Finishing Touch
Inspired by a tumblr prompt. Enjoy!
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRR!"
Garfield Logan sprang up from the bed, blinking sleep from his eyes. He lurched to his feet and ran to the door. As it opened, he wondered what could make Raven, his significant other for twenty years, scream his name like that. Nothing good entered his mind and he swallowed the rising bile in his throat. Was she hurt? Was their daughter, Stella-Marie, hurt? His thoughts lingered on the teenage girl, sharp and witty like her mother, warm and prone to childishness like her father. She had inherited some of her mother's powers but, thankfully, none of her connection to Trigon or his ilk. She had powerful telekinesis (though not equal to Raven's) and limited empathy. She had yet to officially embark on crimefighting, though she had already chosen her codename: Corvus. The genus of the crow family (including ravens), she had chosen it to honour her mother and father, much to the approval of the adoptive aunt she was named for (Stella is latin for star) along with her late grandmother.
"GARFIELD!"
Changeling, formerly Beast Boy, shook his head clear and turned the corner. Why was their bedroom so far from the main room? He knew the answer before he finished the question: Raven. She sometimes required distance between herself and the social hub of the expanded Titans Tower. As he ran, his worry settled upon their youngest child, Mark Victor Logan, stubborn and cynical like his mother and exhibiting the self control of his father - a volatile combination! He couldn't change shape like his father, that was all the Sakutia mutation, but he had inherited his connection to the Red, the primordial force that encompassed all animal life. Indeed, his powers were far more similar to another hero, Animal Man, in that he could exhibit the abilities of any animal within a certain range, and that range seemed to increase daily. It had been a proud day the first time he had seen his son lock onto a passing gull and take to the air himself. Also, though he rarely admitted it even to himself, his son was a source of bittersweet agony. He loved his son unreservedly and unquestionably... but when he looked at him he saw his own father. Their daughter wore the same grey skin as her mother, framed by black hair. His son... his son looked like his father, peach skin and blond hair. Raven had once remarked that he looked like her husband would have looked had he remained completely human. Mark was completely blameless, of course, and Gar never allowed himself to look away from his son just to ease his feelings. Still, Mark was smart, and occasionally caught the melancholy in his father's eyes. He had been training too, just like his sister, but had yet to pick a name. In his own way, he had honoured his parents by choosing a uniform that was essentially a replica of Gar's old black and purple outfit. At the time, Changeling had smiled at his choice, now he just kept running, his worry spiralling. He finally reached the door.
"Raven! What is it, what's wro-... BWAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!"
"Garfield Logan, stop laughing this instant! This is not funny," Raven insisted. Changeling nodded agreement, still guffawing heartily.
"R-right," he answered, with difficulty. Raven rolled her eyes skyward and crossed her arms, frowning at the twelve-year-old beside her.
"I hope you're happy. You've broken your father," she grumbled. Undeterred by her stare, the boy glared back at her, pouting slightly and crossing his own arms.
"I told you, I needed the finishing touch for the uniform!" he barked. Raven was simultaneously infuriated and impressed by her son's ability to answer her back like that. Even Bruce Wayne avoided her when she was upset. All the shouting (and laughter) had brought various other inhabitants to the common room: Starfire arrived, still resident. Behind her was Nightwing, not resident but taking a break from Bludhaven. Cyborg arrived, beginning to chuckle when he saw the fuming boy that had started it all. Some other young heroes-in-training showed up, staring in wonder at Mark Victor Logan, bar one: his sister hid her laughter behind her hands. Finally, Changeling calmed enough to speak.
"Mark, buddy... what happened?" he asked, still smiling.
"I keep saying! I needed the last touch for the uniform," the boy replied. Changeling stepped closer and ran his hands carefully through his son's hair. His son's green hair. Raven sighed in exasperation: with the look on Gar's face, she knew she would be on her own in this argument and really didn't want to be the bad guy.
"Okay, fine! You made the finishing touch. No. More. Understood?" she commanded. Mark nodded, smirking.
"That's fine, Mom. I'm finished now. I can choose my codename now!" Silence reigned and Raven raised a brow.
"You've chosen a codename?" she asked. He nodded and, with a hint of trepidation, looked to his still-beaming father.
"Beast Boy."
Awwww, ain't that sweet? Enjoy, shadowgawkers :)
-Jack
