Chapter Text
"The party is here!" Kole shouted.
"Seems like the party is in the way." Speedy rolled his eyes.
She pushed him before walking in the common room. "I'm ready to have a great time."
"Cool." Bumble Bee said. "We're going to be in Star's room."
"Ugh! It's so… pretty in there!" Cheshire snarled.
Speedy wrapped his arms around her waist. "You could stay in here with us guys."
Her top lip curled in disgust. "It's just the right kind of pretty."
Argent and Kole laughed. Jericho, Hot Spot and Aqualad grinned.
Speedy let his kinda girlfriend go. "You're a mean cat."
She waved him off. "As long as you got good snacks, I'll be fine."
"We're pigging out." Bumble Bee promised. "Come on. Everyone's already there."
The whole room looked at Raven, who was reading on the couch.
"She's coming later." Bumble Bee huffed.
The female Titans East spoke in unison, "Okay."
They followed the brunette to the elevator and the foursome went down a level.
The guys all crowded around the common room. "Should we discuss our plans in front of her?" Speedy hooked a thumb at Raven.
"I wouldn't care if you suddenly were struck lame." She nearly whispered.
"That's reassuring."
"You asked." Cyborg reminded him.
"What's the plan?" Jericho signed.
"Video games, video games and more video games." Changeling announced happily.
"Any food on that diverse list?" Aqualad wanted to know.
"Fish sticks." Kid Flash said with a straight face.
Aqualad turned green.
Speedy high-fived Kid Flash with a laugh. "Awesome!"
"Not cool!" The Atlantean steamed.
"We're going to start with the classics." Nightwing ignored them. "Madden, Mario Kart, Super Sonic, all of them. Then we'll move into racing games. There'll be tournaments. Then there's fighting games. Then we'll fuel up for team combat games."
"Riveting." Raven closed her book and stood.
"It's going to be killer, Rave!" Cyborg whooped.
"Better than painting toenails and talking about us." Speedy added.
"For your information, you're not a stimulating enough subject for us to discuss, Roy." She rolled her eyes and walked to the elevator.
Aqualad tapped him on the shoulder. "I think that's what you call… a burn!"
The other guys laughed as his face turned red. Changeling jogged over to her before the lift's doors closed. "Kiss for luck?"
"You know I don't believe in luck." She pulled the hood of her hoodie up.
"But I do."
She couldn't argue that so she kissed him gently. He smiled into the kiss and deepened it. He took it a little far when he backed her against the wall and tried to pick her up. She slapped at him to let her go.
"Sorry." He grinned sheepishly passed the ringing in his ears.
She pursed her (swollen) lips. "You've got your luck. Don't press it."
"Got it!" He stepped out of the elevator and let the doors close to the catcalling of the guys.
"I'm so glad we're doing this, loves." Argent unpacked her sleepwear, a little pink silk number.
"It's been too long since our last sleepover." Jinx agreed. The Titans West were already in their pajamas. She was wearing a tank top in spice with obsidian shorts.
Starfire, who wore a tiny purple night-rail, bounced on her bed and clapped. "I am very excited!"
Kole stashed her baby blue cotton nightgown under her arm. "We should do this more than every three months."
Cheshire rolled her eyes as she stood up with her sheer green baby doll style nightgown. "Every three months is good enough."
Terra, wearing a black sleep-shirt with a (Tabby) cat on it and matching yellow (with black cats) shorts, sucked her teeth. "Just admit you like us."
"Never!"
Bumble Bee rolled her eyes heavily. "It's a good thing we don't care what you think!" She was wearing a long yellow sleep-shirt with bees and bears on it.
"Ouch!" Cheshire stuck her tongue out.
Bumble Bee reciprocated.
"Aren't you a mum now?" Argent asked. "Shouldn't you be mature and the like?"
"Whatever." Bumble Bee shrugged.
The door opened and the girls turned to face Raven. "I just checked on Charlotte."
They'd waited until night fell to have the sleepovers so the kids wouldn't get overly excited about something they were going to miss.
"I should do the checking up on Christopher." Starfire bit her lip.
"I can do it while I check on Cal." Bumble Bee offered as she stood.
"Thank you, friend!" Starfire pulled her heavy hair off her hot neck.
Argent, Kole, Bumble Bee and Cheshire left the room and Raven sat on the floor by Starfire's bed. "What are we doing first?"
"Once we're all in PJs, we'll paint our nails." Terra drew her knees up to her chest.
"Goodie." Raven took off her hoodie, revealing her dark blue cotton shorts with Changeling's favorite black t-shirt. She'd sort of stolen it and never returned it. Nor planned on doing so.
"Make merry, Raven. We will cover many bases tonight." Starfire was chipper enough for the both of them.
Jinx was already filing her nails as she was wrought to do. "After that is the facials."
"Why do we need facials? We're eighteen. None of us have wrinkles." Raven complained.
"Speak for yourself!" Terra held her face.
"After the facials is magazine testing." Starfire went on.
"That really is unnecessary." Raven drew the line at taking anything seriously from a stupid magazine.
"But they have so many wonderous testing that are relevant to our lives!" Starfire pleaded.
"Name one."
Starfire flew to her desk and sorted through the giant stack of magazines before coming to one. "Here it is! Does my boyfriend really love me or is he going through the motions?"
"How is that relevant?" Raven demanded.
"Perhaps Friend Changeling is simply going through the motions?”
Raven's face was… withering. "No, he is not."
"How do you know if you will not take the testing?"
Jinx and Terra fell out laughing.
"There is nothing wrong with our relationship!" Raven snapped.
"What of your jealousy?" Starfire countered.
"That is inconsequential."
"There are plenty of testing on such a subject."
"Drop it!"
Starfire huffed. "I concede!"
Raven leaned against the bed. "I'm not the jealous one."
