Live and Love
Author's Note: This is collaboration between Rraz45 and myself. We hope you enjoy it.
Disclaimer: We claim nothing that you recognize! If you don't recognize it, it's original. Simple as that.
Chapter 2: New Friends
Robin was glad the trip was over. The never ending pestering from Cyborg and Beast Boy was getting old. It was like they were trying to prove just how whipped he was since Tokyo. It was an ongoing battle. He couldn't wait for them to get girlfriends so he could make fun of them. See how they like it.
Unfortunately, his reprieve was short-lived. The minute he got his things unpacked in one of the guest bedrooms and out to the living room, Speedy and Aqualad joined in the picking.
"Dude, so what's that around your neck?" Beast Boy asked.
"Huh?" Robin raised his hand to his neck to feel nothing.
"Didn't you know?" Speedy replied. "That's the tight leash Starfire's got him on."
Robin frowned deeper and stomped tot the fridge for a soda, wishing for something stronger. He thought he might get a little sympathy from his "mask buddy." He was definitely wrong. Más y Menos sped past Robin and up to Speedy. "Muchacho del pelo es triste que Argent fue al Jump City."
"What did you just say? What are you talking about Argent for?" Speedy snapped.
The others laughed. "Guess Robin isn't the only whipped guy around here," Cyborg stated.
Speedy crossed his arms. "I'm not whipped."
"No tienen remedio," Más said.
"Eres enamorado," Menos agreed.
Beast Boy frowned. "Where's a translator when you need one?"
"Aqualad generally translates, unless he finds it amusing," Speedy informed him with a frown.
A splash in Speedy's face told the others Aqualad had arrived in the room. He laughed. "Maybe you should learn Spanish, then since they pick on you the most."
Before Speedy could retort, the alarm went off. A groan sounded from the guys as they departed to the scene of the crime. The city was quiet except for the roar of a familiar voice. Beast Boy visibly frowned as he transformed into a pterodactyl. He knew that voice all too well, but he thought he would never hear it again. When the heroes arrived, the scene greeted them with the members of Hive Five and two girls fighting them.
"What do you guys say to helping the ladies?" Speedy asked with a grin. A crash sounded from the view before them.
"We better hurry, then," Cyborg gruffly said as he sprung into action. One of the girls was on the ground, struggling to get up.
Mammoth spotted them. "Man! Why'd they have to show up?" he grumbled as he prepare for the fray ahead of them.
Billy Numerous was not paying attention to the upcoming Titans. His focus was on the girl he had just punched with four of himself. She was extremely gorgeous in his opinion. "Well, Billy," he said to one of himself, "best give the little lady a hand."
SeeMore whacked him in the head. "Finish her, you idiot!"
Billy smiled. "That's what I plan to do."
Gizmo sighed audibly. "Flirting isn't finishing her, Snot Rag!"
Cyborg stopped in his run. "They're fighting among themselves while fighting? What's wrong with these people!"
Beast Boy grinned. "All the easier to get them to where they belong."
Shaking his head, Speedy said, "Not that it ever helped you."
Beast Boy snorted. "I can win any fight I want."
Cyborg shook his head. "Now's not the time for your delusions of grandeur. Más y Menos raced past them to get their attention back to the Hive Five sooner than Beast Boy could react. A scream sounded from Billy Numerous as a blue hand captured him, forcing him to be one with his duplicates again. The girl on the ground jumped on Mammoth's back and was restraining him like a cobra around his neck.
Robin threw a disk at Gizmo's technology pack. Speedy shot an arrow at each of SeeMore's eye bombs heading towards them. Cyborg and Beast Boy tag-teamed Kyd Wykkyd. Aqualad call the water from the drain piped and helped the girl on Mammoth's back by constantly hitting him with the water, forming a puddle at Mammoth's feet that he slipped in. Más y Menos circled SeeMore and knocked him to the ground. The battle was almost over when Gizmo formed wings from his pack and shot rockets at each of the heroes. A blur knocked them away and a pick flash at Gizmo's pack sent him falling the ground.
