(A/N)- Merry Christmas everyone! I have a present for you: a shiny new chapter!
*throws confetti*
I am a bit shameless with the romance and friendship fluff I'll admit. Couldn't help it. Christmas has me all happy and excited and my fluff-loving side was just begging me at regular intervals to "DO EET! DO EET!" so I didn't resist.
A quick note on continuity though, this is Post-Season Five and Tokyo, so there are Honorary Titans and pretty blatant Rob/Star BF/GF-ness. (Like I said, I'm shameless with the fluff this chapter.)
Disclaimer: Oh gosh I'm hungry... I don't own Teen Titans. Now, excuse me I need to eat lunch.
Holiday Handful
"Tis the season to be jolly!" Beast Boy sang, slightly off key and far louder than Raven would have preferred. "Fa la la la la, la la la la!"
The empath rubbed her temples, grimacing. "Beast Boy," she groaned, "could you please not do that?"
Grinning cheekily at her, Beast Boy just turned up the volume on the radio. "Come on Raven, it's Christmas. Where's your sense of holiday cheer?" He turned back to his task of hanging a long garland around the corners of the main room.
"Dried up in the bottom of the dumpster, with all my other feelings regarding holidays," Raven muttered darkly, clutching her tea cup tighter.
Ignoring her, Beast Boy just continued singing.
"Don we now our gay apparel!"
Raven squeezed her eyes shut, willing her frayed nerves not to snap.
"Fa la la, la la la, la la laaaaa!"
A vein in her forehead twitched.
"Troll the ancient yuletide carol!"
Raven growled, set her cup down, and stormed up behind the oblivious changeling, who was standing on a ladder set against the far right wall. Her hand raised, dark energy cackling around it.
Beast Boy didn't see her or the giant black talon coming for him until halfway through the last line. "Fa la la la laaaa, la la-Ack!" he shrieked, his song cutting off as tendrils of midnight energy curled around him.
-TT-
"Don't get too far ahead!" Sarah called to the backs of her fellow carolers, a group of rambunctious five and six-year-olds from the class she helped with at the community kindergarten.
They shouted back their reassurances, even as a couple eager boys ran ahead to the next house.
Sarah laughed and brushed back a streak of her blonde hair as she hugged Cyborg's arm tighter. The two were both bundled up against the frigidly cold wind that had blown in over the weekend, cooling the entire city to a chill winter temperature.
"Anyway," Cyborg said, resuming the conversation they'd been having, "I don't really get the whole flak over 'Merry Christmas' versus 'Happy Holidays'."
"Yeah, me neither. I don't really care actually. But what annoys me is when retailers label their blatantly obvious Christmas decorations generic 'holiday' stuff. Like, they'll call their Christmas trees holiday trees." She gesticulated agitatedly with her free hand to illustrate her frustration. "Who are you even kidding? It's a freaking Christmas tree. No one is gonna use them for a different holiday!"
Cyborg smiled. "I dunno… Starfire sometimes finds a use for leftover holiday decorations and repurposes them for Tamaranian festivals."
She considered that a moment. "Okay, so no one besides visiting aliens from different planets," she conceded.
"Say, did I ever tell you about the time Starfire first found out what mistletoe was for?" Cyborg asked.
"I don't think so."
"Oh it was priceless!" he told her, gesturing. "Robin stammered a full minute before he could finally cough up an explanation, and then-to top it all off-when BB got wind of it he rigged every single doorway in the Tower with the stuff."
Sarah clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle her guffaw. "No way!" she said in disbelief.
"Oh yeah. The gym, the bathrooms, the front door, our rooms… I was torching the demonic little sprigs for days."
"What did Starfire do?" Sarah asked anxiously.
"What do you think?" Cyborg replied, shaking his head. "I destroyed most of the mistletoe before it got out of hand… the pizza guy was really happy though."
Sarah giggled, imagining the scene. "And Robin?"
"Got very adept at climbing through windows."
