I don't own the Teen Titans
Story takes place four years after the show's end.
"Hey, Rae!"
Inwardly, she groaned at the use of the nickname, but wasn't all too bothered by the presence of her green teammate. Without looking up from her book, she answered his call.
"Ra-ven. Two syllables. I'm certain even with your limited intelligence you can understand that." She felt his ever-present exuberance waiver, but quickly returned to its usual state.
"Well...it's just that, the costume party is tomorrow, and I was wondering if you picked a costume yet?" he asked. A playful tone in his voice, like that of a child with a secret.
"No. But it isn't until tomorrow night. I've got time to whip something up" she replied, not once looking away from her book, despite having lost her place. She wasn't as irritated as she'd pretended to be. She was actually enjoying the small break from her book.
"Woah, Raven procrastinating?" He rushed to her side, placing a hand on her forehead. She startled lightly at the touch. "You feeling okay?" Mustering up the best glare she could, she slapped his hand away.
"I'm fine. I don't plan on doing anything extravagant, so it won't need much planning."
"Good!" he exclaimed. She cocked an eyebrow at him.
"Because...?"
"Because I have a great idea for you!" he said excitedly, grabbing the laptop he'd set down earlier.
"Beast Boy, I have no intention of listening to any of your costume ideas." She looked back at her book, stumbling to find the last line she'd read.
"C'mon, Rae. Just look at it first." His composure deflated.
"I said no. Now, if you'll excuse me..." She stood up, closing her book. As she made her way to the door, an idea struck him, a devilish grin crossing his face.
"How about a deal?" She paused in her tracks, finger hovering above the open button. "Ah, so I've grabbed your attention?" She rolled her eyes, but turned to face him.
"What kind of deal are we talking about, here?" she asked curiously. A wide smile spread across his lips. Walking over to the table, he spun a chair around to face it towards her. He raised a hand, pointing it in her direction.
"I bet you that I was in the delivery room the day you were born." Her face scrunched up in confusion.
"Impossible. There's no way you were there" she stated.
"Are you willing to wear my costume idea if I'm wrong?" Raven, in a rare show of arrogance, quickly accepted.
"Absolutely."
"In that case, I bet you" he raised his finger, pointing it towards her again. "That I was in the delivery room the day you were born."
"Nope." He lowered his finger.
"Say it then. Say I'm wrong." With a slight smirk, she responded.
"You're wrong." His smile widened. Purposefully, he stood from the chair making his way over to her, laptop in hand. Her smirk quickly faded.
What have I done... she thought.
He was only a foot away now. Raising his hand, he clenched a fist, all but one finger, which pointed directly at Raven's amethyst left eye.
"That eye was in the delivery room the day you were born." Raven blanched.
"Th-that doesn't count!" she shouted. "That's not fair!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air.
"Ah-ah-ah! You lost, fair and square, Raven."
"I want a redo!" He laughed loudly.
"That's not how this works, Rae. Now before you get your leotard in a bunch" she glared at him. He opened the laptop. "At least look at the picture." She grabbed the laptop and spun it around, surprised by what she saw.
"Beast Boy..." he grew nervous. "I actually think this is pretty good.." He beamed at her.
"R-really?" He was grinning ear to ear, eyes twinkling with excitement. She couldn't help but give a small smile. Her heart leaped slightly.
"Really." She wasn't expecting the sudden grasping of her wrist and the force of being pulled down the hall.
"Come on! It's not enough to look the part. You gotta act it too!" She couldn't help but give a small laugh at his enthusiasm. When they reached the door, he entered the lock code remarkably fast, and dragged Raven inside. Putting the laptop on his desk, and switching to the internet browser. She took a look around the room.
"You've cleaned" she stated. A small blush rose to his face.
"Yeah. You were right. It needed a good-"
"Exorcism?" she replied with a tight smile, satisfied with her joke. He laughed.
"Absolutely." He turned back to the computer and began pulling up videos. "Some of these are older, but I'm sure you'll get the gist of it." She glanced down to the screen, and watched, listening to the stunning orchestra that played, and the eerie environment that was created around the man. She had to admit to herself, she was impressed, and slightly intimidated by the man on the screen.
"He certainly knows how to make an entrance," she remarked. Beast Boy chuckled.
"Yeah, dude! That's why he's the best! See how he moves slowly, but powerfully? Like every move he makes has purpose? Made me think of you" he added absently. Her heart fluttered a bit.
"Why?" He looked at her, seemingly unaware of what he was saying.
"Well, 'cuz I never really see you do anything that doesn't need to be done. You don't waste your energy." He paused thinking of what to say next. "You...use it." She was taken quite aback by this statement, surprised her teammate had noticed such fine details about her. He focused back on the screen, and she allowed her mind to explore his words. Until a few moments later, he shouted.
