Don't Let it Get Around
By: Heaven's Angel
A/N: Yeah, it's not enough to do a romance fluff with Starfire and Robin. No, you had to go and make me do a follow up. Nah, I love the writing. Read, and enjoy.
"Beast Boy, where is everyone?" asked Raven as she walked into the barren lounge of the Titan's headquarters. She had just come out of a deep trance, the result of a day of continuos meditation.
"Huh?" asked Beast Boy as he looked over from playing Time Crisis 3. He was playing multiplayer as a spider monkey, holding one gun in his front paws, the other in his prehensile tail and controlling the pedals with his back paws.
"The others, where are they?" repeated Raven in her same dull tone.
"Oh, Cyborg went to go check out the Battlebots competition that's in town. Going to see if he can enter. Starfire and Robin are out on patrol, wink, wink, nudge, nudge," said Beast Boy as he hit pause and transformed back to his humanoid form.
"Fantastic," said Raven.
"Hey, do you want to go get some dinner?" asked Beast Boy with a large grin, "I know of this great place that just opened."
"Sure, I won't stay out too late. Let me know if anything comes up," said Raven as she turned to leave.
"Um, Raven, I was kind of, well hoping we could go together," stammered Beast Boy.
"You mean, like on a date?" asked Raven incredulously.
"No," exclaimed Beast Boy a little too quickly, "I just...you know...wouldn't mind having someone around to go to dinner with.
"Beast Boy, you are asking the wrong person," said Raven in a tone that was part annoyed, part longing.
"Come on, pleassseee," pleaded Beast Boy as he transformed into a kitten, its eyes comically huge.
"Oh, fine, we'll go get dinner...together..." muttered Raven.
"Alright!" exclaimed Beast Boy. Seeing Raven's embarrassment, he shrunk down, "Okay, no more making a fool of myself when you're around you, got it."
The two headed out together in flight, Raven using her mystical powers, and Beast Boy as a bird, a raven to be precise.
"You're just mocking me with that form, aren't you," said Raven. Beast Boy tilted each way as if to shrug.
Beast Boy's new restaurant turned out to be Italian, situated as a small cafe. Reluctantly, Raven took a seat, her hood removed, and looked around at the other patrons. Despite the small crowd, no one seemed particularly interested in the green furry alien or the dark brooding teenager sitting in the corner.
"I hear the food is awesome," said Beast Boy as he scanned the menu excitedly. A waiter came over and asked if they would like anything to drink. Without waiting for Raven, Beast Boy said, "I'll have a Sprite and my lady friend here will have a glass of chilled mineral water with two wedges of lemons on the side please."
"Two things Beast Boy," said Raven as the waiter left.
"Yeah?" asked Beast Boy then gulped as his knife and fork suddenly sprang up and hovered close to his throat, contained in a black and white energy field.
"First, if you ever call me your lady friend again, I will kill you so fast you will not realize it."
"Fine, fine," said Beast Boy as the silverware floated back down, "What's the second?"
"How did you know I wanted water, mineral water for that fact, the chilled part, and especially the lemon wedges?" said Raven, slightly amazed though she didn't show it.
"Well, you drank that the last three times the group went out for dinner, so I just kind of figured," said Beast Boy with a shrug and a grin, "So what were you up to all day in that cave you refer to as your room?"
"I was meditating."
"That's cool, what is it like?"
"What is what like?" asked Raven.
"Meditating?"
"I don't know, there is no way to accurately describe it," said Raven, uncomfortable talking so much.
"Oh come on, do you visit past lives or anything like that?" asked Beast Boy mischievously.
"Watch it," said Raven annoyed, "It's nothing like you probably have ever experienced. When I'm meditating anything I feel is pushed out of my head. My conscious thoughts are dispersed into a state of nothingness, my emotions are dulled."
"It must be hard for them to get any duller," interjected Beast Boy.
"Indeed," said Raven, "But still, constant meditation is what increases my power, what allows me to control and master it. If I were let my emotions go, especially if I was like you and reacted to everything, I would be destroying things left and right."
"Cheap shot, though I may have deserved that one," protested Beast Boy.
The rest of the meal continued in a similar manner. Raven was amazed to discover that underneath his goofball appearance, Beast Boy was actually a pretty nice guy. When she talked, he was attentive, asking intelligent questions, and keeping his normally constant flow of wise cracks and one-liners to a bare minimum. And once food came (gnocchi in a thick pesto for him, penne and salmon in a white cream sauce for her) his table manners were perfect.
"Beast Boy, I'm impressed," said Raven, the barest hint of a smile coming to her face, as the two left the restaurant an hour later, "I don't think I've ever seen you act so mature before."
"Yeah, well don't let it get around," said Beast Boy stuffily.
"Don't worry, I don't think they would believe me," muttered Raven.
