Thanks so much for the feedback last chapter, as well as the faves and follows! It truly means the world to me, and I appreciate every single one of you! I gotta admit, this chapter was a little tougher to get through because it switches POV to another team. Wink wonk. Anyway, in case anybody is about to be confused, Jason Todd is Red X in this fic (and basically any fic I write), which is a very popular fandom theory. Just thought I'd let ya'll know.

I would also like to address one more thing. To Guest who said 'Please no bb Rae! It makes no sense', I understand that you're not a BBRae fan, but just because they interact that doesn't automatically make them a thing. They're friends and they're going to stay that way. This is a RaeX work, after all. I don't do love triangles, and Beast Boy already has a love interest. (Also did you like the first chapter? Yes? No? 'Kay.)

As always, feedback is greatly appreciated. Enjoy.

"Is reading all you two ever do?"

A snarky reply is already making its way out of Jason's mouth, but the white-haired sorcerer sitting in a perch by the window beats him to the punch.

"No, but it's a great pastime. You should try it sometime."

The pale wizard that looks like he dipped his hair in snow is Rorek, and he's a lot older than he looks. If he and Jason have one thing in common other than a love for books, it's that he has a shitty relationship with his brother. Shh. Don't bring it up.

Jason shoots the blonde a smug look after Rorek's reply and resumes reading.

"You guys suck," Terra huffs, plopping down on the couch beside him.

"We're not the ones doing the sucking around here," Jason idly flips to the next page, and he earns a quick slap to the arm. He fights a snort. "What? There's a possibility I wasn't even talking about you. But hey, since you got offended…"

"Shut up."

Just a year ago, he would have never expected his life to flip upside down the way it did. He had been on his own, alone, for such a long time that he almost forgot what it was like to live with other people.

Well. He didn't exactly ask for this but hey. Can you pick your family?

Family is a bet of a stretch...Let's call them associates, alright? Friends even. (He has a reputation that he'd like to keep, thank you very much. No need to put word out on the street that the infamous Red X actually has a handful of people he cares about now. To an extent, at least.)

Jason knew about Terra before he even met her: former Titan, former apprentice of the one-eyed asshole who talked like a pedophile, had amnesia but got over it and continued to remain low but struggled with self identity, and blah blah blah. She's come a long way from when he found her in the streets.

Funny story. Sound familiar?

"Don't antagonize her, Jason."

Okay, Jason does snort this time. "Please. That's how our relationship works."

Rorek shakes his head but says nothing after that. Jason tries - keyword: tries - to continue his read, but vanilla pages and enriching black text are replaced by blonde hair and blue eyes, and a pulsing vein in the side of Jason's head.

Dark eyebrows furrow. "Can I help you?"

"I'm bored," she states.

And he's supposed to caaare, why?

"Entertain me."

"Entertain yourself. I'm reading."

She still doesn't budge. In fact, the way she's looking at him now is kinda freaking him out. Like she's studying him or something. Her eyes narrow for a moment, but her gaze flickers downwards for the briefest of moments before she peers back up at him. He knows that look. She just reflected on something.

"What?"

"Nothin'."

...Alriiight, she's got his attention.

Jason slips the book out from under Terra's head and places it - still open - facedown on the couch. Terra adjusts to the new position, loosely folding her arms across her torso, and he rests his arm on the arm of the couch. His free hand goes to her face, curving around the shape of her chin so his thumb and four fingers could reach her cheeks and squeeze in a playful manner.

"Spill it, Cheekbones."

"Nuh uh." The way her lips moved and held themselves in his grip is almost enough to make him chuckle.

"Come on now. You know I can do this all day."

"Please don't."

"I'm not the one who interrupted Jason's reading time, now am I?" He leans closer. "Now start talking," he demands in a deep, intimidating rasp.

Terra gulps.

"Hey, lovebirds," purrs a sultry voice, dripping with confidence, and in comes a dark haired beauty with golden skin, dark violet eyes, and long legs that can run for miles; stopping to lean her arms against each wall, the exotic alieness of the house flashes her signature smirk and - really, does she always have to model? "You packed?"

"Packed for what?" Terra sits up and Rorek closes his book shut with a little sigh. Jason feels your pain, Ror.

"Did you seriously forget?" Blackfire glares at them, folding her arms across her chest.

"Forget what?" Jason feigns his obliviousness when he really does remember, only to annoy the alieness further. They are all going...somewhere. Blackfire demanded it. Some kind of vacation or whatever. It was her job to do the planning and everything, but she stayed mum on the exact location. How in the hell is he supposed to dress right if he doesn't know where he's going? Knowing Kom, she'd trick them into thinking they were taking a trip to the beach when they turn up in Antarctica twelve hours later. Yes. That happened once. Jason's trust in her is long gone! Done. Zilch.

If looks could kill, Jason would be dead a long time ago.

Pfft, again.

"I'm just messing with you." He gets up, taking his book with him. "I'm ready when you are, hot legs."

Pleased with his response, but also giving him a look for the nickname, Blackfire puts her hands on her hips. "Good. C'mon, Blondie. I know you haven't packed up yet."

"I was gonna!" Terra whines as she's grabbed by her and dragged to her room. Jason laughs to himself and shakes his head.

Suckeeer.

.

"Roy."

"Mmphrm."

"Roy."

"Five more minutes, Bee."

"I'm not Bee, Robin Hood," Jason yanks the earbud out of Roy's ear, much to the latter's annoyance, and pats his shoulders. "I have better eyebrows."

"And I thought I was full of myself."

"At least I don't keep a mirror in my pocket."

