Christmas is the Time to Say I Love You by 6-String Samurai
Another Christmas Day was soon upon Titans Tower. The weeks leading up to the holiday were filled with frantic shopping, storms of decorating (Courtesy of Starfire) and a general feeling of good cheer.
Raven's more common, but still rare, smiles even made an appearance throughout the day. It could have been the fact that Beast Boy was trying to "sneak" kisses throughout the day, but the fact that everybody in the tower pretty much knew about them being together didn't change the fact that she still enjoyed it.
Ever since Garfield and Raven came into the common room together after Gar's last minute shopping trip the previous year, it had become an unspoken truth that, yes, they were definitely together. BB and Raven still didn't admit it even as they had been caught in several compromising situations throughout the year.
Earnest questioning from the rest or the team resulted in nothing but firm denials from BB and Raven. Even Starfire's constant prodding to get a definitive answer from Raven came up empty. Eventually it just became a running gag in the tower that they were the most official, unofficial couple ever. BB eventually gave up trying to actually hide anything and Raven stopped really caring about the many PDA's they seemed to find themselves in.
Cy and Robin found the whole situation amusing while Starfire thought it was quite "cute."
Cyborg and Robin both gave each other a look that obviously said that "Cute and Raven do not belong in the same sentence." But had to admit it was a nice change to see them pretend to not be involved, rather badly they might add, instead of being at each others throats as they had been when the team first came together.
Last year found the whole team waiting until 12:01 AM Christmas morning to exchange gifts as they had many times before, but it was different this year.
Richard decided it was finally time to use the Christmas season to reconcile things between him and his "Father" as well as to introduce him to Starfire. The whole team was surprised and Starfire was growing more and more nervous as the date drew closer. A few times her nerves got the better of her and errant Tamarranean energy escaped causing everybody to have a mild heart attack.
Upon being notified of their absence for Christmas Cyborg decided maybe he should take a cue from his sometimes-paranoid-schizophrenic leader. Hell, if Robin was willing to patch things up with somebody, maybe he could do the same. A call to his estranged father and a long half-hour talk had Cy packing his bags to spend Christmas away from the Tower.
As the trio stood at the entrance of Titans Tower they couldn't help but look back at Beast Boy and Raven who seemed a bit confused about what to do with themselves.
"Do you guys really have to leave?" Prompted BB for the 5th time in the past few minutes as Starfire, Robin and Cyborg began walking towards the door. This was his family…it just wouldn't be the same.
The three exchanged glances.
"Sorry Beast Boy, it's about time I patch things up back home" Said Robin, who added, "Besides, I have a very important person to introduce."
Robins gaze shifted to Starfire and he gave her a warm smile which had her blushing, "I am sorry as well friend, but I want to meet Richard's father as well."
Cy took his cue and added, "Yeah B, I'm sorry too, but if 'Mr.-I'm-Always-Right' can patch things up, then maybe there's hope for me and my Pop too; I haven't seen him in too long."
Robin glared a hole into the side of Cyborg's head as he gave him a playful kick in the backside in response to his jibe, "I know it was sort of last minute Beast Boy, but…"
Raven interrupted and put an end to Robin's apology, "It's ok Robin, we understand," giving a look to BB that said 'you better back me up on this,' Raven continued, "You both have families to go home to, you should spend time with them."
Knowing that he was beat and that Raven was right, Beast Boy sighed, "Yeah, Raven's right, you guys should get outta here," he then added, "Besides, somebody has to watch the fort while you guys are gone."
Noting his friends resignation about spending the holiday apart, "Hey why don't you give the DP a holler?"
"Well, I gave it a shot, but they're busy too; Even Christmas isn't enough to get Mento to take 5 minutes to chill out."
A cheeky grin creeped onto Cy's face, "Aww, don't be too sad Grass Stain, you have the whole tower and Raven to yourself!"
Both Gar and Raven blushed noticeably at the implications of that comment and immediately answered automatically in unison, "I don't know what you're talking about!"
