Raven was never like other little girls. Demonic power and foreign magic aside, from a very young age Raven craved the shadows that most children feared. At first Raven's mother had only told her that she was special, but the truth couldn't be sidestepped forever.

Before she discovered that she was an abomination, Raven was already overcome by nightmares each night. She speculated that she might be a vampire or one of the other creatures that she saw in the index of the book of Azar. She couldn't have known how close she was to the truth. She was simply a different kind of demon. The daughter of Trigon; basically demon royalty.

And at the age of 18, she had learned to live with it for the most part. Things that might drive the average person insane were no more than an inconvenient reality to her now.

That may be why a long growl of approval sounded in her throat as she started to wake up. She twisted her body feeling the warm pull in her muscles. Her pretty pink mouth picked up the sounds of pleasure with a soft satisfied groan. She hadn't had a single nightmare, and something smelled glorious. It wasn't often that Raven started the day in such a good mood. Her muscles felt loose and she was unbelievably warm.

Only then did she feel the arm around her waist squeeze her tenderly. She rolled carefully to face Beast Boy. Her relief was instantaneous when she saw that he was clearly still asleep.

Her lungs expanded to fill with his earthy essence. He smelled comforting and refreshing like petrichor and decaying leaves. She made no effort to wriggle out of the circle of his body. Instead she took this chance to gaze at him without shame and treasure this physical contact. Raven rarely experienced physical intimacy.

One of her many selves was intoxicated by the closeness. She wanted to press her lips against his flesh and feel the soft warmth if only to prove to herself that he was real. His skin was smooth and flawless like he was carved out of stone instead of flesh and bone.

She squeezed her arm between their bodies with caution. Her fingers were drawn to his pointed ears. They were sexy to Raven in the same way that a foreign accent might be to a normal girl. It became evident that they were pretty sensitive too when Raven traced the shell of his ear with her fingernails. For one his arm seized her tighter, and for two he purred in his throat and nuzzled his head deeper into his pillow.

There was a quick crushing pressure in Raven's chest at the sight. He was so… precious. Even in his human form, he reminded her of a sweet puppy.

She distantly remembered life outside of this cozy little corner of the world. She needed to set up plans for tonight. She could already feel the effects of her missed appointment. She needed to get out of here before Beast Boy woke up. What if someone else came in? Her eyes shifted to the door with anxiety then back to the peaceful face just above her.

She was wrapped up in his limbs and like a cat stuck in a tree, there seemed to be no way out. Perhaps if her treatment continues to go well, then she could permit herself to feel things for him. Raven had learned much about the dangers of suppressing feelings in the past few years, but she had learned the dangers of uncontained feelings over a lifetime. There had never been a more dangerous time to let her emotions get out of hand. Her stare moved to his soft full lips as her fingers absently brushed his fringe from his eyes.

She could figure out if someone was coming if she was vigilant she told herself. She pushed her shadow self towards the door and locked it with ease. When might she get another opportunity like this? Regretfully they still had a lot to talk about anyway. With that final thought, Raven nestled her head against his other arm and settled into his warmth.

Her fingers traced the shape of his lips. They were pouty in his sleep. Then stroked them gently when he did not wake up. His feelings were muddled by sleepiness, but his lips parted to let out what could only be described as a whimper.

Raven flinched at the sound feeling something dark blossoming low in her stomach and twisting in her chest. Perhaps she should have stopped then, but her hand slid just between them back down Beast Boy's chest. Raven's hands slipped under Beast Boy's shirt to feel the skin that had taunted her only last night. Her eyes were lidded with a dark pleasure as her desire became reality.

Her fingers stroked his flat stomach in slow circles before slipping under the waistband of his briefs. Her thumbs settled in the hollows of his hip bones where she traced the shape in wonder. After a series of steadying breaths, she snuggled closer to him hoping to let the sound of his heartbeat slow her own.

She peaked over her shoulder at the crimson dashes on his alarm clock. 04:23. She had suspected that it was much later, but her rejuvenating sleep had only taken a couple of hours. No one with the exception of Robin would be up until at least 9 after the late and exhausting night they had endured.

Beast Boy's dreams were much the same tonight as any night. Some nights he slayed dragons or ran through the hills on hooved feet, but most nights meant Raven wrapped up in his arms. Tonight she was snoring faintly with her soft pink lips puckered in an adorable way that brought a sleepy smile to his face.

He may be angry with the real Raven, but dream Raven was still in his good graces. Her hands rested under his shirt with her fingers spread wide holding them against each other and her smooth bare legs were tangled around him. Every curve of her body pressed firmly against him in an equally delicious and comforting way.

Beast Boy breathed her in and sighed. Perhaps he was finally forgetting her true scent. The sharp metallic smell of her intoxicated blood was faint and mixed with a heady scent of desire. Beast Boy's blood flowed south beneath the blankets.

Before you judge the green hero too harshly, be informed that not every dream with Raven meant tumultuous depravity. His dreams of Raven were of them playing video games, drinking coffee or tea in her case, and more often than anything else arguing.

