Raven sipped her tea as she prepared Nightwing's coffee. She needed it. She was so stressed out about her situation with her boyfriend that she was tripping over stuffed animals.
She huffed in frustration & a small square green pillow appeared on the counter. It was shiny with tassels on each corner.
She sighed & went to meditate. She needed to get her emotions under control. As she was going by the huge popcorn & cranberry decorated tree, the common room doors opened. "Good morning, Nightwing."
"Not quite, suge." Shirley's voice floated over to her.
Raven turned around. "Nana!"
"Good morning, honey." Shirley's eyes twinkled.
"Good morning. Would you like something to drink? Cyborg won't be in to cook for at least ten minutes."
"I can find my way around. You go relax."
Raven nodded before floating in the air & assuming the lotus position. She closed her eyes & sought out inner peace.
Shirley looked around the space for a moment before she went through the cupboards. She could get started on breakfast early.
She found everything she needed quietly & began prep work.
It didn't take long for Nightwing to come in. He seemed surprised to see Shirley & at work at that. "Nana? What are you doing?"
"Making breakfast, dumpling." Shirley whispered.
He smiled at her term & grabbed his coffee. "You don't have to do that. You're a guest."
"It'll help this old bag of bones feel useful." She winked.
He got an apricot mug down from the cabinet & put in spiced tangerine tea. He added honey & turmeric to the cup & filled it with hot water left over from the kettle.
"That smells delicious." Shirley sniffed the air.
"I'm sure Jinx wouldn't mind." He grabbed another cup.
"I wouldn't want to impose."
"No imposition." He grabbed a few boxes of tea down. "We have spiced tangerine, ginseng & lemon, pomegranate white, herbal, Ginger, peach white, peach black, orange Jasmine green, lemon raspberry green, peppermint, sleepytime grape. We have a lot."
Shirley thought about it. "I'll try the lemon raspberry green."
"We have others. I just didn't want to take them all down."
"I'll try the lemon raspberry green."
"Okay. Do you take your water boiling hot or just warm?"
"Warm."
"Okay." He finished putting all the tea back & plopped in a bag of lemon raspberry green tea into the mug. He added water then refilled the kettle. "Here you go."
"Where's your sugar?"
He gave her the sugar bowl. "We have milk, if you want."
"No, I just need sugar." She heaped in two spoonfuls & stirred. She sipped from the mug. "Mmm."
He smirked at her pleased face. "Well I have to go. I have sunrise yoga to do."
"Sunrise yoga? Mm umm." She shook her head. "I can't get in no pretzel. I'd be stuck for life."
Nightwing laughed. "It's good for your chakras, Nana."
"I'd rather get acupuncture & ain't nobody stickin me with needles!"
He grinned. "Well I'll leave you to breakfast. I'll see you later."
She nodded as she took another sip of tea & he left. She got back to work.
As she was sliding biscuits into the oven, Jinx walked in. "Nana! What are you doing up so early?!"
"Making breakfast." Shirley hummed.
"Wow! It smells good!" Jinx sniffed the air before walking to her mug.
"It'll taste even better."
Jinx started making Cyborg's coffee. "You truly like to cook."
"Yes, I do. I learned when I was five years old & haven't stopped."
"I can cook but it's not really a passion of mine. My mother taught me."
"My mother taught me, too. & I taught my daughter."
Jinx shrugged. "Maybe I'll teach mine."
"It's a great bonding experience."
The common doors opened & Rita stepped through. "Good morning."
"Morning." Shirley & Jinx smiled.
"Something smells delicious." Rita sniffed the air.
"I'm making biscuits." Shirley waved her flour caked hands.
"I love biscuits!" Rita went about making herself a cup of coffee.
"It'll be even better with my white sausage gravy."
"Gravy? On a biscuit?" Jinx wrinkled her nose.
"You'll see." Shirley washed her hands.
"I have to go." Jinx picked up her mug. "I've got sunrise yoga with Nightwing."
"Bye." Shirley & Rita waved her off.
Jinx left.
Shirley looked through the cabinets for a large pot. She found one & set it on the stove before grabbing a couple onions to dice.
"I don't know how you do it, Nana." Rita took a sip out of her coffee mug & replaced Cyborg's cup under the Kuerig spout. "I can't cook for the life of me."
"It's not hard to throw together some amazing dishes. Just use your imagination." Shirley added the onions to the pot to sweat.
"I have no imagination. I'm stifled."
Shirley giggled. "Everyone can cook. If you don't have the imagination, follow the recipe. Can't go wrong by just readin what it says."
"I'm telling you; I'll mess it up." Rita swore.
"Give yourself a chance." Shirley added a bit of flour to the pot & stirred. "See here? Just stir this a little bit until it thickens."
Rita grimaced. "I don't want to ruin anything."
"Nonsense!" Shirley waved her over.
Rita walked to Shirley & took over stirring duties.
Shirley added spices & milk to the pot before getting out a pan to cook sausage. "Just stir that together & you'll be fine."