"Here comes the best part!" She leaned over his shoulder for a better look, focusing on the man on screen. She had to admit, she was impressed by the presence the man held. Intimidation, but also respect. Behind his stonewall expression, it also felt as if he was boring straight into her soul.
That was when they both noticed their close proximity. The two locked eyes for a moment, before she backed away, both looking into different directions. Silence filled the room, the video being over.
"So, uh...it's kinda late" he suggested lamely. "Should we go costume shopping tomorrow?" he asked. She glanced at the digital numbers on his alarm clock. They read 9:30. She looked back at him with a small smile.
"Indeed. But there is one issue we're going to have with this plan." She gestured to her mouth and chin. He laughed a little.
"Don't worry, Raven. I've got a plan."
"Very well." She turned towards the door, pressing the open button. "Goodnight, Beast Boy." He raised a hand, waiving to her.
"Night, Rae." She turned around, giving him a halfhearted glare, but continued out the door. His heart did a slight jump as she left. He smiled to himself. "This is going to be great."
Raven walked quietly back to her room, going over the events that had taken place in his room over and over.
You don't waste your energy. You...use it.
How sweet! We never get compliments from him, Rae!
Raven rolled her eyes in the presence of the ever-enthusiastic emoticlone. She opened the door to her room, lit dimly by the candles, but bright enough for her to find her way around. The door hissed closed behind her.
"Indeed. His words were very...sweet." She stood silently for a moment. "And don't call me that!"
Oh, come on, girl. You can't honestly say you don't like when he calls you that. Not even a little bit.
"Brave, I'd advise you not to speak about these matters" she said sternly, trying to fight the blush from rising to her cheeks. "Now, please. I've got a busy day tomorrow, so I'd appreciate it if I could have a peaceful night's rest." She unclasped her cape, allowing it to fall onto the floor, and changed into her pajamas.
Yeah, a big day with him. Bravery snickered loudly, not bothering to hide her satisfaction. Rubbing her temples, Raven laid herself down onto the bed, repeating her calming mantra a few times before succumbing to the call of sleep.
A thin streak of light shone through Raven's thick, black curtains, illuminating the room surprisingly well. Raven woke seconds before her alarm, as per usual, able to silence it as soon as it began to howl. She tossed the velvet covers off of her body. Giving her body a decent stretch, she stood from the bed and headed to her closet, grabbing one of her numerous clean outfits. She walked towards the door, and it opened with a quiet hiss. She turned down the hall, heading towards the bathroom.
As she approached a corner, whistling met her ears, and not long after, Beast Boy rounded the corner. He was dressed, but his hair was wet, coming down over his forehead loosely. Raven had to admit...he looked cute. She blushed a bit at the thought. He looked at her with a smile.
"Hey, Rae! Ready to go costume shopping? Robin said we can have the day off of training because of the party tonight." She stared at him blankly, lost in her own thoughts. He cocked his head to the side. Waving a hand in front of her face, he tried again. "Raven? You in there?" She shook her head clear.
"Yeah, sorry. Still waking up I guess" she replied in her monotone voice.
"You sure you're okay? Your face looks kinda red" he added. Her eyes widened slightly.
"I assure you, I'm fine. Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to shower before we head out" she said, raising the clothes she had in her hands slightly to accentuate her point. He smiled at her, stepping to the side.
"If you say so. I'll be in the living room whenever you're ready. Take your time." With that, he continued down the hall, whistling the same tune, which she recognized from the videos the night before. Their brief moment of closeness crossed her mind and she felt her face flush. Looking down, she made her way quickly to the bathroom, locking the door behind her. She looked into the mirror above the sink, taking note of the redness of her cheeks. Her eyes narrowed in a slight glare.
"Why is this happening?" she asked out loud.
I believe you know the answer to that.
She recognized the voice as her yellow-clad emoticlone. Her eyes narrowed further. She turned away from the mirror, towards the shower.
"And just what is that supposed to mean?" she asked. She reached into the shower, turning the handles to the positions she'd memorized to be the most comforting to her.
It means you're in denial. You're refusing to acknowledge something true as such.
Steam began filling the room as he hot water poured from the shower head. She began rummaging through the small closet for her soap, shampoo, and conditioner.
"Alright, enlighten me. What exactly am I in denial of?" She began pulling her shirt over her head.
Quite simply, you like him.
She froze, shirt half over her head. A cold shock ran through her body at the brunt words spoken by the usually reserved clone. After her brief pause, she continued undressing.
"That's ridiculous. Absurd even. How could I have romantic feelings for-"
Garfield?
She froze once again at the mentioning of his name. Another voice spoke up.
