"Can you say birthday? Say birthday for Mama." Bumble Bee cooed.
Calvin babbled from his high chair.
Bumble Bee withheld the applesauce she had for him. "Say birthday!"
"You can't force him to know it's his birthday." Cyborg said as he looked through the fridge.
"Yes, I can!" She snapped. "What are you looking for anyway?"
"I'm looking for string cheese."
"Have you checked the cheese drawer?"
He opened the drawer & saw the cheese. "Hey, thanks!"
She rolled her eyes. "Aren't you going to be late picking up Nana? She's got to be waiting on you."
"That's why I'm looking for food. Snacks for the long solitary trip."
"Was that a hint?"
"Depends on if I was being too subtle."
"You weren't." She gave in & gave Calvin the spoonful of applesauce.
"Why don't you come with me?"
"Because I need to be here & do things. Since you won't be here to cook, Starfire is. That means somebody has to decorate. That leaves me because Jinx & Terra can't fly to put up the banners & streamers. But I have to make sure everyone is on task & on time."
"Alright, alright!" He held his hands up.
"I wish Kid could go get her."
"I said I'd get her so I'm going. But that is an idea for next year."
She chuckled before fixing a pout on her son. "Say birthday, Cal."
"He'll say it." Cyborg finished packing his snacks into a paper bag & went over to kiss them both. "See you in a few hours."
"Bye."
"Bye!" Calvin yelled.
"Bye, little man." Cyborg put his hand on Calvin's head & shook it before leaving.
"Are you at least enjoying this applesauce?" Bumble Bee sighed.
Calvin nodded & put his hand on her wrist to get her to feed him.
"You'll say it for Mama, won't you?"
He nodded & grinned.
"Alright!"
B•Day
Bumble Bee taped the banner up & flew back to make sure it wasn't crooked. It was fine. She sighed. She'd had to fight with the thing then turn around & fight with the tape!
She was exhausted.
"We got all the balloons up." Terra called out to her.
Bumble Bee looked around. Red balloons were in piles on the floor but also were tied in bunches & affixed to different weights. "Good, thanks."
"We're getting a tank next week!" Jinx tossed a balloon aside.
Changeling came from the kitchen where Starfire & Raven were cooking with a tray. "Food's ready. They're just frosting the cake."
"Perfect!" Bumble Bee nodded. "Are all the gifts on the table?"
Changeling counted. "Yup."
"How are the gift bags?"
Kid Flash looked up. "Doin' the last one."
Nightwing took a few that they'd finished & set them on a table. "I can't believe you went with a circus theme."
"You had fun growing up in the circus. He should get a kick out of this." Bumble Bee covered her bottom with her shirt.
"What's the entertainment, Gar?" He took more gift bags to the table.
"It's a surprise." Changeling also went back & forth, transporting objects.
"Why are you always trying to surprise somebody, Green Stud?" Jinx set her hands on her hips.
"I like surprises."
Bumble Bee waved her hand. "Food?"
"Check." Changeling set another tray on the table.
"Decorations?"
Jinx looked at the balloons, wall decals, streamers & small arena. "Check."
"Entertainment?"
"Will be here in twenty minutes." Changeling said.
"Gift bags?"
"Check." Nightwing added more bags to the table.
"Presents?"
"Check." Terra said.
"Candle for the cake?"
Kid Flash rummaged on a table for the giant wax one. "Check."
"Games?" She shook her head. "Check. Uh… anything else?"
"Yeah." Nightwing looked over. "The birthday boy."
Bumble Bee looked around. "Where did he go?!"
The other adults shrugged.
Bumble Bee went looking for the missing tot. He wasn't in the common room. He wasn't in the kitchen. He wasn't in the gym. He wasn't in the simulation room. She knew he couldn't have gone outside.
He couldn't reach the keypad to get outside & he was just starting to hover.
She knew realistically he couldn't be anywhere but the top floor as he couldn't reach the buttons in the elevator either & he couldn't reach the handle on the door to the stairs.
She checked the evidence room & found all of the kids looking at the wall with Nightwing's sounding board. "There you are! Why are you kids in here?!"
