This update took much longer than I anticipated. UHHHH! My life is such a mess! *bows and asks for forgiveness once again*
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
After a few days of stiff awkwardness, the familiarity slowly seeped back into Beast Boy and Raven's interactions.
On the couch in the common room, Beast Boy looked up at the ceiling. Everything is as it should be. Finally, he could freely walk around the tower without a hint of guilt or regret creeping in the depths of his mind. He could talk to all the other members without hesitation and no longer needed to take his time to contemplate whether if what he said would overstep boundaries. At last, he felt content.
However, even though Beast Boy was satisfied with how his relationship with Raven was progressing, he was not blind to the Raven's antsy behavior when he was around. She, whenever their eyes happened to meet, would make sure her hood was secured and quickly turn away. Regardless, Beast Boy refused to give up on the fragile friendship. If I'm persistent, maybe...just maybe...one day, I can confess to her. He thought.
He lowered his gaze back to the empath whom was calmly making her tea, and feeling someone's eyes on her, she looked up. Beast Boy smiled abashedly with a blush dusting across his cheeks. "Hey. How are you?"
"Good." The empath responded in her monotone voice. "And you?"
"Amazing!" He practically yelled. The changeling's grin, if possible, got even wider. Her response, to him, meant that she cared about him enough to keep the conversation going.
Friends. That term once filled with Beast Boy resentment, but now, it brought him relief. She was finally letting her walls down around him.
Even though he knew his feelings for Raven may never be reciprocated, it was fine. Regardless of whether her feelings would ever surpass that of a platonic friendship, he knew that he would accept their friendship wholeheartedly. He was a better person after this ordeal, and for that, he was grateful.
Raven quietly took a seat next to him. "Mind if I join you?" She said while nudging her head towards the television. The screen was already filled with the starting screen of the video game that Beast Boy had taught Raven to play.
The changeling turned a darker hue of red after realizing that he was too occupied thinking. Stuttering, he was able to manage a "Sure." He walked over and handed her a controller from nearby before retrieving his own. Then, aside from the noises emanating from the television, a comfortable silence lapsed between them.
And maybe. The changeling thought hopefully. I changed her for the better too.
"Titans!" Robin yelled while pointing to a figure clothed in black. "There he is!"
The common criminal held the brown bag of jewels and held it close to his body. Since it was simply a petty thief, the only Titans who came to the crime scene was Raven, Robin, and Rorek so that the mission could be completed quickly without causing damage that could potentially be caused by the other Titans.
Using his grapple hook, Robin got on top on the nearest building. Raven used her powers to move the nearby vehicles, trapping the obvious newbie.
The criminal looked at his surroundings and clumsily attempted to climb over the cars. All the while, the thief kept stealing glances at Raven and Rorek whom were motionless in front of him. After he successfully past the barricade of cars, the thief turned around confusedly and wondered why the two heroes in front were making no sudden movements. Suddenly, Robin jumped from the rooftop he was previously perching on. He was able to aim his kick perfectly and knocked the criminal off balance. Then, Rorek tried using his powers to paralyze the thief.
Rorek paused, feeling something amiss. None of his powers were working. He pulled out his spell book and attempted the spell once more. However, despite all his attempts, nothing happened.
"Rorek, faster!" Robin called.
Rorek turned to Raven and shook his head, signaling that he was not able to go through with the plan. As if she understood, Raven used her telepathic power to snap a street light off its post, a causality they had wanted to avoid. She the proceeded to wrap the thief in a bind while Robin walked to the police force that had just arrived to give the report.
Raven turned to Rorek with concern laced in her eyes. Before she could ask, Rorek shook his head. "Let's talk later." He spoke with his voice barely above a whisper.
Once in the confines of her room, Raven took the opportunity to interrogate Rorek. Questions bombarded her mind. What happened during the fight? Why didn't he want to tell Robin? Suddenly, a crash could be heard as Raven's powers destroyed a light fixture in the hallway. She rubbed her temples and reminded herself to stay calm.
Rorek, realizing that she needed her time, stayed silent. However, after several minutes of silence and of Raven restlessly pacing back and forth in her room, he felt impelled to speak. "Raven, do you have the book about me and Malchior?"