By now they had rejoined their little circle of heavily-bundled children, waiting anxiously on the porch. Cyborg leaned forward and did the honors, ringing the doorbell. When the door opened, the couple led their carolers in a rousing rendition of "Sleigh Ride", to moderate applause from the tired-looking mother who listened with a faint smile on her face. When they were done they wished her "Merry Christmas" (and "Happy Holidays") and moved on down to the next house.
-TT-
The hustle and bustle of shoppers on their last-minute mall dashes moved like a well-organized network and trickle of ants. Stress, anxieties, and high emotion swirled all around her, beating at her empathic senses and reminding Raven exactly why she preferred to get all her Christmas shopping done early.
Unfortunately for her mental sanity, Robin had enlisted her help in finding a gift for Starfire.
The Boy Wonder looked as frazzled as most of the civilians as he sifted through a rack of blouses.
"Do you think she'd like any of these?" he finally asked her, moving out of the way and pointing to them.
Raven stared at the assortment of frilly pastel-colored tops, suspecting she knew about as much about the style, fashion, color, and fit of the garments as Robin did. Which was to say, nothing at all.
"They're nice," she said flatly.
Robin gave a frustrated groan and grabbed her wrist, pulling her off to another section of the store.
"Maybe I should get her something for Silkie…" Robin mumbled to himself, under his breath.
Raven let herself be dragged up and down the mall, alternately standing back and tapping her foot impatiently or else trying desperately to keep up with Robin and not lose him in the crowd, as he wove through the throngs of people. He disappeared from her sight once or twice and she had to close her eyes and concentrate on his empathic signature in order to find him again. If not for their mental bond he'd be nearly impossible to distinguish in the crowd of anxious minds, and restless bodies.
She finally lost sight of him for good outside the food court. Raven looked around hopelessly for a few moments before giving up. She used the opportunity to rest her feet, sitting down on one of the benches and cracking open her book. (She hadn't gotten a chance to put it down before Robin pried her out from her room and begged her into coming here.)
He found her a few minutes later, and glared icily at her.
"Where were you?" he demanded.
"What? You seemed to be doing just fine on your own," Raven said, not looking up.
Robin sighed heavily. "Come on," he said, gesturing for Raven to follow.
Raven reluctantly shut her book and got up again.
Twenty minutes later and Robin had come no closer to finding a suitable present than when they had started. Raven was beginning to grow weary of the mall. She held her book with one hand and rubbed her temple with the other.
I'm going to have such a migraine when we get home, she thought to herself tiredly.
Her leader paid no heed to her. He was looking between two jewelry counters, considering a bracelet in one and a pair of earrings in the other.
"No… no…" he muttered, moving off. "Too expensive."
He looked at a different section, thought for a long moment, and then beckoned to her.
"Which do you think suits her more, Raven? Green or blue?" he asked.
"I don't know," Raven replied wearily. "You're her boyfriend. You should know."
Robin threw up his hands. "Argh! You're no help at all!" he complained.
"Then why did you even bring me?" Raven shot back in a low grumble.
He ignored her, or he didn't hear her. Robin was, in fact, quite beyond the pale of desperation at this point, and Raven was almost certain if they didn't find something soon, the boy would just collapse from the stress and exhaustion.
The third time he paced out of the jewelry shop and back into it, she'd finally had enough.
"For the love of Azar, Robin, will you just buy her something already?" she blurted.
Robin flinched, and stepped back out over the store's threshold again. "I'm sorry. It's just-" He yanked on the roots of his hair, flustered, the strain showing on his face. He put his hands down. "I really want to get her something special this year. It's our first Christmas together as an official couple. I… I just want her present to be perfect," he confessed to her, dropping his gaze to his steel-plated toes.
Raven rolled her eyes skywards in exasperation. "Robin, you could get Starfire a paper bag and she would be happy with it. Because it's from you. That's what matters to her," she told him.
