A/N: As always, a huge thank you to everyone who leaves behind a kind message in support of this work! And to new followers, welcome! I only hope I can keep delivering! A small word of warning before we delve into this chapter; this is where the story takes a turn into the MATURE category (sexual content). So, if that isn't in your interest, I'd advise turning away now, as the trend will only continue into upcoming chapters. Now, on with the show!
Exhibition[ist]
[raw footage]
Art was in everything. It was in the gentle strokes of a paint brush against a blank canvas surface; in the delicate tendrils of a flower petal, right down to the small, deep veins, so bright and colourful. It could be found often in the simplest of things, the most minor of details, but also in a masterpiece framed in an art gallery. Garfield Logan — through his lens and the aid of his photography lessons — was truly beginning to learn how individualistic the experience could be in the eye of the beholder.
But no one had warned him of the most obvious muse.
The one in front of him, so stark in contrast to her otherwise comparatively bland surroundings, how he'd missed it at all made him feel like an amateur at his craft once more.
An artist always found his muse in their most unsuspecting environment, and no amount of carefully planned poses or scenic shoots would be able to compare to something so natural. Exquisite, even amongst the gorgeous, lush underbrush of nature herself. Garfield had seen his fair share of models and fashion photography, and even studied them at length until his eyes would droop with sleep and he'd dream of them, but none were as organic as Raven.
He licked his lips, mouth dry and fingers sweaty, even as he gripped the sturdy body of his camera hanging around his neck. The weather was warm, the lazy, late afternoon sun beating down on them both from just over the clearing of tall, old trees. She was humming to herself, something off tune but soft and that carried with the chirping of the birds scuttling in the branches nearby. The golden yellow of her dress rivaled the bright dandelion she twirled between her fingertips, and he couldn't help but stare at how the loose, skinny, yellow strap slipped off the curve of her creamy shoulder absentmindedly.
The rest of the canary-gold material pooled about her legs like a lilypad, her bare feet safely tucked beneath her as she sat by the edge of the rushing water, too preoccupied with her peaceful surroundings to notice him yet. Somewhere buried in the unkempt, evergreen field nearby, her sandals were left forgotten.
Beast Boy wished, more than anything, that he could be the small blade of grass, pressed up against the folds of her dress. Or the beads of sweat just budding over the swell of her breasts or brow.
He could have shifted into something small and inconspicuous A grasshopper. An ant, maybe. Anything to keep watching her at peace, undisturbed and from afar, committing the sight to memory. But more so, he wanted her to see herself the way he saw her then. As selfish as Garfield ached to be in that moment, he knew how important it was to her. Beast Boy clutched his camera, lifting it to his face with a careful but shaky breath inward. She heard the shutter click before she turned to appraise him, the glare of the sunlight catching the amethyst in her eyes and forcing her to squint beneath the shade of her palm in surprise.
He caught her at the perfect angle, her violet hair wind-struck by a gentle breeze that had picked up with her sudden motion. The shot — and all the colours in it — blended beautifully, and would rightfully leave him feeling light-headed. But he'd never know — or he was too apprehensive to admit — if it was the picture, or the source herself that had made his knees feel suddenly so weak, and like the air had been sucked right out of his lungs...
[Earlier...]
"You rented a car?"
"Cy wouldn't give up the T-Car," Garfield shrugged in-between hardy attempts of squeezing their luggage into the small trunk. It wasn't that it was heavy, but the sheer size of the suitcases versus the size of the car had been something of an oversight for the changeling. Only, he wasn't likely to let the empath be privy to that embarrassing mistake just yet, so he kept her sidetracked with a different line of conversation.
"Besides, it'll be more fun this way! Now we don't have to worry about all his dumb rules and," he paused to sarcastically air quote his next words with a roll of his eyes, "damage his baby."
"Yeah, but," Raven furrowed her brows in contemplation as she thought of how to properly phrase her next question. "How did you rent us a car?"
Beast Boy shoved the suitcase with all his strength, straining until he'd bit his bottom lip and squeezed his eyes shut from the exertion. With a final grunt, and a push of his back and legs against it, the luggage finally popped inside.
"Phew!" he exhaled loudly, trying to play off how tired and flushed he was in front of the empath. Mopping at the sweat of his brow, he turned to give her an accomplished grin. "See? Nothing to it!"
Raven remained impassive. "You didn't answer me, Beast Boy."
The smile he wore wilted a little when he replied in a small voice and with downcast eyes. "I used up some savings…"
Raven couldn't deny that she was overcome with the automatic sense to chastise him on the matter, but, after observing the way he wore his guilt on the matter, thought better of it instead. Afterall, he was doing all this for her, and she promised that she'd trust him. So, Raven reigned in her original response, took in a deep breath through her nose, and resigned herself to his whims. "Alright, fine. I won't ask any more questions," she conceded.
He seemed to brighten a bit at this, the tips of his pointed ears twitching. Beast Boy then rushed over to the passenger-side door, and opened it for her before she had the chance. She shook her head, but took her seat anyways, trying not to be amused by his attempt at being a gentleman. "Although, if I could make a suggestion? Maybe, next time, get a bigger car," she teased before closing her door behind her.
Beast Boy's ears visibly drooped from beyond the closed window, and Raven smirked to herself.
The car ride out of the city itself went smoothly enough for the most part, although Raven did end up falling asleep despite her desperate attempts to stay awake.
