Birthday (request)
Teen Titans request
Day old tofu chocolate cake sat on the counter, long stale but still nibbled at by the teenagers of Titan's Tower. The living room was scattered with sagging, vivid balloons that continued to drop as more air escaped. Furniture hadn't been righted from its overturned position and a mixture of crushed chips and confetti had been trampled into the carpet. A handmade banner a certain Tamaranean had delightedly spent an afternoon making still hung from the ceiling, but suddenly its cheerful colors and animal doodles seemed dull and grey. The entire state of the living room pointed to a grand festivity not long before, but now the disco balls Technicolor lights had been replaced with sobering day light. The birthday boy was sulking outside down by the rocks, watching as sunlight danced on the rippling water that surrounded the tower.
Now, Starfire may not have been fully knowledgeable in earthen customs, but she was fairly sure that people young as Beast Boy didn't mope after the celebration of their birth. Had Robin been awake she'd of asked his thoughts, but he wasn't and the redhead wasn't about to wake the peacefully slumbering boy. Raven was in her room and Starfire didn't think the empath would appreciate being disturbed, especially after participating in the party when she'd rather have been reading and Cyborg was snoring loudly, passed out in a chiar. So Starfire was the only one left to investigate Beast Boy's sudden melancholy mood.
She flew to him, smiling.
"Greetings, friend. Were the festivities to your peoples likings?"
The green boy lifted his head and smiled, nodding.
"Yeah, Star, it was the party of the year. Thanks for planning it." He said, voice lacking its usual personality.
"Then pray tell, are you down here by yourself and sad? Was it my singing the traditional Tamaranean 40 minuet song of birth?"
He sighed, "No, I'm just a little bummed, okay? I don't want to talk about it." He crossed his arms defensively over his chest and looked away. The beautiful alien persisted and floated closer, peering at him with concern.
"Please, Beast Boy, tell me." She coaxed softly, sitting close to him. The changeling sighed in a defeated manor and let his arms drop.
"It's a couple things." He admitted. "Yesterday was my birthday and it reminded me that…" he trailed off, bottom lip trembling as tears seared at his emerald eyes.
Starfire frowned then perked up, "Come," she exclaimed, tugging at Beast Boy's hand. "We'll share life stories with the others."
"Wha—"
"Friends!" Starfire cried, hands cupping her mouth. Cyborg jerked away with a snort, yawning as he rocked the chair back to its feet. Robin shuffled in, stirring a cup of coffee, his spiky black hair devilish from sleep. Raven levitated down the hall silent as a ghost, expression blank as always. "Friends, something troubles our colleague," she slapped Beast Boy heartily on the back, making him stumble slightly. "On Tamera when one is unable to voice their insecurities or problems their closest friends and family sit in a sacred circle and share personal problems to help them speak what troubles them."
The Titan's all shared an expression and the three boys shrugged, knowing the lime eyed vixen would not be deterred. Raven's demeanor didn't so much as budge and she sat cross-legged, eyes sliding shut. They all took a spot, forming a circle. "Good," the ginger praised, hands clasped together. "Who would like to start?" Everyone kind of looked away, pretending to be interested in something else. Robin raised his hand and volunteered.
All eyes shifted to him and the boy laughed nervously, rubbing his head.
"Uh, okay. A personal story? Fine… you all know I'm Robin, previously known as Robin the Boy Wonder… Batman's sidekick." He gave a fake cough and continued. "My journey into this superhero world began when I was a chubby cheeked, snot nosed baby who watched as his parents died. They were shot at the circus and the Bat took me in."
Flash Back
'They're dead, they're gone, I can feel their blood between my toes. Oh God. Mom and Dad were shot, they're dead.' The phrase 'they're dead,' repeated in Dick Grayson's head like a mindless chant until it dissolved into hissing static. In only moments his life had come crashing down around him and he was helpless but to watch as death clouded his mother's eyes. The circus tent erupted with noise, people flooding the exits, but Dick heard none of it. There was only his mother and fathers cries cut short and the words 'they're dead' playing on a loop. A heavy hand landed on his shoulder and Dick's head snapped up to meet sad blue eyes, like melting ice.
The man, Bruce Wayne, he later learned, had paid for their funeral. Had held him and let the boy wet his suit with snot and tears.
"I want the man who killed them to face justice." The boy, no longer bright eyed little Dick Grayson, stepped into the murky gray and set out to protect the innocent.
No one said a thing. They all just sat stunned as Robin finished his tale, smiling embarrassedly.
Cyborg shook his head and broke free of the spell.
"I'll go. It happened a few years ago, I was awesome at sports, any sport. My mom and I were coming home from a football game; I'd just scored three goals and saved a fumble. We were driving home when a drunk driver came barreling down at us, hit us strait on."
