CHAPTER SEVEN
SILVER

The next day saw a blistering sun bestride the skies of California, bright yellow against the clear, cloudless blue.

Its heat summoned hundreds to the parks, gilding the grounds in revelry and laughter. Children cried out to be pushed faster on the swings whilst dogs whizzed across lawns in hot pursuit of a tennis ball.

The Titans had their blanket set down near a large oak tree, though only two girls could be found sitting beneath it. Raven, as ever, had a book propped up on her knees as she leaned back against the broad trunk. In front of her was Starfire, fussing over her pet larvae and sneaking snacks from their picnic basket into its eager mouth.

Some feet away from them, Robin, Cyborg and Beast Boy were engaged in what was fast becoming an aggressive game of 'piggy-in-the-middle'. The current victim was the shifter, trapped between the robot and acrobat and trying ardently to steal the ball from the air.

When it was thrown his way, he morphed into a kangaroo and leapt as high as his legs could take him. But before he could secure the grab, it was given a successive kick by a steel boot whilst mid-flight, then sent firing past him into Cyborg's open hands.

Beast Boy landed back in his human form and let out a whine, ambushed for what was now the fifth time in a row.

The Tamaranean chuckled at the sight, slipping another sandwich past Silkie's teeth before continuing on with the ramble she'd started up with her friend.

"And I was thinking that once you have been on a few dates alone, you might accompany Robin and I in the double dating!" she beamed, emerald eyes flitting up in delight. Raven found the will to pry her gaze from her book, but only to give a jaded look as she turned over a response in her head.

"Perhaps we could visit the roller skating rink, or would you instead prefer to-"

The alien paused at the clap of a novel slamming shut.

"Starfire," Raven said, holding her attention with a direct stare. "I know you're… excited. But none of that is going to happen."

Starfire felt her smile drop. Silkie wiggled in her hands and she distractedly placed him down onto the blanket.

"I do not understand."

Raven's indifference didn't budge; it only held firm, carved into her like the face of a statue.

"I got rid of his number."

The quiet that followed was filled only by the distant shouts of their team, still scrambling to claim possession of the ball.

"… But then, how do you intend to contact him?" she asked in a voice laced with confusion.

"I don't."

Understanding dawned on her then, bringing her forehead to crease and her mouth to pitch down. A breeze blew past the two, caressing the ends of their hair, and Raven held strong against the tangible dejection sneaking over her friend. Starfire sighed, defeated.

"I thought you found this boy to be appealing?"

"He's just a stranger, Star," Raven replied, refusing to gratify her disappointment. It wasn't her fault if she'd imagined this dreamlike scenario wherein they all held hands and frolicked through the streets of Jump together. That was on her for getting carried away with a trivial encounter.

Feeling she had explained enough, the sibyl's hands found the edges of her book again, but were stalled in opening it by another hand placed over the top.

"Do we not all begin as strangers?" Starfire went on, leaning into her space. "He might have been your G'lifnorp. Now you shall never know!"

Raven's brows furrowed as she yearned to disappear back into the pages in her lap.

"I doubt it."

Those green eyes blinked sadly, searching inside of her. But then they hardened, and Starfire's gentle voice became firm.

"You are scared," she said. Raven tested her stare.

"I'm not scared."

Despite the mystic's efforts, Starfire didn't yield. Instead, her expression changed, schooling into one of flagrant judgement and disbelief. She allowed her hand to slip away from the book, but only so she could fold her arms across her chest and tilt her head to one side.

"What?" Raven rasped, defensive at being made to feel suddenly so small. At this unwavering sight, the redhead's rigor eased, and when her voice left her, it was mild once more.

"Raven…" The girl in question did not take kindly to being reprimanded like a child. "You must allow yourself to be vulnerable in order to-"

"Look," she cut across, tearing her book open at a random point. "Can we just… drop it? It's not a big deal."

Starfire frowned again, wondering what it would take to knock some sense into her sister. She could only let her arms fall to the blanket and her gaze with it. After a quick glance around her, the alien was quick to notice the lack of a smaller, squishier presence.

"Silkie?" she called, beginning to look more frantically now. Raven's impatient eyes peered over the rim of her book, met with the image of her teammate searching through the picnic basket, then under the blanket immediately after.

On her hands and knees, she eventually caught the sound of gurgling from afar and raised her head in the direction of the noise.