"So what do you want to do?" asked Beast Boy, as the two walked down the crowded street.
"There's poetry reading at the Night Artifact Cafe, I'm going to head there," said Raven, then not believing she was saying it, "If you want, why don't you come with me?"
"What, like a date?" asked Beast Boy with a smile.
"No, as in we need a sacrifice for our dark rituals," said Raven.
Beast Boy stared blankly at Raven for a moment, not believing it, "Did...did you just make a joke."
"A what?"
"You did. You made a joke. Raven, princess of darkness and all that crap. I can die a happy Beast Boy now."
"Yeah, well, don't let it get around," said Raven as she started to walk off.
"Okay okay, but what next? A knock-knock joke? Maybe even a practical joke?" asked Beast Boy with a grin.
"You want to come or not?" asked Raven, mocking anger.
"I'm coming, I'm coming," said Beast Boy, still laughing
At the Night Artifact Cafe...
"Alright everyone, as you many of you know tonight is open mike night," said the host of the poetry show. She was about twenty-five, dressed in a long black dress with a corset top and black gloves that reached from elbow and ended in fingerless hands.
"So, who wants to start?" she asked as she looked at the crowd. In the dark room there sat about twenty or thirty people, most like her dressed in thick gothic clothing, sitting on stools around tables or couches that were around. She immediately noticed the short girl who was dressed only in a unitard, gold belt, and long cape and hood. It was a beautiful outfit, that complimented her form, and she felt a desire twinge in her.
"How about you love?" she said, pointing to Raven who was sipping a chai with Beast Boy at a table.
"Fine," said Raven quietly as she stood up, then leaned into Beast Boy, "You embarrass me, I swear to God..."
"I know, I know, you'll kill me," said Beast Boy, "No worries, I'm use to that by now."
Raven walked up to the mike, adjusted it, and then sat down on the stool.
"I call this one, 'Rebirth'
"In the end, I am nothing
I cannot stand to live
With nothing left to live for
I prepare to drown
In the River Styx
And yet, as my head goes under
I feel something push me upwards
I am reborn
The Styx has given me new life
A life in death,
Rebirth, so I may die again"
"Beautiful," said the hostess after a few seconds as the crowd clapped, a quiet buzz passed through the room.
"And I'm not just talking about the poem," whispered the woman as she leaned in close to Raven and gently ran her hand through Raven's hair.
"I don't do that thing," said Raven as she tried to walk away.
"Oh come on, you're not the least bit curious?" asked the woman.
"Back off, or I will show you why you don't touch me," said Raven as her eyes turned white. The woman recoiled, and Raven stomped off back to her seat.
"Come on, we're getting out of here," said Raven as she made to walk out.
"Hey, what's the problem?" asked Beast Boy, "That was cool. I want to see more."
"What?" asked Raven as she stopped in her tracks, "You would rather sit here and listen to poetry than to go play video games or watch one of your childish movies?"
"Those movies aren't childish, Golden Boy is so not meant for kids," objected Beast Boy as he pulled back, "Look, let's just stay ten more minutes okay? I don't know what pissed you off, but it can't be so bad that we can't chill here for a little longer"
"Fine, ten more minutes," conceded Raven, "What's the world coming to? I want to leave and Beast Boy is enjoying poetry?"
Ten minutes turned into half an hour. Half an hour turned into two hours, and finally as the night began to end, the hostess came up and asked, "There's time for one or two more if you don't mind, so who wants to volunteer."
"I'm going," said Beast Boy as he walked up towards it.
"No way in hell," said Raven as she grabbed his collar, "You promised me nothing embarrassing. You reciting one of your underpants poems to my peers will not be good."
"Raven chill," said Beast Boy with a smile as he morphed into a snake and slithered out of Raven's hand. He changed back. "I said no embarrassing and I meant it."
"So what's your name short, green, and hairy?" asked the hostess as Beast Boy came forward.
"The name's Beast Boy, you may have heard of me, Teen Titans. Superhero," said Beast Boy casually as he buffed his nails on his shirt and feigned indifference.
"My life is over," moaned Raven as she put her head in her arms.
"That's nice," said the hostess, obviously not caring, "So yes, Beast Boy everyone."
"Thanks, I entitled this one, 'The Monster within'
"In me there is another
"One that does not smile, does not dance
"It is a monster, the monster within
"The monster is big and scary
"It has long fangs and sharp claws
"It devours the flesh and bones of creatures that stray too close
"I cannot control it.
"I barely contain it.
"I am scared of it.
"What scares me most is not its fangs
"With which it devours the flesh of innocents
"Nor the claws that are like blades
"Which rips to shreds the skin of infants
"What scares me is not its girth
"Though it blocks out my shadow upon the earth
"It is that, the beast is trapped in me.
"And I am trapped in it."
