"It's so hot!" Beast Boy complained, collapsing backwards on the couch so that his feet were propped up by the armrest. "Who turned on the sun?"
It was the middle of a beautiful week, the sun was shining brighter than ever, and the sky was void of all clouds. Raven hated it. Her pale skin was made for dark and cold environments, not somewhere that sunflowers would have to wear shades because it was so bright outside. If Raven could live on the moon, she probably would. The dark girl was levitating above the couch a few feet from Beast Boy, her legs crossed and mind in an attempt to focus on something other than the heat. Despite the excruciating temperature, Raven still wore her purple cloak over her usual outfit, determined not to let the weather get the best of her. Beast Boy's constant whining wasn't helping to lift her spirits either. The couch dipped a few inches, signaling Cyborg's arrival. The robotic man slung his arms over the back of the sofa.
"I'm dying here!" he protested, wiping his hand across his drenched forehead. "The air conditioner is as cold as it can go and all the fans are turned on high! If only we had something else to cool us down," he sighed longingly. A moment of pure silence barely had time to pass when Cyborg and Beast Boy jumped up at the same time.
"Ice cream!"
Unplastering themselves from the couch, the duo dashed to the kitchen. Cyborg swung open the refrigerator, Beast Boy right over his shoulder and practically bouncing with excitement. Under the belief that her two annoyances were presently occupied, Raven closed her eyes, about to return to meditation, when Cyborg's voice cut through her focus again.
"Aw man, we got no ice cream?! What kind of a world do we live when we don't got no ice cream?!" he cried. "What happened to it all?! I know we had some a few days ago!"
"Dude! I remember!" Beast Boy exclaimed. "You used it all up in that brain freeze contest on Wednesday! Great going, Cy," he added bitterly.
"What are ya lookin' at me for? You were the one who came up with the idea for a brain freeze contest in the first place!"
"What?!"
"Remember? You had the stupid idea that you could hold out against a brain freeze longer than I could, so I said, 'prove it', and you said, 'bring it on you electronic hunk of junk'!" Cyborg reminded.
"Heh. Oh yeah," Beast Boy grinned.
"And then I kicked your butt."
"What?! No way, Cy, that's not how I remember it!"
"Then you must have amnesia. There's something wrong with your brain," the robotic man chuckled.
"That's what I've always said," Raven murmured from her place above the couch. Beast Boy, having been successfully ganged up on, huffed, crossing his arms. He was saved from more badgering by the arrival of Robin.
"Listen up team, I've got a mission for us," the leader announced, walking over to the other Titans. His words brought an exaggerated groan from Beast Boy, who was stretched once again over the couch like a sloth.
"Are you serious? In this weather? Pass," Beast Boy stated. "I have to go and jump into a pit of boiling lava first." Which ironically, Raven noted as she floated down to sit on the sofa, wouldn't be much different than going outside in such heated weather.
"Oh, well sorry then Beast Boy; I guess that we'll have to go to the beach without you," Robin smirked. Beast Boy sat straight up. The beach? The wonderful sandy place filled with babes in bikinis and cold ocean water to dive through as a dolphin, beach?
"Whoa, whoa Robin; what's the catch?" Cyborg inquired, interrupting Beast Boy's fantasies. "You never let the team go anywhere fun without some motive behind it. Remember the time we went to the movie theater and it turned out to be haunted? Or when you sent us on a mission to the zoo and all the animals had broken free? Or-."
Robin gave a sheepish smile. "Yeah, I remember. But no worries, Cyborg; there's no catch this time. Aqualad requested that we watch over a certain section of the beach for him for a few hours while he's away until his friends take over. Apparently they're coming in from somewhere south of Florida so it's a long trip, but on a hot day like this, I figured you all would want to go to the beach for a little while. Just think of it as a day off."
Beast Boy needed to hear no more. He leapt from the couch and dashed through the main doors toward his room, yelling something about fun in the sun. Cyborg and Raven turned back to Robin. "So Robin," Cyborg began hesitantly, "you promise there's no twist? No hidden objective?"