Rita stirred slowly & was amazed at how the sauce was thickening up. "It's working!"
Shirley nodded. "Just try a little patience."
"I thought it was tenderness?"
Shirley laughed. "That & love & care will get you on the bus."
Rita smiled at their silly conversation. "How do you like being here for Christmas?"
"I like it quite a bit. Last Christmas I was alone, waiting on a phone call from my Victor. Now I'm getting to spend time with my only grandson & his family."
"Garfield is my adoptive son but I couldn't love him more if he'd come from my own body. I don't know how my husband can stubbornly throw him away."
"Throw him away?" Shirley was confused.
Rita explained about the fight between Changeling & Mento. "& they haven't spoken since."
"That's a real shame." Shirley fussed. "Gar did a great thing by adopting that little girl & if Steve can't see that then he deserves for Gar to call Clark daddy."
"That's what I say. Clark is really trying with Gar & it's something to see him open up. Steve wasn't exactly nurturing. He tried too hard to turn Gar into a solider."
"Children need to be children; no matter how extraordinary they are."
"I tried to balance it out. I built on the foundation of his real mother. I taught him to ballroom dance & gave him certain books to read. It helped that I was nice to him & asked what he liked."
"How long did it take for him to open up to you?"
"Six weeks. Six long weeks where he looked at me like he expected me to abuse him." Rita shuddered lightly.
Shirley added the sausage to the pot. "He's been through a lot?"
Rita shrugged. "He won't tell me anything. He just smiles & says the past is the past."
"Smart boy. You can't hold onto things forever."
"Steve can. He does & he will. I've never seen him let something go."
"That's not healthy." Shirley turned the burner down on the pot & went to get potatoes. She started peeling them.
"He's going to have a stroke one of these days." Rita tapped the spoon against the side of the pot & put it down. "Do you need help? I know how to peel potatoes."
"Well join me." Shirley pointed to a chair.
Rita sat across from her & used a vegetable peeler instead of a sharp knife to cut away the skin. "I just don't know what to do about Steve & Gar. Ever since we found out about Bas, Steve has been in an uproar. We've been fighting for months about me coming here."
"That man is going to miss out on so much happiness by being stubborn…" Shirley shook her head slowly.
"He already missed out on Bas's birth. He missed Christmas last year. It's just a shame." Rita sighed.
The common doors opened to reveal Cyborg, shifting through the morning paper. He stopped in surprise. "Nana. Ms. Rita. Hey."
"Good morning, Bugs." Shirley smiled. "How'd you sleep?"
Cyborg shrugged. "Pretty good. How about you guys?"
"I slept as well as could be expected." Rita smiled at him. "I see you've gotten your snow."
Cyborg lit up. "Yeah, it's a lot! At least six inches!"
"My Bugs always loved the snow." Shirley waved her knife.
"Yup. I'm just a snow bug." Cyborg handed out the paper before grabbing his coffee mug. "What smells so good?"
"Sausage gravy for the- biscuits! Oh my! Grab the biscuits!" Shirley had forgotten all about the biscuits in the oven.
Cyborg took them out. Though a little dark, they were fine. "I love your biscuits!"
Shirley took deep breaths to calm her racing heart. "I know. That's why I made them."
Cyborg turned the fire on under the kettle & started making Starfire's tea. "& you made sausage gravy?"
"It's really good." She sang.
"I know. You made it." He looked at the pile of potatoes they'd peeled. "Got enough potatoes?"
"We're feeding an army."
He inclined his head. "Usually Rae & I do that."
"She makes breakfast every morning while battling a baby & three year old?"
"She just takes longer to get back but she's been on the ball. Plus Bas is a really good baby. He barely cries & he entertains himself."
"You were like that. You played with anything you could get your hands on & always smiled."
Cyborg smiled now. "I was a baby. What did I have to be upset about?"
"Pregnancy is a horror show."
His brows drew together. "Rae seemed fine. Besides the mood swings & cravings."
"She had terrible mood swings?" Rita asked.
"We're lucky I made that ring…"
Shirley & Rita looked at each other before peering at him.
"On the bright side, we know that jealousy makes artwork. The tower looks like a museum now."
"I noticed the artwork in my room. Does she get jealous a lot?" Rita asked.
Cyborg leaned over to check that Raven was still meditating. "Yes, my heavens, yes."
Rita's eyes were round. "That's not healthy."
"They're both jealous & it's scary. I honestly can't tell you who's worse."
The kettle whistled & Raven opened her eyes. She unfolded her legs & hovered over to the trio in the kitchen. "Good morning."
"Hey, Rave." Cyborg squeaked. "Good morning."
Raven went about pouring water into three mugs.
Shirley & Rita spoke. "Good morning, Raven."
Raven set the mugs at the correct place settings & looked around in surprise. "Are you cooking?"
Rita lifted her hands. "I'm just following Nana. She's the mastermind."
"I figured you needed a break." Shirley nodded. "You go on & look after Charlie & Bas. I got this."
