76. Crumble
He couldn't live without her.
There was no way she could survive without him.
They both knew if they were separated they would crumble.
But together they would remain strong and would never fall.
77. Save Me
Raven walked up to her green teammate.
"Thank you Beast Boy," and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
He was stunned. As he watched her walk away he asked, "What for?"
Raven turned around, "For saving me from myself, from my inner demon."
He caught her before she turned around again.
"Likewise Rae," then he pressed his lips to hers.
78. Running
"You can stop you know."
"Stop what?"
"Running away from me."
"What are you talking about? I am sitting right here."
"That's exactly what I am talking about. You can stop hiding your feelings. You don't have to run from them and definitely not from me."
"...How do I stop then?"
79. The Call
'That piercing twittering sound is the mating call of the spider monkey..'
"Is there a reason you are watching this show at two in the morning?" She questioned making her green teammate jump.
"He-he. Hiya Rae. What are you doing up?"
"I was thirsty, so are you going to answer my question?"
"Well," he started scratching the back of his head sheepishly, "I've just been getting certain urges lately, so I figured I would watch something that might explain it."
"So you are thinking your animal instincts are influencing you."
"Yeah, I guess that's it, but more like they want to take over. Especially since it's spring."
"Hmmm. Do you think it's the Beast?"
He nodded.
"Well maybe you should lock yourself up and let him out. Maybe he just wants a little freedom. If we restrained you it could work, and then maybe your instincts won't come as strongly."
"Well, there's a couple things wrong with that picture: one, nothing can restrain him when he really wants something, especially when he senses it is within reach."
"Well, maybe I can go into his mind when he's out to calm him down."
"Therein lies the second problem. The Beast wants you."
"M-Me?"
Beast Boy nodded.
"Why?"
"I hear his thoughts in the back of my mind, mostly short words and only one or two at a time. He has labeled you as mate Raven, more importantly his mate. So I am pretty sure it isn't safe for you to be around him. I am not sure it is safe for you to be around me right now either."
"Ummm...I think I am going to go back to bed."
"O.K. Night Rae."
80. Offer
A few nights after Beast Boy told Raven about the Beast, Raven found herself out of bed at two in the morning because she was thirsty once again.
As she entered the common room, she found Beast Boy sitting on the couch watching the National Geographic channel. For the past few days, she had tried to put what he told her out of her mind but things still had been a little awkward between the two of them.
She sighed.
He heard her, "Hey Raven. Thirsty again?"
"Yeah."
She went into the kitchen and started making some tea.
"Can I have some?"
She raised a brow.
"Well, isn't tea supposed to be calming?"
She nodded then proceeded to pour two cups. She handed one to Beast Boy.
He took a sip, "Hmmm. Not bad."
She looked at him, "So still hearing the instinctual calls of the Beast?"
"Yeah. Sorry Rae. I probably should not have said anything. It just made things awkward. I just figured maybe you would understand being half-demon."
"What does that have to do with me understanding?"
He stared at her, "You don't know? Most demons have mating seasons like animals do."
"Yeah I know, but how do you?"
"Well, when Trigon came I figured it would be a good idea to know something about demons, so I checked out a few books at the library."
"Oh.."
They sat there quietly sipping tea, each lost in their own thoughts.
Beast Boy was busy keeping the Beast calm which proved hard to do with Raven close by.
Raven found herself remembering what exactly she had read about demon mating habits. She was making a list in her head: usually started when demons became adults, their mating season happened once a year, usually could just sense or smell their mate, but sometimes would have to call to find their mate, water demons became cold and would want to sleep, and fire demons would be hot, thirsty, and awake. If there was one thing Raven knew about her father Trigon, it would be that he was a fire demon.
Suddenly things began making sense to Raven, like why she couldn't sleep and would wake up thirsty. It was apparently her mating season as well. Her mating season and Beast Boy's as well. Bloody Fantastic.
She groaned which made Beast Boy look straight at her, a feral look crossing his features.
'Hmm that was interesting. I wonder?' Raven thought to herself. She sniffed and sure enough her senses were filled with Beast Boy. She could smell everything from the shampoo he used to what his blood smelled like.
'Now what am I going to do?' She groaned again causing the feral look to cross Beast Boy's features once again. He shook his head which made it retreat.
"Okay, Beast Boy we have a problem. It is my mating season as well and my demon has chosen you as my mate."
He looked at her in shock, "Wh-What? Are you sure Rae? Is that even possible? I mean you are only half-demon."