At being rebuked in stereo, Cyborg immediately began cackling and slapping his knee at his joke. Eventually Starfire and Robin joined in albeit a bit more restrained less they invoke Raven's wrath.
Before any more possible jokes could be made Robin cut in, "OK guys, we're gonna get going or else we'll never get out the door." Robin added with his own tease and a thumb up, "You two behave ok?"
Cyborg was making kissy faces and Starfire was giving Raven and BB a knowing smile which Raven currently found irritating.
The three titans left and the door to Titans Tower was promptly closed before Raven could give Cyborg or Robin a head start on their trips by pitching them into the bay.
So that long bit of exposition leaves us here currently with a Changeling and a half-demon, ex-key-to-the-apocalypse, mystic. The pair slowly turned to stand face-to-face.
"…"
"So Raven…"
"Yes Beast Boy?"
"We have the whole tower to ourselves…"
"And?"
"Which room do you want to make out in first?"
Raven gave her boyfriend a look that made him raise his hands to defend against the incoming slap to the back of his head. After a few seconds of nothing happened BB again turned toward Raven to see what was going on.
His eyebrows nearly shot up to join his hair when she planted her lips on against his firmly and caused him to bring him to the ground as he fell over in surprise. When his mind finally rebooted itself he began kissing back. After several minutes Raven pulled back but was left straddling Garfield's torso with both her legs on either side of his hips and had both forearms resting beside his head leaving her only inches from his face.
Both teens were left gasping for air and blushing crimson. They could feel each others breath as they were still coming off the high of their little "session."
Beast Boy was unsurprisingly the first to speak up, "Wow Raven, I totally didn't expect…"
Raven surprisingly interrupted with an almost sultry tone, "Shut up, and take me to my room."
Beast Boy complied like the proverbial puppy, and even barked once or twice for good measure.
Many hours later, and several sessions later in various parts of the tower with the more interesting locations being the shower and Robin's bed (because Beast Boy always wondered how Robin's 5 star specially made comfort mattress felt like), left Beast Boy and Raven tired but quite giddy and resting in the common room.
The lights were shut off with the only illumination coming from the blinking lights of the Christmas tree, a few of Raven's candles and a few slivers of moonlight coming in from the massive windows.
Nestled in a sizeable pile of comforters and dressed in nothing more than his boxers and her underwear, Gar and Raven were taking the time to enjoy the peace and quiet.
Beast Boy was sitting on his backside with his back resting against the large mirrors, a comforter wrapped around his shoulders to keep the chill from the window reaching him. His legs were spread out with his knees bent and Raven was sitting in the V-shape formed by his legs, lying back against his bare chest and using the comforter around Beast Boy's back to keep herself warm. Raven's head was resting back against one of his shoulders, and was finding it quite hard to stay awake since she was so comfortable. Gar's arms were wrapped around her stomach making lazy circular motions against her trim stomach further putting Raven into a haze.
In the silence Gar's eyes continued to stare at the Christmas decorations, the flashing lights causing patterns of light to play across his face and mingle with the light from the moon to give an ethereal glow to the room and creating a feeling of such tranquility that Beast Boy didn't think he'd ever get up, the Christmas presents left for them by their friends the last thing on his mind.
He looked down to see Raven's half-lidded eyes and raised a hand to pull a few stray locks from her face; her even breathing telling him for the time being that she was dead to the world. He could feel each exhale and inhale of air and it further put him at peace. He was here with the love his life in his arms on Christmas Eve…everything was perfect.
Maybe it was the fact the he was a bit tired himself, maybe it was the sense of peace that was created by the room…but it was probably the lovely girl that snoozed in his arms, but Beast Boy had a thought that seemed to come from nowhere. Granted, he'd pondered the question before, but always cut the train of thought short because it scared him.
Beast Boy, in the presence of many Christmas decorations and a sleepy empath, smiled and his eyes lit up like one of the lights on the tree. His face said so clearly that he had the long awaited answer to a question that he'd been pondering for so long.