Garfield had packed them a light breakfast — including a hot travel mug of her favourite brand of peppermint tea. Unfortunately, not even that, or the strong scent of a tofu egg sandwich filling the car, could help keep her from drifting off. The events of the previous evening had prevented her from an adequate sleep cycle, and it was hitting her like a brick in the morning. The soft lull of her instrumental music playing in the background from the stereo, as well as the gradual, gentle stretch of empty highway ahead, hadn't helped matters any. Once they'd gotten far enough away from Jump City, it was really easy for Raven to nod off, with Garfield too busy stuffing his face with his homemade meal to offer much in way of conversation, other than if she'd wanted some, of course. A few crumbs had slipped down his chin when he had, and Raven had tried not to openly grimace when she'd suggested a napkin.
"Did you want me to stop at a breakfast place or something? It's kind of a long ride, Rae," he'd told her, showing genuine concern once his mouth wasn't full.
Raven waved her hand dismissively. "I think I'll be fine, thanks. I'm not terribly hungry in the mornings." The scent in the car was making her queasy if anything, and she'd rolled down her window to aerate the small space.
With the wind in her hair, and fresh air in her lungs, it had felt like she'd only just blinked. However, by the time she'd opened her eyes again — for what felt like but a fraction of a second — the roads and scenery had drastically changed. Less cement, buildings, cars, and now there were only two lanes rather than the several that often cluttered a city as busy as Jump. At either side of her, there were forests and trees, heavy and hanging, with the early morning sunlight finally peeking through the leaves and branches, casting a warm, orange glow through their shadows. Beast Boy was drumming his fingers to the music against the steering wheel, but he remained staring at the empty stretch of road, tiredness tugging at his heavy lids. Raven tried to play it cool, but she was a touch embarrassed for checking out so soon in the trip. She stretched and couldn't fight the yawn that made her eyes water. He noted her movement and seemed to come to life again.
"Feeling rested?" he asked, a bit of life returning to his features.
Raven didn't miss the sandwich wrapped in foil sitting on the car rest between them, nor the fresh refilled beverage in the cupholder, and small paper bag with dessert. Somewhere along the way, he'd stopped to pick her up food to eat anyways, and it took the smell of freshly baked bread to help her realize just how famished she really was. Her stomach then grumbled aloud in what was a mortifying quiet spell in the car, as if to testify to her hunger. She clutched at her abdomen self-consciously and Beast Boy chuckled, his fangs gleaming in the early light.
"Go ahead and dig in, it's for you. We've also still got a ways to go, anyways."
Her pride was mildly damaged, but her hunger was too powerful, so Raven used the guise of conversation to distract him from her meek gratefulness for the meal. She picked at the sandwich foil first. "Still?" she repeated. "How far are we going?"
"You've been out for almost two hours. But the place is three hours away, with good traffic."
"I thought we were just doing some photoshoot in a more private setting." She took a tiny bite of bread, and the immediate relief to her aching belly felt like a divine intervention; he'd stopped at one of her most favourite bakeries, which meant that the bag contained a cherry cheese danish that she'd been obsessed with everytime the Titans would make a trip there. It mingled with her mint tea in a way that made her taste buds explode. Raven all but rolled her eyes back in bliss.
"We are," he answered. "But the really nice places are kind of far out from the city. Which is why it's a weekend event!"
She took a more healthy bite of the sandwich now, convinced he was sufficiently too distracted to care about gloating. "So, we are staying at a hotel, then."
He shook his head curtly. "I never said that. You'll just have to wait and see." Beast Boy looked quite pleased with himself, despite his efforts to keep his focus on the empty, winding road.
Raven groaned and slumped in her seat. "Why are you making this such a big deal?"
"Don't you like surprises, Rae?"
"No," she dead-panned with finality. "I hate surprises."
Beast Boy chuckled at her childishness. "Take a load off. Enjoy the scenic view. Finish your sandwich. Just...relax a bit, will you?"
"I'm plenty relaxed."
He pulled a face that told her he was unconvinced, but before she could even think to refute it, he added with a sigh, "Whatever you say."
Then, he pulled over at the side of the road and turned off the car's engine. "What are you doing?" Raven mouthed in a small panic, taking in her surroundings with wide eyes. Nothing had changed. There was no clearing or sign of life outside of the hanging forestry about them, and the quiet of isolated nature so early in the day. Morning dew clung to the leaves and grass of the plant life nearby, and somewhere overhead, birds were chirping.
"There's no pit-stop from here to our destination, and I really got to use the bathroom," he explained, looking antsy even as he opened the car door.
"What about me?" she gulped.
He lingered outside of the open driver's side. "Uh...there's plenty of bushes you can try."
"Azar," she exhaled, closing her aching eyes in frustration.
"Just watch for any poison ivy plants. They've got three leaves, and the last thing you want is an itchy butt on a long car ride." Beast Boy smiled and then closed the car door, leisurely walking around the parked vehicle only to have Raven watch his back disappear beyond the thick brush of woods to her side.
"Great," she whispered to herself before begrudgingly undoing her belt buckle and setting her half-eaten sandwich to the side. Small dust particles danced before her eyes in the bright beams of sunlight, and the car was notably growing more stuffy with the air condition turned off.
It was amazing how a full bladder could take so much precedence, even in the most unconventional circumstances. Raven eventually got out of the unbearably warm car and took in a deep, long breath of the clear, crisp morning air as she stretched out her stiff legs. The strong odour of pine and lush grass was subtle but refreshing to her nostrils. The earthy scent reminded her — oddly enough — of Beast Boy, and in a way, it gave her some comfort. If she hadn't been alone, she might have blushed at realizing such an intimate detail about her teammate.
