New Stuff! No comments? Either my readers are a tough crowd, are lazy or are mute...

Chapter 10

- Outfits and Outings -

- Titan Tower, Living Room -

The next morning comes, most of the team was sleeping in on the Saturday morning; except for Robin of course. Raven comes into the living room. Okay, probably standing near the window like always... just need to ask him o- Her mind stops thinking seeing Serenade without his hood on, sit on the couch with Cero on the other side of it, sleeping. She came a little closer before stopping seeing that Serenade's eyes were closed. Is he sleeping?

Cero stirs in his sleep and mumbles in his sleep. "Evil Demon..." he flips to his other side, "... Turkeys."

Serenade's ear closest to Cero perked up briefly in a state of alert. A couple of second pass before it went back to normal.

Raven shakes her head, "Cero has some weird sleep talk phrases," she whispers to herself.

Both of Serenade's ears shifted directly at Raven; soon after his eyes opened slowly locked onto her as well. He rubs his eyes quickly, "What did you say?" he comments sleepily.

For some odd reason she felt on the spot far more than ever before as she stared at Serenade. She was somewhat used to his eyes staring at her, but his ears got to her. They were just locked onto her listening carefully, detecting every sound. In a sense in her mind his ears were like another pair of eyes that saw the world through sound.

"Uh..." she stalled timidly.

Serenade stands up, "You said something right?"

The glass of the coffee table shatters with the glass showering to the floor. Cero jumps up barking loudly on instinct.

"Quiet Cero," Serenade shushes before turning to Raven. "Is something the matter?"

"I-I..." she stutters with the light bulbs from the ceiling fan popping one by one, "I-I have too go!" Immediately Raven turns away and retreats from the living room. This is not happening! Not now...

Serenade tilts his head, "Okay... wonder what that was all about?"

Cero shrugs, "Don't know."

Raven comes to her room and closes the door behind her quickly with her back leaning against the door bracing it for some odd reason. The books from her bookshelf start falling to the floor. Quickly she takes a deep breath and exhales, "Azarath... Metrion... Zinthos..." The books stop falling out from her shelf. She sighs, "This maybe harder than I think."

- Noon -

Cero watched Cyborg from the counter as Cyborg cooked numerous of different dishes. "Why must you wear a chiefs hat and an apron?" Cero asks about Cyborgs apparel.

"You gotta look the look if you wanna be the cook!" he hollers before taking a sample taste of his chili, "Mmmm-mmm!" he then hums contently.

Cero looks at all the food made and realizes that most of it was meat or was fitted in with meat some how or another. "Isn't Beast Boy a vegan?"

"Beast Boy ain't gonna be here until later on." Cyborg grabs a handful of habanero peppers, "Needs more chili..."

"Why is that?"

Cyborg grabs another handful of habaneros, "Can't be chili if it ain't hot you know?"

"No not that... I meant about Beast Boy." Does he know what his doing? That's a lot of habaneros.

"Oh! Something about hanging out with Terra," he starts as he stirs his chili, "Sounds to me more like a date, but he is too chicken to ask her out on a date."

"I see..."

Just a door away Beast Boy was in the living room staring at Serenade's dog ears. Serenade felt the stare of Beast Boy as he leaned against the wall near the window.

"I am not a werewolf Beast Boy," Serenade again comments disgruntled.

"Terra told me she heard you howling the night we were abducted by the Master of Games!"

Serenade sighs shaking his head annoyed like. Why does everyone think I am a Werewolf for?

In the hallway to the living room came Terra who was met by Raven.

"Hi Raven..." Terra greeted casually.

Raven stops looking at Terra that was wearing a jean mini skirt instead of her typical shorts and a short sleeve T-shirt instead of her usual long sleeve, "Uh... hi?"

"It's the skirt isn't it?" Terra asks noticing Ravens surprise, "I just thought I'd try a new outfit."

Raven raised a brow, "Really now?"

"I am not trying to steal Serenade from you so calm down..."

