AN: I'm going to clarify the title by saying this is not malty part; it is a bad pun, which is all.
Disclamer: I do not own DCAU, Earth 16, Teen Titans, DC Comics, DC entertainment, or any of their characters used to create or inspire this story.
I was standing over the stove as Victor brought in a long table from the hallway.
"Dude, I don't understand why you're so worried." Garfield said from behind me on the counter.
"I haven't seen the entire team in almost a year." I said, ducking down to check on the oven. "Besides, it's the first time they're meeting all the Titans."
"Gar's right bro, you need to calm down." Victor said as he set down the table. "Now tell me again why Kori couldn't help me with this."
"She's getting dressed." I answered taking out the ham I'd been making and turning to see my friends.
Victor had put on jeans and a sweat shirt, and Beast Boy was wearing his usual hoodie jacket and jeans, a superman T. Shirt under neath.
"Do you guys know where Raven is?" I asked, looking around the room for her. "She does realize she has to come out for this right."
"I haven't seen her all day." Garfield answered, shifting to a laying position. "She's so weird, always hanging out in her room."
"I'm sure she has her reasons." I said, walking around Garfield, not paying him much attention. "If she's not out by the time Wally gets here…"
I was interrupted by the sound of the door opening and a tall ginger rapping an arm around me. "What needs to be done Rob?"
"Wally, what are you doing here so soon?" I said, looking up at my friend with a big smile on my face.
"Sorry Dick, Wally really wanted to get here." Artemis said, as she calmly walked through the door. "it's not a problem is it?"
"Of course not, that just means we can hang out longer." I said, putting the ham down on the table. "So how's, college?"
"It's great man, college girls everywhere." Wally answered leaning against the counter Garfield was on, then he glanced at Artemis. "Not that I'm interested in any of them."
"Nice recovery." I said, laughing at Wally's fumble. "I was talking about your classes, but hey, whatever floats your boat."
"Like you'd do any better." Wally said, putting me into a neck hold. "Zatanna said you haven't been calling lately."
"Well, okay you win." I said, smacking my way out of his grip. "But I've been pretty busy lately."
"Dick, don't you need to get Raven and Kori." Victor said, drawing me out of my conversation. "Yeah, I'll go do that, you guys feel free to get to know each other."
I walked out the door and went down the hall until I came across Kori's room. I knocked on the door, not wanting to walk in if she was changing.
"Who is it?" She called out in her usual happy tone.
"It's Dick, Wally and Artemis are here." I called back. "Come out when you're dressed okay."
I walked away, knowing that it would take her awhile, even with my information. I walked back towards the entrance and stopped by Ravens door, knocking on it lightly.
The door opened slightly, revealing the side of Ravens face. "What?" she asked in her usual tone.
"Do you plan on coming out tonight?" I asked, looking at her, trying to get a read. "Wally and Artemis are already here."
"I was under the impression I had a few minutes." She said, still not opening the door. "But if they're here I guess I'll come out."
Raven opened the door to reveal herself in a navy blue hoodie jacket, a white loose fitting tank top and jeans.
"Do you ever dress up?" I asked as she walked past me.
"Every day I dress up like a hero." She answered stopping and looking back at me. "Why don't we get this over with?"
"You know you could try and enjoy it." I said, watching as she walked towards the living room.
"Why, they're not my friends." She answered turning around to look at me. "I don't really see the point."
"Because, they can be your friends." I answered, walking past my friends. "And why would you pass up something like that?"
TITANS TOWER: 1930 HOURS
"Okay, here's a good one, why do ducks quack?" Garfield said, looking around the table excitedly for the answer.
"Because they get quaked up around people." Wally answered as he had been doing most of the night. "Dude, how do you come up with these things."
"They just come to me." Garfield answered, leaning back in his chair. He fell over and stood back up, his hand on the back of his head. "oops."
"I assume that just came to you too." Raven said right before she took a drink of her soda.
"Dick, I think we need to talk." Zatana whispered, leaning in so no one would notice. "Maybe in the training room."
"Sure Z." I said, standing up, and turning towards the door, Zatanna close behind me.
TITANS TOWER: 1934 HOURS
"I'm not sure I like the way you're talking towards your team mates." Zatanna said as we walked into the training room.
"What are you talking about?" I asked, looking at her confused. "Am I being mean to them or something?"
"No, quite the opposite actually." She said, running her fingers through her hair as she did. "It looks like more's going on with you and Koriander."