"Because you didn't almost knock his eyes out of his head for looking at that slutty cat on Halloween?" Jinx pointed her nail file at Raven.
"Ooh! Who did what?" Argent, now dressed, entered the room with Bumble Bee.
"Changeling noticed another girl at the Halloween party and Raven nearly killed him." Terra piped up.
"I remember that." Bumble Bee snickered. "He apologized the whole night but she stayed mad for two days."
"Talk about a grudge." Kole slipped into the room with Cheshire following.
"I thought we were painting nails." Raven glared at them all.
"Don't shoot!" Argent held up her hands. "Who's got a bottle of fire engine red?"
"Die, soulless zombie, die!" Kid Flash yelled.
"Cover your flank!" Nightwing snapped. "You're a weak spot!"
Cyborg twisted his body as he played intensely. "I got your back, bro!"
"Thanks, Cy!" Nightwing's tongue was harshly forced between his teeth as he concentrated.
"Look up! Look up! Look up!" Changeling rose as he shouted.
"And you're dead." Speedy told Kid Flash.
Kid Flash dropped the controller sadly. "Aww man!"
"There's too many and they're comin’ in hot!" Nightwing blinked furiously.
"The objective is to kill zombies, C. Not anything that moves." Cyborg said dryly.
"My way's more efficient." The green man shrugged as he sat back down.
"Watch your left, Changeling!" Nightwing yelled.
"Dangit!" Changeling slumped as a zombie bit his character.
"We're deadmeat." Cyborg shook his head. "We're three men down. There's no way we can reach the bunker with just the two of us."
"That's loser talk!" Nightwing snapped. "As long as we have honor, truth and justice on our side-! Aww crap!"
The other guys laughed as his character was mauled by a zombie with an Afro.
"And then there was one." Hot Spot, who'd died early on, said.
Cyborg tried valiantly but he was soon caught and eaten. "Now I feel bad."
"What game's next?" Aqualad wanted to know. He wasn't the best at battle games. Give him epic adventures any day.
"We should eat." Nightwing stretched his cramped muscles. "Did the girls call in?"
"No." Jericho signed.
Nightwing stood up and went to get the menu for a local pizza place and the phone. "Are we going to have to duel to the death over the order or can we reach an agreement like grown men?"
"I'm starving!" Cheshire complained.
"You're eating a cookie right now!" Bumble Bee pointed.
"I want pizza. When is that going to happen?" Cheshire shrugged lightly.
"I'm hungry, too." Raven wasn't much for sweets (baring a few treasured treats) so she'd nibbled here and there.
"We can call for the pizza." Jinx admired her pink toes on the carpet before standing. "I'll get the menu and phone."
"What are we thinking of getting?" Terra wanted to know. "Nothing with pineapple, please!"
"You can't let that go, can you?" Argent put her hands on her hips.
"Pineapples don't belong on pizza!"
Jinx laughed as she floated out the room. "She's not wrong."
"As long as it has bacon, I don't care." Raven flipped disinterested through a magazine.
"You sound like Sparky." Bumble Bee snorted before adding bass to her voice. "I need the whole pig on my pizza or it's not worth eatin’!"
The girls fell out laughing.
"I would like to put in the request for the crust of pretzel." Starfire announced. She knew her friends wouldn't judge her for her mustard use when pretzels were involved.
"That sounds good." Kole was okay with that. "Maybe chicken?"
"You eat so much chicken! You're going to turn into a big old hen!" Cheshire taunted.
"You would know." Kole shot back. "You nag Speedy enough."
Cheshire's mouth fell open. "I do not!"
Argent giggled. "Don't do that, Arrow! Do this, Arrow! Don't say that, Arrow! You're doing it wrong, Arrow!"
"I do not sound like that!" The Asian American sputtered.
"You sound just like that!" Kole teased.
"It's better than all that cute talk you do with Jericho!" Cheshire retaliated. "Oh JoJo, you're so sweet! You're the best boyfriend ever, JoJo! I just love your hands!"
Kole burned. "I've never said that!"
Argent giggled. "Yes, you have."
Kole slapped her with a pillow. "Shut it!"
The other girls giggled madly.
Starfire hid hers behind her hands. "It is the same here. Jinx has the most peculiar pet names for Kid Flash. She calls him the idiot and shameless flirt all the time."
"But nobody fights as much as Bumble Bee and Cyborg." Terra rolled onto her stomach. "She's always calling him a lunkhead and a sore loser."
"He is!" Bumble Bee snapped.
"They argue over the dumbest of things." Raven added as she finished the magazine and threw it aside.
"Not everybody can be as cute as you and Changeling!" Bumble Bee put her hands on her hips. "He's always in her face, looking for attention-"
"How is that new?" Argent whispered.
"And kissing her body parts." Bumble Bee went on. "We can't go in a room without him slobbing on her hands and her reading like he's not even there! Or even worse, when they think they're alone and they're making out really heavy!"
Raven burned and glared at her friend hotly. "You're attached to Cyborg's lips whenever you're not arguing!"
"Am not!"
"You don't care who's around! You just go for it. At least Changeling and I have decorum!"
"You're boring." Bumble Bee snorted as Jinx returned. "You're always reading with his head in your lap while he plays video games. You're so cute, it's sickening!"
"You have us confused with Terra and Aqualad."
Terra's mouth fell open. "Hey!"
Bumble Bee laughed. "We hear you in your room, talking to him. It's so adorable."
"We're not adorable!"
"You are the adorable!" Starfire argued.
Terra buried her face in the carpet with a pout.
"We're talking about people?" Jinx smirked.
"Just relationships." Argent shrugged. "What about yours?"
Jinx paled. "How about we order pizza first?"
"Okay, three pizzas. They should all be different." Bumble Bee pulled a hat from thin air. "I say we choose names and those people decide."
"Sounds fair." Argent said.