"My God, you can write poetry?" asked Raven stunned as Beast Boy sauntered back to his seat amid clapping and a few whistles.
"Well yeah," said Beast Boy kind of embarrassed.
"I'm in shock, though that seems to be standard for tonight," said Raven.
"There you are. I was wondering where you left cutie," came a voice from behind Raven. Without turning it around, Raven realized it was the hostess, who still apparently thought she could get with Raven.
"I said to leave me alone," she growled as she turned to face her.
"Oh come on, you need to lighten up. Who are you leaving with? Come with me," said the woman invitingly, ignoring Raven's declines.
"Well, my um...boyfriend wouldn't like it much," stammered Raven as she pulled Beast Boy forward, "Right, love?"
"Um, yes?" said Beast Boy with his standard smile and a shrug. Out of the corner of his mouth he whispered, "I'm going to kill you for this."
"Don't worry I'm going to kill me first," hissed back Raven as she turned and kissed a very shocked Beast Boy.
"Oh, spoil sport," whined the hostess as she left the two in a kiss.
"Ew," spat Raven as she pulled away.
"Dude!" cried Beast Boy as he groped for his cup of chai and drunk half of it, rinsed his mouth, and spit it back into the mug, "What in the hell was the point of that?"
"That stupid girl wouldn't leave me alone okay, I needed to get her off my case!" yelled out Raven uncharacteristically. Without warning, the chair that Beast Boy had been sitting on along with their cups exploded, while the tabletop simultaneously melted, as if the metal were in a furnace.
"Get a grip Raven, you're getting destructive on the property," said Beast Boy from the floor. Instead of calming down, Raven turned and ran out the door. Without a thought, Beast Boy was on his feet and chasing after her, getting out in the open just long enough to see Raven fly off.
"Crap," muttered Beast Boy as he leaped up into the air and transformed into an eagle. Even though he flapped as hard as he could he still couldn't close the distance between him and the pissed off Raven.
"Why in the world did she flip out like that," thought Beast Boy as he frantically flapped his wings. As he passed over a parking lot he felt a sudden rush of warm air lift him high up into the sky, he circled slowly gathering height while he let Raven continue to move away from him. Now high above his target, he morphed into the fastest creature he knew of, a peregrine falcon. Any bird watcher would be shocked to see one in town, and especially at night. Taking careful aim, he folded in his wings and fell to the earth, quickly accelerating to incredible speeds and closing the distance between him and Raven. Finally, right before he hit her, he flared his wings, glided over her, and morphed again, this time into a parrot.
"Leave me alone," yelled Raven as she floated in mid-air, her eyes white and flaring in anger.
"Sorry, can't," said Beast Boy through the parrot's mouth. With a sigh, Raven sank down, landing on top of the mall. Beast boy likely went down and changed back to his normal form.
"Now come on Raven, spill it. What's pissed you off so much?" asked Beast Boy angrily. All traces of joking were gone, he was being serious now.
"I just, got angry at her not listening to me," said Raven as she rubbed her shoulder, traces of emotion starting to appear in her voice.
"Right, that's why things started going explosive," said Beast Boy sarcastically, "I know you Raven, you don't get that pissed off when people do stupid things. I've said and done things way stupider than that, and you have yet to go around and blow things up like you did back there."
"Yeah, well maybe I'm just use to your stupid things," said Raven, her voice beginning to rise.
"What's with the yelling?" shot back Beast Boy.
"I'm not yelling!" screamed Raven.
"You so are!" yelled Beast Boy.
"I am not!" screamed Raven again.
"Now who's saying stupid things!" shouted Beast Boy. Raven suddenly leaped forward and threw her arms around his neck while at the same time put her lips to his. Beast Boy stood there shocked for a second, then closed his eyes and pulled her close to him so that there bodies pressed into each other. Finally, after an eternity, they pulled apart. Raven slapped Beast Boy.
"Why did you kiss me?" she demanded angrily looking at Beast Boy.
"Me?" said a very confused Beast Boy, "You started it!"
"I, I did," stammered Raven to herself, "I just kissed Beast Boy."
"Was I really that bad of a kisser?" asked Beast Boy.
"It's, it's not you," said Raven sadly as she turned and without warning flew off, leaving Beast Boy to his own bewindled thoughts.
Back at the Titan's Tower...
"Raven, you're back," said Robin from the couch in front of the TV. He and Cyborg were currently involved in a vicious game of Soul Caliber II while Starfire watched and cheered them on.
"Hey, where's Beast Boy?" asked Cyborg as his Asharoth blocked a flurry of strikes from Robin's Raphael.
"We, um, split up," lied Raven, "He should be home in a little while. I'm going to bed."
"Is it just me, or did doom and gloom girl seem a little more pissed off to you two?" asked Robin as on screen Raphael was picked up and swung about the ring on Asharoth's axe.
