"Okay," said Robin to the gathered team in front of him. The other four members were standing directly in front of him, most of which giving the leader their undivided attention. For Beast Boy, however, being up so early coupled with the lack of a proper breakfast was making him run on empty. The young changeling was seen struggling to hold his head up, snapping back attentively every now and again. Raven gave him a glance and couldn't help but feel sorry for the team member, especially considering their brief but very vital conversation they just held not even thirty minutes prior to the meeting Robin called. Regardless, he needed to pay attention, so she decided to use her ability to give a gentle, yet stern push against his right shoulder. He let out a stifled yelp as his eyes shot open, hopefully to last during this meeting. Robin caught the action Raven committed and thanked her with a nod before continuing. "I know it has been years that we have always been together in this tower, but tonight things are going to be a bit different. Starfire and I have made plans from this afternoon all the way until tomorrow, and, as I found out last night, so did Cyborg." The half-human machine gave a beaming smile as Starfire, Raven and Beast Boy both looked in his direction. "Usually, we don't ever leave the tower unattended for longer than a few hours, but this appears to be a different circumstance." He looked to Beast Boy. "By unattended, I mean without the whole team present. So, for this instance, Raven and Beast Boy will be in charge of our home until the morning. I am requiring all of us to keep our communicators close by and to remember that, if it is urgent, we meet up." He shifted his gaze to Cyborg. "That means that, no matter what is going on with us individually in our absence, the team still comes first. Am I clear?" Cyborg sighed but nodded his head as Starfire clasped her hands together, standing rather excitedly between Beast Boy and Cyborg.
"Friends," she began. Raven let out an annoyed sigh. Usually when she starts a sentence with that, it gets confusing…or awkward…or both. "I feel this is the day of our utmost maturity! This day, we all are…how do you say it? Oh yes, on our own!" Robin nodded with his arms crossed.
"Sort of," he chuckled out. "Don't forget, Star. You're with me." Star looked over to Beast Boy and Raven.
Oh, Raven thought to herself. Here we go.
"So is friend Raven and Beast Boy on a form of date as well?" Both Raven and Beast Boy glared at the alien. As Raven figured, whenever her team member spoke, one of two things always occurred.
"No," Raven replied. "We just are the only two who don't really have lives outside of this team." Beast Boy looked back at the dark Titan for a moment and then shot his eyes back to Starfire, he scratched the back of his neck before he spoke up.
"Well…" he stammered. "I mean, I could have one…" the Titans all looked at him with both shock and concern on their faces. Beast Boy never left the tower alone unless he was upset, and most evenings he was always hanging out with one of them. Robin's brow furrowed.
"What do you mean?" Beast Boy let out a chuckle.
"Well, Jump City is usually pretty busy on weekends. Concerts, parties…and being that I am twenty-two, a bar could be…" Cyborg began laughing so hard, Starfire thought he was literally going to fall to pieces from it.
"Beast Boy? Drink? No…no, no, NO! Beast Boy DRUNK!" He continued laughing while looking at Robin, who was also sharing a laugh. Beast Boy was the youngest in the team, followed by Raven who was just about a year older than him. "Can you imagine his party tricks?"
"I would rather not," Robin chuckled out. "He's probably a total lightweight too." Both the men began laughing at Beast Boy's comment on what he would consider a fun night, and at that moment, Raven truly understood.
"Enough," she suddenly exclaimed, silencing the laughter. Even Starfire let out a squeak of surprise in seeing Raven, the one usually first picking on the green one, calling for the harassment to stop. "If Beast Boy enjoys that stuff, then it is what he enjoys. Can we move away from it?" Robin and Cyborg both glared at each other as Beast Boy released a sigh of both frustration and appreciation.
"Oooookay?" Cyborg asked, his gaze turning from Robin to Raven. "You don't have anything to add on him? No quip or jab?" Starfire joined the gaze and all Titans' eyes except for Beast Boy were suddenly on her.
"I…" she started. Beast Boy put his hand up, interrupting the awkward moment by speaking out.
"'Was waiting for a better opportunity?" He asked in hopes of pulling the unwanted attention away from her. Raven's eyes softened slightly but she quickly shook it off, realizing what exactly the green one did for her.
"Y…yeah," she said, trying hard to continue her act. "Exactly." Beast Boy smiled at her and then turned back to Robin while Cyborg continued to chuckle.