"I'll go first." Cheshire shuffled forward and stuck her hand in the hat. She pulled out a slip of paper then read it aloud. "Raven."
Raven smiled softly to herself. She had just the pizza.
Starfire went next. "Friend Argent."
Kole went last. "Jinx."
"Okay, guys.” Bumble Bee put aside the hat. “What'll it be?"
The guys munched quietly for a moment as they savored their delicious pies. They just ought to have... it had been a battle to figure out what to get.
"This is a travesty." Speedy eyed the box that held a… unique pie.
Both Aqualad and Changeling glared at him. "It's good pizza!"
"Who puts broccoli on a pizza?!"
"Better than anchovies!" Aqualad snapped.
"Don't knock it." Cyborg shrugged.
"That is disgusting." Jericho signed. "Both are shameful."
Nightwing choked on his slice of meat lover's. "He's right. You all have horrible taste."
Hot Spot nodded as he, Nightwing and Jericho ate the meat lover's. "I can't get with the olives."
"What's so bad about olives?" Kid Flash was sharing the ultra deluxe with Cyborg and Speedy.
"Nothing. In a martini."
Changeling and Aqualad shared a broccoli, tofu and onion pizza. Both were satisfied with their choice.
"What game are we going to play after this?" Hot Spot wiped grease off his fingers.
"I'm a little burned out on games." Changeling admitted.
"Well what do you want to do?"
In the end, Raven chose a bacon, chicken, ham and red onion pizza with BBQ sauce and a salted pretzel crust. Jinx chose a classic meat lover's (sans sausage) on a Asiago crust while Argent messed with Terra by getting a Hawaiian pizza.
"We were talking about boys and relationships." Kole reminded the group after they'd gotten their slices.
"Do we have to?" Raven wasn't up for another argument nor for explaining her relationship to anyone.
"Yes!" They all yelled.
"I think we should start with Jinx and Kid Flash." Kole decided to be mischievous. "Describe your relationship."
Jinx frowned. "How? It's a relationship."
"Are you happy?"
"Enough."
"You're being difficult." Argent set her fists on her hips. "Gush about your beau."
"I don't gush." Jinx said flatly.
"Come on! Give us something! What do you love about him? What do you wish he'd stop doing? Throw us a bone!"
Jinx raised an eyebrow. "Fine. He's really sweet when he wants to be. And I hate his flirting."
"He still does that?" Kole frowned.
"Yes." Jinx sucked air between her teeth.
"Not cool."
"Somebody else go." It was bumming Jinx out.
"Okay. Raven. Same questions. What do you love about him? What do you hate?" Argent ordered.
Raven sighed. "He's very compassionate. He's also very stubborn."
"Quite." Starfire chewed thoughtfully. "It is quite hard to move him on a position once he has made up his mind."
"He's irrationally stubborn. Like a mule."
The other girls giggled before Cheshire looked at Bumble Bee. "You should go next."
The braid wearing (albeit covered with a silk scarf at the moment) girl rolled her eyes. "His loyalty. And I hate his inability to admit defeat."
"Inability to admit defeat?" Terra was slightly confused.
"He always eggs me on. I can't back down from anything and he's always challenging me. Then when I win, he re-challenges me! I can't win for losing with him!"
"You could always lose." Argent pointed out.
"Have you lost your mind?" The girls giggled. "Since you wanna talk, what's up with you and Isaiah? You flirt so hardcore but you've never gone out. What's up with that?"
Argent paled. "Excuse me?"
"Oh yeah! Why aren't you and Hot Spot together?" Cheshire teased.
"Probably the same reason you're leading Speedy on!"
Cheshire smirked. "Give me a break! Just fuck and get it over with. Even Rae here did."
Raven turned her head slowly with a withering look. "Keep me out of your disagreement."
"But it's true. You and Changeling did that same tired sex charged dance but you banged and now you are not only together but better people."
Raven gritted her teeth. "Sex does not make you a better person."
"Being hard up makes you unbearable. Having sex fixes that. So yes, sex makes you a better person. To be around."
Raven frowned. She didn't like the way that sounded. "I wasn't hard up."
"You needed to get laid." Bumble Bee disagreed.
Raven crossed her arms. "You and Cyborg do that enough for everyone!"
"Sometimes I think the competitiveness is foreplay for us..." She pursed her lips.
"What I'm hearing is a success story of boning." Kole turned to Argent. "What's the hold up?"
Argent sucked her teeth. "He's never asked me out!"
"He asks you out all the time!" Cheshire yelled.
"Not seriously!" Argent rolled her eyes. "He's always teasing. It's hard to know how he really feels or what he really wants."
"If he were to open up to you about what is in his heart, you will permit him to take you on the date?" Starfire asked.
"I'd love to date him." She said softly. It was quiet for a moment before she went on. "Go, Cheshire. Why won't you call Speedy your boyfriend?"
Cheshire didn't want to admit this but this was girls night and the others had been honest. She sighed. "I don't fully trust him."
Bumble Bee snorted. "Shouldn't that be the other way around?"
"I know you don't like me-"
"I don't trust you." She corrected quickly. "Roy gets on my last nerve but he's like my brother and you're a villain that's delighted in trying to kill him. Now you're toyin’ with his heart. So no, I do not trust you."
Cheshire had never known the full reason why Bumble Bee reluctantly tolerated her. "I guess that makes sense. Maybe it's not that I don't trust him but I trust him too much. I never wanted to do anything more than what I was doing until I met him. He was the only person to care to see past my mask."
"That's scary." Jinx said. "That was why I let Kid chase me so long. When you're a villain, you mistrust everyone and when this genuine person comes along, you wait for the other shoe to drop. Trusting men is hard enough when you aren't exposed to the worst ones in creation."
"Exactly." Cheshire was thankful to the other ex-villainess for understanding. "I already gave up my life for him. Everything that I thought made me "me". Going that small extra step is a little much."