"I will go converse with her," said Starfire with a smile, "I will return shortly. Please save the next game for me. What is the phrase? I am going to take this boot, turn it sideways, and stick it straight up your candy basses?"
"You were so close," said Cyborg, "Straight up all of you all's candy asses!' Well at least the pro wrestling is teaching you something."
Starfire flew out and knocked on Raven's door, but received no answer.
"Raven, are you in there," called out Starfire as she knocked again.
"Go away Star," groaned Raven from inside the dark recesses.
"I and your other friends are worried about you," said Starfire, "You seem to be upset about something."
"I said go away," repeated Raven as she buried her face into her pillow.
"What happened to Beast Boy?" asked Starfire, "That is why you came home alone is it not?"
"How do you know these things?" asked Raven as she appeared at the door.
"I believe on Earth it is called a Woman's Intuition," said Starfire with a small smile.
"Fine, you got me, it has to do with Beast Boy."
"Will you tell me more?" asked Starfire, prying ever so gently.
"Well, it started earlier this evening," began Raven, for once glad that she had a friend like Starfire who could be confided in, "Beast boy asked me to go to dinner and..."
In the Lounge
"Hey, BB, what's going on dog?" as Beast Boy walked in, the form of a green basset hound, head down, eyes looking sad and longing at the same time.
"Leave me alone," said Beast Boy as he morphed back, "I'm going down to the water."
"Dude, something happened with him and Raven," said Robin as Beast Boy disappeared down the stairs.
"You think?" said Cyborg. "What do you think it was? Should we interrogate him?"
"No," said Robin, recognizing the look on Beast Boy's face. He had seen it on someone else's face too. Bruce's anytime he saw Selina Kyle, a.k.a. Catwoman, "Leave him alone for right now."
Raven's room (If I had TV switches this wouldn't be making you so confused)
"So you just flew off, no explanation or anything to that effect?" asked Starfire as she stared at the shorter female. Raven slowly nodded.
"That was cruel Raven. You may be cold on the outside, but we have always known that you possess a kind heart. Apparently that may not be true. Why would you run away from somebody that you like?"
"Thanks Star, make me feel better," said Raven, though she was forced to admit that coming from Starfire's lips, the whole thing was pretty messed up. She was being forced to admit something to herself. She had feelings for Beast Boy, ones that transcended their awkward feeling of friends.
"I believe it is in your best interest to talk with Beast Boy," suggested Starfire, "Let him know how you feel. I am sure he would understand."
"Fine," said Raven as she turned to head out and find Beast Boy. Right before she turned the corner she turned back, "Thank you Starfire."
"You are welcome, friend," said Starfire with her normal warm smile.
Out on the shore of the bay...
Beast Boy launched another stone, skipping it along the surface of the calm ocean. It flew slightly above the water, then veered down, hit the water, and skipped back upwards for another thirty feet. It repeated this another four or five times before it finally fell under the water.
"Hey," said Raven as she stepped out of the shadows.
"Hey," replied Beast Boy, barely awknowleding her prescene. He launched another rock, with his right hand, then cocked and threw a second one with his left, causing them to appear to be playing a game of chase.
"Beast Boy, look," began Raven.
"I don't want to hear it," said Beast Boy, "That was just cruel."
"I'm sorry," whispered Raven looking down, for one of the few times in her life feeling like she had really done something wrong.
"It's okay," said Beast Boy as he turned towards Raven, "I just don't get it. What made you so angry?"
"Well, that woman just pissed me off, but then when I kissed you, it was, well, I liked it." admitted Raven, beginning to blush.
"So I'm not a bad kisser? 'cause if I am, don't let it get around" asked Beast Boy, a smile cracking his somber face.
"Well, I've had better," said Raven, a small smile coming to her face.
"Maybe if you stopped surprising me with them," said Beast Boy as he took a step forward, "Your smile."
"What?" asked Raven, not understanding what Beast Boy was talking about.
"Your smile, it's nice," said Beast Boy as reached out and took Raven in his arms. Another smile escaped her face as Beast Boy pulled back her hood. Closing her eyes, she felt Beast Boy kiss her. He was right, given a little bit of warning, he kissed a lot better.
The kiss broke and they stared into each other's eye. Raven attempted to slap Beast Boy again, but this time he ducked the blow.
"Is this going to happen everytime I kiss you?" asked Beast Boy as he pulled her into his arms. Raven blushed at the closeness.
"No, I just felt like hitting something," said Raven, "Kiss me again if you don't believe me."
They kissed again. A small series of explosions occurred in the ocean while the rocks in the vicinity of the two teens began to melt, but neither of them noticed. They were too busy.
There, you vultures happy?! Read and Review please, leave your e-mail and I'll write to you. Promise.
