The Young and the Hopeless

Epilogue: Business as Usual

---

The windows over looking the bay were uncovered, allowing for natural light to filter into the Titan's living room. Surprisingly, the large television was turned off for once, even though Cyborg had fixed the latest "short" hours before. The mechanical teen was currently holed up in the kitchen, attempting to fix his famous spaghetti while talking on the phone to Sarah; whom Starfire referred to as his "most dearest, sweet, darling doctor." Although he denied it, it didn't stop his cheeks from becoming the most brilliant shade of red.

Speaking of the red head, she was currently resting in between Robin's legs, her back pressed flush with his chest. His gloved fingers were lazily threaded through her long hair and his chin was balanced at an angle on her shoulder. With her arms stretched back and intertwined around his neck, they looked quite pleased with themselves.

"I still say we should have made Cy eat his leg."

Of course, the quiet moment couldn't last for long with Beast Boy in the room. Mimicking the couple on the couch, Gar and Raven seemed to be quite comfortable themselves. Although she was leaned back on her chair with a book hovering in front of her face, it didn't mean she was completely ignoring her green boyfriend. His head was resting in her lap, his arms wrapped around her waist, and his legs were propped up at the knees. Having lifted his head up briefly to shout his pronouncement across the silent room, he'd returned it back to its previous position. Not before his dark haired girlfriend had smacked him on the head.

"Yes, the eating of his leg would have been most humorous."

Robin simply chuckled and moved to kiss his Tamaranean below her ear. Raven made a rude noise and Beast Boy made a move to throw a pillow in their general direction. His aim was terrible as always. It had been business as usual in Jump City the months following the creature's attack, the normal assortment of human vice and meta human crimes. No blobs from outer space, no doppelgangers, and no more staggered patrols.

Cyborg emerged from the kitchen, a huge pot of sauce in his large hands, and looked from couple to couple before turning back around. Humming loudly under his breath, a huge smile plastered across his face, he might as well have been planning a joint wedding. The four Titans in the room exchanged glances and shuddered. A page in Raven's book turned, the remote blew up when Beast Boy reached for it, and the tall man in the kitchen groaned loudly at something else he had to fix.

"So, I was thinking that we should think about revamping patrols again. What do you think? We could draw lots or…"

"I think, dear Robin, that if you continue talking like this I may never touch you again."

Holding up his hands in defense, the usually serious leader of the Titans grinned wirily, as Raven sent pillows in his direction via dark energy and Starfire struck him playfully with her fists. Rubbing his shoulder, he grabbed a pillow out of the air and knocked her up the side of the head with it.

"Oooo…do it again, Bird Boy, I want to see what happens to your perpetual good mood if Star refuses to touch you again."

"I agree with BB, in the words of your girlfriend…that would be most humorous."

Everyone chuckled except for Star, who looked extremely lost, and Beast Boy rose up from his spot on Raven's lap and started towards the kitchen. What followed was the usual argument of Cyborg's meat obsession versus Beast Boy's vegetarian sensibilities. Star clasped her hands over her ears and began humming a very loud Tamaranean harvest song while Raven and Robin exchanged annoyed glances and went back to looking at the shattered remote.

"One day, I'm going to change into a cow and then I'll get lost in a slaughter house and what are you going to do then? Would you eat me, Cyborg? A big, juicy Beast Boy steak, mmm mmm mmm!"

"Rae, girl, I think you're boy toy is hitting on me. Shit, dude, that's absolutely disgusting. I wouldn't eat you if you offered your nasty, green self to me. I'm making this with meat and you can have your own damned tofu salad if you don't want any of it."

"I'm so going to kick your ass all the way to Gotham City."

"Robin, do Beast Boy and Cyborg have what is called a…um…home-ah-sexual relationship?"

It was so quiet in the Tower that a pin dropping in the basement could have been heard from the training room. The changeling and the cybernetic teen exchanged worried glances and took a step back from each other. Identical expressions of embarrassment flitted across their faces and they rocked back on their heels. Raven shook her head and shut her floating book loudly.

"No, Starfire, they're just idiots is all."

"Besides, Cyborg has his sweet little doctor at S.T.A.R. labs."

"Damn it, she's not my girlfriend!"

Cyborg's outburst was enough to break the tension in the room and everyone burst out laughing. Well, Raven smirked a bit, but, everyone else broke down into loud laughter. After a few minutes, the cook announced over Beast Boy's loud complaints that dinner was very ready and Starfire sprung up from her perch on Robin's lap to "go put the plates and silver wares in their set places on the table."

Yes, it was business as usual at Teen Titan headquarters. Raven was already seated with her cup of herbal tea, Beast Boy and Cyborg had resumed their arguing, and Robin was doing an extremely poor job of keeping Starfire from stabbing herself with the utensils. Steering her towards her seat while breaking up the fighting duo, he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before settling down beside her.

It seemed, for once, that the young might not necessarily be so hopeless. Or, perhaps they were, but they've figured it out for the time being. Passing around spaghetti and tofu salad, the small group of heroes almost laughed when the blaring alarm went off through the Tower. Rising from the table in a flurry of movement, Beast Boy stuffing as much food in his mouth as he could, Robin rushed towards the door and smirked over his shoulder.

"Titans go!"

---

Fin.