Raven decided to share something she'd never told anyone. "I, of course, was never a villain but I've always felt evil. Gar is the best person I've ever met. Being with someone like that is pressure. You never feel good enough and just thinking about giving all of yourself to that person is daunting."
"Dating Roy would be like killing off Cheshire and being someone I don't even know. I'm not sure if I'm ready for that." The green eyed kitten clad Titan added.
"I guess I could understand that." Bumble Bee said.
"I'm not trying to mess with him. I just don't want to be broken." It was really quiet after that. Each girl reflected on their own personality and the character of her boyfriend. "So Terra? You and Aqualad came out of nowhere."
Terra frowned. "We just clicked."
"What's your love and hate about him?" Argent prodded.
"We've been on two dates."
"And you've known him for a while."
Terra sucked in a breath. "Fine. I love how understated he is. He doesn't have to be the center of attention."
"And what do you hate?" Kole asked.
Terra scowled. "He has this look! This judging look! He doesn't have to say anything, just look at you and you can just feel the smugness radiating off him!"
Bumble Bee laughed. "Yup! That's Garth!"
Starfire put a hand on Terra's shoulder. "I did not wish to say anything."
"I can see that." Argent snorted.
Raven had noticed that look as well. "Maybe he can't help it?"
"It's disturbing." Cheshire narrowed her eyes.
"So Kole. You haven't gone. What do you love and hate about Jericho?" Terra felt better after confessing (and knowing she wasn't the only one who caught Aqualad's facial expression).
"He has a beautiful soul." Kole had hearts in her eyes. "I'd date him if he were ugly, it's so stunning."
"Well how do you respond to that?" Bumble Bee cocked her head.
"The thing I hate?" Kole scrunched up her nose. "He's so patient and gentle!"
The other girls gawked at her.
"I'm serious! He's always going at my pace and letting me set the rules and sometimes I just want him to throw me against a wall or sign something dirty!"
It started slowly but laughter quickly built up at her heated words and stressed expression.
"I guess nice guys finish last for you, don't they, Kole?" Jinx teased.
"Don't get me wrong, I love his gentle nature but he's too gentle. I won't break!" She sighed. "I guess it's your turn, Star. You and Nightwing are dancing around each other. What do you love and hate about him?"
Starfire sat up and twisted her face into a thoughtful expression. "I do love his sense of justice. Of doing what is the right. I do abhor his blind sense of duty."
Raven nodded. "He can't see the trees for the forest."
"What about his obsessions?" Bumble Bee mocked. "I wondered about him and Slade."
"Right?!" Jinx burst out with. "It was unnatural!"
"I believe Slade was also inappropriate in his intentions as well." Starfire said. "It was the creepy."
"Let's just admit that Slade was creepy!" Terra shuddered.
"Agreed!" Each girl raised a hand.
"That's the dumbest idea you've ever had..."
Changeling rolled his eyes. "You don't have to do it, fish boy. I know you're too chicken to do it anyway."
Aqualad crossed his arms over his chest. "I am not chicken! I'm also not juvenile enough to fall for that."
"Whatever. Stay here with your purse and makeup."
Aqualad steamed. "What exactly are you trying to accomplish by spying on the girls?!"
"Knowing what they think about us. Duh!"
"Do we really care?" Speedy snorted.
"I care." Jericho signed.
"I just wanna know." Changeling went on. "They tell each other everything-"
"And you want to make sure Rave's not telling them what weird things you do." Cyborg guessed.
"Bumble Bee doesn't like you on a good day..."
Cyborg grinned. "I wanna know, too. I can admit to being nosy."
"I think it's a bad idea." Nightwing shook his head. "It's disrespectful and kinda skeazy."
"You don't want to hear Starfire say how she really feels about you?" Changeling didn't believe that for a minute.
"Alright! I'm in!" Hot Spot raised his arms above his head.
Kid Flash sighed. "I already know Jinx is bad mouthing me."
"Stop messin up."
Kid Flash glared. "Everything I do is wrong!"
"Then do different stuff." It was a no brainer for the fire starter.
Kid Flash just stared at him for a moment. "Where is your girlfriend?!”
"I want to know what Argent says about me when I'm not around."
"What if it's mean?" Nightwing said. "What if she says you're annoying and wishes you'd change your entire personality?"
"Then I'd change."
Nightwing gaped at him. "Really?"
"She's hot." Hot Spot shrugged.
"Don't worry, 'Wing." Changeling clapped him on the shoulder. "Star would never want you to change."
"I never said Star." Nightwing bit off.
"But it's what you meant." Cyborg grinned.
"The girls wouldn't say anything bad about us. They love and respect us. Like we do them." Jericho signed.
Speedy raised an eyebrow. "Right. They love and respect us? I call bullsh-!"
"Hey!" Changeling, Nightwing and Cyborg shouted. "No cursing!"
"The kids are sleeping!"
"They still hear everything." Nightwing told him.
Speedy groaned. "Whatever. All I'm saying is I bet they're in there talking about how much they can't go on without us but wished they could."
"Just for that, I bet they're not even talking about us." Aqualad stared at him as if he were an alien more foreign than Starfire.
"We'll know for sure if we go!" Changeling motioned to the door.
"We're only staying for five minutes!" Nightwing compromised. "I'm going against everything I believe in-!"
"I stopped listening after yes." Changeling promised.
Nightwing's lips flattened. "Let's go."
The guys piled onto the elevator and rode down a level to the bedrooms. They took a right and walked down the hall to Starfire's room.
Hot Spot, Jericho, Kid Flash and Changeling stood on the left side of her door while Nightwing, Cyborg, Speedy and Aqualad stood on the right. Changeling put his ear to the door and his index finger to his lips for quiet.
After a moment, Kid Flash got impatient. "Well! What's happening?!"
"Shh! They are talking about us."