"Aunt Karen, why is that on the wall?" Christopher walked over & pointed behind him.
"That's for your daddy. He uses it to see all the angles of a problem."
"It looks like the map on my wall." Charlotte said.
Bumble Bee cocked her head. "I suppose it does."
"Mama!" Calvin teetered over.
Bumble Bee picked him up & set him on her hip. "Come on, guys. The party's almost starting."
"Yay!" The kids raced out & to the common room, Bumble Bee following at a sedated pace.
Once she made it, she set Calvin on his feet & went to the kitchen. "You guys ready to come out the kitchen?"
"Indeed." Starfire huffed as she concentrated on forming perfect peaks on top of the cake. She finished her last one & beamed. "Ha!"
Raven took over, writing Happy birthday, Cal in red icing. "Yes. Finishing all those spinach puffs was time consuming."
"Thanks again for cooking, guys. I can't thank you enough."
"Cyborg did have the easy job."
"He should be back any minute. Unless he ran into traffic."
"Don't speak up on it or it'll come true."
Starfire & Bumble Bee laughed.
"Okay, the cake is done. Devil's food with strawberry filling & red chocolate buttercream frosting."
"Changeling!" Bumble Bee shouted. "Can you bring the cake in? I would but I'm afraid I'll drop it."
"Sure thing, Bee." He picked a decorated strawberry off a platter & came to do so.
Bumble Bee went to hand out party hats. She affixed one to her son & watched him fiddle with the string under his chin. "Don't do that. You'll break it."
He dropped his hand. "Mama." He opened his arms to be picked up.
She picked him up & kissed his cheek. "Come here, birthday boy."
The doorbell rang.
"I'll get it." Terra got up & left.
Nightwing put on some music as Jinx cuddled up to Kid Flash & Changeling went to help clean up the kitchen. The kids (including Calvin, who got down after his hug) were playing with the balloons.
Terra came back with Alan Wellington (Green Lantern). "Hello, all!"
The Titans greeted him.
"Where's Stone?"
"Going to pick up his grandmother. We invited her a couple weeks ago." Bumble Bee said.
"Hmm." He set his gift down. "It's nice to see all of you again."
Bumble Bee hugged him. "You too. Christmas was too long ago."
"I'll visit more. I've seen that bucket of bolts a few times since then but not you or the baby."
"He's not a baby anymore. Cal, come say hi to Grandpa." She turned to the little boy.
Calvin walked over. "Grandpa?"
"That's right." She squatted by him. "That's Daddy's daddy."
Calvin stared up at this great big old man & grinned. He waved.
"He's a lot more receptive." Alan noted.
"He's getting like Chris every day." Bumble Bee was proud of his steps into liking more people. He was still reserved but warmed to people he liked quickly.
"Chris!" Calvin yelled.
Christopher looked over. "What?!"
"Hi!" Calvin giggled.
Christopher laughed.
Alan smirked. "It's nice to see they're growing up nicely."
"Yeah, they're all close." Bumble Bee rose to her feet.
He picked the now one year old boy up. "Are you having a good birthday?"
"Good." Calvin nodded.
He patted his back. "Good boy."
"Do the smiling!" Starfire called out.
Bumble Bee frowned & turned to look for the orange girl. "Why?"
"Photographs!"
Bumble Bee grinned. "Thanks, Star."
"You are very welcome." Starfire snapped the picture.
Alan set Calvin down. "I smell bacon."
"Bacon wrapped smoke sausage bites." Raven said.
"Wow! Who cooked all this?" Alan picked one up with a toothpick.
"Raven & I did." Starfire snapped a picture of Kid Flash & Nightwing bopping the children & themselves with balloons.
"This tastes delicious." He speared another.
"Would you like a lettuce wrap?" Raven offered.
"What's inside it?" Alan picked up a Kelly green package.
"Carrots, bean sprouts & cabbage with an olive tapenade."
Alan took a bite. "This is really fresh!"
"Thank you." Raven's lips turned up in pleasure.
Changeling wandered over & picked up a square of veggies. It matched his skin tone exactly as he took a bite out of it. "He's right, Rae. These are amazing."
