Quality Time
Chapter 6: Out with the New, In with the Old
Raven awoke from a long and much needed slumber. Despite having so much on her mind, and troubled thoughts regarding BeastBoy's new persona, sleep came surprisingly swiftly to her. Most likely due to the fact that her lack of sleep from the previous night before had finally caught up to her.
Raven stepped gingerly onto the floor, dawning her cloak, preparing for the new day. She glanced over at her clock by the bed, taking note of the time. It was only a little past seven, so the others would probably not be up for another hour or two, but only one particular individual concerned her at the moment.
Raven kept reminiscing about yesterday's turn of events, finding it harder and harder to believe what had actually transpired. Of course, she knew all too well it did, in fact, happen, despite an occasional and desperate belief it had all been a bad dream.
"It was just one day," Raven breathed in a sigh, "Just one insignificant day." She straightened her cloak around her shoulders, stepping out into the hall and making her way to BeastBoy's room. Seeing as how he'd come to get her yesterday, she figured she might as well return the gesture.
"He was acting out of sympathy," she continued quietly, "Probably his way of apologizing. He felt low for invoking my temper, and… wanted to make amends by showing he could act his age for one day. He just wanted to prove a point." Raven came to a stop a few feet from BeastBoy's door, her last statement clicking in her mind. It was obvious she'd been kicking theories around in her head, but maybe she was onto something. "Yeah. That's gotta be it."
Raven felt a slight ease of relief wash over her, finding her logic to have possibilities. It made sense, considering the way BeastBoy usually acted. It was probably a one-time deal. He wanted to prove he was capable of such behavior. He'd revert back to normal today, and that would be that. It would serve as a constant reminder that he could grow up if he set his mind to it. And knowing her luck, she'd never hear the end of it.
She could visualize him gloating, saying how he could be every bit as mature as anyone else, all the while in a mocking tone and doing one of his ridiculous uncoordinated dances.
"Well, that's a relief," she breathed, trying not to sound enthusiastic but finding comfort in her thought, as if signaling to her mind the return of the old BeastBoy was imminent.
Of course, she still felt obligated to apologize, never having gotten the chance yesterday, too startled by the change to do so. A simple apology, nothing too mushy, only enough to qualify as sincere. After all, she had blown up at him for a reason. Still, better to get it over with and not run the risk of who knows what else happening.
"Well…" she began, raising her hand, balling up a fist to knock, "Out with the new, in with the old," she finished dryly.
She knocked gently against the door.
"BeastBoy?" she asked, just loud enough to register through the door.
There was no answer.
"BeastBoy," she repeated, slightly louder.
Still no reply.
Raven reached for the door, but drew her hand back in hesitation.
"BeastBoy, if you can hear me, I'm coming in," she calmly announced, not wanting to just barge in. Her hand rested on the keypad beside the door. "You'd better be decent," she warned with a cold stare at the door, not wanting any more awkward surprises in store for her.
The door hissed open, casting light from the hall into the otherwise dim room. Everything appeared to be just the way she remembered it the day before yesterday. There were still mounds of dirty clothes everywhere, the same slanted stacks of magazines and comic books, posters littering the walls, the same mess she'd come to expect from BeastBoy. This put her mind even more at ease, assuring her as evidence that BeastBoy's old self had not taken permanent leave.
She scanned the room, the door closing behind her, taking a moment for her eyes to adjust to the lack of light. She spotted a lump on the lower bunk of BeastBoy's bed, concealed by a thick blanket, a slow rise and fall of the covers to the rhythm of breathing, signifying life beneath it.
"Still asleep," she thought, "I knew it was just a one-time deal."
Sleeping in was yet another key trait of BeastBoy's familiar personality. It was one of the few things he could do on a daily basis that would not exhaust Raven's patience. Even BeastBoy couldn't be annoying in his sleep. Not that Raven could say for sure, having never actually watched or listened to him sleep.
All was quiet as Raven watched the mass under the blanket to continue to rise and fall. No snoring, no talking in his sleep. The whole scene was peaceful.
Raven reluctantly walked by his bedside, leaning over, gently shaking him. "BeastBoy?" she asked in her casual tone, trying to wake him, hoping his grumpiness would be minimal.
The blanket stirred, a low grumbling noise coming from beneath, signaling his awakening.
"I know it's early, and under normal circumstances, I'd be obliged to let you sleep till the day is nearly over, but there's something I need to get off my chest," she said, sitting at the foot of the bed, looking straight ahead at the wall. "You're probably barely conscious enough to comprehend this, but… try to listen anyway."