By: Heaven's Angel
A/N: Yeah, it's not enough to do a romance fluff with Starfire and Robin. No, you had to go and make me do a follow up. Nah, I love the writing. Read, and enjoy.
"Beast Boy, where is everyone?" asked Raven as she walked into the barren lounge of the Titan's headquarters. She had just come out of a deep trance, the result of a day of continuos meditation.
"Huh?" asked Beast Boy as he looked over from playing Time Crisis 3. He was playing multiplayer as a spider monkey, holding one gun in his front paws, the other in his prehensile tail and controlling the pedals with his back paws.
"The others, where are they?" repeated Raven in her same dull tone.
"Oh, Cyborg went to go check out the Battlebots competition that's in town. Going to see if he can enter. Starfire and Robin are out on patrol, wink, wink, nudge, nudge," said Beast Boy as he hit pause and transformed back to his humanoid form.
"Fantastic," said Raven.
"Hey, do you want to go get some dinner?" asked Beast Boy with a large grin, "I know of this great place that just opened."
"Sure, I won't stay out too late. Let me know if anything comes up," said Raven as she turned to leave.
"Um, Raven, I was kind of, well hoping we could go together," stammered Beast Boy.
"You mean, like on a date?" asked Raven incredulously.
"No," exclaimed Beast Boy a little too quickly, "I just...you know...wouldn't mind having someone around to go to dinner with.
"Beast Boy, you are asking the wrong person," said Raven in a tone that was part annoyed, part longing.
"Come on, pleassseee," pleaded Beast Boy as he transformed into a kitten, its eyes comically huge.
"Oh, fine, we'll go get dinner...together..." muttered Raven.
"Alright!" exclaimed Beast Boy. Seeing Raven's embarrassment, he shrunk down, "Okay, no more making a fool of myself when you're around you, got it."
The two headed out together in flight, Raven using her mystical powers, and Beast Boy as a bird, a raven to be precise.
"You're just mocking me with that form, aren't you," said Raven. Beast Boy tilted each way as if to shrug.
Beast Boy's new restaurant turned out to be Italian, situated as a small cafe. Reluctantly, Raven took a seat, her hood removed, and looked around at the other patrons. Despite the small crowd, no one seemed particularly interested in the green furry alien or the dark brooding teenager sitting in the corner.
"I hear the food is awesome," said Beast Boy as he scanned the menu excitedly. A waiter came over and asked if they would like anything to drink. Without waiting for Raven, Beast Boy said, "I'll have a Sprite and my lady friend here will have a glass of chilled mineral water with two wedges of lemons on the side please."
"Two things Beast Boy," said Raven as the waiter left.
"Yeah?" asked Beast Boy then gulped as his knife and fork suddenly sprang up and hovered close to his throat, contained in a black and white energy field.
"First, if you ever call me your lady friend again, I will kill you so fast you will not realize it."
"Fine, fine," said Beast Boy as the silverware floated back down, "What's the second?"
"How did you know I wanted water, mineral water for that fact, the chilled part, and especially the lemon wedges?" said Raven, slightly amazed though she didn't show it.
"Well, you drank that the last three times the group went out for dinner, so I just kind of figured," said Beast Boy with a shrug and a grin, "So what were you up to all day in that cave you refer to as your room?"
"I was meditating."
"That's cool, what is it like?"
"What is what like?" asked Raven.
"Meditating?"
"I don't know, there is no way to accurately describe it," said Raven, uncomfortable talking so much.
"Oh come on, do you visit past lives or anything like that?" asked Beast Boy mischievously.
"Watch it," said Raven annoyed, "It's nothing like you probably have ever experienced. When I'm meditating anything I feel is pushed out of my head. My conscious thoughts are dispersed into a state of nothingness, my emotions are dulled."
"It must be hard for them to get any duller," interjected Beast Boy.
"Indeed," said Raven, "But still, constant meditation is what increases my power, what allows me to control and master it. If I were let my emotions go, especially if I was like you and reacted to everything, I would be destroying things left and right."
"Cheap shot, though I may have deserved that one," protested Beast Boy.
The rest of the meal continued in a similar manner. Raven was amazed to discover that underneath his goofball appearance, Beast Boy was actually a pretty nice guy. When she talked, he was attentive, asking intelligent questions, and keeping his normally constant flow of wise cracks and one-liners to a bare minimum. And once food came (gnocchi in a thick pesto for him, penne and salmon in a white cream sauce for her) his table manners were perfect.
"Beast Boy, I'm impressed," said Raven, the barest hint of a smile coming to her face, as the two left the restaurant an hour later, "I don't think I've ever seen you act so mature before."
"Yeah, well don't let it get around," said Beast Boy stuffily.
"Don't worry, I don't think they would believe me," muttered Raven.
