Nightwing and Starfire arrived home not long after Cyborg, both of them holding a bag containing their friend's gift. They also both wore huge grins on their faces that signified the great time they had had while shopping for him. Money was not a problem when looking for a gift for any of their friends; the problem was that there was nothing they could really get them that they did not already have. And so the search for a gift could take days, or even weeks.
They were both dressed in their costumes, as one could never tell when danger would strike, and it behooved them to be prepared for anything. They walked back into the tower laughing their eyes out at a funny story that Nightwing had just finished regaling to his secret crush. It made him feel all warm inside to see her laughing, even though he knew he couldn't ever tell her his feelings for her. He had rationalized in his mind to be that he couldn't date her because it could mess up the chemistry that it had taken the team years to get just right. And while he had never expressed this to the rest of the team it was generally known that no member of the Titans would date another member.
This was all just a façade however, the real truth was the Richard just couldn't gather up the courage to approach her and tell her how he truly felt about her. And now that Slade had reappeared he had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that he would never be able to. He didn't know why he felt this way, but there was something in the back of his mind that seemed to tell him that the reappearance of Slade, or Deathstroke as he called himself now, was going to create great distress and pain in the team.
As they entered the living room to the tower they discovered that they were alone. Deciding to use this moment to his advantage he led Starfire over to the couch to watch a little TV. Because while Robin didn't have the courage to tell Starfire how he felt that didn't mean that he wouldn't take every advantage to be as close to her as he could. This was the one thing that Robin really disliked about himself, the fact that he couldn't summon the courage to just tell her how he felt, and so he just took the, as he saw it, cowards way out and sit next to her and be close to her at all times.
They finally decided to watch a show of Starfire's choosing, The Powerpuff Girls.
The ultra cute and happy filled show seemed to fill some hole in Starfire; a hole that Robin could only imagine was created on her home planet of Tameran. He had no idea how it had started, but he knew that if it had been caused by someone, especially someone close to her, he would do any and everything in his power to make them pay for it dearly. The show was loud and bright and after all of the noise in the mall he was beginning to get a slight headache, but it would take several broken bones and internal injuries to voluntarily leave Starfire's side.
When the show finally turned to a commercial he decided to ask an innocent enough question, little did he know that it would be part of the catalyst that would change the team in many ways, and not all of them positive.
"So Star would you be interested in training with me tonight? After we get done with dinner I mean."
"Oh I am afraid that I can not train with you tonight friend Robin. I have a, oh what did he call it, oh yes, a "date" with Aqualad tonight."
At this answer Robin was sure his heart would break into pieces. What did she mean she had a date with Aqualad? How could she have a date with Aqualad? It wasn't fair. HE loved Starfire, not Aqualad who would undoubtedly only add her to his list of trophies that so loved to brag to Robin when the two of them were alone. No, Robin couldn't let that happen, but at the same time he could think of no possible reason to make Starfire have to stay behind. His mind ran on all cylinders for a moment but nothing came out, and this was saying something as he was quite an intelligent individual.
Instead the only thing that came out of his mouth was, "W-Why are you going out on a date with Aqualad? I thought that you didn't like him that much?"
"Oh I do not have romantic feelings for Aqualad, but I much enjoy the time we spend together. He is very funny. And he asked me out for a dinner and I said yes as I have no other things to be doing tonight."
The words that didn't leave her mouth were that she would have much preferred to have gone out to eat with Robin and spent a night out in Jump City with him. But she could never make those feelings public. It was obvious that he held no feelings for her; he was so serious and seemed only to care for training and capturing the bad guys that seemed to love frequenting the city that the Titans had pledged to defend. No, instead she was stuck going out on the dating with Aqualad. And cute he may be, but he was so self conceited, thinking little or nothing of the team, only of himself, and how to make himself feel good. In truth she could barely stomach the water bound hero, but she had always wanted to experience a date, and she saw him as the only chance she would get to do that.
"Oh, well, um, ok. I'm, uh gonna go and, um train. So have fun, I guess" Robin muttered as he left the room, seeming quite defeated even though Starfire had no idea why. Oh well she thought I might as well go get ready for my date.