"I promise," Robin swore, raising his palm.
"Then you're the best leader ever!" Cyborg swept the boy up into a giant hug that could only rivaled by Starfire's and then rushed off into his room to find some waterproof gear.
Robin was bent over catching his breath when Raven started to exit the room. "If you don't mind Robin, I think I'll stay in the tower today. I'm not big on beaches," she stated. When she thought about it, Raven doubted she even owned a bathing suit.
"Hang on Raven," Robin called, air now fully occupying his lungs again. "Before you go, Starfire wanted to see you in her room." Raven froze. Starfire's bedroom was a complete contrast to her own, and it was only the place, next to Beast Boy's room, that Raven avoided going in at all costs. Bright and cheery, the shades were always pulled open and shadows were chased away into the corners of the room. Any trace of gloom instantly disappeared when inside, but the worst part was the color. Starfire's bedroom looked like a giant pink paintball had exploded inside and stained everything. The walls, the clothes, the decorations: all were pink.
"Okay, I'll go talk to her," Raven answered. She exited through the door, wondering what horrors Starfire wanted her to succumb to today. Perhaps it was "the painting of the nails" or "the girl talk". Whatever it was, Raven forced herself to suppress a shudder as she left the main room.
"Dude, this is the best day ever!" Beast Boy exclaimed. He had on green shorts with white strips lining the sides, large blue goggles strapped to his head, and oversized aqua flippers bound to his feet. Topping off the whole look was an enormous rubber duck around his waist. Cyborg took one look at him and burst out laughing.
"Are-are-are-are you serious?!" he choked. "You're going to wear that to the beach?"
"Uh huh!" Beast Boy nodded, grinning widely. "I'll be a huge chick magnet with all this stuff! It's a proven fact; I looked it up online!"
Another wave of laugher claimed Cyborg. He was literally rolling on the floor and holding his sides when Robin walked in. Cyborg sat up, delicately wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. "Oh, Beast Boy you make my day. 'I'll be a huge chick magnet'. Ha! I'm sure you will, if you lose those kiddy toys. What are you, seven?"
Beast Boy huffed. "Well, what about you? Not going to the beach at all, hm?" Cyborg looked no different than when Beast Boy had last seen him. He still wore his blue and steely armor, and he hadn't miraculously become fully human within the past half hour. As far as Beast Boy was concerned, there was no evidence to prove that Cyborg was going to the ocean with them.
"'Course I'm goin'! This is my waterproof suit!" Cyborg exclaimed, offended that his friend somehow hadn't noticed such an insignificant change in the armor. In truth, the metal Cyborg wore was slightly water resistant. Since he was partly human, he wouldn't die or shut down if he got a drop of water on him anyway, but while his "waterproof suit" would protect him from the occasional splashes of water, there wasn't much he could do if he had to dive into the ocean except sink.
Robin cleared his throat slightly. "Ready to go guys?" he asked once he had their attention. He was wearing traditional red shorts beach attire, with the exception of his mask.
Beast Boy gave him thumbs up. "Yep!"
Reaching over, Cyborg pulled the stop on Beast Boy's duck. "Yep!" he replied as a hiss signaled air escaping from the duck. Within moments, the child's toy was completely deflated. While Beast Boy tried to figure out why his duck was no longer squeaking, Cyborg asked," So Robin, where are the girls at?"
"Probably still getting ready. Starfire wanted to talk to Raven, so they could be a while. Cyborg, could you get the T-car ready while I…" Robin died off as he caught sight of the two teenagers gawking at something behind him. He turned around and his own eyes grew wide. Long scarlet hair cascading past her shoulders and emerald eyes shy, Starfire stood at the top of the stairs. She wore an orange bathing suit, a bikini to be more exact, with straps as small as shoe laces hanging loosely over her tan shoulders. A small yellow flower was imprinted on one side of the bathing suit.
"Hello Robin," Starfire greeted bashfully, gliding to the leader's side. "Is my appearance… acceptable to you?"