"Silkie, no!" Starfire squealed, soaring fast to where her bumgorf was approaching another party's feast, laid out on dainty paper plates atop a pretty floral blanket.

From her spot beneath the tree, the magus watched Starfire scoop the runaway into her arms, thankfully just before he could demolish the banquet.

"Bad Silkie! We do not purloin the meals of others," she scolded, pointing a finger at the creature's nose. With a sweatdrop, she floated back to her friends, all of whom had caught wind of the commotion.

"Starfire, everything alright?" called Robin, bringing a pause to the game.

"All is well!" She gave a relieved smile, still trying to calm the wriggling larvae in her hold. "I believe Silkie requires the stretching of his limbs… He is becoming quite restless."

Beast Boy lit up, spotting a window of opportunity and adamant to not throw it away as he had the last.

"You wanna take him for a walk round the lake?" he offered, sending her a toothy grin.

"That would be wonderful!" she hailed back before flying to the blanket to dig out Silkie's harness. In the background, Robin and Cyborg started up a new game of volleyball, complete with a few sticks on the ground to signify the placement of a net.

"Do you wish to join us?" Starfire said to Raven as she hooked the leash around Silkie's neck, hoping that the tension from their earlier talk was forgotten. It was perhaps a trick of the light, but for a moment she was sure she saw indigo eyes flick up to the changeling behind her as Raven thought on her answer.

"Pass," was the conclusion, and Starfire held in her sigh.

"Then I shall return shortly."

Checking her pet's clasp was in place, she rose to her feet and walked over to join Beast Boy on the path lining the lake.

The co-parents took their time, going at a leisurely pace and easily chatting away for a while. In front of them, Silkie scurried along the tarmac, earning some startled looks from a few passers-by. Nothing much out of the ordinary (for the Titans, at least).

As they made a turn at the head of the lake, Beast Boy became aware of the fact he had limited time to achieve the task he'd set out to do. Though their conversation was an enjoyable one, he had really hoped to find some opening to discuss the events of the previous day…

Starfire was his only chance at peering into the situation. She was the only one on the team who would know what Raven was thinking. What her intentions were. They would have talked about it by now, he was certain, for the alien's curiosity could often be just as fierce as his own.

And right now, his was rampant.

He tossed some words around in his head, hoping that somehow he could spin them together to form an unsuspecting segue into the topic. In the seconds before he was about to speak, he caught a frown from his periphery and turned to better face his teammate.

It looked wrong on her. The downward curve, the absent eyes, telling him she had something else on her mind. And instantly he decided that anything causing Starfire distress was a million times more important than whatever he had going on.

"You okay, Star?" he asked, trying to meet her gaze.

"Hm?" The girl was clearly distracted. It sent a flare of protectiveness through the changeling.

"Do I need to throw Robin in the dog house?"

"Oh," Starfire piped, gathering what was being asked of her. "No, it is not Robin," she assured with a smile, one that didn't quite reach her eyes.

Gar didn't pry, but did leave a space where he held eye contact, granting her the chance to share if she so wished. Never one to suppress her feelings, Starfire relented, beginning with a pensive sigh.

"Forgive me. I do not wish to be the downer. I am merely disappointed," she confessed, letting her eyes drift to where Silkie waddled ahead of them.

"About what?"

Her lips pulled to one side as she debated whether or not she should go on. As always, her emotions and concern for her friends won out.

"Do you recall that boy who approached Raven after our victory yesterday?"

A spark ran up Beast Boy's spine, his pupils flashing wide and focus drawing in.

Yeah, he might've recalled that teensy incident. He might've also been searching for a way to bring it up for the past ten minutes straight. Turns out he needn't have bothered.

In a marvellous show of discipline, his eyebrows merely twitched and step merely slowed before he was continuing as normal.

"Uh, yeah, I remember," he said, a tad too casually. Starfire didn't notice.

"I have just been informed that she has no intention to act upon his pursuit…" said the alien.

And even though Gar's chest burst with elation, his brain calling out 'Brilliant! Perfect! Great news!', it only showed in the spry lick of his lips and inhale of his nose.

"Oh… Did she say why?"

Please say it's because she'd rather date a Titan, said the annoying voice inside him - the one that knew that wouldn't be the case, but still insisted on hoping for the best.

Starfire shook her head gently.

"I cannot be certain, but I believe she doubts her ability to embrace such emotions for fear of her powers."

