Author's Note: Just a heads up, this isn't intended for kids. It's not graphic in any way but it dances around an issue that is rather mature. I will set it as T for now, but please tell me if you think it merits a higher rating. The story is pretty much self-explanatory and deals with a concept that usually gets overlooked in fiction of this sort. Please enjoy, but use discretion in reading.
"Resolving Our Mistakes"
It was a cold Saturday in September, and evening came with a brilliant sunset. Raven had been enjoying watching the sky from the roof, needing to escape from the Tower and find solace there. She needed to think. She had to be alone.
Raven sat on the cold concrete, not meditating, but simply thinking.
Since the night was so still and serene, as soon as the roof door opened, she sensed it. She heard the footsteps of someone quietly nearing her, and when the person was standing by her side, he sat down gingerly.
The two sat in silence. Raven barely acknowledged her teammate, and remained staring forward into the bay.
"Rae," the person said softly.
She did not turn to look at him. "What do you want, Beast Boy?" she asked.
Beast Boy was silent for a moment. "We need to talk," he said at last.
At this, Raven turned her head, looking the changeling in the eyes. "And what is there to talk about?" she wondered.
Beast Boy looked at her in disbelief. "C'mon Rae, are you just going to forget what had?"
Raven laughed bitterly. "We didn't have anything, Beast Boy. You were frustrated, you came to me, and what we did was just a way to cope. Nothing more."
"I can't believe you," he said in shock, "Raven, we had…"
"It meant nothing," she said levelly.
Beast Boy felt hurt. "It didn't mean nothing," he insisted.
Raven turned back to watching the bay, hoping that Beast Boy would leave her alone.
However, the changeling did not leave, much to Raven's dismay. Instead, he settled in, stretching out his legs in front of him and turning his head to look at her. He sighed to himself, feeling terrible.
Suddenly a thought dawned on him like a bolt of lightening.
"Rae?" he said in a nervous whisper.
Raven did not reply.
"Rae, you're not…" he trailed off in worry. "You're not pregnant, are you?"
She turned to lock her gaze with his again. Her face was expressionless and she did not reply immediately, as if she was enjoying keeping him in painful suspense. Finally she looked away again with an airy sigh.
"What if I was?" she mused aloud. "You weren't thinking about that possibility that night."
Beast Boy was alarmed. "So you are?" he all but cried.
Raven looked at him sharply. "Answer my question first."
The changeling glared at her. "No, Raven," he replied, his voice loud, almost angry, "I wasn't thinking. I messed up, ok?"
She appeared to consider his outburst carefully. Raven almost felt sorry for him. Almost. "I'm not pregnant, Beast Boy," she said in monotone.
Beast Boy let out a breath in relief, incredibly grateful that that particular bullet had been dodged.
"Everyone makes mistakes," she said softly, looking over the water again.
They were quiet again for several minutes. "I'm sorry," Beast Boy said at last.
"For what?"
"For making you-"
"You didn't make me do anything, Beast Boy. You couldn't if you tried."
Beast Boy winced at her harsh tone.
"Maybe it wasn't a mistake," he said quietly, looking out at the sun, which had almost completely disappeared now over the water.
"Could you just drop it? What happened is in the past."
"No, Raven," he responded sadly, "I'm not just going to forget."
The empath looked at him, her eyes icy. She started to reply, but was silenced as Beast Boy suddenly leaned in and captured her mouth with his own. The angry words died on her lips. He moved in and embraced her, arms wrapping around her all too familiar form. She was startled at first, but her tense body gradually relaxed at the sincere warmth he expressed.
Raven broke apart first, flushed and slightly embarrassed at her rapid breathing, and moved out of his grasp. She stood to leave and started for the door, readjusting her cloak as she went.
"Hey," the changeling called softly after her.
"What, Beast Boy?" Raven asked, cursing her quavering voice and stopping but not turning around to look at him.
"Do you think there's any chance of us, ya know…" Beast Boy began doubtfully.
"Making anything more out of this?" Raven offered.
"Yeah," he replied hesitantly.
Raven closed her eyes and tried to make herself calm. She shook her head sadly.
"I'm sorry, Beast Boy," she said, and resumed her steps toward the door. Beast Boy didn't stop her and returned to sadly looking over the bay. The sun had set and the evening was cold, but he sat there for the night, encompassed by a completely numb feeling.
Beast Boy had no idea how long he would feel so guilty and incomplete, but he didn't think he could stand it much longer.
No one ever told him how much this kind of rejection stung. He almost felt victimized, even though no one else would understand it that way.
Beast Boy was isolated. All he could do was pray for a miracle or a change of heart.
