"Die, soulless zombie, die!" Kid Flash yelled.
"You need to look up." Changeling rolled his eyes.
"Why would I do that?" Kid Flash rolled his neck in his direction.
"Because of that." Nightwing said.
Kid Flash looked back at the screen & saw a pack of zombies had jumped from the surrounding buildings & landed on him, eating him like popcorn. "Aww man!"
Changeling smirked. "You never look up."
"Whatever." He mumbled as he sulked. He sat back on the sofa & watched as the remaining trio made progress in the game.
Cyborg leapt to his feet minutes later. "Oh yeah! Compound's in sight! We're gonna make it! We're gonna make it!"
"Just a little further! Changeling, do a sweep!" Nightwing was on the edge of his seat.
"I'm sweeping! I'm sweeping!" The shifter in question had his tongue out of his mouth & was hanging of the couch.
"Happy day of the St. Valentine!"
The boys jerked then looked to the doors of the common room, where the proclamation had come from. Starfire stood in the doorway with her arms outstretched & a huge smile upon her face.
There was a ferocious growling & the boys turned back to the screen in time to see their characters being mauled by dated zombies. They deflated.
"Star!" Cyborg whined. "It's not even Valentine's Day!"
"It will be in a day's time." She pointed out. "I am decorating in here & am in need of your help."
By the time she blinked, only a dust cloud was visible. She stuck her bottom lip out & lowered her arms. "I suppose I am doing the decorating myself. Again."
/3
"That was close!" Kid Flash blew out a breath.
"I'm not painting the tower no more colors!" Changeling swore.
"She goes overboard." Nightwing hated to admit it.
Cyborg looked around the garden. The guys had hightailed it outside to avoid their holiday enthused teammate. "When is Valentine's Day anyway? It's not today, I'm sure. Bee would kill me for forgetting."
"You mean you don't know it's not today?" Kid Flash laughed.
"She wouldn't have let it get this far in the day without chewing my head off." Cyborg gave a dry look.
Nightwing cupped his chin & thought. "It's- I think it's in a few days."
"We caught that part." Changeling rolled his eyes. "How many of them?"
Nightwing frowned. "I don't know! A couple!" He pulled out his communicator & checked the date in the small print. "Let me ask you guys a question."
"Shoot." Cyborg
"What?" Changeling
"Okay." Kid Flash
"Do any of you have plans for Valentine's Day?"
The three stopped & thought before looking up. "No."
"We're in deep crap." Nightwing intoned. "Valentine's Day is tomorrow!"
Changeling said a particular four letter word he didn't want his daughter ever to say. "I'm dead."
"As a doornail." Cyborg whistled low.
"There won't even be a funeral." Kid Flash gulped.
"Do you think she was dropping a hint?" Nightwing asked. "Is that why she waited so late to decorate?"
"I don't know." Changeling bit his bottom lip. "Rae hasn't said a word about it."
Cyborg scratched his head. "Bee hasn't either. Jinx?"
Kid Flash thought about the last few days. "Nope. Unless saying she didn't want to stay in tomorrow is a hint."
"It might be." Nightwing told him. "We need a plan & we need one now."
"Dinner & a movie." Kid Flash said instantly.
"We need to look up times & availability then. Titans, go!"
/3
"Okay!" Nightwing threw down the phonebook he had. "I got reservations. Barely. How'd you guys fare?"
"I made reservations at a seafood place. I got lucky. Somebody cancelled last minute & I got their spot." Kid Flash was tired.
"I decided to stay home." Changeling shrugged.
"What?" Cyborg yelped. "You can't stay home! We're staying home!"
"I'm planning on the roof."
Cyborg relaxed. "Cool. So I got the movie all picked out. We're going to eat her favorite meal of manicotti with her favorite sides then cozy up on the couch with Forrest Gump."
"Forrest Gump?!" The other three looked at him askance.
"It's her favorite movie." Cyborg shrugged.
Nightwing nodded. "I'm taking Star to a sushi place then out dancing. It's that new place that opened up. We'll be the first patrons."
"How'd you swing that?" Kid Flash wanted to know.
"Perks of being the son of a billionaire."
Changeling smirked. "I'm keeping it low key with a picnic on the roof then we'll go to this poetry reading at Bookends."
"The fancy bookstore that opened up New Years?" Cyborg asked.
Changeling nodded. "Yup. I just called & got the last two tickets."
"I heard that they have famous people come & read excerpts from their work." Nightwing said.
Changeling grinned. "Maya Angelou."
