I know, I know....I promised a chapter a week...and here I am, gone for a month. I'm so very sorry...Forgiven?
*glares from readers*
*backs away nervously* Hehe, guess not. Well, all I can say is....I hope you like this new addition...and REVIEW. Nightwing just might take off his mask then...XD
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The Second Christmas
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The Christmas season was upon them once again. Garlands of tinsel and strings of holly were hung chaotically about the tower until Raven stepped in and took matters out of Beastboy's hands. Except that when that happened, everything looked absolutely dreary, which is when Kori decided to take over.
"Nightwing," she called sweetly, "Would you mind moving that tree a little more to the left for me?"
"Sure, Star," Nightwing sighed resignedly, trudging over to the enormous tree. He tugged on the trunk until the tree inched along bit by bit.
Starfire surveyed the tree, one fist resting gently on her chin, the other crossed across her bared stomach in a thoughtful gesture.
"Perhaps you have gone a little too far…please move it back slightly!" she chirruped cheerfully.
"Starfire," Raven said with a shake of her head and a roll of her eyes, "I think that's quite enough." She peered into the oven. "And the cookies look just about done. What do you say to a little rest time?"
"Fifteenth time lucky, I guess," Nightwing grinned. Without waiting for an answer from Starfire, he quickly somersaulted over the counter and landed neatly next to Raven. "Thanks for the save," he told Raven with a brotherly pat on the shoulder.
She pushed him away. "Save it for your wife."
"C'mere Star," called Nightwing, "The smell of these cookies are driving me crazy."
He turned around and opened the oven. Strong slender arms quickly embraced him from behind and before he knew it, he felt warm lips on his cheek. Nightwing closed his eyes for a moment and his heart skipped as he silently rejoiced. They were silky smooth once again.
He turned around.
"Thank you for your assistance Richard Grayson," she smiled, her face mere inches from his own. Her warm breath tickled his face, her mint toothpaste mingling sweetly with her strawberry lotion.
"Glad to be of assistance, Starfire," Nightwing replied cockily, though his heart was fluttering madly. He never could get used to her.
But as if by instinct, his lips elevated towards hers, and attached itself hungrily. Starfire slowly began to float towards the ceiling, pulling him along with her, still in contact with each other's lips.
"What happened to the eating cookies plan?" Raven dourly commented from behind them.
Suddenly the Ops room door swished open as Beastboy barged in.
"Did I her something about cookies?" he asked, twitching his pointed ears. When he caught the sight of Nightwing and Starfire, he stopped in his tracks with an odd expression on his face.
"Dudes!" he complained, "Break it up! This is a public place! Save it for your bedroom. You'll have plenty of time tonight."
Raven placed a hand on her forehead as she groaned, "I really didn't need to hear that."
Nightwing broke apart, loosening Starfire's arm around him so that he fell back to the floor on his feet.
"Sorry team," he said sheepishly, though he was still starry eyed as he took out the tray full of warm cookies.
"Young love," Cyborg smirked from the doorway before sauntering inside…with Bumblebee beside him.
Beastboy snorted. "You're one to talk," he pointed out.
Cyborg glowered at him. Beastboy just smirked and munched on a cookie. "Hiya, Bee!" he said to the approaching Bumblebee.
"Good to see you again," Nightwing called. He gestured to the full tray of cookies beside him. "Have some cookies, they're fresh out of the oven."
"Friend Bumblebee!" Starfire exclaimed joyfully, flying towards Bumblebee and giving her a nice big bone-crushing hug. "It is simply glorious to see you again! To what do we owe this pleasure?"
Bumblebee shrugged nonchalantly, but her brown eyes flickered towards Cyborg's back for a brief moment. "It's the holidays, thought I'd say hi. Not to mention deliver all your presents personally while I'm here."
"You're an early bird," Raven remarked. "Christmas is still a week away."
"Christmas is a busy time," Bumblebee replied. "Accidents, robberies, family arguments…"
"Too true!" Beastboy agreed. "Last year, our Christmas was interrupted five times. Yeesh."
Everyone minus Bumblebee nodded in remembrance. Bumblebee took off her backpack and laid it on the ground before reaching for a cookie.
"Mmm, these are really good!" she exclaimed before taking another one. "Whose recipe is it?"
Nightwing reached for one too. "Lemons are mine, chocolate chips are Cyborg's, and the rest is Pillsbury dough. Oh right, the cinnamons are Star's."
