Before the story continues, I just want to thank everyone for the comments and feedback thus far. I was surprised and mildly amused at how much people wanted to further the humor at Robin's expense.
Birthday Reflections
Chapter 2: Explained Absence
Starfire came to a halt in front of Raven's door. She was a bit curious as to why Raven had not joined the others earlier. It wasn't like Raven to sleep late. The only reasons she could think of were that either Raven wasn't feeling well, or perhaps had actually forgotten. Starfire quickly dismissed that theory. Raven was usually isolated, but she never seemed forget about others.
"Raven?" Starfire asked through the door, gently knocking. There was no response. Star put her ear to the door, hoping to determine wether or not Raven was actually in her room. She relaxed her head sideways against the door. At that moment, the door slid open, catching Star off guard as she fell head first to the floor. She looked up to see Raven, slightly confused and possibly annoyed.
"Starfire, won't you please come in?" she said in her usual sarcastic tone.
"Oh, thank you" she replied quickly getting to her feet and seemingly unphased by neither her fall nor Raven's remark. It was always so difficult to say things in a subtle way that Starfire could pick up on.
"Raven, I was concerned regarding your absence this morning" as Raven shut the door behind her "I was certain I had reminded you of the party of friend BeastBoy's life growth."
"You mean his birthday?" sitting on her bed.
"Yes" she answered following Raven, hovering in a sitting position across from her. "You seem well, and I do not believe you would forget such a thing."
"I didn't forget, Starfire."
Starfire was relieved to hear that she hadn't forgotten. But then why hadn't she come to help. "Well...you will join us when the party begins? Correct?"
"I'm...not so sure" Raven said looking off to the side, away from Starfire and towards the floor.
Starfire gasped. "But you must! On my planet, the celebration of one's life cycle is a cherished event." Raven remained motionless. "Why do choose not to celebrate? Do you still dwell on your birthday? Have you nothing to wear? Has BeastBoy, as you put it, ticked you off?"
Raven looked up, back at Starfire. "One, I came to terms with my birthday. Two, I wear the same thing every day. And three, no, BeastBoy has not ticked me off."
"Then for what reason do you refrain from going?" asked Starfire curiously scratching her head.
Raven was silent, casting her view to the floor once again.
"Raven, please share."
"I..." Raven began "I...didn't get BeastBoy a present."
"And this is the reason you choose not to attend?"
"Star, I know I'm not much of a party person..." Raven said getting up from her bed and began to pace back and forth "but this is...different."
"How?"
"This year has been kinda rough. I've been through a lot. My father, Malchior, and now Slade's return." Starfire listened intently. "Everyone has had something to help them cope through difficult times. For me, it's been meditation. But latley, that just not enough sometimes. BeastBoy..."
"Has been around you more than anyone else." Starfire finished "He tells the jokes, which Robin says are not funny, and behaves often like that of an earth child. But, I believe he does these things for a reason. Yes?"
Raven was surprised. Usually Star was naive. Now she sounded so insightful.
"He tries to make me laugh." Raven said simply. "Though I doubt if he will." regaining her monotone expression which had been lacking for the last few minutes. "At least not anytime soon" she whispered to herself.
"So that is why the present means so much." Starfire exclaimed as her smile and bubbling personality were starting to resurface. "You wish to give friend BeastBoy a token of your appreciation. A show of your affection. Or perhaps even a display of your lo..."
Starfire came to a stop before she could finish, noticing Raven with a menacing expression on her face.
"Display of what?" Raven said calmly, now towering over a chibi Starfire, flames in her eyes.
"Uh...dis...play of...companionship." giggling nervously.
"Better." Raven reverted back to normal.
"Come, friend" Starfire said putting her hand on Raven's shoulder " The mall of shopping awaits."
"Starfire, it's not that simple." she replied shrugging off her hand "If it were , I would've already gone. I've been trying to think of a gift all week." Raven opened her closet door revealing a large stack of catalogs and magazines. "Despite what I thought earlier, finding a present is more difficult than I imagined."
"Perhaps we require another opinion." tapping her chin with her finger. "Cyborg spends the most time with BeastBoy. If anyone were to know what he would desire in a present, he would certainly know."
"That's...actually a good idea" Raven replied "Thank you, Starfire"
"I welcome you!" Star said grabbing Raven, embracing her in a hug.
"Star?" Raven said trying not to sound too annoyed.
"Forgiveness please" releasing her and taking a step back "I was, as they say, caught up in the moment"
"Whatever" Raven said as they both exited her room into the hallway. "Where is Cyborg anyway?"