Raven was pleasantly surprised & turned to leave. "Thank you."
"No problem."
"What are we going to do with all these potatoes?" Rita asked.
"We're making hash."
#happyholidays
Bruce returned to his room after his shower. As every morning, he worked out. Titans gym was top notch & he worked up quite the sweat.
He dressed in dark blue slacks, a collared black shirt & a powder blue sweater. He pulled on thick socks & heavy boots before combing his hair & slapping on cologne.
He didn't much care for the bathrooms but he had been in there alone so he had his privacy.
He went to Tim's room & knocked on the door. Tim answered as if he were still asleep. "Yeah?"
"Time to wake up. You should have been up. The early bird gets the worm."
"Yeah, yeah." Tim yawned before retreating into his room.
"I expect you upstairs in ten minutes." Bruce walked to the elevator & punched the button for the top floor. He rode the lift up then exited to walk down the hall.
He went inside the common room & through it to the kitchen. He saw that a good number of people were awake, including Diana. He walked over.
"Good morning!" They spoke.
He nodded gruffly.
"Good morning, Grandfather!" Christopher chirped.
"Good morning, Christopher." He sat in a chair.
"Need coffee?" Shirley's lips twitched.
"Yes." The word was expelled from his mouth.
"I'll get you a cup." Nightwing stood up.
"Who's going to get the kids up?" Bumble Bee filled a sippy cup with grape juice & another with apple. She set the grape juice on the table & the apple on Calvin's tray.
"I'm sure Rae will wake up Melvin & they'll get the boys." Cyborg said.
Shirley looked over from making a pot of vegetarian sausage gravy. "Should she have to do that?"
"They respond best to her. They don't call him Timmy Tantrum for nothing."
"He cries?"
"Like he's being murdered."
The others nodded empathically.
"Goodness me!" Shirley stirred the pot.
"But he's growing up. He rarely has tantrums anymore." Jinx said.
"He can scream very loudly." Starfire rubbed her temples as she looked over her newspaper. "It is his power."
"& now Charlie has it." Nightwing gave Bruce his sludge- er… black coffee. "Now when she cries, it's a whole other level of distressing."
"But she rarely cries. Cal on the other hand." Jinx stared at the boy who was drinking his apple juice in peace.
"Leave my baby alone!" Bumble Bee set her hands on her hips.
"He's going to be alone when he drives everyone away…"
"He doesn't know how to control his emotions yet."
"Therefore he doesn't know how to control his powers." Bruce raised a brow. "Shouldn't you teach him how to control his emotions & powers?"
"He's too young." Bumble Bee frowned. "& even if he wasn't, I don't know how to control emotions. My emotions aren't tied to my powers."
"My powers are completely depended upon my emotional state." Starfire said.
"I know but he needs to separate his emotions from his powers." Cyborg pointed out.
"The only person who knows how to do that is Raven." Nightwing lifted a brow.
"We'll ask her when he gets older. Until then, we just have to-"
"Be a slave to his whims?" Bruce cut Bumble Bee off.
She threw him an irritated glare. "No! Keep him happy!"
"Same thing."
"Some people want their kids to be happy." Nightwing looked at him.
Bruce glared. "I care."
"I didn't say a thing about you."
"Bruce, stop getting upset." Shirley fussed. "Breakfast's almost ready."
"Humph." Bruce sipped his coffee.
The common room doors opened & Raven walked in with Melvin, Timmy, Teether, Charlotte & Sebastian. She walked to the play pen & put Sebastian in it before joining everyone in the kitchen.
"How did you sleep, children?" Shirley asked.
"Good!" They chirped.
"Good."
"What's that smell?" Timmy sniffed the air. "It smells really good."
"That's breakfast." Cyborg finished cooking the eggs.
"I'm so hungry." Teether moaned.
"Nana makes the best food." Charlotte told him.
"Thank you, sugar." Shirley said.
Charlotte put her sippy cup in her mouth with a smile.
The common room doors opened again to reveal Tim. He shuffled over tiredly. "Good morning."
"Good morning." Everyone spoke.
"I need coffee." He groaned.
"You don't need no coffee!" Shirley frowned. "You're too young & it'll stunt your growth."
"How am I gonna wake up?"
"Drink some tea."
"But tea has caffeine in it." Cyborg pointed out.
"It's easy to decaffeinate your tea. Just dunk it for ten seconds & throw out the water. Then the bag is decaffeinated."
"Humph. The more you know…"
Shirley smiled & shook her head. "Drink tea, Tim."
"I've never had tea. Is it good?" Tim asked.
"Tea is great." Jinx lifted her cup.
"Yucky!" Christopher stuck his tongue out.
Starfire kissed his cheek. "Young Christopher does not see the appeal of the tea just yet."
"You should start off with an easy tea." Raven went to the cupboard that housed the tea boxes. "White tea is easier on the palette."
"Okay." Tim didn't care. "I'll take white tea."
"What flavor?"
"There's flavors?!"