Raven kept her anger in check, "Cute..." she monotones sarcastically, "I was referring my really now as you to possibly teasing Beast Boy."

"Pffft... like I would do that," Terra comments before walking off to the living room.

Raven follows quietly at a distance.

Terra enters through the door to the living room and walks to were Serenade and Beast Boy were bickering.

"Dang it Beast Boy," Serenade says angrily, "I am NOT a werewolf!"

"Prove it!" Beast Boy counters back.

Serenade sees Terra at the corner of his eye walking toward them, "Terra can you tell Beast Boy here that I am not a were-" he stops abruptly seeing Terra's new dress attire.

Raven notices this and stops at the door frame to the living room. Serenade whistles like a construction worker seeing a fine dame walking pass, to tease Terra. Beast Boy was bedazzled and large sparkly eyed and didn't say anything.

Terra shies away slightly blushing, "Thanks..." she smiles shyly.

Cyborg steps in with a tray of glass pint mugs, "Who wants to try Grandma Cyborg's Famous Lemonade!" The mugs shatter on the tray in a black energy. Cyborg drips of lemonade, "Great... you know how long it took to squeeze all those lemons, by hand?" he pouts retreating back into the kitchen.

"What was that?" Beast Boy comments with the bedazzled feeling shaken off.

"Sorry my bad..." Cero barks coming through the doorway from the kitchen, "I had a sample of Cyborg's chili and it was too hot to handle." What made her lose her powers this time? Was it... oh... I see now...

- Raven's Room -

Raven closes the door shut almost slamming it. The books from her shelf all fly out at once littering the whole bedroom floor. What the hell! Really now? Damn you Terra! I can't even get a single straight forward comment- There was a knock on the door.

"Raven are you okay?" Robin asks from the other side.

Raven takes in a deep breath, "Yes..." she replies somewhat in a hostile monotone.

"Umm... okay then." Robin leaves it like that before he turns away walking to the living room.

Raven sighs opening the door, "Robin."

He turns to Raven, "What's up?"

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"How did you ask out Starfire on that one time when Blackfire came to Earth?"

Robin's right hand slips behind his neck, "Uh..." he stalls sheepishly with a corny smile, "I never actually did..."

"So you just hung out?"

"Basically..." Robin tutted.

"Great..." Raven sighs.

"Asking Starfire out ha-"

Starfire shoots to Robin hearing his unfinished question, "Is it true! You wish to ask for an outting?" she said giddily and sparkly eyed.

Robin nearly falling back from Starfire's surprise recovers, "Uh..." he looks at Starfire with hopeful sparkly green eyes just waiting and dying for a yes. "... Yes..." he says with a hard swallow.

Starfire squeals in joy, "I will be ready in an hour!" she shouts flashing into her room.

"Wow..." Raven monotones. And I thought I was having problems asking someone out...

Robin sighs, "You know... that was a little easier than expected."

"Yeah, when you know the one you're going to ask you out likes you too..." the words slip out from her mouth.

Robin with his detective like mindset figures out Raven's question. "It's Serenade isn't it?" he asks with a smug like smile, so sure of himself. Raven nods defeated, "Why don't you ask just him?"

Raven raises a brow, "Like you just did with Starfire right now? By mistake?" she counters.

"Touche..." Cero comments appearing out of nowhere.

The two quickly looked to Cero spooked, "Cero? What are you doing here?" Raven asks a little uneasily.

"Raven it's okay, I know..." Cero replies simply before looking to Robin, "Shouldn't you be getting ready? I really doubt Starfire will be in here combat uniform."

"Yeah, I should." Robin says a little uneasily before walking off.

"So, you heard everything?" Raven asks Cero.

"Pretty much." Cero sits down, "Asking out the Master, hmmm..."

Raven waits as Cero thinks, a couple of seconds pass, "Okay anytime now?"

"I have to say it will be a first. Never have I heard of the Master being asked out by a female before on a date. But I think I can suede him to hang out with you..."

