Wager

Just a little thing. Happy Birthday, NeneJPhilly!

It was a fairly ordinary day in Jump City. It was an equally unremarkable day in the Tower, home and headquarters of the famous Titans. Bumblebee, leader of the TItans East, had stopped by for a quarterly review with Nightwing, leader of the original Titans and overall leader of the Titan organisation. Now, business concluded, the two team leaders sat relaxing in the common room, joined by Cyborg and Starfire. While Bee had no problem leading a team where she was the only female member, it was still a pleasant break when she got to talk to Starfire and Raven, though the sorceress was absent at the moment. And so was the changeling, Beast Boy. She made a vocal observation.

"I see that BB is nowhere to be seen. And neither is Raven..." she said, smirking and sharing a knowing look with Starfire, who hid her laughter behind her hand. Cyborg glanced at Nightwing, who shrugged back at him.

"What's funny?" he asked. Bee looked at him like he was a dimwit.

"Well, come on. She isn't here, he isn't here... Wherever they are, I think it could be the same place," she answered vaguely.

"You're saying they ditched us?" Cyborg asked again. Now Nightwing, who had picked up on Bee's not-so-subtle hint, sighed at Cyborg's occasional thick-headedness, though he didn't seem convinced by Bee's idea.

"No, Sparky. I'm saying they're just having some quality alone time. Together." This could not be misconstrued. Cyborg slowly leaned toward Bee, one hand pointing at her and his eyes wide. Closer and closer, until his fingertip almost touched her nose. Then he burst into laughter.

"You gotta be kiddin'!" he laughed. "BB and Rae-Rae? We'd know if they were dating. Mainly because we'd be called out to separate 'em when Rae tries to squish the green bean!" he joked, falling into raucous laughter again and rolling onto the floor. Nightwing chuckled as well.

"I'm with Cy on this one. I just can't see them in the same room, never mind together."

"Yeah!" Cyborg chimed in. "I'd eat my hat (if I had one) if they were going out." Bee, who had been doing a passable impression of Raven's eye-rolling during Cyborg's outburst, smirked at Cyborg, a competitive fire in her eyes.

"You're saying you'd bet on it, Tin Man?" she challenged. Cyborg stopped laughing and sprang to his feet.

"You bet I would," he replied, eliciting another eye-roll. Starfire merely giggled.

"Oh, how exciting! What is it you both will wager?" she asked.

"No money bets, guys," Nightwing cautioned. Cyborg glanced at him and tapped his chin in thought. He grinned down at Bee.

"You gotta clean my car, in and out, under my supervision and to my standards," he said. Bee arched an eyebrow.

"Okay. If I win, you need to give us one of your T-Cars. Don't give me that look, I know you built spares. You can keep your favourite, but the one I get, you have to re-paint. In black and yellow." Nightwing looked ready to interrupt but Cyborg beat him to it, firmly shaking Bee's hand.

"Deal!" he said, grinning.

"Deal," Bee agreed.

At that precise moment, Beast Boy came sauntering in, whistling a jaunty tune with his hands in his pockets.

"S'up dudes!" he greeted, cheerily. He cried out when he was suddenly accosted by Cyborg, who held him up by his shirt. "Whoa! Cy, what the heck, man?"

"BB, I got one question for you. It's important."

"Uhh.. o-okay, sure."

"Are you going out with Raven?" Cyborg asked, plainly. Beast Boy blinked at him once, twice. Then he began to rub the back of his head and grin sheepishly.

"W-whaaaaaaat...?" he said, shakily. Cyborg stared at the boy in his arms.

"You... YOU'RE STEPPIN' OUT WITH MY LITTLE RAE-RAE?!" he shouted with protective fury.

"W-whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?"Beast Boy said, longer and higher and quieter.

"YOU ARE! YOU-"

"Cyborg." The word was spoken quietly, but the voice that spoke it was mystically enhanced, making it sound to each occupant of the room as though it was simultaneously whispered in their ear and shouted from a distant room. Cyborg paused his tirade and watched as the voice's owner placed a hand on his arm, gently pushing him to release Beast Boy. He did so, and looked sorrowfully at the speaker.

"Raven, why didn't you tell us?" he moaned. Raven looked meaningfully at Beast Boy, still rearranging his uniform after Cyborg's manhandling.

"Gee, I dunno," she drawled, looking pointedly at Cyborg now. He grumbled and scuffed the carpet with his toe.

"Alright, alright... sorry, BB," he muttered.

"Thanks, dude," Beast Boy responded, a little subdued.

"Your protectiveness is appreciated, Cyborg," Raven said, more sincerely. "But misplaced." She held out a hand and Beast Boy took it with a grin. Nightwing, Bee and Starfire stepped up behind Cyborg.

"Can't say I expected this," Nightwing said.

"Neither did we!" Beast Boy laughed.

"And you are the together?" Starfire asked, anxious to hear them actually say it. Raven looked back at Beast Boy and smiled.

"Yeah. Turns out I love the little doofus," she answered, unabashed. Starfire squealed and floated up to the ceiling.

"Well... congrats, I guess," Nightwing added. Raven and Beast Boy thanked him and the entire team settled down once again.

After another hour or two, Bee decided she should return to her own Tower.

"Well, it was good seeing you all. Let me know when I can expect delivery, Sparky!" she said, cackling in victory. Cyborg grumbled.

Later, when most of the team had already retired, Beast Boy and Cyborg sat playing on their gamestation.

"Sorry I got mad earlier," Cyborg said, eyes still on the screen.

"Nah, man. I get it. We're cool," Beast Boy answered.

"Still. You know I'll break you in half if you hurt her," Cyborg added, nonchalant. Beast Boy chuckled and shook his head.

"It's okay, man, you don't have to do that. Bee already gave me the 'hurt her and die' speech when she caught us this morning. Cy? Cy, you okay? Um... Cy, you're cracking your controller dude. Dude?"

Whoop! Looks like Bee bamboozled our favourite cybernetic superhero. I'm not sure this is my best, but I did rush it, so enjoy it for what it is ^_^

-Jack