"Uh, y-yes!" Robin stammered, his cheeks glowing slightly. "Absolutely! But Star… Where did you get that outfit?"
"I found it at the mall of shopping! There are many wonderful stores there filled with many exciting items! I have yet to explore them all, but I look forward to doing so! Would you like to accompany me the next time I go there, Robin?"
"Um uh, sure Star."
Starfire clapped her hands together in delight. "Wonderful! I anticipate such a time in the future!"
Robin couldn't help but grin. "Same." He faced the other boys. "Now that we're all here, I guess it's time that we start to head out-." Starfire stopped him, flying in his field of vision.
"Oh no Robin!" she exclaimed. "We have yet for friend Raven to join us!"
"Sorry Star, but she told me she wasn't coming…," Robin began, but Starfire only smiled, shaking her head.
"Come on Starfire, this is Raven we're talking about," Beast Boy reminded. "You know, pale skin, purple hair, menacing scowl, hates the sunlight. There's no way she'd ever come to the beach with us! If she ever did, then I'd… I'd… eat my socks!"
"Better start chewin' then, BB," Cyborg said, "cause I think she's comin' with us!" He pointed at the top of the stairs where none other than Raven stood. She wore a blue two-piece bathing suit and held a large umbrella in her hand. Straps on the top of her swimsuit wrapped around to the back of her neck and were tied tightly together in a small knot. The bottom half were more shorts-like, blue with purple swirls running along the edges.
"I am so going to regret this," Raven sighed, making her way down the stairs.
"Hey… Raven," Robin welcomed faintly. The leader was shocked that Raven was even coming with the team to the beach, and more so that she was wearing the bathing suit that she was. "I thought you were going to stay in the Tower today…"
"So did I, but apparently Starfire disagreed with us," Raven replied, not stopping in her descent down to the main room. "She was the one who forced me into this bathing suit."
"That musta been quite a sight," Cyborg murmured beneath his breath, smirking. "Oof!" he gasped as Robin elbowed him in the gut. Raven continued walking past the boys, not even pausing as she inquired, "Is that a deflated rubber duck at your feet?" Beast Boy, who had for some reason unable to speak a word since she walked in, snapped his open mouth shut and quickly swooped down, proceeding to frisbee the yellow toy out the window.
"What duck?" he asked innocently, hands folded behind his back and eyes wide, ignoring the audible splash that came from outside as the toy landed in the ocean. Raven rolled her eyes, picking up a towel on the kitchen table. While she was occupied, Beast Boy leaned over to Cyborg, whispering, "Look at that, the chicks are drawn to me already. Told you this stuff worked."
"I didn't know that Raven counted as a chick," Cyborg whispered back. "Starfire, yeah, but never Raven."
"I know, dude. Me neither."
"You are pleased with your outfit, friend Raven?" Starfire asked hopefully, gliding over the boys' heads. Raven only shrugged, not wishing to hurt Starfire's feelings by saying otherwise. Wearing a bathing suit wasn't the worst thing in the world, but it certainly wasn't something Raven wanted to do on a daily basis. Despite Raven's lack of an enthusiastic answer, Starfire clapped her hands together happily.
"I am simply glad that you are joining us on our trip to the beach!" she exclaimed. "Now come friends; let us go quickly to the wonderful place that I have looked forward to all afternoon!" Starfire swooped out the door, Raven calmly following not too far behind. The remaining boys watched as the two exited, and only when the automatic doors had shut did they realize what Starfire had said. The quick dash that followed consisted of hurried hands and slightly blushing faces.
The sun's rays shone brightly over the sand, heating it to an almost uncomfortable temperature and keeping those less determined to brave the heat inside. Flocks of seagulls glided over the beach, occasionally landing to peck at a scrap of food that someone had left behind. Receding and then splashing up onto the shore again, the cool ocean lured occupants of the beach to take a break from the heat and go for a swim. Groups of teenagers and families were lined up for miles across the sand, enjoying the sun, splashing in the water, or simply engaged in a game of volleyball. "The beach!" Starfire declared joyously, spreading her arms wide and rising slightly above the ground with delight. Behind her, loaded up with beach chairs and umbrellas, Robin sighed. Starfire had just unintentionally announced herself to all the single boys on the shore, and since he and Star had kissed in Tokyo and were basically in an official relationship, that could turn out to be a bit of a problem for him. Not that Robin didn't trust Starfire; it was the other boys he didn't care for.