Cyborg & Nightwing laughed.
"I'll give you peach." Raven plopped a bag in a mug & filled it with hot water. "You have to add your own sugar. There's also milk & honey."
"Milk & honey?" This was a bit overwhelming for Tim.
"Just add enough to sweeten it." Bumble Bee advised. "Don't be like Changeling & add tea to your sugar."
The others laughed.
"His body uses the sugar quickly." Raven shrugged as she prepared his tea.
"Is that why he bounces off the walls?" Shirley asked with twinkling eyes.
Raven smiled. "Yes."
"Wazzup!" Changeling shouted. He strolled over from the common room doors.
"We were just talking about you." Bumble Bee smirked behind her mug.
"Oh yeah?" He slung an arm around her neck. "Anything good?"
"About you." Jinx snickered. "So no."
He faux pouted. "You know you love me."
"Good morning, Gar." Rita said.
"Good morning, Mom." He went to her & hugged her.
"How did you sleep?"
"Like a baby." He noticed Shirley by the stove. "Aww snap! Did you cook, Nana?!"
"Yes, I did." Shirley nodded. "& this is done."
"Seems like Kid & T will miss out on whatever this heavenly smell is." He sniffed the pot.
"Nice try, C." Terra's voice sounded. She & Kid Flash came into the kitchen. "We figured Nana would help with breakfast & knew you'd try to eat it up."
"& all these other guys." Kid Flash glared at the others. "You were going to eat without us."
"Yup!" Cyborg had zero shame. "Alright! Soup's on, people! Let's do this!"
#happyholidays
The doorbell rang. Terra squealed happily. "It's him!"
"I thought you said never to get overexcited about a boy?" Melvin crossed her arms.
"She can't help herself." Bumble Bee never looked up from her magazine.
"I'll get the door." Sebastian was asleep so Raven could move around.
Changeling looked over sharply.
"I'm getting the door." She stood up.
"I'll go with you." He stood up, too.
"I don't need your help."
"I'm not letting you go alone." He stared her down.
"Changeling,-"
He growled.
"Fine!" She threw up her hands & stalked out, him on her heels.
"That was so weird." Melvin shook her head.
"He's just jealous." Jinx flipped a page in her magazine. "Hey, Bee. Did you know that you're in a new relationship with Elijah Wood?"
"What?!" Cyborg & Bumble Bee exclaimed.
"Yeah. It's in this magazine. You two look close enough to kiss." She showed it.
"Let me see that." Bumble Bee frowned as she reached out for it but Cyborg snatched it from Jinx.
"Let me see that!" He scanned the article. "You went out to lunch with him?! A movie star?!"
Bumble Bee blushed slightly. "I told you I was having lunch with somebody."
"A movie star?!" He waved the pages.
"He's still a person!"
"What's this about?! I don't pay you enough attention?!"
"Not really but this isn't about that."
"What are you trying to say?!"
& that was what Changeling, Raven & Aqualad walked into minutes later... A bonafied fight.
"I told you I was going to find somebody to flirt with if you didn't cool it!" Bumble Bee shouted.
"So you pick some Hollywood pretty boy?!" Cyborg yelled back.
"& he sure is cute!"
Changeling whistled sharply. "What is going on?!"
"Your friend is a jackass! & yeah, I said ass!" Bumble Bee stormed out.
"How am I wrong when you had lunch with another man?!" Cyborg tossed back before leaving himself.
"What happened?" Raven asked.
Kid Flash rubbed his temples. "Bumble Bee had lunch with a movie star."
"It's not like she didn't tell him beforehand." Jinx shrugged. "How is it her fault he didn't listen?"
"She could have mentioned it was a man." Nightwing pointed out.
"Why?!" Starfire demanded. "Is not a male friend appropriate enough to have the lunch with?!"
"Not really. How is Cyborg supposed to trust Elijah Wood?"
"If he's just a friend, why not?!" Terra defended.
"Because most guys scheme on the girls that are supposed to be just their friends." Changeling said with absolute guilelessness.
Raven frowned. "You don't think Bumble Bee could extract herself from a situation where a friend could mistake their relationship for something more?"
"She's a girl. She's not going to know until it's too late."
Every woman looked at him. Aqualad moved away from him. "You did not just say that!"
"It's true!" Changeling defended himself. "Guys got all kinds of tricks to trick a girl into liking him when they're "just friends"."
"& how would you know?" Raven crossed her arms.
"I've used them!"
Raven went to get Sebastian, who had awakened from the shouting & was crying. She shook her head as she went passed Changeling. "You are a pig."
"How can she be mad when it's true?" Kid Flash didn't see it. "What guy doesn't have a million tricks to get a girl?"
"Because being sincere couldn't work?" Jinx left.
Terra looked at Aqualad. "Please tell me you don't think like they do."
"I don't think the way they do." He said immediately.
"Liar!" Changeling & Kid Flash snapped.
"What about Nightwing? What does he think?" Aqualad burned.