"I know of a game in which we could partake!" Starfire hopped up happily and grabbed a notebook and markers. She tore off pieces for each girl then passed out the markers.
"We have to do homework?" Jinx moaned.
"No. We are to write the name of the boy we would most want to be with if we did not have the one we have."
"What's the purpose of this?" Raven demanded.
"Fun." The redhead held out a marker.
Raven took it, disgruntled. The girls worked in silence for a while before they all finished. "Who's going first?"
"I will." Starfire turned her page around. In flowery script read Kid Flash. "Kid Flash."
"What?" Jinx did a double take. "Why?!"
"He is very charming."
"Apparently Star thinks you're charming, Kid." Changeling reported.
"Really?" Kid Flash was confused. "Did Jinx say something?"
"They're playing a game. They have to write the name of the guy they'd date if they weren't taken."
"This sounds like a bad idea." Nightwing intoned.
"Shh! Raven's going and she talks quiet." Changeling waved him away before his green eyes widened. "She picked you, Joe!"
Jericho blushed and signed, "Why?"
Changeling pulled a face. "You're not that mature!"
Jericho only smiled.
"Jericho." Bumble Bee showed her page.
Kole pouted. "Hey!"
Cheshire held up her paper. "Changeling."
"Me too." Argent grinned.
"Why?" Raven snapped.
Unintentionally, both spoke in unison. "He's hot."
Raven glared as Kole giggled. "Cyborg."
"Really?!" Bumble Bee recoiled.
"He's stable."
"Hot Spot." Jinx threw her paper on the ground. Argent glared at her. "He's cute."
"Nightwing." Terra blushed.
"You're kidding!" The other girls laughed.
Terra hid her face. "I knew I should have picked someone else."
"Nightwing has many admiring qualities." Starfire put her hand on her shoulder.
"Not to mention that strong jawline." Argent fanned herself with her page.
"And tan." Jinx had to admit to liking darker skin tones.
"His intensity." Raven could admit to liking that. It was one of the things he had in common with Changeling, who could turn it off and on at will.
"The first time I saw his eyes, I almost died." Kole admitted. "No eyes should be that blue."
"He has big feet." Cheshire moved her eyebrows. "We all know what that means!"
Changeling wrinkled his face. "Ugh! Why?!"
"What's happening?!" Hot Spot pushed at his shoulder.
"Well Rae and Bumble Bee think Jericho is the man. Kole picked Cy. Jinx picked you. Argent and Cheshire said me but Terra likes you, 'Wing."
Nightwing's lips twitched. "Really?"
"It gets worse!" Changeling noticed Aqualad looking a little miffed. "The girls are making her feel better about thinking you're cute by saying all the things they like about you!"
Nightwing's lips separated, showing his teeth. "What are they saying?"
"Yeah! Argent said you have a strong jawline and Jinx likes your tan."
Kid Flash pouted.
"Rae says you're intense. Kole likes your eyes and Cheshire likes your feet."
"My feet?!" Nightwing raised a brow.
"You have big feet and we all know what that means."
Nightwing burned. "Let's go."
"No. They're talking about… me now."
"If we want to talk about someone being hung like a horse, how about we ask about the person that can turn into one?" Jinx teased.
Raven's eyes widened. "No."
"Come on! That boy can't be that big for no reason!" Argent wanted to know.
"Let's go down the list." Cheshire teased. "Big feet, big hands, big teeth."
Raven blushed so red, they were almost concerned. "Stop it!"
"He's super hot, hun." Argent shook her head. "And he has some pretty sweet lines."
"And he has gentlemanly behavior." That was what Starfire liked about him. "Also he has a caring soul and gentle hand."
"Tell the truth, Rae." Bumble Bee leaned back. "First time with him was explosive."
"If I tell you I had fun, will you cease this discussion immediately?" Raven wasn't sure how much longer she could control her emotions. She was totally embarrassed. And a little mad they all were looking at her boyfriend.
"We know you had fun." The brown eyed girl rolled those chocolate orbs. "I bet he's rough. All that animal DNA? He's got to be wild."
Raven almost died. "I'll leave."
"You are no fun." Starfire pouted. "We have spoken about Friend Nightwing."
Raven hated when they did this to her. "You're right. It was a lot of fun. He's very talented and doesn't mind asking what will please me better."
"Can I have him?" Argent drooled.
"No."
Changeling snickered.
"What's so funny?" Cyborg pushed at him.
"They're embarrassing Rae about me. But they got her to admit she likes me."
"Of course she likes you. She's dating you." Aqualad rolled his eyes.
"Likes me in bed, fish boy."
"So we can move on to somebody else." Raven finished. She'd never even told Changeling how she felt about him that way.
"I'm so jealous." Cheshire sighed.
"Somebody else!" Raven snapped.
"Let's get this out of the way. Sparky." Bumble Bee went.
"He's dependable." Raven started. "You would never have to worry about anything with him. It doesn't matter what it was. He's supportive." She stopped. "He has a nice eye."
"It is beautiful, isn't it?!" Kole snapped her fingers. "He looks like a sad little boy that's being brave when he shouldn't have to be!"
"I like his voice." Terra piped up. "It's really soothing and comforting."
"I like how big he is." Argent said. "He makes me feel safe."
"I like how fun he is." Cheshire admitted. "I hate boring people and there's so many guys that are so serious and heavy. But he can liven up a room by being himself."
"I believe Cyborg is the cuddly!" Starfire hugged herself. "He has a strong grip and gives me hugs that remind me of my home."
Kole rocked to and fro. "He's very handsome. Very personable. He's an all around catch, Bee. Better not let some girl get him."
"I'd kill him and her." Bumble Bee swore.
Changeling clapped his hands to his mouth as he fell out laughing. "You better watch your back, Cy!"
Cyborg pouted. "Man! What I do now?!"