Tucking her hair behind her ear, Raven steeled her nerves and went about finding a decent...bush, as he'd so eloquently put it, to relieve herself in. One without three leaves, of course. She tried to recall the path her teammate had taken so that she could head in the opposite direction, but the shrubbery all looked the same to her. Knowing her efforts would be futile, she meandered far enough into the eerily silent underbrush, and listened keenly for any hint of foot-crunching leaves, twigs, and pine needles that were not her own.
A branch whacked her in the forehead as she tried to walk beneath the thick forestry, and she cursed under her breath irritably while rubbing the newly reddened spot, seriously considering uprooting the whole tree and sending it flying in her rage. Eventually, she found a quiet spot, and went about her business when she was sure she was completely alone.
At first, the only sound was the gentle splash of her breaking water, with the occasional distant caw of a bird of prey circling overhead, no doubt searching for food. But then, there was something else.
Raven paused, growing paranoid at the prospect of Beast Boy having found her, and quickly did up her skirt, the urgency to urinate overcome by her flight response instead. "Garfield?" she called out after she was decent again, and the panic had somewhat quelled.
She was greeted with silence for a moment, and then movement among the trees shortly after.
Heavier each time.
Raven swallowed at the nervous knot in her throat, but stood her ground nonetheless. She couldn't yet decide if it was fear that immobilized her, or sheer stubbornness. When no more sounds came, Raven surmised that it had probably been nothing; maybe only a small animal trying to get away from her. Just an overreaction, she convinced herself, especially after seconds passed without a trace of motion.
And then her careful resolve was completely shattered when she heard the low pitched groan echo nearby, picking up in a crescendo like it was right by her ear. Wildlife seemed to scatter, bird wings flapping violently overhead. "Beast Boy, this isn't funny," Raven warned aloud in a last ditch effort to keep her wits about her, but goosebumps covered her arms and legs and a cold chill ran down her spine. She grit her teeth and her hands were fists at her sides, but somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew it wasn't Garfield. Dark energy was summoned about her wrists, yet she remained shaking as she heard the heavy creature draw closer through the trees before her.
The ground almost shook beneath the brown bear's oversized paws as it appeared through the clearing to confront Raven, and the empath couldn't help the sharp gasp that escaped her dry lips as its massive snout sniffed at the air. It groaned again from its open, impressively large maw, sharp teeth on display, and Raven took an involuntary step back.
Not wishing to let the animal have the upper hand, the empath was quick to summon her powers.
"Azarath, metrion, zin-"
"Don't!" She was interrupted in her spell, the glow of her dark magic fading as a winded Beast Boy entered the fray in a tumbling mess. The bear didn't seem too keen on the surprise ambush and stood to its full, impressive height on its hind legs, finding its new target in the shapeshifter instead.
It then let out a mighty growl of challenge, spittle stretching in its grotesque, wide mouth. Beast Boy had his arms stretched out, as if to keep Raven from making any sudden movements.
"You've upset it!" she told him over the bear's snarling. A mistake, she'd realized, when it then trained its beady, black eyes on her, sending her heart lurching.
"Shh," Garfield warned, stepping closer to the bear and obstructing its path to Raven. "I've got this. When I make the move, you go back to the car. Don't even think about fighting." Raven couldn't even bring herself to question his logic, let alone conjure up a combat strategy. She did linger to watch as Beast Boy carefully shifted into a green-furred bear cub, his civilian clothing shredding in the process.
It was a puzzling choice, but she didn't have the luxury of time to investigate further; her window to escape was closing as he distracted the now confused bear, so Raven turned and fled before she could figure out Beast Boy's plan.
By the time she found the road again, she was out of breath and her heart was hammering in her ears from the adrenaline pumping in her blood. She slumped into the passenger's seat and waited, her clammy skin cooling as her breathing slowly returned to normal.
She had her eyes closed until she'd heard the trunk pop open. Before she'd realized what was happening, it jolted her awake again. Checking the rearview mirrors, she caught sight of a flash of green fur, and then Beast Boy's head as he shifted back into his human form. He was completely naked, but thankfully, the car trunk masked his nudity below the waist as he quickly threw on some new clothes. Raven felt her ears grow hot, and she forcefully averted her gaze, slouching in her seat so as to avoid any temptation to stare. The next few minutes dragged on like agonizing hours, and it was all she could do to distract her mind until Garfield reunited with her in the driver's seat.
She made it a point not to even look at him, not quite trusting herself enough to do so yet.
"I guess I forgot to mention, maybe don't go into the berry bushes where bears like to snack, either," he teased, wiping the mop of his thick, green hair from his eyes. He was sweating, and a sheen of it coated his emerald skin, with some of his bangs having stuck to his forehead.
"Can we go before it comes back, please?" Raven asked, paranoid and peeking out her window for any sign of brown fur in the distance. She found nothing but trees, and a black squirrel scrambling up the trunk of an ancient weeping willow.
"Oh, she's gone. We startled her is all, and she knew her cub was somewhere around, so she got defensive. It's not like she was hunting you or anything." He paused when he saw the colour drain from the empath's face.
Within seconds, Beast Boy had gotten them back on the road again, and Raven felt relief at drawing distance between herself and the animal, regardless of Garfield's reassurances. But he wasn't quite done with tormenting her, it seemed.
"If she'd been hunting, believe me, we'd know," he added.
"We? Please don't tell me this whole thing was your fault, Gar."