She took a quick look as the top of the blanket curled upward slightly, seeming to acknowledge her. Satisfied that he was at least making an effort, she turned her stare back to the wall, staying focused.
"I knew when we agreed to this ridiculous wager, there would be… complications," she started, not taking her view off the wall so as not to be distracted.
She could feel the weight of the bed shift ever so slightly.
"Two nights ago, certain 'actions' caused me to temporarily lose restraint of my… emotional boundaries," she paused, giving a quick glance beside her, "Ok, so maybe I just blew up at you."
Raven was attempting her best both to explain the situation from her point of view, and make things clear for BeastBoy. It was hard enough to explain things to him when he was awake, but half asleep was yielding who knew what results.
"I won't lie, BeastBoy. You can really take a toll on somebody's nerves at times," she folded her arms, rolling her pupils off towards the door. "Anyway… things were said. A few choice remarks, which… I don't think are necessary to repeat. All of which were aimed at you."
Again, Raven quickly glanced beside her, looking for any kind of reaction.
"I've never lashed out in such a way before. Not at you, not at anyone. Every so often, I manage a remark or two, but never to that degree of… well… you know." Raven's eyes hung down at the floor, retaining their lifeless gaze. "Granted, I've never been one to sugar coat remarks about you before. Your poor attempts at humor, your taste in food, or even your staggering intellect."
It was clear Raven was being genuine.
"But, those were just the result from your behavior in small doses. An entire day of it was more than I expected I could handle. And…"
The form under the blanket shifted once again, catching Raven's attention, but quickly dismissing it.
"Even though some of my remarks were justified… I now realize that I was wrong to say such things in a way unbecoming of my nature, and…" she continued.
The covers shifted yet again, looking as though he was rolling over, away from her.
Raven could feel a vein in the side of her forehead growing, becoming more and more agitated that he was unable to keep still. "And… in… no way did I mean… to…" Raven muttered slightly, her annoyance clear in her voice, barely holding the irritation at bay.
A low gurgling sound could be heard emanating from beneath the covers. A noise Raven interpreted as snoring.
"He went back to sleep!" her mind screamed. She didn't know whether to be glad, relieved, annoyed, or angry.
That was the final straw. While Raven was hoping to regain the old BeastBoy, this was just too much.
"Ugh! THAT'S IT!" she fumed, getting to her feet, glaring down at the inconsiderate being beneath the covers, "If I'm gonna break character, the LEAST you can do is pretend to…"
Raven tore back the covers, ready to give BeastBoy a piece of her mind, awake or not, even if it meant going back on what she'd originally come to do. And she would've done just that, except for one problem. BeastBoy wasn't there.
Raven stared at what lay before her. Silkie, Starfire's pet larvae, curled up atop a short stack of pillows, drool dribbling down the side of its mouth. It squirmed happily, nestling deeper into the pillows, letting out a yawn with a cheery outlook. Paying Raven no mind, it rolled over, its back to her, drifting off into slumber.
It took a moment for this to fully sink in. Raven had been struggling for the right words to apologize, something not all that common for Raven, normally being on the receiving end of apologies, and it had been all for naught. A small crackle of black energy sparked from her chakra, her eyes twitching in blind anger, her fist raised above her head and about to be lowered down onto the unsuspecting insect with unbridled fury.
Slowly but surely, Raven calmed herself, restraining her raised fist with her other hand, lowering it to her side. She took a deep breath, struggling to push her anger back down from whence it came. She still eyed the napping larvae with contempt. "Consider yourself lucky I value my friendship with your owner," she muttered, making reference to Starfire. Though smiting Silky would bring welcome release to her bottled up frustration, an upset Starfire would only add to her mounting problems, and the last thing she needed was something else to deal with.
Raven turned on her heel, exiting the room, still fuming. Once back outside in the hallway, she took one last deep breath, closing her eyes, doing her best to forget what just happened, and choosing to focus on the more pressing matter. If BeastBoy wasn't in his room, where was he?
Robin sat at the kitchen table, steadily downing a glass of orange juice, still a little worse for wear, but fairing well enough to manage. He'd come to the realization that, in spite of the escapades he'd been through over the last few days, staying in his room was no guarantee of safety. He had managed to convince Starfire that though he appreciated her help and concern, it would be best if he helped himself, for both their sakes, but especially his.
Starfire sat beside him, not as eager to help as before, but still vigilant for the opportunity to assist in any way. Though both of their minds thought heavily of the odd circumstances of last two days, their attention was now beginning to focus on something far more puzzling. Namely, the suspiciously silent behavior of their green friend, who sat opposite of Starfire.