Nightwing's mouth fell open. "Don't put me in this! I barely believe men & women can be friends at all. I don't want my views called into question."
"You do not believe a male & a female can just be friendly?" Starfire shook her head. "Do not poison our son's mind with such rot."
Terra stuck her tongue out at the boys as she & Starfire left.
"You really don't believe men & women can be friends?" Diana asked.
"Now I do. But kind of no? I try not to think about it." Nightwing shrugged.
"That's ridiculous." Rita snapped.
"How do you believe in guy/girl friendships anyway?" Changeling challenged. "You're old school."
"Did you just call me old?!"
"No! Just your ideas."
Rita was totally offended. "Well let me take my old idea self & leave you to your he-man convention."
She & Diana left.
"Gar." Shirley shook her head.
"I didn't mean she was old, Nana. You know that, right?" Changeling didn't need any other women mad at him.
"A woman's age is a sensitive thing. So are her ideals."
He sighed. "What do you think I should do?"
"What do you think you should do?"
"Come on, Nana!" Kid Flash moaned. "Don't you be irrational, too!"
"Excuse you?!"
"Kid, no!" Nightwing waved his hands.
"Don't talk to Nana like that!" Melvin snapped.
"Come on, Melvin. All of you women are the same sometimes. You're so irrational!" Kid Flash was tired of it. "You get jealous over nothing. You get mad over nothing. Then you keep secrets."
"Lola didn't keep a secret!" Shirley snapped. "Bugs is being the irrational one!"
"Really?! If I was to tell Jinx I was going out with a friend & it turned out to be this gorgeous actress, she'd kill me!"
"Why does she have to be gorgeous?!"
"Nana!" Nightwing looked at her like she was crazy. "There's def. a double standard here! I can't look at another woman without Star flying into a rage! Literally!"
"Raven turns into a tentacled monster if I so much as think of a woman." Changeling bit off.
"Why are you guys thinking of other women for anyway?!" Melvin didn't get it.
The guys threw up their hands.
"You're thinking with a woman brain." Kid Flash sneered.
"Date a man if a woman is too much for you!" Shirley walked out with Melvin on her heels.
"I will!"
"You will?" Aqualad raised a brow.
"No. But she doesn't have to know that. Besides, I could get a man."
Changeling laughed.
"Shut up! I'm hot!"
The other guys fell out laughing.
Charlotte looked at them all. "You are all weird."
"They're training her already." Kid Flash pointed.
Changeling picked her up. "Don't be crazy like Mommy."
She looked at him like he was crazy. "That wasn't very nice! & boys & girls can be friends! I'm friends with Teether!"
"Like he isn't scheming on you!" Kid Flash flung out a hand.
Teether paled.
Changeling glared at him. "You better put all your plans away!"
Charlotte kicked to be let down & walked out. "You're crazy."
"Just like her mama." He shook his head.
"I think you're all in the doghouse so maybe she's not the one who's crazy?" Aqualad sat down.
Nightwing threw a pillow at his head. "What about Nightwing? What does he think?"
Aqualad grinned sheepishly. "My bad?"
#happyholidays
The girls all ended up in the gym.
"Your son is a pig." Raven patted Sebastian's bottom.
"He called me old! He called my ideas old! The nerve of him!" Rita paced.
"I no longer like your grandson." Bumble Bee told Shirley.
"I understand." Shirley did reps on the free weights. "He's blowing this out of proportion."
"They're all tools." Jinx rolled her eyes.
"I cannot believe Boyfriend Nightwing is so- so- so-"
"Stuck in the dark ages?" Terra helped Starfire.
"Yes!"
"I come from a place that does not have men & we live in peace." Diana said.
"I wonder if Thad is like that?" Melvin bit her lip.
"More than likely." Jinx kissed her teeth. "Men like that tend to gravitate towards each other."
"I can't let my brothers end up like that."
"Then they need to be away from those men."
"What does Bruce think?" Shirley asked. "What is he teaching Tim?"
"What he taught Nightwing." Diana sneered. "I'll bet any money that Nightwing's views come from one source."
"Someone should save those young boys before they're poisoned."
"I say we all go. As a united front. We stand together." Rita stopped pacing.
"Let us go forth!" Starfire's eyes glowed.
They all strode out & down the hall to the common room. The guys looked over in shock.
"So you've come to your senses?" Kid Flash smirked.
"If I did, you'd be out a girlfriend." Jinx crossed her arms.
"How can you condone this, Bruce?" Rita looked at him in shame.
"Because it's true. Men & women cannot be friends." Bruce lifted his shoulders.
"We're friends!" Diana challenged.
Bruce looked at her for the longest time. "No, we're not."
Diana blushed. "Your loss then."
He just stared at her.
"I'm just getting my son." Bumble Bee didn't want to fight. She picked up Calvin & kissed his cheek.
Starfire plucked up Christopher. "You will not poison his mind!"
"I'm not poisoning his mind!" Nightwing glared.
"Come on, guys." Melvin waved her brothers over. "We don't want you to learn from them."
