Like so many things in life, Beast Girl found Raven to be somewhat of a challenge. Getting Starfire to laugh at one of her jokes or provoking a reaction from Robin was almost too simple, but Raven was a totally different ballgame. His entire superhero persona was constructed around maintaining his emotional state, meaning that getting him to laugh or smile was like trying to dodge raindrops in a hurricane. However, on the extremely rare occasions when he would give a subtle, second-long grin as heat would rise to his face, Beast Girl felt like singing like a song-bird on a mountaintop. It was fleeting, but it was a high like no other, and she had no reservations about her addiction. It was easy to deduce even from the first day they met that he would be a bit of a tough nut to crack, and he was still a bit shy even now, but she would never quit in her quest to get him out of his shell. Him being kind of good-looking in that classically dark, mysterious way also helped served as more than sufficient motivation. He put up a front of timid modesty, but she knew there was a reason he wore that costume that fit rather snugly around his well-toned stomach. As the two made their way through the brightly lit halls of the tower towards food, she subtly glanced over at him, making no attempt to hide a brilliant smile.
"Hey, Rae, wanna help me count shoulders?"
As was so often the case, his eyebrow shot up and her stomach fluttered. That was her signal to go forward.
"One, two," Her hand delicately danced around her shoulders, smile increasing in magnitude. "Three," She enveloped his broad shoulder in her palm. The empath shivered at her touch.
"Four."
"Off, woman."
Milliseconds after the changeling had entrenched her arm around his neck, he robotically forced it away.
The light blush the prank prompted was completely worth risking vaporization. She clung to the high for dear life.
"I would assert that everything is, as they say, copacetic. His actions suggest that he quite appreciates your company."
Beast Girl shrugged, ears drooping. "It's just impossible to tell sometimes. He's like a hunky brick wall."
With a reassuring smile, the Tamarian took her hand. "Do not worry, Gabriella. I assure you that friend Raven carries a similar romantic affection for you. You fail to consider his superhuman ability to mask his emotions. Permit me to submit to you the idea that he is far too nervous around you to, as the human colloquialism dictates, make a move."
She gave a somewhat forced smile. "Thanks, Star."
The green Titan remained despondent. Some accused her of being a vacuous dullard, but Starfire could also be rather perceptive, especially when it came to the happiness of her friends. Perhaps a bit of third party intervention would be prudent, she thought.
"That was some good training today, Raven. The bad guys ain't gonna know what hit em'."
Once again, Beast Girl felt the insatiable urge to pester Raven. The team had concluded an extremely productive session of superhero training, and she just wanted to quickly recap it. Starfire had suggested that she pair up with Robin, a suggestion he was a bit too enthusiastic about indulging, while Beast Girl was to spar with Raven without either using their powers. Raven had managed to get the upper hand with an almost suspicious level of ease. Only now did he realize why she let him win so easily.
"If you're here to talk about what happened today, let me stop you right here."
Using her trademark athleticism, the changeling swiftly hopped over the couch and curled up against the Greek god statue given sentience next to her, being sure to press her face into the crook of his neck to make sure he could feel her breath.
"If you wanted me on my back so badly, you could've just as-."
"Beast Girl," It was her turn to experience a jolt of shock as Raven actually pushed her and squeezed his eyes shut. "Please shut up for one second."
A layer of perspiration began to develop on her palms and forehead. For the first time in her life, she was completely stunned at his deathly seriousness.
"I cannot take another second of your teasing, or your pestering, or your damn innuendos."
Ice coated her veins. Once again, her own stupidity broke another relationship.
"I'm just going to put this out there if only to get you off my back: Would you like to...do something? Just the two of us?"
Her brain and heart suddenly ceased functionality. Did Raven just ask her out? On a date? Was the sky falling? Would the Earth and waters soon open and consume humanity? Was she experiencing some sort of dehydration induced mirage?
"Oh, God," Raven dodged her scrutiny, clearly embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I..should've know-"
Only in that moment did Beast Girl finally realize that she had been sitting and gawking at the wonderful, beautiful boy before her with her mouth agape and her eyes bulging. "Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, no totally," Despite her debilitating anxiety, her base functions attempted to fire off some sort of response, regardless of coherence. "We could, like, go out for pizza, or something. Or, like, see a movie," Grammar was one of many things that Beast Girl's mind had dismissed. "Or we don't have to do that at all. But the answer to your question is: totally. I'm sorry, I'm just super excited. I'll shut up now." She concluded her miniature tirade by nearly cutting off Raven's air supply with a vice-like hug.
Several seconds later, Beast Girl was hurled from her state of pure bliss by Raven's voice. "Are you going to quit strangling me any time soon?"
"Nope."