Every single Titan — honourary or otherwise — knew of Beast Boy's affinity to animals. Even the more dangerous kinds. It had landed him in hot water on more than one occasion and, as a result, his teammates, too.
"I'd say it was a combined effort," he shrugged innocently, but he was grinning from ear to ear, obviously still pumped from the encounter. He looked charmingly boyish in his excitement, and Raven's stomach did that thing again she'd been ignoring. "She was gorgeous, wasn't she? I only wish I'd had my camera!"
"Beast Boy!"
"What? A shot like that would've had me ace the course, easy! Not to mention, officially make me teacher's pet." He gave her a knowing look, waiting for her to grasp his pun. Raven just rolled her eyes, holding onto the dashboard in front of her and closing her eyes to help calm her spinning head.
"Please, just watch the road, Gar."
"Aw, you're no fun. She wasn't going to hurt you, y'know."
Raven sighed, opening her eyes to fix him with a blank stare. "I can handle myself just fine. In fact, I was perfectly fine even before you came barging in."
"I don't know, you still seem pretty spooked to me, and besides, violence isn't always the answer, Rae."
"Forgive me for not being completely aloof around a nine-hundred pound bear!" she stressed. "Not all of us have the ability to shapeshift and become animal whisperers."
He laughed at that, the sound rich and loud. "I think, mostly, I just get lucky. Or unlucky. Depends on how you want to see it, but I've always been a glass half full kind of guy."
The rest of the trip went without much of a hitch. Raven finished her sandwich, and took her time with the danish, savouring its tart sweetness with her cooling tea. She let Beast Boy take over the music in the final stretch, so long as he didn't play anything overtly obnoxious, which he'd graciously complied with. He did hum along to the radio though, and still drummed his fingertips along the steering wheel.
Neither of them brought up the bear incident again, much to Raven's relief. In fact, conversation at all was sparse after some time, but the silence was oddly comforting. Being far from the city, enjoying the scenic roadside view — and, by default, one another's company — had been...relaxing.
Nature and the outdoors had truthfully never been a concept Raven often willingly took part in. Sure, the Titans had gone camping plenty, but it didn't mean that she would jump at the opportunity to plan a trip. Too many bugs, too much sun, and not enough books to prevent her from participating in the dreaded socializing and team bonding exercises.
There were the charms, of course. Like the crisp, clean air, the solitary views, and meditation was always more successful away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Raven often found herself with a clearer mind and a more refreshed outlook by the time they'd all return to their daily, regular grind.
So, when Beast Boy finally turned the car into what looked more like a small, summer, getaway town full of scattered little cottages and a lot of forestry in between, Raven had been more than surprised. The roads changed from pavement to hilly grass and rocks, the car bumping as he maneuvered them past elaborate, wood cabins that looked like they belonged in magazine spreads instead of out her passenger window. She ogled them dreamily, imagining what decor they harboured inside, and almost wondering if the place Garfield had taken them was even real.
"We're here by the way," Beast Boy boasted, briefly pulling her out of her hypnotic state.
"You're kidding, right?" she asked him, turning her head to stare at him with obvious misgivings. "This place is like...is like…" She couldn't even formulate an adequate word to use to describe what she was seeing, Raven was at such a loss for vocabulary.
Beast Boy grinned at her reaction, his unbridled joy making the tips of his ears flick. "I know, right?"
"How did you-when did you…" Words seemed to fail her again as they appeared to drive through the quaint, small town-part of the campgrounds. Little shops with big windows, fancy, golden lettering, and a woodsy motif lined either side of them as they drove down the gravelly road, and a few people were already out and about doing their early morning shopping for the essentials. There were bakeries, cafes, gift shops, butcher shops, clothing stores, antiques, and so many more. The scene could have played out of a movie, it was so surreal to witness when among so much nature.
"I know," Beast Boy reiterated, and the smile could be heard in his voice. "Wait until you actually see the place we're staying at."
Raven scrutinized him with narrowed eyes, but she couldn't deny the way her heart soared within her chest at the prospect of exploring all the quaint community had to offer. Nonetheless, her head was abuzz with endless questions and thoughts, but all she could say to him was; "I've got a lot of questions for you, Logan."
He nodded, skipping over the way she'd used his surname. "I'm sure you do, and we'll get to that, I promise, but first; chateau Beast Boy!"
Once they'd driven a couple minutes out of town, it was as if the stores hadn't even existed amongst all the thick forestry at all. The cabin Garfield had indicated only came into view from beyond the trees, sitting in isolation atop a green hill. It almost looked eerie, the way the morning fog swelled around the structure with its big windows and mass, overgrown bushes, but that only further endeared it to the empath. The building itself was simple in design; a bungalow, but it kept in the spirit of the other homes in that its exterior was all logged wood, and the concept itself was quite modern. Even unkempt, the yard was bristling with carefully placed stonework, lights, as well as various colourful flowers and plants.
Garfield parked the car on the rocky driveway, and the two of them both got out. Raven hadn't realized how much sitting had cramped her legs, and she was more than grateful for the opportunity to stretch out all her aching limbs.
They then grabbed their luggage in silence and headed over to the doors, where Beast Boy fiddled with some keys and Raven took in all her lush surroundings, feeling at peace.
The inside of the place was even more spectacular and impressive than the outside, as Raven would come to learn. It was obvious that the changeling was more than familiar with it already, as he stepped in completely unphased by the home's beauty. Raven, on the other hand, paused at the entrance, dropping her bags to the floor as she took it all in.