"Really?"

"Robin and Starfire, no doubt like each other, so they are going out. Terra and Beast Boy, mainly just friends, are hanging out. So why cant you hang out with the Master too?" Cero stands, "I will speak with the Master, you just be ready in your room."

"Okay..." Raven replies a little uneasily, with the butterfly feeling in her stomach.

Raven starts back to her room. I hope this works...

"Oh yeah..." Cero speaks telepathically to her, "Perhaps you should change your attire, after all your just hanging out, not working..."

Raven enters here room and looks at her somewhat opened closet filled with only one outfit. Great... how am I supposed to change my dress attire?

- Living Room -

Thirty minutes pass, Beast Boy and Terra left the tower soon after Cero left to talk to Raven. Robin waited in the living room sitting on the sofa in his tuxedo, the same very one he was forced to date Kitten.

"Looking sharp, what's the occasion?" Serenade comments finally due to boredom.

"Taking Starfire on a... uh..." Robin stalls.

"Date?" Serenade finishes for him, "Seems that everyone's going out today..."

Cero hearing this opens his mouth, "I know, it's all of the sudden." Now how do I not get caught influencing the Ma-

"Serenade, why don't you ask Raven out?" Robin suggests unknowingly of Cero plan.

Cero face paws. Dang it... Robin blew it...

Serenade thinks silently with hand on his chin. Robin continues, "I mean most of us are hanging out, look at Terra and Beast Boy for instance. And plus Raven never comes out of her room, think it may be good for her if she gets out of here for awhile, I think for you as well."

"I am a bit bored here," Serenade comments thoughtfully, "And Raven does seem to be slightly edgy lately."

Robin listens looking at Serenade for a for sure answer. Tell me about it...

Cyborg steps in, "The food is DONE!" he announces happily, "Time to-"

Serenade stands from his lean on the wall, "I guess there is no harm done getting out of the Tower. Gonna see if Raven wishes to do something."

"Say what?" Cyborg exclaims quickly, "Everyone's leaving me here alone? Why didn't anyone invite me?" he finishes slightful tearful being left out.

"I am not going anywhere," Cero informs, "I will gladly st-"

Cyborg swipes Cero from the floor, "CERO my man! Or dog!" Cyborg shouts happily, "We'll eat all the food, mainly I will, but we'll still hang out!"

Starfire steps in, "I am nice?" she asks the room.

They looked to her wearing the purple prom dress that like Robin, she wore when Robin was forced to take her to the prom.

"Whoa.." Cyborg comments, "Looking good Star!"

"Thank you..." she says a little shyly waiting for a reply from Robin.

"You look nice Starfire," Serenade comments nudging Robin.

Robin's stunned awe was shaken off, "Uh... you look awesome Starfire."

"Many thanks Robin..." she says with a slight blush, "I have only worn this dress once during the time that you were forced to date that awful, spoiled, inconsiderate, self centered, wretched..." Starfire rants on about her dislike of Kitten.

"I never thought Starfire had hate in her," Cero comments listening to her rant to Robin.

"I know right?" Cyborg agrees.

"... and annoying Kitten!" she finishes with a spiteful growl. She takes in a deep breath before going back to her normal self, "So it is only fair that wear it on a graceful occasion."

"Well, I am going to go see what Raven's doing then..." Serenade says walking to the hall way.

"Shall we go?" Starfire asks Robin.

Robin nods, "Cyborg, I am going to burrow the T-Car."

"You better take care of her and I mean the car!" The two walk off and Cyborg looks to Cero, "So what first Cero?"

"How about some of that chili?"

"You're talking my talk now!" he announces merrily.

- Raven's Room -

Raven sat on her bed somewhat uninspired. It's been too long already, it didn't work and plus I don't even have anything else to we- A knock came to her door, her heart stopped for a moment in surprise. It can't be...

"Yeah?" she calls out still sitting on her bed.

