Number 63

Cyborg woke up with a ball of dread in his stomach. His internal clock told him it was 6:35am, and the 1st of April. A day of anticipation for everyone, and for Cyborg personally, since it was the day he settled a lot of his bets with Beast Boy.

Unplugging his charger, and stretching, Cyborg figured now would be the best time to get some food. The rest of the day would be spent in mute terror, plus he had his own traps to set still. His window was getting smaller with each passing minute he spent here.

Robin was sitting at the table when he finally walked in. The boy wonder was clutching his coffee like a life line.

"Late night?" Cyborg asked brightly. Robin muttered something under his breath.

"Wanna repeat that, Rob?"

Robin rubbed the left side of his face. There were faint indents left from a keyboard.

"I said," Robin groaned, "that my head is pounding. I stayed up later than I intended in the file room. Starfire is going to kill me."

Cyborg laughed. Lately, the girl had been going on a health kick; making sure everyone was getting enough sleep, eating well, and everything else. She could be overwhelming at times, but Star meant well.

"She cares, Robin, give it some time, she'll calm down," Cyborg assured him as he got some orange juice from the fridge. He braced himself for anything, and was shocked when nothing happened.

Not when he opened the fridge, not when he poured his drink. No prank at all. Cyborg frowned.

"You have anything happen to you?" Cyborg asked Robin as he sat down. Robin looked up from his mug.

"What do you mean?" Robin said as he swallowed. Cyborg tapped his glass.

"It's April Fools, Rob. I woke up fine, nothing here is tampered with," Cyborg told him. Robin lowered his mug.

"It's not even seven, Cyborg, there's still time," Robin assured him. Cyborg sank lower in his seat. He had hoped, secretly along with Robin that nothing would change this year. But Beast Boy had been pulling away from their old pranks for the past few months, and Robin had to remind several times that it was ok. He just didn't want to believe it; his little buddy wasn't so little anymore.

And if this day passed without an incident, it would prove it.

Cyborg chugged his juice and stood up.

"No, he wouldn't just stop like this," Cyborg declared. "He has a ploy somewhere, and I'm going to find it."

Determined, he walked out of the room. Robin stared at his back and didn't try to stop him.

Hours later, and there was nothing. No pranks, no tricks, nothing. Cyborg tried to convince himself that the feeling in his stomach wasn't panic. There had to be a prank somewhere in this tower.

He had checked all the bathrooms, all the doorways. Nothing in the halls, or the elevator. His room, and Starfire's, were clean. The kitchen checked out, as did the common room and laundry room. By the time lunch rolled around Cyborg had worked himself up so badly that Raven came to check on him.

"Are you ok?" Cyborg turned around, he had been checking the mats in the training room, to find Raven standing in the door frame. Her hood was down and her face was pinched in concern.

"He didn't leave anything," Cyborg said as he sat down. He missed Beast Boy, he forgot that today he and Starfire would be out on patrol until dinner, and he didn't want to tip him off that something was horribly wrong.

Raven sat down beside him.

"Robin said you were panicking this morning," She said. Cyborg fixed his gaze on the rack of weights across the room. The stinging in his eyes went away when he blinked.

"It's April Fools," Cyborg stated. "This is his favorite day, and there hasn't been a single prank." Raven rubbed his shoulder. Cyborg swallowed and didn't bother to notice his eye starting to burn again.

"He just, stopped," Cyborg muttered. "When the hell did he just stop?"

Cyborg knew, of course. They were all growing up, but Beast Boy was slowly pulling away from the old things they used to do. He was taller, and older, and gradually becoming more mature. Robin didn't seemed fazed by it; Cyborg felt like he was losing something.

"I think you should tell him that it's still important to you," Raven said finally. "Everyone is changing, Cyborg, you can't just expect him to know what's going on."

Falling back so he landed on the mats, Cyborg nodded mutely. Raven sat with him for a long time, even after they were notified that Starfire and Beast Boy were back.

"Can we talk?"

Beast Boy's head looked up from his communicator. Cyborg sat down next to him on the couch.

"Ya, what's up?" Beast Boy asked as he pocketed his device. Cyborg's face was stony.

"You know what day it is, right?"

Beast Boy nodded. "The first."

"Of April," Cyborg finished. Beast Boy frowned.

"I know that, why the big fuss?"

Cyborg gaped for a minute.

"It's April Fools. You know, your favorite holiday. You plan months in advance."

"I actually didn't," Beast Boy said with a shrug. "Didn't see the point of it."

Cyborg felt like he had been sucker punched. The air seemed to leave the room. This couldn't be happening.

"Why the hell not?" Cyborg exploded. The panic he had been feeling earlier doubled.

"Well, you guys never seemed to enjoy it. Figured I should stop, that's what you guys wanted, right?" Beast Boy asked as he stood up.

Cyborg blinked rapidly trying to find the words he wanted to convey to his friend.

"Well, ya, but-"

"Then I don't see the problem," Beast Boy said. His communicator buzzed and he pulled it out to read it. "Look, Cy, I don't get when the big deal is. You guys always put up a big fuss about it. I stopped, so there's no need to waste time on it anymore."

Cyborg stood as Beast Boy made his way to the door.

"We never told you to stop," Cyborg spat out. Beast Boy turned.

"Ya, you did," Beast Boy replied. He smiled lightly. "I guess I should have stopped earlier if it was making you this aggravated, Cy."

Cyborg opened his mouth, but he couldn't speak. His throat felt tight and any words he had died on his tongue.

"I got to go, Aqualad and I are meeting up. Don't wait for me, I'll message Robin when I'm heading back." Before Cyborg could reply, his best friend was gone.

Taking in the silence of the room, and ignoring the stinging in his eye, Cyborg sat down numbly. His little buddy was growing up.

And Cyborg hated it.

Author's Note: Have some CyXBB feels. Also, we are so close to 200 reviews. You guys are amazing. I'm taking a break from TTLT to start working on the Adventures of Goth Girl and her Artisan friend, so keep an eye out. Read and Review minions!