"Come Robin! Join me in the swimming of the ocean!" Starfire called, one foot already in the water. Robin smiled, waving her on ahead as he flipped out the folding chairs in a good place in the sun. Nearby Beast Boy, having previously discarded his unnecessary swimming equipment, was unhesitant in leaping straight into the freezing water of the ocean. He bounded off of the sandy beach, transforming into a kangaroo and launching himself high up, only to gracefully convert into a dolphin in mid-air and follow through with an elegant dive. It might have been more impressive if he hadn't sprinted out of the water a moment later shouting, "Coldcoldcoldcold!" Cyborg snorted with laugher from his dry position on the sand. Close by, Raven was already stretched out on a beach blanket underneath her large umbrella. She now wore a small circular hat and sunglasses to shield her from the sun. Thus, the Titan's day on the beach began.
"Hey Cy! Watch this!" Beast Boy called. Having temporarily given up on swimming, he was crouched a few feet from a large seagull, bent over like he had it in his head he was going to sneak up on it.
"What are you doin', BB?" Cyborg hollered back. "Are you tryin' to catch that seagull?" Beast Boy nodded. "Why would you want to do that?" The only response Cyborg received was a shrug and a grin. He rolled his eyes, leaning back to watch the show. And a show it was. Tongue stuck out somewhat to the side, Beast Boy was concentrating furiously. He took a few steps forward as quietly as he could, but the bird, well aware of the human behind him, hopped twice the length that Beast Boy had moved, though in the opposite direction. Narrowing his eyebrows, Beast Boy moved closer. Again the seagull trotted further away. Impatience got the best of Beast Boy and he sprang forward, arms outstretched. The bird took flight, causing Beast Boy to crash to the ground nowhere even near his target. He sat up, shaking sand particles from his hair. There was now a bright red mark on his chest. A few moments passed before the pain really set in.
"Ohhhh sandburn! That's gonna hurt in the morning," Beast Boy moaned, curling over and pressing his arms to his ribs. Two blonde girls, who happened to be passing by, glanced at each other, giggling. Beast Boy's eyes lit up and he scrambled to his feet, already in pursuit.
"Robin, would you like to join me in a game of the volleyball?" Starfire asked, flying over to the leader with a softball in her hands. Robin looked up from where he sat.
"I don't see why not," he smiled, getting to his feet. "Who else is playing?"
"I hoped that our friends could join us!" Starfire responded. "Cyborg has already agreed to play."
"So that leaves… Beast Boy!" Robin called. Beast Boy was trudging over the sand in the team's direction. The two giggling girls had hardly given him the time of the day, other than pausing to say that he was too green for their liking. At least they had thought he was funny.
"Want to play a game of volleyball with us?" the leader invited Beast Boy, bouncing a softball up and down on the sand.
Beast Boy perked up. "Sure," he replied. "If you don't mind me kicking your butt at it!" He scurried over to the volleyball net, only to pause beside Raven. After taking a moment to build up his courage, Beast Boy had barely opened his mouth when Raven, stretching out on a towel in the shade, spoke first.
"No."
"But-but-."
"No."
Beast Boy morphed into a puppy, widening his adorable eyes and whimpering sorrowfully. He circled once, nudging against Raven's foot with his nose. Raven lifted her sunglasses to look at him. Beast Boy's miniature tail thumped hopefully.
"No." A bucket of sand dumped itself onto his head.
