An introduction:

Welcome to the first chapter of a twelve-part story about our favourite teenaged superheroes and -heroines. In particular this fanfiction focuses on Beastboy and Raven. It takes place after the original series and the film. I've strived to stay true to the characters' natures.

The story is now finished. (At least the first arch is, I might continue it at a later date.) I am currently in the process of updating the story by filtering out the little mistakes such as typo's, spelling, choice of words and a bigger problem regarding winter in California.

Be sure to give your feedback. I hope to hear your opinion.

I do hope you'll enjoy.

(P.S. If you find typo's or such or consistent mistakes, please don't hold back in letting me know.)

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans.

Special thanks to my beta: Dustin Perry. Without him, you'd be facing one hell of an error-filled chapter.

Chapter one: Slice of life

(Chapter adjustment counter: 1)

Alternate title: Putting the TT in TmnT

We join our favorite five on a cold, early winter night. Though there is no snow, the promise of frost and cold roams the streets freely. It's a bad night in Jump City to be outside. The few poor sobs who are, take cover around burning trash and drink unbranded liquor, in a desperate effort to keep warm. (Though, honestly, the concept unbranded liquor isn't all that new or out of character for them.) All the while these poor bastards are telling stories to try and escape reality.

Those more fortunate to have a roof above their head have the sense of staying inside. This goes for the good and the wicked alike. Evil masterminds decide to take the night off and enjoy the comfort of home and watch a 'Three Stooges' marathon playing on the television. Even imprisoned (super)criminals decide to delay their break-out for a day or two. Two hots and a cot can be very comforting at dire times.

Our trained teens are no different. The ice-cold biting wind plays the great equalizer between good and evil for once as they enjoy a nice, comfy evening in 'Titans Tower'. All occupants are currently gathered in the great hall. Cyborg and Beast Boy as usual entwined in a senseless video-game all the while Raven sits next to them, enjoying a thick book titled 'Celphior'. Naturally she's doing her best to block out their shouts of success and groans of defeat.

The atmosphere could be described as a number of things comfy, cozy, homey, convivial, quaint, nice, friendly, relaxed, … The Dutch have such a perfect word for it. Tonight, the giant, artificial 'T' basks in 'gezelligheid'.

The headquarters even smell nice thanks to Starfire and Robin, 'power couple extraordinaire', who are making the team a pizza. Starfire making it as a way to be kind to her earthly friends. Robin helping out so no-one ends up with a case of food-poisoning. (Such a vigilant teamleader.) The alien girl cuddles the larva known as Silkie as it almost 'purs' happily in her arms as she and her boyfriend are locked in a pleasant conversation by the warmth of the oven.

These are the moments to treasure. These are the good things that don't last too long.

As it shows, as a matter of fact, they end far to quickly. For within a few minutes, this peace will be disturbed. Things change, sometimes for better, sometimes for worse.

Because even though just about everyone is smart enough to seek shelter and stay inside and have a lovely and cosy evening, there's always someone about to muck it up.

We all know someone like that, don't we?

"Dude!" Beast Boy's jaw dropped as the rocket impacted on the screen, destroying his 'Mecha-Mutant-Monkey' into a thousand virtual pieces.

"BOOYAH!" The caterwauling expression of Cyborg echoed through the room.

The images on the screen quickly faded to black and made room for gilded words saying: 'Winner: Cyborg'.

"In your face B." Cyborg said as he threw the controller in the air and danced vigorously on the spot. "I beat you. Now, as per our agreement, admit it." The half man, half machine finished his exclamation by twirling and pointing at Beast Boy.

The youngest, smallest and (literally) greenest member of the team grumbled something inaudible.

"What was that?" Asked the metal man. He squatted down next to his friend and whispered, right next to his ear. "I couldn't hear ya B, ya gotta speak up." The wide grin on his face was unmistakable.

Sure enough, Beast Boy did speak up. "Never!" He shouted it so loud that his bigger comrade fell over, on his back, out of shock. From the floor however, he still had the spirit to retort.

"Come on Beast Boy. Deal's a deal. We agreed that the loser, aka you, no suprises there, because you know; I'm awesome, had to admit being the worse player for all eternity."