Ah, see. Now if what Yellow here said wasn't true, how do you explain your reactions? Brave spoke matter-of-factly.
Raven was stunned. Partly because she couldn't come back with anything, but mostly because of the dawning realization.
"I...like him...?" She pulled back the curtain absent-minded, and stepped into the shower. Memories of their brief encounters over the years, and more recently past few months flooded her mind. She analyzed each one, trying to find some kind of loophole, but the proof was outstanding. "I..like him." This time, she stated it with certainty.
Out in the Ops room, Beast Boy was whistling and pouring a bowl of cereal. As he reached into the fridge, Cyborg shouted out to him.
"B! Can you stop whistling that song? It's getting annoying." He came back out of the refrigerator holding a carton of soy milk.
"Sorry, Cy. Sure thing. Just been stuck in my head all morning." He sat down at the table, adding the milk to his bowl. His thoughts traveled back to his costume plan for Raven.
It would be hard for one to imagine just how excited he'd been when she'd not only agreed to look at his idea, but actually liked it! He was practically through the roof with joy. But not as excited as he was to be taking her out- no, not taking her out. Bringing her out costume shopping today. Happily munching on his cereal, he kept thinking about where to go, and which stores would have what they needed.
"Geez, Green Bean. Keep smiling like that, and your mouth will cramp up" Cyborg said to him from the couch. Beast Boy chuckled nervously.
"Sorry, man. Just excited for today. Raven and me are going out costume shopping." A sly smile jumped onto Cyborg's face.
"Is that so?" he asked teasingly.
"Oh shut up, Tin man" he said, tossing a piece of cereal at the metal man with a smile. Catching the piece and tossing it in his mouth, Cyborg continued.
"I don't get what the big deal is. You like her. Why's it gotta be some big secret?" Beast boy's face dropped slightly.
"C'mon, man. You see how she talks to me. No way she likes me too." He began idly swirling his spoon in his bowl. "Besides, I don't know how she'd even react if she found out." Cyborg nodded.
"I get it man. But you can't stay afraid of the 'what if's. Sometimes you gotta just try. Worst thing that can happen is she turns you down. Right?" He sighed.
"I guess so." Just then, the doors hissed open, revealing their current topic of conversation. She kept her eyes straight as she walked towards the stove and began preparing her tea.
"Mornin', Raven" Cyborg cheerfully called to her.
"Good morning, Cyborg" she replied, never losing focus from the tea set.
"Ready, Rae?" Beast Boy asked.
"It's Raven." She set the kettle on the stove. "And I'd like to have my tea first." His spirits lifted slightly "So, where are we going to get the supplies for the costume?" She kept her attention on the tea set, not daring to glance his way.
"What are you going to dress as anyway?" Cyborg asked. Raven was about to answer, but Beast Boy cut in.
"That's a secret" he said confidently. "My idea is so great, I don't want anyone to see what it is until it's done." Cyborg's eyebrow lifted slightly. He turned his attention to Raven.
"You let him pick your costume?" She turned to him, keeping her gaze tightly on him.
"I lost a bet. But once he showed me what he had in mind, I must admit, I liked it. It's simple, yet intriguing." Cyborg nodded.
"Okay… and how exactly did you lose a bet?" She averted her eyes, slightly embarrassed at having been tricked so easily. Beast Boy laughed loudly.
"I got her with the 'Delivery Room' one!" Cyborg's mouth dropped a bit. His eyes snapped back to Raven.
"He got you too?" he closed his eye and rubbed his temple. "He got me to let him drive the T-Car with that one. Got Robin to let him drive the R-Cycle too." Raven's eyes snapped to Beast Boy. He offered nothing more than a shrug and a nervous smile. Just then, the kettle began whistling, distracting Raven from the current conversation. She poured the water into the small glass which held her tea leaves.
"So, Raven. Since it's a Saturday, I know a few of the places we're going to need to go close a bit earlier. So the sooner we can get out the better. Not that I'm rushing you" he added, rubbing the back of his head. "I know you like your morning tea and all that." She had to hide a smirk at his actions.
"Sounds fine" she said, taking a sip from her small cup. He flashed her a smile, and she felt it in her stomach. She looked away from him. The room was comfortably silent for a few moments, only broken from the occasional sip from Raven. Finally, she set her glass into the sink, giving it a rinse. She turned to her green teammate. "Alright, I'm ready." Beast Boy could hardly contain his joy. He nearly leaped from his seat.
"Great! Let's go!" he shouted as he sprinted out the door. Raven shook her head at his antics and started to follow him.
"Raven, try to have fun today. And don't be too hard on him, okay?" Cyborg said with a smile.
"I don't intend to, although your concern is appreciated" she said, and continued out the door. As she walked down the hall, she felt herself quickly grabbed into a tight embrace.
