A Note from the Authors: Towards the end of this chapter, we've chosen to play off of the unnatural, heightened fear that everyone has of stinging, flying insects. If you yourself do not have this fear...you are very fortunate. Enjoy!
New Note: Now the song stuff was already gone, so no changes except for the title!
Chapter 3
"Girltalk, Guytalk, and The Bee"
As Robin made his way through the Tower towards Cyborg's garage, he crossed paths with Raven, who was headed in the direction of the girl's wing. He nodded at her and she gave him a small smile. He took that as a sign that things had not gone horribly wrong with Beast Boy. That was good news at least. But he was not in any hurry to run into the changeling, so he quickened his pace and slowed only just outside the doors to the garage.
He entered the code on the lockpad and the double doors slide open. He sidled in, hands in the pockets of his jeans, "Cy! You in here?"
A shower of sparks and a loud buzzing sound answered his question before the half-human half-robot pulled himself out from under what looked like a revamped Hummer in the center of the room. "Yo," he said, giving a quick salute, "Sup?"
"Not much," Robin shrugged, circling the car, "Expect B.B. to be in an…odd mood today."
"Huh? Why?" Cy asked, as he rummaged through his tool chest.
Robin tried to hide his grin. "I sent Rae to talk to him a little while ago."
"Wasn't B.B. sent to the showers a little while ago?" Cy said and then his expression changed as he realized what Robin had been getting at, "Oh man…" he chuckled, "How'd it go?"
"Not sure," Robin said, "Rae seemed pretty happy when I saw her just now."
Cyborg slid himself back under the car, "And I missed it all? Man, that would'a been great…wish I could'a seen his face."
"Me too," Robin agreed.
"You know he's gonna kill you, right?"
"Yeah."
There was a short pause in which both young men relished in their small (and odd) victory. Then the double doors slid open again and they both looked up, expecting a raging Beast Boy in any one of his numerous dangerous forms. But it was Starfire who entered the room, primped and polished and looking slightly bemused. It wasn't often she came down to the garage, so both men knew something was up.
"Hey Star," Robin said, "What brings you down here?"
"Raven was behaving strangely," she began.
"How so?" Cyborg asked.
"When I saw her just a few moments ago she was…singing without words…" she tried to explain.
Robin's eyes widened behind the mask and Cyborg dropped the wrench he'd been holding. "She was humming??" they both said together.
"If that is the correct word…then yes" Star confirmed, "It was not music I recognized, but I believe it was music. It was most strange…she has never made this sort of sound before – perhaps she is sick?"
"Lovesick maybe," Cyborg murmured, sliding himself under the Hummer once again.
"I wouldn't worry about it too much, Star," Robin said, laying a hand on her arm, "It can't hurt her…but maybe you should ask her about it – just to be safe."
"I shall," she nodded, "and I will see you both later." She leaned forward, planted a kiss on Robin's cheek and left the room. The leader of the world's youngest band of super heroes leaned back against one of the other cars, grinning like an idiot.
From under the Hummer, Cyborg made a very convincing sound of a whip snapping against the ground.
* * *
Three sharp knocks on her bedroom door made Raven glance up from her meditative spot above the floor. She floated over to the door and opened it, coming face to face with Starfire, who was looking concerned. "Yes?"
"Raven, I would like to speak with you," Star began.
"What about?"
"Um…" the Tamaran hesitated, "You, actually."
The pale-skinned young woman let her legs unfold beneath her and her feet touched the floor. "I'm not sure I'd like that conversation," she said dully and moved to shut the door.
"Raven please!" Starfire reached out and grabbed hold of the door, keeping it from being shut, "I must speak with you – I am worried about you."
"Worried about me…?" Raven's expression changed to one of pleased puzzlement, "Why?"
"May I come in?"
"……Fine…" She held the door open and Starfire strode past her into the dark depths of her lair. She sat down on the bed and motioned for Raven to join her, which the Goth did slowly.
"You have…changed very much over the past few years," the orange-skinned teen began.
"So have you," Raven interjected, "So what?"
Star nodded. Rae always had a knack for trying to push a conversation away from a topic that displeased her. "What I mean…" she tried again, "Is that you have…developed things you have not had before…"
Raven grinned. This was too easy. "You're one to talk," she said, teasingly poking her friend in the bust, "You've been developing a hell of a lot more than me." She laid down on her back on the bed, her arm folded behind her head.
Starfire blushed, "That is not what I speak of!" she cried, slightly agitated.
"Then what do you speak of?" Raven asked, eyes glued to the ceiling.
"I think you know," Star replied, "And that is why you are behaving like you do not." When Raven did not reply, she sank to her level (literally) lowering herself onto her stomach beside her moody friend. "I am talking about things inside you, Rae. Not outside." Still no response. "I know you have been having feelings lately, even though you may try to hide it. I want you to know that it is much easier if you do not keep them inside a bottle…"
"Bottled up inside, Star."