"At least I don't - okay, you know what -?"

"CHILDREN."

Both boys straighten and turn to a very unimpressed Blackfire. "Ma'am?"

"Stop being stupid and get your stuff. We landed. Jason was supposed to tell you that, Gingerbread, but he doesn't know how to follow directions."

"Yeeeah, that's not really my style."

Terra snorts, shuffling past them with her luggage. "What style?"

"Don't act like you're such a fashionista, Short Stuff."

"I may be short but I sure can bring you to your knees."

"I'd like to see you try."

"Is that a challenge?"

"No," Rorek interjects, hand raised as he uses his power to carry his things out of the jet, novel balanced open in his opposite palm. Despite not looking at any of his surroundings, he's able to navigate and walk down the steps with no difficulty. Dude's badass.

The jet is parked underneath the house they're staying in, their surroundings big enough for them to navigate around. Blackfire is leading the way, pointing out which place is where, and Jason picks up the rear. Their home - temporary that is - is vast and large with glass walls and rich, dark cherry wood that covers the floor and kitchen in cabinets and compartments. They won't have to worry about privacy since they were, well, in the middle of nowhere with nothing but the private beach out back to keep them company. Jason supposes he can crack his book open and actually get reading done without getting distracted or interrupted. He doesn't question how Blackfire booked this place, or what she did to get the jet, but then again he never questions her. She did a good job this time. He'll have to give her props.

"Jay."

He snaps out of his daze and turns around to meet her gaze. She's more relaxed now, without the others around, he notes. Her arms are folded across her chest loosely, hair tucked on one side, expression softer than her usual sly, cunning mask.

"Are you gonna be comfortable here?" she continues with, walking over to him. She's not looking him in the eye. "I know why you keep it cold back home, but it's pretty hot here. In case you haven't noticed."

Subconsciously, the young man cups his hand around his bicep, covered by long sleeves. There is a reason why he covers up, why he rarely wears his arms out, or any part of his upper body. Even when living by himself, he always wore sleeves. In his area of expertise, combined with his past life, he's not exactly a male model on the cover of a Calvin Klein ad. The others never commented about it, maybe it's because they respect his privacy like he respects theirs, maybe they've never noticed at all because they don't bring themselves to care, but Blackfire was always the one who was the most perceptive. She picked up on the little things but never said anything. His reluctance to go out with them sometimes. How long he would be gone before his return and he says not a word. The shards of glass sprinkled around the sink and floor like an incomplete, fatal puzzle, only for him to finally appear with gauze wrapped around his knuckles or fingerless gloves; he fibs and jokes about some poor asshole who wanted to play bloody knuckles and got preeetty fucked up in the end. She saw right through his lie. Maybe even Rorek. Jason did not miss the way his blue eyes narrowed ever so slightly over the rim of his spellbook.

He never really did like the person he saw in the mirror.

"Do we have a thermostat here then 'cause -" he begins in a teasing tone to lighten the mood and keep it from dampening any more than it needs to be.

"If you touch the thermostat, I'm breaking your fingers."

Translation: I'm threatening you to cover up the fact that I care about you, and if you think I'm going to let you mope for the entire time we're here, you've got another damn thing coming.

"...Noted," Jason says. When she begins to squint at him, he adds, "I'll be fine."

"Good."

"Careful, Kom. Your humanity is showing."

"...Just shut up and follow me, mortal."

"Where?"

She pauses her footing and shoots him - yet another - look over her shoulder. "Do you want to sleep on the couch?"

"I've slept in worse places."

"Out in the open where anyone with blonde hair and blue eyes can prank you?"

"..."

"..."

"...Coming, dear."

.

He's not allowed to take any offers or go on missions while he's here (which sucks), but he does enjoy the sound of the sea. It soothes him and puts him at ease and makes him forget the rush hour and thrill of the city for just a little while. Once more, he has his book open, curled up on the bed with a fluffy pillow like the very manly person he is. Nothing can disturb him. He is at peace. Floating on a cloud as he soars through the hell erupting from the pages as the battle rages on. The main protagonist points her gun at her rival, lip busted, ponytail swinging around fiercely. She makes a witty and vulgar comment that makes her opponent rage and lung for her neck and she -

"JASON!"

"Fucking hell -" Jason curses, angrily snapping his book shut and turning around to face the door as Terra, Blackfire, Rorek, and Roy flood his room. "What now?"

"I tried to tell 'em," Roy comments as he whips out his mirror - yep, told you - leaning against the wall in nonchalance.

"There's a beach party tonight," Blackfire states.

"Fun."

"And you're coming with us."

Record scratch.

"Wut."

"She's making all of us go, if that makes you feel better," Roy adds.

"That just warms my heart," Jason deadpans.

"You two can brood together, since that's all you ever do anyway."

"Blackfire, when you first got here all you did was brood."

"And when you left your team and we found you, who's shoulder did you cry on?"

"I. did. not. cry."

"My shirt still smells like your salty tears. It was my favorite top. I should end you."

"This is better than a soap opera," Terra muses, sitting down on the edge of Jason's bed as she watches Roy and Blackfire go back and forth with each other. Meanwhile, Rorek quietly walks around Blackfire and sits down next to Jason's legs.

"I've never been to a party," he reveals with an embarrassed smile. "Are they...enjoyable?"

"Depends on what kind of party you're looking for." Jason's lips pull up in a lazy grin.

"I see. So, will you join us?"

"Looks like I have no choice."

"I'm sure it won't be terrible."

"You've obviously never been out with Blackfire before."

"Should I be afraid?"

The grin spreads. "Terrified."