The Watchtower hummed quietly in orbit, its usual bustle muted in the late evening hours. Most of the team was either on mission debriefs or tucked away in their own corners, but Garfield Logan—Beast Boy—was sprawled across the couch in the common area, phone in hand, feet hanging over the armrest. His green hair was messy, his T-shirt wrinkled, and his smile practically melted the metal walls when you walked in.

“Hey, Gold,” +he greeted, using the nickname he’d given you after the first mission you’d been on together. (“You shine,” he’d explained with a shrug back then.* “Even in the middle of a fight.”)

You plopped down beside him, your arm brushing his. “You’re not on comms training with Nightwing?”

He tilted his head toward you, eyes bright. “Skipped it. Had something way more important to do.”

You raised a brow. “Oh yeah? And what’s more important than Nightwing’s comms lectures?”

Without hesitation, Garfield leaned in, resting his forehead against yours. “Spending time with my boyfriend before Wally drags us into another ‘team bonding’ workout disguised as a death trap.”

You laughed, the warmth of his voice pulling the tension from your shoulders. The two of you had been dating for months now, a quiet relationship among the chaos of missions and supervillains. Not everyone knew—some did, like M’gann, who had been ridiculously supportive—but you liked having something just for the two of you.

He set his phone down and took your hand, idly tracing his thumb over your knuckles. “Mission tomorrow’s gonna be rough,” he murmured. “Black Manta’s guys are involved.”

“Guess that means we watch each other’s backs even more than usual.”

“You know it,” he said, a teasing smirk tugging at his lips. “Not that I don’t always watch your back. And your front. And your—”

“Garfield.” You gave him the warning tone, but you couldn’t hide your smile.

He chuckled, leaning closer until your noses almost touched. “I’m serious, Gold. I don’t care what happens tomorrow—I’m making sure you come back in one piece. You’re kind of my favorite person in the galaxy, and I’m not losing you.”