"You're lying!" Cyborg's jaw dropped.
"Nope."
Kid Flash groaned. "This is making John's Clam Shanty look bad! I don't even have a movie in mind!"
"I didn't know JCS had reservations." Nightwing frowned.
"Apparently everywhere does on Valentine's Day." He pouted. "Can I get some help before Jinx dumps me for being not creative."
"It's uncreative, one. & two, we're here for you."
Changeling's eyes widened. "I got it! They have tours of the Blue Goat Ice Creamery! They show you how the ice cream's made & even give out samples. Take her there after dinner!"
"She loves the Blue Goat Ice Creamery ice cream!" Kid Flash brightened.
"There's also this new exhibit at the museum from India." Cyborg said. "I don't know if she'll like it but it's something,"
"& if all else fails, you can take her for a walk on the beach." Nightwing pointed out.
Kid Flash grinned, relieved. "Thanks, guys!"
"We do have a major problem." Cyborg slumped.
"What?" Three voices asked.
"Flowers. Every flower store in Jump will be out of blooms & so will the candy stores & what about presents?"
Changeling, Nightwing & Kid Flash gawked before thinking hard.
Kid Flash recovered first. "We have a garden. Jinx's favorite flowers are down there & I can just cut her a bouquet of sunflowers."
"I forgot about that!" Cyborg was thankful for Kid Flash's quick thinking.
Changeling snapped his fingers. "Sherri's Berries usually takes orders up to the day before. We can do that or go to MaryAnn's."
"Jump City's best kept secret." Nightwing grinned. "Star loves the chocolate oranges."
"Bee likes their chocolate covered potato chips." & Cyborg mocked her for it.
"Jinx always gets their chocolate turtles." Kid Flash always stole them from her, too.
"Rae always goes for the chocolate covered strawberries so I think I'm going to get her those & Sherri's Berries. She'll never know I forgot." Changeling calmed down before remembering the last part of Cyborg's warning. "Do you think Build-a-Bear will be open?"
"Build-a-Bear?"
"For a present? She loves the stuffed chicken I won for her all those years ago so I could make her something new."
"That's a really good idea." Nightwing liked it a lot. "Starfire has a lot but she'll never turn one down."
"Jinx might blast me into another world if I make her one." Kid Flash shuddered.
"That's so not true." Cyborg snorted. "I overheard those girls when Changeling bought Charlie Riley. They all cooed over it & said how if a guy bought them a stuffed animal, they'd love him forever. That's why I'm making Bee one."
"Really?" Kid Flash could go for that.
"If we want to get them before tomorrow, we should do them now." Nightwing checked the time.
"We should wear disguises." Cyborg wasn't up to fielding questions about why four grown male heroes were in a toy store.
"We should also call Sherri's Berries on the way." Changeling added. "Today's halfway over."
"Okay, everyone change & call the candy company. We'll meet in the garage when we're done." Nightwing drew up the plan. "Titans, go!"
/3
Changeling was the last one to the garage. He noticed they'd all changed into dark clothing as if on a stakeout. He & Cyborg were wearing hologram rings. "I got them!"
"I got Bee chocolate covered pineapples from them. & I called MaryAnn's. They have plenty of stuff left so we can swing by there after Build-a-Bear." Cyborg reported.
"I got Jinx chocolate covered cherries." Kid Flash said. "I've only seen her eat them at Christmas but she'll still like them, right?"
"Sure." Nightwing was sure. "Like Star will like the double dose of chocolate covered oranges."
"Are we ready to brave this baby store?"
"I thought it was girly?" Cyborg said.
"Whatever." Changeling rolled his eyes. "Let's go before they close!"
The foursome jumped in the T-car & raced off to the mall, where the store was located. Once they made it inside, they were thrown by all the children running around excited.
"It's like Disneyland." Nightwing's eyes widened from behind his dark shades.
"I think there's a small difference." Cyborg smirked. "These kids are good."
It was true. Although loud & running everywhere, the children were pretty well behaved.
"How do we do this?" Kid Flash asked.
A perky brunette appeared in front of them like a mirage. "Hello! Are you looking to make a friend today?"
Changeling laughed before straightening. "What?!"
"Are you looking to make a friend today?" She repeated.
Nightwing slapped Changeling upside the head & disguised it as a yawn. "Yes. Please. Thank you. How do we do that?"
"My name is Becky & I'll be beary delighted to show you how!"
Beary? Cyborg mouthed. Kid Flash & Changeling snickered.
