Why Heroes Can't Sip Champagne and Apples are A Girl's Best Friend

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Chapter 3: The Guy in the Crowd With a Glass of Sparkling Punch, Gets Punched

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A bit of poking fun at old friends turns into an all out dsaster at the Titans' reunion gathering in Jump City. Dick's temper flares at the wrong guest and the guest of honor isn't at all pleased by this crime fighter's level of maturity. Can Nightwing swp modes just this once and not act like a total bat - brat?

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Roy Harper was harping away about some "Bow – something industry" or whatever Dick could tell by the sound of things, that was on hislist of endeavors to start up for the new year. Yeah, and Roy was any better athandling his finances than Oliver? Since when!? (Joke on Young Justice phantomsep. I laughed like a giggling school girl to that! Great dynamic!)

He stuffed his handsinto his pockets and walked towards the center of the Titans' main room. Thecommon room as Slade liked to call anything "without a pulse."

This room however, brought back so many memories.

It overlooked the bay; the sparling water was still asCalifornia clear as the city Dick lived in, could never hold a candle up to JumpCity. He grinned cockily at the comparison. Well, Cy did say not to be a partypooper.

The joint however, was pumped as Gar brought in Blue Beetleto mess with the music. They'd not needed to hire a DJ. In fact, Gar had gottenlicensed long enough to drive the stereo system to deafness.

Or to crash Cy's computer system and the tower's mainframesecurity…

" Yo! Wing – dinger! Over here!"

That voice…"

Wally .

Dick shoved his head down and dragged his feet over,scowling, to meet up with another goofy red head.

The even cock of the walk – ier – red headed speedster.

Wally West, A.K.A; The Flash (now anyway.)

Dick groaned and rolled his eyes, Wonder girl and Zee doingthe same by the punch bowl, and giggling. Where were Dami or Tim when you –

"Dickie!!" He was coming over…and Dick really needed to usethe little vigilante's room to reapply some anti - perspirant.

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"Wally… heey…." Dick forced a smile so stretchedagainst his cheeks, that even Raven by the terminal was holding back a chuckle.

With the old Robin's socially awkward tendencies vividlyshowing, Wally seemed to look beyond the Dick of yesteryear.

What, wait?

"Glad you made it over in one piece, dude!" Gar bounded overas a cat, a rather interesting ocelot as Wally only came in for –

A bro – hug. Somewhere deep inside himself, Dick was stillhiding behind Bruce in the batcave, crying to not be left alone with Bruce'slittle friends of the night.

Damn rodents…

"You promised me an' Cy, bro. No scowlie – faces?" Gar tappedhis furry paw and narrowed an eye at the bat's former ace in the hole.

"Yeah…I know…Why are Dami and Tim not at this thing? I seeeveryone else but my nitwit brothers." Dick scratched his head. "Oh, you poordoting daddy – figure, you…" Tutted Wallace with a smirk.

"God, Wallace…. can't you not do that to me…even Jay won –

"Did someone say, Jay bird was officially taken off the "bannedfrom a Titans reunion?" The faces didn't lie. Red X once, now he was a semi –reformed kick ass anarchist known as Red Hood. Poor Jay probably was given areal tag by Bruce.

"You…didn't have to show if you were gonna be such a –

"Dude, not cool." Gar snorted as a mandrill in the lug'sface. "Richie was here to s –

"To SAY hi to you guys after being AWOL for like, ever!" Dickslapped a palm over Wally's back to play it cool. Jason was good at weaning outfibbers in their family. Since he was one to begin with.

"Kori invited me; did I tell you on our last mission?" Jay'smask lifted a bit as that cocky grin never ceased to burn Dick up inside. "Yeah,what?" Wally crossed his arms, waiting for the big announcement of some kind,while Richard worried more about that "why."

"No," Dick gritted his one fist, a cup of punch gentlyplaced in the other by Gar to slow him down.

Dick wanted to spill it, to not be reminded that punch equaledan accident inside of Red hood's helmet painted fruity - tootie.

"She an' I even worked in the eh…. you remember my team? Theflippin' Outlaws?" Jay raised a brow as the crickets had started tochirp. "We were bomb – freaking - bastic last year? Ah, so she and I…teamedup. Same time you guys had the new crew up in the Tower. Isn't that insane?"

"You, what??"

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Kori. No way.

Dick's heart just stopped and was on a collision course tobeat every detail out of that wise crack's mouth. Teeth no longer an issue for whopping!

"Yeah, she's still heroic as all hell and damn…..but hercurves are way lengendado, bro. I mean –

"Don't talk about her like that! I mean it." Dick snippedat Jay, who put up his hands into a casual shrug. "She owns me, ya don't getit! Raven even said it like it is. Didn't you know about her career in NYC?"

"I did, but not until…Cy dropped that info on my line." Dickknew this was a bad idea, and Jay was already ready to roast his turkey - ass backto the kitchen. A well, undercooked bird.

"You…were never told?"

Wally eyed Gar and seethed at the extra drama in theirrange, " Uhh…not good. We are gonna have a –

"Cock fight!!" Gar turned into a rooster and crowed.

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Jay started with dissuading from the topic roughly, and Dickreally wanted the brat son to leave.

Jay was…more aware of Star's attitude and the last year anda half than Dick was as her ex – unofficial….boy friend.

He was rushed into first bating the littler man back. ThenJay got angsty and spat in Dick's cup which…finally ended up being shoved inJason's fat face –

"Hey!" Raven saw Cy and mozied over with him to stop themock battle between brothers.

"She doesn't know the real you! I couldn't make you change,but you can't mess with my head…Bruce is so gonna bench you."

"Same to you, clown." Dick sneered as Jay gasped, knowingthat had hit a sore spot. "What?? That was so uncalled for, Dick – for –

" Enough!"

The door had widened as Bumble Bee and Aqualad came in withone more in tow.

Spilling another drink, Jay watched the cup splatter all overRichard's dress down outer wear.

His face got redder than it had in years.

"I demand to know why you are in a "brawling match with…" Starfireblinked at the second…pursing her lips with her hands to her hips as she spoke.

"I believe you wanted to be "the better hero," didyou not tell me this on the night of our last "year made anew?"

Dick felt his head lowering, a sad, sad sight as he nodded andbacked into Wally. "Um, was I supposed to –

"I have returned only to find that my dear comrades now wishto fight each other." She stomped over – or floated, to find Cyborg and to eata table of chow just from her trip being so exhausting.

"Go talk to her later…We'll get things back on track." Garwas tapped on the shoulder by an ever-suspicious Raven. " After you andRed Hood go and apologize for almost ruining today. Go. I'm not changing mymind. Take the initiative, both of you."

"Yes, mom…" Dick hid behind Wally as Red was glared down byRae's shocking temper. Dick walked around towards Jay to lead the way out to thehall first, his unfamiliar snicker apparently amusing, as Jay bothered to quirkan eye brow.

"What's so funny, Golden boy?" He sniffed.

"Nothing. But you say you may know all of what's been goingon with Kori, yet you still refuse to think that Raven hasn't becomeeven more protective as an alpha to her pack of future crime fighters." Hechuckled and remembered the Brotherhood of Evil, how Raven was terrible withkids.

"Sometimes it just…you know, slipped. Whatever!" Jay huffedand stormed out of the room. Dick looked back at Kori, hair flipped over hershoulder as the Tameranean model only took from her plate and ate slowly, staringout at the horizon as the music blared in the background.

~ I'm worse than I was with Barbara… ~ Richard's hopesfell a bit and Jay's bat eared joke was the last he'd see of this shindig.

Another temper tantrum, another day to spill the punch.