It boasted top of the line appliances, the interior design complementing the cabin motif. There was even a massive, brick, chimney fireplace, and the living room decor could have been part of a showroom with how untouched and matching it all was. Everything was tidy and clean, and the big windows overlooking the front of the house let in plenty of light as well as granting a serene view of the yard. The kitchen was an open concept with an island bar, and came fully furnished with wood cabinets and drawers, plus expensive-looking granite countertops.
"Woah, this is...this is all yours?" Raven asked breathily, in slight disbelief as she took in the high ceilings and hanging chandeliers, feeling a bit woozy.
Beast Boy had slung her bags over his shoulder, prepared to take them to her room when she'd given him pause with her question. He was unable to meet her eyes, appearing a mite bashful. "Yes and no," he finally answered with a roll of his shoulders.
Her eyes widened in alarm as she swiveled to stare at him. "Azar, tell me we aren't breaking and entering!"
"No, no!" He was quick to the defensive. "It's not like that...Not like that at all. I'm allowed to use this place. In fact, I've used it plenty before, after I turned sixteen."
Raven cocked her head to the side, squinting in thought as she tried to recall the events where Garfield might have disappeared without the others knowing where he'd gone. She, embarrassingly, came up blank.
"It's...my father's. One of many, so believe me when I say he wouldn't care that we're here." Beast Boy hung his head low so that his unruly mop of green hair obscured most of his face. His voice sounded heavy, like lead, and Raven didn't miss the baritone of maturity in the way he spoke, like he'd been masking it this whole time.
"Mento?" she queried softly, taking an unsure step towards him.
He nodded once in agreement, but there was no pride in the matter. "He doesn't use it at all, and he's got way better ones like you wouldn't believe. As part of my inheritance though, I do get to own some of them one day…"
Beast Boy looked at her then, an impish smile returning to his youthful features, but it was clear to her it was forced. "But don't tell anyone that. I'd like girls to want me for me, and not just for the luxury lifestyle." He winked playfully, but there was still something empty in his tone — something missing. Like he'd done this song and dance before, in a hollow, clapping monkey sort of way.
Before Raven could work up the nerve to place her hand on his shoulder in an attempt to console him, he was already back to his old self, shrugging beneath the weight of her bags. "I'll go drop these off to your room if you wanna make yourself at home."
Beast Boy then vanished beyond the hall, leaving his teammate alone in the foyer of the cabin in the woods, with nothing but her darkening thoughts and the soft ticking of the old grandfather clock in the background...
Unpacking had proven to be more of a chore than Raven had anticipated. In a hurry, she'd grabbed nearly her entire wardrobe and cleaned out most of her dressers. Not that she had much to begin with, but it still made her question Garfield's plans for the weekend when he'd insisted that she make haste and just grab everything; more was better than less, as he'd informed her.
Being that it was currently off-season for the cottage lifestyle yet, the camp was even emptier than usual, and its newly appointed adults-only rule made it more rural still. Raven knew that whatever photoshoots Beast Boy had planned, it meant they'd likely have a huge expanse of land to themselves.
She bit her bottom lip nervously when she spotted the bra harness she'd bought with Garfield during their mall trip, peeking out from its buried spot beneath a few of the other still new pieces they'd picked up on the same day. Its accusation was not lost to her, and she picked it up tentatively, dangling it by the straps as she wondered how she'd look in it, and if maybe she could brave it around her teammate for a photo or two. In fact, imagining the awe in his expression at the sight of her in it made her whole body tingle with a strange sensation; a mixture of both excitement and, perhaps, taboo flattery, too.
A brief knock on her door sent Raven jumping out of her skin like a panicked animal, and she quickly tossed the offensive garment back onto the piled mess that were her clothes on the bed. Sweating, she then quickly rummaged her hands in the clothes so that the bra was no longer in plain sight.
"You almost ready, Rae? We got some exploring to do!" Beast Boy's muffled voice came from beyond her locked door.
She'd still been deciding on what to wear, and so was predominantly walking around in nothing more than her sheer panties at the moment. Quickly, she threw on a thin, blue tank top and one of her form-fitting, favourite cotton black skirts. One glance through her open curtains where the blaring sun beat down through the glass was evidence enough of the hot, scorching day they were bound to have.
"In a minute!" she shouted back, desperate to fix her frazzled, short hair after the static of her top had set it awry. She worked her fingers through it meticulously, having misplaced her comb while attempting to sort through her luggage.
Growing exceedingly more paranoid, the flustered empath quickly hid the visible, pink shopping tags of the harness bra when she'd spotted them from beneath her clothes. What would Garfield have thought of her if he knew she'd willingly brought it along; that she wanted to gauge his reaction of her in it — and in turn, caused her skin to prickle in gooseflesh at the mere thought of his emerald gaze darkening when he'd take in the sight?
She shivered involuntarily, and shook the idea from her head before it led to a more dangerous line of thinking.
Once satisfied with her appearance in the foot-length mirror of the cozy bedroom — probably only a few square feet bigger than her own — Raven opened her door to find Beast Boy lounging against the wall across from her, arms folded over his chest in boredom.
He looked up and smiled lazily at her, appraising her look from head to toe with a stare that might have made her blush to her hairline if she wasn't careful. "Cute," he acknowledged, gaze lingering in a few spots, like her exposed, shapely legs. When it came to her breasts, he defected his line of vision immediately to her face, but Raven had known she'd left out any form of bra intentionally. It was hot, the straps of her top were short and would have openly displayed the lingerie from unflattering angles, and, not to mention, there was always something liberating about forgoing the contraption whenever she could. Garfield's reaction was, if anything, merely a bonus point she could deconstruct later on her own.
