(BEASTBOY'S PERSPECTIVE)
"Oh, my gosh, oh my gosh, no, no, no, CYBORG!" I screamed at the screen.
"HA!" the half robot leaned over and pelted his fingers over the control.
"Third place! Dang it." Robin swayed in the sofa.
The three of us were playing Mario Kart and somehow Cyborg cheated his way to first place.
Yes.
Cheated.
Like he always did when we played video games together.
The game chimed as we collected coins and prizes. I gritted my teeth and felt the heat in my gloves increase.
I smiled as I threw a blue shell at Cyborg.
"BEEEASTBOY! You're wack for that!" Cyborg growled as his character slowed down.
Robin and I were tailing each other to the finish line.
"Come onnnnn, come onnnnnn..." I was seconds away.
Just then, a lightning bolt hit my car.
"ROBIN!" I gasped, watching his character cross the finish line.
"Game's over." Robin smiled and boastfully placed the remote on the sofa.
I gaped at the screen.
"I won. So I nominate Beastboy to take out the garbage for the next two days."
"Robinnn! Seriously!?" I whined.
"Or you can clean the toilets. We've got seven of them." Robin grinned.
"Fine. I'll take the garbage." I huffed.
Every week it was a tradition for the boys and I to play a video game. Whoever won, was exempt for chores for a that week. The winner also got to pick who they wanted to do chores.
I got up from the couch as Starfire zipped into the Common Room.
"May we journey to the place of iced-creams, please? We have not in a while. Besides, I am craving the sweet, savory, cold goodness." she requested.
"Sure thing, Star. As long as we don't have any interruptions." Robin said.
"Cookies and Cream here I come!" Cyborg stretched.
"Alrighty, let me go get Raven." I walked towards her room.
"Raven? Helllllo?" I knocked on the door.
No response.
"Raven!? Are you in there?" I projected my voice.
"What do you want."
She appeared behind me.
"Gah! Aren't you supposed to be in there?" I pointed at her door, "What are you doing out here?" I pointed to the space between us.
"I'm supposed to be in my room?" Raven shot her signature death stare.
"No! Not at all. It's just that... you're usually there more than anywhere else." I explained.
"You're not wrong." Raven's eyes drifted away.
They were swollen and pink, as if she had been crying. Her face was also paler than the norm.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah. Um... excuse me." She pushed past me and into her room.
"Wait." I gently touched her arm.
She glanced at me in confusion.
"Uh... sorry." I let go of her, "We were planning to go out for icecream, do you want to come?"
"No. I don't." Raven's voice wavered.
"Why not?"
"Because I don't."
"Raven, we barely go out together as a team. Can you come with us? Please." I implored softly.
Raven let out a deep sigh and left the hallway.
"What's going on with her?" I asked myself quietly.
After about a ten minute ride in the T-Car we reached our destination, Swirl and Scoop.
It was the team's all time favorite besides Jon's Pizzeria a couple of blocks down.
"Hi my name is Jaden." our server was robust with dark skin and taupe eyes.
"How can I help you today? Wait. Are you the Teen Titans?!" Jaden's mouth gaped.
"The one and the only." Cyborg grinned.
"The five and the only." I corrected.
"The one and the only, Bass Boot, we are one team." Cyborg shot me a disappointed look.
"My bad... ahehe..." I sheepishly rubbed the back of my neck.
"Whoa, cool! Robin, Starfire, Beastboy, Raven, and Cyborg," he pointed us out, "Ya know what? I'll give you guys free ice cream today. You do more than enough for the city. Y'all deserve a break. What can I get ya?" Jaden asked.
After we all gave our orders we went to look for seats outside.
"Thanks again for the free icecream!" Cyborg called back to the server.
"It's no problem. Enjoy!"
"This looks de-lishhhh." I licked my lips and licked my cone of vegan pistachio ice cream.
"Indeed, and it tastes the de-lish as well." Starfire had a double cone.
One was strawberry ice cream with gummy bears, and the other was vanilla with chocolate bits and rainbow sprinkled.