"So what do you want to do?" asked Beast Boy, as the two walked down the crowded street.
"There's poetry reading at the Night Artifact Cafe, I'm going to head there," said Raven, then not believing she was saying it, "If you want, why don't you come with me?"
"What, like a date?" asked Beast Boy with a smile.
"No, as in we need a sacrifice for our dark rituals," said Raven.
Beast Boy stared blankly at Raven for a moment, not believing it, "Did...did you just make a joke."
"A what?"
"You did. You made a joke. Raven, princess of darkness and all that crap. I can die a happy Beast Boy now."
"Yeah, well, don't let it get around," said Raven as she started to walk off.
"Okay okay, but what next? A knock-knock joke? Maybe even a practical joke?" asked Beast Boy with a grin.
"You want to come or not?" asked Raven, mocking anger.
"I'm coming, I'm coming," said Beast Boy, still laughing
At the Night Artifact Cafe...
"Alright everyone, as you many of you know tonight is open mike night," said the host of the poetry show. She was about twenty-five, dressed in a long black dress with a corset top and black gloves that reached from elbow and ended in fingerless hands.
"So, who wants to start?" she asked as she looked at the crowd. In the dark room there sat about twenty or thirty people, most like her dressed in thick gothic clothing, sitting on stools around tables or couches that were around. She immediately noticed the short girl who was dressed only in a unitard, gold belt, and long cape and hood. It was a beautiful outfit, that complimented her form, and she felt a desire twinge in her.
"How about you love?" she said, pointing to Raven who was sipping a chai with Beast Boy at a table.
"Fine," said Raven quietly as she stood up, then leaned into Beast Boy, "You embarrass me, I swear to God..."
"I know, I know, you'll kill me," said Beast Boy, "No worries, I'm use to that by now."
Raven walked up to the mike, adjusted it, and then sat down on the stool.
"I call this one, 'Rebirth'
"In the end, I am nothing
I cannot stand to live
With nothing left to live for
I prepare to drown
In the River Styx
And yet, as my head goes under
I feel something push me upwards
I am reborn
The Styx has given me new life
A life in death,
Rebirth, so I may die again"
"Beautiful," said the hostess after a few seconds as the crowd clapped, a quiet buzz passed through the room.
"And I'm not just talking about the poem," whispered the woman as she leaned in close to Raven and gently ran her hand through Raven's hair.
"I don't do that thing," said Raven as she tried to walk away.
"Oh come on, you're not the least bit curious?" asked the woman.
"Back off, or I will show you why you don't touch me," said Raven as her eyes turned white. The woman recoiled, and Raven stomped off back to her seat.
"Come on, we're getting out of here," said Raven as she made to walk out.
"Hey, what's the problem?" asked Beast Boy, "That was cool. I want to see more."
"What?" asked Raven as she stopped in her tracks, "You would rather sit here and listen to poetry than to go play video games or watch one of your childish movies?"
"Those movies aren't childish, Golden Boy is so not meant for kids," objected Beast Boy as he pulled back, "Look, let's just stay ten more minutes okay? I don't know what pissed you off, but it can't be so bad that we can't chill here for a little longer"
"Fine, ten more minutes," conceded Raven, "What's the world coming to? I want to leave and Beast Boy is enjoying poetry?"
Ten minutes turned into half an hour. Half an hour turned into two hours, and finally as the night began to end, the hostess came up and asked, "There's time for one or two more if you don't mind, so who wants to volunteer."
"I'm going," said Beast Boy as he walked up towards it.
"No way in hell," said Raven as she grabbed his collar, "You promised me nothing embarrassing. You reciting one of your underpants poems to my peers will not be good."
"Raven chill," said Beast Boy with a smile as he morphed into a snake and slithered out of Raven's hand. He changed back. "I said no embarrassing and I meant it."
"So what's your name short, green, and hairy?" asked the hostess as Beast Boy came forward.
"The name's Beast Boy, you may have heard of me, Teen Titans. Superhero," said Beast Boy casually as he buffed his nails on his shirt and feigned indifference.
"My life is over," moaned Raven as she put her head in her arms.
"That's nice," said the hostess, obviously not caring, "So yes, Beast Boy everyone."
"Thanks, I entitled this one, 'The Monster within'
"In me there is another
"One that does not smile, does not dance
"It is a monster, the monster within
"The monster is big and scary
"It has long fangs and sharp claws
"It devours the flesh and bones of creatures that stray too close
"I cannot control it.
"I barely contain it.
"I am scared of it.
"What scares me most is not its fangs
"With which it devours the flesh of innocents
"Nor the claws that are like blades
"Which rips to shreds the skin of infants
"What scares me is not its girth
"Though it blocks out my shadow upon the earth
"It is that, the beast is trapped in me.
"And I am trapped in it."