"I'm sure. When you brought it up, I thought about what I had read and it all fit with what has been going on with me lately. The way you responded when I groaned just confirmed that it is you."
"What does that mean?"
"It means that if we keep ignoring our instincts things will get worse. Then something might happen with which we have no control over. The way I see it is that we need to go to my room and sort things out before we lose all semblance of control. Our instincts should be calm after, so we don't have to worry about control in battle or just during the day with the others."
With that she rose from her chair and put her cup in the sink.
"Huh? Raven do you mean.."
"Yes Beast Boy, and it was a one time offer that I suggest you take before we don't have a choice in the matter," she said while heading to her room. "Are you coming or not?"
Beast Boy shook off his shock. She was right like always. After this they probably would lose all semblance of having a choice. "Wait a second," then he followed her into her room and shut the door.
(a/n: Wow took a while just to use that word anyway no sex scene use your imagination.)
81. Alone
This was it.
The perfect opportunity for him to make his move.
It was just him and Raven all alone in the tower.
He went into the kitchen where he knew she would be drinking her tea.
He came back out dripping wet with orange juice.
Well, it had been the perfect opportunity until he accidentally knocked her tea in her lap.
Oh well. Maybe they would be alone again.
He could wait.
82. Open Arms
She had woken up with a migraine and nothing was helping.
Her teammates were trying to keep their voices down until the green one came in declaring loudly,
"Morning everybody! It's a beautiful day!"
She glared at him.
He grinned at her, "Oh did someone wake up on the wrong side of the bed today?"
She kept glaring.
"I know how to help." He stood spreading his arms open wide, "C'mon Rae. Ya know ya wanna. Everyone needs a hug once in a while."
She threw him out the window.
And almost regretted it as he screamed.
83. Distract
Her eye twitched. He was trying to distract her. But she would not be deterred from her routine. She needed to finish meditating. Then he took off his shirt. He was too distracting. She gave up and pounced.
84. Picture
Raven smirked as she stood outside the bathroom.
Oh, this was going to be perfect. Enough to get back at him for hitting her with the stankball yesterday.
She quietly opened the bathroom door. The shower was running making it pretty steamy. The sounds of what could be described as singing floated through the curtain.
She wiped the lens of the camcorder and hit record.
"You make me feel
You make me feel
You make me feel
Like a natural woman"
Raven tried to control her laughter, but a snort came out.
The curtain parted to reveal her green teammate in a purple shower cap. "Raven what are you doing in here?" Then he saw the recorder. "You're pranking me?"
Raven started laughing backing out of the bathroom, "Umm.. yeah. You know a picture's worth a thousand words but a video's worth about a million."
"Hey, give me that." He started getting out to run after her.
Raven blushed, "Umm..Beast Boy are you forgetting something?"
He looked at her puzzled.
She glanced down.
He covered himself with his hands and ran back behind the shower curtain.
She meanwhile walked back to her room where she could calm down and stop blushing.
85. Nature
(a/n: Decided to continue a little with #80.)
They shouted their release at the same time.
It was their inner natures that had brought them to this point.
He collapsed on her, his head resting on her breast.
They had chosen to not deny what nature wanted to them to do.
She lay there running gently caressing hands over his sweat-slick back.
86. Instinct
He raised his head to look at her and grinned.
She smiled softly at him.
They both heard the whispers in their heads.
She felt him harden, and he could smell her arousal.
"Uh..Rae, I don't think it worked. The Beast is almost yelling now."
She sighed, "Perhaps we should let them come out. I think our instinctual sides need to be at the forefront for us to be back in full control."
"Are you sure Rae? What if he hurts the others? Or you for the matter?"
"Yes. He will be too preoccupied, and my demon can handle herself."
"So on the count of three?"
She nodded.
"1, 2, 3.." they let their instincts take over.
87. Future
Morning came and the sun shone on the two entwined in the bed
They both groaned as the sun hit their faces, and blinded them as they opened their eyes.
They looked at each other.
"So what happens now, Rae?"
"You get dressed and go back to your room, and I go take a shower."
"That's not what I meant. What happens to us now and in our future?"
"Beast Boy nothing changes. Now that our instincts are satisfied we go on as before."
"Are you sure that's what you want?"
"Yes."
He got up, dressed, and left her room.
She sat on her bed and groaned. She really didn't want anything to change right now. Her emotions were going haywire as it was. She needed to calm them down before she even thought about the future.