The green boy remained quiet, his thick-browed frown unmistakeable.

"Bro, you lost, fair and square." Said Cyborg, while getting up. He ended his statement with his arms crossed.

"I demand a rematch." Spoke the shape shifter, pointing his gloved finger at his mechanic friend.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I won. And I ain't taking the chance of you beating me and making me look like a fool. Now hone up."

"So you're admitting I could beat you?"

Cyborg lowered himself so he was face to face with his comrade. "Hone up." He repeated sternly, his mechanic eye slightly zooming in.

"Dude! Come on." Gar's wails were becoming both loud and desperate.

"Beast Boy, just admit your defeat already." The slightly droning voice came from the dark blue shape to their left. Her face was revealed with her cowl limp against her neck, yet her eyes were solely focused on the words between her hands.

Beast Boy wanted to try a last rebuttal. Yet, as he realized he was now facing two of his comrades, he lost his momentum; unsure as to who to respond. With his mouth open, ready to roar defiance, he froze. Two against one was too much. "You're the better player, ... for eternity." He managed in the end, with a soft voice and his eyes looking down.

"That's my boy!" Laughed Cyborg, friendly clasping his green compadre on the shoulder.

The impact was enough to push the shapeshifter out of his seat and fall onto the ground. The young man was quick to retake his place, however.

"That wasn't so difficult now was it?" Cyborg continued before adding: "Mhm, something smells nice."

When it came to food, his attention got sucked away faster than that of a kid in a 'toy, puppy, candy & fireworks-store'. He didn't even notice the remote flying by his head, black through a spell of Raven's. Instead the mechanic-man moved, seemingly floating, to the kitchen and the wonderful smell of the 'pizza-quatro-fromages'.

"Honestly beastboy, it's just saying a few words." Raven spoke. "Besides." She continued, guiding the floating remote until it lay in her hand. She pressed a button and suddenly the giant screen no longer depicted two 'cybernetically enhanced mutant monkeys' but a roaring fire-place. "I'd think you'd be used to it by now."

Her tone of voice upset Beast Boy greatly. "What's that supposed to mean?"

The faintest smile appeared on Raven's face, all the while she kept her focus on her book. "You know, just saying you should be able to admit someone else's superiority more freely with you getting your butt kicked all the time."

"Hey. Not cool dude. I beat Cyborg at this game plenty." There was still some pride in his voice. The admission had not taken all of the green boy's self-respect.

"Maybe I'm talking about real life experience." The smallest of grins was visible on her face.

Scratch the oven, you could have made the pizza on Beast Boy's face. He let his bushy brows sink into a mean stare. Raven remained oblivious of this, however. With his mouth being no more than a horizontal line (and one fang popping up) he exclaimed without emotion "Woman, why you gotta torment me so?"

"Not my fault you take everything so personal."

"Will you just stop it for once?"

"You really should learn to control your feelings. If I've told you once, I've told you a hundred times."

The boy knew Raven had a knack for quips and enjoyed none as much as those that made him look like a fool. Well, to each his or her own, but two could play at that game, he realized. "Yeah right dude. Between you and Cyborg I think we've got enough robots on our team."

"It's true what they say about sticks and stones Beast Boy. Only the weakminded take insults to heart. The more objective you are, the less you get hurt. It's simple."

"So words are just words and I'm rubber and you're glue. I get that Raven, getting your feelings hurt just means you have them. Getting hurt is a part of life."

"For some more than others it would seem." She interjected, smirking.

"And moving on from that..." Garfield continued relentlessly, his voice only slightly raised. "Getting over it. That's what makes you strong. So aha! I say you're the weak one. Raven; J'accuse!"

Raven allowed her right eye to glance the boy next to her briefly. She regarded him; from his pointing indexfinger mere centimetres from her eye, to the rediculous French outfit he'd seemingly put on in an inexplicable flash, barret, black-and-white horizontally striped t-shirt and fake moustache and all. "That almost sounded profound." She said. "But if that were true..." She turned a page and returned her focus to the book. "You'd be invincible by now."

"Hey, as far as I know we've yet to lose a cause." Garfield concluded. He crossed his arms and sank back happily, somehow once again in his usual outfit.