"My God, you can write poetry?" asked Raven stunned as Beast Boy sauntered back to his seat amid clapping and a few whistles.
"Well yeah," said Beast Boy kind of embarrassed.
"I'm in shock, though that seems to be standard for tonight," said Raven.
"There you are. I was wondering where you left cutie," came a voice from behind Raven. Without turning it around, Raven realized it was the hostess, who still apparently thought she could get with Raven.
"I said to leave me alone," she growled as she turned to face her.
"Oh come on, you need to lighten up. Who are you leaving with? Come with me," said the woman invitingly, ignoring Raven's declines.
"Well, my um...boyfriend wouldn't like it much," stammered Raven as she pulled Beast Boy forward, "Right, love?"
"Um, yes?" said Beast Boy with his standard smile and a shrug. Out of the corner of his mouth he whispered, "I'm going to kill you for this."
"Don't worry I'm going to kill me first," hissed back Raven as she turned and kissed a very shocked Beast Boy.
"Oh, spoil sport," whined the hostess as she left the two in a kiss.
"Ew," spat Raven as she pulled away.
"Dude!" cried Beast Boy as he groped for his cup of chai and drunk half of it, rinsed his mouth, and spit it back into the mug, "What in the hell was the point of that?"
"That stupid girl wouldn't leave me alone okay, I needed to get her off my case!" yelled out Raven uncharacteristically. Without warning, the chair that Beast Boy had been sitting on along with their cups exploded, while the tabletop simultaneously melted, as if the metal were in a furnace.
"Get a grip Raven, you're getting destructive on the property," said Beast Boy from the floor. Instead of calming down, Raven turned and ran out the door. Without a thought, Beast Boy was on his feet and chasing after her, getting out in the open just long enough to see Raven fly off.
"Crap," muttered Beast Boy as he leaped up into the air and transformed into an eagle. Even though he flapped as hard as he could he still couldn't close the distance between him and the pissed off Raven.
"Why in the world did she flip out like that," thought Beast Boy as he frantically flapped his wings. As he passed over a parking lot he felt a sudden rush of warm air lift him high up into the sky, he circled slowly gathering height while he let Raven continue to move away from him. Now high above his target, he morphed into the fastest creature he knew of, a peregrine falcon. Any bird watcher would be shocked to see one in town, and especially at night. Taking careful aim, he folded in his wings and fell to the earth, quickly accelerating to incredible speeds and closing the distance between him and Raven. Finally, right before he hit her, he flared his wings, glided over her, and morphed again, this time into a parrot.
"Leave me alone," yelled Raven as she floated in mid-air, her eyes white and flaring in anger.
"Sorry, can't," said Beast Boy through the parrot's mouth. With a sigh, Raven sank down, landing on top of the mall. Beast boy likely went down and changed back to his normal form.
"Now come on Raven, spill it. What's pissed you off so much?" asked Beast Boy angrily. All traces of joking were gone, he was being serious now.
"I just, got angry at her not listening to me," said Raven as she rubbed her shoulder, traces of emotion starting to appear in her voice.
"Right, that's why things started going explosive," said Beast Boy sarcastically, "I know you Raven, you don't get that pissed off when people do stupid things. I've said and done things way stupider than that, and you have yet to go around and blow things up like you did back there."
"Yeah, well maybe I'm just use to your stupid things," said Raven, her voice beginning to rise.
"What's with the yelling?" shot back Beast Boy.
"I'm not yelling!" screamed Raven.
"You so are!" yelled Beast Boy.
"I am not!" screamed Raven again.
"Now who's saying stupid things!" shouted Beast Boy. Raven suddenly leaped forward and threw her arms around his neck while at the same time put her lips to his. Beast Boy stood there shocked for a second, then closed his eyes and pulled her close to him so that there bodies pressed into each other. Finally, after an eternity, they pulled apart. Raven slapped Beast Boy.
"Why did you kiss me?" she demanded angrily looking at Beast Boy.
"Me?" said a very confused Beast Boy, "You started it!"
"I, I did," stammered Raven to herself, "I just kissed Beast Boy."
"Was I really that bad of a kisser?" asked Beast Boy.
"It's, it's not you," said Raven sadly as she turned and without warning flew off, leaving Beast Boy to his own bewindled thoughts.
Back at the Titan's Tower...
"Raven, you're back," said Robin from the couch in front of the TV. He and Cyborg were currently involved in a vicious game of Soul Caliber II while Starfire watched and cheered them on.
"Hey, where's Beast Boy?" asked Cyborg as his Asharoth blocked a flurry of strikes from Robin's Raphael.
"We, um, split up," lied Raven, "He should be home in a little while. I'm going to bed."
"Is it just me, or did doom and gloom girl seem a little more pissed off to you two?" asked Robin as on screen Raphael was picked up and swung about the ring on Asharoth's axe.
