One Week before Christmas. . .
One blustery cold day at the tower, the three boys were all in the common room, completely engrossed in a new video game Cyborg bought for Beastboy as an early Christmas present. When suddenly the doors slid open, and in walked Starfire, arms loaded with packages, and a very perturbed Raven.
By the agitated look on her face, Cyborg knew she had another adventure with Starfire.
"Hey, Rae. . .How was your trip?" He hinted in a mocking tone. Shooting Cyborg an annoyed glance, she flatly muttered, "A joy as always. . ."
Completely oblivious to Raven's sarcasm, Star was overwrought with the excitement of the season."Yes! We have come back from the mall of shopping. Never have I seen so many people journey through so many stores. "
"Yeah, and I oughta know. . ." Raven muttered, as she made her way to the kitchen. "You drug me through just about every one. . ."
"But now all of my shopping is complete. . .and I have bought the gifts for everyone."
"Gifts?" Beastboy asked, as though slapped by the reality of that statement. "You mean you're finished already?"
Giving him an amused stare, Cyborg raised an eyebrow and replied,
"What do you mean, already? Dude, Christmas is like a week away. . ."
"I know. . .But I've been so busy, I just haven't had the time."
"You mean, you won't make the time." Raven muttered, grabbing her kettle from off the stove. "You stare at that screen like a mindless drone. . .I don't know how you can get so hooked into something as pointless as a video game. . ."
Actually thrown off by her comment, Beastboy handed Robin the remote control. Hopping over the sofa, he approached her.
"Oh, and you're saying that you're not addicted to anything?"
"Absolutely not. . ." she replied in a monotone voice. "I have what's called, control."
Now she lifted a book up and started to read, while waiting on her water to boil. Raising an eyebrow, Beastboy gave her an artful gaze and folded his arms.
"Oh yeah? Then what is that you always have your nose stuck in? It may not be a remote control. . .but it's always in your hand!" he asked, as Raven gave him an irritated glare. "I may be a video nerd, but you're still a bookworm!" Setting her book down, Raven slowly nodded and said.
"Alright, you have a point. But the things I do stimulate my brain. . .not deteriorate it. . ."
"Oh, I see. So you think all computer games are a waste of time?"
"Precisely. . ."
"Well I'm going to prove you wrong." He said, grabbing a soda from the icebox.
Slamming the door shut, he popped the top off the can and said, "I'll bet I could get you hooked on a computer game by the end of the week." Looking at him as though he were crazy, Raven raised an eyebrow in defiance.
"It'll never happen."
"Care to put that to a bet?" In no mood for his immature games, Raven rolled her eyes.
"No. . ." Pumped with excitement, Beastboy quickly got on the side of her and coached,
"Awww come on, Raven. We never kid around like this. . .and it'll be fun. Besides. If you're so sure about your will power, then what are you afraid of?"
Knowing he had her over a barrel, Ravens head cocked with aggravation.
Shooting him a dirty look she folded her arms and flatly muttered.
"Alright. . .What are your terms, may I ask?"
Elated that she was actually going to participate, Beastboy slapped his hands together. "Cool! If I get you addicted to a certain game by the end of the week. . .then you have to go out with me. . .alone. And not just anywhere. But to an arcade!"
Eyes widening, Raven actually shuddered at the thought of her being alone with him in a place like that.
By then the other three who overheard their conversation, joined them in the kitchen. Sighing, Raven put her book down on the counter. "And what if I win?" Raising an eyebrow, Beastboy cracked a smile and folded his arms.
"Then I promise not to joke with you for a whole month! And I'll completely stay out of your way." As Ravens eyes narrowed with intrigue, Cyborg let out an amused chuckle.
"Oh, Rae. . .you've got to go for it! That sounds too good to resist. . ."
"Yeah," Robin added, "And with your self control, I'm sure you'll beat it." Looking from them to B.B. a tiny smirk crossed her face. "You're on. . ."
Overjoyed with excitement, Beastboy balled his fist and shouted, "Yes!"