"If failing truly were a better mentor than success, you might have beaten me in a battle of wits by now." Raven said. Absentmindedly she moved a lock of hair that had fallen before her eyes and placed it behind her ear. "And you wouldn't get tossed around like a volleyball during our clashes with the enemy. "

And with that Garfield Logan was pulled right back out of his relaxed state. The insult stung pretty bad. "Hey! That's uncalled for. And not true at all!"

"If you can learn to ignore words you won't feel the anger you feel now. You won't be impulsive and walk in to further traps. Same goes for fights, stay objective and you won't be blinded. If you're ready, you could take anyone, but you just lose your calm."

"Animals don't do calm, they do fierce." He bit back, fully annoyed now.

"And that's why you get your butt kicked every so often." She blatently stated. Not unkindly, though it came across as patronizing, she added: "And that's why you're getting so upset right now."

Beast Boy grinded his teeth. "Stop it Raven."

"Don't feel bad Beast Boy, every group needs a punching bag. You make us look awesome, it's an important job and you do it so well. You see what I mean about letting words get to you?"

"Just don't." He saw her smile as she said it. Deep down he realised that she was, in her own way, just messing around and trying to help him, but all he could think about was how much he hated to see those teeth right now. Her quips were nothing new, but they had never bothered him as much as they did now.

"But it's such a big job for such a little kid, it's amazing how good you make us look."

And she wasn't even bothered at all! Beast boy thought to himself. Words couldn't harm? Really? Was she so oblivious about her fun that she couldn't notice just how much effect her words had? Words couldn't hurt? Hah! He'd show her.

Perhaps there was a distant chuckle in her voice, a rare sign of playfulness from her part, but Beast boy could no longer hear it.

He'd been cooped up for two days inside 'T-tower' now, while all his animal instincts told him to go run, or fly or climb or swim. It was driving him insane. Then, he'd lost at his favourite game, had to embarrassingly admit his utter defeat and now his friend was picking on him. Usually he could take her banter and retort a playful comeback, usually while feeding her more ammunition. But tonight he was fed up. She didn't even look at him while making fun of him. He never felt so unrespected by his friend as he did now.

"Well then call me agent Hunt because making someone as ugly as you look good, Raven, is mission impossible." He said with a touch of bitterness as he sat himself down in the couch.

Unbeknownst to him, Raven looked up from her book for the first time during the conversation. She resumed her previous gaze shortly thereafter, though. Looking at the words intensely, she could no longer bring herself to reading them.

"That was a pretty lame comeback, even for you." She replied.

The changeling was already trying to find a better piece of wit. Even he had to admit that calling her ugly was pretty weak. But when Raven was the first one to break the silence he knew something was off.

"Big talk coming from a little green man anyway." She said, obviously annoyed.

Beast Boy was utterly speechless and watched her with saucers for eyes. What was with her weak retort? Quite out of character it was. Could it be possible he'd actually hurt her feelings? He'd wanted this so badly just a minute ago. But now, as he saw the unforseeable effect of his actions, he wished he could take it all back. As quick as his beastly fit of rage had surfaced, it faded away.

"Rae..." He started, but was interrupted again.

"Besides, it's a bad comeback for another reason too." She spoke.

"I... uh, I didn't..." He may not have been an empath like her, but it was clear now, even to his jester's mind, that she was indeed hurt. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it." He managed.

Words can hurt, but, to any decent human being, the look of a friend in distress is much more effective. An image trumps a sentence nine times out of ten. And what a horrible picture it was that he found himself in indeed.

The half demon continued however, without paying his words mind. "You make the mistake that I'm the kind of girl who cares about her looks. Such quips would be better applied to Starfire."

As on cue, the orange alien resurfaced from the oven and proudly and loudly proclaimed. "Dinner is served!" Cyborg stood to her right, drooling. Robin stood to her left, carefully making sure she didn't use cheese made from some alien animal. "What do you think friends?" She asked the duo accompanying her.

Cyborg tried to sniff up all the steam rising from the dish and exclaimed "Starfire, I think I'm in love with you right now!"

