(This oneshot is a direct continuation from the previous one, 'Dragon')

11. Mask

Terra didn't mention her encounter with Raven when she saw Beast Boy next.

Admittedly, it wasn't the first thing on her mind – it was getting toward the end of the school year, and her grades had needed severe help even before she'd started hanging out at Titans Tower again – but realising that she'd have to tell him sooner or later made her flush with anxiety, so she'd taken to not thinking about it at all.

Beast Boy was sat beside her and her stack of books in the high school library, and was pestering her to the point that she almost felt the need to scream at him to get him to shut up and leave her alone.

"I can't hang out today," Terra hissed, fully aware that she must have already said this to him within the last hour, "Tomorrow."

"You said that yesterday," Beast Boy pointed out, his whisper muffled in his arms as he slumped over the table, "How much studying do you need to do?"

Terra gritted her teeth. Her temper was especially short from exam stress, and it took a lot of self-control to not explode at him.

"It's finals. I need to keep studying until finals are over."

"Psh, laaame," he replied flippantly, "Why are you even bothering? You won't need any of this crap when your powers come back."

Terra's chest tightened. She took an unnoticeable, calming, breath.

"And what if they don't come back?"

Beast Boy was quiet for a minute, and Terra almost thought he'd fallen asleep, but then:

"You're not exactly gonna get a job where you have to read…" Beast Boy moved Terra's hand so he could read the title of her book, "'Pride and Prejudice' to people."

Terra rubbed her temples against the headache forming there.

"This is just to get into college. I have to at least know stuff to get into college."

Beast Boy sat upright slowly, giving her an odd look.

"College?"

The way he said it – it might have been with confusion, or envy, or both – made Terra suddenly feel awkward, like college was the elephant in the room. Beast Boy had never said anything about wanting to go himself, so why did she feel guilty admitting that she did?

"Uh, yeah… I think I could get into a good one if these finals go r—"

Beast Boy stood up suddenly and took her hand, pulling her up with him. He didn't stop to explain but lead her outside, and Terra swore she could feel the eyes of everyone else in the library on the back of her neck.

"You're going to college?" he asked finally, when they were a good distance outside. It was a little chilly, and Terra put her arms around herself to keep warm.

"If I get the right grades," she murmured, not meeting his stare.

Beast Boy put a hand to his mouth and paced. It was short-lived, but he definitely did it, and it threw Terra for one hell of a loop. After one turn, he rounded on her.

"Why are you doing this?" Beast Boy asked, more aggressive than despairing, and it made Terra bristle.

"Doing what?" she retorted, acid laced in her words.

"Acting…" he gestured with his arms, trying to find words, "normal!"

The words – the implication – hit Terra hard.

"I am normal!" she hissed, fighting to not raise her voice. It was during lessons, and silent out in the courtyard except for the two of them.

"No; you're…" he exclaimed, anguished, "You're special! You're a Titan!"

"I'm not…" she sighed, putting a hand over her eyes, "Gar—"

"Don't 'Gar' me!" Beast Boy snapped, not as conscious of his volume as Terra was of hers, and it made Terra jump, "Don't talk to me like I'm being irrational, Terra; you were a Titan once and you can be one again-"

"Raven blocked my power." Terra murmured, but it was loud over his following silence. She chanced a look at him, and her eyes stung at the expression on his face, "I asked her to."

Beast Boy's pupils dilated for a second, and Terra swallowed, looking away again. He didn't seem like he would speak, and in response Terra felt the need to fill the silence.

"I just… This is my chance, B." she said, as if it would lessen the blow, "I don't have to be scared that I'll hurt someone, and I don't have to be special, I can just…" she exhaled, "be a real teenager."

"'Real'?" Beast Boy repeated, his voice low - almost critical - his eyebrows knitted.

Terra frowned a little and took his hand.

"You know what I mean."

Beast Boy nodded once and swallowed thickly. Terra thought she felt him squeeze her hand in return.

"If this is what you want."

The silence stretched on, and Terra felt the void between them grow.

"If you had the chance…" she eventually murmured, "You'd take it."

Beast Boy didn't reply, and Terra took that as an affirmation. She squeezed his hand, still linked with hers.

"I still wanna hang out," she promised, "I don't want to lose you over this… please don't be mad."

Beast Boy hissed a sigh at this, lifted his spare hand and worried his hair with it.

"This was really unexpected, T." he glanced at her, and Terra saw his eyes soften, "And kinda selfish,"

Terra smiled meekly, "I know."

Beast Boy opened his mouth to say something else, but a blaring ring from his T-Com thoroughly prevented that from happening. They both looked at where it was clipped to his belt, then back at each other.

Beast Boy pecked Terra's forehead.

"Duty calls."

.

(I've wanted to write that "Don't 'Gar' me!" part for ages, but I don't like the ending. I'm not sure if BB would get over it that quick (maybe he's hiding that it hurts for her sake? hmnn...) but at the same time I really didn't want an angsty ending for this one, mostly because I want to just leave this miniseries where it is.

For the record, I don't think BB would want to be 'normal' again. I just think that, in this situation, he wouldn't blaze his head off and correct her; too much is going on for him to also start being pedantic.)