Bumblebee looked slightly panicked, staring down at her crumb-specked hands. The last one she'd eaten was cinnamon.
Cyborg nudged her. "Don't worry, they're edible for humans. It's made of ordinary cookie stuff, we all made extra sure of that."
"Thanks for the info, Sparky," Bumblebee replied before handing him one of the cinnamons. "You have one, I'll believe you."
"With pleasure, Bee. I'm starving."
They all had a pretty good time devouring all the cookies with milk and (in Starfire's case,) mustard, exchanging the usual small talk before Bumblebee stood up.
"Right, the presents," she said, walking to her backpack.
Bumblebee hastily swiped her crumby hands on her dark pants before crouching down to open her backpack. The Titans gathered around her interestedly.
She took out a black package wrapped like a sack and tossed it to Raven. "For you. This year we kinda pooled our cash for presents, so I guess we could say it's from the Titans East. Just so you know, that was picked out by Aqualad."
Raven slightly blushed as she glanced down at the package in her hand.
She tugged on an enormous wrapped present before finally pulling it out with some difficulty. "This is for Nightwing and Starfire. Congrats on your marriage, Boy Wonder," she winked with a mischievous glint that made Nightwing rather nervous.
Starfire had no such thoughts. She hugged Bumblebee gratefully. "Thank you friend! I hope you find your 'one' soon!"
Bumblebee's smile faded for a split second. "It's nothin' Star."
She handed out the remaining two presents to its rightful owners.
"Now I've gotta go before fish breath and redhead start tryin' to eat each other over dinner," she said as she slung the now very empty pack over her shoulder.
Starfire flew in front of her with clasped hands. "Will you not stay for dinner?"
"Yeah, leaving so soon?" Raven asked in mild surprise.
"Hey, I've got a team to lead," Bumblebee said. "Merry Christmas all! We'll see each other again soon enough."
Cyborg stepped up to her side. "I'll walk you back to the city, it's kinda late out."
"Sure! Why not," Bumblebee said with a smile. The door swished shut behind them.
Beastboy raised an eyebrow with a grin. "Is it just me, or does Cy have a crush on Bee?"
Raven just shoved a cookie into his mouth.
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Starfire was digging around in the closet, looking for the gift-wrap she was pretty sure she had left in here after Christmas last year. Wait; make that the Christmas two years ago. She had forgotten it had been that long ago. The days at the Citadel seemed merely like a bad dream.
"Zlichack!" Starfire grumbled, looking down at her dusty palms. She tried to brush the gray smudges off, but the sweat made the grime stick to her hands even more. She blew her bangs out of her face before lifting a pile of Robin uniforms off an unlabeled box. She stroked the uniform tenderly with an almost wistful expression before she laid it down on the floor. Starfire reached for the box and carefully opened it.
The box was crammed full with what looked like random objects, but Starfire had seen the card that lay on the top. She picked it up curiously and opened it.
I still love you, my star in heaven.
Her breath halted in her chest.
"Oh my – "
With trembling hands she took out each object one by one. Soon the Christmas presents Nightwing had bought for her, even as he believed her dead, lay like fallen leaves all around her. Tears spattered clear drops on the dusty floor. She held the brown teddy bear close to her chest and wept.
"Starfire?"
Startled, she swept around with the bear still in her arms. A figure stood at the entrance of the closet looking down at her upturned, tearstained face with concern.
"Starfire," Nightwing said nervously at the sight of the opened box and the teddy in her arms. All the same, he kneeled next to her and put his arms around her. The teddy bear hit the floor with a slight thump as Starfire dropped it. She pushed away from Nightwing.
"Fool!" she yelled at him, landing a punch on his shoulder. Nightwing looked bewilderedly at her, rubbing his bruised shoulder. But he soon realized what was happening as Starfire's eyes filled with fresh tears.
"Idiotic fool!" she shot at him through her tears, biting down hard on her lower lip to keep her voice in control. "Did I not tell you to forget me? And yet you go and do the very exact opposite, when you gave me your word!"
"How could you expect me to?" Nightwing asked incredulously. "How could you expect me to forget you just like that?"
Starfire looked down at the floor.
"Damn it, don't you know I tried for your sake, because I had promised you? But when every singledamned thing I see reminds me of you I can't!" Nightwing burst out. More gently he said, "I can't."
Starfire still wouldn't look at him.
"Do you think that you would have been able to forget me if the same thing happened to you?" he asked quietly.