His masked eyes lifted from the floor and looked up at her, hopeful. "You really think so?" he said.
The Azarathian tapped the side of her head. "The empathy doesn't lie." She frowned after a moment. "But don't get her a paper bag," she chastened him sternly.
"Huh? Oh, right."
Placing a hand on his shoulder she added, "Now would you please just relax? You're going to give yourself a heart-attack if you keep this up."
To his credit, Robin made a concerted effort to calm himself down. He was still anxious about what to do for Starfire's gift-Raven could sense as much-but at least he wasn't as high-strung as he'd been before.
He exhaled a long breath, drained. "You're right. I'm sorry Raven. I'll just get her one of the rings so we can go-" He stopped. He was looking past her, over her shoulder, a contemplative expression on his face. He raised an index finger. "Hold that thought…" he said, moving by her.
"Where are you-?" Raven said, turning to see where he was headed. Her eyes trailed ahead to the store he was walking towards…
She stared blankly.
Neat blocky gold letters in the neon sign read: Titans Tech: The Official Merchandise Emporium of the Teen Titans.
"Oh you've got to be kidding," Raven said in disbelief. But she followed Robin into the shop.
He went straight to the shelf on the back wall and, when she stepped up, showed her what he had in mind.
Raven gave a wry smile. "Okay, I'll admit it-that's adorable."
The Boy Wonder breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks Raven," he said gratefully, tucking the things under his arm. He caught her up in an appreciative hug. "I'm really glad you were here."
"I won't make a habit of it." she drolled, returning the hug.
They parted. Robin paid for Starfire's Christmas present, and Raven crowed a mental yell of triumph as they departed, ignoring the sound of the register attendant squealing excitedly on the phone, "Ohmahgosh ohmahgosh you will never believe who just left the store! The Titans! No really, honest to goodness two of the real Titans!" to her unseen friend.
-TT-
"And Silkie wishes you the Merry Christ of the Mas as well!" Starfire gushed to the computer screen, which showed the girls of the Titans network, with whom she was currently in conference call with. She held the grub in her arms and waved one of his stubby feet at her friends.
"Happy Christmas, love," Argent said, wearing her customary holly wreaths in her hair.
"Feliz Navidad!" chirped Pantha.
"We'll see y'all New Year's, Star," Bumblebee said, already reaching for the button on her end. She winked. "Can't wait for the party." Her feed cut out.
Starfire turned to another square. "Will you be coming, Wonder Girl?"
The raven-haired Amazon shook her head. "'fraid not Starfire. I'm really busy down here. But hey, come visit Themyscira sometime."
"I shall!" Starfire said, nodding enthusiastically.
"Nice chatting with all of you," Kole said, waving from her square.
"Ditto," Jinx piped up.
Starfire waved back. "Farewell my friends!"
Goodbyes were exchanged and then the feeds ended in rapid succession, until the screen was blank, and had resumed its normal function as a window. Starfire set Silkie down on the coffee table, and straightened the Santa hat positioned awkwardly on her head.
The door hissed, and Starfire looked up hopefully. She was in luck; it was Beast Boy, just the person she wanted to see. She stood and floated over to him, her hands clasped.
"Oh! Beast Boy?" she said, setting her feet down.
He smiled up at her. "Yeah Star?"
The Tamaranian princess looked down at her feet, shifting her weight sheepishly as she explained.
"I wish very much to catch Robin under the toe of mistle this year so… could you… perhaps…?"
She trailed off, blushing cutely pink.
Beast Boy saluted. "Way ahead of you sister!" He produced a cluster from his pocket (the Titans had long since given up trying to figure out where he got the stuff), stuck it in his mouth, and shifted into a chameleon. He skittered up the wall, and Starfire watched as he climbed to a prominent place above the doorway. Starfire was about to inquire if he needed any assistance but just then the door hissed open once more and the target of her affections, Robin himself, stepped in.
"Hey Star," he said, a smile brightening his features.
