Disgusing. This was disgusting. For a group of teenagers being finely skilled in crime fighting, nothing came close to their ability to destroy a common area. Beast Boy cringed as he gathered the rest of the sticky solo cups into a garbage bag. Cleaning had been a day-long process, considering everyone tried their best to avoid cleaning as long as they could. It was well into the evening before anyone attempted to tackle the damage.

Beast Boy should have expected this. After all, throwing a New Years Eve party in Titans Tower and sending out an invite to every Titan was bound to create a little chaos. Robin allowed for enough champagne for one glass each. It wasn't until it was too late did he realize that Jinx, Wally, and Speedy smuggled in their own flasks, including a little extra to spike the punch.

As much as he enjoyed seeing his friends he couldn't help to feel unsatisfied. Much to his dismay, he wasn't able to enjoy the party as he had hoped. He laughed and smiled with all of friends, but one of the most important ones, had locked herself away in her room.

An hour before the party started, Raven insisted that she couldn't participate. She stressed the need for her to meditate instead. When he asked her over and over to reconsider, said that he wanted her to be there, her only response was to slam the door in his face.

Years ago he would have been irate at her actions. Now, it only roused concern in him. Beast Boy perked his head towards the kitchen. Starfire was clanking about the cabinets trying to scrub off the last of the grime and spilled punch.

"Hey Star, do you know if Raven is still in her room?" He asked.

She placed a finger on her lip and hummed. "I believe she still is." She answered. Her lips pursed with worry. "In fact, I do not think she has left the room at all since before our Festival of New Year. Perhaps I will check on her?"

"It's alright Star," he waived. "I got it."

He glided down the hall and gently knocked on Raven's door. "Hey, uh, Rae. It's me."

He heard a soft, "Come in" and quietly opened the door.

Soft firelight flecked upon Raven's pale skin. The candles on her dresser gave an created and eerie touch as their light dissipated quickly in the expanse of her room. Raven sat at the top of her bed. Her back was pressed against the wall as her knees pressed against her chest. Her chin rested on her knees as she wrapped her arms around her legs. Sullen eyes stared at the empty space in front of her through droop lids.

"Hey" he greeted warily, rubbing the back of his neck. "You uh..you missed the party." He tried his best to smirk.

"Yeah.." she whispered. Her eyes still stared forward. "Sorry."

"Is everything alright?" The corner of his mouth twisted.. "You seemed really upset."

"I'm fine."

Beast Boy let out a hearty chuckle. His reaction caused her to lower her brows and finally look at him. "Now we both know that's crap." He continued, his legs hung over the edge of the bed. "Umm...was it your...demon...stuff...again?"

Raven rolled her eyes. She folded her legs out in front of her and placed her hands upon her lap."Yes Beast Boy." she chided "My 'demon stuff'"

He grunted, his pursed lips revealing his slight annoyance. "Hey look, just because I don't understand doesn't mean I can't listen." He leaned towards her and she could have practically melted in his puppy dog eyes. "Will you talk to me?"

She bit her lip and darted her eyes away from him. "I just..got nervous right before the party." Her gaze found her way back to him. She signed. "Anxious I guess you could say. I thought I felt my demon side was surfacing again. I didn't want to trouble any of you with it. I thought it would be best if I meditated instead."

Beast Boy shrugged. "That's nothing to be ashamed of."

Raven grunted as she shook her head."That's not..."she grit her teeth slightly "That's not what I'm upset about." It was difficult to stumble across the words she needed. But as he tilted his head, his patient face gave her the reassurance in her expression. "The worst part it that everything turned out to be a false alarm. I ended up being fine but I just...panicked for no reason." He shoulders drooped as she finished in a very small voice. "I missed all of you guys."

It crushed Beast Boy's chest to see the sadness in her eyes. He couldn't imagine but it what that would have been like as an empath; to be tucked away in your loneliness while rabid cheer surrounded you. He tried his best to reassure her. "Aww you didn't miss much. Mostly just everyone being sloppy." He lightly tapped at on her leg. "You-you did miss a New Years kiss from me though." He chuckled, trying to make light of his sentence as best he could.