"Yes, that."
"I don't know what feelings you think I have Star, but –"
"You do so!" Star said angrily, pushing herself back into a sitting position, "Everyone can see that there is something between you and Beast Boy – only the two of you are too stubborn to admit it. If you would only open yourself to him, he would do the same. You two have been playing games with each other for much too long."
Raven closed her eyes, cheeks burning. "And what if he doesn't, hmm? What then?"
"He will," Star said, the anger gone from her eyes, "And if he does not, I suppose you could always make his head explode." This sounded so strange coming from Starfire's lips that Raven had to bite her tongue to keep from bursting out laughing. Tears of mirth glittered in the corners of her still closed eyes and Star raised an eyebrow, confused. "Are you all right? Why do you cry? I was only trying to make you smile."
"I know," Raven said, wiping her eyes and then opened them, sitting up, "Thanks Star. I might get to like this laughing stuff if I'm not careful."
The alien girl beamed. "It would do you no harm. You do look so pretty when you smile," she said, then a tiny light bulb went off above her head and she added, "I believe that is the reason Beast Boy is always so eager to make you laugh."
Raven fell silent, running a hand over the small bump that still remained on the back of her skull. 'Never really thought about it that way before…' she mused to herself. "Maybe," she muttered, pushing herself off of the bed, "Thanks for the chat, Star. Let's do it again sometime."
* * *
"I thought we made the 'Boy' and 'Girl' distinctions in the showers to avoid co-ed incidents, O fearless leader!"
Robin lifted his head out of the engine of a 52 Ford Mustang grease smears on his face and a wrench between his teeth. He took the wrench in one hand and grinned, "What kind of a show did she get?"
"None," Beast Boy replied, fuming, "We talked. That's it."
"You mean you actually didn't sing in the shower for the first time in five years?" came Cyborg's voice from under his prize Hummer, "Huh…miracles happen everyday…"
The green-skinned boy ignored him, "What was the big idea of pulling a stunt like that?! I attacked you with Cheerios! Girls are on a totally different level from that!"
"They were Frosted Cheerios." The voice from under the car started, the noise trickling upwards and into the ears of both young men.
"That's not the issue here! We're focusing on me, please!"
Robin turned back to his engine, "Come on – she asked me where you were. What was I supposed to tell her? I wasn't gonna lie to her. And I didn't actually tell her to go find you. She decided that on her own."
"I'd be kinda flattered if I were you, actually," Cyborg added.
"If you were me, you'd have equipment. And I'm not talkin' about that mechanical stuff you've got meshed into your flesh."
"Say what??" There was a loud clang as Cyborg attempted to sit up without pulling himself under the car first followed by a short string of curses and then he emerged, sparks of electricity shooting from the gears in his head.
"Whoa! Hey!" Robin cried quickly, ducking back out from under the hood of the Mustang, "This doesn't need to turn into one of those kind of fights, does it??"
Both of the teens glared at each other, distaste on their bitter mouths. Cyborg narrowed his mechanical eye, "Price for one low blow: one noogie."
Beast Boy tried to measure up to the over-sized android, failed, then shrugged, "Fine."
Robin slapped his forehead, embarrassed at the years-old ritual that was being partaken in by two of his oldest friends. One brief struggle and loud commotion later, he looked up once more from his work to the sight of all of Cyborg sans his feet back under his Hummer and Beast Boy with much tussled hair, "I believe you wanted to talk about yourself, lowly animal servant?"
"Yeah…I did," the changeling nodded, seating himself on the hood of a Cadillac that had yet to be repaired. He licked his palm and attempted to flatten his hair unsuccessfully. "Anyway…I'd like to thank you for what was by far the most embarrassing moment of my life."
"You're welcome."
* * *
Noontime found Raven in the living room, buried behind a book entitled DOOM…the Inevitability, now dressed in black baggy jeans and an 'Evanescence' T-Shirt. Starfire was also on the couch, flipping through channels boredly with the remote, now wearing tight blue jeans and a purple tank top. "I do not understand why there are so many channels and yet such poor programming," she sighed.
"Cable was a bad move."
The sound of clanking footsteps approaching alerted them to Cyborg's presence and they both glanced up. He leaned between them, elbows on the back of the couch, grinning. "In celebration of the completion of the Hummer, the gentlemen of the garage would like to treat the ladies of the house to a feast of drive-thru take-out. How's that sound?"
Raven's voice drifted out from behind DOOM…the Inevitability, "In direct exasperation to the idiocy of the gentlemen of the garage, the ladies of the house would like to severely beat down the idea that cruising for several pointless hours and then getting take-out as payment for wasted time is good."
"I think that would be fun!" Starfire said excitedly, clapping her hands.
"It's settled then," Cyborg said, choosing not to engage in a verbal battle with Raven. He headed back towards the garage, with Star close on his heels.
With a heavy sigh, Raven set her book down on the coffee table and forced herself to follow after them.