"Kid Flash! Jinx!" Cyborg exclaimed as the police led the Hive Five into the high security van. "Good to see you!"
"Well, this is an interesting reunion," Kid Flash stated.
Jinx looked around. "Where are Raven, Starfire, and Bumblebee?"
"Our place," Robin answered. "Argent's there, too."
"What is it? A girls versus guys contest?" Jinx inquired.
Robin shook his head. "We just wanted a break from each other."
"So, why are the guys here?" Kid Flash asked.
"'Cause Robin's whipped!" Beast Boy interjected.
Robin fumed. "I'M NOT WHIPPED!"
Kid Flash shook his head. "You're whipped, man."
Jinx glared at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Uh…nothing," Kid Flash blushed as the guys laughed.
Cyborg chuckled. "Maybe there should be a club."
"Yeah," Beast Boy agreed. "Robin can be the leader." The green Titan could all but see the steam coming out of Robin's ears.
"Speedy could be leader," Aqualad suggested. "He's not leader of anything else."
"Excuse me!" an unfamiliar voice sounded. The Titans turned to face the two girls they had helped. The one that had spoken was the one that produced blue magic. "You have the decency to help, but completely ignore us afterward? What kind of heroes are you?"
"Easy, Fae," the other said softly. "Thank you for your assistance, but we could have handled them on our own."
Robin studied them for a moment. The one with blue magic had pale skin and the greenest eyes he had ever seen, framed by dark auburn hair cut at the shoulder. Her uniform was a light blue and form fitting unitard, a see-through black sash at her hips, and two cuts across her midsection to show off her belly button and well-toned abs. The top of her uniform was strapless with a heart-shaped top accentuating her natural gifts. The other had a Native American look to her, complete with a doeskin dress. Her dress was torn off at the knee, as if it had been clawed off, the same with the top. Her off the shoulder sleeves were sheer and looked clawed at as well. Her eyes were nearly as dark as her hair.
"Pardon our…uh…rudeness," Aqualad said, staring at the Native American.
"It's perfectly fine," she told him. "I'm Robyn, and this is my best friend, Faren."
Robin blinked. Cyborg laughed. The others looked from Robin to the girl.
"Wait, your name's Robyn?" Beast Boy asked incredulously.
"What you don't like the name Robyn?" Faren snapped.
Beast Boy pushed Robin towards the girl. "Robyn, meet Robin."
The two blushed and laughed at Coincidence. "So, is Robin your real name?" she asked.
He cleared his throat. Starfire wouldn't approve of the way she was looking at him. "No…uh…it's not."
"Me neither. Just a stage name. I used to be in show business," she stated.
Starfire wouldn't have approved, but he couldn't help the "Me, too!" that slipped from him mouth.
Cyborg laughed louder. Speedy nudged his "mask buddy" with a grin. "Do we need to call Starfire?"
Robin's cheeks burned. Robyn laughed. "Girlfriend? Don't worry, I'm sure she'll understand."
"I don't know," Beast Boy said in an unsure tone that revealed a teasing aspect of him to the girls. "She's got a pretty tight leash on him."
Faren laughed. "If she had such a short chain on him, she wouldn't let him out of her sight."
"She doesn't," Cyborg said, "when we're in Jump City."
"I'M NOT WHIPPED!" Robin yelled. "How many times do I have to say that?"
Robyn put her hand on his shoulder. "Don't listen to them. They'll be worse than you when the time comes."
Robin smiled. "You know, you're right. Cyborg's already worse when it comes to Bumblebee."
Cyborg blanched. "No way am I whipped over Bumblebee," he stated. "Besides, Beast Boy takes the cake. Remember Terra?"
Beast Boy visibly flinched. "Dude, that was a low blow. I don't have feelings for Terra anymore."
"Oh?" Aqualad questioned. "Is there another girl?"
The blush on Beast Boy's face was unmistakable. "No! Why would you think that?"
Everyone laughed and they went back to the Tower.