"Thank you."
"Where's Hershey & Nolan?" Bumble Bee asked after the deer & bunny.
"Nolan is playing with a balloon." Starfire pointed to the small deer headbutting a red balloon tied to a table.
"Hershey is somewhere. I just saw him." Changeling looked around his feet.
"Who's Hershey & Nolan?" Alan asked.
Raven explained about her ring. "Hershey & Nolan are a result of my powers."
"Stone is a genius." Alan looked over the ring on Raven's middle finger. "Just don't tell him I said that."
"Too late! I heard you!" Cyborg shouted.
Everyone turned to see him in the middle of the doorway, carrying a pan of food. Behind him was Shirley.
Alan waited for him to walk down the steps & into the room before saying, "How are you?"
"I'm good. How are you?" Cyborg set the pan down on the table with food before coming to stand in front of Alan. He stuck his hand out.
Alan shook it. "I'm good. Your boy is growing like a weed."
"He'll be big as me in no time."
"I hope not." Jinx whispered.
The girls chuckled.
Cyborg smirked before showing his grandmother off. "Everybody, this is my grandmother, Shirley McCain. Nana, this is everybody. Alan, Dick, Gar, Wally, Jinx, Raven, Kori, Tara, Chris, Charlie & our pets, Silky, Nolan & Hershey."
"Hello!" Everyone chorused.
Shirley waved. "Call me Nana. Now who is who?"
"I'm Gar!" Changeling went over to her & enveloped her in a large hug that resulted in him picking her up.
"Ah!"
"Gar!" Everyone shouted.
"Sorry." He put her down.
"It's okay." Shirley stared at him.
"It's just I've never met a grandma before."
"Oh?"
"You even smell like cookies."
Shirley laughed. "I brought cookies." She held up the basket in her hands.
"You're the best grandma ever!"
She laughed again. "I see I'm going to like you!"
He grinned. "Let me introduce you to Charlie & Rae." He picked up his daughter. "This is Charlie. She's two."
"My birthday is next month." Charlie made sure to let Shirley know.
"Oh is it? How old are you going to be?" Shirley's eyes twinkled.
"Three!" Charlotte held up three fingers.
"You can count to three?"
"I can count to twenty. See watch! One, two, three-"
"Charlotte." Raven smiled as the adults chuckled. "Maybe Mrs. McCain wants to meet the others?"
"That's Rae. She's pregnant." Changeling whispered the last part.
Shirley's eyes widened. "Really?"
"By me!" He giggled.
Raven blushed. "I'm sorry about him. He's strange."
Shirley laughed. "I like him."
"See, Rae? She likes me." He stuck his tongue out at his girlfriend.
Raven rolled her eyes & pushed him to the couch.
"Mrs. McCain?" Nightwing stuck his hand out.
"Call me Nana." Shirley said as she squinted at him. "You're the leader? Batman's son?"
"Yes?" He didn't know where this was going.
"Give Nana a hug. You deserve one."
He looked at her like she was crazy. "Excuse me?"
"He doesn't even know what a hug is." Shirley shook her head as she opened her arms.
He was stuck. "I know what a hug is."
"Then bring it in." She waved him closer.
"I-"
Starfire pushed him into her arms.
"Oof!"
Shirley wrapped her arms around him & rocked slightly. "There, there."
Nightwing was bright red but it was a good hug & he found himself returning it.
She let him go. "Now which one are you?"
"Dick. & this is Chris." Christopher was standing by his mother & giggling at his father's dazed face.
"Hello, Chris." Shirley bopped his nose.
Chris giggled. "Hi, Nana. I'm three but my birthday is next week & I'll be four."
"Ooh! You're growing right up, aren't you?"
He nodded. "This is Mommy."
Starfire hugged Shirley. "My name is Kori. May I call you the Nana?"
"Yes, you may." Shirley wheezed.
"Don't squeeze." Nightwing chided gently.
Starfire let the older woman go. "I apologize."
"That's okay, dear. It's not a hug if I don't feel it." Shirley patted her cheek.
Starfire was thrilled by her answer.