Becky's wide smile never wavered as she took them to a wall holding plastic bins. "You pick a skin from here. Choose the one that speaks to your heart."
Nightwing fiddled with his shades, completely uncomfortable with her high level of enthusiasm but used to it because of his girlfriend. "Any one?"
"Any one." She promised.
Nightwing thought long & hard (with the guys staring him down the whole time) about what he should choose for Starfire. He finally walked forward & picked up a tiger skin. The orange stripes reminded him of Starfire's skin.
Kid Flash went next, perusing the bins until he found an elephant. He had no idea if Jinx would like it but she had several elephant figurines in her room.
Changeling was stuck. He wanted to get Raven something that would remind her of him but he could turn into all these animals. So he went for something he thought was clever. He chose a lion skin.
Cyborg went with Bumble Bee's favorite sea creature, the whale.
"Alright!" Becky chirped. "Right this way to pick out messages."
The boys, confused, followed her blindly.
Becky faced them again at the station. "Here's where you'll pick out a message to put inside your friend. You can press the button beside the saying to hear how it sounds. If you don't like any of the prerecorded messages, you can record your own."
Cyborg chose a prerecorded message. He didn't want to be fancy nor sappy.
Changeling went with a personal message that was hilarious (to him & Becky) but still sweet. He even was able to make it into a song.
Nightwing blushed as he went for the classic I love you. He hadn't told Starfire it yet but figured that the next day was as good a time as any to let her know.
Kid Flash chose a silly message. He didn't want to come off as too lovey dovey but wasn't as funny as Changeling.
"If you will." Becky handed each of them a small felt heart. "Make a wish."
She got four looks in degrees of what's your problem?.
She was used to those looks from parents. "Make the wish in your heart."
"I wish-"
"Don't tell!" Becky waved her hands at Kid Flash, who was honestly going to say something quite rude. "Close your eyes & make your wish in here." She touched his chest.
Nightwing slapped a hand over his mouth before he could either say something stupid or flirtatious. "Just make the wish."
Kid Flash huffed but closed his eyes & made a wish. He would die denying it but it was earnest.
One by one, the other guys did the same. Once they finished, they saw Becky grinning at them.
"This is our stuffing station." Becky showed them where they'd be making the skins come alive.
"Will it hurt?" Changeling asked without thinking.
"No. It won't hurt." Becky told him seriously as the male trio looked at him. "Tell our engineers how full you want it then meet me by that wall."
There were two stuffing stations so Kid Flash & Changeling got in line at one while Nightwing & Cyborg got in line at the other. When they were done, they met Becky at the wall she'd pointed to earlier.
"Now you dress your friend. Can't go around naked, can we?" She joked.
"I do." Once again, Changeling wasn't thinking.
"Oh my!" Becky blushed.
Nightwing facepalmed as Cyborg & Kid Flash fell down laughing.
"Wait! I didn't mean it like that!" He tried to clean it up.
She looked him up & down. "I'm sure no one would object if you did."
He stuck his hand behind his head to rub the back of his neck with a light blush. "Hehe hehe."
"His girlfriend sure doesn't." Kid Flash told her.
Becky pouted. "Always!" She rolled her eyes before pasting her smile back on. "Well you choose clothes for your little friend then go to the row of computers. Then you can check out. It's been a pleasure."
Nightwing blew out a breath as she ran away. "Good going, Gar."
"It was an accident!" Changeling faced the wall.
"Like the accident you're gonna be in if Rae ever finds out about this?" Cyborg grinned.
"You wouldn't tell her, would ya?!" He swung around to view his friend.
"Not for a small price." Kid Flash showed his pearly whites.
Changeling groaned. "What do you want?"
"Three get out of jail free cards." He said immediately.
"Why am I always saving your ass?"
"Because I'm your friend & you're in enough trouble to know it's not always my fault."
Changeling lifted a shoulder. "Fine. What do you two want?"
Cyborg couldn't help the sly look that crossed his face. "You gotta help me double team Bee at video games."
"How?! The only game I ever beat her at is Zelda!"
"Exactly. Train me & I didn't see anything out the way here."
Changeling huffed. "Fine. Dick?"
Nightwing wasn't going to get in on it but if he was offering... "The next time I forget something big, you have to cover for me."
"I'm going to be cashing in on that soon, aren't I?"
Nightwing gave him a sour look. "I think Raven would love to know about the happy brunette at Build-a-Bear that looked at you like Cy looks at steak."
