walks menacingly towards them, before grabbing Klarion by his hair. "I will only say this once. We. Are. Through! Got that?" Klarion nods heavily. "Good, now scram!"
"I'll get you b-back for this." He whimpers. "Come along, Teekl." Then he pulls out his dice and with a flash he is gone.
With her adrenaline running out, Jinx starts to collapse towards the floor again. "I need to get Lady."She manages to croak out.
Then her world turned to black.
Waking up, the first thing Jinx notices is how soft her bed is. The second thing she noticed is the familiar sound of purring coming from below the sheets. Lifting the sheets up, she sees her ocelot, Lady, sleeping softly against her side. With a soft smile, she starts to pet the sleeping feline, causing it's purrs to increase. Then, she heard a voice coming from the door.
"Glad to see you're both okay." Beast boy smiles.
"Thanks to you, goody goody. You just couldn't let me have my way, could you?" She smiles back.
"I don't leave friends behind." He says holding a tray of breakfast for his guests.
"Oh." He's doing it again! Turning her brain into mush with a single sentence. "Wait, where are we?" She asks, trying to distract herself from the butterflies in her stomach. She takes the tray from him.
"One of the Doom Patrol's safehouses. I have the only key, so no surprise visitors." He starts scratching his neck. Jinx found it to be cute. "Well I have the second key actually, I'm giving you the spare."
Jinx jumps up at that revelation. "No way, I can't just-" Jinx starts.
"-You can and you will. Christ, Jinx. You're home is in ruins. Besides, I've already called in a few favors and your stuff is being brought over tomorrow." Beast Boy interrupts.
"I'm not helpless." She pouts.
"I know you aren't, but I'd like you to stay here for a while. At least until you've found a new place. And I won't take no for an answer." Jinx pouted again. That closed the discussion. For now at least.
After a nice breakfast, and a quick tour of the safehouse, Garfield went to leave.
"Alright, and if you need anything.."
"Yeah yeah, just call. Look we still need to talk about that favor of yours.." She says.
"W-well, I thought about that and I.." Beast Boy starts blushing and fidgeting. Man, was it always that hot in here? He loosens his collar. "I was wondering if you'd be interested in a dinner and a movie? Tomorrow after your stuff has been delivered." He stammers.
Jinx has started to blush herself as well. "Sure, I'd love to." She says, twirling her hair.
"It's a date then." He smiles his trademark smile.
"Yes it is." She giggles.
And after a very awkard goodbye, Jinx closes the door behind her, sliding down against it. Doubting whether or not she should do what her impulse is tell her to do. "Screw it!" she exclaims and dashes down the hall. Before Garfield notices what is happening, he's caught in a passionate kiss with Jinx. After a solid minute of locking lips they break away from each other.
"See you tomorrow, Logan." Jinx says. Then she blows a kiss before swaying back into the house. Leaving a dazed, but very happy, Beast Boy in her wake.
Epilogue.
Jinx never moved out of the safehouse. She and Gar dated for two years before Gar managed to gather his courage and ask for her hand. This happened one year after the Titans disbanded.
Raven moved to a different dimention, where she stumbled on an alternate version of Garfield. They married three years after Raven's arrival.
Dick and Star moved to Blüdhaven, becoming one of the most feared superhero couples.
Cyborg started using his powers for money. He started a cockblocking business in Jump City. After years of denying his feelings, he finally professed his feelings to his true love. The T-car.
And they all lived happily ever after.
x
Here is another ficlet about my new OTP. I JUST CAN'T STOP MYSELF.
For those who are wondering, Klarion's magic Dice are actually a timetravel MacGuffin, but I changed it to teleportation as well.
Ocelots can be pets, but it's forbidden in some places. Having an ocelot as familiar is kind of neat.
The story's cover image is how Jinx looks in this fic, and before you ask, it's not mine. I picked it up whilst browsing /co/. I think the artist name is Brokenlynx.
Usual Disclaimer: I'm 100% Dutch. So mistakes are probably made in spelling/sentencing. I Also don't own Teen Titans. Rate and Review, even the smallest comment can make a person's day.