"Oh dear." Replied Starfire, staring in the distance, not getting the intended humour. "I wonder where we can find two bludgeoning weapons at this time of night."

Cyborg wasn't really paying her any attention anymore as his eyes were nearly glued to the pizza. Robin however had the sense to ask "What?"

Starfire turned to him. "You do intend to compete in "Garforb 'H-ra" for me, right?"

Robin shook his head in all directions, desperately trying to understand. Finally he repeated himself. "What?"

"On my home-planet, when two Tamaranians are interested in a third, they must compete in "Garforb 'H-ra". It's ancient tradition. Cyborg declares he's in love with me. Am I not worth fighting for to you, Robin?"

Robin had a hard time not bursting out laughing. But seeing as his girlfriend would probably not find it that amusing and he'd have to spend the whole night telling her that if it came to it, he would fight for her, he decided for another approach.

"Sure you are. But just a minute Starfire. I'll show you how we deal with this here on earth."

In the blink of an eye he was next to Cyborg, jabbing him in the chest until his friend payed him attention. The team-leader whispered the situation in the non-mechanical ear. The half robot man gave agreeing grunts and at one point nearly started laughing himself, he looked over to Starfire who in turn looked at them in confusion.

"Yeah sure." Cyborg said nearly inaudible himself.

"Thanks Cyborg." Robin gave him an appraising smile.

The mechanical man stood upright and turned to the girl to his left. His voice was as computerized as ever.

"Starfire. While Robin challenged me to the fiercest, deadliest match on earth, to defend your honor, it became clear to me that my vocalization-unit has a small defect. I have no intent to fight Robin on the most dangerous and remote places on earth. For the sake of your love, I'm not so willing to risk life and limb as he is, and he's really made clear he is, mind you, even though mine can be replaced. All I intended to say was that I love this exquisite pizza."He clearly saw the girls eyes light up with admiration and love for their leader. He was then jabbed in the back by Robin, who tried to cough inconspicuously. "Really man?" Cyborg asked, turning his head back slightly. He met boy wonder's demanding gaze and sighed. His voice was completely without enthusiasm. "But man oh man, you sure are lucky to have such a dedicated admirer as Robin."

"Oh Robin, how wonderful!" Starfire exclaimed as she threw up her hands and the plate with the pizza with it. She dashed passed Cyborg and embraced her boyfriend, giving him a kiss . Meanwhile, Cyborg barely managed to catch their dinner.

"Well... uhm." Said a blushing Robin, his head finally matching his shirt. "Let's eat then?"

"Yes! A most glorious idea." Said the orange girl as she jumped up and clasped her hands. She directed her attention to the two teammates still sitting on the couch. "Come friends! Let us feast on unhealthy foods and sugary beverages!" It was clear she was completely oblivious to the fact that Beast Boy and Raven had continued arguing this entire time. But then again, such a thing was nothing new in the giant T.

"Look." Said Beast Boy, trying to bite back his anger to the best of his possibilities but still failing. "I've been apologizing for this for the last five minutes."

"And I told you I don't need your apology. Because I'm fine. It's a subject that doesn't matter, uttered by a senseless little idiot. Why would I get upset for that? I'm not even cross." She bit back in her usually bored voice. But it was just a tad to quick

"Hah! Yes you are. I can tell. It's why you call me an idiot."

"Beast Boy, you are an idiot, whether I'm mad or not. My state of emotional well-being does not affect your IQ."

"No no no, don't try and talk your way out of this. You can't lie to me about this. See, I'm an expert at getting people angry!" The frustration was ever climbing in Garfields head. "Wait, that came out wrong."

"I don't need a lecture from you on my own emotions Beast Boy. You're the one cramped up with anger."

"Then what do you want from me?" He asked, ready to burst.

"Nothing. I don't need anything from you. You have and are nothing of interest to me."

The words hit him harder than he'd expected. In one strike not only most of his anger disappeared but also most of his other feelings as well. "Now you're just being unreasonable, Raven. The Titans we... we need each other." His voice was suddenly very weak. He couldn't believe how rapidly this had gone South.