Besides, Raven found herself less and less self conscious around him now, especially when they were alone together, and even though she couldn't quite place why, it was soothing nonetheless.
Beast Boy on the other hand, bristled noticeably, and was going out of his way to avoid glancing at her chest in general, looking adorably sheepish as he did so. Raven slung her purse over her shoulder and walked past him, pretending not to notice the way his tongue tied suddenly.
"Are you going to just stand there and gawk?" she asked exasperatedly once he'd lagged behind her long enough to have wasted precious time.
Beast Boy blushed, like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "No! No gawking, just standing-I mean, no standing, just staring-wait, no, that's worse. Hang on-"
Raven couldn't help but snicker privately at his flustered state. It was kind of...cute.
With a shake of her head — because she didn't want him to catch her so easily amused by his antics — Raven said, "Forget it. Let's just go. We're already running late."
"Okay, yeah. Just, uh, one second."
He didn't wait for her response. Instead, he was a green blur as he dashed down the hallway into his room, sliding on his socks against the wooden floorboards and rivaling Kid Flash in his haste. He'd left his bedroom door open a crack and Raven would have been a poor liar if she said she wasn't curious about what the master-suite looked like in a house like this. She slowly crept down the hall after him, gradually building up the nerve to spy as her curiosity got the better of her.
Unfortunately, she wasn't quick enough — Beast Boy slid back into view of the entrance, now with camera in hand. "Just in case!"
"In case of what? Another bear?" Raven fought the shiver that ran down her spine, blaming the air condition for the goosebumps forming on her naked arms.
"Well...yes? Kind of, but no, not really what I have planned." Beast Boy fidgeted on the spot, his fingers nervously tampering with the knobs of the camera. "Candid shots can be nice, too. And the setting and scenery...I just think...you look really pretty."
Azar, he was blushing hotly, right to the tips of his pointed ears. "But I'm not even wearing any of the new clothes," Raven then blurted out, staring down at her rather simple attire. She was doing everything in her power not to fixate on him calling her pretty.
The last boy she'd allowed so easily to manipulate her emotions with such flattery had used her horribly, leaving behind emotional scars that hadn't yet healed entirely. The compliment had since lost its charm with her, regardless of how sincere Beast Boy was in the moment.
"It's not about the clothes." He shook his head before awkwardly clearing his throat. "Anyways, you have final say on all photos, so it really doesn't matter. We should go, right? I think we should go."
Beast Boy then made haste to brush past her with his head bowed while Raven stood by with her mouth slightly ajar, not truly knowing how to respond.
Eventually, she settled for silence and followed after him.
It's not about the clothes.
What did that even mean?
She'd spent most of their outing thinking about it, too distracted to really take in the quaint town and its little shoppes as they explored. They'd gone around almost twice now, with Garfield excitedly snapping shots of trinkets and unique storefront displays until he'd run out of space on his memory stick.
Raven took a dainty a sip of her mint chai latte, and watched him panic in the cafe, finally pulling herself away from the thoughts of analyzing his precarious wording from earlier in the day.
"Aw, come on! I swear I deleted, like, two hundred photos already!" he whined when she tuned back in.
"Just go back to the cabin and unload the photos," Raven told him dryly, in-between blowing cool air at the steam from her drink. She didn't entirely mind calling it a day; shopping had never been her strong suit, and she was already tired out. There had been a few snacks and souvenirs she had purchased — forever a victim of a cursed sweet tooth — and she carried a small paper bag from the store as a result, but nothing in comparison to what Starfire might have bought had she tagged along on the excursion. Beast Boy himself had mostly splurged on sweets too, being an expert on which candies and chocolate treats were the best of the best after frequenting many of the shops during his previous visits. They'd both gotten a candy apple each, covered in a thick layer of chocolate, caramel drizzle, and a sprinkling of walnuts, at his insistence.
Beast Boy pouted. "But...I didn't even take any of you."
Raven shrugged. "We can go back and I can change, then maybe we can find a nice spot for a small shoot?"
"Yeah?" His eyes lit up at her unsuspected offer. "Yeah, that sounds great! I can use a shower anyways. I can't help but feel like I smell like bear dung, and that's why the black flies are eating me alive." He sniffed at his own armpit and wrinkled his nose in distaste.
"I'll say," Raven agreed with a playful curl of her lips. "At least you're keeping them all away from me, though."
"Hey!" He narrowed his eyes at her and it only made her snicker behind her hand.
Eventually, his expression softened into a smile, and he relaxed, almost taken with her good mood as he watched her try to control the fit of laughter. "Alright, fine, I'll let you have that one," Beast Boy conceded. "But only because I get to pick the dress you change into, and I'm picking the yellow one."
"What?" Raven stopped laughing. "The picnic table dress? Nuh-uh, no way. I didn't agree to that."
"Aw, come on! If you do, I'll do your chores for a week."
"A month."
"Ten days, that's my final offer."
"Two weeks."
"Fine! Two weeks!" He stuck out his hand, his mouth a tight line. "Shake on it!"
Raven stared at his outstretched hand with mild suspicion, like it was going to grow extra fingers or something. Finally, she took it — albeit tentatively. "Deal."
"Deal," he repeated, shaking her hand vigorously.
"Ugh, why are you so sweaty?" Raven pulled her hand back and wiped it against the material of her skirt while wearing a look of disgust.