"You all know Raven; she has the most wit out of all of us." Robin nodded while Cyborg caught his own bearings, coming back with full attention on Beast Boy this time. "You guys don't have to worry about me heading out and leaving Raven here by herself anyways. I'm just going to keep to my room tonight."
"Yo, dude," said Cyborg to his green friend. Even though he makes fun of him, they still were very close. "I didn't mean to…" Beast Boy smiled and waved off the apology.
"It's cool," he replied back. "It's really no fun going anywhere by myself anyway, which is why I stay here. I'll probably just be glued to the Gamestation or something anyways." Cyborg snickered as Robin cleared his throat.
"At least that's all worked out," the leader said, reaching down and grabbing a black backpack that laid beside his feet. "Remember what I said: if that communicator goes off for trouble, we all better meet for it. No excuses." All five Titans nodded as Robin took Starfire's hand and walked out, leaving Cyborg, Beast Boy and Raven in the Common Room. Cyborg turned to Beast Boy and smiled.
"I Got some 'Ol' Captain' brews in my bedroom fridge, BB," He offered, throwing Beast Boy off his guard.
"What?" the changeling asked. Cyborg nodded.
"Hey, just because I am half 'terminator' doesn't mean I can't enjoy a few cold ones too, does it? Besides, maybe a few might make the night go faster for you." He reached his arm out and tussled Beast Boy's hair with his right hand. "You can pay me back later." Beast Boy gave a soft smile as the Titan turned and walked his way towards the exit. "By the way," Cyborg mentioned right as the exit door swung open. "Raven, don't kill the green dude. We'd have no one else to mess with if he's gone." With that said, he exited the room and headed down to the garage where his T-Car was located. Beast Boy let out a sigh as Raven placed her right hand on his left shoulder since they were still standing side by side. He was still a tad taller than her, but not by much.
"That was pretty rough," Raven admitted, as they looked out the window to see the T-Car drive down the pathway into the city. Beast Boy let out a soft breath and used his right hand to fix his hair that Cyborg left in disarray.
"Yeah," he said, finally content with his fixed hairstyle, "but it is what it is. Nothing changes." Raven took her hand off of his shoulder.
"Does it have to be like this?" asked Raven. Since they had come down from the top of the tower earlier, she had changed back into her usual cloak and leotard, but her hood was down, revealing her shimmering amethyst eyes and chakra. "I mean, it sure as hell can't be healthy." Beast Boy gave a slight smile as he looked to her.
"Don't worry about me," he said. "It's part of the job description, I think." Raven scoffed at Beast Boy, her violet hair flipping slightly.
"I don't remember 'bullying' being on the application."
Beast Boy shook his head as Raven continued to lecture him. "You told me earlier how much of a toll all this does to you, but it seems you also are rather addicted to the attention you get off of it. Earlier, you even burned yourself to get me out of that spot with the guys. I mean, I'm grateful because I…"
"Didn't have anything to say?" Beast Boy interrupted in an attempt to finish her sentence. "I know. There really wasn't too much to go off of with the whole 'lightweight' comment Robo-dick left…"
"It wasn't that," Raven cut him off, although she chuckled slightly at Beast Boy's jab at Cyborg. "I didn't even think of anything to add to it, to be honest. I just stopped them because I thought they were being mean." Her last few words trailed off, sounding quieter and fading into a breath. Beast Boy's ears cocked back and his head titled to the right side.
"What?" he asked, eyes widened. "You thought they were being mean? Okay, Ummm….I don't think I should vent to you anymore." He crossed his arms and glared at her while she pulled up her hood in an attempt to hide her slight rosy blush. He wasn't going to let her just hide from her comment, so he persisted. "What gives?" She sighed and lowered her hood, hoping the color change in her cheeks went back to normal.
"Beast Boy," she said in a calm, but caring manner. "First off, I am very glad you told me all you did up on the roof, don't take that back. Secondly, it is hard for me considering how many years that you have been my personal punching bag to say it, but…we all have been way too mean to you." A soft smirk made its way across her lips. "I think the only nice one to you would have to be Starfire, and sometimes Robin." Beast Boy gave a chuckle and lowered his arms to sit down on the sofa. Raven did the same.
"I don't think Star has a mean bone in her body," Beast Boy laughed out, spreading his arms across the back of the sofa and crossing his legs to add to his comfort. "If you notice, its why I spend less time with her." Raven's eyebrow raised.
