I have a confession to make. You know when Neil makes one of his terrible puns, and the whole team groans? And the audience is meant to think, "Oh, what a terrible joke, Neil has no sense of humour."?
I am normally laughing very hard at that stage.
Because, dear readers, I love puns.
On another note, I've decided to push this drabble series to 100 (explosion of streamers because YAY!)! Thank you to every single one of my reviewers, esp TheSilverNightShade; I kinda wrote this one for you ;)
EDIT: I re-wrote it again. I just love puns... and I'm a perfectionist. Who knows, maybe this will get another edit. It's writing: you're always trying to get better and better. Maybe one day I'll be content with this chapter. Till then...
"Everything set?" Jay asked anxiously, as the team stood huddled in a circle. Everyone nodded, looking calm and focused as ever. It was an elaborate scheme, and the tensions were running high.
"Well… there isn't much else to do, I guess." Jay continued, scanning his mind to make sure he hadn't missed any vital preparation. "Everyone brought their weapon of choice?"
"Ooooh, yes." Archie answered evilly, winking at Atlanta.
"I guess we've just got to wait for Neil to get here." Jay admitted, the plan still turning over in his head.
"Waiting for Neil before we enact a plan? Doesn't that always happen anyway?" Atlanta asked, grinning slightly.
"Oh, guys, Neil's here, I can sense him!" Theresa hissed in a whisper.
"Action time." Odie muttered, and the team took their respective places.
Neil strolled into the library with the grace of a Heron and the ego of Zeus himself; in other words, Neil strolled in like he always did.
"Theresa, hey! You waited like you promised!" Neil gushed, seeing Theresa. Theresa smiled sincerely, opening a packet of food.
"Hey, you brought food?" Neil inquired, peering at the packet. Theresa leapt in before she lost her chance.
"Uh, yea, actually. How was your…" Theresa reached her hand into the packet. "Date?" She bit into a pitted date, grinning.
"Theresa! That's, like, not even funny." Neil whined, barely noticing Atlanta ambling past, eating an apple.
"Oh, Neil, hey!" Atlanta began, chewing the apple. "So, uh, was she the apple of your eye?"
"Atlanta, not you too-"
"Or are you guys the perfect pear?" Theresa asked, pulling out a pear from her bag and winking happily at Neil.
"You guys so planned this, it's because my puns are so good, isn't it?" Neil demanded, as Herry stepped out from behind a bookshelf carrying a bucket.
"What, Neil, you can't handle a good pun?" Herry goaded, pointing to the bucket handle and grinning like he'd just won the lottery.
"That's so not even funny-"
"You mean, knot even funny?" Jay asked, carrying a rope tied in knots. "Cuz I don't know, I think we're pretty… punny."
"I am so leaving. You guys are ridiculous." Neil began to stalk out of the room, only to find a pile of weights blocking his path.
"Oh, no, no. You're so not doing this-" Neil began angrily, only to be cut off by Archie stumbling in front of him, carrying a pile of leaves.
"Weight! You can't leaf now, Neil!" Archie was grinning from ear to ear, despite being overladen with objects to carry.
Neil was well and truly frustrated now. "Oh, and I bet you guys have so many more puns right up your sleeve, don't you!"
"Well, I suppose I've got an ace up my sleeve-" Jay began, pulling an ace card out.
"Oh, and I bet you all googled some puns you thought were great-" Neil continued furiously, as Atlanta butted in, having pulled out a cheese grater.
"I guess they're a bit grating after a while…"
Neil huffed angrily, crossing his arms. "You know what? Fine. I know Odie's still coming. He's probably got some cracker related joke, or some pun about "orange you tired of jokes?" thing happening. But that's fine. I'll just wait right here and let you guys have your stupid moment." Neil declared, eyeballing them all.
"Come on Odie, out with your stupid pun!" Neil grumbled. "Don't you think I haven't seen it coming."
But there was only silence.
The team looked at each other concernedly.
"Has he forgotten?" Herry whispered anxiously to Theresa, who shook her head.
"He can't have."
Silence was beginning to settle as a faint knocking noise began to be heard on the other side of the library door.
"Huh?" Neil grunted, raising one eyebrow. "Part of your plan?"
"Uh… no…" Jay admitted. The knocks continued.
Neil leaned forward warily, yanking the door open. "Yes?"
Odie stood on the other side, with a glint of victory in his eyes.
"Joke." He declared proudly.
"Huh?" Neil looked confusedly at Odie. "Say what?"
But Odie's lips were sealed, coated with a Cheshire grin. Neil turned around, only to see a similar grin across each of the titans' faces.
"Wha-" Neil began, before realising.
He then stormed out angrily.
It was a knock-knock-joke.