Not brilliant. Not perfect. Terrible news.

Beast Boy absorbed this information, recognising that it was just Starfire's assumption, but also lamenting the fact she had become quite skilled in reading Raven over time. He put it down to their girl talks, which had begun at Starfire's perseverance, but he was sure had broken Raven down at some point, to some degree.

"I guess that makes sense," he said, quieter now.

"Raven has come a long way, and I am most proud of her for it. But as her friend, it concerns me that she will remain obstinate and continue to avoid that which might be good for her."

Starfire looked to Beast Boy now as a silent request for his opinion. He tried to oblige, but his answer was inescapably steered by his own bias.

"I mean… We don't know if this guy was good for her," he countered, only convincing himself further as he pressed on. "He was probably a creepy fanboy, for all we know…"

And it wasn't fair at all, and he knew, but he had to say it, not even for Starfire, but for himself. It was the only way he could justify hating a person he had never shared a word with.

Starfire detected the slight note of resentment and even thought she saw his upper lip curl in the makings of a snarl. Still, she took it in and reasoned that, overall, he made a valid point.

Raven's fanbase was huge, and whilst many were friendly enough, the Tamaranean had made the mistake of being overly trusting of strangers in the past.

"I suppose you are right," she nodded, feeling noticeably lighter as she reflected.

"So don't let it get to you, 'kay?" her friend smiled, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Rae knows what she wants. She probably just realised she can do way better."

The Tamaranean smiled back, this time bright and authentic.

"Yes! That is most plausible." Her whole body seemed to bloom as she walked on with her head held high, that fire reignited. "I thank you for your input, friend!"

"You are most welcome," Beast Boy joked, feeling his grin only grow. They round up their walk, sighting their hangout again through the trees.

And I thank you very much for yours.

- T -

What began as a frankly shitty day was now going to be a good one, Beast Boy had decided.

It didn't matter that he'd struggled to sleep all of last night. It didn't matter that he'd spent all of the morning trying to gauge if Raven seemed giddy, or was showing any tells. (She didn't, and she wasn't, of course.)

That was all irrelevant now that his nosiness had been sated, and by none other than the wonderful, fantastic, oblivious Starfire. Adam was a no-go, and that was enough for his mood to be lifted for the day.

Still, for this reward, there was also a cost. That being the definite, unavoidable truth that he could no longer go on being static, simply hoping for something good to happen.

He had to make something happen, or someone else surely would.

After spending most of the afternoon in the park, the sun was on its descent and the five heroes now had dinner on the mind.

"Y'know they've revamped the fair by the pier?" said Cyborg, collecting their plates and cutlery and placing it all back into the picnic basket. "Even bigger wheel, some new game-stalls."

"Oh!" Starfire yelped out of the blue, causing everyone to flinch. "Please, today is Saturday?"

"Yeah?" said Gar. She clasped her hands together and lifted off from the ground.

"The pier is also hosting a firework display this evening! I saw it advertised on a billboard during our drive here."

"Well, alright!" Seemed like Cyborg was all for it. Beast Boy tossed their volleyball into the air and caught it effortlessly.

"Sooo, new plan," he said. "Dump our stuff in the car, grab a bite to eat, then night at the fair?"

Robin nodded, his hands finding his hips.

"Sounds good to me." He turned to the cloaked girl with her book slotted beneath her arm. "Raven?"

Raven shrugged.

"If it gets me out of doing dishes."

That recognisable gurgling noise could be heard again, causing everyone to look down at Silkie.

"Oh, I forgot," Starfire said, picking him up. "I must return Silkie home…"

Where all eyes had been on the larvae, they now not-so-subtly shifted to Raven. She looked skyward, reluctantly holding out her hands.

"I'll drop him off," the girl offered, not bothering to quell the 'ew' that crawled up her throat when the fleshy bundle was placed in her arms.

And so it went like that.

Whilst Raven vanished through a portal with Silkie squirming to and fro, the remaining four chucked their ball, basket and blanket into the boot of the T-Car and started debating where they should eat.

"I vote tacos!" bellowed the tallest member as he slammed the boot shut. This was met with a face of disapproval from Robin.

"Ehhh, not really in the mood for—"

"Ooooh, I would be most favourable towards the Bee of Apples!" the exuberant redhead cut through as her own ideas swarmed.

"But guys," Robin announced, "Slim's has an offer on that ends today!"

