The Hunter
Author's note: I do not own anything in VHD or Teen Titans. They are the property of their respective owners.
Raven was meditating when the Titan's alarm system went off. Muttering to herself, Raven went to the living room. All the other Titans were already there.
"What's happening?" she asked in her usual monotone. Beast Boy came up to her.
"Well Rae, there's some strange guy outside the tower. He looks pretty tough." Raven grimaced when she heard that stupid nickname.
"Beast Boy, for the last time, my name is Raven not Rae." The changeling smiled at the girl.
"C'mon Rae, you know you love it!" Robin ended the bickering.
"Guys cut it out. Let's go see what this visitor is up to." Raven flew outside and was the first to see the intruder. Her jaw dropped. Standing before her was the most handsome young man she had ever seen. He was dressed in black and had a very strange hat on. A blue pendant reflected Raven's awestruck gaze back to her. Long black hair flowed down the figures back. His skin was paler than Raven's and he looked like he had been carved out of the moon. And his eyes, as soon as Raven looked into his eyes she was lost in them. The rest of the team soon came out. Robin noticed the figure carried a massive sword strapped to his back. Clearing his throat he stepped up to the youth in black.
"Who are you and what are you doing here?" The figure took note of all five of the teens and then spoke.
"My name is D, the Hunter. I ended up here after going through a dimensional rip on my world." His voice was like steel and seemed the only voice that fit this youth.
"Raven, read his mind." Robin commanded. Raven's eyes glowed but then she stopped all of a sudden.
"I can't. He has some kind of barrier around his thoughts." Just then a voice rang out from around D's left hand.
"You call that a psychic probe? You must be dumber than you look." The voice said, maliciously. D held up his left hand and the superheroes were shocked to see a face within the palm of his hand. "Howdy kiddos, I'm Left Hand but you can call me Lefty."
"Dude!" Beast boy exclaimed, running up to the stranger and trying to get a closer look at his hand. D dodged the teen, who went crashing to the ground.
"Do you have a place I could sleep? I'll repay you any way you like." D asked Robin. The Boy Wonder thought about it for awhile, but then nodded.
"Cyborg, lead our guest here to the spare bedroom."
"You got it, dude." Before he did that though, D spoke again.
"One more thing before you let me into your home. I'm a dhampir." Raven gasped at that.
"What?" Robin asked.
"A dhampir is the offspring between a human and a vampire. I thought they didn't exist anymore."
"Well, you're still welcome, D. I have a feeling you're one of the good guys." The hunter didn't respond and instead followed Cyborg into the tower.
"Dude, that guy is less social than you, Rae." Beast Boy said, getting to his feet.
"It's Raven!" The empath yelled at the shape shifter.
The next day…
Robin had woken the team up at the crack of dawn to start training. D stood off to the side and watched the group. Raven was distracted by the beauty of the dhampir and got hit by a stunning laser. She started to fall towards the ground when a black shape came and caught her before any of the other Titan's could even move. D helped the half demon to her feet.
"You should pay more attention to your surroundings." Then the hunter returned to the tower. Beast Boy came up, a concerned look on his face.
"Rae, are you alright?"
"Yes Beast Boy, I'm fine." Raven said, staring after the hunter and not looking at Beast Boy.
That night Beast Boy lay awake in bed. Why can't I ever just tell her how I feel? But with that guy around, I'll never get a chance. The Titan thought to himself. In her room Raven was also thinking. Her thoughts were all focused on D. Why do I feel this? I shouldn't be feeling anything and what about Beast Boy? The empath's thoughts had been on the little changeling ever since that night when the Beast had attacked her. And now that her father was defeated, she started opening up a bit more. Still, she was confused about her feelings. Sighing, Raven went to sleep, her dreams filled with pale hunters and green teens.
The next day, at breakfast, Raven was about to make some of her tea when Beast Boy came up with some waffles. The other Titan's weren't up yet.
"Hey Rae, I made you some breakfast."
