"Where are they?" Beast Boy fretted.

"They've been gone for a long time," Cyborg's own worry echoed Beast Boy's.

"They're big kids. They can take care of themselves," Raven chided as a lightbulb popped in worry.

The three remaining Titans had escorted Ross home before his nine p.m. curfew and bid him farewell with many promises of more hangouts that included his boyfriend hours ago. Now it was close to eleven, and they had not heard a peep from their newly-paired roommates since Starfire and Robin had left Escape around 4:30. The boys had distracted themselves for a bit, playing Lego Star Wars and fussing over who should get how many of the in-game coins, but it felt a little half-hearted when they were constantly looking at the clock. Raven had set up camp next to Beast Boy, spread out with her feet on his lap and her shoulders resting on a pillow on the other edge of the couch, and she had read the same page over and over, unable to focus.

She knew she could trust Robin and Starfire to be safe; they were two of the most capable on the team. So Raven had no idea why she was so anxious for them to get home.

"What if we messed up?" Beast Boy piped up, voicing her own private concern. "What if he got mad because of Ross and they're fighting and one of them died or got blown up or something?"

"Uh, I don't think it'll go to that extreme, little man," Cyborg replied, "but they may have gotten a little fed up with us. Maybe we shouldn't have gotten involved, but…"

"DUDE! If we hadn't done anything, Starfire would have kept crying!" Beast Boy defended his plan with all his might, and Raven smiled. While she hadn't approved of the initial plan - it was a lot more elaborate - she had adored the intent behind it, especially when he had detailed to everyone how he could hear her cry some nights since their rooms were next to one another's.

"I know, man, but people don't like being messed with sometimes," Cyborg countered gently, and Beast Boy huffed and sat back in his seat. Raven nudged him with her bare foot, and instinctively he grabbed and massaged it. She sighed happily before she spoke.

"It is up to them whether or not they get mad at us," she said sagely, "but I'm sure they will know that there wasn't any malicious intent behind it."

"We know."

The three pondering on the couch spun around in their seats to see Starfire and Robin standing at the doorway, their faces beaming and their hands clutched tightly together.

Raven was amazed that no one leaped over the couch in order to demand answers. She was proud that the two boys by her side had matured enough that they didn't even start in on the good-natured ribbing. There were simply smiles of acknowledgment all around and quiet shuffling to bed for all five.

They had almost gotten away clean until Beast Boy called out to Robin, "DOUBLE DATE NEXT FRIDAY AT CHEESECAKE FACTORY NO SKIPPING!" before shutting his door tightly behind him. Starfire giggled as she went into her room while Robin looked helplessly at Raven. She just shrugged.

"He's been dying to say that for eight months," she explained, and Robin sighed.

"Okay, yeah, I took a while…"

"Dude, the newspapers caught on way before you did," Cyborg quipped as he walked past the two on his way to his own charging station/bed, "and Beast Boy was getting salty about losing to you guys all the time when you weren't even together."

"Wait, this was Beast Boy's idea?" Robin asked genuinely.

"For the most part, yes," Raven affirmed, putting her hand to her door. "He has some good ideas in his head every once in a while." With that, she entered, leaving Robin alone in the hallway by his door.

He was going to treat at Cheesecake Factory. It was the least he could do.


I have an idea for one last story in this universe/timeline. And yes, it involves Cheesecake Factory and the double date. Hee hee hee!