Resolution
The fireworks lit up the harbor as the new year began. Throughout Jump City, from Gateway Square to Harbor Park, from Civic Hall to Restaurant Alley, everyone was hugging and laughing and smiling and ringing in the new. And it was no different at Titans Tower.
The team - just the "founding five," as all the other active and honorary Titans were calling them now - sat on the roof of the T and watched the the display of reds and blues and greens, of large bursts and little ripples, that filled the sky for fifteen minutes. Robin and Starfire were busy necking, trying very hard to forget there was anyone else there. For the most part, the others didn't bother the couple. (And Cy had to admit that by now, after all the fits and starts, they were a couple and that was cool.)
"BB, you ever think about what's next?" Cy had been quiet for a while, since the clock struck midnight, so he almost startled Beast Boy.
"You mean, like what's gonna replace the GameStation? Or when Slade will come back?"
"I mean, what's next in our lives." The fireworks got louder and brighter as they built towards the usual showy finale. Naturally, Cy and BB had to yell to be heard, and that meant Raven found herself listening.
"Dude, we're the Teen Titans. What's next is we'll be the Teen Titans."
"I'm not going to be a teen for that much longer."
"So we'll just be the Titans!"
"Don't you ever think about what else we can do with our lives?" There was that thoughtful look Cy gets sometimes. The sort that Beast Boy never has when other people are around. It basically reminded BB that Cy really was a lot smarter than he was.
"We're superheroes. Why would we want to do anything else?"
"Didn't you once say you wanted to go to Hollywood and try being an actor?"
"That's different. That would just be for fun. And to meet the ladies."
"It would still be something besides being a Titan."
"You want to quit?!?" The idea was so shocking that Cy found himself talking to a chimp. One of those habits that BB has that drives everyone nuts.
"No. I'm a Titan. That isn't what I mean. I...people our age, we should be in college. We should be doing new things, learning new things, meeting new people."
"Oh." The chimp stared blankly for a moment. "You want to go to school?"
"I don't know. Maybe. Maybe I want to get a degree in something really cool and useful. Maybe I want to travel again. Maybe..." He didn't say he wanted to meet new people. BB would have taken that wrong. And he didn't say he wanted to meet someone special. BB would made a joke of that. "There's more to life."
"You volunteer at a dozen places. You build cars from scratch. You know some of the coolest people ever. You live in a giant T! You don't need anything else."
Cy went quiet, and Beast Boy paid attention to the fireworks anew, turning into a cat and then a snake and then a dove before getting comfortable again. The display reached a crescendo, hundreds of sparklers and bursts and flares filling the sky, reflecting off the water. Even the jaded Raven gasped at the finale. And for a few minutes, Cy stopped thinking.
Then it was over, applause echoing from the shore. Night descended again, and the echoes gave way to silence as the team went back inside.
"Cyborg, I overheard what you were saying to Beast Boy..."
"Hey, Raven. Sorry we were so loud." He didn't mind Raven hearing. She wasn't the sort to tell others, and it wasn't like it was a secret.
"You couldn't help it. Did you really mean what you said?"
"Yup. I've been doing a bit of thinking. It's not really a big deal."
"You aren't the only one." Cy tried to look surprised, but he was always sure that Raven never stopped thinking any more than he or Robin did.
"Any ideas at your end?"
"Not yet. But...I've never had any other life. I was raised to channel my energies, my emotions away from a normal life, and grew up in a place that really didn't offer any choices. And in all the time I'm here, I haven't looked for any."
"So you want to be someone else?"
"No. I am Raven and that is fine. But...there should be more to life. You are right to want it. I just don't know how either of us can find it."
"I hear most other heroes like to have other identities. I bet there are even days when Robin takes off the mask and is...well, Robin without a mask. But also not Robin, I think."
As they made their way down the stairs, it was quiet for a bit as each hid in their thoughts for while. "Are we making a New Year's Resolution," Cy asked as they reached the living quarters.
"I don't do resolutions. But I do talk with friends. And I do know that if either of us wants a leave, there are other Titans out there to take our place. Robin should not be the only one who gets to do that." Raven flashed the smallest of smiles as she reached her room. "Happy New Year, Cyborg."
