"How?" Speedy complained. The Titans East looked at him in confusion before he gestured at the Main Titans. Both groups had just traveled through the amazon to capture a group of terrorists that had attacked their cities just weeks ago. After a week long trek they had neutralized the group. Unfortunately, the Titans East were covered in numerous bug bites. They were hot, irritable, and itchy. The main Titans though, they looked irritable, and they looked hot. But they weren't itchy.
In fact, despite a little color added to their skin, they didn't look any different. Rather unblemished, unmarred and smooth.
"That should not be possible," Speedy grumbled. Mas and Meños looked at one another curiously.
"Repelente de insectos?" the twins asked one another. They shrugged their shoulders and looked back at the older members.
"I doubt they had bug spray," Aqualad commented. He was closer to the main group during the trek to talk to Beast Boy. He also had fewer bites than his friends.
"So Sparky, how'd you get out of being bitten?" Bumblebee asked once they had made it back to the main tower. Sleep overs. No one wanted to fly back an extra hour to Steel City anyway.
"Excuse me?" Cyborg asked, looking away from the computer screen. The tower's security remained lax as Cyborg was confused by the Titan's East leader.
"Come on Sparky. We all got bitten. You guys didn't."
"In case you haven't noticed, more than half of my body is metal. Where are they going to bite?" he questioned arching his brow. Bee arched one of her brows as her eyes drifted to his Crome dome. Cyborg's eye widened.
"Really? Look. Most insects don't like me. Not much to eat."
"Sure Sparky. And what about everyone else?"
"Star's an alien. Raven's half demon. Robin was trained by the over obsessive Batman. I'm a mechanical menace. And Beast Boy's, well, Beast Boy."
"Sure Sparky."
Days went on. What Bumblebee said stuck in his mind. Looking over the team he noticed the lack of insect bites. Even Robin who was all human, despite being trained by Batman. He couldn't be untouched. There was no way.
He watched whenever they were outside. No bugs seemed to come near the group. None. If they did... They were just there. No irritation or bites. He finally asked. Robin's response was simply this.
"Excuse me?"
Robin's forkful of freshly baked ham inches away from his mouth as he stared at the mechanical man before him.
"What is your secret for keeping bugs away. You're fully human. How were you not eaten alive on the mission in the. amazon?" Cyborg questioned. Robin blinked in confusion behind his mask.
He thought for a moment, rather unsure how.
"I don't know," he grumbled, "Was anyone else bit?"
"Titans East can play connect the dots on their bodies man. What do you think?"
Robin stood up abruptly.
"Where are you going man?"
"My room. I have some tests to run," he said, dramatically leaving the room with his cape billowing. Cyborg blinked in confusion.
"How is he able to billow like Snape's son?"
Robin didn't hear. He marched to his room with purpose. He never thought about it. He was well aware how bug bites felt. But when he thought about it, he couldn't remember the last time he had one. He remembered needing itch cream in Gotham for some. And a short period of time after the tower was set up... And then there was the Beast incident...
His eyes narrowed as he continued marching. That was the last time he recalled getting any bug bites. It was during the time Beast Boy was avoiding him after Robin had nearly gotten him thrown in jail.
Was there a connection?
He met Beastboy when he first came to Jump City. That was when he met the others. That was when the bites stopped. He never really noticed. He did notice that after the Beast incident, bugs seemed to swarm him. At least for a little while. They seemed to calm down and eventually stop... When Beast Boy started to hang out with him again.
He changed his destination from his room to the lair of the Beast...Boy. He needed a sample...
"Dudes, I'm not kidding," Beastboy whined, "Someone has been stealing my stuff!"
"Beastboy, your room is a pigsty. How would you know if anything was missing?" Raven stated irritably. Beast Boy's pointed ears twitched, a tale tell sign of the changling's annoyance.
"It's just... Off. It feels like something has been messing with my stuff," Beast Boy grumbled childishly. No one noticed Robin tense slightly at the young hero's words.
"We have Silkie," Raven stated bluntly. Robin relaxed as Beast Boy calmed down about his room. Robin made a mental note to give the worm creature a treat later. He had taken small clothing samples from Beast boy's room. He never thought Beast Boy would notice missing objects from the notoriously messy room.
So far it seemed as though there was nothing to be learned. Well, other than how truly disgusting Beast Boy's living condition was. Insects were found crawling around his clothes. Not in. Not on. Just around. There seemed to be something about the clothes that kept insects away. For the clothes, they were different blends of cotton and spandex. Nothing that kept insects away for any other people.
The only thing really different was the fact that the clothes weren't washed. Not really dirty. But definitely saturated in the essence of Beast Boy. Wait a minute.
Beast Boy. He could become any animal, big or small. Who was to say that animals would attack him outside of carnivores? He was both the predator and the prey for many species. And insects have many predators. Could they tell he was a shapeshifter? Was his scent a deterrent?
"'Dude, why do I have to hug Aqualad? I mean, he is my bro and all but-!" Beast Boy began looking at his leader like he grew another head.
"A hunch Beast Boy. Aqualad has volunteered to help and we really need you to do this."
Beast Boy whined at the boy wonder. His ears drooping and his lip wobbling.
"Do we have to?"
"Beast Boy. Please?"
The green boy whined. He then threw his arms around the Atlantean. In a flash he let go. Not awkward at all really.
"Um. Beast Boy. I need you to hug him a little longer than that."
"But you just said a hug."
"Beast Boy," Robin said monotonously. Beast Boy's ears drooped lower as he embarrassed Aqualad. It wasn't so bad. Aqualad smelt like the ocean. Salty, muddy, comfortable. And as an Atlantean, he was used to such displays of affection. He wasn't embarrassed, helping Beast Boy feel calmer about the situation. Relaxing into the hug, he instinctively began rubbing his neck on Aqualad's shoulder.
"Beast Boy? Are you... Chinning?" Robin asked. In an instant Beast Boy let go of Aqualad and jumped back.
"What?! No?! You're crazy!" Beast Boy yelled. Without another word, he shifted into a bird, flying off in a random direction.
A week had passed sense Robin's hug experiment when he came to a conclusion.
"Dude, why do I need to hug them?" Beast Boy asked the fearless leader. With a straight laced poker face Robin began to explain.
"We're in the amazon, home to many insects that carry dangerous diseases. Your natural scent keeps you, and others near you from being bitten. Given that we," Robin said gesturing at the main titans," Live with you, we are already saturated in your scent. They are not. So the fastest way to do that is to hug them."
"Wait. What?" Beast Boy asked.
"Your bug repellent Beast Boy," Cyborg dumbed down, "And much more effective than those Off Clips.
Could I have written this better? Probably. But I wanted the idea out there. Hidden benefits from the titans. For Beast Boy, he isn't bitten by bugs because of his scent. By extension, those who have his scent aren't bitten either.
Please review.