Raven regarded him and stood up, the flames of her inner rage only visible to the trained eye. "Right now." She began with a voice cool enough to make Beast Boy question every time he previously thought of Raven as distant, for it was never anything compared to this. "I need some food and some company from my friends would be nice."

In a feeble attempt the green teammate tried to interject something like 'so we're still friends right?'. He was cut off before he could even begin.

"So there's nothing I need you for." She walked off towards the table, her cloak trailing behind her.

BB turned in the couch. With both hands he grasped the edge of the back of the sofa for protection. His head was half covered by it as he threw the 'hail marry'. "Not an apology then uhm, what if I ... what if I told you that you were, in fact, pretty? Yes. That ought to do it. Right? You're pretty, can we be friends again now?"

Raven stopped and turned. The little green boy was now hopefully fidgeting with his hands. Without any clear emotion on her face she answered. "What if? I'd merely be annoyed to hear you. I don't care what you think, Beast Boy."

As she turned and continued her strive, the changeling's mouth fell to the floor. He turned himself and sunk deep in the sofa. All the while his shocked expression remained the same. "Isn't this a bit unfair?" He asked himself. "How could I have been prepared for this?!"

But then it came to him, a memory slowly forgotten. He should have kept his stepfather's words in mind. He could still clearly see his mentor Mento sitting at their table in their old headquarters. Elasti-girl had just left the duo in a bad mood. Steve had put up a brave smile and had tried to humour his way out of things. All the while his breath reeked of alcohol.

"Garfield..." He remembered Mento say as he turned to him and wore a tired face, every wrinkle seemed twice as deep. "Never insult a girl. 'Call a woman beautiful a million times and she'll never believe you. But call her ugly once, she'll never forget.'"

His playful shrug turned to an all out, fit drunk tears and shaking. "

Promise me boy, promise me!" Mento had pleaded as he grabbed his shoulders.

"I promise sir!" Beast Boy recalled answering way back when.

But that was then. This was now. He departed the repressed memory.

"Crud." Said the green lad as he snapped back to the present.

"Hey Beast Boy!" His team-leader yelled at him. "Get it while it's hot. Starfire has really outdone herself."

"That's supposed to be reassuring?" The shape-shifter asked himself.

Nonetheless he did get up and shuffled towards the table seating his four friends. Well, three and Raven, apparently. For once his hunger was not the main issue but he sat himself down in the only seat available. Raven sat at his right, paying him no mind, Cyborg at his left. Robin also sat next to the mechanical man and was flanked by the off-world chef cook. He even grabbed a slice and reluctantly ate it, offering his best fake smile to his last remaining female friend. It was a good pizza and she had done good work, but his heart, much like his stomach, just wasn't in the right place.

Most of the meal went by quickly, it seemed. There was laughter and talk, the kind you expected from good friends. Even Raven didn't appear particularly depressed. It seemed, Garfield Logan noted, that he wasn't even bothered by their recent argument. But all in all, it went by fast, as a blur, to him as he was to distracted and upset to pay much attention. Before long dinner came to it's usual, expected, loved, feared and semi-violent ending. The decision considering the faith of the last slice. The argument was already well on it's way before Gar noticed.

When he looked up from his plate he saw Starfire standing upright. She was loudly arguing with Raven and Robin while Cyborg grunted to himself.

The 'mensch- machine' was occupied with programming the systems on his left arm as he said "That's it, I'm programming myself to be reminded, every time we eat pizza, to just slice it in ten equal pieces. We go through this every damn time. Who in a right state of mind slices a pizza in six slices for five people anyway?"

"Cyborg, You cut it yourself." Raven interjected.

Cyborg stopped mid-action, his finger pointing upwards as it had been ready to push the buttons on his other arm. Staring far in the distance towards nothing in particular, he replied. "Oh. Yeah. That's true."

"No my friends, you don't understand, I have deserved the last piece!" Starfire spoke shortly thereafter, looking quickly from Robin to Raven. "I have crafted the meal with the hands I possess myself. It's cheesy goodness is mine."

Clearly having enough of the change of words she reached for the final, greasy triangle. She got blocked, however, by Cyborg who, not without care but still firmly, held her wrist as it hovered mere centimetres above the slice. (His new 'pizza-cut-reminder-system' remained unprogrammed.)