"Perhaps he is finishing with the decorations. Or maybe preparing a late morning meal, or..."
Suddenly from the opposite end of the hall came a yell and the sound of appraoching heavy footsteps at high speed. Cyborg rounded the end of the hall, running at top speed, making quick glances behind him.
"Or maybe he's running for dear life" Raven commented.
Cyborg raced by them. But Starfire's arm reached out and grabbed him, yanking him back in front of them before he could get past the two of them.
"Cyborg! Just person we needed to see!" Starfire said cheerfully, her hand still keeping a firm hold on him.
"Star! Let go!" Cyborg said in a panic "In the name of all that's holy, ya GOTTA LET ME GO!". Cyborg was still attempting to run, but his efforts were in vein. Cyborg turned to see Robin standing in front of him, his bo staff relaxed on his shoulder and and unsettling smirk on his face.
"Gotcha now, tin man" Robin said taking a step towards him.
"Chill, man!" Cyborgs hands up in front of him "Don't do something you'll regret!"
"Hand it over! And maybe you won't wind up in the recyle bin next trash pickup". Robin aimed his staff at Cyborg's head, ready to strike at the slightest movement.
"Friends! Please!" Starfire exclaimed getting between them, one hand still attached to Cyborg, and the other now holding Robin's bo. "What has come between you to cause so much hostility?"
"N...nothing, Star" Robin said faking a smile and regaining some measure of calmness "Just give me the camera, Cyborg"
"Is that what this is about?" Raven inquired.
Cyborg grinned in response.
Robin looked at Raven, then back at Cyborg. "You showed her?"
"Of course not!" he said defensively "Who do you think TOOK the picture" his smile returned.
Robin's face was a blank. "Raven?"
She nodded.
"I would expect this from Cyborg. I'd expect it from BeastBoy. Even Starfire if they convinced her. But, YOU!"
"Look, Robin. Ever since Slade returned, you've been a raw nerve. You've been pushing yourself too hard, not to mention the rest of us" recalling a team training session that started in the afternoon and ended late into the evening "You were starting to obsess over Slade again. I believed this would help to loosen you up. Give you a new perspective of things."
Robin was silent once more. He admitted he had been pushing his friends a little hard. But, he never imagined they'd resort to this kind of thing to keep him in check.
"It didn't do any harm. But..." Raven waved her hand. A compartment on Cyborg's armor popped open, revealing the camera. It was encircled in black energy, then lifted into the air, and into Raven's hand. "Here" she handed it to him.
Robin quickly took the camera. And checked the digital readout screen. Sure enough, IT was still there.
"Robin! Don't!" Cyborg shouted
Too late. Robin slammed the camera over his knee, snapping it in two. Cyborg fell to his knees over the parts, large tear drops in his eyes.
"Next time," Robin said dusting of his hands "Just tell me, rather than letting Cyborg blackmail me."
"If I had, would you have listened?"
"Hmm. Probably not" he shrugged. "The party's all set. I'll be in the gym. Let me know when it's time."
Robin casually walked off as if nothing had happened.
"Robin, wait!" Star said flying after him "Why do you smash the devices of Cyborgs? And what had he done to anger you so?" She disappeared in pursuit after him.
Raven turned to Cyborg still weeping at his departed camera.
"Raven, how could you?" he said craddling the pieces "That picture was gonna be my Christmas card for the next three years...AT LEAST! I'll never get that kind of oppurtunity again. I was even gonna send eight by ten glossys to all the Titans East. And what's worse, he's gonna work us to the bone for weeks! All night training sessions, strict diets, NO WAFFLES!"
"Cyborg, don't you think you're overreacting?"
"NO! That was a once in a lifetime photo oppurtunity." Cyborg looked at Raven "And now, until he forgives or forgets this whole thing..." Cyborg stopped in mid sentence.
Raven pulled back her cloak, outstretching her hand, dangling a diskette in front of Cyborg.
"Is...THAT...w...what...I think it is?" he stuttered.
Raven nodded. "The negatives."
A light seemed to shine down on Cyborg, and a chorus of angels singing "Halleloo-Yah!" could be heard in the background. Cyborg hesitantly reached out, carefully removing the disk from her hand. His face lit up with pure delight, right before a sinister smile.
"Oh yeah! He's gonna think twice the next time he wants to start something! Cause if he does, this little beauty is headed straight for the copy machine."
"Only as a last resort." Raven said snapping him back to reality.