"Beast Boy, I don't eat tofu."
"At least try it, for me?"
"No."
"Rae, here comes the train." Beast Boy said, holding a speared piece of waffle toward Raven. She had had enough. A black aura covered Beast Boy from head to toe. The changeling was levitated off the ground and facing the enraged psychic.
"STOP ANNOYING ME EVERYDAY, YOU GREEN, CHILDISH, FREAK!" Then Raven shoved him away from her. Beast Boy was forced back and then tripped. Raven heard a sickening crack as his head met the pointed table corner. She rushed over to him and called for help. D emerged from his room and rushed towards the empath.
"What happened?" That cold voice asked.
"I…hurt him, but I didn't mean too!" Raven said, tears streaming down her face. D placed his left hand on Beast Boy's forehead.
"He has a cracked skull and massive internal bleeding. Let's take him to the medical bay." D then lifted up the Titan and carried him to the medical room. Raven just stood there, looking at the waffles splattered all over the place, as tears fell down her pale cheeks.
Over the next couple of hours Raven stayed in her room and refused to go see Beast Boy. No one could get through to her and she just stayed there, crying and hugging the giant chicken that Beast Boy had won for her. Just then D entered her room.
"Get out of my room." Raven said quietly. D didn't respond. This made Raven even angrier. "I said leave!" Then she tried to shove him out of the room but her power's had no affect on him.
"Psychic attacks don't work against me. And besides, there's someone you need to see."
"I refuse, besides he'll just yell at me and call me a monster. I already know I am without him telling me."
"You're not a monster. You're someone that boy cares about very deeply and you feel the same way."
"You're lying."
"Think whatever you like but he told me himself. If you don't go visit him then I guess you truly are a demon." Then D left, leaving Raven to think.
Beast Boy had nearly died, but thanks to D, his life had been saved. But his soul was another matter. He needed Raven. Who am I kidding? She won't come and see me. She'll just lock herself in her room and never come out-
"Gar?" Raven said, cutting through the changeling's thoughts. Beast Boy looked at the empath with wide eyes.
"Rae? You actually came?" Then Beast Boy grabbed her hand and held on tight, as if she were a mirage that would go away as soon as he let go. Raven cried and Beast Boy felt a single tear land on his chest.
"Forgive me, I didn't mean to hurt you." Then she laid on his chest and hugged him to her. He retuned the gesture and started stroking her hair.
"It's alright, Rae." Then he raised her face to his. "I love you Raven, I just hope that you care about me the same way." He brushed some tears out of her eyes and she smiled at him, not her usual wry smile, but a true smile, the one he had been trying to coax from her since the day they had met.
"How's this for an answer?" Then Raven kissed him passionately. As soon as they were done, Beast Boy laughed.
"Pinch me, Rae. I must be dreaming." Raven pinched him.
"It's Raven." But she smiled again. D stood outside the door, listening in.
"Oh, isn't that the sweetest thing? Makes you want to find a girl of your own, doesn't it?"
"Be quiet."
That night, Slade was running for his life from a demon that had suddenly appeared before him. He had tried all of his martial arts and weapons but the figure in black had dodged them all. Also, the youth had sliced off both of his arms. Slade ducked into an alley and summoned some of his robotic clones. Then the demon was in his midst. All the clones were split in half and the pale youth was approaching calmly.
"What are you? Why are you doing this?" Slade asked, fear springing forth from his eyes. The youth didn't reply. Then he sliced Slade in half and the villain died quickly. Just before oblivion claimed him he heard a voice like steel.
"I'm a dhampir and I'm just repaying a debt."
Raven and Beast boy were laying beside each other on the couch, just enjoying each other's company. D then entered and removed a small device from his pocket.
"I'm taking my leave. Thank you for the lodging and good luck together." Then he disappeared.
Just before he vanished, Beast Boy and Raven spied a smile grace his pale face. From then on, they would tell their children how they were the one's to cause it; it was just such a smile.