If Raven had been present, she would've been staring off into the distance, nonchalant to the bustle of her teammates' dispute.

"A meat-free bean burrito sounds good. I'm with Cyborg," said Beast Boy, promptly receiving a fist bump from his buddy.

"But what about the-" their leader began, just to be obstructed a second time by the green teen.

"Sorry Rob, majority rules!"

In that moment, a puddle of black appeared on the sidewalk with the shape of Raven emerging from its depths.

"Your worm bites," she deadpanned, glowering as she walked towards the group. Starfire tactfully ignored her urge to state that Silkie was not a worm, opting instead to win Raven's favour.

"Raven has not yet voted," she stressed, turning towards her. "Would you wish to visit the Bee of Apples?"

"C'mon, Raven. You know you want tacos," Cyborg piped in, grinning as Beast Boy gave her a nudge.

Irked already, she sighed.

"As long as we pick somewhere, I really don't care."

"That counts as a taco vote!" the metal man chimed, flinging one arm triumphantly around Raven's shoulders whilst the other sported a thumbs-up to the sky.

"That wasn't even-" Robin raised a finger in protest, but was (again) foiled.

"Ah ah ah, did ya' not hear the guy?" Cyborg tutted, prodding the boy's forehead as he fizzled in anger. "Majority rules!"

With their point made, Cyborg and Beast Boy paraded ahead of the three, intent for the Mexican goodness that awaited down the block. A bitter Robin huffed with crossed arms as he begrudgingly followed on, Starfire floating behind.

"Oh, the Bees shall have to wait…" she pouted.

Just a short walk from the park, the Titans were soon approaching the diner they sought; a timeless establishment, with outdoor decking, a lively atmosphere, and plenty of tables.

In no time they were seated and handed their menus, with a waiter proceeding to jot down their orders. A lengthy hour passed while they enjoyed their meals, then with the final bill paid, they set off again for the pier down the way.

Twilight had encroached by the time they arrived, dying the sky a lavish shade of teal. Its hue was deep and rich, foretelling a night as clear as the day was soon to be upon them.

News of the display must have spread, as masses of citizens cluttered the mouth of the pier. Raven inwardly cringed at the number of people as they squeezed their way into the queue, but with some practiced resolve, she calmed herself, knowing it would likely be sparser inside.

They poured through the archway to the fair and were immediately hit by the cloying scent of sugar and sweets. Starfire slinked her arm through Robin's, keeping his side snug to hers, and the two walked as one towards the attractions.

"It has been so long since we paid visit to the fair," the alien cooed, her eyes sparkling with nostalgia.

"Maybe it's 'cos we all blow so much cash," Cyborg reasoned.

"All?" Raven was quick to challenge.

The five funnelled their way onwards, and before long, a certain couple were eyeing up this newer, bigger ferris wheel standing tall in the middle of the bridge.

The three third-wheels exchanged knowing glances.

"Robin," Starfire began, shaking his arm, but he read her mind before she could proceed.

"Aaand that's my cue." The masked man smiled back at his team as he was eagerly pulled to the entry. "We'll find you guys later!" he cried with a wave, knowing no more needed to be said.

Raven wore her judgement without remorse.

"Four minutes," she monotoned. Cyborg chuckled low in his throat.

"That might be a record."

"I dunno," said Gar. "When we went to Paris, I pretty much blinked and they were gone."

This earned a fond snicker from his best friend, then he pulled it together and clapped his plated hands.

"Welp, guess it's just the three amigos!"

"Looks like it." Beast Boy just wished he knew a way to narrow that down to two.

No disrespect to Cyborg - he loved him beyond words - but his being there was interfering with some important plans for the evening.

"So, what we sayin' first?" the robot went on, rubbing his palms together as a proposal formed. "Arcade? Tower of Terror? Or there's that new ride where they got…"

Mid-sentence, he came to a stop, tilting his chin up. Gar and Raven looked to each other in unison before the former spoke out.

"Uh… Cy?"

Cyborg held up a finger as a gesture to wait, then sniffed the air as his head swivelled around, not unlike a meerkat placed on watch-duty. Just as Raven's brow was creeping higher, his index finger jerked out, suddenly pointing to a spot behind her.

"There!" he exclaimed, and when the other two looked, they saw a large stall with the words 'HOT DOGS' stamped in red text over the top. A noise of disgust slipped from Beast Boy.