"Hi, I'm Wally. I don't give out bone crushing hugs but I can still hug you." Kid Flash appeared in front of Shirley with his arms outstretched.
Shirley smiled. "I'd like that, Wally."
He gave her a hug. "I'm going to like having a nana. Especially one that bakes awesome cookies."
She chuckled.
He leaned back. "This is my girlfriend, Jinx. I call her SlowPoke."
Jinx pushed him aside. "& I hate that."
"Hello, Jinx." Shirley smiled.
"Hello, Ms. Nana."
Terra waved. "Hi! I'm Tara."
"Hello, Tara." Shirley gave her a hug.
"Hi, I'm Alan." Alan stuck his hand out.
Shirley shook it. "Hello, Alan. Are you Lola's father?"
"Lola?" He frowned in confusion.
"She means me." Bumble Bee said. "& no, he's Sparky's surrogate father."
"Why didn't you tell me you got yourself a new daddy?!" Shirley put her hands on her ample hips. "What took you so long?!"
"Nana!" Cyborg snapped.
"Why do you look so familiar?" Shirley ignored him.
Alan blinked. "I'm a Green Lantern & part of the Justice League."
"Oh! You're a superhero, too! Are all of you?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"& none of you have grandparents?"
"No, ma'am." Nightwing shook his head.
"You all need hugs."
"I'm okay with that." Kid Flash shrugged before Changeling & Starfire stomped all over him to give her a hug. "Ow! Hey!"
Jinx smirked. "You should have gotten your hug in before talking."
"I see!"
Shirley patted the duo's backs. "I have cookies for everyone & a pan of baked beans. Who wants some?"
"Baked beans? Yeah!" Changeling cheered.
"Hold on, C!" Cyborg held up a hand. "They don't just have beans in them."
"They don't?"
"They have hamburger meat, bacon & my special secret ingredient; mustard." Shirley stage-whispered.
Starfire's eyes widened. "Oh the really?!"
"Yes, Missy. I don't play about my mustard!"
Changeling pouted. "What if I ate around the meat?"
"Why would you do that?" Shirley was confused.
"He's a vegetarian." Raven said.
"Oh, you poor thing!"
"It's a choice. He doesn't deserve sympathy."
Changeling glared at her. "I do, too! Nana, she's being mean to me!"
Shirley giggled. "It's not nice to be mean to the father of your child."
"But he's the reason I'm as big as a house." Raven now weighed 156 pounds.
"I have a tip for you." Shirley pulled Changeling down & whispered in his ear. "Rub her belly when she gets crabby."
"She's not really one for touching." He was uneasy at the advice.
"Trust me. Do it when you're alone though."
Changeling took a deep breath. "Alright. I'll trust you, Nana."
"Good boy." She patted his chest.
The doorbell rang.
"I'll get it." Jinx disappeared.
"The entertainment should be here any second if it's not them." Changeling checked the time.
"Why won't you just tell us what it is?!" Terra sulked.
"It's really fun to have you guess."
"You're sadistic." Bumble Bee brought Calvin over.
"Nana!" The little boy shouted.
"Hi, my special birthday boy!" Shirley cooed to him.
"I'm not sadistic." Changeling sniffed. "I'm surprising."
"You're an idiot." Raven raised an eyebrow.
Calvin hugged Shirley's legs. She patted his back before he ran off to play with the other children.
Jinx came back with Titans East.
"Hey, Nana? Meet more of our friends. Kole, Joseph, Garth, Roy, Toni, Isaiah, Ches-"
"Jade." Cheshire cut Cyborg off.
"Jade." He nodded before pointing to Mas. "Marco." He pointed to Menos. "Marquis."
"Hello." Shirley nodded to the youths. "You may call me Nana."
"Hi." They all waved.
"It's nice to meet you." Jericho signed.
"He said-"
"It's nice to meet you, too dear." Shirley spoke as she signed back.
Kole's jaw dropped. "You sign?!"
"I took a class a couple of years ago." Shirley smirked.
"You're like the greatest grandma ever!"
"Nana. Grandma's for old women."
"You're the greatest nana ever."
"That's Nana." Cyborg wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"Now who wants some cookies?" Shirley asked.