"Raven it's Serenade..." he starts, "Seeing that everyone else is going out and hanging out today, me being bored too death. I was wondering if you want to something." There was a long silence from behind the door, "Uh... Raven?"

"Uh... Sure!" she replies a little excitedly, "Just let me get ready." Great, what will I wear now?

"Any place you have in mind?"

Not pizza... where else do we go? The mall? No that's for shopping... there's the park... "How about the park?" she says not knowing any other place really.

"Very well I will wait for you to get re-"

"Actually can you meet me there?"

"Uh... sure. I will see you there then."

Okay now what to wear? Raven's mind races thinking on what she is going to wear, which was a first for her in many ways. Something comes to mind, "He likes purple... I think I may have an idea..."

- The Downtown Park -

Serenade waits patiently sitting on a bench near a fountain in the center of the park. Mostly every person that passed by him stared at him for awhile before continuing on with their lives. The reason why was because he wasn't wearing his cloak.

"Are you a Werewolf?" some random teen female asks with two of her friends behind her.

Serenade sighs annoyed, "I am not a Werewolf..." Raven's scent came to his nose, one of spices and alchemy ingredients. Finally... "I shall serenade a song..." Serenade says all of the sudden before taking in a deep breath.

"An old man turned ninety-eight he won the lottery, died the next day. It's a black fly in your chardonnay. It's a death row pardon two minutes too late. And isn't it ironic don't you think?

... It's like rain on your wedding day. It's a free ride when you've already paid. It's the good advice that you just couldn't take. And who would've thought it figures?

... Mr. "Play It Safe" was afraid to fly. He packed his suitcase, kissed his kids goodbye. He waited his whole damn life to take that flight. And as the plane crashed down he thought, well isn't this nice? And isn't it ironic, don't you think?

... It's like rain on your wedding day. It's a free ride, when you've already paid. It's the good advice you just didn't take. And who would've thought, it figures?

... Life has a funny way of sneaking up you when you think everything's okay and everything's is going right. And life has a funny way of helping you out when you think everything's gone wrong and everything blows up In your face.

... A traffic jam when you're already late. A no smoking sign on your cigarette break. It's like ten thousand spoons when all you need is a knife. It's meeting the man of your dreams..." he steps back to be beside Raven then puts an arm around her, "... and then meeting his beautiful wife."

Raven's eyes met Serenade's as she looked to him as he had his arm over her "Uh..." she prolongs stunned.

"... And isn't it ironic? Don't you think? A little bit too ironic, yeah I really do think." He looks away and takes his arm off of Raven, "It's like rain on your wedding day. It's a free ride when you've already paid. It's the good advice that you just couldn't take. And who would've thought it figures...?" he finally finishes.

"Wait, Raven is your wife?" one of the girls ask.

"No, she's my girlfriend," Serenade lies coolly.

"Girlfriend?"The three girls squeak.

"Yeah, sorry females," Serenade replies with false regret, "Move along..."

They walk off disappointingly, giving Raven a mean mug of jealously. Raven crosses her arms underneath her cloak and raises a brow, "When did I become your girlfriend all of the sudden?"

"It was either that or have them follow us, follow me, all over the place. Ogling me and asking me if I am a Werewolf." He sighs annoyed like, "You don't know how annoying that is..."

"So what made you not wear your cloak today?"

"Saw that Terra, Robin and Starfire being different in there dress attire; so I guess I should try it too." He looks to Raven who was still wrapped up snugly in her cloak, "And you got ready how?"

"I uh..." she stalled a little embarrassed.

"You're wearing a bikini?" Serenade guesses.

"No." she monotones quickly.

"Then?"

Raven sighs and releases her grasp of her cloak that sways open.

Serenade blinks twice, "Wow... really now?"

- Disclaimer -

The song serenaded by Serenade is not owned by me, nor are its lyrics, anything about the song is not owned by me. The song serenaded is Alanis Morissette's "Ironic". Was re-worded up a bit to fit Serenade, but the integrity of the lyrics still remain.