"You already turned my daughter against me." Changeling side-eyed Raven. "They need to be around men."
"They need to be around men." Raven spat back. "& I didn't turn my daughter against you. She just has common sense."
Charlotte pulled on her mother's slacks. "Daddy called you crazy."
Raven's eyes multiplied.
"You're acting crazy!" Changeling tried to stand by his words without dying.
"You're just a-" Raven couldn't think of a word bad enough.
"Butt?" Bumble Bee supplied.
"Yes! You are a butt!" Raven blushed slightly.
"I'm not a butt! You- should not call me such names." He switched gears.
"Then stop being a butt!" Bumble Bee snapped.
"Maybe you all need to calm down?" Tim suggested. "Don't you all love each other?"
"Sit down!" Nightwing pushed him.
They all started fighting again with the kids looking at them like they were crazy & Shirley shaking her head.
Cyborg walked in & whistled. "What's going on here?!"
"This is your fault!" Jinx bit off. "If you hadn't flown off the handle about this Elijah Wood thing, we wouldn't be fighting!"
"Wait a minute! That's not my fault! She's cheating on me! & no one told you to fight."
"I am not cheating on you!" Bumble Bee yelled.
"Then what was that picture about?!"
"I can't hug another man?!"
"No!"
"You don't own me!"
He wanted to scream yes, he did but knew that was the wrong statement to make. "It's about respect!"
"I didn't disrespect you! But you're right! It is about respect!"
"Does anybody notice it got way darker in here?" Changeling lifted a finger.
They all looked around & noticed it was indeed darker. The wind had picked up & was throwing snow around like it was money at a strip club. Rain began to fall & thunder clapped.
They all looked to Calvin, who was frowning.
Bumble Bee danced a little. "Hey. It's okay. Calm down, baby."
"Yeah, we're cool, little man." Cyborg walked over & put a hand on his head.
"All this fighting has him rightly upset." Shirley said. "We should all apologize & never speak of it again."
"We have to apologize for their twisted views?" Terra didn't think that was fair.
"It's not a view, T! It's a fact!" Changeling argued.
Lighting struck a nearby rock.
"Okay! Okay! We'll apologize!"
Nightwing took Starfire's hands. "I was wrong. Men & women can be friends."
Starfire hugged him. "I apologize for doing the storming out."
"I do think men & women can be friends." Aqualad told Terra.
"I'm sorry for getting so mad." She hugged him tightly.
Changeling had a lot to apologize for. "I'm sorry I think men & women can't be friends. We're friends."
Raven raised an eyebrow.
"We're best friends. & I'm sorry I implied that I tricked you into a relationship. You're smart enough to know who you want to be with. & I'm sorry I called you crazy. Both of you." He looked down at Charlotte before looking at Rita. "I'm sorry I called you & your ideals old."
Rita smiled & hugged him while Charlotte encircled his legs. "I'm sorry I left like that."
"I'm sorry I called you weird & crazy, Daddy." Charlotte squeaked.
"I apologize for calling you a butt." Raven said with absolute seriousness.
Changeling leaned forward & pecked her lips. She swatted him.
Kid Flash pouted. "I'm sorry for all the crap I said. I was wrong. & I'm sorry I called you all irrational. It was unfair of me."
"I'm sorry I called you all those names in my head." Jinx kissed him.
"Huh?!"
"I'm sorry you girls were hurt by these guys." Tim said.
The guys glared at him but the girls smiled. "We're sorry we left you in here with them."
Shirley glared at Bruce then hit him when he ignored her. "Ow! I suppose I should apologize for saying we're not friends, Diana. We're very friendly."
"I'm sorry I left in a huff." Diana smiled.
"I'm sorry we even got started fighting in the first place." Shirley commented before waving at Cyborg.
He sighed. "I'm sorry I accused you of cheating on me. I'm sorry I flirt with other girls & don't take you seriously. I'm sorry for not listening."
Bumble Bee chewed on her bottom lip. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Elijah. But he's just a friend."
The rain & wind stopped & the snow swirled towards the ground.
Calvin still wasn't smiling yet…
Cyborg scratched his head. "How did you get to be friends with Elijah Wood anyway?"
Bumble Bee shrugged. "I saved his life a couple weeks ago. When Mad Mod robbed that bank & took a detour through that movie set to get away? Remember?"
"Aww yeah. I remember that." He looked at her before cupping her cheek & dragging her close to fuse his mouth to hers.
The sun came out & Calvin smiled wide.
The room clapped as Cyborg & Bumble Bee drew apart with soft smiles.
#happyholidays
Raven looked over the list with a true sense of fear. She ignored the makeup appearing as she tried to drum up the courage to give the slip of paper to her boyfriend.
The door to their bedroom slid open & Changeling walked in. "Hey. Why are you by yourself?"
"I need you to go to the store." Her voice was soft & absent of every emotion as she repressed.
"Cool. What do you want me to get? Do I have to take the car or can I fly? I want to stretch my wings." He grew large green wings from his back that were proportional to his body. "Get it?"
