Disclaimer: I do not own teen titans. Thank you to the people that have volunteered guests for the party, keep them coming, the party isn't for another two chapters yet! Also I do not own the words to the song 'Run Rudolph Run' By Bryan Adams.
Hand in Hand
Chapter Thirty: Run Rudolph Run
12th December
"Star?" asked Cyborg holding up the twenty different rolls of Christmas wrapping paper for Beast Boy's inspection.
The green elf frowned and studied the festive patterns that adorned the brightly coloured paper rolls. He inched forward to inspect one on the right, "This one definitely. It's pink and has ponies on it. She'll love it. And this one. It's purple. Star loves the colour purple." He smiled and grabbed the mentioned rolls putting them on the side for later.
Cyborg nodded and readjusted his grip, "The down side to buying so many presents." He muttered, "Wrapping them all up."
"Scrooge." Whispered Beast Boy grinning, "Anyway who's next?"
Cyborg rolled his eyes and chuckled, "Robin."
"He's like the easiest one, anything red or green." Beast boy didn't wait for the reply he just yanked three rolls from Cyborg's grip and deposited them on the floor. He heard the sounds of wrapping paper hitting the floor; he turned and looked at Cyborg who was now holding an armful of air while the rolls lay in a heap on the floor, "You're supposed to hold them Cy." He said.
"You try holding them after what you just did." He complained picking them up, 'accidentally' catching BB on the chin with a particularly heavy piece.
"OW!" cried Beast Boy stumbling backwards, he rubbed his chin and looked at his friend ruefully, "You did that on purpose."
Cyborg merely smiled back innocently, well tried to, "Hey man, I slipped."
"Yeah whatever."
##Out of all the reindeer you know you're the mastermind
Run, run Rudolph, Randalph's not too far behind
Run, run Rudolph, Santa's got to make it to town
Randalph he can hurry, he can take the freeway down
And away went Rudolph a whizzing like a merry-go-round##
Beast Boy stood back and admired his handy work. "Not bad if I do say so myself." He said puffing out his chest in pride, at his feet lay twenty or so brightly wrapped Christmas presents, each decorated with curly ribbons, huge glittery bows and cartoon tags hung on with silver string. He rubbed his hands together and grinned. "Man, I love Christmas."
Cyborg snorted as he finished sticking down the final corner on Robin's present, his wrapping skills weren't as extravagant as Beast Boy's, true the paper was still as bright, but the ribbons were smaller and the tags leant towards a more traditional style, like Christmas trees instead of reindeers holding beer. He shook his head at his friend's happiness. "Yeah, I know. You've only been going on about it for the past two weeks straight."
He grinned, "I can't help it, it's like the best time of the year, I am so psyched about this party, and I just can't wait! Who'd you invite?"
Cyborg grinned knowingly, "Now why should I tell you now? That'd spoil the surprise."
Beast Boy wrinkled his nose, "That's not fair, well; I'm not going to tell you who I've invited."
Cyborg's grin widened, "Who says I want to know anyway? I'm sure they're all goofballs." He slapped BB on the back and chuckled.
"Dude, that's harsh."
"Just stating a fact, now, how about a game on the ol' gamestation?" Cyborg asked taking a coin from the floor, and balancing it on his thumb, "Heads or Tails? Winner gets to choose the game."
"Heads!" called Beast Boy as the coin flipped up into the air.
"Too bad. It's tails." Crowed Cy as he hid the double-sided coin away for future use.
"Aww man," moaned Beast Boy, "I just can't get a break, first Terra won't tell me what she's gotten me for Christmas, which is totally unfair because I would have told her what I bought her if she asked, then Robin starts acting really weird around the girls and Aqualad and I can't get a word in edgeways even if it is to remind him that he has to wear the pink dress next time we go and rescue someone or stop a villain, Raven's ignoring the fact that its Christmas at all and now you win me at flipping coins! It's like nothing is going right!" he held his arms out to emphasise this fact.
Cyborg shook his head at his friend's dramatics. "Yeah, your defeat via me is a great tragedy. I wouldn't tell you what I got you either, Raven is just being herself and as for Robin, well he's got a lot on his mind." He gave BB a sly look, "Now stop stalling for time and get ready to lose."
## Said Santa to a boy child "What have you been longing for?"
"All I want for Christmas is a Rock and Roll electric guitar"
And away went Rudolph a whizzing like a shooting star##
Meanwhile downstairs Raven was drifting through the kitchen looking for a place other than her bedroom to stash the candles she had bought at the mall with Claire the other day. She had started hiding them in her room, but her nightmares caused things to explode, and she had no more money and so keeping the candles in one piece was high priority as in a few days she was going to try out one of the spells. Especially one of the 'break the habit' ones, perhaps it would help her conquer her self harm. Having told all her problems to Claire, which she realised was very unlike her to begin with, she put it down to the fluctuation in Nevermore, she felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
However, Claire was an outlet point, a place to unload her troubles, but the strange girl didn't actually help, she didn't try and offer advice, whether it was wanted or not. Raven didn't think she would feel entirely comfortable discussing problems and finding solutions with Claire. She would tell the girl things, but that was it. It was a very one sided thing.
And even though Claire accepted this, it left Raven feeling very frustrated.
She opened a cupboard. It was filled with furry blue food. She closed the door, she always thought that one day that food was going to come alive and wreak havoc upon the city. She drifted along and opened another, finding it similarly filled she moved onto the next one.