"Wait," said Raven, "why don't you hang out with the one who treats you the best? Why waste your time and energy on those that…hurt you?" Beast Boy shrugged.
"Even if they pick on me," he explained, keeping his eyes focused on the windows of the tower that looked outside, "they still are my friends, and I can trust them to be there if I really need them. So occasionally I'm the butt of a joke or two, but I still get to help Cyborg with computer stuff, or be with Robin when he's trying to perfect some new martial arts move." He placed his hands up to mockingly imitate Karate chops. "If I was gone, they would miss it. They would miss me…or so I hope." Raven shook her head and looked to face him. She took her legs and folded them up on the sofa leaning sideways against it with her right arm over the back.
"It doesn't sound like an ideal life though," Raven stated, still looking at him. "It's like you signed up to be the wimpy kid in high school." She sighed. "Personally, after what you told me, I really don't like it." Beast Boy gave a smile to her.
"You worrying about me?" Raven's eyes cut into a stern glare.
"Don't make me regret it," she shot back. The female Titan placed her left forearm in her lap while keeping her right arm propped against the sofa. "Look, depression is an absolute bitch. I have gone through it for years and it does things to you that you could never expect."
"Like?" Beast Boy asked, changing his posture into a slouch with both his elbows on his knees and his hands folded in front of him.
"It slowly changes your personality," Raven continued. "You try to put on faces, to cover it up, but, little by little, more of the darkness escapes. You find yourself becoming more standoffish to people, wanting to be alone." She lowered her head and shook it. "It took me years to get a hold on it." Beast Boy's eyes locked with hers.
"Why do you think I annoy you so much?" he asked with a smile. "Raven, you always were the one to worry me. I mean, come on! Who can go days, weeks and even months without smiling?" Raven let out a giggle, covering her lips with the hand that was originally in her lap.
"To be fair," she started, "when we first were a team, Trigon ruled my powers and I had to keep everything in check. Over time, I got more and more comfortable letting them out, but only certain amounts." She stood up with her blue cloak stuck to her smooth pale legs. She pulled the cape back and it began to flow with the breeze of the tower's air conditioning. "For the record since it seems that we are having somewhat of a moment here, you did help me." Beast Boy smiled wide, feeling a sense of accomplishment, but Raven crossed her arms which caused him to drop the grin. "That means, I have to help you." His ears drooped as he stood, dumbfounded in her statement.
"How?" he asked. She turned her head towards the window in thought.
"Not sure yet, but I'll figure it out. Maybe I'll have a word with the team on it." Beast Boy shook his head.
"I can see it now," he replied. "You know they would just add you to it and claim that my 'girlfriend' had to defend me, right? I been stuck with this for years, Raven. I can always tell what the next insult will be." Raven let out a frustrated sigh. He was right, and Raven sure as Hell did not want to be called Beast Boy's girlfriend. Something else needed to be done to both help her friend and save her from embarrassment. She sighed and brought her eyes back to Beast Boy.
"There's no 'win' in this situation," she said with a dark undertone of annoyance in her voice. "So, let's start small. If it becomes too much, just find me. Maybe giving you a spot to escape would be enough to save your sanity." Beast Boy's eyes widened. Raven, the woman he swore hated him, just told him to visit her any time he feels hurt. He let out a surprised gulp.
"T..thank you?" he stammered out, making his last word high pitched as if it were a question. Raven's face showed disapproval.
"It's just an offer," she replied with a sadness to her voice. "Take it as you will. She turned and walked out of the Common Room, heading towards her own bedroom. Beast Boy followed until the two broke up, Raven inside her room and Beast Boy inside his own. He sighed out loud in frustration as he walked to his bed and flopped down. His room was a lot neater than it used to be as a teenager. Instead of absolute piles of dirty laundry, there was only one pair of boxers and two dirty socks on the floor. A hamper was against the wall beside the door, and it was barely full with dirty clothes. There were two guitars hanging on the wall, one on either side of a computer desk which held his PC that Cyborg helped him set up. One guitar was a normal acoustic, but the other one was an electric and built of very high quality. Under the computer desk was a relatively large combo amplifier that he used to play his electric guitar through on certain occasions. Beast Boy looked over to the desk and sighed; today wasn't going to be a day to play. He stood up from his bed and walked over to his computer, turning it on before walking over to his bookcase that had a plethora of comics, chord books, and other things on its shelves. On the very top was a dusty boardgame box, obviously unused for quite some time. Beast Boy glanced at it and let out another sigh. Everyone inside the tower wanted to play Uno, Go Fish, or more simple styles of games than this one. With his right hand, he pulled out an old comic that he used to read as a kid. With a nod of satisfaction, he went back to his computer and selected the music option. From there, he selected his playlist and it began as soon as he walked back to his bed. He kept the volume down, but the tone of the band Disturbed was just loud enough to please his ears, but not too loud to disturb his roommate across the way, or so he thought.