She stared at him.
He pulled the wings in & approached her. "Hey, you're not still mad about earlier, are you?"
"No." She avoided his eyes.
"Are you sure? I don't think you're crazy."
"I know. I just need you to get everything on this list." She handed him the slip.
He took it but kept his eyes on her as she fiddled with the hem of her sweater. "Raven, look at me."
She eyeballed his chest.
"Look at my eyes."
She flicked her gaze up before pulling it back down quickly. Damn Bumble Bee & her test!
"What's wrong, Rae?" He raised her chin.
"Just get everything on the list." She swallowed hard.
He glanced at the list then back at her before it registered what was on the list. His eyes widened & he looked back at the list. "What?!"
Raven flinched. He was going to fail the test. "Will you get everything on the list?"
He looked hopelessly lost. "But- I- you-" He sighed. "Yeah, I'll get everything on the list."
Her eyes widened. "You will?"
"Yes." He kissed her quickly before sprinting out.
She was gobsmacked. According to Bumble Bee, if he got everything on that list, he wasn't embarrassed & wouldn't be ashamed or disgusted by her post baby body. Maybe Changeling was the best boyfriend on Earth?
#happyholidays
"Why am I here?" Cyborg asked.
"Because I didn't want to be by myself." Changeling stared at the list & got the easy things. He tossed jam into the basket.
"I could be making up with my girl. You're blockin!"
"Believe me, you're going to need to buy this stuff soon."
"We buy it every week. Your girlfriend goes through jam like it's mustard & she's Star."
"Not this stuff." Changeling turned down an aisle. "This stuff."
Cyborg looked around & his cheeks warmed. "Why are we in this aisle?!"
"She needs some stuff." Changeling whispered, his own cheeks brown from blushing.
"What does she need here?!" He just wanted to leave & never come back to any store ever.
"Some stuff for-" Changeling blushed. "She needs Preparation H."
"Preparation H?!"
"Shhh!" Changeling shushed him. "Not so loud!"
Cyborg ran his hands over his face quickly. "I'm learning way too much about my baby sister!"
"You're going to need this stuff soon!"
"For what?!"
"Bee."
"Why would Bee need-" Cyborg snatched the list from Changeling & read from it. "Nipple cream?!"
"Aren't you guys still having your baby?" Changeling found the Preparation H & put it in the basket.
"I don't think so. She hasn't mentioned it since Bas was born."
"When has Bee ever given up on something?" Changeling scouted the shelves for nipple cream.
"Never but this is different. Having a baby is a big deal & I don't think she thought it all the way through when she first demanded I impregnate her. Besides, Joey & Kole are having their son soon."
"Yeah! Can you believe that?! Do you see the nipple cream?"
"I'm not looking!" Cyborg blushed.
"Ugh!" Changeling hated to do this. He walked up to an employee. "Do you know where the nipple cream is?"
The man looked at him. "Hey, aren't you-?"
"Can you please just tell me where the cream is please?" He said loudly.
The man smiled. "It's in this aisle."
"Can you show me where? I don't see it." Changeling officially hated this.
The worker walked down the aisle & picked up the white & blue package. "Here you go, sir."
Changeling snatched it from him & threw it in the basket. "Thank you very much!"
The man's lips twitched but he put his head down & walked off.
Changeling went back to Cyborg. "I need baby oil & we're done."
"I've been done." Cyborg shook his head. "That guy is going to tell everybody."
Changeling blushed but rolled his eyes. "If he has to tell what I'm buying at the store, he has no life & is welcome to the tidbit."
"You're a better man than me." He clapped him on the back.
"I know."
Cyborg pushed him.
#happyholidays
Raven forced herself to sip her tea slowly.
"Relax, Rae." Bumble Bee murmured as she flipped through her book.
"I am relaxed."
"Then what's up with the fans?" Jinx picked one up then opened it & fanned herself.
Raven sighed & pushed down her emotions. "I am not nervous."
"Anymore." Terra set aside her GameBoy. "I have something to tell you guys."
Bumble Bee, Raven, Starfire & Jinx looked over at the blonde.
The guys were in the winds while the kids took naps (even Melvin & Tim). Shirley was napping as well while Diana & Rita were just "resting". The girls were in the common room, making as little noise as possible.
Terra took a deep breath. "I've made a decision. Garth & I are going to… do it tonight. He's already bunking with me & he keeps saying nothing has to happen but I have waited long enough & I've made him wait long enough. What do you think?"
"This is really what you want?" Jinx asked.
Terra nodded. "Yes."
"Do you have protection?" Bumble Bee went next.
"He- he brought it." She flushed.
"Then we are the happy for you!" Starfire hugged her tightly.
Terra giggled. "Thanks. Hey, is that C I hear?"
"It sounds like a hungry monster." Jinx said.
"So yes." Bumble Bee went back to her book.
Raven got up & went to the windows. Sure enough, Changeling's green car was flying down the bridge. "Oh."