Beast Boy's ears drooped, then after a quick shake, he transformed into human form again, shrugging. "Your loss," he said. The two had little spats like these often, with Beast Boy annoying Raven, Raven telling him to stop, Beast Boy ignoring her and then somehow getting hurt. Beast Boy never truly got injured though; just enough pain inflicted to make him conscious that he was irritating Raven. He would cease for a few minutes before starting the process over again. The whole team was aware of it, and, though in the past Robin and Starfire had attempted to keep Beast Boy from Raven so she couldn't inflict damage, (Cyborg would just sit by and laugh) the realization that Beast Boy wasn't really in danger dawned on them. He practically seemed to enjoy the constant attention. The two's squabbles were sometimes even good for a laugh, making up for the lack of humor in Beast Boy's jokes.
Beast Boy ran over to the other members of the team, who should have been warming up beside the volleyball net but were prevented from doing so by a group of teenagers who had encircled the Titans. A boy with greasy, spiny hair and an obnoxious smirk planted on his face took a step up to Robin. "You think you can take our volleyball court, Mask?" he snorted. The boy's shorts were black, matching his hair, and had the image of a sinister skull on the sides. "Don't you know that this stretch of the beach is our turf?" Robin's only response was the slightest narrowing of his eyebrows. He had already analyzed the boy in his mind. Dark appearance, spikes for earrings, and alcohol on his breath, this was someone to be wary of. With a quick observation, Robin deduced that the other teenagers at his side were probably part of a gang, and the boy in front was the leader. The beach was their place for daytime preying, and it didn't take much to guess that their nightly habits included places like dark alleys and warehouses.
"Man, what are you talking about?" Cyborg asked. "We're only gonna play a game of volleyball."
"Not on our turf, Gears. You'd better leave before things get ugly."
"Uglier than you?" Beast Boy muttered beneath his breath. "Come on, dude!" he continued, louder. "Who are you to tell us that we can't play a simple game?"
"I'm Tear," the boy announced, "as in the tearing of skin and bones, which is what's gonna to happen to you unless you get out of here!" Tear leaned close, sneering. Robin crossed his arms, a stance the Titans had seen when they knew he was determined not to let others get the best of him. He used it during battles, with villains like Slade, and when playing against his teammates over the course of friendly competitions. Robin was one to win, not to back down, and while his stubbornness could be frustrating, it was frequently the reason that the Titans were victorious.
"The beach is a glorious place where should all be allowed to play, is it not?" Starfire asked, innocent and confused.
Tear turned his attention to Starfire. A wily grin spread over his face. "We only have a few exceptions. Want to be one of them?" He had reached a hand out when he found Robin blocking his path. The Titan's eyes were narrowed.
"Play a game against us," Robin commanded. "You win and we'll leave. We win, and you'll have to accept that no one rules the beach."
"Why should we do what you say? Tear scoffed.
Beast Boy couldn't stop a grin from growing over his face. "What are you, scared?" he taunted, his sharp canine teeth glinting. "Tear afraid of getting torn?" Tear's eyes blazed, and he gave an angry snort. People passing by could see the smoke coming out of his nostrils like a bull. If there was one thing Beast Boy knew how to do, it was irritate others.
"Fine. We'll play you with street rules," Tear sniffed, rubbing his nose. "But don't cry when we burn you so bad that you'll wish you'd played with fire instead." He whipped around to face his gang, each teenager scarier than the last. There were seven, including Tear, and all wore leather jackets despite the scorching sun. There was one girl, and she bore a barbed collar accompanied with large jagged earrings and spiked bracelets. Apparently the girl was all about sharp things. "Spike," Tear called, "take the center." She grinned, revealing a pierced bottom lip, and obliged.
"Uh, dude? Isn't there supposed to be some rule about the amount of team members you have?" Beast Boy asked nervously, inching further back.
Tear chuckled. "Why? Scared, Grass Stain?"
Beast Boy's ears grew red. "Grass Stain?! Bring it on!"
"He's right," Robin stepped forward. "We're in this to win it." Glancing back at the team, he lowered his voice. "Try not to use any of your powers unless necessary," he murmured. "We'll try to keep it fair."
"Fair?! They have seven people and we only have four!" Beast Boy whined. Robin silenced him with a quick glare.