Hot Spot & Speedy elbowed the girls out of the way. "You're the greatest nana ever!"
B•Day
The doorbell rang.
"I'll get it. It's probably the entertainment." Changeling ate the rest of the cookie in his hand before leaving.
"We should turn the cameras on to see what it is." Cyborg said.
"That's childish." Nightwing grinned. "Turn it on."
"Boys, that's not very nice. Let him surprise you. He might surprise you." Shirley lectured.
"That's what we're afraid of." Kid Flash mumbled.
Changeling returned with an unassuming woman with a fishing like tackle box. "Tada!"
"What is she?" Hot Spot didn't see the big deal.
"A face painter!"
"Yay!" The children jumped up & down in excitement.
Bumble Bee threw her arms around Changeling's neck. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"
"I told you it wouldn't be creepy." He said smugly.
"Good job, bro." Cyborg fist-bumped him.
"Thanks."
The face painter set up by a table. "Who's first?"
Kid Flash beat the kids over. "I want to be a mouse!"
"You're already a rat." Jinx twisted his ear & yanked him away from her. "Let those kids go first."
He sulked as he winced. "But I got there first!"
"Shame, shame, shame." Shirley clucked.
"I don't know where he came from, Nana." Jinx threw him on the couch.
Bumble Bee shook her head as she went to help Calvin get his face painted. "Boys!"
"Hey! Don't lump us all in with him!" Hot Spot was offended.
"Thanks for having my back, bro." Kid Flash raised an eyebrow.
"You're okay."
Bumble Bee smirked. "You want to be a lion, Cal?"
"Rawr?" Calvin looked up at his mother.
"Yeah. Rawr."
The girls cooed at him.
"You gotta put bass behind it, Cal." Changeling said.
"Oh no!" Cyborg barely had enough time to turn his hearing off before Changeling roared.
There were mixed reviews…
Some people were impressed. A couple were not. Some were frightened but didn't show it. All in all, it was an experience.
Cyborg turned his hearing back on. "Do you feel better?"
Changeling grinned.
"Why'd you do that, Uncle Gar?" Christopher cowered behind his father.
"I'm sorry, Chris. I didn't mean to scare you." Changeling knelt down to his level.
"I wasn't scared!"
Nightwing's lips twisted at that lie. The boy was holding onto his pockets.
"Okay. I'm sorry anyway." Changeling apologized still. "Do you still want to get your face painted?"
Christopher nodded. "I wanna be a tiger!"
"Well come on." Changeling held his hand out for him & walked him to behind Bumble Bee. "We'll wait in line."
Calvin twisted around his mother to glare at Changeling.
Changeling bopped his nose. "I'm sorry, Cal."
The baby huffed before hiding behind Bumble Bee's shoulder then popping out, making a face.
"I see you."
Calvin hid again & giggled.
Bumble Bee poked his side. "Weirdo."
He set his chin on her arm & looked up at her with wide blue eyes.
Bumble Bee blinked before frowning & whirling around on Changeling. "Did you teach him the puppy dog eyes?!"
Changeling grinned. "No?"
"Gar!"
"He's a baby. What's the problem?"
"He's going to be fresh outta luck when he tries to use them to get out of trouble with me."
"Sorry, buddy. I obviously didn't teach you right if she's still mad." Changeling spoke to Calvin.
Cyborg laughed.
Bumble Bee scowled. "You approve of this?!"
He stopped laughing & adopted a more somber countenance. "No."
"Yes, you do! You & your pal here think it's funny to teach our son to disrespect authority. When he's out stealing cars & mugging people, I want you to think about this moment!"
"Bee, it's not like that!" Cyborg said at the same time as Changeling said, "Bee, I'm sorry."
Raven chuckled.
Changeling was aghast. "I'm gettin chewed out & you're laughing? I knew you didn't love me!"
"Calm down. She's kidding." Raven ignored the art supplies that popped up.
"Who?" Cyborg was confused until he really looked into Bumble Bee's brown orbs. "You've been puttin us on?!"
"Yup." Bumble Bee made the "p" pop.
"How could you?" Changeling cried.
"It was astonishingly simple."