"It's warm out!" he griped, self-conscious enough to wipe his own hands along his jeans. "You should be one to talk, miss frigid fingers."
Beast Boy wore a scowl when he gave her aforementioned digits a mean glance before they left the store.
She wasn't supposed to be there.
The plan had been simple enough — go home, change, upload the photos onto a USB stick, and leave.
Mostly, Raven just had to change. Technically, it was Beast Boy who had to do the rest.
But even her small, inconsequential part was proving to be difficult. She'd shimmied out of her day clothes and stared at the bright yellow dress laying on her bed abhorrently, biting her bottom lip in hesitation as she paced the room.
The whole ordeal at the mall felt like it had happened forever ago, and her faded memory of even agreeing to try on the thing was barely more than a distant dream in her mind. Garfield had picked out so many outfits for her to try that day that Raven had simply resorted to behaving the same way when she was out shopping with Starfire — block out the vivid details and go along with it like a drone on autopilot.
The damn thing even had a bow on the back of it. A bow! How did she even agree to that?
Eventually, Raven had groaned and put the dress on with only a bit of a struggle. She then appraised herself in the mirror but couldn't determine if she looked good in it or not, too jaded by the sight of the dress at this point to tell. Beast Boy had certainly deemed her to look spectacular in it, she thought sourly.
It's not about the clothes…
She shook his voice out of her head and tried not to dwell on his meaning any further. The best thing she could do was get a fresh set of eyes for a more accurate opinion on the look.
That was how Raven had ended up where she really, really didn't belong.
She had initially found the living room empty, the laptop's screensaver of infinite stars in an inky black sky playing on loop. The USB was still plugged in, but the camera was left alone on the coffee table, the thick, black neck strap still attached.
No sign of the green changeling anywhere, however.
"Beast Boy?" she called out softly, still scanning the room for any sign of life. "Gar?" she tried again, louder now, like the use of his nickname would somehow be more likely to draw him out.
Raven was met with nothing but the soft chime of the clock as it ticked.
Finally, she decided to check his room and walked back down the hall. As she got closer, she heard it — the faint pitter patter of a shower nozzle spray.
Raven's curiosity got the better of her, and like a cat, she crept along on the base of her bare toes ever closer. Either it was merely in her inquisitive nature, or she just really wanted to be certain that it was in fact Beast Boy taking the shower, due to her irrational paranoia ever since the event in the woods. The noise was coming from his bedroom after all. She figured he had his own private bathroom in the master-suite since the one across from her room had none of his things on display — most notably, his toothbrush.
Still, he'd left his bedroom door ajar and Raven couldn't determine what had possessed her to slowly walk in on quiet, steady feet.
The room was just about as fancy as the rest of the cabin and about twice the size of her own room. The bed came with a king sized mattress and an elaborate, velvet canopy that hung overhead and cascaded down on four cherry wood posts. Raven couldn't help walking up to it to touch the crimson, silken sheets, to see if they were as soft as they looked.
The moan that echoed from the slightly open bathroom door had Raven whip her head in its direction, heart in her throat as she pulled her hand away and almost jumped out of her skin. She was startled, fear of being caught temporarily rooting her to the spot before worry and her sense of heroism had her acting. She crossed towards the bathroom door in a few long strides just as another low groan rumbled from the shower.
Raven then peered inside somewhat hesitantly, knowing that Beast Boy could be indecent and that they could both fall victim to what would otherwise be a very uncomfortable situation if she wasn't cautious.
One quick peek, just to ensure he was okay, and she'd leave. That had been the plan, but then again, things rarely had a habit of going according to plan.
The steam seemed to seep out of the room, its long, warm, wispy tendrils smelling like the sharp spice of bath soaps as they wafted upwards. It tickled Raven's nose and made her cheeks flush a pretty pink. She blinked as she strained to adjust to the thicker clouds hovering inside where the shower was loudest.
Raven could see his silhouette there, just beyond the foggy shower glass— how could she not? — a green shadow against the porcelain tiling of the bathroom walls. Beast Boy didn't appear to notice her glancing in from the narrow opening of the door. In fact, his eyes were closed, she noted, with his head thrown back and his lips slightly parted in what could only be described as pained ecstasy. The muscles of his upper arm twitched vigorously, but she couldn't quite see why or what he was-
Raven's eyes widened and her face flushed hotly — and not from the steam this time — just as a creeping realization finally dawned on her — Beast Boy was masturbating in the shower.
Her heart felt like it had sunk to the confines of her stomach, but she couldn't dare pull her eyes away, not even as another soft sigh escaped his lips, the shower water pouring onto his strong chest and abdomen before cascading down to the thick, corded muscles of his thighs.
Raven gulped and licked her chapped lips. Her heart was racing, her mouth going dry. She knew she ought to leave, she had no right to be there, spying on such a private, personal moment. But there was a familiar ache in her loins, deep, panging, and only growing in intensity. She clenched her thighs reflexively and her breath hitched in her throat as she watched him pump himself faster, the white, frothing soap suds covering most of his proudly erect member.
Beast Boy used his free hand to steady himself against the tiled shower wall, slowing down enough to squeeze the swollen head of his penis.
Raven's own hand moved instinctively to the spot between her legs, her fingers clutching at the multitude of folds of her yellow dress, fighting the overwhelming urge to slip a finger beyond her panty line and find sweet release herself. Azar, he was arousing her and she had no idea to do with that fact.
