Teen Titans © DC Comics

24. Dusk

"Hey, Joey, you awake?"

Joey looked up, blinking sleepy, emerald orbs to his best friend. Mal smirked at him, teasing him lightly that he was just like a baby. Frowning, Joey gave a silent huff and returned his gaze towards the darkening hues above. Pink and dark blushed clashed, battling for dominance, in which the latter was proving victorious. The speck of the moon glittered faintly in the ascending midnight cobalt.

It was rare for them to get a break like this. For some reason, crime drastically increased in the past few days. Mal, in his Titans identity, came to help his close friend defeat a crime boss who was waging war against India. It was something about him attaining power, controlling the world, and other junk that Mal put behind him. Villains just blabbed on and on, and it really just irritated him when their enemies decided it would be the perfect time to monologue in the middle of a fight. Thankfully, in the end, they managed to defeat the cretin and send him and his flunkies to a high-security jail.

Enjoying the silence? Joey signed over his head, causing Mal to look over to him.

"Better than listening to that guy go on and on about his plans for 'takin' over the world' and 'fulfilling my destiny.'" Mal rolled his chocolate eyes, sighing. "'Least we get to relax for once. There's seriously something very boring with villains these days. They just keep getting unoriginal by the minute."

Joey smiled. It seems someone is a bit antsy today.

"Hey, man, you were the one that was itching at his scalp when I first got here. When those cronies had that bag over your head, you were just wiggin' out."

Joey's face fell, rolling over to his stomach and glared down at the older boy. Mal simply smirked, happy to have won minor battle for once. Shaking his head, Joey sat up, the tall grass coming up to his chest. The Indian mountains were far more peaceful at nights. Animals sounded out, goats bellowing and birds humming, as the world began to shut down. He grew to enjoy the quiet of night, finding it a peaceful solution to the day's worries. Yet, he still had mild nightmares of a certain accident, but his dreams were usually of happier, fonder memories of his mother, brother, and father.

The breaking night began to overlap. Blue and purple swelled over the sky, ordering the orange and pink sky to rest until the morrow. They continued to watch the sky in silence, letting the animals calling out speak for them. The duo had battled for days, making their senses dulled and alert to nothing. Sitting in peaceful stillness brought back those senses, allowing them to take in the constant cries of the creatures, the brushing wind in their ears, and adjust to the descending darkness.

"Hey, how long have we been here?" Mal wondered.

A few hours, his friend replied.

"Pretty awesome how you get to see this every night. Back in my dimension, there are just…pink and black and white swirls that look strangely like, well, barf."

Joey giggled mutely into his hand as Mal snickered. When they were Mal and Joey, it was just fun and jokes. Nothing serious would ever go on to break their moments. As Herald and Jericho, something was always going on. A villain broke out of prison, a bank was being robbed, or even the rare purse-snatcher on the run would bring out their duties. Not to say that they disliked being heroes, no, they enjoyed themselves verily. Helping others and saving the world just boosted their self-esteem, especially in Joey's case after what he had been through. Though, they sometimes just wanted quiet, and they would not let this moment go.

Sitting upright, Mal brushed a hand through his soft, bumpy, black hair. He removed a simple trumpet from his belt, gold in color, with a broad grin. "Mind if I start playin' a few tunes?"

Joey grinned, placing his hand onto his guitar that lay to his side. Mind if I join in?

"You never have to ask."

Music exploded in the wind. The high-pitched jazz quivered and cut through the breeze, sending the sounds throughout the bold night and beyond. Guitar and trumpet meshed harmoniously, producing a sound like no other. Alone in their night, they allowed the music control as the world grew darker. They released their soul into their music, becoming their true selves: Mal and Joseph, passionate musicians, who became alive through the night.