"Greetings," she replied coyly, putting her hands behind her back and scuffing her toe.
He held up a box wrapped in bright silver paper. "Got your Christmas present," he told her, grinning.
She giggled. "I have a few for you as well." Her hands were shaking nervously as she brought them to her front. Robin didn't seem to notice. He was rubbing the back of his neck, his gaze on the floor.
"Nearly drove Raven crazy trying to find it. Serves me right for waiting until the last minute," he was saying.
Starfire's eyes flicked up to where Beast Boy was stationed with the mistletoe. The chameleon gave her an encouraging wink. She straightened.
"I am sure I will be delighted with it."
"I hope so. I-" He didn't get a chance to finish; Starfire reached for him, grabbed his head, pulled him close, and planted one on him. He made a muffled squeak of surprise, dropping the package. He was frozen in place a moment, as Starfire kissed him, and then he closed his eyes, his hands drifting up to cup her face. They held each other for a long moment.
Click.
Robin's eyes snapped open, and he and Starfire broke apart just in time to see Cyborg fleeing down the hallway. Robin stepped back, bewildered, then spotted the mistletoe in the doorframe and the small Polaroid clutched in the half-robot's hand. He put two-and-two together in an instant.
"Cyborg!" he roared as he gave chase.
Starfire giggled to herself, and floated back to the couch.
"Thank you Beast Boy!" she called to the chameleon.
Beast Boy chirred a 'you're welcome'.
-TT-
A delicious smell wafted around the kitchen. Cyborg hummed a cheerful made-up cooking theme to himself as he prepared his traditional green-bean casserole.
"Smells great," a raspy monotone told him. He glanced up to see Raven, who inclined her head at the dish. "That for us?" she asked.
"Sadly no." He closed up the oven, and slipped the oven mitts off his hands. "It's for Sarah's volunteer group." He wiggled his eyebrows playfully. "The ladies are counting on me to provide sustenance for them while they're busy signing cards to mail to overseas troops."
Raven leaned her elbows on the counter. "You should really invite her over to spend Christmas with us."
Cyborg looked askance at her. "You serious?"
She shrugged. "Why not? If her family doesn't mind us borrowing her for a few hours…"
"No I mean, y'all would really be cool with that?" he clarified.
"Well, you'd have to run it by Robin and clear it with him first but I don't think I'd mind."
Cyborg narrowed his eyes at her.
"You're just hoping she'll tell you more embarrassing stories about me."
She smirked. "Guilty as charged."
He untied his apron with a sigh. "I'll bring up the topic when I drop off the casserole. Personally I hope she brushes us off," he said, glaring pointedly at the empath. He leaned back and rubbed his chin, taking a quick inventory of his dishes. "Let's see, I've got the casserole, the potato salad, the beans and chili…" he recounted. His eyes widened suddenly and he gasped. "I forgot to put the chili in my special thermal pot!" he cried.
He tossed his apron on the counter and skidded out from the kitchen. Before he reached the door he turned around.
"Don't… touch anything," he pleaded, waving his hands.
Raven crossed her arms impassively.
Cyborg whirled back around and dashed out the door, immediately bowling over Beast Boy. The half-robot didn't stop as the shape-shifter fell back heavily on his rear. Raven started and rushed forward to see if he was okay.
Beast Boy rubbed his nose gently. "Ow."
Raven held out her hand to help him up. "You okay?" she asked.
He accepted her hand, and pulled himself to his feet. "I've had worse." He looked past her to the kitchen. "Smells really good."
"It's not for us," Raven explained.
He snapped his fingers disappointedly. "Nuts."
Raven was looking above their heads in horror. "Beast Boy?" she said. "Don't… don't look up."
He squinted at her in confusion, as he proceeded to do exactly that. "Why, what's-" He stopped short, seeing what she was seeing.
The changeling had forgotten, after the display with Robin and Starfire, to take the mistletoe down from the doorframe.