* * *
"Are we all ready back there?" Cy called from the driver's seat.
"Yeah, I think so!" Beast Boy said cheerily, from his spot between Starfire and Raven.
"Let's get rollin' then," Robin said, reaching for the stereo from his shotgun position. Cy revved the engine as the garage door rolled open and in a matter of seconds, they were on their way to what was sure to be many pointless hours of cruising.
"I cannot believe I agreed to this," Raven muttered, putting her feet up against the back of Cyborg's seat.
"Aw, come on," Beast Boy placed one arm around her shoulders, "This'll be great…a little 'quality time', if you catch my drift."
"Beast Boy…" she said in a sickly sweet voice, turning so they were nose to nose.
"Yes…?"
"The hand…remove it – or lose it."
"Right, right!" His hands were instantly folded in his lap.
"Let's keep the hostility to a minimum, please?" Cyborg requested, not moving his eyes from the road.
Raven said nothing, but only turned to stare out the window. Soon the only sounds were the low rumble of the engine and the low hum of the radio. Beast Boy leaned back against the seat, as a slow sense of claustrophobia crept over him. If he touched Raven again, it was sure to result in bodily harm, and the same went for Starfire, but the harm would come via Robin.
He sighed, and glanced over at Raven. She'd rolled her window down and the warm summer air was blowing back her hair. Her expression was solemn as was typical, but he found himself wondering if there was a storm raging under the calm exterior. This was usually the case with Raven; she rarely let on to her inner thoughts, and when she did (he realized with slight surprise) it was usually by accident and in front of him.
Unintentionally, he reached out towards her, wanting to touch her pale skin, run his fingers through her hair…just being so close to her was starting to drive him crazy. He drew his hand back quickly, catching himself before he got into more trouble and he sunk lower in his seat, sulking.
* * *
Many pointless hours and three drive-thrus later, the teens were digesting in silence as the Hummer rolled along a road carved into the side of a mountain a good long way away from the tower. As Beast Boy drained the last of his milkshake and tossed the cup aside, his extra-sensitive ears picked up a new sound: a buzzing that could be nothing but natural. He scanned the car quickly, searching for the sound, but Starfire beat him to it.
She let out a shriek that made Cyborg nearly swerve off the road, and everyone was pushed by their own inertia towards the right side of the car.
"What the hell was that for??" he demanded, straightening out the car.
Star grabbed hold of Beast Boy's arm, pointing a trembling hand, "There is a horrible stinging-insect in the car!" He followed her gesture and spotted a wasp perched on the top of Robin's headrest. "Someone please! Get rid of it!"
Robin twisted around, "What are you–" he stopped short as he was at perfect eyelevel with the wasp. With a yelp, he tried to back away from it, but was caught by his seatbelt and flung back into his seat. It shook violently and the wasp took flight. Starfire let out another shriek and tried to push herself towards the left side of the car, sending Beast Boy straight into Raven.
Caught between him and the side door, Raven growled, "What did I tell you about touching me?"
"It's not my fault!" he protested. They were both distracted by the motion of Robin pulling a Batarang out of the glove compartment and began shouting at once.
"Don't use that thing in here!!"
"Why can't you guys leave the wasp alone??"
"Will you all pipe down? I'm tryin' to drive here!"
"If I could just get a good shot at it…" Robin said, unhooking his seatbelt so that he could face the backseat properly.
"Just make it go away!" Star cried.
"It won't hurt you if you don't provoke it!" Beast Boy said, "It's more scared of us than we are of it."
"I doubt it's more scared then Star is…" Raven muttered.
Robin missed the wasp with his Batarang and it stuck in the backseat cushion between Star and Beast Boy's head. The wasp now was clearly agitated and confused, buzzing about the car as the mass of bodies continued to make their horrible loud noises. Attracted (most likely) to the bright colors of Star skin and hair, it turned towards her.
"No! No! Leave me alone!" she cried, eyes glowing bright green and energy blasts forming in each hand.
"STAR, DON'T!!!" Robin cried.
"What the hell is she doing?!?" Cyborg barked.
There was no stopping her. She let the energy blasts fly and fly they did – right past the wasp and out the front windshield! The car swerved hard and they all screamed as it careened straight through the metal fence and off the edge of the cliff they'd been driving along. In the backseat, Beast Boy and Star clung to each other, terrified, while Raven glowered at them both. At the last instant Cyborg switched gears to "AG" and the car stopped in midair, hovering a few feet above the ground.
Robin slipped off of the ceiling and back into his seat, looking dazed. He shook it off and glanced down at the dashboard. "AG?"
"Anti-gravity," Cyborg said, leaning against the steering wheel, looking relieved, "Just glad I remembered I installed it."
The car sputtered and coughed. Both Robin and Cyborg watched as the gas gage hit 'Empty' and the car fell the last few feet to the ground with a crash. Heartbeats heightened once again, the teens exchanged shaken looks while the wasp buzzed out of Raven's open window.