"That wasn't funny." Cyborg was really upset that she played him.
"I'm dying of laughter." Her face was still blank but her eyes told how very true that statement was.
"I'm going to get you back." He narrowed his eye.
"I have no doubt. So long as you realize that I'll top you."
"I coulda been a mouse by the time you've started this!" Kid Flash snapped.
"Nope. It's Cal's birthday so he's going first." Bumble Bee adjusted the little boy in her arms. "What do you want to be, Cal?"
"Rawr." Cal said.
"Okay, lion it is. Lion please." She told the artist, who set to work.
"I'm the first grown up going!" Kid Flash made that abundantly clear.
"Define grown up." Jinx folded her arms.
"You're not going to ruin this for me."
B•Day
Kid Flash, who had gotten his face painted as a mouse before any other adult, picked up a gift. "This is mine. Happy birthday, Cal."
Bumble Bee helped Calvin tear the paper off. It was a two in one present. It was a fire hat with a tiny plush firehouse Dalmatian with its own fire hat. "Aww! It's so cute!"
"Tank coo!" Calvin hugged the dog tightly.
Cyborg put the hat on his son's head. "You look like a real fireman."
"Fire?" Calvin looked at him.
"Fireman." Cyborg smiled.
"Open my present next." Hot Spot urged.
Cyborg brought it over. It was a bit large & was covered with red wrapping paper. Cyborg ripped the paper off & flung the top. He lifted out a yellow & blue plastic toy with red buttons. "What is it?"
"It's a learning game. It teaches kids their letters & numbers." Hot Spot boasted proudly.
"What do you say, Cal?" Bumble Bee led.
"Tank coo." Calvin pressed a button & the toy said, "Four!" in a bright cheery voice.
"That's not gonna drive me crazy." Bumble Bee hated how perky the toy sounded.
"Then you're gonna hate my present." Speedy ran a hand through his hair.
Cyborg found it amongst the pile & opened the thin, long box. "It's a piccolo. Why'd you give him a piccolo?"
"Pick?" Calvin looked on in pure confusion.
"I got all the kids instruments." He shrugged.
"Joy." Nightwing & Raven deadpanned in unison.
"I can't wait for next month!" Changeling rubbed his hands together. He jiggled his knees, making Charlotte jump. "What'd you get Charlie? Can she jam with us?"
"I'm not tellin you! She'll see it in a month." Speedy rocked on his heels.
"Come on! Give me- uh her a hint!"
"Nope! All I'm saying is that she's going to love it."
"That's okay. We'll get you back."
"Why are you saying we like she even cares?" Hot Spot laughed.
Changeling peeked into Charlotte's face. "You care, don't you?"
"No." She shook her head.
The guys laughed as Changeling pouted. "You couldn't even pretend?"
"No." She shook her head again.
"Come here, Chuckie." Kid Flash held his hands out for her.
As his daughter slipped from his lap & walked to his friend, Changeling scowled. "Chuckie's not better!"
"She responds to it." Kid Flash stuck out his tongue.
"She's too little to know you're an idiot." Jinx filed her nails. "You like giving her these ugly names."
"They're not ugly!" He argued.
"Yeah, they kinda are." Bumble Bee shrugged.
"Sorry, Kid." Terra agreed.
"Chucky is the name of a killer doll." Raven snapped. "Why would I want my daughter named after that?"
"How do you know about Child's Play?" Bumble Bee asked.
"Changeling made me watch."
Kid Flash pouted. "I meant the one after the Rugrats."
"The scary one?" Cyborg scrunched his face in befuddlement.
"He wasn't scary." Kid Flash frowned in confusion.
"Scary as in chicken. He was afraid of everything. & he was a giant crybaby."
Kid Flash hung his head. "I guess I gotta find something else to call her."
"Yes." Everyone at the party said in unison.
He scowled. "It's better than what you call her, Cy!"
"Chuckie's a stupid name. Puppy has meaning!" Cyborg grew offended.
"That you think of her as a dog?!"
"She likes to be a wolf pup a lot so it shows I'm thinking of her & her interests, ya dummy!"
"Here we go." Bumble Bee muttered.
