Phantom Titans

Just The Two of Us

  "You almost done in there?" I asked. I had offered to take Erin shopping for a new wardrobe and she happily agreed. I was still processing what Erin's father had said. "Give you our blessing... When you're ready, you can marry her... wedding plans." I thought. "Lyle? Hey, Lyle! You there? Earth to boyfriend!" I heard Erin say as she came out of the changing room. "Oh sorry, I didn't see you there. And wow! That looks amazing!" I exclaimed. A turquoise blue ensemble hugged her every curve (and I mean every curve.) Little was left to the imagination as I could just stare, mouth agape. "So whatcha think?" she asked, doing a few turns and poses in the accompanying dark green high heels. "Who are you and what have you done with Erin?" I asked teasingly. "Do I look that different?" she asked. I nodded. "There's a full body mirror behind you. You tell me." I said, and Erin obliged. "Wow, it looks perfect." she said. "Not just yet." I said.

"What could possibly make this any--" I put a finger to her lips. "Face the mirror, close your eyes and count to ten." I said. Erin did so. I took out a string of pearls and put them around Erin's slender neck. "Okay, open your eyes."

ErIn opened her eyes and I had to kiss her to stop her from shrieking in delight. "Oh, Lyle... I don't know what to say." she said. "You're letting your body do the talking. And the things it's saying... you naughty girl." I said, smirking.

As we reached the front counter I got out my credit before Erin could open her purse. "I'm paying, no ifs, ands, or buts." I said. She opened her mouth to say something but I stopped her. "Don't worry about paying me back. I could buy you a million dresses but your love is priceless." I said as I paid for Erin's outfit. The cashier couldn't help himself from ogling Erin. "Don't even think about it, or this store will have more than a clean-up on aisle 4, but also 5, 6, and 7. Got it?" I asked. The cashier looked about my age, still he nodded. "Good. Have a nice day."

As Erin and I walked over to the car, I noticed her clutching the pearls. "They were my mom's. After I first told her about you, she insisted that I have the pearls. I didn't want to say no, so I took them and--"

Erin shushed me. "Sometimes I think you talk too much." she said. "I know." I started the car and we made our way back home. "Oh, what about--" "the Titans?" I finished. "There hasn't been a sign of a threat in weeks. I'm sure that they-- holy shit!" I cursed as a tree came barreling toward us. I waited for the impact preceding the release of the airbags. It didn't come. "You two okay?" a voice asked. "Cyborg?" I asked. "The one and only." he said, tossing the tree to the side with a booming thud. "Yeah, we're fine. But what about you? Where are the others?" Erin asked. "We can handle it. I know you've been busy, 'cause you haven't contacted us in weeks. Nice dress by the way." he said. "It's been, rough. Lyle lost someone close to him and I'm not going into detail. And thank you." she said.

Lyle's POV: "I know another way there. You sure you're okay here, Cy? We can help out." I said. He shook his head. "Like I said, we can handle it. I'll contact you later." I took his word for it as I turned the car around and sped off in the opposite direction, a plume of smoke visible in the sideview mirror as I adjusted it.