"Happy New Year, Raven." He smiled back, and then went down to the kitchen for a midnight snack.
The team - just the "founding five," as all the other active and honorary Titans were calling them now - sat on the roof of the T and watched the the display of reds and blues and greens, of large bursts and little ripples, that filled the sky for fifteen minutes. Robin and Starfire were busy necking, trying very hard to forget there was anyone else there. For the most part, the others didn't bother the couple. (And Cy had to admit that by now, after all the fits and starts, they were a couple and that was cool.)
"BB, you ever think about what's next?" Cy had been quiet for a while, since the clock struck midnight, so he almost startled Beast Boy.
"You mean, like what's gonna replace the GameStation? Or when Slade will come back?"
"I mean, what's next in our lives." The fireworks got louder and brighter as they built towards the usual showy finale. Naturally, Cy and BB had to yell to be heard, and that meant Raven found herself listening.
"Dude, we're the Teen Titans. What's next is we'll be the Teen Titans."
"I'm not going to be a teen for that much longer."
"So we'll just be the Titans!"
"Don't you ever think about what else we can do with our lives?" There was that thoughtful look Cy gets sometimes. The sort that Beast Boy never has when other people are around. It basically reminded BB that Cy really was a lot smarter than he was.
"We're superheroes. Why would we want to do anything else?"
"Didn't you once say you wanted to go to Hollywood and try being an actor?"
"That's different. That would just be for fun. And to meet the ladies."
"It would still be something besides being a Titan."
"You want to quit?!?" The idea was so shocking that Cy found himself talking to a chimp. One of those habits that BB has that drives everyone nuts.
"No. I'm a Titan. That isn't what I mean. I...people our age, we should be in college. We should be doing new things, learning new things, meeting new people."
"Oh." The chimp stared blankly for a moment. "You want to go to school?"
"I don't know. Maybe. Maybe I want to get a degree in something really cool and useful. Maybe I want to travel again. Maybe..." He didn't say he wanted to meet new people. BB would have taken that wrong. And he didn't say he wanted to meet someone special. BB would made a joke of that. "There's more to life."
"You volunteer at a dozen places. You build cars from scratch. You know some of the coolest people ever. You live in a giant T! You don't need anything else."
Cy went quiet, and Beast Boy paid attention to the fireworks anew, turning into a cat and then a snake and then a dove before getting comfortable again. The display reached a crescendo, hundreds of sparklers and bursts and flares filling the sky, reflecting off the water. Even the jaded Raven gasped at the finale. And for a few minutes, Cy stopped thinking.
Then it was over, applause echoing from the shore. Night descended again, and the echoes gave way to silence as the team went back inside.
"Cyborg, I overheard what you were saying to Beast Boy..."
"Hey, Raven. Sorry we were so loud." He didn't mind Raven hearing. She wasn't the sort to tell others, and it wasn't like it was a secret.
"You couldn't help it. Did you really mean what you said?"
"Yup. I've been doing a bit of thinking. It's not really a big deal."
"You aren't the only one." Cy tried to look surprised, but he was always sure that Raven never stopped thinking any more than he or Robin did.
"Any ideas at your end?"
"Not yet. But...I've never had any other life. I was raised to channel my energies, my emotions away from a normal life, and grew up in a place that really didn't offer any choices. And in all the time I'm here, I haven't looked for any."
"So you want to be someone else?"
"No. I am Raven and that is fine. But...there should be more to life. You are right to want it. I just don't know how either of us can find it."
"I hear most other heroes like to have other identities. I bet there are even days when Robin takes off the mask and is...well, Robin without a mask. But also not Robin, I think."
As they made their way down the stairs, it was quiet for a bit as each hid in their thoughts for while. "Are we making a New Year's Resolution," Cy asked as they reached the living quarters.
"I don't do resolutions. But I do talk with friends. And I do know that if either of us wants a leave, there are other Titans out there to take our place. Robin should not be the only one who gets to do that." Raven flashed the smallest of smiles as she reached her room. "Happy New Year, Cyborg."
"Happy New Year, Raven." He smiled back, and then went down to the kitchen for a midnight snack.