Music blasted through the speakers. Raven sat on the couch, determined to not enjoy the pounding bass and gyrating of bodies. The other girls danced to the music, but allowed Raven to sulk. They knew she liked it, despite her attitude.
The music suddenly stopped midsong. Raven and Starfire exchanged confused glances. The screen flickered. The girls glanced at it curiously. Were the boys trying to contact them? Already?
A familiar, fat man with long, red hair popped on screen finally. They all groaned. Why had Control Freak returned? Wasn't he frozen? Weren't most of the villains of the world frozen?
"Hello, ladies," he clumsily greeted. "How's the party?"
Bumblebee frowned and buzzed her way up to meet his eyes. "What are you doing?"
"I'm not here for you," he said. He stuck out his tongue. "Actually, I have a riddle for you." The smug smile told them it was not going to be a good one.
"For who?" Raven asked. "Before we take you to jail, that is."
"For Starfire," he replied. "Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet, just like who?"
The girls turned to Starfire in anticipation. Was she really going to answer this ridiculous riddle? Starfire smiled. "Robin!" she answered.
Control Freak's mouth gaped as the girls burst into laughter. Argent shook her head. "Robin is not sweet."
Starfire blushed. "He is to me."
"Of course," Raven said with a smile. "You have him wrapped around your pinky with a tight leash."
The redness on the alien's face worsened. "I do not carry a leash on my smallest finger."
Control Freak whined, "The answer was you."
Bumblebee sighed. "You are an idiot and pathetic, you know that? Who in their right mind would be hang out with you?"
The couch potato blinked at her and clicked off the screen and in front of Starfire with puppy dog eyes. Raven shook her head in disbelief. "You did not seriously just zap yourself in front of us."
"He's done it before," Bumblebee stated. "Alright, Freak, time to go to jail." Argent had grabbed his remote and handed it to Starfire.
The sad man didn't bother to fight as he was led away by Raven and Argent. Bumblebee and Starfire exchanged looks of both relief and disgust. "Perhaps we should not mention this to Boyfriend Robin," Starfire suggested. "I would not wish to trouble him."
"I don't think 'Boyfriend Robin' would be jealous of him, Starfire," Bumblebee informed her with a chuckle.
The screen flickered again. Starfire squeaked in surprise and glared at it. "I hope the Control Freak did not escape our friends Argent and Raven.
Robin and Cyborg were on screen. Cyborg smiled. "What's this about Control Freak?"
"Nothing much, Sparky. Just had a run-in with him," Bumblebee told them. I think he just wanted a date from Starfire."
Robin paled. "He what!" Cringing, he saw Starfire's grossed out face. "Guess I know where he is right now."
"Yep, on his way to jail," reported Bumblebee.
The grin on Cyborg's face broadened and he nudged Robin. "Don't be jealous, Robin," he teased.
"Jealous of what?" a girl's voice sounded from the background. Starfire and Bumblebee glanced at each other before eyeing the boys warily. What was going on? Weren't they "taking a break" from girls? Bumblebee shook her head. Leave it to Aqualad, Cyborg, and Beast Boy to bring in girls from Steel City.
Starfire broke the awkward silence. "Uh…why is there a girl's voice in the back of the ground if you are on the boys' vacation?" she inquired.
"That's one of the reasons we're calling," Cyborg explained. "We ran into Jinx and two new acquaintances." Two girls appeared on screen. "Starfire, Bumblebee, meet Faren and Robyn."
Starfire's eyes widened. "Wait, your name is Robin, too?"
"Spelled with a 'y', but yes," the girl stated.
Raven and Argent returned and introductions were repeated. Argent smiled. She knew Starfire would go on about the similarity in names between her boyfriend and this new girl. Raven had taught her that much about the bubbly girl from Tamaran.
Robin smiled at his girlfriend. "Actually, Jinx, Robyn, and Faren would love to join you girls, if you don't mind."
"Mind?" Starfire exclaimed. "Come and be welcome, new friends!"
The auburn girl brightened up. "We'll be there in a few hours, if I have my way."
"Faren! You know I'm scared to death of your teleportation!" Robyn stated, fear gripping her voice.
