Raven looked in the mirror & rubbed at her forehead. Nope, it was still there. She sighed before leaving the bathroom & going to the common room.
She found her book on the window seat & sat in its place to read it. It was quiet in the common room & she was able to quickly get into her book. But it was too quiet…
She looked up & saw the room's only other occupant was Beast Boy, playing on his GameBoy. His tongue was stuck out & his brows were furrowed as he concentrated deeply.
She found it suspect but returned to her reading. What a poor choice that was… She'd forgotten that the book was basically Beauty & the Beast. She was feeling pretty beastly herself.
It wasn't a big thing. Not really. It was her chakra. Normal on Azarath but different on Earth. It didn't really bother her. Not really.
It was just that a little boy had pointed to her at a publicity event & had asked his mother (loudly) why "that lady had a rock on her face".
It hurt that something that was standard & typical on her home plane was ridiculed here. If it had come from some loudmouth jerk, she would have been able to ignore it but it was an innocent child.
Children were always the most honest…
She looked up when a shadow fell over her. "Beast Boy?"
"Are you okay?" He asked softly.
Her face made the slightest hint of a frown. "Why do you ask?"
He rubbed the back of his neck. "You know I can smell emotions, right?"
"Excuse me?" She did not know that!
"Yeah. I can smell emotions. Part of my DNA."
"Oh. What does that have to do with me?" She closed her book.
"I can smell self-loathing."
She was shocked. Something went boom & she reined in her emotions. "I am not feeling self-loathing."
"It's not thick. Just a thin layer under sadness & resignation."
"A three syllabic word? Congratulations." She didn't want him digging.
He raised a brow. "You know you can talk to me."
"Why would I talk to you? You wouldn't understand." She looked down, angry at herself for even telling that much.
"Try me." He wiggled his ears. "I listen really well."
She sighed. He wasn't going anywhere. She patted the seat next to herself & he sat. "I don't like my chakra."
"The ruby on your head?" He squinted.
"I knew you wouldn't take this seriously." She stood up.
"No! No, I do!" He caught her arm & tugged her back down. "I was just making sure we were talking about the same thing!"
She sat back down. "Yes, the ruby on my head."
"Why don't you like it anymore?"
"It's silly."
"You can tell me."
"I just did. It's silly. No one understands its purpose & it just looks silly." She glared at the floor & tensed, waiting for his laughter.
But it never came.
She looked over at him & saw he was staring at her with an intensity that he usually only showed food or video games. His eyes roved over her entire face. "What?"
"Decoration." He uttered.
"What?" She was confused.
"Decoration. It's not silly; it's decoration."
"It is not an adornment. It serves a purpose."
"Jewelry does. It makes the beautiful stunning."
Her mouth fell open.
"& you're def. stunning." He closed her mouth & kissed her cheek before getting up & leaving.
She stayed like that for a while before blushing. "Decoration."