She raised her eyebrows at that unexpected question. It was so absurd. One of the few people (or dragons, she internally reminded herself) she trusted with her heart was trapped within the confines of the book. He betrayed her in the worst possible way, yet she kept it deep within the dark recesses of her room. Raven quickly walked over to where the book was hidden and within mere seconds, pulled it out. While in her hands, the pages flipped to show the page where Malchior was trapped. "My dearest Raven," a deep voice resonating from the book called. "I was wondering when would be the next time I would have the pleasure of seeing you." Quickly, a distant look graced Raven's features as if she were mesmerized by Malchior's echoing voice.
Rorek extended his arm to take the book from Raven, and she immediately snapped out of the trance. As soon as the book was in his possession, all of its power seemed to vanish. Rorek skimmed through the pages and marked certain ones that he found interesting as if it were any other book rather than a story about his life and adventures. Once he finished, he closed his eyes. A longing sigh escaped from his lips. "I can't stay."
"What?" Raven whipped her head around to face him. "Rorek, what's going on?"
Rorek pointed to one of the pages he had marked to reveal a prophecy about him and the trapped dragon. "I was only released so that I could defeat Malchior. With him gone, I don't know how long I can stay." He sighed. "It's our fate. We'll disappear together."
Raven shook her head. No. It couldn't be true. Like Malchior...like Terra, he was leaving her too. "You've been here for a long time even when Malchior was trapped. Why would you suddenly have to leave?"
In response, Rorek could only shrug his shoulders. "I don't know. I could leave today...maybe tomorrow...maybe centuries later. The spell wasn't specific. Besides, didn't you say that Malchior was released twice within the last few years? If he were released, I must have had reason to be summoned."
She nodded her head in confirmation, recalling telling Rorek about her battle with Malchior during the clash with the Brotherhood of Evil. What he's saying does make sense...but is he leaving just like that?
"Raven, can you promise me something?" Rorek asked unsurely. After seeing her nod, Rorek continued. "After I leave, please be happy with Beast Boy. I thought that I could help guide you two, but I can't."
Raven nodded if only to appease him. After all they had been through, Raven could feel her heart painfully clenching and the tears gathering behind her eyes.
Rorek turned to her with sad eyes. "I know you're only agreeing because you feel guilty, but I mean it." He took a long and meaningful sigh before he began again. "Let me tell you a story. A long time ago, there was a man who loved a woman with all he had. If she had asked, he would have done anything and everything for her. They were both blissfully in love and would never exchange the time spent with one another for anything. But one day..." Rorek stood up. "...she left him." He said with his voice cracking.
Raven gave him a hug and patted his back to show that she was still listening and was ready to support him if needed. Rorek wiped the tears that were now freely running down his face and tried to continue. "She left him in the worst way possible. She died." Letting out another pained breath, he remained in her embrace and tried to keep his voice level. "That's why, Raven. You have to secure your happiness with Beast Boy. The drift between the both of you is all because you two are scared. But one day...the separation is going to be permanent. Listen to me, Raven. Don't regret anything." And with that, Rorek exited her room.
After Raven's talk with Rorek, she was unable to sleep or meditate the whole night. What Rorek had said struck a chord within her. Perhaps it was because or the truth in his words or the sincerity behind the story that tugged at her heartstrings to the point where she could no longer function properly.
Giving up on getting any rest that night, Raven left her room to get some tea. From the tower window, she could see the sun getting ready to rise which meant the rest of the team would be awake soon. She made her tea quickly and returned to her room.
Even with the soothing effects of the drink, Raven's thoughts were as scattered as ever. Should I rely purely on my emotions? Can I abandon all logic and go to Beast Boy?
Eventually, she turned back to her mirror. The empath knew that visiting would probably quell her troubled mind, but she also knew that her emotions would criticize her for her recent behavior.
Raven could easily admit it to herself. Several times, when she looked at Beast Boy, doubt would flood her mind, and she would once again shy away from him. Moments of deliberation passed until Raven, functioning on pure impulse, grabbed her mirror and closed her eyes to await teleportation to her mind.