"Relax, Rae."
"What if he decided it was just too weird to get those items?"
"Then he doesn't get to see all of this." Bumble Bee indicated Raven's body.
"He's already seen it. He just might not want it anymore."
Starfire let Terra go to pick up Raven. "That is untrue, friend! Brother Changeling loves you! He will not fail this test!"
"I can't breathe." Raven gasped.
Starfire loosened her hold & set Raven on her feet. "Have the faith. He shall surprise you."
Raven sat down & resumed drinking her tea.
The common room doors opened minutes later. Changeling & Cyborg walked in.
"How was the store?" Bumble Bee asked almost absentmindedly.
Cyborg blushed.
Changeling's ears turned brown but he remained nonchalant. He shrugged. "It was the store."
"Did you get everything on the list?" Raven's voice was empty.
"Uh… yeah." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I got everything on the list. Exactly as you wrote it."
Raven's eyes widened. "You did?"
He bobbed his head. "I did."
Raven melted on the inside. Fireworks went off. "Thank you."
Changeling looked at the colorful exploding lights. "I did good?"
"You did very good." A black case appeared.
Changeling grinned. "Anytime."
"Where is everybody?" Cyborg asked after a moment of the two just staring at each other.
"We don't know where Nightwing, Kid Flash or Bruce are but everyone else is asleep." Bumble Bee put her book down. "How did you like the store?"
"Oh, I'm never going again."
#happyholidays
"Okay, guys! Pick out a cookie to give to Santa!" Bumble Bee held the plate out.
Tim, Melvin, Timmy, Teether, Christopher, Charlotte & Calvin all picked out a cookie each for the plate.
"Santa's going to like this house." Shirley joked.
"Santa comes when we're all sleeping." Christopher told her.
"Does he?" She bopped his nose.
He giggled & nodded. "Daddy says he won't come if we're awake."
"That's true."
Christopher beamed. "Can we go to sleep now?"
"Don't you want to open your present?" Nightwing asked.
"Oh yeah! Can we open our present now?"
"Yes, you can."
"Yay!" The kids ran over to the tree & picked out a gift to shake.
The adults finished putting away all the other cookies then set a glass of milk out with the plated cookies before helping the kids open their presents.
"It's from Nana!" Bumble Bee shook the box Calvin handed her. She helped him open it. "It's shoes! Baby Addias!"
"This is from Cliff." Rita read the box Charlotte handed her.
Charlotte ripped the box open. "It's bows!"
Nightwing scanned the box Christopher gave him. "It's from Grandpa Clark."
Bruce rolled his eyes as Christopher exclaimed happily.
"It is the Doh of Play." Starfire read the unveiled box.
"Okay, time for bed!" Cyborg clapped.
The kids awed.
"Don't you want Santa to come?"
"Fine but he better come fast!" Timmy grumbled.
The adults led them down to bed, where hugs & kisses were given & they were put to bed.
Having nothing else to do, the adults cleaned up.
"Um… Garth?" Terra chewed on her bottom lip. "I have a present for you but it's in my room."
"I can open another one." Aqualad missed the boat completely.
Bumble Bee & Jinx facepalmed.
"I think that particular gift is one you would most want to unwrap." Raven lifted a brow.
"Then it'd be better for me to wait until tomorrow." He shrugged. "Anticipation & all that."
"Aqualad." Starfire shook her head in pity.
"What?"
"Go to her room." Bumble Bee said in aching slowness.
"Alright! Where is it?" He stood up.
"On the bed." Jinx smirked.
Bumble Bee elbowed her & grinned.
"I'll show you." Terra blushed. She mouthed "stop it guys!" as they left.
"Man, I'm hungry!" Kid Flash eyed the cookies.
"You're Santa this year." Cyborg pointed out. "Eat one."
Kid Flash picked up a cookie happily.
"Boyfriend Nightwing? May we retire as well?" Starfire wrapped her arms around Nightwing's neck from behind.
"Actually I was going to see if Changeling wanted to play chess." Nightwing declined.
"Sure." Changeling set his gift down & went to bring out the chess set.
"He can't." Bumble Bee frowned.
"Why not?" Changeling asked, bewildered.
"Raven has to talk to you about the kids."
"What's up, Rae?" He looked to her in concern.
"In private. It's about your kids."
Changeling blinked. "They're okay, right?"
"Just go talk." Bumble Bee waved them on.
Raven finally found her tongue. "Yes."
Changeling wondered what was going on but just led Raven out. They rode down to their room & went inside. Changeling looked around in amazement. "Did you do this?"
Candles were everywhere & the shields he'd built to hold things down whenever she lost control were up. The curtains were drawn to let in moonlight.
Raven waved her hand & all the candles flickered to life. "Yes."
He looked between her & the display. "What is this?"
She gathered all her courage & sidestepped the bottle of wine that appeared to go up to him. She set her hands on his chest & rose up on her tiptoes to press her lips to his. "This is us."
Changeling grinned. "Alright now!"