Beast Boy had been trying to work up the courage for months, now. And every time he would, he would see her and would be terrified. What if he botched it and she turns him down? What if he makes a fool out of himself and the entire team gives him hell for it?
He slams his fist down on the bathroom counter, then turns on the faucet with a dejected sigh. He runs the water over his hand, letting the cool water numb it after it started to throb. Way to go there, Beast Boy, hurting yourself out of frustration, he thought as he massaged his hand. He sighed again then he cupped his hands and filled them with water. He was in the middle of splashing it in his face when someone knocked on the door. Startled, he shifted into a kitten and flung water all over himself and the counter. He shook himself off and shifted back to a human and called out, "I'll be out in sec." Beast Boy looked at all the water everywhere and groaned internally. It might be more than a sec. He was about to start cleaning up the mess, when whoever was outside the door decided that they were sick of waiting and barged in.
And it was Cyborg. "Beast Boy, why is my bathroom a mess?" he demanded when he saw the water everywhere.
Beast Boy gave Cyborg a sheepish look. "Dude. Chill. I was just about to clean it up. And it's just water."
"Water that people could have tripped on," Cyborg crossed his arms. "What exactly were you trying to do? Take a bird-bath in the sink?"
"Ha. Ha. Very funny. And no. I was trying to splash water on my face, but your pounding scared me. Like, seriously, dude. Do you have a knock that doesn't sound like someone's trying to escape a murderer?" Beast Boy said as he took out a towel and started to clean up the water.
"B, are you alright?" Cyborg said eyeing his best friend warily. He hasn't been acting like is normal self, and the last time this happened was after the fight with Adonis, that let out a beast within him.
"Of course, I'm alright. Why wouldn't be?" Beast Boy lied. Cyborg saw right threw it and gave him a look. Beast Boy avoid his gaze by focusing more on cleaning up the mess, before admitting, "No. Not really."
"What's going on? You know you can tell me?" Cyborg prompted.
"Can I really?" Beast Boy answered and stood up, finished with cleaning the water. "If I tell you, how would I know that you wouldn't make fun of me for it or go tell her?" Beast Boy realized a moment later that he might have let out too much information than he meant to.
"You like Raven, so what?" Cyborg said.
"How did you-"
"You're my best friend, and we've lived together for how many years, now?" Cyborg pointed out and Beast Boy let out a nervous chuckle. "Have you tried asking her out?"
"I've tried, but I wimp out before I can even get the words out," Beast Boy sighed. "I'm fine communicating with her when we're on a mission, but when we're here I can't seem to get any words out. It's frustrating."
Cyborg placed a hand on Beast Boy's shoulder. "You can do it, Beast Boy. Just go and ask her out."
"Right now?!"
"Yes, now."
"But-"
"Hey, man, the worst she could say is 'no'. It's not gonna be the end of the world."
"Is that what you told yourself after Bumblebee turned you down?"
"Ey, watch it, ya little grass stain. I'm trying to help you out here," Cyborg pointed a finger at Beast Boy. "But I will admit that I did feel a bit down..." Beast Boy opened his mouth to comment on something but Cyborg continued, "-But after I picked my spirits back up, I tried again and she said 'yes'."
Beast Boy nodded. "You're saying that if I don't succeed the first time, I should try again?"
"But you'll never know if you'll need to try again, if you don't ask her first."
This conversation with Cyborg had boosted Beast Boy's self-esteem and he was gaining more and more confidence. "I'm gonna go ask her," he declared.
"Go get her, man," Cyborg said while slyly shoving Beast Boy out of the bathroom and shutting the door on him.
Beast Boy felt slightly annoyed that Cyborg had slammed the door in his face, but then he remembered that Cy had come to the bathroom for a reason and he let it go. Fortunately, Beast Boy hadn't lost his nerve and headed in the direction of Raven's room.
He had no idea if she was even going to be in there or not, but it was the best place to start looking for her since she preferred to be alone for a majority of the time. He really, really, hoped that she was in her room. He didn't think that he would have the nerve to ask her out in front of the rest of the team.
At her door, he took a deep breath then knocked on her door.
For a brief moment, Beast Boy thought that she wasn't in there until he heard movement inside. When the door opened, he was struggling with himself to remain calm, which, of course, meant anyone could see he was nervous without having to be an empath.
"If you're here to ask me to referee stank ball or something, the answer is 'no'," Raven said breaking the awkward silence.
"What?" Beast Boy looked confused and his cheeks developed a pinkish hue, before his brain caught up with the conversation. "Oh, no. That's not why I'm here."
Raven raised an eyebrow, "Then why?"
"W-would you want to go on a date with me?" Beast Boy threw his hands over his face to hide his now tomato colored face. Raven blinked in surprise and her cheeks started to get a little pink.
She wasn't sure when exactly it happened, but she had grown rather fond of the shapeshifter, though she was unsure if she liked him in that way. But there was something there and a chance to be something more.
"Uh... Beast Boy, I-... I can't..." she answered him, while looking at his shoes. He swayed and took a step back as he lost his balance. She could almost feel the disappointment as if it were her own.
Without saying a word he nodded and started to walk away. "Beast Boy wait," Raven called out to him. "I do want to. I really do, but I don't want you to get hurt."
"Shouldn't I be the judge of that?" Beast Boy asked, turning back around. "Come on, Raven. Take a chance, what's the harm?" He held out his hand for her.
Raven mentally struggled with what she should do next, before finally giving in and she took his hand.
She should have never taken his hand.
Moments after she took his hand, she and Beast Boy were sent to another dimension where her father, Trigon ruled. It was in this dimension where Beast Boy had to go through her father's test, to prove that he was worthy to date his daughter.
Beast Boy made it through. But only just barely. Raven was forced to watch as he went to barbaric physical test that were slowly killing him and she could do nothing. She told him numerous times to give up, but still he pressed on.
And now she is sitting beside him, in the Tower's Med Bay, looking over his battered body as he lies in a coma, no one knows if he'll get out of or survive.
He did that test because of her. He did it for her. But now there is nothing she can do but change his bandages.