"Hold it there Star." He said, looking up. "Now, no-one's denying you made one fine dish here. Right?"

There was a general response of nodding and affirmative grunting.

"But think about it. What was the last thing you cooked up for us?" He continued.

"Uhm... My traditional Tamaranian Farnnarbs, correct?" With her free hand she reached for her chin, deep in thought.

"And what happened because of that?" Cyborg asked. The quick blush on her face was noticed by all.

"I'm not usually scared, as you know." Spoke Raven dryly. "But those memories still haunt my dreams."

"Exactly." The boy formerly known as Victor Stone continued. "We still can't use the bathroom on the third floor. And before that, weren't there those red slugs?"

"They were only the best of the Chacktamars I could find! Do you have any idea how far I had to travel for those?" She exclaimed, desperately trying to defend her planet's haute-cuisine.

"No. All I know is that only the best of the doctors managed to pump Robin's and Beast Boy's stomachs clear before they exploded." He felt the pressure she was putting on his hand drop significantly. "And I don't even want to remember what those 'Grogrotors' did to me."

"It were grokrotores" Uttered the space princess, but all defiance in her voice had clearly left.

"So." Stone said, letting go of her hand. "I think one of us deserves this final slice." He watched the girl reluctantly sit down.

"Couldn't agree with you more." An amiable Robin interjected as he patted Cyborg's back. "So I'll just..." He said as he reached for the slice himself.

"Now hold up! When I said one of us, I meant me!" Cy pushed his face close to Robin's.

"Oh yeah? Why you?" The boy wonder asked, with equal enthusiasm. He pressed his forehead against his friend's and stared him dead in the eyes.

"Because I'm taller, bigger and better." Victor answered, refusing to back down.

Just as the tension seemed impossible to top, Starfire shrieked: "I have altered my mind. I still desire that slice!"

A tug of war between the three heroes ensued shortly thereafter. It was fierce. It was ugly. But, above all it was short. For Raven, who'd remained rather quiet during this little escapade, uttered three small words. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos." And with that the slice began to fly up and glided to her hands. Her three friends noticed this however, simultaneously.

"What the...?" Cyborg managed before the pizza landed in her hands. This was quite a feat, seeing his current situation. Robin's head was clenched between his left arm and his rump. The team-leader was currently torn between trying to free himself and annoying his metallic friend. Apparently, he'd settled for both, with one hand he pulled at the mechanic arm and with the other he pushed Cyborg's face, right on the mouth. Starfire was no more helpful as she sat on his shoulders, pulling his head back.

"Keep your eyes on the price, my friends." She said with a tone of voice that was just a tad playful. Slowly but surely the slice was tauntingly brought to her mouth.

Knowing that if he didn't act soon, all would be lost, the masked boy called for the aid of the only one that could stall her long enough. "Beast Boy, quick, stop her!"

Garfield Logan, who'd all the while continued to stare dead ahead finally uttered something. "Nah, 's cool dudes, she can have it."

The only sound that followed that was the sound of the greasy slice hitting Raven's plate. His four friends remained frozen for a few seconds, Raven's hands were still mid-air trying to grasp the pizza that lay now eight inches lower. But all eyes were fixated on the green boy who'd uttered the words unimaginable during the 'last-slice-brawl'. Something was seriously amiss.

It wasn't until a little while later that the silence was broken. The end to the quiet came from Starfire and Robin's simultaneous fall. Robin due to being released from cyborg's grasp and Starfire sliding of her half-robot-friend's back. It was Starfire who was the first to speak again.

She jumped up quickly and asked her green amigo "Friend Beast Boy, did you not enjoy my cooking? Had you preferred the adding of the substance tofu?"

It was obvious she worried this would end up on the list along with the grokrotores, the chaktamars and the farnnabs.

"Nah, it was great Star. I mean it." He answered truthfully.

It had been good pizza. On this his taste buds all agreed, even if his mind couldn't fully appreciate it.

"Soooo..." His big-brother figure began, squinting and shifting his eyes between Beast Boy and the last slice. "B, you sick or something man?"