Raven let out the faintest hint of a smile. She would be lying to herself if she said that wasn't something she thought about. But it was I thought that she dare not act upon. Her mind was far too fragile to deserve the simple comforts or a normal teenage life; a normal teenage relationship.

Beast Boy cleared his throat, trying to brush off his awkward advance. "You know, and everyone talking about their New Years Resolutions. But that was about it."

Raven scoffed, "I find New Years Resolutions to be pointless."

He squinted in confusion. "What? What do you mean?"

"I see them as more of a fad." She answered. "People find themselves on New Years thinking of how they failed their resolutions from last year and become bound determined to change." She became a little quieter. "People don't change. We're too afraid to admit that maybe we're destined to be cemented to the life we have."

Beast Boy raised his eyebrows. "Are you sure you're talking about other people? Or maybe just yourself?"

Raven gaped at his question. She found herself at a loss for an answer.

Beast Boy continued, "I think that people try to rush into it too much. They need to take it in small steps instead. Like me for example, my New Years resolution is to play less video games."

Raven's eyes widened in surprise. She nearly laughed. "You?"

He nudged her leg with his elbow. "Yeah, me. It's not like I'm going to stop I'm just going to take fifteen minutes a day out of the chuck of time that I would be gaming and just extend my workout instead. It's realistic and I'm replacing it with something healthy instead. So...it's not like I'm losing anything at all. I'm gaining something better really."

Raven's head tilted slightly."Wow..Beast Boy that's...actually really smart. You've thought about this a lot"

He shrugged again. "Yeah..well...you live you learn. I guess." He leaned towards her again. A smirk played upon his lips. "So what about you? Think you could do one now?"

She groaned quietly. "I don't know.." She looked at him "What-what do you think mine should be?"

Beast Boy's face flushed with nervousness."Oh..I..um...well"

"You can just spit it out Beast Boy." She claimed. "You won't hurt my feelings."

He cleared his throat again."Uh, well. Well I think yours should be to take more chances."

She narrowed her gaze at him. "What do you mean by that?"

Beast Boy fidgeted with his hands."Well, it's just...you know...like yesterday. We had a party with all our friends and..you shut yourself away from everyone."

"Beast Boy you know why."She glared. "You know that I can't just ignore when the darkness inside me creeps back up."

"Yeah" he responded. "But you said that it ended up being nothing."

Raven stumbled for words."Y-Yes but...it-it's hard to know for sure all the time-"

"So instead of taking a chance with your friends...you hid yourself away." He interrupted. "You missed some memories that you could have made Rae. All because something bad may or may not have happened."

"I already feel guilty." Her voice wavered. "I don't need you to make me feel any worse."

"Hey hey that's not what I meant." He moved to kneel in front of her. His hands lightly touched her forearms. "I didn't mean to make you feel bad. I just...you never really know until you try." He folded his legs in front of him. "And if it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out. You can always fall back if you really need too."

She smiled. And like every rare moment that he saw it emerge, a flutter erupted in his stomach. He continued. "So how about this: Once a week, to take a chance on something. It doesn't have to be big, just something small. Like you know, trying a new cereal that catches your eye, read in the common area for one day instead of your room, go out with Star to a new take out place instead of making a boring dinner alone."

He found his fingers interlaced with her. His voice quivered at the sudden realization. "W-Who knows...small chances might help you out better in the long run, ya know?"

"Yeah..you're right." Her eyes lit up slightly with her closed lip smile. "I think that's something I could do."

The stillness of her room was shaken by the small chimes of her clock. Beast Boy looked towards it. Is eyebrows perked "Hey look, it's midnight Rae." He faced her again." That means it's Sunday. A brand new week to start your resolution on."

"Yeah." She wet her lips in nervousness. "And I think...I think I know the first thing I'm going to take a chance on."

He grinned. "Yeah? What's that?"

She leaned forward. She heard his breath hitched as she placed a hand upon his cheek.

"You."

And as their lips locked and she felt a sudden calm. It was a feeling that she had no expected. And and his hands slipped around her waist, she felt her body melt in his embrace. And for the first time in a long time, felt the anxiety of her curse start to dissapate. And for the first time in a long time, she took a chance, a chance on something she wanted; a chance on something that, for the first time, she felt she deserved.