"Anyone who's not a vegan," he gave the shifter a pointed look, "want one?"

"We just ate," Raven said. All the same, she knew she'd soon see him running to the stall, a wad of cash in hand to fill his supposedly empty belly.

"Suit yourself, more for me!" Cyborg beamed before taking off in haste towards the queue, elated as a child at Christmas. Raven watched him disappear into the crowd, then was suddenly too aware of the last remaining presence at her side.

Though she didn't know it, Beast Boy was undergoing a rush of adrenaline, grateful to have his wish granted but also terrified to fully seize it.

It was that prison of doubt again, holding him in chains, telling him that if he tried anything, he would only succeed in falling flat on his face.

While she still had her eyes on their friend, he made a point to take in a deep breath, roll his shoulders back, and push that fear down to where he could no longer hear its voice.

"It's kinda scary how he can just keep going," Gar started with what was familiar. Humour.

"Chilling," she replied, and in her eyes he caught that slight shine of jest that always assured him she approved. He turned to face her properly, hoping she would do the same. A smile came over him when she did.

"You want anything?" he asked, jerking his thumb to another nearby stand. Though she might've shunned the hot dogs, Raven's sweet tooth was no secret amongst the team. "They got churros over there."

She gave the stall a quick once-over, but shook her head.

"I'm good."

"Okay," Gar nodded, still smiling, but quickly realising he had little else to say.

He and Raven never had awkward silences. And perhaps this wasn't one either; perhaps it was completely comfortable, with only his paranoia and overthinking making it seem otherwise. But as she surveyed their surroundings, unable to move until Cyborg returned to them, Beast Boy felt a crushing pressure fall down on him like a thick sheet of rain.

He swallowed. At the food stall, more crowds filtered in, and where there had been a distinct patch of metal, he could now only see a clash of colour and faces. With nervous energy, his foot tapped a few times against the floor, then words were spilling from his tongue in a reckless refusal to stand with her in silence.

"Surprised you don't have a hot date tonight with that music guy," he heard himself say, knowing full well that she never planned to contact him in the first place. But Raven didn't know that he knew that, and that was what mattered.

He supposed the desperate, insecure part of him just wanted to hear it come straight from her.

Her eyes flickered down. He had brought up the subject of Adam twice in the past twenty-four hours. An absurd thought rushed through her that he had done this intentionally, but she flattened that thought just as quickly as it stirred.

"He's a lights guy," she uttered, partly in keeping with her trademark apathy, but partly as a means to see what he would do with such little information.

Without thought, he took the bait, thrown by the sudden idea that Raven might have lied to Starfire for the sake of her privacy.

"Sooo, what? You seeing him another time?" he pried, scratching at the back of his neck. Though he felt he had come across as cool, Gar's pulse leapt when she eyed him for a moment too long.

Eventually though, his endurance paid off.

"Doubtful."

His chest soared. Finally, an answer that wasn't cryptic and told him exactly what he wanted to hear.

Though the word itself left room for debate, Raven's tone did not. Her arms lifted from her sides and folded over her chest, then that stoic voice gave way to something warmer.

"… Unless Cyborg really wants those tickets," she added with a smile.

He was helpless to the pure, relieved smile he mirrored back.

There was a trice of quiet again, this one decidedly pleasant, which was severed by a familiar bleep from below. Regrettably, Beast Boy tore his eyes from Raven and unhooked his communicator from his belt, bringing it up to his face.

"Yo," Cyborg's voice rang out as it was flipped open. "So, listen… I just ran into Sarah and-"

"You mean your totally platonic friend, Sarah?" Gar smirked, only to be joined by Raven peeking into view of the screen.

"Who you have as your lock screen," she wickedly tagged on. To the pair's delight, Cyborg panicked and seemed to twist around as if to shield his speakers from a girl nearby.

Beast Boy and Raven shared in a subtle, sly glance.

"C'mon man, we're friends! Don't do me like that!" the man groaned, receiving a chuckle in return.

"I gotchu," Gar assured. "Meet after the fireworks?"

Cyborg nodded, his human eye alight.

"You're a real one, B!"

Then the screen went black, and the shifter side-eyed his companion. He raised his free hand, curled it around an invisible handle, then gave a whipping motion, complete with sound effect.

Raven shook her head in response, maybe at Beast Boy, maybe at Cyborg - either way, he didn't care. As he fiddled with his belt to restore his communicator, the sorceress turned on her heel and started walking away.