"Relax, Robyn," the girl said. "We can always take a plane."
Jinx appeared, panic on her face. "No planes! I'm bad luck. Magic's much better. I can't hurt it."
"Guess I'm out of luck," muttered Robyn with a defeated sigh.
Kid Flash stood next to his girlfriend. "You could always take the Kid Flash Express."
Jinx glared at him. Raven shook her head. "I didn't know you were a female, Flashy."
Kid Flash blushed. "That's not funny."
Jinx laughed. "I thought it was."
"You're supposed to be on my side!" he exclaimed, mocking anger. "Besides, if I was female, what does that make you?"
Cyborg and Beast Boy said, "Oh! Burn!" Pink flashed. The next thing they knew, the ground was sinking below their feet. They attempted to get out, but the floor was dragging them under too fast. Beginning to beg Jinx, who was ignoring them, to let them out. The others in the Titans East Tower only laughed. Jinx held a smirk on her face.
"Jinx!" Bumblebee scolded. "Change that back! The last thing I need is another bill to fix something!"
"As you wish," the girl said as she snapped her fingers. Cyborg and Beast Boy were still stuck in the floor. Bumblebee rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Okay, fine, ruin my fun. I'll release your boyfriend and his friend and fix the floor."
Bumblebee and Cyborg blushed. "He's not my BOYFRIEND!" she yelled just as Cyborg shouted. "I'm not her BOYFRIEND!"
The current couples chuckled rolled their eyes. Robin remembered a similar situation not too long ago, followed by a series of events that led to his wonderful relationship. His eyes gazed at Starfire, his smile impeccable. He figured both Bumblebee and Cyborg were just as stubborn as he was and would soon see the attraction between them. And, despite what Cyborg said, he was already entranced and at Bumblebee's disposal. If she asked him to jump, he would ask how high.
Just then, the Titans East Tower alarm went off. Cyborg let the girls go with a groan.
On the way, Speedy was restless. The few hours he and Argent were apart was near torture. How was he going to last two weeks without her snide comments and picking? He just didn't know. "Who do you think it is this time?" he asked Robin.
"No one we can't handle," Boy Wonder stated confidently as they arrived on the scene.
"You sure about that, Boy Blunder?" a mechanized voice responded. Robin's eyes widened in surprise and his breath caught in his mouth. No, he thought.
"Who is this guy?" Robyn questioned when she saw the black form with a skull mask.
"Red X, at your service," the costumed man replied, a smug tone to his voice.
Faren laughed. "That's the worst name I've ever heard. Don't you have any imagination?"
Robin blushed and the other original boys held back chuckles. Red X stared at her. "And what's your name? Spacegirl?"
Faren growled. "You'll have to just find out, won't you?"
As far as they could tell, Red X smiled. "No sweat."
"Is that a challenge?"
"Take it how you will, Spacegirl."
Faren attacked with a blue sword forming in the air just about to strike him. X dematerialized, popping up behind her, restraining her hands behind her back. Fae could feel his right hand covering hers behind her back and his other arm seductively embracing her around her waist. He threw her head back so he could see her eyes.
"You know," he said in a husky whisper, "the challenge doesn't have to be a fight."
Faren's face contorted into a half-shock, half-smile at the implication. "You wish, Skull boy. You fight like an old man," she said as she threw him towards the others.
Robin jumped out of the way. He hated to fight against the thief. The guy had helped them so much. Cyborg shot him with a sonic blast. Beast Boy rammed into him. Red X recovered and threw an X at Speedy, followed by Más y Menos. The twins were separated. Speedy's bow was out of reach.
Robyn attacked next. She hit like an elephant: hard. Taking a few steps back, X caught his breath. He looked at the Titans one by one. Speedy had his bow back. The fast-moving twins were together again. There was no way he was going to win so outnumbered. Some of them didn't even attack yet.
"Until next time," he said, throwing a red smoke x to the ground and disappearing.
Faren looked Robyn. "Who was that guy?"
Author's Note: So Red X has returned. What's he up to this time?
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