Robin punched and kicked the punching bag in front of him with such savagery that it was a surprise that it didn't bust its seems and spill all over the floor. How can she be going out with that self conceited bastard, he thought to himself what can she possibly see in him.
Well how can you even dare to criticize her? It's been nearly four years since she landed here and you never once could tell her how you feel for her.
It's not that, I just can't tell her because she's a team member.
Oh grow up. You made up that dumb rule as a crutch. Something to lean upon so you wouldn't have to face the fact that you just don't have it in you to tell her how you really feel.
Shut up, that is not true, I do have it in me to tell her, but I just can't. And that is the truth.
Sure it is, but either way she's getting ready to go out on a date with Aqualad, or should I say Aquafag.
Ha ha ha.
Laugh all you want but her got her, not you him. Just think about that. How does that make you feel? All he can do is swim with the damn fish. You have no powers, and you could take him any day of the week. You're one of the strongest Titans members in the world, AND YOU HAVE NO POWERS. And this fish freak is going to try to get into the girl you love's pants.
She won't let him, she more self respect then that. Naïve or not, she wouldn't sleep with him after one night.
Maybe not after just one night, but you know he won't stop until he gets her. Are you going to let that happen?
NO.
Alright then, when she gets tell her how you feel. We both know that she is sure to take you over that puffed up idiot.
Yeah. As soon as she gets back I'll tell her. I'll finally tell Starfire how I feel.
Just thinking about it made Nightwing positively giddy. He may be the leader of a team of superheroes, but inside he was still a seventeen year old kid getting ready to tell the girl of his dreams how he felt about her.
The rest of the evening was spent in almost complete silence, much to the joy of both Raven and Cyborg. Raven used the time to get into a deep meditative trance in her room. Cyborg however used the time to work on the T-Car, installing the new subwoofer into the where Beast Boy usually sat, right in the middle of the back seat. He chuckled to himself as he imagined the reaction the green boy would have the next time Cyborg blasted the bass.
Beast Boy himself had more pressing matters to think of, namely, what was he going to do?
Every time I try to talk to her she just thanks that I'm trying to annoy her. Even when I'm just trying to be nice. I've got to do something to make her look at me without wanting to rip my head off.
What can I do? Think, think, think. Come on Beast Boy. Wait, what if I was to leave a hot cup of tea outside of her door for when she decides that she is done with her meditation. I mean I've seen her make it so many times I could do it. Right?
Yeah, I could. And just leave it their and after she's had it and enjoyed it tell her it was me and that I was just doing it to be nice. Yeah it would work. Alright!
With that Beast Boy jumped out of his room and ran down the hall to the kitchen without bumping into another soul. He opened the cabinet and reached down to pull out a tea kettle. Using all of the animal instincts he had he was able to remove it without any noise echoing throughout the tower to alert his teammates as to his intentions.
He quickly went through the motions of adding the water and bringing it to a boil, while he reached into the cupboard to pull down a tea cup, packet of herbal tea, and the jar of honey. Before the water could begin to whistle he pulled it off the burner, again avoiding any unnecessary noise. After adding the water and the packet of tea to the mug he set it to steep for a few minutes and got caught up in his thoughts.
This is gonna work, it is. And after she doesn't hate me anymore then I'll be able to tell her how much she means to me. How I love the way she smiles, the way that she's so much smarter then everyone else, how she's so serious and…and how I would do anything for her, with no thought.
He shook himself out of his reverie and finished making the tea. Raven was very meticulous about her tea, to the point of almost becoming OCD about it. One teaspoon half full of honey added in and stirred seven times. Remove the teabag and stir six more times. Replace the teabag and it was finished. He looked down at the piping hot cup of tea and felt good, he could do shit. And it was something that only Raven did; he could do something that Raven did. The little glowing feeling in his chest expanded and gave him a childlike grin that was plastered across his face.
He grabbed the tea and walked towards Raven's room. About halfway there he ran into the last person he wanted to see, the girl herself. Raven gave him an appraising look and then seemed to notice that he held her tea mug in his hand. Her eyes narrowed dangerously and she glared at him with a look that made his blood run cold.
"Why," her voice was cold and dangerous, "are you holding my tea mug? And why is there steam coming out of it? And why does that smell like my herbal tea?"
