AUTHOR'S NOTE: Here's the second – Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: TEEN TITANS and all related characters and elements are trademarks of DC Comics.

CHAPTER 2

Roy was having a hard time concentrating on the racing game he was playing. Something overbearing was brewing just over to his left side and the feeling was getting to him. He made a furtive glance to the source of the foul feeling and saw nothing else but Richard who was playing against him.

Nothing wrong with that.

But Dick looked uncomfortable. He was scowling. His jaw was clenched and he was gripping the gaming console extra tight. His special tic was even visible on his forehead.

No matter how Roy pretended it was nothing, Richard's discomfort was making him uncomfortable as well.

"Gah!" He threw his console in the air and the poor thing went flying behind him. "What's wrong!?"

By the kitchen counter, Victor and Garfield paused from their sandwich-making at the outburst. Both looked over to see an irate Roy glaring at a seemingly nonchalant Richard.

"What?"

"What do you mean what? Your gloom is throwing me off my game!"

Richard merely gave back a lazy look. "What do you mean?"

"Something is obviously bothering you, man, else you won't be wearing that ridiculous look on your face."

"What look?"

"That look," Roy pointed at Richard's face, almost poking him in the eye. "So just do me a favor and start talking."

"Tch," was Richard's smart reply. "I'm fine," he dismissed as he turned back to the game.

Roy opened his mouth to go on a rant but quickly realized it would just be a futile endeavor. Richard was an obstinate ass if he wanted to be and he was looking like it now.

Roy turned towards the kitchen instead. "So what's wrong with pretty boy here?"

Victor chuckled. He picked up a couple of plates piled with sandwiches and walked towards the couch. Garfield followed, bringing the drinks.

"Don't mind him," Victor said. "He's just miffed about something."

Roy raised an eyebrow. "What something?"

Garfield turned to Roy with a grin. "Rachel's out on a date with one Jason Todd."

There was a pause after Garfield's reveal. Victor watched as Richard's blank look turned into a glower. It was the same reaction he had seen the whole week whenever the names Rachel and Jason were said in one sentence – the boy looked like he had something foul in his mouth and would love nothing than to tear someone's head off.

Garfield eyed Richard as well in silent apprehension.

Then Victor turned his eyes to Roy.

The red-head looked outraged.

"WHAT!?"

Victor rolled his eyes at the reaction. "Oh not you, too."

Roy turned to Garfield and fisted the front of the smaller guy's shirt. "What do you mean by that!?"

"It means what it means, dude!"

Roy shook Garfield violently. "It can't be!"

"Why not?" Garfield tried to extract his shirt from Roy's fists.

Victor finally decided to step in and pulled Garfield away from Roy. "Chill, man! Rachel was invited for a day out and she accepted. End of story. No need to act like it's a terrorist attack or something."

"Yeah, man, it's just a date." Garfield mumbled while trying to straighten his shirt.

Victor whipped his glare towards his best friend. "Stop saying the d-word, Gar, it's what's setting them off," he whispered sharply.

At the same time, Roy turned towards the gloomier Richard and barked, "And you just let her?"

Richard glared. "What did you want me to do?"

"Beat him to a pulp, for a start."

"Woah! Woah-woah-woah!" Victor stood up in front of the couch and put his hands up in the universal sign of 'hold-on-a-frickin-minute'. "There will be no beating anyone to a pulp today! What is wrong with you, guys?" He levelled a scolding look down at both Roy and Richard, "Rachel is out on a date and that's that."

"You just said the d-word," Garfield whispered but Victor ignored him.

"There is nothing wrong with that. Rae's free to go out with whoever she wants. She has every right to enjoy herself with a guy outside of our group." Victor watched Roy grumble something to himself while Richard remained glaring at thin air. He waited for any protests or violent reactions. When none came, he reclaimed his seat beside Garfield. "Alright."

"You don't get it."

"What was that?"

"He said you don't get it," Garfield said helpfully.

"Oh, I get it, alright." Victor levelled a stare at Roy, "You're jealous."