"Looks like I have a date after all," she tossed out in that detached voice, as though saying such a thing wouldn't make his whole body seize up and throat go dry (all things that happened instantly).

It was a joke. Obviously. But he still took many seconds to recover, only feeling his feet move when that retreating cloak beckoned him through the crowd like a distant siren call. Clumsily, he caught up with her pace, almost tripping over his own feet when he reached her and began to walk backwards.

"The best date," he met her banter (as was only routine), more than willing to entertain this pseudo-affair she'd created. Even if it was merely meant as friends, he still ran with it, reminding himself again of handsome strangers and missed chances. "And he's got the perfect thing in mind. C'mon."

She barely had time to breathe before he was guiding her through the throng with a hand wrapped around her wrist (not around her hand, for that move was much too daring for the present time).

Though he wore his gloves, she could feel the warmth of his palm pressing through the fabric. He hastened his step, weaving in and out of people, and she gazed down at the sight, swallowing against the way it made her arm tremble.

A steady, strong grasp around her lithe slip of bone.

"Ring any bells?" Beast Boy's voice shook her from her trance, and when she peered up, they were standing before a ring-toss with a moustached fellow manning the counter.

He smiled down at his two new arrivals. On his right was a sign reading: $5 FOR 7 RINGS. LAND 10 FOR A TOP PRIZE! Behind him, the back wall was littered with cheesy prizes; foam footballs adorned the lower row with inflatable hammers sitting directly above.

At the very top, looking down on the other toys like peasants, were the elite prizes. Their plastic eyes stared into Raven's, each one with a body wider than her own. Unsurprising, as she was fairly slim, whilst they were positively bloating at the seams with fluff.

"You must really like stuffed animals," Raven noted, her hands finding her hips as Gar released her. He stood in her line of sight and gave his head a shake, holding up a finger.

"Correction, Raven. You like stuffed animals." The finger aimed at her then, the corners of his eyes crinkling as his lip curved up.

"I do?" She gave a pointed look. He nodded now, appearing unshakably confident in his answer.

"'Course. They're your favourite," Gar explained to his poor, confused friend. "Especially the big ones."

With a sweeping motion, he threw his arm out to gesture at the gigantic teddies suspended above them: a lion, a unicorn, a giraffe, and a dolphin. Then he was stepping right up to the counter, placing five dollars down on the surface and accepting the seven rings offered to him.

"Which is why after tonight, Mister Chicken is gonna have some company in the back of your closet," he winked, twirling one of the rings round his pinkie.

'Mister Chicken' - a name she was hearing for the first time - had been abandoned moments after she'd received him in order to rescue Starfire. Garfield knew this, but it was still fun to pretend, especially when a secret soft spot was implied.

In the face of his smugness, Raven was surprised to realise she was having to suppress a smirk. She succeeded though, as it didn't quite break through her lofty stare.

"You know these games are rigged, right?" the girl stated, leaning back against the counter and looking over to him. Might as well get settled in, chances were high that she'd be there for a while.

"O, ye of little faith," Garfield chided, cracking his knuckles in preparation. "Have I not already proven myself in this area?"

Raven's head tilted forward.

"If I recall, it took eight turns and thirty dollars for you to win that chicken thing."

"If I recall, you just need to hang back, look pretty, and watch the master go to work."

The tease was rolling off him now, fluid as water, and because it wouldn't be too out of the norm, he even threw in an eyebrow-waggle.

Though most didn't know it, Beast Boy could be impressively cunning.

He knew he would never be the cool and aloof type, but he also knew a thing or two about playing the game. And with Raven especially, he had this trick where he would flirt - knowing full well that's what he was doing - but execute it in so subtle a manner that it could be passed off as jest should he ever be called out.

Sometimes it was like walking a tightrope; he had to keep moving lest the momentum be lost, but he also had to watch his step and take it slow, or he might just take a fall.

This time, she openly blushed and looked away as a pathetic attempt to hide it. Unfortunately for her, Beast Boy had two eyes, so it didn't really work. What it did do was send a swoop through his gut, and for a second he had to shake his hands free of the sweet, sprightly nerves.

He took one of the five black rings in his grasp and leaned in with concentrated eyes.

No need to stress - it was the first throw. No biggie.