"Well, um, I uh, made you a cup of tea since I had pissed you off earlier. A peace offering you know?"
And at that moment something would happen that would make that little glowing fuzzy ball in his chest expand to the point of possibly hurting his ribcage.
"Oh, thanks." She took the tea out of his hand and took a small sip, though the expression on her face was clearly one that expected to taste sewage. Much to her surprise however it was not sewage. No it was… prefect, the tea was made perfectly.
"Wow, thanks Beast Boy, this is perfect. Since when do you know how to make my tea?"
"Well after living with you for four years you would think that I would at least know how to make your tea, I mean you only seem to make about four cups a day. And I think that despite popular opinion around here, this proves that I do pay attention. Just in small doses."
She gave a slight giggle at his more grown up joke, and Beast Boy felt like he was in heaven. Not only did she like the tea, but she had laughed at his joke. This was going great.
"Hey, Beast Boy," a voice cut into his thoughts like a knife. The voice was deep, and it held the emotion of someone who had just had their day made. "Making tea for Raven huh? Gonna ask her out next, you sly dog you."
The glowing feeling disappeared as quickly as it had come, and in its place was that awkward feeling that comes with having a deeply held secret start to come out. His hand reached up for the back of his neck and he started to rub it while muttering quietly.
None of this was noticed however due to the laugh that came from the petite girl next to him. "Me. Date Beast Boy. Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Come on now, I mean honestly. No offense or anything but he is not datable material." Her voice held the mirth that could only come out when it was directed at another person. "He and I. Please Cyborg. For one he's not nearly smart enough for me, he acts like an absolute child, he still can't even hold his own in battle for crying out loud."
Beast Boy slunk out of the room while insults were still being thrown in his direction by the clueless empath who held his heart in her small hands. A single tear ran down his face as she said aloud all of the private things he used to berate himself with in private. He felt lower then he knew was possible, he felt like all he wanted to do was to die, to crawl into a little ball and die.
Back in the living room Raven was going on about Beast Boy's many shortcomings, oblivious to the fact that he had left the room at all, let alone that he had left the room with a look of depression on his face. She continued her rant until she was cut off by a hand on her shoulder. She looked up seeing Cyborg's face, and only Cyborg's face. He had a look on his face that was unreadable. Seeing that she was about to ask where the target for her barbs had gone, he beat her to the punch.
"He walked out of the room a minute ago. He looked like he was about to cry; really Raven, was all of that necessary?"
She didn't respond, but instead walked quickly from the room, but whether she was leaving to go find him and apologize, or if she simply left for her own reasons, he had no idea. But as she left he sincerely hoped that this wasn't the beginning of something bad between them.
The ringing of the doorbell rang through the quiet house like a gunshot. It was what they had all been waiting for, well Nightwing and Starfire at least. She floated to the door looking absolutely stunning. She wore a short hot pink and white miniskirt and a purple spaghetti tube top. Her hair was curled slightly at the ends, and it was obvious the pains that she had into it. The makeup adorning her face was light enough so that it was scarce enough to be barely recognizable, just a slight amount of blush and lipstick, to accent her already lovely features.
She went to the door and pushed the open button, expecting to see the water based teenaged superhero. To her dismay, she did not. Into her view came a figure that could never be confused with her first ever date. The person was not very tall, but then not short either, he stood in that moderate region where most males made their mark, 5-10 to an even six feet tall. He had long light brown hair that was tied into a knot and flowed down his back. He wore a long, deep black, leather trench coat, with the long handle what appeared to be a katana stuck out, like a misplaced phallic object.
He wasn't particularly attractive; his eyes were offset, with the right eye being higher than the other. His left was lazy as well; the lids did not open all the way, giving him the look as if he had been hit there a few times in the past. His nose was also crooked; it had been broken at least once in the past, probably more. The overall effect did not make for a cute man, but the figure was imposing, not to the degree that Batman was imposing, but imposing none the less.
Starfire looked at him and asked in her innocent and extrodinarily naïve voice, "Excuse me friend, but who are you?"
The figure looked back at her for a brief moment before responding in a deeper, more baritone voice, "My name is Ryan, you can call me DoomKnight. I am from the Justice League, and I am here to evaluate the Titans."