AN: Took me long enough, huh? I'm sorry, really, but I just couldn't write anything, got the worst case of block ever. I fixed it, was surprisingly simple. All I needed was to make myself delirious through dehydration while at the top of a mountain. That experience gave me plenty to write about.
After this, if people are still interested, I have one more idea for a chapter that's gonna be pretty different to the past three. The inspiration for it is "What Sarah Said" by Death Cab for Cutie. If you really want another chapter, and want an idea of what it's like, listen to that song. Might include a few spoilers, so listener discretion is advised. Once that chapter is published, I'm all out of ideas for this story line. Hope that you all enjoyed it, whether I write another chapter or not.
Oh, and a big thanks for everyone who reviewed (and a slightly, just slightly, smaller thanks to those of you who didn't), you've been a big help. To show that, I'm gonna quote a song suggested to me by a guest for this chapter. It actually fits really well, a good find. Thanks.
Finally, check out my new story, Raven's Diary. The chapters are short, but that means I can updated much faster.
Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans, obviously.
I could be brown, I could be blue, I could be violet sky. I could be hurtful, I could be purple, I could be anything you like. - Grace Kelly, MIKA
Wiping the sweat off his brow, Cyborg continued to polish his baby. Smiling at his reflection in the steel, he couldn't help but think about how much he loved his car. Fastest thing on the road, with the smoothest handling ever, not to mention all the gadgets and gizmos he had added to it. Grr! Gizmo! How dare that dwarf with a jetpack try to steal it! My baby! My precioooous! Hem, hem, he he he... Cyborg was glad no one was around in the garage to witness his descent into Gollum levels of madness. Everyone was off doing their own thing.
Robin had probably just recently finished his morning coffee and was listening to blaringly loud music or obsessing over a new bit of evidence in his office. That's just how Robin was, and the Titans wouldn't trade their leader for anyone, controlling attitude, raging insecurities and all. Well, maybe they'd give him up for George Washington again. Money Grandma be badass. Wait, what? Where did that come from?
Cyborg shook his head and turned his focus to Starfire. Man, one of these days, that girl would blow up the tower with the 'traditional tamaranian dishes' she keeps making. He just didn't have it in him to break the alien princess' hopes that she'll find something her friends like. Cyborg alone knew that she knew the faith of every dish she ever made for the Titans, but instead of getting disheartened, Starfire bucked down with determination and just tried harder. Cyborg respected that about her.
Speaking of respectable members of the team, Cyborg's little sister Raven was probably the strongest of them all. Not necessarily in raw power or skill, though he had no doubts that the half-demon could wipe the floor with all four of them if she tried, but in mental fortitude. After growing up constantly being told that emotions are bad, and that her dad would destroy the world using her, Raven still managed to overcome her hateful heritage and join the Titans as one of the founding members. Cyborg had heard people use her in arguments of Nurture vs. Nature, but personally wasn't quite sure where she'd fit in. On Nurture's side, she was born a half-demon, arguably inherently evil, and then raised by monks, and now a hero. On Nature's side, she wasn't raised very well, taught to bottle up emotions which just led to bigger explosion later, but is still a hero, as if that was her destiny.
Thinking of all these meritorious masters of morality on his team, Cyborg's mind wandered to the one, not so admirable member of the team. Nothing against BB, of course, but he's not the brightest LED. In fact, if he was and LED, Cyborg would probably replace him for malfunctioning. But he's not an LED, he's a cool, little, green guy, so he's safe from replacement. Until he annoys Robin enough, of course. And he has a great sense of timing, always entering a room when people think about him. Does he plan it? Is he a mind-reader?
"NO!"
BANG-BANG-BANG-CRASH
Cyborg looked towards the sliding doors just as they opened to admit a swaying Beast Boy clutching his head in his hands, his clothes in disarray. He walked in and Cyborg felt the impulse to get between this disaster and his baby, but stifled it when he saw Beast Boy walking to the cabinet he usually sits at when helping Cyborg work. Well, helping is a generous word. Passing over tools while babbling about nothing is more like it. But just because he did not jump in front of his baby did not mean that Cyborg didn't watch Beast Boy like a hawk.
It was only once Beast Boy had settled atop the cabinet that Cyborg relaxed and went back to work. In fact, he began to ignore Beast Boy and just deal with him on auto-pilot, just like he always does when Beast Boy comes down to the garage.