"Uh, BeastBoy?" Robin began, resting his glass on the table, eyeing the changeling curiously.
BeastBoy looked up from his plate of scrambled tofu eggs and toast.
"Shouldn't Raven be with you? For the bet, I mean?" he asked.
"Yes. Why do you not fetch her to join us for breakfast?" Starfire added. "I'm sure she'd most enjoy sampling the morning meal you have prepared," Starfire beamed with a smile.
"It's nothing major," BeastBoy answered, "She looked a little tired last night, so I thought I'd let her sleep in for a while. When she's ready, she'll join us." He turned his attention back to his plate, eating a fork full of tofu eggs.
His expression was the same as yesterday, just short of a blank slate.
"Yeah, but… doesn't she have to join you once the day starts? Those were the terms you and her agreed on," Robin gently pushed the matter further, "What if Cyborg came down and saw you here by yourself? Wouldn't he count that as losing?"
BeastBoy nibbled on a piece of toast, dabbing his chin with a napkin. "Aw, c'mon," BeastBoy said passively with a faint smile, "I'm just letting her sleep a little longer, nothin' bad about that. And besides, Cyborg isn't even up yet."
BeastBoy's continually calm and quiet demeanor continued to perplex both Robin and Starfire, the two of them glancing at one another.
"But, what happens when he does, and Raven's still not with you?" he pried. "I can only imagine how Cyborg will rub your nose in it," Robin chuckled lightly to himself. He was obviously trying to get him to consider how Cyborg would taunt him, chalking up another loss for him. Not that Robin wouldn't mind seeing someone else mocked at their own expense, considering everything he'd been through.
"Let him," BeastBoy said plainly, "It's just a bet." BeastBoy took a sip of his orange juice.
Just a bet? Had those words really come out of BeastBoy's mouth? The same BeastBoy who would've thrown a temper tantrum over being denied a rematch at a video game? The same BeastBoy who'd go double or nothing in a game of stankball with the odds against him and wagering someone else's clean up duty, knowing fully well he was practically begging for a month of extra chores? Now that he thought about it, BeastBoy had been acting a bit out of the ordinary, remembering yesterday with more clarity. Robin was only now beginning to suspect something amiss.
"Robin?" Starfire whispered into his ear, "Is there something the matter with friend BeastBoy? He does not seem like… himself."
"I'm sure it's nothing Star," he smiled, whispering back, "Spending so much time with Raven's probably just got him wound a little tight, that's all."
Though Robin reassured Starfire, he himself wasn't entirely sure.
"Raven has… wound him up?" Starfire asked, eyeing BeastBoy, looking back at Robin, "I was not aware that BeastBoy required winding."
Robin smiled, "No, Star. What I mean is, I'm sure there's a perfectly logical explanation for this."
Robin and Starfire both looked back at BeastBoy, who was now unfolding the newspaper. Despite that he was only reading the comics section, they still found the sight of BeastBoy with a newspaper peculiar.
"And as soon as I figure out what it is, I'll be sure to let you know," Robin remarked, furrowing his brow.
"Our friend has been like this since yesterday," Starfire continued to whisper, "You… do not think it is possible that Raven may have… broke BeastBoy perhaps?"
Robin offered a small smile, but gave no verbal reply. He simply looked back at BeastBoy, who was taking another bite of his eggs while reading the comics, and all without so much as a peep. At the moment, he didn't know what was going on, other than the fact that BeastBoy was behaving rather strangely, and he couldn't confirm or dismiss Starfire's theory.
Robin shrugged off the matter, turning his attention to his breakfast. Unknown to him and the others, they were being listened in on. From behind the kitchen counter, a mass of black energy in the form of a raven sank into the floor.
In the hallway just outside the main room, the energy resurfaced from the floor, materializing into solid matter, as Raven resumed her form, lowering her hood, looking back at the door to the main room. She'd decided to keep a low profile, observing what'd been going on, arriving shortly after Robin had begun questioning BeastBoy about the bet.
She was initially startled to find that BeastBoy was still assuming the quiet and mature facade. She had convinced herself it wouldn't last. She figured a day would've been more than he could bare without his jokes, his videogames, his cheesy humor. Yet, it didn't even seem to phase him in the least. She was almost convinced it had been an entirely different person. He was up early, he hadn't cracked a single joke, no mindless banter about his tofu, and for the second day. What happened to the one-time deal?
