Something Like Love?

Raven frowned as she found herself once again not able to meditate that day. Meditation was a very large part of Ravens life and it was NOT normal for her to not be able to focus. When she really thought about it, her thoughts were almost always wavered by that of a certain green friend of hers. Every once in a while one of her other friends would pop into mind, but the green boy with emerald eyes always made more than one appearance. She was not amused. Not one bit.

With a groan she unfolded her legs and lowered herself back to the ground before going to find something else to occupy her time. She made her way to the living room as it happened to be the only place in the building where lights were on. When she couldn't meditate, which made her feel vulnerable. And when Raven felt vulnerable she craved something she didn't normally care too much for. Social interaction. Even if it was just being in the same room as her friends she craved it, needed it.

She sighed a small breath of relief, feeling a smile crawl onto her face as she saw of her teammates eating ice cream around the table. She walked closer getting inwardly happy when the others smiled/gasped at her appearance. "Raven, hey!" Robin stood up smiling, he went to the freezer looking at her she sat down. "Icecream?" Raven smiled nodding her head.

"Love some, thanks." A bowl was placed in front of her, she smiled seeing it was her favorite. Robin knew her so well. She sat and listened as her teammates talked, smiling when Beast Boy told a joke (she wouldn't laugh, couldn't have him thinking he's funny). Talking to her friends could become so entrancing. She had learned a long time ago to just soak up any moment she got with them.

"So Raven what happened to mediating?" It was once again Robin who asked, he was always oh so perceptive.

"What do you mean?" She knew what he meant, and he knew she knew. She was being difficult and usually her being difficult meant she didn't want to talk, but he was nothing if not stubborn.

"I mean, you were only in your room for thirty minutes. That has to be your shortest meditating ever!" Raven smirked knowing he was absolutely right. She never mediated less than an hour. With a sigh she answered his question trying to sound as nonchalant as possible, she knew if they could tell it bothered her they would only question her more.

"I couldn't concentrate." With that she took another bite of her ice cream. She of course looked up hearing the clattering of a spoon. It was Beast Boy's spoon that fell. HIs mouth was wide open eyes showing clear confusion, along with everyone else at the table.

"You what?" Beast Boy asked almost hesitant, as though the answer was deadly. Raven looked at him blankly trying so hard to not show any emotion.

"Unless your ears were damaged last battle I'm positive you heard me." She wouldn't be her if she didn't insult him.

"Ha ha, very funny. It doesn't change the fact that it's very unlike you to lose concentrate. I never even thought that was possible for you!" Raven felt herself smiling for the upteenth time that day. To have this reputation pleased her. Especially when the compliment came from Beast Boy (wait what?)

"I guess it's just an off day. Anyway I'm glad to be here with guys, after everything with Trigon I didn't think I would ever have another one of these days. I just don't want to take them for granted again. She looked at the table as she said it knowing it was so very unlike her, but also feeling like her friends needed to know at least once how much they meant to her, she had had nothing before them. She looked up seeing Beast Boy smirking before he could say a word she pointed "Don't ruin it." The smile didn't leave his face as he completely ignored what she had just said.

"I knew you had a heart somewhere under all that darkness" Raven smiled as the darkness ran up behind him before shoving his head into his ice cream causing Raven and the others to laugh. Beast Boy only glared for a moment before laughing too and proceeding to lick the ice cream off of his face. "Your lucky I like ice cream."

"Thank you for sparing me oh gracious one." She joked back. The conversation continued on as enjoyably as could be. Starfire talking about a "new Earthly dish" she wanted to try. Cyborg talked about new designs for his car. Robin talked about upgrades for his suit and plans he had to upgrade the tower. Raven stayed quiet for the most part simply smiling as her friends talked, enjoying everything about the moment. She supposed that this was the one good thing her father gave her, appreciation.

After every ounce of ice cream had been consumed Raven found herself at the sink as everyone else had gone off to their rooms for the night (looking at the clock, she realized it was close to midnight). She was so focussed on her task she didn't hear the footsteps making their way towards her. "Hey."

She gasped fighting the urge to use her magic. She looked up eyes wide to see Beast Boy staring at her smiling sheepishly. "Sorry, thought you heard me." He stared at her watching as she calmed down. He picked up the towel choosing not to comment on the fact with his heightened senses he could hear her heart racing. He focussed on the dishes listening to her breathing slowing down.

"You seemed to be in an oddly good mood today." Looking at her he saw the confusion in her eyes before realization hit.

"Oh, yeah. I guess I'm just learning to be grateful. I sort of like you guys." Beat Boy laughed lightly.

"It's not a bad thing you know."

"I know." They stood together in a comfortable silence, working seamlessly together. (not that you really needed to work seamlessly to wash dishes, but still). "You know, you all sort of know a lot about me now, I think it's only fair that I know something about you."

"Ok, fair enough, what do you want to know?" Raven paused for a moment. Beast Boy watched her thinking. Smiling at the cute expression on her face. He shook the thought aside not wanting to think about the feelings he held for the purple haired girl. She would never go for someone like him anyways.

He looked down trying to hide the frown that graced his face at the thought. Raven was hadn't noticed as so many questions swarmed through her mind. There were so many things she didn't know about her teammates. They all had really interesting pasts, but Beast Boys was one the one that interested her most, she chose to believe this had nothing to do with the weird feelings the boy gave her. "Ok...why are you green?" (warning from this point I know next to nothing about Beast Boy's past so I'm kind of making it up, feel free to let me know the real thing in the comments). Beast Boy looked at her seemingly surprised before he let out a loud laugh. She smiled loving the sound of his laugh. "What?"