She had to get out of there. She didn't belong. Raven never should have gone into his room to begin with, but try as she might, she couldn't get her feet to obey her. Instead, she was helpless to the whims of her cursed hormones, her bare toes sinking into the plush carpet beneath her.
Another shallow gasp and quick squeeze from the changeling before it finally appeared he'd finished. Beast Boy's breathing was laboured and he still used the wall to steady himself. He'd bent his head down now though so that the water from the shower-head wet his hair, bringing the thick, deep-green strands forward as he caught his breath.
Raven took this opportunity to sneak away at last, finally regaining control of her feet again now that he was done. She moved to hide behind the wall just outside the bathroom, shocked to find her own heart was erratic within her chest and that she, too, felt dizzy from the lack of oxygen. Not to mention, her face — and other parts of her — were burning hotly from her own unresolved tension. The pulsing ache in the secret spot between her thighs was like an ebb and flow, matching the rhythm of her crazed pulse, and the small, hard nubs of her own nipples were erect and visible through the soft cotton of her dress. Even the material of her clothes rubbing against the sensitive skin was enough to make her have to suppress a tortured moan.
Raven then heard the undeniable squeak of the shower shutting down followed shortly by the water flow coming to a dripping halt. She gasped quietly behind her hand at the prospect of being caught red-handed, and decided immediately that she had to leave before he found her there.
She had to get away. In fact, she was in dire need of some fresh air, to help calm her down and take her mind off what she'd just witnessed. Maybe even some silent meditation would be helpful. The temptation to slip into her room and find sexual relief for herself was a strong one, but there was no time for that without running into the strong possibility of being found in a state of embarrassing disarray.
Raven was barely more than a flurry of yellow skirts and a blur of violet hair as she quickly dashed past the small opening of the washroom door and then out of Beast Boy's bedroom, being careful to leave the door open exactly the way she'd found it.
Without looking back, she walked briskly down the hall towards the foyer. A deep breath through her nose and an exhale out of her mouth, Raven grabbed her purse — including her Titans communicator — and was out the main entrance without a second thought.
The truth was, she had no idea where she was even going, but bears be damned, she didn't care. She needed to get those fresh images out of her mind and, more distressingly important, those feelings.
Garfield could swear he could smell her. In fact, he couldn't help but think someone else had been in there with him the whole time. Her undeniable scent and subtle perfume — minty gardenia honeysuckle — lingered pungently in his sensitive nose, even stronger still than the fresh scent of his own soap and shampoo.
He stepped out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist, drying his hair with another one, and half expected to find her standing there in front of him. Naturally, he found the room was empty.
By the time he was dressed and ready to go, he figured it had all been in his head. What the heck would Raven be doing in his room anyways? The notion alone was absurd, and nearly brought a chuckle to his lips.
What was alarming — he later discovered — was that Raven wasn't in the cabin at all.
"Rae?" Beast Boy went around room to room looking for her and calling out her name to no avail; there was no sign of the empath, other than the remnants of her luggage and clothes still left somewhat unpacked and unkempt on her bed.
But even the skirt and top she'd worn throughout the course of the day had been abandoned on the wooden floor.
"Weird…," he mused to himself, closing the door to her room when he was done searching.
Growing worried when he found the main door unlocked, Beast Boy changed into his spare uniform, strapped his camera and extra clothes into a small backpack, and morphed into a glorious, dark green eagle. He then soared into the air with a mighty flap of his strong wings, and took off into the clear skies, backpack hanging from his beak by the straps as he began his search for a familiar head of purple hair among the wooded area below him.
Only when he started thinking like the empath did he realize where to look. That, and the fact that she'd triggered their image link again by accident, meaning something had happened to make her emotions react strongly.
She was sitting by a stream in a clearing, a bunch of various flowers and herbs sitting in her bright yellow lap as she picked them with shaking fingers. The image didn't last long — only a brief flicker this time — but it was enough to clue the shapeshifter to where she could be and what she was wearing, too. He could have smiled smugly through his eagle shape if he didn't have the bag with his camera in it dangling from his beak. Beast Boy figured he could always celebrate the spoils of his victory after the shoot anyways; he really did love that dress on her.
Having left without using her powers — something Raven avoided whenever her emotions were too unstable — meant that the other Titan couldn't have gotten too far on her feet alone. Truth be told, Beast Boy was tempted to use the communicator to find her, but that might have led the other Titans into thinking that something was wrong, and they'd no doubt come to investigate, ruining what was supposed to be a peaceful getaway trip. Neither Raven nor Beast Boy wanted that. Besides that, he was certain that he recognized the stream she was sitting at, having explored most of the woods nearby in animal form during his previous visits to the cabin.
Beast Boy swooped in low towards the suspected location, and found her there, a dot of purple encircled in bright yellow, resembling an exotic flower of sorts, but not one that quite that belonged in this part of the world. He flew down to the ground a few feet away from her so that she didn't yet spot him, and shifted back to his normal form just as he landed, gently dropping the bag out of his beak into a nearby bush just prior.
Quickly, Garfield changed into his civvies, using the thick trees and underbrush for cover and protection from the scathing sunlight. He then took out his camera and stuffed the bag into a hole in a nearby tree, followed by a few dead leaves on the ground nearby, to help mask its location.
Then — after wiping away the sweat on his forehead from all the exertion — he finally made his way towards the clearing — to Raven.
A/N: Long chapter is long, but we're finally getting places. Next update, when it rains, it pours. And that's going to lead to some interesting...activities for these two babies. ;) Thanks for reading!