Raven walked down the hall, moving away from main room. She spoke not a word, at least, not on the outside. Her mind was a different story, trying to comprehend so many possibilities, and at least a hundred questions bombarding her thoughts. But what stuck with her the most was Starfire's last comment.
-"You… do not think it is possible that Raven may have… broke BeastBoy perhaps?"-
Normally, such a thing would've been credited to Starfire's innocent and sometimes naive observations. But this time, maybe it wasn't so farfetched. Maybe Raven had broken BeastBoy. Not physically, of course, but… his spirit.
This had to stop. Right now, right this minute. And there was only one way Raven could think of to set things as they once were.
Cyborg snored lightly, flat on his back atop a metal table, plugged into his systems recharger, still in sleep mode. The many readouts on the screens behind him gave a complete diagnostic of his systems and functions, as well as a count down to his scheduled awakening, which was currently at forty five minutes. Cyborg lay completely motionless, his body still offline.
The sound of a door swishing open and closing could be heard, just before a shadow cast itself over the slumbering metal man.
"Cyborg," Raven said bluntly, standing beside his table, casting a steely gaze down at him. "Cyborg," she repeated louder.
Now was not Raven's most ideal time to be patient.
She moved to the end of the table by Cyborg's feet. Lifting her foot into the air, she slammed it down on the base of the table, flinging the table upwards at a ninety-degree angle, Cyborg now upright, his back still against the table. However, he still remained motionless.
Raven disconnected the cord attached to his chest with a swift yank, causing Cyborg to teeter slightly, back and forth. Using the tiny momentum of Cyborg's shifting weight, she placed a finger on the back of his head, nudging him just enough to cause him to gradually begin leaning farther forward.
With the cord disconnected, power began to filter throughout Cyborg's body, bringing him online. His cybernetic eye blinked on, as well as his human eye slowly opening, just as he began to descend to floor.
"WAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" Cyborg yelled, before smacking face first into the hard metal floor.
"Oh, good. You're awake," Raven said in a dull tone, crossing her arms, watching him rise off the floor.
"Geez, Rae!" Cyborg said, mildly annoyed, rubbing his nose, "Heck of a bedside manner ya got there. Ever hear of an alarm clock?"
"It woke you up, didn't it?" she replied.
Cyborg shook off the slight headache he could feel throbbing in the right side of his head, getting his bearings. "I take it this isn't a social call?" he asked, rubbing his temple. "Hey! Aren't you supposed to be with BB?" he asked, the realization hitting him.
Raven just stared lifelessly at him.
"That might be considered backing out ya know," he teased mildly, "But, hey, if you're gonna' give up, then…"
"WOULD YOU FORGET ABOUT THAT POINTLESS BET OF YOURS FOR ONE SECOND?" she raised her voice, almost seeming like there was fire in her eyes.
Cyborg took two steps back, caught off guard by the firmness, and almost frightening nature of Raven's sudden mood swing. Perhaps it would be best to keep the teasing banter to a minimum.
Raven breathed deeply, quickly calming herself. "I wouldn't have reacquainted you with the floor if it wasn't important," she said. "I need to have a word with you."
Cyborg made his way over to the console, turning off the re-charger, and calibrating the instruments by the bed, making sure Raven hadn't wrecked anything with her wake up call. "Take any word ya want. It's yours."
"It's about BeastBoy. Things are becoming rather… difficult," she looked away.
Cyborg looked at her, cracking a smile. "No problem. I kinda figured something like this might happen," he said, walking over to the other side of the room, opening a nearby foot locker, "I gotcha' covered."
Cyborg pulled an item out of the top of the locker, handing it to Raven.
"Here ya go," he grinned. "This outta solve your problem."
Raven held up the item in question to eye level. "A flea collar?" she said, unamused, "Just what kind of problems did you anticipate me running into?"
Cyborg smiled innocently as Raven tossed the collar over her shoulder.
"Listen, something is wrong with BeastBoy," she said.
"This is supposed to be news to me?" Cyborg chuckled, "Been something wrong with him since I known him. How else do you explain the way he eats?"
Raven glared at him, ceasing his humor of the situation.
"Oh," Cyborg choked out, clearing his throat, "You were serious."
"Yes, I'm serious," she remarked, beginning to lose her patience with Cyborg taking the matter so lightly, "Don't tell me you haven't noticed."
"Noticed what?" he shrugged. "Ya mean yesterday? Nothin' drastic. So he cleaned up a little bit, and didn't jump all over me about breakfast. He still plays video games, his rooms still a pigsty, and he still eats tofu. If that's not BeastBoy, I dunno what is?"