"You have been awfully quiet tonight." The team-leader agreed. "You are Beast Boy right? Not some evil alien bodysnatching supervillain?"

"Are you not well? Just say so and I shall call the ambulance, they are still in our dial of speed and know the way after the last time I prepared a meal."

It's quite something to see an orange alien blush red with playful shame.

It took all of the changeling's might to not glance at Raven. He succeeded barely. "No, everything's fine." He lied, waving his hands in a signal to get them to stop asking questions. "I'm just not hungry dudes." The last thing he wanted was to get his other friends involved. What if they all sided with Raven? What if they all stopped being his friends?

"Soooo..." His big-brother figure started, again. "Why you letting her have the final slice? You should help me instead BB, I always got your back."

"Uhm..." Beast Boy tried to say something clever. He was a quick thinker but not that quick, not tonight.

"Yeah, Beast Boy, are you trying to make up for something to Raven?" Robin asked.

The green boy silently cursed his spiky-haired friend for being so quick on the uptake. "No it's not that. It's just that I had a big lunch and..." Then he had it. "Besides, Cy, I'm not helping you after that narrow defeat earlier!"

To bad worming his way out of things, came to no avail. The only one who was derailed by this was Cyborg. "What? Narrow?" He said. "I had such a lead on you it wasn't even close."

"Oh! Were the two of you exchanging the words of bad again?" The alien princess offered, getting the inquisition back on track.

Garfield wished they were having a fight, alas he feared he was not so lucky. Being in a fight with Raven was a terrible ordeal but her deeming him unworthy to quarrel with seemed even worse. But he could not tell his friends that, he'd already done enough to offend the blue-cloaked girl. He had no idea how she was reacting to any of this and dared not look.

"Again?" Cyborg asked, face-palming. "Seriously, is that the only way the two of you can communicate?"

Starfire giggled and after Robin asked her why, she replied. "Oh no, this is inappropriate. I mean, this problem is serious." It took a bit more convincing of her boyfriend to get her to speak her mind. "Well, this is silly, I'm sure, but on my planet the arguments between our two friends could easily be mistaken for Shaer-Forbgnarb." When her friends just eyed her dumbfounded she continued. "It's the name for when little kids tease those whom they love. On my planet the young Tamaranians show their affection by yelling the rudest of words at each other so that they leave an impression. That way they know the other child will be thinking of them later on. The more arguments you have and the stronger they are, the more you want someone to think of you. If you were Tamaranian children, you'd be dating by now." She could no longer suppress a light chuckle.

If the changeling had had the ability to turn red, this would have been the moment to do so. However tonight he praised his rather unique complexion. This couldn't get any worse.

And then it did.

"Hey yeah." Said boy wonder, trying to lighten the mood, and doing a horrible job in Garfield's opinion. The smile on his face was enormous. "We have that same thing here on earth. Kids always tease the ones they like because they don't know how to express themselves. So Raven and Beast Boy..."

Cyborg finished his sentence, laughing. "When's the wedding?" He fell down, holding his artificial gut, trying to control himself. Though they did not fall down, Starfire and Robin joined Cyborg in his roaring laughter.

Raven was the first to say something sensible, even if it was mainly to herself. "I think I lost my appetite." Her voice was, as usual, bored and a tad irritated. She shoved her plate away from herself.

In the blink of an eye, Cyborg shot upright. "Then don't mind if I do." He said as he reached for her plate. It was the perfect opportunity, seeing as the real titans-couple was still laughing hard in each-others arms. Before he could even lay a finger on the slice however the room turned red. The alarm was as loud as ever.

In a moment, all five members sprung to attention. Both Beast Boy and Raven had never been so glad to hear the sound of an impending mission. Anything was better than this.

"Who, what and where?" Asked the team leader. This was directed at Cyborg who was directly in contact with all technology of Titans-tower. A few seconds of scanning available data later, he got his answer.

"The Goliath Gym near Bay bridge."

"Then, that means it's..." Both Raven and Beast Boy said together.

"It's Adonis." Victor confirmed.

There was only one thing left to be said and Robin had plenty of training in it. "Titans, Go!"

And so, the fierce five friends flew into the cold and dreary night. The last slice of pizza remained untouched.