Tear's team began the first serve a hard spike that was only barely saved by a dive from Cyborg. Robin leapt up and smacked the spinning ball back to the other team. The girl named Spike punched it into the air, which was then shot over by a guy with a shaven head and giant fists. Beast Boy returned the volley with a hit of his own. The game continued quickly, and before long a pattern emerged. Tear would gain a point, and then the Titans would earn one. Soon the teams were tied and only one point was needed to win. By now a large crowd with people wanting to see if their beach would finally be freed from the tight grip of the gang had gathered. As the intensity of the game had increased, so did the spectators, and presently there was a big audience watching. Tear could feel the heat. He was soaked with sweat, and the dark clothes he wore were not helping him keep cool, let alone look good. Glancing at the other members of his team, he could tell that they were also exhausted. Spike, even, was gasping for breath. It was time to end the game. Tear nodded to Spike, and when the volleyball came to their team next, he set their plan into action. Spike grabbed the top of the net, jerking it down, and Tear spiked the ball as hard as he could at the opposing team's ground. He stepped back with a grin. There was no way they could stop such a strong hit.
But they did. Tear watched in shock as the green boy morphed into a turtle to prevent the ball from hitting the sand. The softball ricocheted off his shell, causing the ball to sail high into the sky. The girl dressed in an orange bikini flew to it, smacking it down hard. Tear and his gang barely had time to dive for cover. The volleyball hit the beach with the force of a falling meteor, and sand flew everywhere, temporarily blinding everyone. When Tear opened his eyes, there was a deep indention in the ground, along with a deflating softball.
"H-Hey! You have super powers!" Tear exclaimed. "That's cheating!"
The boy wearing a mask grinned slightly. "You cheated, not us; but hey, good game." He offered a hand. Growling, Tear pushed it back. He motioned to his team, and they slunk further down the beach to hide somewhere until the shame burned off.
Beast Boy pumped a fist in the air. "Yeah, that's right! We rule! And you don't! Uh huh! Uh huh!" He started doing his well-known victory dance, only stopping when Cyborg plucked him off the ground.
"Don't ever do that again," Cyborg requested sternly, but there was a smile in his eyes. Beast Boy knew he was just as excited, but hiding it in order to be a good sport. The shape-shifter thought at least a little celebration should be in order though.
"Let's get some ice cream!" he exclaimed. Grinning, Cyborg placed Beast Boy on the ground, and the two boys ran off. Watching them go, Robin wiped his sweaty forehead, his look of fierce concentration fading into calm. The game hadn't lasted very long, but had been a great workout in substitute of his usual combat practice. Robin always made sure he was in his prime for whatever situation might come his way, whether it was fighting Cinderblock or dealing with Cyborg and Beast Boy's arguments. Even though this time it had only been a game of volleyball, there was still less evil in the world and Robin felt pretty accomplished. He turned around to talk to Starfire about the game to find that she was already speaking with someone else; one of the gang members in fact.
"I do not understand," Starfire questioned. "What do you mean, 'come over to your place'?" The boy who was talking to her seemed just as confused, but because she didn't comprehend what he was saying. Robin placed a hand on the teen's shoulder and gave the gang member a long hard stare. Spooked, the boy retreated.
Beast Boy and Cyborg had come back from the ice cream stand, licking their cones down to nothing, when Beast Boy caught sight of Tear leaned over Raven's umbrella. From looking at him positioned in the tough-guy stance, collar pulled up and hair slicked back, it seemed he was trying to hit on her. Beast Boy almost choked with laughter. The poor guy didn't know what he was in for. But as Beast Boy watched, Raven seemed to be getting more and more irritated, and she wasn't using her powers against Tear. Beast Boy crunched on the last of his cone.
"What are you thinkin', BB?" Cyborg inquired, catching sight of the look on his friend's thoughtful face.
"I'm thinking that Raven might need some help fending off that dude," Beast Boy replied, and then motioning to the side where Robin stood, almost as if on guard, beside Starfire, he continued. "Starfire has Robin to fend off whatever dudes are crushing on her. Raven's left all alone over there! She'll need defending," Beast Boy decided.
