Titans Together

Chapter Two

Amidst the serene atmosphere, the kitchen's silence was disrupted by a loud yawn and a stretch, heralding Garfield's arrival. "Morning." He greeted, a nonchalant acknowledgment of the day.

"It's almost noon." Raven countered without looking up from her book.

"But it isn't yet, so I stand by my statement." Garfield retorted, his playful banter laced with a hint of mischief. He strolled over to the fridge, opening it casually. "Any idea why Richard didn't make us start the day early, you know, like he usually does?"

Raven, pausing in her reading, pondered the question. "Considering what happened yesterday, he might be giving us a break." She speculated, a subtle undertone of hope coloring her words.

Garfield closed the fridge with a deliberate slowness, turning his attention to Raven. "About yesterday," he began, his tone taking on a sympathetic quality as he broached the delicate subject. "Are you okay?"

Surprised by the sudden concern in his voice, Raven closed her book and directed her attention towards him. "I appreciate your concern, but Richard already talked to me last night."

"He did?" Garfield inquired, his attempt to conceal the flicker of jealousy was betrayed by a subtle tightening of his expression.

"Yeah, he gave me the whole reassurance speech, saying I'm too hard on myself." Raven responded, her tone carrying a hint of indifference.

Garfield, now wearing a more serious expression, met Raven's gaze. "You are." He affirmed the sincerity in his words, holding a depth that went beyond the surface. In response, Raven offered him a silent expression of gratitude, a modest smile that acknowledged the sincerity of his concern. "And, you know, when something is bothering you, you can come to me, right?" Garfield added, his voice full of gentle encouragement. "You don't always have to go to Dick."

Raven couldn't help but roll her eyes as she got up from the table. "Yes, I know I can always go to my friends for my mental health counseling." She remarked nonchalantly, her words indicating a touch of humor as she moved to put her dishes in the sink.

Garfield opened his mouth, ready to further insist on his point, when the arrival of Kori brought a shift in the atmosphere. The conversion was momentarily set aside as Kori entered the room with a skip in her step, injecting a new energy into the kitchen.

The alien tended to be very cheerful in the morning, and seeing Kori joyfully skipping into the kitchen was a familiar sight. However, what was also familiar to the group was her penchant for wearing next to nothing at breakfast, a habit that never failed to elicit a mix of reactions from the others.

Wearing pajamas to breakfast was a common occurrence among them, and no one ever expressed discomfort with the informal attire outside of the bedroom. Well, no one except when it came to what Kori wore. Her natural inclination was to be minimally covered, often donning an oversized shirt or silky nightie that left little to the imagination.

"Morning, friends." Kori greeted with her usual cheerfulness as she made her way to the fridge.

"Morning." Was the pair's collective response as they turned their attention to her.

Kori proceeded to open the fridge, but as she bent down to retrieve the carton of milk, both Garfield and Raven averted their eyes. Raven subtly turned her head, while Garfield took a more dramatic approach, spinning around completely. "Kori, we've discussed this." He awkwardly reminded her.

Kori turned to them, confusion etching her features. "I thought it was okay that I didn't wear pants?"

"As long as you have underwear on." Raven reminded her harshly.