"I just don't know what to do!"
"About - pass me that monkey wrench, thanks - what?"
"Raven. I mean, I like her a lot, but she doesn't feel the same. Half the time, she doesn't even feel!"
"Hmm."
"All I want is for her to feel something for me, you know. I'd even be happy if she hated me, and not just took out her bottled up rage on me."
"Yeah. Hey, you see those pliers over there, not those, the smaller ones, those ones, yes. I need them, no, don't chuck them. Give me that."
"She's just so perfect, dude, and totally out of my I can't help it, the heart wants what the hearts wants, and the Beast Machine-"
"Don't ever call yourself that again."
" -has a big heart. I can't help myself when I'm around her, she's just so beautiful. Her beautiful purple eyes that seem to draw everything in, her silky purple hair that frames her face, those sweet, sweet legs, the way the corner of her mouth lifts up slightly as she prepares a sarcastic comeback, even the way her magic feels as it throws me into the bay."
"I don't know, BB, how much do you actually - hand me that drill - know about Raven. I mean, we are team mates, but we all keep our secrets. I don't even know any of your guys' real names!"
"I'm fairly certain that Rae's real name is Raven. And isn't Starfire just Star's name in English?"
"My point is that maybe you should get to know the girl before you profess your undying love."
"What do you think I've been doing! I don't know much about not from lack of trying, I'll tell you that much. But what is dating if not seeing if someone is right for you? How are you supposed to know that before dating them? She just won't give me a chance."
"Maybe she doesn't think you're serious. Have you let her know how you feel?"
"Not directly."
"Then maybe try that. Tell her right to her face - okay, I need the jackhammer now - what you just told me."
"To her face, are you kidding me, dude? I can't do that! What if she doesn't like me that way? I'd never be able to look at her again, not to mention work with her."
"Then write her a letter, I don't know."
Beast Boy was about to retort about how this was the twenty first century, and how no one actually used letters anymore when he sat back on the cabinet and scrunched his face, thinking. It wasn't actually that bad of an idea. It would get his message out there without risk of bodily harm, and if she didn't like him like that, she could just ignore it, and that was better than a rejection. A wide grin formed on Beast Boy's face, and if Cyborg had looked up from his work, or payed attention even a little bit, he would have been very scared. After all, Beast Boy taught himself how to write, and as stated before, Beast Boy was not the sharpest of birdarangs in Robin's arsenal.
With a shout of "Thanks, Cy!" Beast Boy was racing out of the garage and Cyborg was finally looking up from the T-Car. Putting away the jackhammer that he had told Beast Boy to give him only to keep it away from the green disaster, Cyborg thought back to the conversation he just had with his best friend. Or at least, the conversation Cyborg was half certain he had hallucinated. Beast Boy was talking about a girl, that much was for sure, and while the bionic teen was pleasantly surprised that the grass stain had gotten over Terra finally, he couldn't shake the feeling that the girl was a Titan. But which?
Bee could instantly be taken off the list, she was Cyborg's girl, and Beast Boy knew that. Starfire, too, could be removed. Robin would not be very happy with anyone who moved in on her. Kole was a possibility since Beast Boy did hang with her sometimes, but he was very supportive of her and Jericho's relationship, so she probably wasn't the one, either. Wonder girl? No, Beast Boy lacks the license to meet her. Pantha helped him defeat the Brotherhood, but last Cyborg knew, she was in a long term relationship that started before she even joined the titans. Jinx and KF were together, so it couldn't be her. Maybe Argent? Beast Boy was did seem attracted to trouble (or atleast it to him), and she's got that tattooed 'A' on her chest, which she says stands for Argent, but Cyborg read The Scarlet Letter. Wow, there are a surprising amount of Titans with grey skin. There's Jinx, Argent, Rav-!
Raven! No, it couldn't be! Beast Boy is always making Raven mad, toeing the line, tugging her hair like a child!
Oh...
Of course...
How could Cyborg not have seen this earlier? He had always prided himself on his intelligence, but apparently there is a level of unexpected that even his mind doesn't explore. It all made quite a lot of sense now, everything that Beast Boy had done for long time. In fact, it seems like his attraction to Raven started even before he had ever met Terra.
Beast Boy definitely wasn't the brightest star bolt, but you hand it to the guy, his determination is legendary.
After all, the way we love is the way we live, and Beast Boy loves unconditionally.