"I will go converse with her," said Starfire with a smile, "I will return shortly. Please save the next game for me. What is the phrase? I am going to take this boot, turn it sideways, and stick it straight up your candy basses?"
"You were so close," said Cyborg, "Straight up all of you all's candy asses!' Well at least the pro wrestling is teaching you something."
Starfire flew out and knocked on Raven's door, but received no answer.
"Raven, are you in there," called out Starfire as she knocked again.
"Go away Star," groaned Raven from inside the dark recesses.
"I and your other friends are worried about you," said Starfire, "You seem to be upset about something."
"I said go away," repeated Raven as she buried her face into her pillow.
"What happened to Beast Boy?" asked Starfire, "That is why you came home alone is it not?"
"How do you know these things?" asked Raven as she appeared at the door.
"I believe on Earth it is called a Woman's Intuition," said Starfire with a small smile.
"Fine, you got me, it has to do with Beast Boy."
"Will you tell me more?" asked Starfire, prying ever so gently.
"Well, it started earlier this evening," began Raven, for once glad that she had a friend like Starfire who could be confided in, "Beast boy asked me to go to dinner and..."
In the Lounge
"Hey, BB, what's going on dog?" as Beast Boy walked in, the form of a green basset hound, head down, eyes looking sad and longing at the same time.
"Leave me alone," said Beast Boy as he morphed back, "I'm going down to the water."
"Dude, something happened with him and Raven," said Robin as Beast Boy disappeared down the stairs.
"You think?" said Cyborg. "What do you think it was? Should we interrogate him?"
"No," said Robin, recognizing the look on Beast Boy's face. He had seen it on someone else's face too. Bruce's anytime he saw Selina Kyle, a.k.a. Catwoman, "Leave him alone for right now."
Raven's room (If I had TV switches this wouldn't be making you so confused)
"So you just flew off, no explanation or anything to that effect?" asked Starfire as she stared at the shorter female. Raven slowly nodded.
"That was cruel Raven. You may be cold on the outside, but we have always known that you possess a kind heart. Apparently that may not be true. Why would you run away from somebody that you like?"
"Thanks Star, make me feel better," said Raven, though she was forced to admit that coming from Starfire's lips, the whole thing was pretty messed up. She was being forced to admit something to herself. She had feelings for Beast Boy, ones that transcended their awkward feeling of friends.
"I believe it is in your best interest to talk with Beast Boy," suggested Starfire, "Let him know how you feel. I am sure he would understand."
"Fine," said Raven as she turned to head out and find Beast Boy. Right before she turned the corner she turned back, "Thank you Starfire."
"You are welcome, friend," said Starfire with her normal warm smile.
Out on the shore of the bay...
Beast Boy launched another stone, skipping it along the surface of the calm ocean. It flew slightly above the water, then veered down, hit the water, and skipped back upwards for another thirty feet. It repeated this another four or five times before it finally fell under the water.
"Hey," said Raven as she stepped out of the shadows.
"Hey," replied Beast Boy, barely awknowleding her prescene. He launched another rock, with his right hand, then cocked and threw a second one with his left, causing them to appear to be playing a game of chase.
"Beast Boy, look," began Raven.
"I don't want to hear it," said Beast Boy, "That was just cruel."
"I'm sorry," whispered Raven looking down, for one of the few times in her life feeling like she had really done something wrong.
"It's okay," said Beast Boy as he turned towards Raven, "I just don't get it. What made you so angry?"
"Well, that woman just pissed me off, but then when I kissed you, it was, well, I liked it." admitted Raven, beginning to blush.
"So I'm not a bad kisser? 'cause if I am, don't let it get around" asked Beast Boy, a smile cracking his somber face.
"Well, I've had better," said Raven, a small smile coming to her face.
"Maybe if you stopped surprising me with them," said Beast Boy as he took a step forward, "Your smile."
"What?" asked Raven, not understanding what Beast Boy was talking about.
"Your smile, it's nice," said Beast Boy as reached out and took Raven in his arms. Another smile escaped her face as Beast Boy pulled back her hood. Closing her eyes, she felt Beast Boy kiss her. He was right, given a little bit of warning, he kissed a lot better.
The kiss broke and they stared into each other's eye. Raven attempted to slap Beast Boy again, but this time he ducked the blow.
"Is this going to happen everytime I kiss you?" asked Beast Boy as he pulled her into his arms. Raven blushed at the closeness.
"No, I just felt like hitting something," said Raven, "Kiss me again if you don't believe me."
They kissed again. A small series of explosions occurred in the ocean while the rocks in the vicinity of the two teens began to melt, but neither of them noticed. They were too busy.
There, you vultures happy?! Read and Review please, leave your e-mail and I'll write to you. Promise.