"What are you doing?" asked a voice from behind her.
Recognising the voice and the person that suddenly appeared beside her she turned slightly to address them, "Aqualad." She nodded, "I'm trying to find suitable storage for these blue candles."
"I'll help then." He said gallantly, as if the task of putting candles away may be too dangerous for girl such as Raven to even think of attempting on her own.
"Okay." She said in no mood to argue. The atlantian was trying, really he was. But sometimes, he tried too hard. She shook herself mentally. At least he was trying, she told herself, that's all that mattered.
"Who're you inviting to this party then?" he asked in an attempt to try and start up a conversation with his girlfriend. She wasn't ready for too much right now, he respected that, he would keep it light for now.
Raven shrugged, "Claire was invited anyway, so aside from her I've invited Genjo Senzo, he's a friend from…my past." She paused for a moment, "I've had his reply anyway, he's willing to come."
Aqualad opened a lower cupboard, "This any good?" he asked indicating the empty space. Raven closed the closet she was busy looking in and nodded; she crouched down and began to pile the candles one by one onto the bottom shelf, hidden behind the ant killer. Aqualad watched her for a moment, "So who else are you inviting?"
Raven sighed, "I haven't invited Hiei, a past associate because I don't know whether he'd bother showing up. I'd like to talk to him again, but he doesn't really go for social gatherings. Besides he always show up when you want him to anyway." She screwed up the plastic carrier bag in her hand and replaced the large tin of bug spray before she closed the door and straightened, "I want Blaze to come, I haven't seen her in ages, and she's a lot like Claire, only less….happy. And I invited Rukia Kuchika."
##Run, run Rudolph, Santa's got to make it to town
Can't you make him hurry, tell him he can take the freeway down
And away went Rudolph a whizzing like a merry-go-round##
Aqualad frowned, "Isn't that the girl that soul reaper person? I've heard of her."
Raven nodded, "Yeah, we've got some history together, she saved the ghost of my mother from being destroyed by my father." She shrugged, "And I invited Gavin and his wife. The invitation says plus one anyway."
"Who's Gavin?"
"A friend." She said in a monotonous tone casting her eyes to the ground, she opened the bin with a wave of her hand and dropped the carrier bag in it. "Who're you inviting?"
Aqualad grinned, "Rei and Kai for starters, I don't think Kai wanted to come, but he can't deny Rei anything. And I've invited a friend of mine, Franchesca Matthews. She's an undersea intern from New York; she's helped me save some of the whales before now. I only had three invitations to hand out." He shrugged, "But enough of that, why don't we go and have some tea at that café?"
Raven glared at him, "I don't want to go and have tea."
Aqualad stopped stunned for a moment and the sudden turn in her attitude. He took a deep breath, he could deal with this. He had to help Raven through her problems. "What would you like to do then?"
"Meditate." She snapped turning her back to him.
"Great, I'll come with you." He said, hoping that he was getting somewhere with her.
"Go away!" she snarled at him over her shoulder before she teleported away, muttering under her breath, "I would never have had to put up with this if Alexial was still here."
Aqualad stared dumbfounded at the space where Raven had just stood; it seemed to him that perhaps her problems were getting worse, and not better. Maybe he wasn't doing enough….maybe he was doing too much.
"And who the heck is Alexial?" he implored the ceiling, he grabbed his hair in his hands and pulled it until it hurt, he let out a low growl. Yes, even Aqualad can be impatient at times.
##Said Santa to a girl child "What would you like most to get?"
"I want a little baby doll that can cry, scream and wet"
And away went Rudolph a whizzing like a Sabre jet##
Robin hummed to himself as he wrapped up the last of his presents. He loved Christmas, perhaps not as much as Beast Boy, but still he enjoyed the festive holiday. He was actually even happier at the moment as he had managed to escape being Starfire's official cookie taster for the day by saying he had to wrap up her surprise. That had left Terra doing it.
Robin chuckled under his breath.
He had to say he was looking forward to the party, it was a good idea, he couldn't wait for the next few days to pass. The only thing that worried him however was the fact that only Speedy seemed to be free to come, his other friends had returned their invitations yet. He bit his lip, they would come, he was sure of it. They might even bring their invitations on the day.
Robin looked up as he saw Aqualad storm out of the kitchen with a murderous look upon his face and exit the tower muttering. It took all of the Boy Wonder's will power to not get up and run to Raven.
He forced himself to stay and wrap up the presents. It was Raven's choice who she went out with. She was with Aqualad and he was with Starfire. Simple as that. He told himself he should learn to accept it.
Easier said than done.
He didn't know how to describe his feelings for Raven, they ran deep, and it was obvious that she was going through some kind of trouble; he hoped that the party would help take her mind of whatever was bothering her.
He paused and listened, well nothing was exploding, and that was a good sign. Perhaps he didn't need to go and see Raven after all. He finished wrapped the present before him and smiled.
Yes, Christmas was a time for celebrations. He started humming to himself again.
##Run, run Rudolph, run, run Rudolph, a running like a son-of-a-gun##
A/N HERE'S YOUR CHANCE TO HELP ME MORE
I now need friends for Terra, Robin, Starfire, Cyborg and Beast Boy. NOT Raven and Aqualad. Got that? Good! I'll give you all special mention at the end of this fic if you do!