"THAT is not BeastBoy," Raven corrected him.
Cyborg tilted his head, looking at her funny. "Say what?"
Raven sighed.
Cyborg walked over to the flatbed where he'd been sleeping, reclining it so that it was a makeshift table. He patted the surface, gesturing for Raven to have a seat. Raven looked back at the door, hesitating a moment, but seated herself, facing Cyborg as he leaned against the wall.
"Care to elaborate on that last remark?" he asked.
Raven sat on the table, her eyes looking away, her legs hanging lifelessly over the side.
"Come on, Rae," he teased, "You didn't come here just to observe a moment of silence."
Raven looked at him with her usual deadpan stare.
"Look, if there's something you wanna get out in the open, ya have my word it won't go beyond this room. It's just you, me, and the wall," he finished with a comforting smile.
Raven was still silent.
"Why don't ya take it from the top?" he added.
Raven exhaled deeply, finally giving in. Maybe talking about it would do her some good. "The first day went like I would've expected: constant interruptions, noise, making a mess out of everything he touched. He couldn't sit still for so much as a minute. It was the most aggravating and annoying day of my life," she fumed, replaying the experience in her head.
Cyborg grinned. However, it quickly faded as Raven's gaze intensified, seemingly cutting a hole right through him. Cyborg cleared his throat once more, discarding the amused look on his face. "And, the next day?"
Raven paused a brief moment, casting her eyes down at the floor. "Nothing."
Cyborg gave it a few seconds, thinking she'd have more to say, but nothing came. "Nothing… as in… nothing?" he tried to comprehend what Raven was getting at.
"He stopped laughing. He stopped talking. He stopped smiling. He stopped… everything," she said, dismally.
Cyborg took a moment, analyzing the seriousness in her expression. "What happened the night before?" he asked, feeling as though a piece was missing from the puzzle.
Raven looked at him, and then, turned her attention to the wall. "I… exchanged a few words with him before going to bed."
"Words along the lines of…?" he left the statement open for her to fill in.
"Pick an insult. Chances are, I got it off," she slouched, leaning back, her hands flat against the base of the table.
"Oh, so it's guilt," he responded.
"I never said that," she replied in her casual monotone, "Guilt is what you feel when something like that is undeserved or unprovoked."
"Or unnecessary?" he added.
Raven scowled at him, but said nothing. "I stand by what was said," she explained, trying to maintain her unfeeling outer shell, "However, I think I may have stressed things a bit… too far."
"So… let's recap. BeastBoy drove ya nuts the first day of the bet. So much so that ya blew off a whole engine liner worth of steam at him, and now, he's not acting like himself?"
Raven gave a reluctant nod.
"In other words, he's not actin' like he normally does?" he asked.
She nodded again.
"He's quiet? Doesn't make a mess of things? No more lame jokes?" he counted off, interpreting Raven's situation.
Again, Raven simply nodded.
Cyborg shrugged, "So, what's the problem?"
Raven raised an eyebrow, looking at him questionably. "Excuse me, Cyborg. Did you just say, 'what's the problem'?"
"Well, you didn't say it. The wall didn't say it. Must've been me," he replied.
"Have you been paying attention to what I just said?" Raven asked, sitting up straight.
"Unless I heard ya wrong, you said you got ticked off at BeastBoy for bein' a pain, you said… 'something'," he stressed, unsure of Raven's exact remarks, "And now, he's not himself. So, exactly, what's the problem? If anything, it makes it easier for ya."
"You're missing the point," she hopped off the table, retaining her empty tone.
"Really? You're always sayin' how he should grow up, act his age, and now, he is. What's the big deal?" he asked.
"He's acting mature. He's acting his age, but for the wrong reasons," she said.
Cyborg was silent for a few seconds. "I don't think I follow ya, Rae."
"He's not acting his age because he wants to, he's doing it because I told him to." She pointed out.
"Oh, so THAT'S what ya said to him, huh?" Cyborg said, that teasing smile returning.
Raven glared at him once more, turning her back to him. Of all the sneaky tricks.
"So, you're sayin'… what? That you prefer the old, noisy, and unrefined version as opposed to what he is now? That ya really don't want him to grow up?" he smirked.
Raven could practically hear the grin on his face.
She turned back, facing him again. "Yes…. No…. I don't know," she blurted out, becoming a bit flustered, "Maybe… but, not like this."
Cyborg couldn't help but smile at Raven's confusion.