"I'm not the dummy! You're the dummy! You're not thinking of her interests! She likes tea parties!" Kid Flash shook a fist.
"She likes Riley!" Cyborg yelled back.
"Tea parties!"
"Riley!"
"Why?" Jinx rolled her eyes.
"Tea parties!" Kid Flash shouted.
"Riley!" Cyborg screamed.
Nightwing whistled sharply. "Stop it! She likes both but that's not the point! We're here for Cal's birthday & you two are stopping him from opening his presents!"
"You're right." Cyborg calmed. "Sorry, little man."
"Sorry, Cal." Kid Flash looked suitably contrite.
Calvin just laid his head against his mother's chest. He waved his right hand at his father & uncle.
"Here. Open my present next." Jinx went to get it. "I know he can't read but it's cute."
Bumble Bee unwrapped it. "Aww! It's a soft cover book!"
"He can't hurt himself." Jinx beamed.
"What's the story?" Cheshire asked.
"Heck if I know. I just picked the one with the best colors & cleanest covers."
"Cleanest covers?" Argent wrinkled her nose.
"Yeah, some of them were dirty. I think it's because everyone was touching all over them." Jinx stuck her tongue out.
"That means we should spot clean this one." Bumble Bee set the book aside.
"Good idea." Kole grimaced.
"Okay!" Bumble Bee readjusted Calvin in her arms. "Who's next?!"
B•Day
"Look over here, Cal!" Cyborg waved a hand.
Calvin whipped his head around but looked everywhere but where his father was at with the camera.
"Over here! Over-" Cyborg sighed.
Changeling snickered. "I'll help you." He shifted into a capuchin monkey & began screeching.
Everyone looked his way. Including Calvin.
Changeling climbed up Cyborg & everyone's eyes followed. Cyborg snapped the photo. "Gotcha!"
The doorbell rang.
"I'll get it." Kid Flash was a blur as he left.
"Can we have cake now?" Christopher pulled on his mother's dress.
"Do not pull so, young one. This dressing is quite thin & may rip." Starfire chided.
Christopher gave another yank.
"Christopher, stop misbehaving at once." She said sharply.
Christopher frowned & yanked on her dress again, breaking a strap. He stalked away to go sulk.
Starfire sighed. He was getting more & more disobedient. & it was just with her. He listened to Nightwing but he seemed to totally disregard whatever she said.
She went to Bumble Bee. "I will return. I have had the mishap with my attire."
"Okay. Hurry. We're going to light his cake soon." Bumble Bee said.
Starfire nodded before walking out the common room.
Kid Flash walked back in with Hawkgirl (Shayera Hol). "Guess who's here?!"
"Shayera!" Bumble Bee exclaimed happily. "You made it!"
Shayera walked over. "I would have come sooner but I was needed."
"It's alright. You came anyway."
"Happy birthday, Calvin." Shayera stroked the birthday boy's cheek.
He looked up at her. She looked vaguely familiar to him.
"Remember Grandma?" Bumble Bee asked him. "She's the one we talk to on Skype."
"Sky?" He blinked up at her.
"Yeah. Skype. Wave to Grandma."
He turned & waved to Shayera.
Who melted. "Aww! Hi."
Calvin smiled. "Cake."
"Yeah. We were just going to light his candle on his cake." Bumble Bee remembered.
"Great." Shayera smiled.
"Let me introduce you to everyone & by that time, Kori will be back."
"Okay."
Bumble Bee set Calvin on his feet (he tore off running) & began making the rounds. "& this is Nana. She's the awesome-est person ever."
"Why thank you, Lola!" Shirley smiled.
"Hello." Shayera waved.
"You may call me Nana or you may call me Shirley."
"Thank you, Shirley."
"Okay, that's everybody. Where's Kori?" Bumble Bee looked around.
"I am here! I am here!" Kori flew in. She was wearing boyfriend jeans & a v-neck shirt in red.
"Okay, where did Cal get to? We can't have a picture of him blowing out his candle if he's not doing it."
"He's under the couch." Hot Spot pointed between his feet.
"I don't know why he does that." Cyborg was slightly concerned as he went to pull him out.
