Beast Boy's and Raven's Departure. Chapter 2
After Raven left his room, Garth arose and dressed. As he emerged from his room he saw Starfire and Nightwing come out of their shared room. Holding hands Kori and Dick simmered at each other like idiots. Garth sneered and left walking towards the common room, that doubled as the kitchen and monitor room. Passing Raven's door, he glanced at it, soon Kori would knock on the door and attempt to get Raven to talk. Dick still scowled at Garth as he walked by them. "Good he is still pissed that I did not do the debriefing." Garth thought as he smirked. Entering the common room, he saw Kid Flash and the Blue Beetle. The newest members of the Titans. Both were young and eager to prove themselves. Picking up a couple of Wheat Pancakes, Garth sat at the kitchen table and started to eat. As Raven entered the room Kori was chattering almost non-stop at her. Seeing Raven roll her eyes she sat and picked up a couple of Garth's pancakes and slowly ate. Garth was in a rush he wanted to get done then retreat elsewhere avoiding Dick Grayson just out of principle. As Dick entered he immediately approached Garth.
"Beastboy we need to conduct your debriefing." Nightwing ordered as he sat pulling out a data pad.
"Garth, my name is Garth." He relied as he took another bite, "I am not Beastboy anymore."
"Well your code name is Beastboy." Nightwing stated then began to type on his pad.
"Look Dick, I don't care what my code name is. One we are at the Tower, two it is not like I have a secret identity. So, what is the point of being called what I was when I was a kid."
Angrily staring at Garth Dick almost yelled. "Listen Do not ever use my Secret Identity, again!"
"Why not? Do you make Kori call you Nightwing when your banging her? Knowing you, you probably do." Garth stood and stormed out passing Raven and the others with a grunt. Barely hearing Dick yell for "him to get back here". Garth pretended he did not hear him.
Raven watched Garth leave and she frowned, knowing that perhaps he had finally reached the end of his patience with Nightwing, the Titans and everything in general. This could be near the time that he was on the verge of leaving the Titans and her. Standing she left the room following Garth not replying to the questions from Kori.
In the gym, Garth pounded on the punching bag. If he concentrated he could use the power of any animal without changing into them. It was a new technique that he had discovered two years prior. But it was difficult, it required his full attention and concentration. If it slipped then he could not retain the power. It was easier just to change into the animal. Using the strength of a Silver Back Gorilla he hammered the bag.
"Punk, Asshole, Overbearing know it all!" Garth growled as he punched the bag. Not really noticing that Raven had entered and locked the door. Standing off to one side watching him pound on the punching bag in anger and frustration. When he was done he turned towards her.
"You want to talk about it?" Raven asked calmly as he approached her.
"What, that I am tired of him. That it is so stupid that he must call us by our code names and make us call him his. Even here at the Tower." Garth said frustrated.
"Yes, and what else?" Raven said waiting.
"It is just foolish. All of this." Waving his arms around and saw Raven smiling at him, almost laughing. "It is not funny, Raven." Garth said then shook his head and started to laugh. "Ok, it is." Raven took his hands and giggled.
Raven never giggled or laughed with the others, that was a privilege that she did with only Garth. She would be stoic and serious around the others but with Garth she smiled, laughed and even cried when she needed to. "You know how he is, you should not let him get to you." Raven moved closer looking at him. As he released his right hand from hers he reached up and touched her face gently. She immediately grasped it and held it there, leaning her head into his hand, enjoying the touch. She breathed softly gazing into his eyes, thinking. "Please kiss me." She silently begged. Leaning forward.
Garth could not take his eyes off her, saw her leaning towards him. "She is so beautiful." He thought as he began to also lean forward, but just before their lips touched. Someone started to knock on the door. Garth immediately pulled back and turned away from her.
Throwing her arms up in frustration Raven thought. "So, Fucking Close!" Then used her powers to unlock the door. Seeing the irritating Bart Allen open the door and look in.
"What's with locking the door? What were you two doing?' Bart asked as he leaned into the room.
"Nothing!" Garth answered as he rushed past the youngest member of the Titans. Retreating from the gym and heading to his room.
Raven glared at Bart then whirled her cloak around herself and phased through the floor. Angrily snarling at the little twit before she disappeared. In her room, she sat heavily on her chair. So, close Garth had almost kissed her she thought as she put her hand to her eyes. She could feel it, he wanted to kiss her and that young twerp had to be nosy.
In his room, Garth pounded his head against the far wall. "Idiot, Idiot, Idiot." He silently said as his head impacted with the wall in time with the thuds. He had almost kissed Raven and when Bart arrived the mood was broken or lost. Walking towards his door he stopped, then took a step, stopped and finally opened his door. He had to find out, he needed to know and now was the time. Silently knocking on her door, he swallowed. Licking his suddenly dry lips and wiping his now wet palms on his legs. He waited for Raven to answer. As she opened it he had the impulse to run. But she took his hand and pulled him into her room. Then shut and locked the door.
"I wanted to tell you something earlier. But I just do not know how to start." Garth said nervously as he looked at Raven. She looked like she was on the verge of crying.
Raven held his hand tenderly and she felt the initial sadness come to her as he stood in her room. She almost knew what he was going to say, it was inedible. He had come to tell her goodbye and that he was leaving.
"Raven, I can't let this go on like this anymore. I cannot continue like this anymore. I have tried not to press you into something you are not ready for. You may not want to hear this but I can't keep it to myself anymore. I love you." Garth closed his eyes and looked down at the floor. "I will understand if you do not, and if you don't want to sleep in my bed with me anymore." Garth was on the verge of crying as he tried not to look at her.
Raven smiled broadly, reached up and gently pushed his chin up. So, she could look him in the eyes. She saw them moisten as she gazed into them. Putting her arms around him she leaned forward and kissed him passionately. Seeing his eyes widen and throwing his arms outward. He then circled them around her. Parting slightly Raven smirked. "I love you too." Then she kissed him again. Feeling his lips on hers, slipping her tongue into his mouth she began to twirl it around his. Pulling back slightly.
"I have been wanting to do that for almost two years." Garth stated gazing into her eyes. Smiling happily.
"Then, why didn't you?" Raven answered with a bit of frustration. Not believing that they could have had a closer relationship for a very long time.
"I did not want to lose what I had with you. I was afraid that you did not or even want that type of relationship. So, I decided to let things be so that at least I could have what I had." Garth said explaining why he waited so long.
"That is so sweet, but extremely stupid." Raven said teasingly as he moved in again to kiss him. "To tell the truth I also wanted a relationship with you for almost the same amount of time." Raven whispered as Garth stared at her.
"Then why did you not ask or even tell me?" Garth asked shocked.
"Because I did not want to loss you as well, right now you are my only connection to this world. If you were not here, I would have returned to Azerath a year ago." Raven informed him as she saw him start to laugh.
"So, we both wanted to be together but both of us were afraid to seek one because we did not want to loss what we had. That is so, so." Garth said as Raven shook her head.
"Really stupid. We both are idiots." Raven also started to laugh then pulled him close to kiss him again. After another hour and more intimate embraces, Garth slipped out of her room, but first made sure no one saw him exit her room. As he turned he blew her a quick kiss, then shut the door. Raven smiled broadly and felt like cheering. Garth loved her, he said it and meant it. Just as she said it and meant it as well. Tonight, she would finally prove her love to him in a more physical way, even if he was not ready. She was more than ready.