Raven sighed, closing her eyes, collecting her thoughts. "My mind is made up," she said, moving past him towards the door, "The bet's off."
Cyborg's smile vanished. "Hu-WHAT?" he exclaimed in disbelief. "Rae," he called after her, "Raven, ya can't be serious?".
Raven stopped, just as the doors swished open. "Quite," she said plainly, her back still to Cyborg.
Cyborg had to think fast. All his planning, all he'd worked for, the limitless amusement he'd planned to view like a movie patron, was all about to walk out the door.
"C'mon, Rae. Think this through," he began, pleadingly, watching her walk through the doorway, "What's endin' the bet really gonna' accomplish?"
Raven stopped, having one foot out the door.
"It's not gonna' solve anything," he continued, feeling as though she was at least hearing him out, "You really think if ya just pretend this never happened, everything'll just go back to normal?"
Raven's head turned about an inch, lending an ear to Cyborg's opinion.
"Let's say you actually call the whole thing off. Then, what?" he posed another question, "You gonna' just keep your distance and hope he goes back to the way he was? All it's gonna' prove is that you really could care less whether he changes or not, and ya don't want anything to do with him either way. And, eventually… he's just gonna'… turn into you, and I'm talking permanently."
Raven was stiff and unmoving. She made not a sound, her expression still void of any change, difficult to say if she agreed with what Cyborg was saying, or thought it was just a total crock.
"I know you're not terribly fond of the little guy, but…"
"You're right," Raven said, cutting him off, "I'm not very fond of him."
Cyborg just stared at the back of Raven's head.
"He annoys me beyond belief. He continues to insist that he's humorous when he has yet to tell a single joke that even resembles 'funny'. He has forced me to exercise more and more control over my powers, and strains the levels of my patience, to the likes of which, are unheard of," she stated, calmly. "Maybe you were right. Perhaps it would be easier if he remained the way he is."
"No, wait. Raven, I didn't…" he tried to explain, feeling as though she misunderstood.
"Thank you, Cyborg," she looked over her shoulder, lightly bowing her head in sincere thanks, "If you'll excuse me."
Raven exited the room, the door closing behind her, leaving Cyborg in silence.
Once out in the hall, Raven leaned against the door, breathing a heavy sigh of relief. Shortly after which, a light fixture above her burst in a crack of black energy.
Raven looked up at the now darker section of the hall. "The things I do to maintain my image," she whispered to herself, pulling up her hood to conceal a faint smile. One of the upsides to not showing emotion constantly? It made it very easy and very believable to lie.
It was now nearly noon as Raven headed up the stairwell. BeastBoy had been nowhere to be found since her stealthy observation of his interaction with others at breakfast. He wasn't in the main room, he wasn't in his room, not in the training room, so by process of elimination, there was only one place left that he could be.
Raven thought back to Cyborg's words as she climbed the stairs. Even though she was certain that the only reason he'd tried to talk her out of calling off the bet was to not miss out on watching the two of them squirm, appeasing his slightly twisted sense of humor, she couldn't deny the fact that he had a point. Simply backing out now wouldn't accomplish anything. The bet wasn't the cause of this, she was. It started with her, and it'd end with her.
Raven opened the door, stepping out onto the roof. Sure enough, there was BeastBoy, sitting on the ground, two or three comics by his feet, and a handheld video game in hand.
BeastBoy maintained his focus on the game screen, not taking his eyes off it. The beeps and other assorted sound effects of his game were still audible enough to hear, but the volume on the device was turned far lower than the setting he'd normally have it. His expression was as vacant as the early morning, hard to tell if he was actually enjoying the game, or anything for that matter.
Raven came to a halt in front of BeastBoy, looking down at him. "BeastBoy," she said plainly, seeming as nothing more than acknowledging him.
"Raven," he returned the response, not looking up from his game.
There was a brief and uncomfortable silence, aside from the sounds of BeastBoy's video game.
"You… didn't come to get me this morning," she said, in her normal tone, breaking the silence.
"Thought you'd wanna' sleep in for a little bit today," he replied, eyes still glued to the screen.
Raven folded her arms. "I suppose… thanks are in order," she looked off to the side, seeming as passive as ever.
Again, there was an uncomfortable silence. The closest BeastBoy came to a reply was scratching the tip of his nose, before continuing his full effort on the game.
"Sleep seems to be a bit… elusive as of late," she started, taking a few steps to her right, walking behind him, looking over his shoulder.
BeastBoy continued to frivolously push buttons on his hand held game.
