Usual disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans.
Of Princesses and Frogs
Raven loved the rain.
As the first drops fell, she created a black, bird-like dome over her head to keep it off and took a deep breath, savoring the fresh smell and the slight chill it brought. It's not that she was dark or moody; it was simply that rain and gloom calmed her. Beautiful, sunny days had the same effect on her as Starfire did; they were delightful and enjoyable, but ultimately exhausting. Give her a nice, long autumn rain any time.
She floated a few inches off the ground in lotus position, watching the pond as it rippled with the impacts of the tiny missiles falling from above. The ducks and swans didn't mind it; they probably enjoyed it just as much as she did.
She allowed herself a small smile, hearing the alarmed shouts coming from her friends as they scrambled to cover the barbecue and protect the picnic food spread on the grass while seeking shelter from the falling droplets. Maybe she should help them? There wasn't anything valuable that could get damaged, and the worst danger was that one of them could come down with a mild cold. No, she could afford to be a little selfish today and enjoy her favorite weather by herself.
She smiled again at the sounds coming from behind her. Robin and Starfire were hurriedly packing all the stuff that they had previously spread out, while Cyborg and her green boyfriend were, predictably, arguing over what had priority to be preserved from the rain – Garfield's tofu dogs and soy burgers, or Victor's meat and the barbecue itself.
She expanded her empathic sense and took it all in; the love flowing between Starfire and Robin, the affection underpinning the bickering between Cyborg and Beast Boy, the deep friendship and care for each other that they had built over the years. She wrapped her soul in it as if in a warm blanket, letting it fill her to overflowing, knowing that the soft patter of the drops around her would keep it gentle and subdued, maintaining her peacefulness and calm.
It was no wonder she loved the rain.
The rattle of the drops became almost a loud hum. She closed her eyes and again breathed deeply. The air was already cleaner and wetter, filling both her lungs and her heart with wholesome freshness. There was no need to chant her mantra or to meditate. Nature itself was providing a way for her to obtain calmness, balance and contentment. Until a few months ago, it was all she needed.
But since then there was one more thing she would love to have in order to make this day absolutely perfect. Well, not really a thing. More like a person. A green-skinned, green-haired, green-eyed person.
Her smile grew slightly wider. He would join her soon enough, she knew. He could not bear to be away from her for any stretch of time. Her cheeks colored a bit as she thought about it, realizing it was fortuitous, because she felt the same urge. If he didn't seek her out, she knew she would not be able to resist searching for him, to be in his company, to sense his love and his devotion flow into her, strengthening her, renewing her hope and anchoring her soul.
CroaaACKK-K-K! she heard, just as she started to wonder what kept him away for so long.
She opened her eyes and looked at where the sound was coming from, to see a large green frog beside her, gazing at her through its big, bulbous eyes. She chuckled.
"Gar? Is that you?"
The frog croaked again loudly, the skin under its jaw expanding to an astonishingly large bubble as it did.
She chuckled again. "Not the cutest animal around. But it's well chosen for this weather."
She extended a pale hand slowly towards it, feeling the gentle drops spray out as they hit her skin, and scooped up the unafraid animal. It still appeared to be looking at her, though its eyes were far too different from human ones to be able to tell truthfully.
She brought the hand with the frog resting in its palm close to her face, studying the amphibian with a mixture of affection and interest, and just a hint of revulsion.
"A soaked kitten would've earned you a hug, you know!" she smirked, then her face got serious. "But I guess it would also earn you a scolding." The skin under the frog's jaw ballooned out again and it let out another loud croak. She rewarded the animal with a small giggle and carefully and gently stroked it with the index finger of her other hand.
"I wonder if you're trying to tell me something or if you're just belching after scoffing down all the tofu dogs and soy burgers, before the rain could ruin them?"
The frog didn't respond.
"So, it's the belching then," she said, rolling her eyes. "Boys!"
A playful glint appeared in her violet eyes. "I hope you're done with it and there's no more gas in your tummy, because I am going to kiss you. I'm not keen on kissing someone that would burp back at me."
Again the skin inflated and a loud croak emerged from the small green animal.
"Is that the last one? I want to see if the tales are true. I want to see if you will turn into a handsome prince when I kiss you. I am, after all, a princess."
She thought she could see puzzlement in the frog's eyes.
"Of course I am, silly. My father is a king of demons. I am a princess of Hell."
Was that apprehension that flashed in the amphibian's eyes? Her smirk became a crooked smile.
"Don't tell me you didn't know, Garfield Mark Logan. Don't tell me you were not aware of what you were getting yourself into."
The frog shifted its position in her palm, as if it were suddenly fearful.