"The girls like how dependable and solid you are. They say you're stable and mature. They like your voice and your human eye. How big you are and strong. How fun you are. Star even called you cuddly."
Cyborg facepalmed. "That's my sister."
"Why does he have to watch out if they're all so in love with him?" Speedy crossed his arms.
"They were talking about some girl stealing him from Bee and she said she'd kill them both." Changeling snickered as he put his ear back to the door. "Shush!" He waved away the laughter. "They're talking about you, HS."
"He lights on fire!" Jinx stated each word slowly as if it would make it easier to understand. "And he's hot!"
Argent rolled her eyes. "He has a big enough head."
"I like how flirty he is." Cheshire said. "Anytime I'm feeling bad, I just orbit around him and he starts up."
"I like that, too." Kole teased as she elbowed Argent in the side. "I never have to worry about feeling ugly."
"I like how well spoken he is." Raven nodded slowly. "So many boys are slack-jawed imbeciles and can't speak without messing up every other word but he comes across educated and well read. It's refreshing."
"I adore his coloring." Starfire said. "It is like the smoothest caramel."
"If we're talking about voices, he and Changeling have the best. They're both deep and smooth like velvet but have this sandpaper quality. It's like every word is a battle to see which texture is going to coat it." Bumble Bee wiggled her eyebrows.
"Yes!" Terra snapped her fingers. "I could listen to him talk for hours and never get tired. And he's funny, too so you actually want to hear what he has to say."
"He does have amazing stories." Jinx added.
"One, don't talk to my girlfriend again and two, these girls love you!" Changeling whisper-yelled.
Hot Spot grinned. "Of course."
"They love your voice, your stories and Rae mentioned how well spoken you are." Changeling sent him a glare. "They like your skin and how flirty you are. And the fact that you're fire."
Hot Spot's grin widened. "I'm okay with all of that!"
"Speaking of flirts, Kid Flash." Bumble Bee sat back. "He flirts before breakfast."
Jinx sighed and fell backwards. "I know!"
"But he's so cute!" Argent squealed.
"I like his calves. He has the calves of a soccer player." Kole bit her bottom lip.
"I like his hair." Starfire stated proudly. "It is not enough of us heads of red."
"I like how he doesn't waste energy. I don't know if it's a result of his powers but he does things quickly and efficiently." Raven said.
"He doesn't take anything too seriously. He's light and fun." Cheshire added.
"He gives the best hugs." Terra told them. "He rocks back and forth like he doesn't want to let you go."
"I didn't know you were a hugger, dude." Changeling looked to Kid Flash, who looked back puzzled. "Terra says you give the best hugs."
Kid Flash smiled. "Aww! I knew I liked her!"
"They really like how flirty you are, too. They say you're cute. Star likes your hair. Rae likes how efficient you are, whatever that means and Cheshire says you don't take anything seriously. Kole likes your calves."
"My calves?" Kid Flash looked down at his legs.
Changeling squinted to concentrate before frowning. "Okay, they're talking about fish boy now."
"He's handsome!" Most of the girls blurted out.
"And smart." Raven put in.
"His eyes are the dreamy." Starfire sighed.
"I like how clean he is. Boys are so gross, it's ridiculous but he and Jericho are the only ones I see washing their hands multiple times a day." Argent said.
"I've noticed that." Kole added. "I think guys have the grossest hands but his nails are always clean."
"I like how quiet he is." Cheshire noticed a chip in her manicure. "Arrow plays such obnoxious music and the twins play that street music so loudly, I can't hear myself think sometimes. But Trout keeps his music low and clean."
"Yeah, I hate the guys' rap music. It's so filthy but Aqualad listens to blues." Bumble Bee agreed. "It's not as boring as Jericho's classical. No offense."
Kole shrugged. "It's not my first choice."
"He's cultured!" Raven found herself defending the mute blond.
"It's a yawn fest." Cheshire goaded her.
"I know it sounds weird but Aqua is reasonable." Bumble Bee went on. "You can actually talk to him without him arguing before you even speak."
"Yes!" Jinx, Argent and Cheshire moaned in unison.
"They like your music, your cleanliness and Bee says you're reasonable. Starfire said your eyes were dreamy and they agree that you're handsome. Rae said you were smart." Changeling spoke disgruntledly.
"I am clean." Aqualad liked his assessment.
"Are they talking about me yet?!" Speedy clutched the wall dramatically.
"Yes!" Changeling hissed. "Now shut up so I can hear!"
"His fierce conquering spirit!" Starfire raised a fist to the ceiling.
"He's cheeky." Raven said slowly. "When he and Nightwing do their… whatever it is they do, he gets really silly and cheeky about getting under his skin. It's amusing to watch."
"I think he's cute." Terra shrugged lightly. "Though maybe it's because he looks so much like Nightwing."
"He does!" Jinx leaned forward. "They could be twins!"
"Do not say that in front of either of them!" Kole laughed. "They'd have a cow!"
"I think I like how dedicated he is to his craft. Archery is a difficult yet outdated skill. I wouldn't want to rely on something that's that easy to mess up."
"She's right." Argent nodded. "I can't shoot the broad side of a barn but he can shoot a fly from down the block."
"I like his confidence." Kole decided. "He never worries about failing because he doesn't believe he can."
Bumble Bee sighed. "Don't ever tell him I said this. I'll deny it then kill you. But… he has a nice smile."
The girls broke out in peals of giggles.
"Well, I'm with Star. We need more redheads." Argent finally went on. "He's proud of it and I am, too."
Jericho touched Changeling's shoulder to get his attention before signing, "We don't have to stay. I don't need to know what they say about me."
"I'm sorry. I can't see you signing." Changeling lied.
And Jericho knew that. He pushed Changeling again. Changeling used his right hand to fight him off as he tried to listen in and keep quiet at the same time.
"What isn't great about Jericho?" Bumble Bee snorted.