KNOCK KNOCK!
Beast Boy squeaked in shock, placing the comic beside him on the bed. Raven must not be happy knocking on his door.
"Uhhh…it's open." The door slid wide as Raven slowly walked in. She turned her head to the computer and lifted her hand up, using her magic to stop the music. Beast Boy blushed slightly, scratching the back of his neck. "I…I'm sorry, I didn't realize it was too loud." Raven turned to him and gave a slight smile. It was not that noticeable but it was there.
"So, this is your room?" She asked, looking around it. "Last time I was here was when my powers tried to kill us." Beast Boy gave a nervous laugh.
"Yeah," he replied. "The movie is in the Common Room if you're looking for it." Raven continued to look around his room, making Beast Boy feel uneasy. "You okay?"
"I always hear you play your guitar…so this is what it looks like?" Beast Boy's eyebrows raised right when Raven turned to face him. "Disturbed. Good choice band." At this point, Beast Boy stood up from his bed with worry plastered on his face.
"Yo," he cried out. "What gives? Why you care about what my room is like…why did you just compliment the music I listen to?" Raven looked around the room, intentionally avoiding the question.
"Your room is…clean?" she asked back, her eyes slightly wide in shock. "Wow, you have grown up, haven't you?" Beast Boy threw his hands into a "T".
"Time out!" he exclaimed. "What the Hell is going on?" Raven sighed and turned to look at him.
"Fine," she said defeatedly. "I am bored."
"Bored?" Beast Boy asked. "I didn't know that was even in your vocabulary! Can't you just meditate or something?" Raven let out an annoyed sigh.
"Mostly my meditation is to bring peace to myself when everything else here is chaos. Now, there's already peace and no good reason to be locked in for so long." Beast Boy let out a slight chuckle as he grabbed his comic and put it back on the bookshelf. "What's that?"
"What's what?" Beast Boy asked. Raven pointed up to the dusty boardgame on top of the shelf. He turned around to face her. "Oh, that. It…it's nothing." Raven gave a smirk as she used her telekinetic ability to lift the box off of the shelf. Beast Boy gave a groan as it floated closer to Raven, surrounded in the usual black aura. She grabbed it and looked down to examine the box.
No fucking way, Raven thought, dusting off the top of the box. She looked at Beast Boy. "Chess?" the green changeling meekly nodded. "How long have you had this?"
"Since I joined the team," Beast Boy replied. "I figured no one would play it with me, so it's been there the whole time."
"Well, that explains the dirt," Raven giggled. "Maybe we can plant some flowers on this thing and get more usage?" Beast Boy gave a nervous chuckle while Raven opened up the box. "All the pieces seem to be in here."
"Do you play?" Beast Boy asked. Raven nodded, closing up the box.
"I play with my emotions from time to time."
"Doesn't every girl?" Beast Boy jokingly asked, playing off of her wording. Raven let out a quick giggle but stopped and changed it to a smile.
"You can have that one," she replied. "Seriously though, I have a set in my bedroom. When I want to play, I enter my mind and my powers will move the Chess pieces accordingly…"
"Like Knight to C5?" Beast Boy asked. Raven's eyes widened.
"You know how to actually call your moves?" She asked. Beast Boy once again nodded.
"It's been a long time, but yeah I do." Raven handed Beast Boy the box to put back up on the shelf. "You look pretty surprised."
"Can you blame me?" she asked back. "I mean, you don't strike me as the strategic type." She looked back at the door connecting Beast Boy's bedroom to the hallway. "Would you care to play?"
"Sure," he replied, reaching up for the game he just put away. Raven used her power to stop his hand. "Don't we need this?" Raven shook he head.
"I got mine already set up in my room…"
"No one goes in your room," Beast Boy pointed out. "The outcome wasn't so pretty when me and Cyborg…" Raven cut him off with a glare. It was cold but oddly friendly too.
"Did I invite you?" she asked.
"Yeah…"
"Then you are allowed."
PEACE!