88. Ice
She had sent him to the store to pick up some ice for the barbecue they were having that night. He shook his head. As cold as she was sometimes, he thought that she would be able to produce the stuff herself, but he kept that thought to himself. He rather enjoyed being alive, ya know.
89. Imitate
He wasn't as happy as he pretended to be. He was just a great imitator of a happy, carefree boy. He did it so well he almost believed himself and almost forgot who he really was inside.
90. Bleed
He stared at her in shock.
There she was naked about to step into the shower and he had barged in without knocking.
He felt something wet on his face.
He lifted a hand to it.
Yep, his nose was bleeding.
91. Thief
She was a thief and she knew it. She had stolen his heart and she wasn't going to be giving it back any time soon. After all, it was only fair. He had stolen her heart a long time ago.
92. Liar
Raven knew she was a liar. She lied to herself about how she really felt about him all the time. When the blonde one came, she told herself she wasn't hurt and the ache in her chest was probably just indigestion.
93. Great
(a/n: continuation of 87)
Raven woke up feeling like crap. She was nauseated, and had a headache. She found herself rushing to the bathroom.
When she came out she bumped into a hard green chest.
"Sorry Rae. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." Great, just great. She had to run into him.
"Okay, see ya."
She watched him walk away. Things had been awkward ever since that night a month ago. The night they let their inner selves, instinctual selves come out.
She knew the others had noticed how they barely said anything to each other. Luckily the rest of the team left it alone.
Urgh. She was going back to bed. This morning throwing up had been happening all week. She might have to go to a doctor about it.
She was laying down resting, when a sudden thought had her sit straight up.
"Oh Azar no."
94. Hunger
The Beast growled. He hungered for flesh. The flesh of the man who had hurt his mate. His hunger grew as he watched the man attempt to retreat. He lunged.
95. Ache
It kept growing.
The ache in his chest grew with each passing day.
His heart ached for her.
Yet, she kept rejecting him.
Could she not feel his hurt, his pain?
She, who was supposed to be an empath, made the ache grow with every hurtful word and action towards him, yet she claimed no knowledge of it.
96. Which One?
(a/n: continuation of 93)
Raven went to the doctor.
He took blood for several tests and had her wait in the exam room
When he came back in the room he was smiling gently.
"So am I going to be okay?"
"Well, you should be depending on how you take the news. I have good news and then even better news. Which one do you want first?"
Raven glared at him.
He held up his hands, "Okay. Start with the smaller good news. You're about four weeks pregnant."
Even though Raven knew that it was a possibility, she was still stunned, "Are you sure?"
The doctor chuckled, "Yes. Now are you ready for the other news?"
Raven blinked at him then nodded.
"Congratulations. It's twins."
Raven promptly fainted.
97. Follow
Raven opened her eyes to see the doctor looking at her in concern.
"Are you okay?"
She nodded.
"I am thinking you fainted just out of shock because your blood work is fine. But here is a prescription for prenatal vitamins you will need to take. Here are some pamphlets describing what to expect and things like that. I know you are a superhero, but you can't take the risks you have been, alright?"
She nodded letting the information soak in.
"Just follow my instructions and you should be fine."
She nodded again, "Can I go now?"
The doctor eyed her, "Are you sure you are up to it?"
"Yes. I just wish to be at home so I can think."
"Okay, then you can go. I will need to see you in a month Raven."
She nodded then got off the bed and walked out of the room.
She filled the prescription at the local pharmacy, and then headed home.
How was she going to do this?
What did she know about being a mother?
How was she going to tell Beast Boy?
She entered the tower and went up to the kitchen.
Beast Boy was in the kitchen making some kind of tofu concoction when she walked in.
"Hiya Rae," he gave her a strained smile.
He didn't offer some of whatever he was making and he didn't ask what she had been out doing.
Yep, the awkwardness was still there.
She took a deep breath.
"Beast Boy we need to talk."
He looked at her in surprise. Then he put his food on a plate and brought it to the island she was sitting at.
"Okay, shoot," he said bringing a fork to his lips.
'Okay two can play at that game. Nonchalance is my specialty' she thought.
She waited until he was taking a sip of soy milk.
"Beast Boy I am pregnant."
His eyes got round and he spewed milk across the table.
98. Surreal
Beast Boy was in shock. There was no way he had actually heard what he thought he heard. He shook his head.
"Sorry Rae, I was just having one of those moments where everything seems real, but then something happens to make you wonder if it is really real. I could have sworn you just told me you were pregnant."
"The word you are looking for is surreal and believe me this is as real as it gets. I am pregnant. I just came back from the doctor who told me."