"No," she whispered in a tear soaked voice. "No…"
She closed her eyes and let the pooled tears fall. Nightwing tightened his embrace and gently kissed her cheek. She forced the tears back down and looked at Nightwing. She gestured at the things scattered around her and offered her husband a watery smile.
"These…are lovely."
Nightwing beamed. "When I bought these, I always wondered what you'd think of them."
"I still think you are a fool for harboring all these for me."
He merely smiled. "I'm glad I did, because now I can givethese to you." He reached over and bestowed a small kiss right on her lips. Starfire finally hugged him back.
Cockily, Nightwing said, "Does this mean I don't have to give you a Christmas present this year?"
Starfire glared at Nightwing before laughing along with him.
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The pale dawn light shone on Christmas day, the Nativity scene laid out carefully under the tree with all the presents behind it. Five stockings hung on the side of the counter, all full to the brim just overnight. Beastboy was the first one to arrive, which was quite an anomaly, rubbing the lingering sleep from his eyes. Shivering from the cold, he headed straight for the decorated tree and the presents. As he finished tearing the wrappings from his first present (socks, accompanied with a groan from the receiver) Raven swept inside and immediately put the kettle on the stove.
Beastboy brightened immediately and hopped to Raven's feet with the new socks over the ears of his bunny form. Raven allowed him the luxury of hearing her laugh. Beastboy quickly morphed back and, wrapping his arms around her, pecked her on the cheek.
"Merry Christmas, Rae."
She leaned back into his warmth. "Merry Christmas, Beastboy."
He nuzzled her ears. "What do you want for breakfast today?" he said in that quiet voice people always seem to use on early mornings.
"Mmm. I don't know," she replied truthfully, her voice the same tone as Beastboy's. "Maybe some toast."
"Maybe," Beastboy said vaguely. "Or we could wait for Robin to cook up something decent for us and do something else while we wait?"
Raven placed a teabag in a cup and poured the steaming water over it. She watched silently as the water was slowly dyed green.
"Sounds like a plan," she said, picking up the cup and rubbing her fingers over the warmth. There was a muffled thumping sound before a green raven perched itself on her shoulders. A shadow of a smile flitted across her features before she soundlessly padded to the door and slipped away.
A gray finger reached up to the glossy green cheek of the raven. "You'll tell them today."
She felt the round head nod affirmative. Her finger did not move from its position.
"They deserve to know."
It was more of a statement to herself than to the boy-beast-man sitting wordlessly on her shoulder. The raven nodded anyway.
Raven drew a sigh. "This isn't going to be easy…"
The weight shifted on her shoulders and she felt the rough warm tongue of a kitten on her cheek. A purr resonated from deep inside its green chest, vibrating through her body. She relaxed. He was with her. Everything was going to be fine.
They didn't have long to themselves. Soon the pale light of dawn brightened to true morning as the other Titans arrived. Nightwing walked in hand in hand with Starfire who both went straight to the kitchen after wishing "Merry Christmas!" to the two already present. The scent of freshly made waffles filled the pleasantly warm kitchen soon enough. Cyborg chose this moment to throw open the door and enter.
"Merry Christmas, y'all!" he said. He took a deep whiff and grinned. "Waffles! What a start to a day," he said, picking one off the plate and biting into it. "Yo, Robin, I think it needs a little more sugar."
"Use the maple syrup," Nightwing said, tossing the bottle to Cyborg. He smiled as he added, "And the name's Nightwing."
"Dude, what are you doing?" Beastboy asked as Cyborg logged onto the mainframe computer. Cyborg gave a satisfied click before turning the computer back off.
"Nothing," he said with a grin that could not be ignored. Raven's eyebrow was raised as high as it would go, but she didn't say a word. She was having problems concentrating on the present situation as it is without wondering about Cyborg's odd perks.
Are you sure you want to let Beastboy tell them today?
Don't be such a wimp, Timid. I say, POWER ON THROUGH!!!
'I don't know,' Raven thought. 'Timid has a point.'
Raven, Wisdom's calm voice said, Your teammates cannot be kept in the dark forever.
Love intervened with a large grin. Besides, Rae, you know he does love you very much, and you quite as much in return. I should know.
"Raven?"
It was Nightwing. He was staring at her rather intensely. "You okay? I've called you at least four times."
She didn't meet his eyes…or rather, his mask. "It's nothing. What did you want to say?"
He was still staring at her oddly, but he didn't pry any further. "I was going to ask you what you want on your waffle," he said.
"Oh. Apple jam and cream."
"It is coming right up!" Starfire cried joyfully from the counter.
