Green Eyed Monster

All relevant disclaimers applying, this story is the fourth in a series that started with 'Something In Common'. Knowledge of that story, as well as the second and third in the series is essential for understanding the plot of this one.

Chapter One: Open Hearts, Open Wounds

Outlined by the early morning sun, Blackfire sped forward, her body still aching in several places from the week before from the beating her treacherous ex-lover Dawn gave her, and despite Raven's best attempts at healing, her healing process was hampered by the fact that human medical science had almost no knowledge of Tameranian physical processes.

Blackfire being Blackfire, and thus always on the lookout for the easiest way out (most of the time), she would have asked Raven for more help, but the Azerath's lack of knowledge of the expanded degree of her powers, as well as their mutual respect for each other prevented Blackfire from doing so.

However, they knew that despite the fact that she was now able to draw upon more power than before, there were still limits to what she could do. There had to be.

Just what those limits were- now that was the big question, wasn't it?

A dark shadow fell over her, and Blackfire narrowly avoided the giant black hawk's attack, diving into the trees below her, weaving between them in an attempt to lose her pursuer. Having flown on for a minute or two without incident, she looked behind her for any indication that she was still being hunted.

"Hmph, didn't think she'd give up that easily-" she began, when two ebony claws the size of Godzilla's crashed down behind her, clawing at the soil. Blackfire turned and flew upwards, and as the claws followed her, she took careful aim at the base of the grasping arms and let loose, and as they impacted, the limbs dissipated into nothingness.

In front of her, the giant hawk swooped in for another attack, and Blackfire looked up just in time to blast it to smithereens, but it had served its purpose, for it distracted Blackfire just long enough for a fast moving black fog to engulf her, concentrating itself around Blackfire to form a perfect dark sphere.

A few moments passed, before a purple starbolt burst through the orb's black shell, followed by another… and another… and a third one weakening the orb enough for Blackfire to break through, just in time to see another two giant claws heading towards her-

"Okay, Raven, you win, you win," Blackfire panted, holding up her hand tiredly as she brought herself down slowly. Most people would argue that the sane way to test Raven's newfound power would be for her to test them alone, far away from civilization. Had they known the true extent of those powers, they would have recommended she test them out far away from this universe, preferably right next to the throne of her father Trigon, thereby killing off two birds with one stone in any circumstance.

Blackfire wasn't most people. For one, her years of being alone had left her with a severe aversion to being alone, and since Raven was by far the closest she had ever been to anyone since her banishment from Tamaran, Raven ruefully admitted to herself that her privacy would be somewhat limited for a while.

Second, despite her protests to the contrary, Blackfire did have a sense of personal honour. And while it was atrophied from lack of use and warped further from a life of crime, it was still there. Even without it, however, Raven had the feeling that Blackfire would not have allowed her to do anything dangerous without being at her side.

Now if only she'd apply that sense of protection to herself, Raven thought. "Are you all right?" she asked, emerging from the nearby forest.

"All right? All right? Raven, I feel great!" Blackfire said exuberantly, much to Raven's surprise. "And here I was thinking Earth was boring!"

"Boring?" Raven deadpanned.

"Of course Earth's boring," Blackfire replied, her eyes taking on an impish cast as she placed a friendly arm around Raven's waist. "Your whole planet's just one big yawn- well, except for the supervillains, the giant monsters-" Her voice softened as she placed a hand on Raven's cheek and drew her closer, "the company I keep…"

Raven drew her breath in sharply as Blackfire kissed her passionately, pressing her body against hers-

"But apart from that," Blackfire said, suddenly breaking off the kiss and nonchalantly resuming her nitpicking, "Earth is pretty much one of the most excruciatingly boring planets I've ever been to, and I've been to quite a few planets, trust me."

"Wh…what?" Raven asked, her disorientation not helped by the fact that she was currently trying to keep several different emotions under control at the same time.

"Weren't you listening? I was saying Earth isn't fun! And do you know why?" Running her hand through Raven's hair, she whispered, "Because you're obviously not having fun."

"What do you mean?"

"My feet are still on the ground, Raven," Blackfire said in mock petulance.

"We have kissed before, Blackfire."

"In the Tower, where any uncontrolled emotions might have done strange things to stranger people," Blackfire countered. "You see, Raven, while having most the fun to myself was fun the first few times out, it gets boring after a while. We're in the middle of a forest, Raven, loosen up!" Her eyebrows arched. "Unless of course, this is your way of saying I need to improve my kissing technique."

"It's not that," Raven countered. She sat down on a nearby stone, Blackfire sitting down beside her.

"So what is it then?" Blackfire asked. "Your emotions? You're afraid of letting your emotions run wild? I'm sorry to tell you this, but I think it's too late for that," she added, smirking.

Raven was not amused, to say the least. "You've seen what could happen if I lost control, Blackfire."

"And you think you can solve all your problems by hiding your emotions," Blackfire asked flatly.

"I'm not 'hiding' my emotions."

"Oh yeah, you're 'controlling' them."

"Do you have a better idea?" Raven asked.

"Yeah- stop running," Blackfire said, suddenly standing up in front of Raven and bending over to face her. "Trust me, Raven; you can't run away forever. You made me see that, remember?"

Raven stood there in shock for a moment as Blackfire's words sank in. "I'm sorry," she said, looking down. "I just don't want to hurt anybody."

"I'm sure you don't. That's what we're here for, aren't we?" Blackfire said, placing her arms around Raven. "And speaking of not hurting anyone, I'm first on that list, right?"

Raven sighed, but with a small smile on her face. Blackfire would be Blackfire; and wasn't that what she loved about her? "Yes, Blackfire, you're first on that list."

"Good." Blackfire pulled away. "And speaking of hiding emotions…"

"Yes?"

"Have you forgot what day it is?"

"…Oh."

"Come on, Raven, we're going to have to tell the others about us sooner or later- not that most of them don't already know."

"It's not exactly our best kept secret, is it?" Raven admitted ruefully.

"Only to Beast Boy and my eternally clueless sister," Blackfire confirmed.

"And you're not worried?"

"Naah- well, not about my sister. Beast Boy on the other hand…well, he's going to have to get used to it, just like everyone else." She looked at Raven archly. "Of course, it would be a lot easier saying what we would have to say if someone would just use her powers to sense other people's emotions."

The flat look Raven gave her lover was all the answer Blackfire needed.

"All right, Raven; if that's the way you want it. Just don't say I didn't warn you," Blackfire said, lifting off into the air, when she felt Raven tugging on her hand. "What now?" She asked as she landed.

"Nothing," Raven said, drawing Blackfire closer. "It's just that…"

"Yes?" Blackfire whispered.

"There's nothing wrong with your kissing technique."