Beast Boy stared at her. Then his head hit the table. "Oww."
"Oh and one more thing."
He looked back up at her.
"It's twins."
He blinked.
"Well, while your catatonic state is amusing, I will be in my room when you can talk."
With that she left the kitchen, leaving Beast Boy to absorb the information she had given him.
99. Accept
Beast Boy blinked then blinked again.
He couldn't believe it. He was going to be a dad.
A father.
To twins.
"Wow," he breathed.
He got up.
But did he even know how to be a father? He had wanted a family ever since he lost his, and he had found one with the other titans. Now it appeared that he and Raven were going to have one together.
Provided she wanted it that way.
He needed to talk to Raven. Now.
He knew that while she seemed cool and collected on the outside, she was anything but on the inside.
He knocked on her door, "Hey Rae. It's me."
She opened the door, "Took you long enough."
He looked at her closely. She was tense. Had she been worrying over his reaction or just everything else? Probably both.
"What?" she asked testily.
He gathered her in his arms, and squeezed her tight.
"Beast Boy I can't breathe."
His arms loosened, but he didn't let go. "You look like you need a hug."
He finally released her and stepped into her room which brought back the memories of why they were there now.
"So twins huh?"
"Yes."
"How are you feeling about this Raven?"
Raven sat down on her bed, "Still a bit shocked and surprised at it being twins. I have suspected I was pregnant for a couple of days, so that wasn't too great of a shock."
"Wait, you thought you might be pregnant and didn't tell me?"
"I didn't want to say anything until I knew for sure. I went to the doctor today right before I told you. There was no point in worrying you until I knew for sure."
"Okay, I can understand that, but I would have been there with you Rae no matter what the outcome."
"Well, I just didn't want to have that conversation with you if it turned out to be unnecessary since things have been so awkward between us."
"Yeah, well, sorry about that. I was just trying to give you what you wanted. But it was hard ignoring what I wanted and I just didn't know how to cope with it, so I avoided you."
"What are you talking about?"
"Umm," he took a seat on her bed, "it's just you made it clear you wanted no kind of relationship with me, and that was hard for me to accept. I had wanted you for a long time, and had been, well have been, in love with you for even longer. I thought since you had agreed and your demon had chosen me you might just love me too, or at least wanted me in your bed. But you didn't, so I just left you alone."
"You love me?"
"Yeah, probably since you hugged me."
She stared at him.
"So, what are we going to do now?"
"I'm going to have them."
"Well, I kinda knew that Rae. You cherish life, so I know you could never harm a part of yourself."
"Beast Boy," he looked at her, "I love you too. Have since you told me I wasn't alone."
It was his turn to stare at her.
He grabbed her and crushed his lips to hers, and she kissed him back.
They broke for air.
"Why?"
"I didn't think it was anything more than you following the Beast's instincts, which happened to want me."
"Oh, so does this mean we will be a family now?"
"You are really okay with this?"
"Definitely," he grinned, "What about you?"
"Happy actually though a little nervous. So you really want a family with me?"
"More than anything else in the world."
She hugged him.
"So when do you want to get married?"
"Was that a proposal?"
"Yeah it was. So?"
She smiled, "Well then I accept."
He kissed her again.
When they broke apart for air he asked, "Who gets to tell Robin?"
100. Stain
Today was his wedding day, well his and Raven's.
It had only taken a month to make all the arrangements after they told their teammates, part of the perks of being funded by someone like Bruce Wayne.
It was about to start and he was so nervous he was sure he had pit stains under his jacket already.
He was at the alter watching as Robin led Starfire up the aisle. Starfire went to stand on the other side while Robin stood beside him. Then he watched the same thing happen with Cyborg and Bee.
Then the song changed and everybody stood up.
He sucked in a breath.
There she was. Raven his soon-to-be wife. Mother to his children, and any future ones that came along. She looked like a goddess. She glowed inside and out.
She continued walking toward him. Then she stopped and handed her bouquet to Starfire. She took his hands in hers and he noticed the blush on her cheeks.
She squeezed his hands, "Breathe Gar," she whispered.
He let out the breath he didn't realize he had been holding.
She saw the biggest smile she had ever seen come over his face. It was so tender and so filled with love that her own breath caught.
Then she heard the minister speaking and released it.
--
So what do you think? I know there's a mini-story happening starting at 79, but it just came. I'm actually really proud of myself. This turned out better than I expected. It stayed mostly funny considering I usually write romantic angst. Review please.