"…Oh," he voiced inadequately, his voice cracking a little.
They both stared at the very innocent-looking plant a long… long… moment.
Beast Boy peeled his eyes off the mistletoe and dropped them down to Raven. Her eyes flicked down almost the same instant.
They looked away.
Awkward.
They stood in silence. Beast Boy coughed into his hand.
"I should… I should really, uh… get that down," he stammered.
"Right," Raven agreed.
A pause.
Neither of them moved.
Raven's face was bright red as she inched closer to Beast Boy. She screwed up her nerve, leaned in and planted a quick peck on his cheek, very brief, very fleeting, but she blushed harder all the same afterwards. Then she took hold of the mistletoe with her telekinesis, surrounding it in a ball of dark matter, and extremely gingerly lowered it down into the changeling's hands.
He held it like it was a bomb about to go off, blushing very red himself.
Raven cleared her throat and pointed a finger at him.
"We never speak of this again."
He nodded numbly. "Sure thing," he squeaked.
Raven brushed a strand of purple hair behind her ear and made a hasty escape out of the room.
-TT-
The big day had almost arrived; it was Christmas Eve and Cyborg was in the kitchen once again, this time baking cookies for the Titans (and Santa of course). Starfire was watching with rapt attention, fascinated by the process, as she always was. The other Titans were present as well, Robin at one of the computers busily tapping away in search of something, and Beast Boy and Raven sitting on the couch together… though as far away from each other as the cushioned piece of furniture allowed. Cyborg thought this was rather odd, even for them, but didn't call attention to it. He poured the batter out into a larger bowl, setting the smaller one aside.
Starfire looked as though she would almost burst. "Do you require assistance with anything?" she questioned earnestly.
"No, I've got everything pretty much covered," he dismissed, waving her off.
"May I please help?" she pressed insistently. "I would very much like to bake the cookies too."
Cyborg cringed. "I don't think that's a good idea-" he began, but Robin interrupted him, appearing suddenly behind the counter at Starfire's side.
"Sure you can help him Star," he told her, a smug grin on his face. "And then maybe you should whip up some of your favorite holiday dishes." He looked pointedly at Cyborg and emphasized his words with an evil glee. "Like your gruntmeg. Or your Sentaran bug jelly."
The half-robot gaped in horror at Robin and then his eyes darkened and he lowered his voice.
"All right, what do you want?" he demanded.
The smirk dropped from Robin's face instantly and he scowled, his eyes narrow. "I want the picture you took of us under the mistletoe off the mass e-mail we're sending to the Titans network and the JLA."
"Aww man!" Cyborg protested, his face squinching up. "Come on-it's not like everyone doesn't already know you two are a thing."
"As a matter of fact, everyone does not already know," Robin said, his arms crossed in front of his chest in his usual stern manner. "And I'd like to keep it that way."
Cyborg placed his hands on the counter. "What do I get out of it in return?" he negotiated.
"You can keep the original picture," Robin told him.
Cyborg looked uncertain.
"And Sarah can come over for Christmas."
The cybernetic teen rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Do it or I'll let Starfire have free reign of the kitchen," Robin growled.
The older boy glared at him with a tranquil fury.
"You drive a mean bargain you evil little punk."
Robin just stared back coolly.
"Done," Cyborg acquiesced. He raised his arm and accessed the Titan mainframe. A few scrolls and clicks later and it was taken care of. "There. Happy now?" Cyborg grouched. "HEY!"
Starfire jumped and looked up from where she'd been pressing the cookie cutters into the dry batter. "I am sorry!" she squeaked, quickly dropping the tree-shape. "I assumed that it was the next step in the process," she explained.
Cyborg looked to Robin helplessly, who just sat down on a stool calmly.
"What? I'm not going to stop her."
The half-robot sighed. "All right Star, you can help." He took her hands and stared seriously into her eyes. "But you have to do exactly what I say to do all right?"
She nodded eagerly.
