Disclaimer: Teen Titans © Warner Bros., not me.
Warning: Christmas fluff ahoy!
Christmas break had arrived, and all the students were celebrating in the hallways after the last bell had rung. Terra was busying herself with the combination of her locker, a warm smile on her face. Her two friends chatted beside her excitedly.
"So like, my dad said he's taking me to the Steel City Mountain Lodge! Can you believe it? I'll get to go skiing!" the chubby brown-haired girl said, squealing with delight.
"Man, lucky!" sighed the dark-skinned girl on the opposite side of Terra. "I think I'll be stuck at my house all break, babysitting my sister. It's going to be so boring."
The brunette's jaw dropped. "Are you kidding me? That sucks!" She turned to Terra who had finally managed to open her locker. "So what about you, Tara?"
"Well, I'll probably just--" Terra's words soon turned into a small gasp as she gazed inside her locker. A heart-shaped mirror box sat on top of a pile of books, the same mirror Beast Boy had shown her at Titan's Tower. She quickly slammed the door shut.
Her brown-haired, freckled friend raised an eyebrow. "Is something wrong?"
Terra replied with an uneasy smile. "I-uh just noticed I forgot to take out my old lunch from a few weeks ago." She pinched her nose in a convincing fashion. "Reeks in there."
The brunette made a gag motion while the other friend giggled. "Girl! You really need to clean up your locker more often."
"Yeah, tell me about it," Terra said, forcing a smile. "Well, I got detention this afternoon so I have to stick around here for a little while longer. I'll see you guys when you get back from break, okay?"
They looked suspiciously at her for a moment before returning the same friendly smile. "Okay, take care, Tara!" they waved. "Merry Christmas!"
"Yeah, Merry Christmas…" Terra replied, slowly waving her hand as she watched them disappear. After she was sure they had left, she opened up her locker and took out the mysterious trinket inside. Her fingers slowly ran alongside its edges before opening up the heart-shaped box. Her reflection stared back at her in its little mirror, and she gazed at it with disdain. Everything about it brought back painful memories.
A small scrap of paper was seated on the bottom, and Terra slowly picked it up to examine it. Etched on the paper was some poor handwriting which read: "Terra, Please meet me outside of school for an even better Xmas present! I'll be waiting by the pole. PLEASE show up! Love, Beast Boy." A little face with pointy ears was drawn beside it.
Terra stood idly by her locker, debating whether or not to go. She watched the students slowly disappear from the hallway, and soon she found herself alone. With a deep sigh, she headed out the doorway.
The sky had already turned to night, and Terra couldn't help but admire the small white snowflakes decorating the schoolyard as they danced in the air around her. It was too bad she only brought a small jacket to keep her warm.
She spotted Beast Boy in the distance outside the gate, leaning against a streetlight. He was dressed in earmuffs and a large scarf and jacket. Despite this, he was shivering and his breath came in visible puffs of air. Terra felt a little guilty for making him wait so long, and slowly walked up beside him.
"Hey…"
His green eyes lit up at the sight of her, and he bounced off the pole with joy. "Terra!" he shouted, grinning from ear to ear. "I didn't think you would but you came! And--oh man, I can't believe it but this is just so--!" Beast Boy blushed after he realized he was gushing and rambling. "Uh--I mean… It's nice to see you again." He smiled his fanged grin.
Terra looked at him mournfully. "Beast Boy… We've been through this. My name's Tara. And--"
"I know, I know!" he groaned, raising his hands above him. "You're not the girl I think you are! You're not a Titan and I shouldn't even be seeing you! In fact, I'm probably a nut and you don't even exist! You told me all that before," he ranted, pacing around. "But… Even so…" He stopped, reaching into his coat pocket solemnly. He pulled out a red and green wrapped gift, messily taped together and raised it in the air. His dark eyes gazed into hers. "I still wanted to get you a present."
Terra looked at it with hesitation. "But… I didn't get you anything…"
"It's okay," he replied. "I just wanted you to have it."
Terra bit her lip, but eventually took it from his hand. As she looked at it, she couldn't help but admire the shoddy wrapping. It was cute in a way. And despite all the mounds of tape, she easily unwrapped it with one hand.
She discovered a binder decorated with stickers, a calculator, and a pack of number two pencils. Another card laid inside the binding which read "Merry Xmas!" complete with a happy smiley face dotted at the end. Truth be told, it was the worst present a high school student could ever receive.
She gave a soft laugh and slowly settled herself down onto the snow-covered street curb. "Do you always give girls school supplies?"
Beast Boy began to panic. "Um, well--I know it's probably not what you wanted but I know how into high school you are and--you never really told me what you liked so--" His voice trailed off with embarrassment. He slowly slumped down onto the curb next to her with his head in his hands.
She placed a hand on his shoulder. "I like it," she said, a sweet smile on her face.
He looked at her, shocked. It was the most boring present anyone could receive and yet she seemed pleased for reasons unbeknownst to him. "You…you like it?"
"Actually, it was probably the best thing you could have given me," she replied matter-of-factly, smiling warmly as snow cascaded around her.
"Really?"
"Not that I would of minded clothes or something," she winked with her arms folded behind her head, "but close enough."
As the information slowly set in, Beast Boy jumped up into the air and yelled, "Sweet!" He then proceeded to a do a victory jig. Terra giggled at his dancing and he immediately froze in embarrassment. "Ah, so um.. I guess you better get going now, huh?" he said, scratching the back of his head.
"Hold on. I still have to give you my present."
"Huh? But I thought you didn't--" he was silenced mid-sentence by Terra's lips gently pressing against his own. It lasted a few seconds, but to Beast Boy, it felt like an eternity. Terra pulled back from the kiss and smiled at his love struck expression.
"Wow…" he murmured, hearts in his eyes and a dazed look dotting his face.
"I'm not doing much this break. If you're free, wanna go out sometime?"
"Oh, totally!" Beast Boy was practically jumping for joy. "Here," he handed her a communicator, "You can call with me with this. If… if you don't mind having it."
Terra laughed. "Just try not to call me during class, okay?" she said while taking it from him.
He grinned and winked. "No problem!" he said as suavely as he could.
The two of them gazed at each other underneath the streetlight, snow drifting around them.
"Merry Christmas, Tara."
"Merry Christmas, Beast Boy."