"I… guess losing a person's temper can sometimes have that effect. Especially over… petty matters," she looked towards the sky, trying to make her apology as subtle as possible.
Again, BeastBoy was totally silent.
Raven shifted her eyes down at him, trying to judge any kind of reaction. "Not that… that person wouldn't be entitled to getting a taste of their own medicine," she commented, making reference to BeastBoy's change towards her, seeming to apologize without actually apologizing.
Her apology was sounding more and more like a comparison than an actual apology, using the word person for both herself and BeastBoy. But again, Raven was fairly a stranger to matters like these.
Raven slowly sat Indian style beside him. But, no sooner had her backside touched the ground, than BeastBoy got to his feet, turning off his game.
"Just about lunch time," he said plainly, dusting himself off, "Think I'm gonna go grab a bite to eat." He began walking back towards the door.
After a second or two to register BeastBoy's still unchanged demeanor, Raven herself rose back to her feet, following just a few steps behind him.
"Of course…" she started, continuing her makeshift apology a little louder for BeastBoy to hear, but still as calm as before, "There are limitations as far as what one person should go through…"
BeastBoy opened the door to the stairwell.
"Not to mention how far the other person should take it…"
He shut the door, rather loudly, remaining on the roof, turning to face Raven. He gave an exhausted sigh, similar to the way Raven would act when he was bothering her.
"Okay, Raven. What do you want from me?" he asked, annoyance clear in his voice, just one step below angry.
Briefly startled by his sudden response, Raven quickly collected herself, restoring her passive stare. "At the moment, simple acknowledgment," she said.
"Look, I got the message," he said, leaning against the door, "I got on your nerves. I took your advice, and grew up. So, why don't you just get off my back?"
"My advice?" she asked, raising an eyebrow, raising her voice so as not to be intimidated, but doing her best not to match his tone of voice. "I never said give up on everything you enjoy. I never said behave like a librarian. I never said act like a quiet, uncaring twit!"
BeastBoy's eyes narrowed, a confused look on his face. "WHAT IS YOUR DEAL!" he demanded, his arms out to his sides, "First, you're always tellin' me how loud and all immature I am, and how I should act my age, and then, when I do change, THAT'S not good enough either. Make up your mind! What do you want from me?"
As hard as it was to believe, Raven relished the moment. It was probably the only thing Raven had heard out of him that resembled his former self in the last two days. His arguing resembled that of a small child.
The two were deadlocked, staring at one another. Not in a hateful manner, they just stared, neither one of them knowing how to respond or what to say. Clearly, both showed signs of being upset with one another, and both were extremely tense, but at least they'd managed to clear the air a bit, getting the matter right out into the open.
Raven was first to break contact, closing her eyes, raising her hand, signaling that they both needed to calm down. "This is exactly how this whole mess began. Speaking without thinking," she pointed out.
BeastBoy still appeared far from relaxed, but he visibly showed easing of tension, relaxing his shoulders a bit.
"I admit, some of the remarks I made were… insensitive," she explained.
"How bout' REAL insensitive," he added, seeming to agree.
"They were also partially true," Raven said, not wanting him to think she was going soft on him.
"Hmph!" BeastBoy grunted, folding his arms, looking away.
"But, mostly, I was speaking out of anger," she said sympathetically, "I won't deny that you can be a trifle annoying at times, but… everything else I said…"
BeastBoy looked at her out of the corner of his eye.
"Well… let's just say what came out should've stayed in, and just leave it at that," she finished, "I never meant to give you the impression that it would be best for you to… well…"
"Turn into you?" he hinted, turning back to face her.
Raven frowned. "I was going to say, be something you're not."
BeastBoy nervously laughed, definitely a sign that things were at least heading in the right direction.
"Anyway, I hope that you can find it in you to accept my apology," Raven bowed her head.
"Yeah… well…" BeastBoy started, scratching the back of his head, "I coulda' sorta' tried a little harder to keep the annoying stuff to a minimum. So, I guess I'm sorry too."
"So… apology accepted then?" Raven asked.
"Only if you accept mine first," he said with a small but hopeful smile, extending his hand.
Raven slowly took his hand, giving a brief handshake, allowing the faintest of smiles.
"Whew," BeastBoy sighed in relief, "Glad that's outta the way. I don't know how much longer I coulda' kept that whole 'quiet guy' routine goin'." BeastBoy was sounding like his old self again. "Honestly, Raven, I don't know how ya do it."
"It's easy, once you realize just how foolish everyone else acts by comparison," she said, hinting at BeastBoy.