Christmas Day
By 8:00 A.M. on Christmas morning, the five of them sat around the kitchen table. Some still half asleep, while others were still somewhat dazed from just getting up. Starfire was one of the chipper ones. "Ahh. . .Christmas. My most joyous of holidays." She cooed, digging through her goody box. "The sharing of gifts and various amounts of fatty foods. . .Here is one for you. . ." she said, handing Robin his present.
"Hey thanks, Star. . ."
"And for you. . ." he said, now handing her a small package. Blushing she smiled and replied, "Thank you. . ."
"And one for you. . ." Robin said, now handing a box to Cyborg.
"Hey, thanks man. . ."
By then Raven watched as Beastboy pulled a package out from behind his back. Giving her a huge grin, he now came and sat next to her. As he placed the gift in her lap, Raven shyly handed him hers. Looking at each other, Beastboy smirked and said, "Go on. You first. . ."
Waiting for this all week, Raven began to carefully unwrap her present, until she found herself staring down at a gourmet setup of about five different boxes of imported Green teas. Although impressed by his quick thinking in such a short time period, she looked up giving him a confused gaze. Giving her a timid shrug, he replied, "Oh, I had to get you something besides what we discussed. This is my special present. You like it?" Inwardly pleased at how he knew her so well, Raven nodded,
"Yeah. . .Yeah, I do. Thanks." She said, not noticing how the others were now watching them with grins on their faces. Smirking, Beastboy replied.
"Good. . .Now flip it over." Although baffled, Raven done as he said, to find herself staring down at a video game, taped to the bottom of the box. And the name of this game? "Bookworm!"
As the others began to chuckle under their breaths, Beastboy snickered, and said,
"Gotcha!" Catching on to his little joke, Raven's head slowly began to shake.
"Clever. . ." she replied, raising an eyebrow.
"See it's a word game, Raven. Sorta like scrabble." He said, opening up the case for her to get a better look. "And you gotta try it. . . Not now. . .but later on." Looking from him to the others, Raven asked, "Uh, I take it you knew about this?" Now she watched as Robin set his newly open gift on the table and nodded.
"We all did. . ." Realizing that Robin had an ulterior motive when he egged her on, Raven let out a tiny scoff and muttered, "Well, that figures. . ."

A few hours later
After everybody began to wind down from the Christmas high, and the over quantity of food, Raven returned from an hour of meditating, to find Beastboy sitting at the computer. By the way he looked over his shoulder and smiled at her, she knew what he was up to. "I've been waiting for you. . ." he cooed, patting the chair next to him. "Come. . .sit." Knowing she might as well get this over with, Raven blew out a breath and sat down next to him. She watched as he typed her name into the game box and opened the panel up to what looked like an electronic scrabble board. "Ok. . .So this is how it goes. . ."

In no time at all Raven caught on, beginning to find and spell out words left and right. But that was nothing to the way Beastboy was helping her along! He was finding words that were up to seven letters long, backwards and forwards across the board, leaving her totally perplexed. And even though she didn't want to admit it, she found herself enjoying the game so much that before she knew it, it was already after midnight!
As Beastboy yawned and stretched out in his chair, Raven looked over at him and nodded. "Alright. . .I'm impressed to see you so good at a game that requires thinking." she mocked. Knowing he had a confession to make, Beastboy loudly cleared his throat and said,
"Actually. . .I've been playing this for about a month in my room. I wanted to get really good at it before I sprung this on you."
Narrowing her eyes, Raven cocked her head and nodded. "Oh, so. . .in other words, this was a set up."
"Riiiight. . ." He said, beginning to laugh hard at her. Shaking her head, Raven gave him an annoyed peer and said, "Oh, Well. . .that's one on me." She said, shaking her head with some humiliation. "But you still won. Are you satisfied?"
"Yes. . ." He said, as she roughly clicked onto another word.
"So when is this fun date going to take place?" When she didn't hear him answer, Raven turned to find him gazing at her rather seriously.
"I think. . .it already has. . ." He replied, causing her to look toward him with confusion. "What?"
"Well. . .When you think about it. For the first time in history, we've been together for half the night, alone, playing a game, without fighting. . ." he specified, watching as she grinned at him. "I think this is just as good. . .Don't you?"
Touched over his considerate manner of thinking, Raven nodded and said,
"It's even better. . .Because it's so rare, and special." She said, as he smiled at her. "Thank you. . ."
Reaching out, his hand covered over hers while it was still clasping onto the mouse. Giving it a gentle squeeze, he replied, "Don't mention it."
Although he wished he could've shared every day with her as wonderful as this one, Beastboy knew that for now he'd have to settle for whatever he could get. Because with Raven, everyday with her. . .was unpredictable. But this would be one Christmas, in which he'd never forget.