Raven started at the grating sound of china on wood. Beastboy was pushing a cup of milk towards her. She looked up to meet his reassuring gaze. He smiled at her, and she blinked her acknowledgment. Raven looked away to receive the waffle Starfire was handing her.
Beastboy stood up once they were all done, with a rather silly grin plastered on his face.
"All-righty folks! Next up, old movie reruns!"
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Everyone huddled to the kitchen for hot cocoa. The light rain that had started in the evening had lead to a major crash on one of the four way crossroads. That alone the police would have been able to handle easy, but the problem was that one of the cars was a gasoline truck…that inadvertently crashed into the side of a building full of people, making the imposing building double over like a old woman. Which needed to be immediately evacuated and reinforced before the holidays ended and the workers began work again.
It had taken them a few hours to get everyone out, fix the building, sort out all the crashes and send the injured to the nearest hospitals. Thankfully the people weren't hurt all that much, it was mostly property damage. But the Titans had been soaked through to the skin, and the wind hadn't helped.
Beastboy shivered. "Brr, We s-seriously need to get r-r-rain duty c-clothes," he said.
"Leastwise the cocoa's warm," Raven said, taking a sip. "And stop exaggerating. You're wearing dry clothes now."
Cyborg lay down his cup on the coffee table and stretched. "Least we got to do something good for the city. Not that I'm glad an accident happened."
Nightwing just drank more cocoa, but Starfire nodded vigorously. "I entirely understand what you are meaning to say, friend Cyborg," she said emphatically.
Beastboy shot a glance at Raven, who met his gaze and nodded with a small sigh unheard by anyone.
"Uh," she started, but her voice was so small that no one heard her. She cleared her throat and gathered her courage. "Everyone, we need to tell you something."
This time, her voice was loud enough to catch everyone's attention. Beastboy nodded encouragingly.
"We?" Nightwing asked.
Raven licked her lips nervously.
"Me and Raven," a voice spoke up. Everyone's attention was now directed towards Beastboy. "We need to tell you something we've been…hiding from you guys."
Starfire's eyes were curiousness itself as she looked at Beastboy, then at Raven. Raven was blushing crimson.
"We've…well…we've been together for quite some time now," Raven said, and she suppressed the urge to reach up and hide her flaming cheeks from view. "And…"
"We know."
Nightwing was smirking widely. "We know. Or at least me and Starfire's known."
"Was it that obvious?" Raven asked meekly.
"Not really. I just caught some clues by chance, but that was more than enough to find out. Starfire kept your secret really well. Wouldn't even tell me what was up."
Cyborg had been watching them all with a frown. Now he began to shout, waving his arms in the air.
"Just wait a sec!" he said. "Everyone but ME knew there was something going on between you two?"
Starfire nodded, looking guilty. "I am truly sorry friend Cyborg, but I could not break the trust I have been given."
Cyborg still looked a bit put out, but Beastboy began to talk again before Cyborg could say another word.
"That's not the point we're trying to tell you," Beastboy said. "There's more."
The whole room fell silent in anticipation.
Beastboy cleared his throat a few times, and now he was blushing too, the pointed tips of his ears bright red.
"We…uh…we're…" He cleared his throat again and took a deep breath before uttering the final word.
"Engaged."
There was absolute silence for a few long seconds, and the couple was a matching shade of brightest red before Cyborg broke the stillness.
"Congrats y'all!" he shouted with a grin that spanned across his whole face.
Starfire locked Raven in a crushing hug. "This is simply wondrous! When are you planning to get married?"
"Next year," came the muffled and hardly distinguishable answer from within the blue cloak of Raven.
Starfire could only be described as radiant as her eyes twinkled and a huge smile shone on her face. "I cannot wait to begin preparations!"
Raven disentangled herself from Starfire's grip with some difficulty.
"Wait a second, Starfire."
Raven adjusted her cloak, prefering not to look directly at the redhead.
"I'm really touched at your enthusiasm, but I'd prefer to keep things simple."
Starfire looked slightly dampened, but she quickly regained her composure.
"As you wish, dearest friend Raven," she said smiling, "But you shall wear a beautiful white dress for the occasion. I insist."
Raven smiled.
"Yeah, I think I can live with that."
Yes, Christmas is a month away. So what? It needed to be done, and I wasn't going to wait (or keep you waiting) another month just to match the date. :d It's a good thing, right? Right?
One more thing; Review=BLUE...BLUE EYES. Just so you remember. :D