-TT-
Christmas morning dawned gray, but bright. Beast Boy woke up the earliest, at the very robust four in the morning (the other Titans never could understand why getting out of bed was so difficult for him the rest of the year), but because Robin had ordered him beforehand not to wake the others until the sun was up, at least, the changeling had several excited hours to himself in which to run around the Tower.
At seven, with the eastern sky turning orange and his impatience at its peak, Beast Boy decided he'd let the Titans sleep in long enough.
"WAKE UP, WAKE UP!" he bellowed to rouse them as he banged on each of their doors. "IT'S CHRISTMAS!"
Various half-asleep grumbles answered him from behind Raven and Cyborg's doors. Robin gave a groan and muttered something along the lines of, "Go away Beast Boy." Only Starfire actually opened her door, blinking sleepily but smiling.
With her help and encouragement, Beast Boy eventually managed to get all the Titans up and out of bed.
-TT-
The five of them (plus Sarah) were gathered in the common room around the tree. Cyborg took charge of organizing the distribution of presents and also provided everyone with a nice steaming mug of hot chocolate. Raven and Sarah chatted amiably with each other when it wasn't their turn to unwrap. Beast Boy sat fairly nearby them on the floor.
He and Raven were still a little fidgety around each other but some of the awkwardness from yesterday had worn off. Raven still ducked her head and averted her eyes when the changeling passed her gifts up to her.
"This uh… this one's from me," Beast Boy told her, flushing slightly and staring down at his feet as he handed Raven a crudely wrapped, squishy-looking package.
She took it, tore off the holly-patterned paper. Her eyes blinked wider. It was a fuzzy wool blanket, dark blue, and very soft.
"Wow…" she said.
Beast Boy scratched his ear. "Yeah, well… you mentioned you'd been getting cold at night so… I thought, you know…"
A smile touched her lips. "That was really thoughtful of you Beast Boy," she said, meeting his eyes. "Thanks," she told him sincerely.
He beamed at her.
The awkwardness vanished after that, which was good because even Sarah was starting to pick up on it and had almost whispered Okay seriously… is there something going on between you two? Because I'm picking up some unresolved tension but I don't want to be presumptuous in Raven's ear.
Starfire, meanwhile, had chosen to snuggle up next to Robin on the couch, which he very much liked, though it didn't help his nervousness when it came time for Starfire to open his gift.
As it was though, he needn't have worried.
She gave a gasp as she lifted the lid of the box, uncovering two tiny plush figures of herself and Robin. The miniature stuffed Boy Wonder and Tamaranian princess wore matching yarn-stitched smiles and had magnets sewn into their hands and faces, so that you could make them kiss or hold hands when you brought them together.
"Awwwwww!" she squealed when she picked them up and discovered this. "Oh Robin, how precious!" she gushed, hugging them tightly to her chest, then shifting them both to one arm and hugging the life-size flesh and blood Robin.
He blushed, but looked very pleased with himself.
Beast Boy looked back and forth from the plush Robin and Starfire to the real ones.
"Dude, meta," he commented.
Cyborg took another picture.
Robin shot a glare at him. "Cyborg-" he warned.
"Come on, I can't help it," the half-robot said innocently. "Y'all are adorable." At Robin's continued annoyed look he put up his hands. "I'm not putting this one on the internet either," he promised, giving a broad smile. (He neglected to mention that he planned on anonymously mailing copies of both pictures to the tabloids.)
The Titans' leader simmered down.
After all the presents had been unwrapped, Cyborg commandeered the kitchen to fix a lavish Christmas lunch, and Robin shut himself in his room to make a private call to Bruce and Alfred.
The afternoon was spent watching and laughing at cheesy Christmas specials on TV.
"Merry Christmas, Star," Robin said to his girlfriend.
She leaned on his shoulder, the plushies in her lap.
"Merry Christmas," she murmured.
(A/N)- And a Happy New Year dear readers!