"Alright!" Changeling raised his hands. "Granted. Now can we pick out some clothes for these things & get out of here?"
"Alright with me." Cyborg tugged down the first thing he saw, a sailor outfit.
Nightwing looked over the items but knew there was only one thing to get her, a princess outfit.
Kid Flash snickered as he chose a belly dancer's outfit. He even got the mask to match.
Changeling wasn't sure what to get until his eyes lit upon an outfit that screamed Raven. A cap & gown.
Finished, they walked to the bank of computers & filled out the paperwork. It was difficult to think up names when all they wanted to do was leave but they hurried through the process & was able to pay & leave like they wanted.
The trip to MaryAnn's was uneventful yet successful. They returned home with their prizes & hid them in their closets.
"We have flowers, chocolates, presents, berries & plans." Nightwing listed. "Is there anything else that we need?"
"I think that's it." Changeling rubbed his hands together. "Cy & I need to go to the store to make sure we have all the ingredients for dinner."
"I think that means today has been a good day." Nightwing was pleased with himself.
/3
Changeling saw something while in line at the supermarket. It was a chocolate in the shape of a rose with pink metallic covering. He picked it up.
"Who's that for?" Cyborg asked.
"Charlie."
/3
"Have the guys been acting weird to you guys?" Jinx wondered.
"They refused to assist me in decorating our home for the day of St. Valentine." Starfire pouted.
Raven snorted. "You'll get them on St. Patrick's Day."
Starfire beamed.
Bumble Bee tugged Calvin back onto her lap. "What's the plan for tomorrow?"
"I don't know." Jinx admitted. "He hasn't said a word."
"Sparky hasn't either. He better not have forgotten!"
"They have." Raven was sure. If she could remember (& she hated the holiday), she knew they could, too. They just didn't.
"Aqualad hasn't." Terra smiled smugly. "He's coming here in the morning & we're gonna hang out all day."
The other girls threw popcorn at her. "Boo!"
/3
"We have a problem." Nightwing said as soon as Changeling & Cyborg walked through the common room doors.
"What now?" Changeling hated this.
"Babysitters."
Cyborg stopped in his tracks. "Oh crap!"
"Yes."
Changeling ran a hand down his face. "We can't tote the kids all over."
"That means somebody has to watch them."
"I'm not doing it!" Cyborg said immediately.
"Me either!" Changeling & Kid Flash spoke at once.
"Sorry, 'Wing." Cyborg chuckled.
"I don't think so." Nightwing wasn't going for it. "We'll have to see about Melvin or-"
The doors slid open to reveal a blonde picking popcorn from her hair. Identical looks of slyness crossed three faces, making her stop in her tracks once she saw them. "No."
Kid Flash, who'd caught on as well, sped over & blocked the doorway. "No what?"
"No to whatever it is you want me to do." She crossed her arms.
"It isn't anything stupid." Changeling was the first to say.
"It isn't anything dangerous." Nightwing added.
"It isn't anything embarrassing." Cyborg finished.
"What is it?" She wasn't buying it.
Changeling gave her a charming grin & made his way to her side. He threw his arm around her shoulder & drew her further into the room. "What are your plans for tomorrow? You aren't busy, right?"
She was affronted. "I am so! I have plans with my boyfriend!"
"Can't you cancel them?" Cyborg lifted his shoulders.
She gave him a dark look. "No, I can't cancel them!"
"Can't you rearrange them?" Nightwing tried. "We have surprises for the girls but we don't have anyone to watch the kids."
"We'll do whatever you want." Changeling begged.
She gave him a look, too. A look that said she wasn't born the day before. "I don't believe you."
"We'll clean your room."
"I don't want you in my room!" She reared back as the other guys gave him dirty looks for even suggesting such a task.
"We'll do your chores."
The guys were ready to string him up by his toes. "Dude!"
Terra thought about it. As nice as it would be, she could do her own chores. "Nah. The next time there is a gala, I'm not going."
"But Rae hates going. You always go for her." Changeling protested.
"Too bad." She crossed her arms across her chest.
"Fine." Changeling grumbled.
"& you!" She pointed to Cyborg. "I want my own car. Like you made the kids."
"What?!" Cyborg couldn't believe she was hitting them up individually.
"You heard me. I want to fly around the island, too."
Cyborg sighed heavily. "Fine."
Terra turned to Nightwing. "& you. I want my birthday off. No training, no battles, no nothing."
Nightwing glared at her. "Fine."
Terra smiled widely. "Consider your babies to be sat."