BeastBoy looked at her, faking a hurt expression. "Yeah, well… it's easy to be foolish once ya realize just how bor- uh, quiet 'some' people are," BeastBoy had caught himself before saying something that might've started the whole mess all over again, smiling.
Raven picked up on this, mildly touched by his choice of words, when there were so many others he could've blurted out. "Maybe. But, you know, 'some' people interpret silence as normalcy."
"Take it from a pro, Raven. Normal, is overrated," he grinned.
Even though only a small margin, Raven's smile grew.
"By the way, you almost got me, ya know," BeastBoy interjected.
Raven looked questionably at him.
"The whoopee cushion?" he flashed his eyebrows, his grin growing.
Raven turned away, hiding the rush of warmth to her face. "You… noticed that?" she asked, pretending not to care, unsure if he had actually ignored it or simply failed to notice.
"Mm-Hmm," he nodded. "Were you tryin' to fill in for me, or did you just miss me that much?" His grin almost went around to the back of his neck.
Raven's icy stare returned. "You DO realize just how badly I could hurt you, right?" her tone more in the manner of a friendly warning than an actual threat, not wanting him to get the wrong idea.
BeastBoy chuckled nervously. "I can live with that," he offered apologetically.
"Good," she replied blankly. "Incidentally, how come your apology came a lot quicker than mine?" she asked genuinely curious.
"You forget, I say I'm sorry a lot more than you do. I have experience and practice on my side," he smiled proudly.
Raven looked at him in an odd way. "Just so you know, that's not really something to be proud of."
"Hey, we're having a moment here. Don't ruin it," he said humbly.
Raven rolled her eyes, those words being all too familiar to her.
"Now," BeastBoy said, opening the door, "How bout' that lunch?" He bowed, holding the door for her, gesturing for her to go first.
Raven walked past him, giving a slight nod, as if to say 'thank you'.
"Um… Raven?" he asked sheepishly, just as she got a little past him.
"Hmm?" she looked curiously at him.
"Uh… well… ya know all those immature things I've said to ya?" he asked, twiddling his fingers, "All those childish I pranks I pulled on you?"
Raven looked at him, figuring it was one last assurance that he was sorry. "Yes?" she replied simply.
There was a short silence as BeastBoy finally managed to bring his eyes up from the ground, finding it difficult to face her.
"I'd like to do them all over again," he grinned, the shimmer rekindling in his eyes.
All was as it should be.
The day ended as quickly as it had begun. Following lunch, the two titans had taken the rest of the day to fully analyze and discuss their situation, and plan arrangements to prevent any further misunderstandings from occurring. The bet was still in its early going, and was far from over, but at least now, things would run a lot smoother. At least, that was their hope anyway.
Raven entered her room, signifying her closing out the day. BeastBoy had just taken his leave of her, following him walking her to her room. Raven closed the door, slowly making her way to her bed, too tired to even bother to remove her cloak. She pulled back the covers, slipping into bed, anxious at the prospect of rest. For the first time in two days, Raven was looking forward to sleep that didn't include guilt lulling her in and out of slumber, or passing out from exhaustion.
"BeastBoy's back to his old self," she played in her mind, "His old loud, spunky, laughing, annoying self."
Raven stopped in thought, staring up at the ceiling. "I've recreated a monster," she said in her dull uncaring tone. But, contrary to her thought and previous statement, she smiled anyway.
Raven nestled beneath the covers preparing to let slumber wash over her. Her pupils wearily wandered around the room, rolling over onto her side, allowing her cloak to drape over her, lazily surveying the room one last time before the weight of her eyelids became too much to bare.
Suddenly, just as she was about to doze off, something caught her view, causing her eyes to snap wide open, sitting up in bed and looking down at her cloak.
Raven slowly pulled her cloak into her grasp, unfolding it to get a better look at it. "That's strange," she said, closely analyzing it. It seemed the same as before. "I could've sworn…" Raven was cut off by a faint yawn. "Ah, I'll figure it out in the morning," she said sleepily, rubbing her eyes and tossing her cloak to the floor.
Raven rolled back over, drifting into a deep sleep.
She couldn't understand it, but for a second, she thought she saw something. Maybe it was credited to a combination of the lack of light in the room and of sleep that was beginning to take hold of her, but for a brief moment, she could've sworn she saw the color of her cloak shift. Almost… lighten.
Next Chapter: BeastBoy is BeastBoy once more, and all is right with the world. But what else does the next twenty-seven days have in store for our two joined heroes.