A moment passed, then he flicked his wrist out and let the hoop fly from his fingers. Whilst Raven watched from the corner of her eye, he watched head-on as it clinked against the neck of the bottle, stammered, then fell to the floor with a thump.

"... I think you might get fired."

"Hey," he said easily, grabbing another ring. "I'm just warmin' up."

On this turn, he flicked it out a few times first, testing the weight and angle before letting go. When he did, he held his breath, hearing it clang at the bottle top again.

Miss.

Raven had fully turned to witness the failure, now leaning her weight on the counter with the palm of her hand.

"Don't," Beast Boy muttered, not needing to look to know she was growing steadily amused. Despite his falter, he swept up another hoop.

Come on, BB… You got this…

He released, and to everyone's shock, it landed around the neck of the glass.

"Ha! Yes!" the shifter yelled, both arms thrown above his head. But the celebration was short-lived, for the next attempt was another bust.

It was becoming difficult to watch.

Did she need a giant stuffed animal of any kind? No. Did she want one? Not really… The real prize lay in watching Beast Boy get more and more frustrated as he tried again and again to win at a clearly rigged game.

At this rate, his wallet would be barren just for the sake of keeping his pride intact. Even after placing down another five dollars, his luck didn't fare much better. Raven merely winced as each ring clipped the lip of the bottle, dancing on the rim like it was taunting him, before spiralling away.

Her arms folded as she looked to the stall owner, ecstatic to see how each loss chipped more and more at Gar's morale. Much like when he and Cyborg had won 'Mister Chicken', she wouldn't be surprised if Beast Boy got through thirty dollars before coming close to a big prize.

She anticipated the twitch of his ears as the next ring hit the bottle with no sound of it landing to the floor.

It helped that they were already black in colour, as it made it almost impossible to catch the dark energy that had encircled it moments before it caught, shimmied, then landed in place.

Beast Boy threw her another cocky grin.

"Better start picking out an animal," he gushed, confident once again.

Unsurprised by this turn of events, Raven's lip only tilted up at the edge.

When he scored the next shot, then the next, then another again, he had to catch himself, intrigued by the image of Raven's pale hand rising to rest at her lips.

The next time he threw, he kept a sharp watch on the black ring, barely spotting the way it glowed with magic right before touchdown.

Some time ago, the stall owner had wandered to the opposite end of the stand to accommodate another customer. So Beast Boy took the brief distraction as his cue to lean into Raven's space, one hand cupped around his mouth to better stifle his speech.

"I'm onto you," he whispered. "... But keep it up."

She peered back through fake-innocent eyes.

"Don't know what you mean," the girl smiled, then together, they looked back at the remaining bottles.

Time to swindle the swindler.

Minutes later, the moustached man was aghast and forced to hand over the largest, downiest dolphin Raven had ever seen. And she had seen a lot of outrageous things.

"Your prize, as promised," Gar said in a regal accent, sealing the exchange with a gracious bow. The sibyl propped her hip out as she accepted it, wearing a face of understated awe.

"Wow." The sound was one of mock, leaving her in a single, bland note. "And you won it all by yourself."

"Just got that magic touch, I guess," Gar played along with a blithe shrug, pinning his brows high. Before Raven could come back with anything, a blast boomed overhead.

The two winced against that initial roar, but when they looked up, it was to the sight of shimmering light hailing down from the skies. A second boom echoed through the air, and everyone around them paused to witness the kaleidoscope of colour setting the night into flames.

"It's starting," Raven murmured. Beast Boy turned to her, taken by the way her chin inclined and hair grazed along the hood of her cloak.

This morning, he couldn't have imagined he'd be given an opportunity quite as miraculous as this…

So he curbed that innate itch to act before thinking, and instead let his chest rise on a measured breath.

"You wanna get a better view?" Gar asked, a little hesitant, a little hopeful. It seized Raven's curiosity, for she was blinking back at him with slightly parted lips.

"Where?"

He smiled.

"Follow me."

As earlier that evening, the two heroes pressed on through the swarm, with Garfield leading them further up the pier. Though he had the perfect excuse to interlace their hands, he somehow resisted the urge and kept his arms swinging at his sides.

She tracked him wordlessly, turning her head here and there to digest the chaos. Though the display had begun, there were still kids screaming on rides, neon signs flashing, bells ringing out and bumper cars colliding. But the more they walked on, the more it all seemed to ebb away, until there were no rides, no stalls, and just scatterings of people who had also ventured out this far.

