Teen Titans © DC Comics

16. Excuses

"Mama…"

Pantha's head connected with the wall. Why? Why her? Why did the blasted thing think she was his mother? Everywhere she went, he followed like a lost puppy. She tried convincing him, but, no! That little, adorable monster latched himself onto her leg and nuzzled into her. Pantha groaned, continuing to hit her head against the wall of her apartment. Baby Wildebeest cooed, giggling like a normal human child. Pantha sighed, walking over to her couch and removed the kid's claws from her leg. Inspecting the cut, she sighed again and placed him next to her.

"Mama, up!" Baby cried.

Pantha knew her sanity was quickly slipping. It was freaking Wildebeest! Her friend! She knew he could revert into a baby version of himself, but he chose to stay in that form. Now, he thought she was his mother. How? Pantha had no idea! It just happened! Pantha moaned, patting Baby's head and urged him to fall asleep. Baby stared blankly, blinking with a cute, cherub smile. Pantha grunted, picking Baby back up and rocked him almost roughly.

"There. I picked you up. Happy?" she asked in a mild, tentative voice.

"Love you!" Baby chirped happily before bursting into a fit of giggles.

Pantha dropped Baby onto the couch, too stunned for words. Silence held her tongue, constricting her voice. Did he just say that? That he loved her? Her mouth tightened, staring forward before turning the television on, revealing the news. Yet, even as flashes of swift, violent homicides blew across the screen, Pantha continued tending to Baby. When he shifted in his seat, she snapped her head over to watch. He almost tumbled off the couch, but Pantha snatched his waist and brought him to her chest. Baby clapped excitedly, and Pantha felt a tiny smile stretch the corners of her mouth upwards.

"I hate admitting it, but you are cute…somehow," Pantha admitted, tickling his tummy that was covered by blue overalls.

Bursting into laughter, Baby flailed, waving his hands. She chuckled warmly, surprising herself that she was giving into her hidden maternal side. Pausing, she stopped herself and stood up, stating it was his bedtime. Baby sniffled, shouting he was not tired, and Pantha suddenly felt bad for her mother when she argued about sleep. His shrill voice rung in her ears, issuing a splitting migraine. Grunting, Pantha held the child by his overalls at her side, rolling her eyes and trudged to his room. Opening the doors, Pantha plopped Baby into his crib and shut the door.

"Mama! Mama!" Baby wailed, Pantha three paces away from the door.

"What?" she blurted, throwing the door open furiously.

"I gotta go."

"Go? What do you-? Oh, Jesus, no!"

Pantha dashed over to the crib, ripping Baby out and darted into the bathroom. Dropping him in front of the toilet, she unbuttoned his overalls, not looking at anything and turned away, expecting him to go. There was a period of troubling silence for the wrestler, and she had her arms crossed, impatiently waiting. If he had to go, why wouldn't he? Glancing over her shoulder, her hand connected with her forehead.

"You could have told me you were pooping," she muttered as Baby innocently smiled. Exiting, she called over her shoulder, "Okay, Wildebeest, just do not fall in."

After a few minutes of aimlessly watching television, Pantha perked up at the toilet flushing. Baby walked out, dressed in his overalls and resumed clinging to Pantha's uninjured leg. Pantha rubbed her eyes from dull sleepiness, asking if he washed his hands. When he nodded, she smirked and hugged him, much to the toddler's surprise.

"Mama?" Baby asked as Pantha changed the channel to something more child-friendly.

"Yeah?"

"What's under your mask?"

She blinked. "My face, silly."

Baby hummed before clutching her mask and pulling it off. Pantha gasped, covering her face and immediately maneuvered away, knocking Baby off. Yelping, Baby fell onto his bottom and held her black and yellow cat-like mask, He stretched it curiously, accidentally tearing it in half. Gasping, Baby frantically called for his mother, but she did not reply. He stumbled to his feet, bouncing after the Brazilian Titan and dropped her torn mask.

He paused in front of a door in their cream-colored apartment. A light poked through the normally darkened room, one he had hardly been inside. Childish curiosity flooded in his blood, prompting him to poke his head through to find his mother. He realized he was in her training room, filled with weights and a treadmill. Pantha was standing in front of a full body mirror, peering at herself through her fingers. He approached her cautiously, weakly murmuring her name,

Pantha sighed, shaking her head. Removing her hand, she faced Baby and greeted him quietly. For the first time, he saw her face and gasped. She was beautiful with sharp, sun-colored eyes and a fine, straight nose. He kept staring into her orbs, stupefied at the pools of gold until Pantha gave hoarse snicker. Baby flinched, tugging at her belt, but his "mother" simply picked him up and placed him on top of a few weights.

"I was born with these…unnatural eyes. They're the color of bright, unpolished gold as my father called them." Pantha hung her head, shoulders slumping forward. "Yet, my father wanted a boy, not a girl. I could never measure up to his expectations, even when I became a wrestler. I was made fun of by everyone that was not my father. They called me the "big, freak girl" as an example. That's why I never remove my mask, to keep secret and honor preserved."

"B-but Mama has pretty eyes! Pretty, pretty eyes!" Baby gushed.

"Wh-what? They're…pretty?" Pantha balked, stepping backwards and looking at her reflection in shock.

"Super pretty! Super duper pretty!"

Pantha gazed at herself, words stripped from her throat. Baby thought she was pretty? No, he bad to be flattering her. In this stage, he was just a toddler! He couldn't think properly or long enough to make a ten-word sentence! However, the purity in his black orbs jolted her thoughts, stirring all of her feebly excuses away. Pantha continued staring at her reflection, massaging her eyes and blinked repeatedly as if her yellow gems would vanish. Maybe…maybe she was pretty. Underneath the mask, the guard of herself, was a strong, independent, and beautiful woman. Pantha felt her eyes water, making her vision murky and obscured. Quickly wiping them, she smiled down to Baby and embraced him tightly.

"Aw, aren't you just the sweetest, little kid?" she cooed, waving him around. Hearing him squealing in delight, she taped his nose and smirked as he giggled. "All right, you want a mom? I'll be your mom."

"Mama!" Baby cried, hugging her neck. "Baby loves you!"

"And Mama loves you, Baby," Pantha whispered nurturingly. "C'mon, let's go to bed. Tomorrow, we are going to annoy a good friend of mine in Russia."

"Russia?"

"Where Red Star lives. I am going to beat him up, and you can watch. He defeated me in an arm wrestling match that I refuse to live down. I will avenge myself!"

"But, Mama, you write about him in your diary!"

"No, I don't like him!"

"Baby didn't say that!" Baby burst into laughter at her infuriated shout, and Pantha dropped him to the floor. As she fumingly stalked away, Baby clung to her leg, a position he deemed safe and comfortable. He sniggered to himself as Pantha grumbled, frequently trying to shake him off when she realized her folly.

"Can Red Star be my papa?" Baby wondered innocently.

Pantha stopped, contemplating. A sly sneer came to her face, replying, "When we visit, you can ask. Oh, the look on his face is going to be priceless."