A NOTE FROM ME:
Happy Valentines Day, readers! It's kind of late in the day, however, I was struck by this silly idea this morning and figured there was no loss in posting it. I wrote it rather quickly so forgive any mistakes. I will probably come back and edit it in a few days. I just really wanted to post it before Valentines Day ends. (even though it ends pretty soon and by the time most of you read this it'll be over) Oh, well, I did it and I'm glad I did.
ENJOY!
Titans Together, Titans Forever,
Katalaso
Disclaimer: Eh.. you know what the disclaimer is. I don't own anything but the story line.
Valentines Day Blunder
Robin struggled reading through the files and reports in front of him. A huge stack laid to his right still waiting to be read, filed, and alphabetized. There was a lot of work to be done.
The Titans had just returned from their 6 month long search for the Brotherhood of Evil. Fortunately for Robin, the Titans East were willing to look over Jumpcity while the Titans were gone. Only problem was that their leader Bumble Bee wasn't nearly as dedicated as Robin. Any time any of them went on patrol they were supposed to fill out a report on what they encountered, where they partolled, and how long they were out. Robin left them a very specific patrol schedule that included patrol routes. Somehow, the Titans East managed to ignore everything he'd left for them. Patrol reports included statements like, "It was quiet." or "I walked around and nothing happened." Speedy's reports weren't even fully filled out, Aqualad's reports were soggy, Bumble Bee's reports were sloppy, and Mas y Menos' reports were in Spanish.
Robin ran a hand down his face as he placed Speedy's report back on the pile. They'd been back for almost a week and Robin had spent all his time in his office trying to organize these reports.
There was a knock on his door.
"Yo, Rob." Cyborg called from the outside of the door. "Your paper's in."
"Leave it outside the door." he called out. "I'll get in a second." The only break Robin took during the day was to read the daily newspaper. He slid out from behind his office and headed to the door. He could sit down with a cup of coffee and read his newspaper. The door to his office slid open. Without glancing at the paper, he picked it up and started walking to the living room. He quietly whistled as he walked through the hallway with his newspaper tucked under his arm.
Starfire turned the corner and walked into Robin's line of sight. Her face immediately brighten as she rushed to him.
"Greetings, friend Robin!" she squealed throwing her arms around his neck.
"Morning, Star." he chuckled as she pulled away.
"Is it not a glorious day?" she bounced in the air.
"Uh, sure, I guess." he responded.
"I must go!" she said as she rushed down the hallway going the opposite direction as he was. "I have many preparations to make." she turned the corner and disappeared.
Robin raised an eyebrow.
"That was weird." he said to himself as he continued his walk to the living room.
The living room doors slid open. Beast Boy and Cyborg were on the Gamestation. They stopped playing their game just to glanced at him and then at each other. With smiles on their faces, they turned back to their game. His eyebrows furrowed. Why was everyone acting so weird?
He decided he didn't care. He just wanted to read his paper. He pour himself a cup of black coffee and sat down on the kitchen table.
He brought the mug to his lips and gently smiled as he lifted the newspaper.
His smile dropped and the coffee he drank came spewing out of his mouth.
"Valentines Day!" read the heading of the newspaper. He eyes darted to the date in the corner of the page. It really was Valentines Day!
"You alright, dude?" Beast Boy inquired as he and Cyborg looked over at Robin, confused.
"Man, you just spit coffee everywhere!" Cyborg complained. "Clean that shit up!"
"Crap." Robin muttered. He leaped out from behind the table and bolted out the door. "CRAP!" he ran past the elevator and took the stairs down to the garage. "CRAP! CRAP! CRAP!"
He hopped on his motorcycle and zoomed down the underground corridor that lead to the shore.
The Titans had a Valentines Day tradition. Since none of them were dating anyone when the team started they agreed that every year the boys would each get a gift for each girl and the girls would each get a gift for each boy. He was so engrossed in his work he didn't even realize what day it was.
He came to a screeching stop in front of a big department store. He didn't even take his helmet off when he ran to the automatic doors of the store.
People stopped and stared as the leader of the Teen Titans zoomed past them toward the holiday aisle. Shelf after shelf was stacked with endless layers of chocolates, cards, stuffed animals, flowers, jewelry. His eyes darted around at all of his choices.
"Okay," he said to himself. "Flowers and chocolate for Raven. Teddy Bear and cute card for Starfire." He grabbed a random box of chocolates, red roses, and a big gray teddy bear. His eyes skimmed the cards for something Starfire would like. He wanted to make sure it wasn't some cheesy romantic card but a nice friendly one. He reached up and grabbed a pink glittery one that read, "To that great girl on Valentines Day."
"Perfect." he said to himself as he looked over his gifts. He raced out of the holiday aisle and toward the check-out lines. Only one lane was open and there were about seven people with loaded carts in front of him. He tapped his foot impatiently on the ground. The line moved up and he was standing beside the shelf with candy on it.