"There could be a dust bunny under there." Speedy chuckled.
When Cyborg pulled Calvin out, he was holding Hershey. "Or a real bunny…?"
"Out of a hat. Under a couch. Same difference."
"I can't believe you named him Hershey." Aqualad blinked.
"Rae liked it." Cyborg hooked a thumb at the sorceress.
"I would have named him Easter." Kole smiled.
"That's kinda clever."
"Thanks." She deadpanned.
Bumble Bee took the bunny from her son & set him on the floor before taking the baby. "Come on, Cal. It's time to blow out your candle."
Calvin reacted happily.
Cyborg lit the candle. "Okay, everybody! One! Two! Three!"
Everyone sang in harmony. "Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, dear Calvin! Happy birthday to you!"
"Blow out your candle." Bumble Bee leaned him over the cake.
He looked at her blankly.
She blew in his face. "Blow. Blow. Blow out your candle."
Calvin heaved a breath on his candle. It flickered without going out.
Bumble Bee squeezed him. "No. Blow. Go whoosh!"
Calvin tried but it wasn't quite working.
"We're going to be here forever." Speedy muttered.
"Shut up!" Bumble Bee snapped. "He's never done this before."
While she was distracted, Calvin swiped at the candle then picked it up to put it in his mouth, flame first. He cried out.
Bumble Bee jumped & took the candle from him. "No, Cal!"
"That's one way to put the flame out." Changeling supposed.
Nightwing nodded.
"Let me see." Bumble Bee cupped Calvin's chin & made him open his mouth.
He stuck his tongue out.
"Is he alright?" Argent asked.
"Yeah, he's fine." Bumble Bee dropped a kiss on his head. "Sparky can cut the cake now."
A cheer went up.
B•Day
"I promise to make my famous baked beans with imitation meat & tofu bacon next week." Shirley promised.
Changeling hugged her. "Why do you have to go?!"
"I have to get home." She patted his back.
"Can I go with you?"
"Changeling!" Raven pulled on his hand.
"But I like her, Rae." He whined. "She doesn't even make fun of me for being a vegetarian like you guys do."
"There's nothing wrong with clean living." Shirley said.
"See?!"
"You're going to see her in seven days." Raven rolled her eyes.
He pouted. "Fine. But call me to let me know you got home safely."
"I will." Shirley hugged him.
Starfire pushed him out of the way & hugged her. "I will do the missing of you as well, the Nana."
"I'll see you soon." Shirley swore.
Kid Flash hugged her over Starfire. "See you in a week."
"Goodbye, Wally."
He beamed.
"Alright, we gotta go." Cyborg pulled his friends away from his grandmother.
They groaned.
He chuckled & ushered Shirley out.
"I have to go, too." Shayera said.
"Me too. We're needed at the Watchtower." Alan hugged Bumble Bee.
"Alright." The Titan sighed. "I'm just glad you could come."
"Of course. We'll see you soon." They both said goodbye to the birthday boy, who was dancing with his friends.
"We should head out." Aqualad hooked a thumb at the door. "We had to leave the tower in the hands of Titans North to come here today & next week & next month."
"I really appreciate it." Bumble Bee said. "Thanks, Garth."
"No problem. Let's go, Titans East."
They gathered their things & picked up a gift bag before saying their goodbyes & filing out.
Bumble Bee flopped on the sofa & sighed deeply. "I'm so glad this is only once a year!"
Jinx laughed. "Too much trouble?"
"Just wait until you have kids."
"No way!"
"We're having kids." Kid Flash put his foot down.
"If you give birth to them."
He blanched. "We'll talk about it later."
"Uh huh. I thought so."
The girls giggled.
B•Day
Bumble Bee finished rocking & singing Calvin to sleep. She kissed his head as she brought him to his crib & laid him down. "Sleep tight, my birthday prince."
"Birfday." Calvin sighed.
Bumble Bee blinked then began to cheer silently. She danced her way out of the room with a huge smile.
Calvin smiled to himself before drifting off to sleep.
The Birthday Song by hell if I know. I know women wrote it but I can't remember who or who has the copyrights so…