An interesting combination, but what else should we expect from Starfire?
Cyborg had his classic serving of Cookies and Cream, Robin had French Vanilla, and Raven had Rocky Road.
"Mmm-hm. A well deserved treat. So how y'all feelin' today?" Cyborg questioned.
"Pretty good. It's nice to get out of the superhero life and breathe. Mmm, you guys are really missing out on Butter Pecan." Robin dug in his bowl with a spoon.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Do you guys know that turtles breathe through their butts?" I smiled.
"What? B, come on man, not while I'm eating." Cyborg frowned.
"Oh! How fascinating!" a gleam crossed Starfire's pupils, "There are not many animals on my planet. If there are some, they are... not like the ones here. So, Friend Beastboy, when you turn into a turtle you breathe through your butt?" Starfire asked.
"Yup. Inhale and exhale." I grinned boastfully.
"Can. Y'all. Stop." Cyborg grimaced in disgust.
Starfire laughed and continued to eat.
I glanced up at Raven.
She didn't have a bite of ice-cream yet nor has she said anything. As reserved Raven could be she would have at least said something by now.
I examined her hands.
They were trembling violently.
I looked back up to her eyes.
They locked with mine for a nanosecond, then she glanced away.
"Hey, Raven, aren't you going to eat?" Cyborg asked between loud slurps.
"Yeah. I am." she coarsely replied.
"You should hurry before it melts." Robin chimed.
A conversation between the other three went on, but I observed Raven closely.
Her eyes were nervous and traced the near vicinity constantly. Raven's whole character was intimidated. Her eyes were still puffy from earlier and now they appeared to be brimming with tears. Her breaths escalated in irregular, labored patterns.
No one seemed to notice but me.
Suddenly, my teammate clutched her chest.
"Raven!" I yelled.
The world stopped.
The sun ceased it's fight through the clouds.
The traffic of the city fell deaf on my ears.
Everyone and everything around me dissolved.
My focus pinpointed on Raven.
The girl's face scrunched in agony as she let out forced breaths.
"Whoa!" Cyborg gasped.
Raven steadily got on her feet and attempted to walk away.
"What is going on?!" Starfire shivered nervously.
We got up quickly from our seats as Raven's knees hit the ground.
"Raven, are you okay!?" Robin asked frantically.
Raven held up her quaking hand.
People murmured around us.
I watched helplessly as tears swam down Raven's face.
"Maybe she's having a heartburn." I heard a woman say.
"Look at her, she's really young. People who have heartburns are usually older." another person added.
"We should get the manager and call the ambulance!"
Buds of sweat budded on Raven's forehead as she clenched her chest tighter.
She's having a panic attack.
"Raven." I bent down in front of her.
My heart raced to the sound of her heavy wheezes. Her hand moved from around her throat and over her mouth.
"Raven, look at me."
Her eyes lifted to mine.
It hurt me to see the pain in Raven's eyes.
To see her in such a defenseless state.
But I knew she could pull through, just like every other time.
"You don't have to say anything if you don't want to. Just breathe." I suggested calmly.
"In and out. It's okay. You're okay." her tears came to a steady halt.
"You're safe. We're right here." I gently pulled Raven into my arms.
I could feel her heart thrum against me.
The grunts and pants spread goosebumps around my body. Hearing them fresh in my ears nearly put me in paralysis.
"I'm right here." I whispered so only she could hear.
Her arms embraced mer back feebly.
"Is she okay!? We called the ambulance, they'll be over in a few!" a worker announced with a team behind her.
I stroked Raven's back smoothly and listened to her.
The strained breathing slowed down.
Her fingers gripped onto my uniform.
Tears sank through my clothes.
Her heart was close to mine, catching its rhythm and trying to match its beat.
"She's okay. And you can tell the ambulance to turn back." I informed.
"Thank you for your concern everyone, we can take it from here." Robin said.
"No problem."
"I hope she will be alright."
Everyone returned to their lives.
"Thank you." Raven exhaled sharply and pulled me closer.
"It's my pleasure." I hugged her firmly.