"I don't really think that's necessary, man. Raven can handle him herself I'm sure…" Cyborg's words fell on deaf pointy ears, and, as Beast Boy walked over to Raven, Cyborg allowed himself a small sigh. The shape-shifter never could keep out of other people's business.
Raven tilted her hat back, squinting against the sun. "May I help you?" A darkly dressed boy with greasy hair was standing beside her umbrella. Leaning on it was a better phrase. He had an obnoxious smirk plastered on his face and the strong smell of BO emitting from his sweat-stained shirt. Raven wrinkled her nose. She recognized him from the volleyball game that her teammates had won: Teary or something.
"Yeah," Tear grinned. "I've lost my phone number and was wondering if I could have yours."
Raven adjusted her hat back to its original position. "No thanks, but your phone number should be in your phone if you look."
Tear let his confidence slip for a moment before he recovered, dropping closer to Raven. "Come on, darlin', how about you come on over to my place?"
"Pass," Raven stated shortly. She picked up the book she'd been reading, but Tear pushed it down, leaning closer.
"Why not? You would love it there. Come on, girl, you know that deep inside you really want to," Tear whispered.
Raven looked at him. "You know? Deep, deep down inside, I really don't." Tear moved back frowning as Raven sighed. This boy was more infuriating than Beast Boy, and, just like Beast Boy, he didn't know how to take no for an answer. Tear opened his mouth, probably to say something detestable again, when Beast Boy appeared. Speaking of… Raven thought.
"Is this dude bothering you, Raven?" he asked, crossing his arms.
"Yes," Raven said, somewhat wary, wondering what the shape-shifter was doing. When Beast Boy got involved with something, a mess usually followed, and Raven would most likely have to clean it up.
"What of it, Grass Stain?" Tear snapped, getting to his feet.
"I want you to stop," Beast Boy stated confidentially. Raven remained quiet. She appreciated what he was doing, but she could have handled the problem herself. Although, if the problem could be solved without unnecessary energy usage, Raven thought she might as well give her friend a chance.
Tear snarled. "Why? Is she your girlfriend or somethin'?"
Beast Boy hesitated. Then, "Yes, she is." Raven fell stock-still. She'd kill him. She swore she'd kill him. "And I want you to stop annoying her," the doomed shape-shifter continued. Tear, who hadn't expected Beast Boy to confirm the relationship, blinked. Nearby, Raven was silently planning what the best way to rid of Beast Boy was. Maybe throwing him into the mouth of a volcano was too kind?
"Okay, Grass Stain," Tear said, placing his hands on his hips, "then you wouldn't mind a little competition?" He pulled a slip of paper from his pocket and handed it to Beast Boy. It said in big, bold letters 'THE CUTEST COUPLE COMPETITION'. In smaller writing beneath, it stated, 'Think you have what it takes to win a competition with your boyfriend or girlfriend? Come enter THE CUTEST COUPLE COMPETITION and win BIG BUCKS! If our television audience votes you THE CUTEST COUPLE out of the other couples after a date with your significant other, then you'll win! Call 1-800-CUTE for entry'. Then in the fine print: 'Contestant entries may vary. CUTEST COUPLE COMPETITION is not responsible for any injuries which may occur'.
"It's a new television show. My girlfriend and I are already entered." Tear jabbed a finger at Beast Boy. "I dare you to join. There's no way you could beat Spike and me."
"It's on!" Beast Boy exclaimed, clenching the paper in his fist. There wasn't a chance he was going to back out of such a bold challenge. The Titan's, and his, honors were at stake! He had to uphold their winning streak!
Tear chuckled. "It's in three weeks. See ya then, Grass Stain." He hooked his thumbs in his pockets and strolled off, tromping over a child's sandcastle as he went. Beast Boy turned to Raven, whose eyes were blazing. A black wall of magic slowly rose around her.
"I think that went well," he smiled.
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