"Raven, where did you learn to be so sneaky and underhanded?" he asked putting the disk in a compartment on his chest plate.
"From BeastBoy. It's one of the few things he excels at."
Cyborg couldn't help but laugh. Of all the people to influence Raven.
"On the subject of BeastBoy..." she started, getting Cy's attention "I need your help"
"Anything. What's up?" recovering from a combination of laughter and evil thoughts of Cyborg dangling the photo over a miniature Robin, pleading on his hands and knees.
"I need help to get a birthday present for BeastBoy."
"Well...What'd you have in mind?" They began to walk down the hallway towards the garage.
"Nothing. Hence, the problem"
The two of them made their way into the garage. Cyborg sat a nearby workbench and began tinkering with several electronic devices. Raven was seated on the hood of the T-car.
"How 'bout a video game?"
"You know as well as I do BeastBoy has beaten every game that has or will be released for the next year, imported and domestic."
"Hey, the guy's devoted to his games. How about that moped he's always obsessing over?"
"I think he's past that phase." recalling his experience with the space tofu.
"There isn't really much else that he's really into, at least as far as I know." Cyborg said attaching a few parts, and screwing them together. "Why not just ask him?"
Raven wasn't expecting him to suggest the direct approach.
"Because then he'll think I forgot his birthday."
"And that bothers you...why?" he asked, slightly teasing her. Cyborg had started to notice the two of them were spending more time together. Granted, most of that time they were either arguing or BeastBoy was running from Raven after an awkward accident or backfired prank. She was always screaming she was gonna kill him. But if she hadn't killed by now, she never would.
Cyborg turned, expecting her to hide her face under her hood or turn away or just give up and leave the room. What Cyborg saw was Raven, glaring at him. Raven pointed up. Cyborg looked to see the T-Car encased in energy, hanging over him.
"First Starfire, now you! I'm surprised Robin isn't making assumptions."
"Well...actually" Cyborg recalled the morning.
"Ugh" Raven sighed putting the car back down. "Why does everyone seem to think these things?"
"Well" Cy started to go back to work but more mindful of what he says "We've kinda noticed the way you've been acting...differently. And I guess we credit most of that to BeastBoy. I know Star's warmed up to you too, but still."
"What do mean differently?" raising an eyebrow.
"Remember when you first came here? You stayed in your room almost all day, you only came out for meals and to fight bad guys, and you hardly spoke to any of us."
Raven listened, hoping she'd gain some measure of understanding.
"Now, you sit in the main room to read, you meditate around us, and even if you don't think so, you've opened up quite a bit. You talk to us more frequently."
"Cyborg, talking and conversation are different from sarcastic remarks and insults" folding her arms not entirley convinced. Or maybe she was just trying to convince herself.
"Look Raven, I don't expect you to believe me" he said making the final modifications and welding small parts of his contraption. "I just think the little guy is a positive influence on you."
"BeastBoy? Positive influence?" obviously doubtful "The world must be coming to an end sooner than I thought."
Cyborg chuckled. "Well, even if ya can't find a present for him, at least show up tonight will ya? He was disappointed just because you weren't there this morning."
Raven blushed, but not enough for anyone to really see.
"We'll see." Raven turned to leave but stopped halfway and faced Cyborg once more "You've given me a lot to think about. Thank you."
"No prob." Cy said putting down his now completed device "Just remember, ya don't measure a gift by the size of the box it comes in."
Raven gave a small smile. "By the way, what are you working on?" she asked trying to peer around him to view the workbench.
"Oh, this?" Cyborg said with pride "This is a fail safe device."
"For what?"
"Let's say Robin goes all hard-ass on us again like last time" a thought balloon formed over his head "One push of this button, and that photo gets spammed to every e-mail address on the East Coast!" In the bubble, a super deformed Robin yells at Cyborg, Cyborg grins, pushes a red button on the device, suddenly thousands of letters start flying everywhere. Robin is mortified, as hundreds of faces, pointing and laughing apear around him. The thought bubble bursts, as Cyborg begins laughing maniacly.
Raven slowly backs up, out the door, as Cyborg continues to laugh.
"Note to self. Never let Cyborg into my room."
And with that final thought, headed back to her room to think things through. It was almost noon, and Raven still had yet to think of single gift idea.
Next Chapter: Raven is still trying to come up with a present for BeastBoy. But now, she's also beginning to gain new perspective on Cyborg's words. Does this present acknowledge the acceptance of BeastBoy as friend? Or is it something more? Will Robin discover his image is still at stake?