"Kori? I'm just helping her get used to being on earth." I said; offended by what Zatanna was saying. "Trust me Z, nothing's going on."
"Really, then why did she sit next to you instead of Raven, why did she dress in such a skimpy outfit?" she asked, yelled actually.
"I don't know; Tamaran doesn't really have the same dress code as earth." I answered, starting to get frustrated with my girlfriend. "They're a lot less modest than we are."
"That doesn't answer my first question." Zatanna said, not letting up a bit. "Why did she sit next to you?"
"We're friends, am I not allowed to sit next to my friends?" I asked, my anger starting to get out of hand.
"Not if they're flirting with you." Zatanna answered, looking me dead in the eyes. "Or didn't you notice."
"No, I didn't notice. Do you want to know why?" I asked, prompting an angry nod from Zatanna. "Because she's not flirting with me."
"Don't be so naïve Richard, a blind man could see it." Zatanna said, getting annoyed with me. "Maybe you just like it too much to do anything."
"Where is this coming from?" I asked, looking at her confused out of my mind. "I know I haven't called you in a while but I've had a lot on my mind."
"Like Koriander?" she asked, tilting her head slightly to the right. "Or is it Raven?"
"it's neither, and for your information it's an assassin who's after my team." I answered, getting even angrier with my girlfriend. "And now you think Raven's flirting with me."
"Well she does seem your type." Zatanna answered, her voice filled with spite.
"And what exactly is my type?" I asked, walking into Zatanas personal space.
"Dark and moody, just like your father." She answered looking up at me with complete hatred in her eyes.
"I think it's time you left." I said, turning away from my girlfriend and walking towards my training escrimas.
"I came here to talk to you, and we're going to talk." She said, not bugging an inch.
"I think we've done enough talking, for a while." I said, picking up the two metal rods.
"Dick, I didn't mean to make you angry, but we really need to…" she started before I through one of my escrimas past her head and into the wall next to the door.
"I said I think it's time you left." I said, glaring at my now x-girlfriend. "And I wouldn't suggest coming back."
"Okay, I'll see you around I guess." She said, turning away from me and heading out the door, right past Barbara.
"Wow, I haven't seen you that angry since the night you left." She said, walking into the room, pulling my escrima out as she did. "So, what was that about."
"She though that Kori was flirting with me." I said, taking the escrima away from my friend.
"You mean she wasn't." Bab's said; a smirk on her face. "It sure seemed like it to me."
"Well I guess I was too focused on Z." I said, kicking the punching bag in the middle of the room. "I've never been good at telling when a girl liked me."
"No you have not." She said, punching the along with me. "I wouldn't blame her, you've always had a thing for red heads."
"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, taking my swing at the bag. "Z was my first girlfriend and she had black hair."
"Wally, Koriander, me." She said, jump kicking the back so that it hit the ceiling. "You're choice of friends is impeccable."
"Well, maybe my friends, but I've never loved one before." I said right before I jumped and kicked the bag with both feed, landing on my hands at first.
"Are you saying that you loved her?" Barbs asked, roundhouse kicking the bag. "Because if you are then you should have told her."
"I don't know what I'm saying." I said, smacking the bag with my escrimas a few times. "I, I just don't know."
"That's okay, but do you want to let her go?" Barbs asked, taking a few punches and kicks at the bag. "After all, it is your choice."
"I guess, I need to talk to her again." I said, putting my hands by my side. "Not to get back together, but to save our friendship."
"Why not get back together." Barbs asked, turning to look at me. "I thought you loved her."
"I thought I did, but we've been drifting apart since Tula died." I said, turning to look at my friend. "Sometimes I wonder if she was all that was keeping us together."
"Maybe, she did give you a lot of advice after all." Barbs said, not breaking her calm. "Hey, everyone else is heading out, you want me to help clean up?"
"Thanks, I'll meet you up there." I said, smiling at Barbs. "I just need to put these away."
"Okay, but don't take too long short shorts." She said turning around and shaking her but as she walked out.
"you'll never let me live that down will you." I said, smiling as she walked away.
"Nope." She answerd, causing my smile to grow until she entered the elevator.
I took on my usual scowl and side kicked the punching bag, tearing the leather off of the hook.
This was definetly one of my longer chapters, and I like that. How did you guys like the Barbs interaction with Dick, I thought it was cool, but it actually was going to be Wally, then Raven, but you ended up with flirtatious Barbs. I hope you liked and even if you didn't I'd like you to review the chapter.