He shook his head, the smile still on his face as he continued drying the dishes. "Nothing, it's just out of all of the questions you could ask that would be the last one I would ever imagine you asking." She chuckled looking at him curiously

"Why?" He shrugged

"I don't know, your so inquisitive and clever, it's just I guess I thought you would ask some super complicated question. Anyway that's an interesting one. It was by complete accident. The scientists that were doing my experiments had meant for me to keep my original skin tone, but apparently something was added to one of the experiments that to do with my ability to transition into other things and it caused my skin to turn green. They tried so many times to readjust my color but it just never worked."

Raven watched him as he spoke, absorbing every word, every feature that changed in his face as he spoke, trying to see if she had overstepped at all. She hadn't seemed to to her relief. She was quiet as her next question came. "Does it bother you?" He frowned looking ahead.

"I don't know, it depends on the day. Most days no, not anymore. It used to drive me insane looking so different, always having people stare. I've gotten past caring what strangers think of me, now it's more what my friends think of me. If something happens with anyone here, if we fight, I always have that flickering thought it has to do with the color of my skin. It's stupid I know, none of you are that shallow, the thoughts just always there I guess." Raven hummed keeping her eyes on the dishes. She hated that anyone had ever looked at him wrong or treated him differently because of his skin. She loved his skin, it made him him. It was one of the things she loved about him. She wouldn't change him or anything. She looked up noting that the dishes weren't getting dried anymore. She looked up frowning, the frown became slightly more concerned when she saw the look Beast Boy was giving her.

It was confused and shocked and something that looked like hope. "What?" The frown seemed slightly more prominent than the other emotions as she spoke.

"You love me?"

Everything seemed to freeze in that moment. All Raven could feel was her heart pounding in her chest, breathing had become completely undoable as she stared into Beast Boy's eyes. Various emotions showing in them, shock being the one she could see the most. She was sure her's showed the same. The silence lasted for what felt like an hour but in reality was only a minute. Raven finally spoke her voice shaking as she did. "You heard me?" It was quiet, almost as if she didn't want to ask. He was speechless nodding his head. "How much did you hear?"

Beast Boy took a deep breath frowning almost confused as he spoke "Y-you said you loved my green skin, that it made me me. That it was one of the things you love about me...did I hear you right?" Beast Boy felt like his heart was melting inside of his chest. Like none of this was actually happening. Beast Boy had written Raven off as just a part of his dreams, making his dreams the best dreams ever. He had decided long ago that even just being Raven's best friend was enough. When he had heard those words come out of her mouth though, those words that were not purely platonic, he felt as though he was sleeping. His heart pounded not able to take the silence of the girl in front of him. He reached towards her gently putting his hand on her shoulder "Rae?" It came out desperate and concerned and he knew it. But he needed to know!

Raven felt his hand on her shoulder. She relished in the feel of it. It was so very very rare when anyone touched her. It always felt nice coming from any one of her friends/teammates. But when it came from Beast Boy it was something so different. Something that made her heart flutter and melt at the same time. She didn't look up at him though. She couldn't take the sad look as he thought about how to reject her as gently as possible. Because that was Beast Boy always concerned for others. It wasn't until she heard his voice as he spoke, that desperation and concern (concern for her?) that she did look up. She didn't want him to see her cry. She never cried! But as she thought about the huge mistake she had just made she couldn't help as the tears pooled in her eyes. She held it back though looking up at him. She managed the smallest of smiles "Yeah." It was quiet and raspy.

The two stared at each other neither seeming to want to look away. "Did you meant it.?" It shocked her the vulnerability he showed, it easily matched her own. Her smile widened slightly feeling the ever so small hope that maybe just maybe he felt the same.

"Every last word." His smile was bright and his eyes almost teary, tears of relief.

"Will you say it again?" She let out a small laugh as she nodded before putting her hands on his shoulders smiling at she leaned forward every so slightly. "Beast Boy I love your green skin. It's what makes you you. It is one of the many things I love you, because I do. I love you. I have for quite some time." He left out a laugh a desperate breathy laugh. He pulled Raven in for a hug much like she had all those months ago. They stayed like this, wrapped up in each others arms. Soaking in all of the warmth. He could feel her smiling into his neck, this brought a smile to his face as well. When they did finally pull away he held her at arm's length. He wasn't letting her get away after waiting so long for her. "I've loved you since that day I found my way into your mirror." She frowned thinking back on that time.

"You told me you thought I didn't like you."

"I know, I didn't think you did, but when you fall in love there's not much you can do about it. From then on I got to know you more and more and realized how oh so lucky I was to know you, let alone be friends with you. Your amazing Raven."

She rolled her eyes blushing as she played with the hairs on the back on his head. "Your such a sap." They laughed together as he pulled her closer.

"Would it be super sappy for me to kiss you right now?" She smirked putting her finger on her chin as though she really had to think about it.

"I think we can let it pass just this once." He laughed mumbling something along the lines of "Thank God" as he pulled her in for what they both knew was each others first kiss. When they pulled away she rested her forehead against his.

"Promise we will not be one of those couples that does way too much of that couple stuff." He laughed looking at her oddly.
"Couple stuff?"

"You know the couples that are always giggling and whispering to each other in front of all of their friends and always kissing and all that stuff."

"We will never be that couple."

"Good."

"Good." He responded as he pulled her in for one last kiss. He pulled away throwing the towel at her. "I'm going to bed, maybe try actually sleeping tonight instead of dreaming about me." She laughed gasping

"You wish!" She yelled after him as she turned off the light and walked down the hall. She would definitely be dreaming about him, whether he liked it or not.