A/N: Welcome to the new followers and readers, and a kind thank you to those who left words of encouragement. Chapter four, perhaps one of my more favourite ones, is here for your reading pleasure.
You're the One
4. kiss the frog
"You're lying..."
The reality was that he was seething. Of all the cruel practical jokes to play, this one came as a low blow, even for him; master of pranks.
She stood there all the while, looking as hurt and betrayed as she would have been if she'd been telling the truth. But she wasn't, and all it made her was a really good actress. He had to keep reminding himself of that. If he slipped, even for a moment, she would convince him and he would be the butt of a very nasty joke.
She took in an audibly shaky breath and asked him; "What's it going to take to make you believe me?"
He'd never seen her like this before; nervous, embarrassed, fingers fidgeting with each other in apprehension. Even her usually monotonous, gravelly voice seemed to be laced with held back emotions this time around.
No.
No.
It was all a lie, a really mean prank, and it all depended on him falling for her. It didn't matter how sincere she seemed, or how pained she looked upon his insinuations of her cunning facade.
He shook his head, like he was trying to physically remove her from his mind. He could almost hear Cyborg's mocking laughter as Raven would also join with him once they'd both made a proper fool of him. They'd laugh and laugh, and be sure to recount the silly tale to both Robin and Starfire, who would then also partake in the joke.
Poor, gullible, stupid Beast Boy.
He'd be the laughing stock of Titan Tower, and on top of all that, it would really, really hurt his feelings. He was nowhere near emotionally ready for that again.
"Kiss me."
The words came out from his mouth like they were second nature. He was a bit startled by his own bold request, but betrayed nothing in his steely eyed expression. Instead, he mustered up his best serious, game-on face and met her timid gaze head on.
He grew more confident in his suspicions when he witnessed the cold fear build up in her now expressive features. Folding his arms over his puffed up chest, he smirked cockily when he added, "If you really mean it, then you'll want to kiss me."
A small voice in his head told him there was no way in any dimension of hell that Raven would willingly kiss him. Not a one.
Looking completely aghast by his accusations, her jaw dropped, and she appeared paler than usual as she processed his ridiculous demand. Only when he'd witnessed a slight reddening to her cheeks did he know for certain that he'd hit his mark. Emboldened by this, he leaned forward, now close enough to make her uneasy, and pursed his lips tauntingly. "Pucker up, princess," he instructed in a mocking tone of voice.
This would teach them to try and make a moron out of him ever again.
He closed his eyes and mimicked wet, loud smooching noises, happily awaiting the sweet nothing that he anticipated happening.
Except, a moment later, her hot lips were on his, and that was certainly not just nothing.
Her mouth pressed against his in a warm, electrifying embrace and all he knew then was that he'd never have guessed it to feel so...innate.
Something dormant deep within him seemed to have awakened, but by the time he'd noticed it, it merely slipped past him and was gone. He opened his eyes wide, still disbelieving that it was actually Raven kissing him, and half expected to see Silkie instead. Except, Starfire's strange pet didn't taste like herbal tea and cherries.
Almost like being in a trance, the moment in which they stayed that way felt like forever.
He finally had to admit to it; no one, not especially the introverted, reserved Titan girl, went this far for a really good practical joke.
The more he chose to feel her there, the more aware he was of her raw, candid confession.
He could feel her physically shaking with it beneath him.
Her eyes were shut tight because she couldn't dare open them. Her soft lips quivered against his, and her hands, somehow feeling unusually small, were clutching at the material of his shirt by his chest with a claw like grip. She kissed him with an unbent fervor, impassioned and aflame in the desperate physical contact she made with him. Unsure but still unrelenting, she gave her emotions free reign; she wanted him, even at the cost of humiliation.
It was like he was seeing her truly for the first time.
This Raven was fragile, laying bare her very soul to him in complete, blind trust. She was so close, he could smell the faint traces of lavender shampoo in her hair, could feel the cool tip of her nose rub against his own. He could even see the various shades of violet that shone in her dark tresses from underneath his bedroom light.
In that moment, he was privy to a secret part of her that no one else ever was, making him the singular most important person there. In that moment, she was willingly giving a naked piece of herself over to him, and she did so wholeheartedly.
The magic she unknowingly weaved was working; she held him in her orbit, spellbound, captivated, enraptured by her.
They were connecting, and he sadly came to realize that it was going to break his heart either way.
Like a chilling mental wave putting out a fire, he recalled that he'd been ruthless in his disbelief of her.
The guilt swept in along with the honeyed taste of her on his lips, and then the moment ended. He finally pulled apart from her, effectively ending the lapse in time and cooling his blood. The clock seemed to continue ticking forward again, and he'd be a liar if he denied the helpless ache he felt at the lack of her touch. Instinctively, he licked his lips, craving one last dizzying reminder of her unique flavour.
Then came the embarrassment.
He could feel the nauseating heat in his face and ears like an erupted volcano. His hands were shaking at his sides because he didn't trust them not to grab her and let him kiss her until his lips were sore and his tongue grew tired of warring with hers. There was a ringing in his ears as the silence buzzed about them in accusation. Their eyes locked but the chasm between them only seemed to grow.
Beast Boy felt small. He was shrinking down to the ground in what felt like slow motion. He saw her react, alluring amaranthine orbs swirling with unabashed concern. He wondered if they'd always been soul capturing, and if maybe she'd stolen his long ago.
It didn't matter; in this form, he was currently safe. He didn't have to face her, or any of the consequences that awaited him. Not to mention his own conflicted feelings.
After all, wart covered frogs didn't convey crippling guilt as good as people did.
They also had the wonderful advantage of being slippery little guys that could easily make quick getaways when necessary.
So, he hopped along with a croak, out of his room and out of range of her and all her curses and spells. He hopped and hopped until the memory became a daydream and he couldn't hear her voice calling his name anymore...
A/N: I wrote a first kiss sequence for them. It's a head canon that Raven would make the first move, if only because Beast Boy would be oblivious to her feelings, since he has such a hard time reading her. I wanted to convey that feeling of confusion and want in him, and so this happened. Thanks for reading.