"He's clean, gentlemanly, respectful, quiet, strong, smart, mature, sensitive, insightful, wise and handsome with great taste in music, art and literature." Raven listed. "He's the perfect man."
"Boom." Bumble Bee nodded.
Kole growled. "He has flaws."
"Like what?" It was Argent's turn to snort. "Being too nice? Whatever!"
"As far as I can see, it is his only sin." Cheshire shrugged. "I'd ruin him."
"He is like the woodland creature." Starfire hugged a pillow. "He is the most adorable and kindest man I have known since leaving my knorfka on Tamaran. It helps that he is very peaceful."
"What I like is how quiet he is." Jinx said. "I feel like even if he could talk, he'd shut up. There's beauty in silence and he knows the times to talk and when to zip it."
"I like how he seems so nonjudgemental." Terra folded her legs under herself. "You could tell him how you murdered an entire family and he'd look at you with those pure grass green eyes and just tell you that forgiveness is divine."
"As crazy as that sounds, it makes sense."
"He's unfailingly openminded." Raven tacked on.
"And he is the sweet." Starfire said. "He listens to me talk about my home and he asks questions."
"I love green eyes." Cheshire pointed to her own jade orbs. "But his are so clear like glass. With these little flecks of amber."
"Why are you looking at his eyes so hard?!" Kole snapped.
"I look at every green eyed person like that!" Cheshire sassed. "You think I haven't noticed how Changeling's eyes are emerald with jade, peridot, basil, seafoam, sage, lime, grass, avocado and turquoise swirls? His eyes make me dizzy. But I love them."
Raven sank her teeth into her bottom lip. She'd thought she was the only one to notice her beau's kaleidoscopic irises.
"They both have beautiful eyes." Cheshire finished. "I could stare at them all day."
Starfire blinked her own sage optics. "I know Changeling has beautiful eyes but I have never noticed the many shades."
"I have." Bumble Bee admitted. "I look out for green and brown eyes because those colors compliment each other so well. I've noticed your eyes, Cheshire's, Hot Spot's, Jericho's, Argent's and Changeling's. It's beautiful the many shades and patterns we all have."
"I love your eyes." Kole told her.
"Thanks!"
"We should be done talking about the guys now. We spend so much time on them and they barely think about us."
"All Arrow thinks about are girls." Cheshire rolled her eyes. "I see him undressing girls with his eyes whenever we're around them."
"Uh oh!" Changeling had just finished reciting the poetry the girls had waxed on about Jericho when he heard something about undressing girls with eyes. "We're in the doghouse now! Somebody's been a perv!"
Even guy but Jericho and Aqualad gulped. "Who?"
"I can't hear." Changeling strained harder. "Sounds like one of us is undressing girls with our eyes."
"Not me!" Every hand went up.
"They're talking about someone touching other girls all the time." He continued to listen but frowned. "Why won't they say a name?"
"They're pigs. Straight up pigs." Jinx sneered.
Raven held up a hand. "I detect something."
"Is it the danger?" Starfire flew into the air, getting into a battle stance.
"No... It's guilt." Raven frowned. "Are any of you feeling guilty?"
A chorus of no sounded.
"Then it must be the boys." She stood up. "What idiotic thing did they do or valuable thing did they break?"
"They're playing video games." Terra lifted her shoulders.
"Unless they're not..." Jinx sat up quickly.
It took less than three seconds for them to come to the same conclusion.
"They wouldn't be that stupid." Bumble Bee hoped.
"Think about who you're talking about." Raven went to the door and expanded her empathy. She came back with her finger to her lips. "They're out there. Probably have been all night."
"Oh they're so dead!" Kole whisper-yelled.
"It is improper to drop the eaves!" Starfire's eyes glowed.
Cheshire punched a fist into her hand. "I say we bust them right now!"
"I say we get even." Raven crossed her arms.
"What are they saying?!" Speedy demanded.
"I don't know!" Changeling pushed him back. "I can't hear anything between your yammering and their whispering. This is a soundproof room, you know!"
"I have a bad feeling." Jericho signed frantically.
"Yeah. Whichever one of us is gonna get it- oh wait! Shut up! Shut up! They're getting louder again!"
The guys quieted down and waited for what Changeling would say.
His skin quickly faded to the shade of the inside of a lime. He gulped. "We're in deep ish!"
"Why?" Hot Spot demanded. "What happened?"
"They're saying how they're sick of us."
"What?!" Nightwing did a double take. "Weren't they just saying how much they liked us?"
"Apparently it's not enough. We're too obnoxious on a daily basis to let whatever good qualities we have overcome the bad ones." He pouted. "They're thinking of doing a mass dumping in the morning then going shopping in the afternoon to find club clothes, where they'll find new boyfriends."
"That can't be true." Aqualad was in denial. "You must be hearing wrong."
"They started listing our bad qualities! Bumble Bee said she was going to get a non competitive vegetarian-"
Cyborg gasped and clutched his chest.
"Kole said she was going to find someone who wasn't such a lady."
Jericho's mouth fell open.
"Terra said she wanted someone who wasn't so wrapped up in marine life."
Aqualad was incredibly hurt.
"Starfire said she wanted someone fun, who liked to laugh."
Nightwing grimaced. "I'm kinda fun."
"Argent said she was going to make sure to find someone not a hotheaded flirt."
"Hotheaded!" Hot Spot started sparking.
"Jinx said she wanted someone buffer and who could do more than just run really fast."
"Right in the feels, man!" Kid Flash whined.
"Cheshire said she wanted someone who wasn't so focused on himself and his looks."
Speedy gaped, for once speechless.
Changling sniffled. "Rae said she wanted someone actually funny!"
"Man, we gotta get in there!" Cyborg yelled.
The other guys shushed him.
"Well we do!" He whispered.