The girl's pace slowed as she grasped that they were reaching the brink of the pier; the cusp of a long, endless bridge suspended above the sea.

"Over here," the changeling called, stepping right up to the edge. She watched the silhouette of him against the horizon, felt her boots lead her on as he moved to sit, his legs dangling above the water.

By the time she arrived at his side, he was leaning his weight back on his hands, staring out at the view with a contented smile. Raven lowered herself to sit with him, placed her stuffed dolphin to her right, and noted how the wind played at the tips of his hair.

All of her, body and soul, felt uncommonly shy, and she couldn't place the cause. She was suddenly much too mindful of the placement of her hands, the stiffness along her spine, the gentle rock of her feet as they hung in the empty space beneath her.

It all faded when he angled her way, the round of his shoulder brushing lightly against her own.

"Wait for it," Gar murmured, and because they'd left the masses behind, she could hear the resonance in his voice when he spoke.

Another firework soared from the platform out on the waves. The two heroes followed its ascent until they were craned at the necks, watching it shoot high like a rocket, whistling on its way.

Then, like a supernova, the light burst forth.

A silver shower erupted from the darkness, sending sparkles shimmering down to illuminate the sea. All the lustrous pearls caught in the ocean mirror then spilled out in a waltz of stars, and Raven's breath stilled, tethered to her chest.

Beast Boy looked to her from the side, patiently waiting. For a moment, she imagined he might've been sitting much closer than he actually was.

She let that notion slide as a smile touched her lips.

"You're on a roll tonight," Raven said. A treasured thing, coming from her; the beginning of a spell taking root in his veins.

When his own smile deepened, she couldn't ignore all those attractive details up close, and hated him a little for looking the way that he did.

The soft slope of his nose. The tapered points of his ears. The kind, speckled glint in his eyes…

She saw courage in them too.

"So, not an awful date?" Raven heard him say. Then her heart was thrumming like the wings of a songbird, and she inhaled, collecting some semblance of a reply.

"Hey!" There was a man laughing behind them. "You beat us!"

Like the display, their small bubble burst.

Beast Boy had never been so bummed to hear the voice of his leader. He turned, Raven echoing the movement, and the pair saw their friends walking towards them, a cotton candy stick in Starfire's hand and a slushie drink in Robin's.

"Good spot, huh?" the Boy Wonder said, taking a seat at Gar's free side.

Starfire joined as well, getting comfortable next to her boyfriend, and what had been two Titans perched at the pier's edge soon became four.

"Your finned creature is adorable!" the alien chirped through a mouth of pink fluff, sending a hearty grin Raven's way.

"Thanks," she said. For some reason she sounded markedly peeved, but over the clashes and whirs of the show, it seemed to go unheard.

"Where's Cyborg?" Robin asked, pursing his lips to slurp his beverage through the straw. Gar felt his eyebrow tick.

"He found his 'not girlfriend' at the hot dog stand," Raven provided when Beast Boy didn't. Robin snorted.

"Romantic."

A gasp shot into the alien and her arm stretched out to the heavens.

"Look, it is the finale!" she beamed. Robin straightened and whooped in excitement, then all eyes rose to drink in the view - the coils and whirls, blazing in reds, yellows, and greens.

For a brief time, Jump's midnight sky was awake and alive with music and light.

Beast Boy didn't miss the way Robin slipped his arm around his girlfriend's shoulders, pulling her in so she could tilt her head to him. He took a second to glimpse down at his hand closest to Raven. It lay flat upon the bridge, and mere inches away, hers did the same.

It would be so easy, he thought; the slightest creep along the wooden panels, until the tips of their fingers grazed. Then he could slowly slip his palm atop her knuckles and enjoy the view in full, knowing in his bones that, right then, he was closer than he had ever been before.

Beast Boy saw it all transpire in his mind's eye, and though a lone finger tremored, he resolutely held it still.

Not yet, said the voice in his head. The one he knew was on his side. The one that was determined to do this right.

He listened.

Author's Note:

i too live by the sea and every year they have a crazy firework display out on the water, so this was kinda inspired by that. it's really pretty and romantic!

legit surprised by how much i'm writing from gar's perspective instead of raven's so far, since rae is my #1. i suppose it works better at this stage of the story tho.

(this chapter is, and was always intended to be, the point where the fic's pace picks up. so get hyped….. and also strap in for chapter 8 *eyes emoji*)