Roy's eyes widened at the statement. Beside him, Richard shot a dirty look at the shocked red-head.

Roy had no retort for Victor. He simply looked away from the other guy and turned his attention back to the video game. He wordlessly picked up the console that Garfield had placed back on the table and restarted the game.

The tension in the room just got heavier. Victor can only sigh in frustration.

For a few moments, things were quiet. Roy and Garfield resumed playing the racing game, although the red-head still had an edgy look on his face. Victor was finishing up the remaining pizza while watching the progress of the game, and Richard had directed his attention to his phone.

Then the sound of the front door opening broke the silent atmosphere.

"Chinese is here!" Another red-head made his appearance, bearing plastic bags with take-outs.

"About time you got here, dude!" Garfield jumped over the back of the couch and headed towards the food.

"Sorry, I had to drop Nicole off at Rachel's." Wally plopped down on the empty spot left by Garfield. "So what'd I miss?"

Victor did a quick survey of the two time-bombs seated on the couch but both were still. He turned to Wally and answered, "Nothing much, man."

"Oh. Cool."

Wally put in another game and played against Roy while Garfield took care of transferring the food on different plates. Richard remained focused on his phone while Victor just watched. This was how he wanted his weekend to go down, chill and relaxed.

But the quasi-peace only lasted for a good five minutes.

"Screw this," Roy suddenly stood up and strode out of the room. "C'mon, Wallace, we're going out."

"I just got here," Wally protested.

"Then gimme your keys and lemme borrow your car."

"Where are you going?" Wally asked, yelling to be heard.

"Bird-watching."

Everyone quirked a brow at the answer.

Then Roy called again, "You coming, Dick?"

Richard was quickly up his feet, jacket in hand. "Right behind you."

Then it clicked.

"Oh, no, you don't!" Victor stood up right after Richard, alarmed and ready to block the front door. "Are you both crazy!?"

While the three squabbled over by the door, Wally scooted closer to Garfield and asked, "What's going on?"

Garfield sighed and picked up a second box of chow mien. "They're going to crash Rachel's date."

"Rachel's on a date?" Wally asked, wide-eyed.

"Yep," Garfield nodded before standing up to watch the squabbling idiots by the door. Behind him, Wally looked in on the scene, quite lost yet very amused.

"You can't do this, man! Rachel will kill you!"

"Not if she doesn't know, Vic."

"She will! She will know and she will catch you!" Victor's face had taken on a hysterical expression while trying to sock some sense into the two rascals. "Then she'll bleed you dry before cutting you up into little pieces and feed you to Jinx's cat!"

"No, she won't."

"Seriously, Roy, don't."

Roy's eyes hardened even more. And Victor somehow understood that he was beyond reasoning.

"We just want to make sure she's safe, Vic."

"She is safe, Dick! But you won't be if you stalk her on her date!"

Garfield winced. There it was again, the d-word.

"Move, Victor." Richard said in a low, serious tone.

Victor met Richard's cold look for a moment before sighing. It was a lost cause. "Your funeral."

Roy quickly yanked the door open and exited with Richard following in a much sedate manner. Victor can only follow the two dolts with his eyes, already praying for their souls.

Garfield sidled up to the resigned Victor. "You think it's okay to let those two go?"

Victor clicked his tongue. "You think there's any more reasoning with those?"

"True," Garfield chuckled.

Then a third figure suddenly zipped out the door and hurried after the departing boys. "I'll drive you guys!"

"Wallace!" Victor yelled.

"They are sooo dead," Garfield commented while watching the three boys pile inside Wally's car.

Both remained standing by the door long after the car was out of view. In Victor's mind, he was trying to imagine the least punishment Rachel can dish out to those three. He also tried to imagine the worst that can happen, but his imagination cannot keep up with the pain and gore Rachel was capable of. Beside him, Garfield wasn't really thinking of anything. He was just watching Victor's face contort into interesting expressions while he finished his chow mien.

Finally, Victor caved. "C'mon, Gar. We're going after them."

To be continued~