"And say what?!" Nightwing snapped bitterly. "That we were listening in to their private conversation and to not stomp all over our hearts?"
"I'm not a lady." Jericho signed.
Changeling pushed his hands away. "I'm funny, dammit!"
"She's just as hot tempered as me!" Hot Spot fussed. "And we're not even dating!"
"And you won't ever if she goes out tomorrow!" Speedy hit his head against the wall. "Man, what I do?"
"Spent more time in the mirror than on her!" Aqualad said snidely.
"At least I don't bore her with fish talk, Squid!"
Hot Spot got between them. "Guys! Not helping!"
"Yeah!" Cyborg put a hand over his face. "Do we want them to dump us like yesterday's Chinese food?"
"No!" The guys replied as one.
"Then we need to do something!"
"We can't talk about it out here." Nightwing realized. "They're got to go to the bathroom sometime and might open the door at any moment. We need to go to the common room."
In agreement, the guys raced to the elevator.
"Are they gone?" Bumble Bee asked.
Raven relaxed the spell. "Yes."
The girls broke out into peals of laughter.
"That was good but what are we going to do now? Go bust them?" Terra wanted to know.
"I say we carry this out to the end." Bumble Bee said spitefully.
"That's the best plan I've heard all night, dearie." Argent giggled.
"How are we to continue?" Starfire asked. "What should we do?"
"One of us should go see where they went and what they're doing." Jinx said. "Then we finish our sleepover. In the morning, we tell them about our plans to go shopping."
Bumble Bee grinned. "They'll be wondering all day when the hammer's about to drop."
"Then we sit them down for a serious talk." Kole had a sinister look upon her face.
"Where we say things just aren't going good and there needs to be changes." Cheshire caught on.
"What should those changes be though?" Starfire wanted to know.
"Oh. Leave that to me." Jinx laughed evilly.
"What are we gonna do? What are we gonna do?" Kid Flash paced around the room as a blur.
Cyborg stuck his foot out and tripped the speedster. "We can't understand you when you're breakin’ the sound barrier!"
Kid Flash grabbed Cyborg's head and screamed, "What are we gonna do?!"
Cyborg pushed him away. "I vote for going down there and telling them that we know and we won't stand for it!"
"You can't make someone be in a relationship with you." Aqualad did his share of pacing.
"The hell I can't!"
"Stop cursing! For all you know, that could be why Bumble Bee wants a grass muncher!" Changeling waved his arms.
"So what do you suggest, grass stain?!"
Changeling pulled at his hair. "I don't know! I'm not above begging!"
"That's what we'll do." Jericho signed. "We'll be the best boyfriends in the world tomorrow. They won't want to dump us if we can give them reasons not to."
"Good! I'm loving it! Loving it!" Speedy hugged Jericho, who was bewildered by the uncharacteristic show of affection. "There's a reason they all want you!"
"Obviously not enough." Jericho struggled to sign.
"We can make them breakfast. In bed." Hot Spot said. "Girls like that, don't they?"
"Don't know!" Cyborg also couldn't care less. "But we can make a feast for them. Handmade everything. Pick flowers. Have them sit in here, all comfortable like."
"Small problem." Speedy let Jericho go. "I can only make tacos."
"Then you're on flower duty."
"Spa day!" Aqualad shouted. "Don't look at me like that! They like the spa. Let's give it to them."
"What do any of us know about the spa?!" Kid Flash gave him a dirty look.
"You've seen plenty of movies where girls go to the spa! We all have! They have cucumber water and bathrobes. They have weird edible face creams. They do nail stuff. Massages. It can't be that hard. We're not that simple."
"Do we have any of that junk here?" Changeling asked.
"We have cucumbers and we have water." Nightwing listed. "We can look up what goes into those creams. We can buy robes and towels. While they're eating breakfast, we can nab their nail products. Aqualad's right; we can figure this out."
"Okay. Game plan." Cyborg thought up quickly. "Nightwing, you look up what goes in those creams and go to the store to buy the stuff. Speedy, find out the girls’ favorite flowers and tomorrow, cut them a bouquet.
Hot Spot, look up the best massages. We'll practice on pillows all night if we have to. Kid, look up nail hacks. There's gotta be some. Ways to make nails look good when you know jack about them.
Aqualad, make plenty of that cucumber water. We'll store it in the fridge overnight so it'll be extra cold. Changeling will help me plan the menu while Jericho will be on girl duty. While we're doing all this stuff tonight, make sure they're still in Star's room.
We have our assignments! Go!"
"Go where?"
They snapped to attention and turned to the doors, where Raven was standing looking at them like they were all crazy.
"Go to sleep." Nightwing responded smoothly. "We were thinking of turning in. What about you girls? Tired yet?"
"They made me talk." She walked to the kitchen. "Traded secrets and made plans."
"Plans you say?" Cyborg leaned against the counter.
She grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. "They're dragging me shopping."
"Ouch!" Speedy teased. "What's the occasion?"
"Bonding." Her tone was frosty.
"Well get some sleep." Aqualad advised. "You got a big day."
"Get your beauty rest, girl!" Hot Spot waved a hand.
"Not that you can stand to be any more beautiful." Jericho signed.
"Thank you, Joseph." Raven walked to the elevator.
Changeling caught up to her. "Hey?"
"Hello."
He stood there awkwardly for a moment before rubbing the back of his neck. "Sweet dreams."
She eyed him. "Goodnight, Changeling."
"Can I have a hug?" He squeaked out.
She watched him warily before granting his request. Then she stepped on the lift.
As the doors closed, he shouted, "I love you!" He skulked back to the others as he heard the lift moving.
"That was painful." Aqualad put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry."
"I wanted to say something profound, you know? Something that would make her stay up the whole night thinking about how much she loved me. But it was like my brain died!"
Cyborg rubbed his back. "This only makes our plan all the more urgent. Let's do this, fellas!"