An employee came and turned the light for the next lane on.
"I'm open over here." the employee called.
"Coming!" Robin shouted as he leaped over the candy shelf, beating the old lady that was racing him to the cash register. "Hurry." The employee rushed to ring Robin up.
"That'll be $12.76"
"I don't care." he threw a 20 dollar bill over the counter and grabbed his bags. "Keep the change!" he shouted as he ran out the store. He bolted across the lot to where he parked the R-cycle only to find the spot empty.
"What the hell!?" he screamed. He dug his hand into his pocket searching for his keys. His pocket was empty. "SHIT!" He had been in such a rush to grab their gifts that he'd left the R-cycle running. He removed his helmet from his head and chucked it across the parking lot. "DAMNIT!" A couple different people in the lot turned their heads in his direction. One woman gasped and covered the ears of her young child. Another elderly woman glared at Robin and covered her adult son.
"Shame on you." the elderly woman scolded. "Titans should not use such language in the presence of children."
"Sorry." Robin muttered slumping his shoulders. He turned toward the exit of the parking lot and dragged his feet as he walked in the direction of the shore.
"Need a ride?" someone asked. He turned toward the sound of the voice. The adult son of the elderly woman was standing a few feet away from him.
"Please." Robin muttered. He followed the man to his gray minivan. The elderly woman sat in the passenger seat and her son drove so Robin sat in back.
"I'm Mike." the man said as he started his car and put on his seat belt. "This is my mom, Carol."
"Mrs. Miller to you, young man." she said bitterly.
"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Miller." Robin responded. Mike pulled out from his spot and made his way to the road.
"To the shore?" Mike asked.
"Yea, that'd be great." Robin said. A few awkward moments passed as Mike drove toward the shore. "I'm sorry for using inappropriate language in the lot."
"You should be." Mrs Miller responded angrily. "You damn little kids are always talking shit. You're all nothin' but a bunch of bitches. Dirty mouthed little prick."
Robin's eyes widened. And she was mad at him for swearing?
"Uh," Robin started. "Well, I'm sorry, ma'am."
"For what?" she asked as she turned in her seat to face Robin. "Please. Call me Carol. A brave Titan like yourself deserves respect."
What the heck!?
"Thank you?" Robin asked.
Mike pulled into a parking spot just off the beach.
"Thanks for the ride, Mike." Robin said as opened the door of the minivan.
"Anything to repay all the good you do for the city." Mike responded.
"Son," Carol reached back and grabbed Robin's knee. He jumped and with wide eyes looked up to Carol's face. "You keep working hard and don't ever quit school or do drugs, okay?"
"Yes, ma'am." he broke free from her gaze and exited the car, grabbing his bags.
"Go on now, child." she said as he shut the door.
He waved as he made his way down the shore.
"You dumb ass kid!" Mrs. Miller lowered her window. "I hope you fucking drown on your way to that damn tower!"
Robin didn't even turn around he just kept walking toward the shore. He reached the shore and punched in the code on his communicator that opened the underground corridor.
He ran down the long corridor, through the garage and up the stairs.
He bolted into his office and scribbled, "Happy Valentines Day!" on the inside of Starfire's card. He bundled all his gifts together in his arms and heading straight for the living room. A huge smile graced his lips as he strode down the hall.
After all that drama, he still got away with getting gifts late without anyone knowing he'd forgotten.
The doors slid open revealing Cyborg and Beast Boy still playing video games.
"Hey, guys." Robin called as he strode over to the couch where they sat. "Seen the girls?"
"I think they're in Raven's room." Beast Boy said without looking away from the screen.
"Okay." he smiled, turned on his heels and walked straight toward Raven's room.
Giggles were heard from the other side of Raven's room. He gently knocked, organizing his gifts.
Raven slid the door open a crack.
"Uh." she said when she noticed the gifts in his hands. "Starfire come look at this." The door slid completely open.
"Happy Valentines Day, ladies!" Robin said happily. "These are for you, Raven." he handed a perplexed Raven her gifts. "And these for are Starfire." he handed her her gifts.
"This glorious!" Starfire squealed. "Please. What is the occasion?"
"Occasion?" Robin asked confused. "It's Valentines Day, Starfire."
Raven raised an eyebrow, a small smile on her face, "No. It's not."
"The Day of Valentines is not for three more days." said Starfire.
"But my newspaper said it was Valentines Day." Robin protested.
"Well, it's not." Raven said as she began to close the door. "Thanks for the chocolates though."
Robin faced the closed door completely confused as he heard the girls laugh from the other side.
Meanwhile, Beast Boy and Cyborg were in the living room giving each other high-fives.
"Dude!" Beast Boy laughed. "He totally bought it!"
"Best," Cyborg gasped for air in between laughs, "Prank. Ever."