"Yes, Gar. I am a princess. And I deserve a tall, handsome prince to be with me."
She knew he would take those words differently from how she meant them. She wouldn't admit it to him under all the tortures of Hell, but he was achingly handsome. His cheeks lost the once boyish roundness and his face became more rugged; his eyes were a deeper green and his lean frame started filling in with supple but strong muscles. And his ears… Azar, but she had this painful wish to nibble them.
She wrenched her thoughts away from that track, angrily berating Lust in her mind for intruding so brazenly upon her, then turned her attention back to the green animal in her palm.
"So, if I kiss you… will you turn into a handsome prince or into a green changeling, hmmm? I wonder!" she said cooingly, stroking gently the frog with her finger. "Let us perform that experiment."
She puckered her lips and landed a tiny kiss on the frog's head. Nothing happened, except that the frog shifted a little again.
"Hmmm. That didn't seem to work. No princes, no boyfriends. Let's try again."
She kissed the frog again. It shifted slightly yet once more, then croaked loudly.
She frowned a little. "You're not much into this romantic stuff, are you? Very well, third time is the charm" she said, then glared at the animal. "I do expect something in return for these kisses, you know."
The frog regarded her with its inscrutable eyes. The idea that he was playing with her appeared in her mind. Her frown deepened slightly.
"Last kiss. You'd better turn into something worthwhile, Garfield!" she said with a slight edge to her voice. It was usually all it took for him to stop his antics and shape up. She hoped she wouldn't need to call on her more… persuasive abilities.
She puckered up her lips and touched the slimy animal's mouth with them.
"Hey Rae, sorry to leave you alone for so long! I had to help Cy and –"
Raven's eyes flew open, then swiveled down to where her lips were touching the… the…
"EEEEEEEEEEK!" she screamed as she threw the animal into the pond in disgust, wiping her hands desperately on her cloak, spitting and trying to clean her lips with her sleeves, all at the same time. A red blaze ignited in her eyes as she turned to the unsuspecting green youth.
"GARFIELD! YOU IDIOT! HOW COULD YOU! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT! I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU!"
She gestured and a black portal appeared. She stepped quickly through it, her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking. The portal vanished, leaving Garfield stunned, open-mouthed in the rain.
He stood there for at least a full two minutes, his hair plastered wet to his skull, his uniform thoroughly drenched, his mouth open, water drops sluicing from wisps of soaked hair over his forehead and into his eyes, then out of his eyes and over his cheeks, dripping to the ground.
A black portal opened again. A pale hand came out of it, grasped his arm and dragged him through.
"I'm sorry, Gar, I didn't mean it, I'm sorry, please forgive me, I love you, please don't hold it against me, I'm sorry!" she repeated on and on, her breath short and gasping, the pain in her chest almost unbearable as she felt his hurt and his confusion. She embraced him fiercely, uncaring of the cold, wet uniform and the goosebumps that rose on her arms, both from the coldness of the wet fabric and the fear that filled her soul and tore her heart asunder, fear that she hurt him, that he was in pain because of her, that she had –
His arms went around her as he recovered from his daze. She felt his love flow into her, reassuring and calming her, slowing down her breathing and reducing the agony in her chest. She sighed deeply and huddled closer.
"Rae… What the hell was that all about? Look, I don't know what I did, but I'm sorry –"
"It wasn't your fault, Gar. You did nothing wrong. I'm the one who should be sorry. I shouted at you but it wasn't your fault. It was my… my mistake."
He ran his fingers through her hair, pulling her head up slightly to look into her eyes. She avoided his gaze.
"What is it? If you say I didn't do anything, that's cool, I'm glad, but what happened to you?"
"I… It was foolish. A stupid thing. I don't want to talk about it!" she said with more strength in her voice, recovering her composure now that she felt that he wasn't angry at her for the unmerited outburst.
He grinned at her. "There should be no secrets between us, love."
She breathed deeply, finally feeling fully recovered. She smiled at him.
"I've screwed up and I've hurt you," she said, then placed her finger over his lips as he opened his mouth to protest. "I did. Don't say I didn't. But I still don't want to talk about it. So I'll give you two options."
"Options?"
"Yes. You can choose one or the other, but not both. I can either tell you what it was, or I can…" her voice became low and seductive "… make it up to you."
He grinned. "That's a difficult one to pick, mamma" he said, though her empathic sense told her clearly that he had already made his choice. Ignoring his words, she kissed him deeply.
"Let's get you out of those wet clothes."
Author's Notes:
I did a quick search of the site and was surprised that there were no stories quite like this one. Oh, there were as many variants of "the Princess and the Frog" as you'd wish, but none with the twist I put on it. At least none that I could find. So there you have it, I hope you enjoy it!