Hey everyone! Here's Chapter 36! This is the final chapter in Regress, and it serves as the epilogue! I hope you all enjoy it and enjoyed the story. This chapter is pretty fluffy, so I apologize for that haha
As I mentioned a few chapters ago, I am in the process of writing a series of one shots. There will be 35 one shots, and I am about half way done with them. I plan to begin posting them hopefully within the next month or so, so stay tuned!
RPGPersona: It's often difficult to find a coping mechanism that works for an individual person, and it often takes many different trials and errors to find what works best. It involves a lot of willpower. You can't heal without the willpower to do so. It'll be a very long and difficult process, but one that is very possible. :)
Bbrae-4ever fanfics: It was a very important moment for him and for his friends. There's definitely a long battle to go through, but he's taken the first step. Glad you're enjoying the story! :)
Please keep reading and reviewing! All reviews I receive for this chapter will be either be DM'd or posted on the first story of the one shots. Thank you! :)
The five teens sat on the couch in the Main Ops room. The TV blared loudly as two virtual cars, one green and one blue, raced down a street, screeching and grunting the entire way. And, of course, no video game is complete without ridiculously loud and persistent explosions, this one included.
"Take that, grass stain!" Cyborg yelled as he pressed on his game controller's buttons hard, taking the curve in the game a bit too sharply, pushing the green car off the path a little.
"Ha! You're gonna have to do better than that, tin man!" Beast Boy returned as he pressed a button, causing the turbo on his vehicle to go off. He sped far in front of the skidding blue car, taking the lead.
A loud ding was heard in the kitchen, and Starfire flew briskly towards the stove. She opened it up and removed some sort of gooey orange dessert, one with an extremely strong mustard smell. As she set the warm dish on the counter, she heard the friendly banter between Cyborg and Beast Boy from the couch. She smiled warmly to herself before returning back to the couch next to Robin, leaving the dish on the counter to cool.
Raven was sitting in front of the window, deep in meditation. Although the obnoxiously loud sounds of the game station were distracting to her, she welcomed them with open arms. She had come to learn that the video games and the joking that came with it was a good sign in the tower. She heard Beast Boy's voice yelling above Cyborg's, and she smiled calmly to herself.
It had been a year since Robin found Beast Boy hanging in his room. A year filled with tears and pain and blood. It had been hard; there was no doubt about that. But things got better. That night in the kitchen with the knives had changed something in Beast Boy's mentality. He realized, from that point onward, that cutting was not the right solution. He was never going to get better if he numbed his problems with a blade. He ended up telling Raven the next day what had happened. The both of them had shed tears, but for different reasons. Raven had been so proud of him, glad that he was starting to realize that he needed help. She was scared of what could've happen, but her delight outweighed that fear. Beast Boy, on the other hand, was scared. He knew he was doing the right thing, but the idea of trying to conquer life without that crutch was terrifying. He, too, was proud of himself for what he did, but his fear outweighed that.
He started being active in his recovery, making stronger attempts at trying to better himself. He soon found that, although still miserable, he was finding little shards of happiness in everyday life, and that gave him hope. There were still, of course, times when recovery seemed pointless. He relapsed countless times, but always confessed his relapses to Raven and his friends. Soon, the relapses came less and less often. By this point, the once red and angry scars that littered his arms had faded. The more shallow scars were a pale greenish white, whereas some of the deeper ones remained a dark greenish purple. He knew his scars would never go away, and at first, that pained him greatly. He thought it would serve as a constant reminder of what he had done to himself for years on end. And, in a way, that was true. But he decided to not look at the scars in a way of resentment or regret, but rather as a testament of what he had gone through and survived.
He still took the antidepressant that Cyborg had put him on. The medication had not been a cure-all, but that had not been the expectation. Rather, the medication helped to balance out his emotions and made him feel more stable. It helped him feel like he had a better grip on life. That, combined with his friends' help and different forms of emotional expression, helped him greatly in his recovery. He still, of course, had his bad days. No one's life could be completely without pain and sadness, but likewise, no one's life could be completely without light and happiness. He handled the pain and sadness better now, though, and no longer let it pull him under. He finally felt happy, as if he was truly living his life.
Raven stood up, ending her meditation session. She peered out into the city beyond the water. It was a sunny day, and the light glistened off of the waves. Jump was busy with people and cars rushing everywhere. She could hear the distant yells and laughter from the city. She turned and made her way towards the couch. She sat down next to Beast Boy, giving him a peck on the cheek as he did so. He turned and smiled, returning the kiss with one on her lips. At that moment, Beast Boy's virtual car crashed, effectively ending the game.
"Boo-yah!" Cyborg yelled as he stood up and fist pumped into the air.
Both Cyborg and Beast Boy laughed, and they sat down their controllers. Raven curled herself into Beast Boy's side. One of her hands rested on his thigh, the other played with his green locks. He blushed and smirked, wiggling his face into the side of her neck. Raven laughed as his hair tickled her cheek, and Beast Boy lifted up his head and joined her in laughing. Soon, they settled into each other's embrace, appreciating each other's presence and warmth.
"I love you, Rae," Beast Boy whispered into her ear as he took her hand in his.
"I love you too," she whispered back, blushing and smiling.
They remained there as they cuddled, their warmth radiating between the two. Smiles covered both of their faces, truly and completely feeling happy and alive.