He gently shook Raven, who was still dozing quietly in his arms. He gave her a poke in stomach which resulted in her picking her head up for a second and giving BB hope that she'd wake up, but then suddenly dropped her head back down onto his opposite shoulder and fast asleep.
And she says I'm the sound sleeper…
Giving a moment to think of a way to wake her, Beast Boy ran his hands firmly but slowly up her stomach and his hands came up to touch the very sensitive spot right below her breasts as he nipped her lightly on another one of her favorite spots just behind her ear.
Raven instantly opened her eyes and sat up slightly, pulling her away from Gar's chest. Still disoriented but feeling quite awake from the attention being put on her body she didn't expect Beast Boy to place his hands firmly on her hips and legs and turn her so that she was straddling his waist and resting against him chest to chest with his arms again wrapping around her. She gave a rather girlish yelp which caused Garfield to chuckle softly with his face buried in her hair.
Using one free hand she pinched Gar hard in the oblique muscles causing him to startle in pain, "Damn it Gar, I was very comfortable, you startled me."
"OW…stop that!"
"Why don't you make…"
He silenced her with a tender kiss, not at all what she expected with her firmly pinching him hard in the side. It caused her to look up at him in curiosity when he pulled back, "Gar, what's wrong?"
With his hands nervously making circular motions on her lower back he blabbered, "Well, I've been thinking for a while now, and after having a long time to think things out and really consider…"
Raven replied flatly, "Gar you're starting to babble, if this is what you woke me up for…"
Realizing that she was quite right he just blurted out the first thing that came to his mind, "Marry me."
If she wasn't shocked earlier, Raven was quite clearly awake. She pushed herself away from Beast Boy's chest with both hands and used one to pinch herself and the other to snap her fingers by her ear to see if she heard right.
"What?"
Seeing that maybe that was TOO blunt Beast boy tried to recover, "Well, what I mean is…"
"Gar…now is not the time to ramble when you just asked what I think you did…"
"I'm not saying this second, or a day, a month or a year from now, but soon, someday, will you marry me?"
The doubt clearly gone from Gar's voice and the look in his eyes begged for an answer to one of the most serious questions she had ever been asked.
A warm sensation trickled down her face and Raven was startled to find her fingers covered with tears when she examined them. In that instant every moment she had ever shared with Garfield from the early days of them being at each other's throat, to their first clandestine date, to the make-out sessions earlier, to him asking her the question flashed before her eyes. Every argument, every smile, everything that was Garfield Logan in her mind cried out.
"…Yes."
Before she knew it, she was wiping away his tears as well and he was crushing her against his chest, saying that he loved her again and again, his voice muffled in her hair.
"I love you too…"
Happy moments can happen anytime, but Raven had to admit that the best ones seemed to always happen around Christmas. Holding her fiancé and crying along with him was one more vivid memory she'd add to her collection of memories she'd never forget.
Later when they calmed themselves down enough to get out a proper sentence they resumed their places with her lying back against him, head resting against his collar bone. Their eyes were transfixed on the tree and their hands were intertwined under the covers and both continued smiling.
"Merry Christmas Rae."
"Merry Christmas Gar."
Authors Notes:
Hot damn, Christmas is a wonderful muse. Happy Holidays to everybody out there on Sorry for my year long absence but never fear cuz I am always here. Hopefully it won't be another year before I get back to my other stories.
Much thanks go to IrvingZissman for proofing my story and not telling me it's terrible. Thanks Bro!
Anyway, sorry for all the fluff, this story really started churning maybe a day or two ago. I guess you could consider it a sequel to "Baby It's cold outside." If it sounds rushed and a bit OOC…well, sorry. I hope you enjoy it, and I wish everybody a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
PS. If you're curious as to where the title came from, it is from yet another Christmas song. The version I have is by SR-71 and I totally recommend it to give you that special happy Christmas feeling.