"Oh, Victor, I'm so proud of you." A short, happily plum woman wearing a floral print dress linked arms with her son's and squeezed the muscular limb.
"Thanks Ma," said the tall, sweaty athlete.
"No, I mean it, honey. You're father would be so proud of everything you've accomplished. You're an honor student and you play all his favorite games." Elinore said, rising on the tiptoes of her high heels to kiss him on the cheek.
Victor blushed a bit and glanced around the parking lot hoping none of his friends saw. He opened the door of his mothers Cadillac and she closed it behind her.
"Buckled up?" Elinore asked, turning the keys in the ignition.
"Yup."
She looked around and pulled out of the stadium parking lot, signaling as they entered traffic. She sang along with the radio, shoulders and head bopping with the rhythm. The light turned green and she moved into the intersection, screaming as she saw the truck coming at her side.
"My mom didn't make it, and they had to do this to me to keep me alive." Cyborg said, looking at his robot hands.
Raven was next. She sighed and hung her head.
"My mother was betrothed to an evil demon who is my father; they tried to cast me out and then taught me that ways of meditation, okay?" she huffed and turned her head.
Starfire nodded and began her story.
"Where I come from power is the most important thing, and I was weak. My parents favored Blackstar because of this and my knorfka was the only person to show me kindness. My father wanted to leave me to natures cruelty because he had already been blessed with the prodigal daughter. Galfore protested and kept me safe. He spent hours training with me until I was strong like Blackfire and wouldn't shame my family's royal name."
Beast Boy shrank away, he still didn't want to talk, but every one of his friends had told him a secret of their past, he pretty well had to spill now. He took a deep breath.
"When I was normal, my parents and I were happy in Africa until I got my powers. Shortly after they died in a boating accident and I was all alone…"
The small, shivering green boy stood in the crowd of villagers as they argued about what to do with him. No one wanted him, it seemed. The priest was a kind man and led him away from the noise. In his hut he motioned for Beast Boy to lie on the corn husk mat and sleep.
He was like a father to the orphaned child, but the priest took ill and died a year later. Crushed, Garfield fled the humid jungles for concrete ones. He survived on the streets, another freak that had escaped its cage of a ragtag runaway from a broken home. He made a bed from discarded cardboard boxes and transformed into a pigeon to eat bird food from the old man in a wheelchair in the park. It was never enough to keep the raw edge of hunger from digging in. He was starved, skin drawn tightly across his weakening frame. One day on the corner a man left his hot dog stand unattended and the boy tentatively reached for one, snatching his hand back. He couldn't do it, he just couldn't steal it. He slunk back into the alley behind a convenience store, crawling into his stained box.
Out on the street a strange looking man ran, shooting a shot gun randomly. Beast Boy, as the villagers called him, dashed to the sidewalk, watching in awe as four amazing superheroes in purple suits rushed in and saved the day. The Doom Patrol. The name was sweet in his elfin ears and he followed them as a mouse, scampering into their base. He was going to be part of the Doom Patrol.
Through the years they became his family, the one he had so craved with every fiber of his being. Things went well, and then they again fell apart, like they always did. The boy ran from the hurt, blindfold removed. He was only appreciated when useful, just a tool to be used and put away. Mento, Rita, they weren't his parents, no matter what she said…
"Then I met you guys and the rest is history." He paused, "I guess why I'm sad is that I miss the Doom Patrol, they were the closest thing I had to a family, heck, I even miss that taskmaster Mento. But it's not just that, it's this whole year. Tera," all his friend winced and bowed their heads slightly in respect. "I-I miss her, is all. The way she laughed, her smile, I just want to have that with someone. I want someone to love like Rob and Star." The two mentioned Titan's blushed.
Cyborg scooted closer to Beast Boy and smacked him on the shoulder.
"Cheer up, buddy. We all want what you want. You'll find some girl unfortunate enough to like you and you'll go get that nasty tofu pizza and share soda, like the couples at the pizza place on weekends. She's out there, and she's looking for you, you just don't know it yet. One day, when you least expect her, she'll pop into your life."
Beast Boy looked between all his friends' faces, seeing the family love he wanted and needed. His gaze caught Raven's and her lip quirked slightly into a smirk. Everyone here was willing to sit and voice their most painful memories, and if people like that existed that somewhere in the cosmos, there was a girl who was dreaming about a boy just like him.
He'd find her. With his families help he'd keep on looking and keep on waiting.
Author's Note: Well, there is it. This is a gift for Creepy-Pasta, hope its what you had in mind :). Sorry if its short, its late and I've exhausted my poetic well for the night. I had a hard time with Rae-Rae and Starfire, so that's why there's no flash backs for them. I pretty much made up Cy's past, the only thing accurate is his mom's name.