Beast Boy dreamed of arguing with Raven over what movie to watch, over how his hair should be cut, and even over how many times you can wear the same jeans before they have to be washed. In these dreams they would sneak smiles and poke at each other as they pretended that they weren't irrevocably in love.

But the moment Beast Boy's eyes opened in this one, he knew that he wanted her. This Raven looked far too perfect. He had imagined her a million ways with messy hair, ball gowns, or even freckles on her shoulders, but this was the most beautiful Raven that he had conjured up yet. Even in the muted light, her skin shimmered like she was powdered in diamond dust. Her hair clung to her neck and cheeks.

More than anything else, this Raven looked so small and vulnerable. He'd rarely found himself able to imagine Raven so unguarded. In sleep her countenance was peaceful and angelic and very very human. This was the side of Raven that had changed everything for him the first day they met when Raven was almost shy in her reserve.

In only one moment Beast Boy's fantasy was snatched away as he noticed the alarm clock on his nightstand, the stereo playing white noise in the background, the uneven blinds in his window… This wasn't a dream. He discreetly adjusted himself in case she woke up while simultaneously trying not to feel like such a creep.

He dropped his head into his pillow and squeezed his eyes shut. Despite this moment of personal humiliation, this was the most physically intimate moment that he had ever shared with his self-professed soulmate. His brow remained furrowed mournfully, but his eyes peeked open and slid to the immaculate unattainable beauty beside him. Her violet eyes were peering back at him.

She shut her eyes quickly, but reopened them after a few seconds knowing that she had been caught.

"Hi," her brittle morning voice cut through the silence.

"Hi," he responded waiting for more words to follow. "Good morning," he breathed after a moment.

Raven studied him for a moment not sure what to make of the mix of emotions that had been following Beast Boy these days. She had wrongly assumed that no one would ever challenge her position as the most emotionally muddled Titan.

A heavy burden of shame extinguished all thoughts of decoding him immediately as she realized just how intimately she was situated. She sat up slowly trying not to draw too much attention to her blunder. She had assumed that she would reawaken long before her bedmate. Her cheeks flushed at the thought of her brazen choices last night. She untangled her long legs and attempted to straighten her bedhead before plunging her hands into the mass of blankets in her lap.

"Umm. I'm sorry," she spoke to her buried hands. The gifted demoness knew that only a few months ago, this situation would have thrilled Beast Boy and perhaps made him nervous, but now those feelings were just swimming in a stew of his melded emotions. What did she expect? Now that he knew, his feelings couldn't last she thought dully. This thought hardened her a bit.

"I don't want to talk about what's been going on with me. I want to know how you figured it out, and what you want." Her jaw clenched as she forced herself to reign in her anger. Today was going to be more difficult than what she had endured in weeks. How had she managed to control herself before her treatments? Were her changes getting worse?

"Rae," he started gently, but after a pause his voice changed as if he thought better of being too considerate. "I don't like that you're lying to the team. That you lied to me…"

Her head snapped towards him. Then she pulled herself to the edge of the bed feeling odd sitting beside him while having this fight. "I didn't ask what you liked. I did ask you two questions. Feel free to answer those," she spoke bitingly.

A growl ripped from Beast Boy's throat. "Raven, maybe you should recognize that I have the upper hand at the moment. You should stop talking down to me just because you think I'll take it. How I found out isn't important. You could probably guess if you haven't already."

He also climbed from the bed and Raven scrutinized his movements over her shoulder. His eyes frisked her body like a predator and then stilled on hers continuing to inspect her. He prowled toward her skimming his fingertips across his chair as he stalked closer. She felt herself scooting back onto the bed yearning for an inch of extra space between her and this much sterner Beast Boy.

His body moved so smoothly to lean into her that she only leaned back onto her elbows feeling more like lunch by the minute.

Beast Boy chuckled darkly. "Are you scared, Rae?" His warm breath touched her cheek making her feel trapped.

She cleared her throat hoping to keep her voice steady. "No." The success of her clear voice was short-celebrated when his smile became absolutely devious.

Raven couldn't help but wonder why now? Was he trying to get under her skin while she was weak? Did he enjoy tormenting her for the danger she was bringing upon them all? She didn't dare ask why he was keeping her secret. Perhaps he trusted her to handle herself like she had in the past?

Her eyes searched for answers that she hadn't asked for. He doesn't know everything, but he knows far too much all the same she thought. And if her demonic side gets any more powerful, then any weakness could become a casualty.

When her lips touched his, red hot energy coursed through her blood. Her eyes were closed, but she still saw white as if she were lying in the Sun. She felt herself leaning back on her elbows. His mouth opened to suckle her lower lip and he slid up her body like a serpent. His hands were at her throat, her hips, the nape of her neck, the small of her back, her hair, everywhere. It took Raven several moments to realize that she had initiated the kiss.

Was she losing control already?