"Oh, Friend Raven! Is it true what Beast Boy says? The two of you are going shopping for the costumes?" Starfire asked, releasing her from her grasp Raven sucked in the breath that had been squeezed out of her.
"Yes. He has a very creative idea and I think it is decent enough." Starfire squealed in delight.
"Oh this is most joyous. It is almost as if the two of you are going on the date!" Raven pulled her hood up.
"Star, this is not a date. We are simply looking for the necessary accessories to put this costume together."
"Oh, I understand, Raven. I'm not trying to imply it is a date. But it does seem most like something people who were dating would do is all" she replied, her smile never wavering. "Now hurry along. He's waiting downstairs" she added, heading back down the hall. Raven nodded, opening a portal to the lobby downstairs. She passed through it, to find Beast Boy waiting patiently for her.
"Sorry about the wait. Starfire intercepted me in the hallway." He offered her a smile.
"Don't worry about it. Now, let's go" he said, walking out the door. She followed. Once outside, he transformed into a crow and began flying. She began after him. A near silent flight followed, the occasional caws here and there. Eventually, they reached Hank's Jacket House. Beast Boy set into a quick descent, cawing at Raven, as if to challenge her. She smirked slightly, but accepted, following him at close speed. If he sped up, she followed. They continued their little game until they began to approach the ground. Beast Boy seemed to not notice, speeding up even more. Raven did too, but grew more cautious as the ground approached. She knew she could stop herself, but could he? Just as it seemed to be too late, he pulled up mere feet from the ground, stopping his descent almost instantly. Her heart stopped for a moment before he'd transformed back into his human form with a smile.
"Thought you were gonna win, didn't ya? Ha! I was way closer!" he shouted with a smile. She glared at him.
"Don't do that again" was all she said.
See? You do care! Brave shouted from the front of her mind.
She ignored the dig at her, focusing herself back to Beast Boy, who seemed to have lost his smile.
"Gee, sorry Rae. Didn't mean to worry you... Well, anyway, here we are!" he shouted, light back in his eyes. "This place has all kinds of stuff!" He grabbed her hand, pulling her inside. The doors slid open as they approached. Immediately they were greeted by a man at the doorside register.
"Ah, hello to two of the city's protectors!" the man greeted jubilantly. "Welcome to the store. I'm Hank. Feel free to look around. Give a holler if you need anything" he said with a large smile. Beast Boy smiled back just as enthusiastically.
"You got it, Hank!" he said, beginning to make his way around the store. Raven followed closely, as if afraid to lose him amongst the tall shelves and racks filled with many forms of cloathing.
"I thought this was a coat store?" she asked Beast Boy, who was busy bobbing and weaving, quickly searching through the articles in question. "And could you slow down a bit?" He looked over his shoulder at her, a shy smile on his face.
"Heh...sorry, Rae. I'm just so excited!" She couldn't stop a small smile from showing itself at his childish enthusiasm. He turned back to the rack he was sorting through. "Hmm...not over here..." he said to himself, moving on to the next rack, noticeably slower than before, Raven noted. He continued to shuffle through the coats and jackets, and Raven decided to join. They found plaid shirts, jackets, working jackets, and the like, but not what they were looking for.
"Hey, Hank! Got any leather?" Beast Boy tossed a shout up to the store owner. Hank smiled to the duo.
"Oh, sure! Behind the curtain on the back wall" came his reply.
"Thanks a bunch!" Beast Boy replied, making his way to the back of the store. Raven followed. When suddenly, a question came to her.
"Uh... Beast Boy?"
"Ya Rae?"
"You don't have a problem with...leather?" Moving the curtain to the side, he held it open, motioning for her to pass first, which she did. He shrugged, following her.
"That fake leather stuff is made of plastic anyway, and when that ends up in a landfill somewhere, it's worse for the environment. At least leather is biodegradable." He made his way to the racking, sifting through the many coats, vests, and jackets. "Besides, being against leather would be the same as not using glue. A lot of stuff we need comes from the byproducts of farming anyway."
Raven was stunned.
"You're surprisingly knowledgeable about the industry." He hopped over to another rack.
"Well, as much as I don't like it, it would be stupid to think it's not necessary. The least I can do is not eat it. A-ha!" With a flare, he pulled a coat off of the rack. "If I were to guess, I'd say this looks about right!" He was so excited that she couldn't help but smile along. Taking off her cloak, she slipped the long coat on and felt the weight of it.
It covered her modestly, much like her cloak, so she didn't mind it.
"Perfect! First try! Come on, let's see if we can find a hat!" He rushed off excitedly with her cloak in hand and she followed, shaking her head with a smile. Her feet were barely visible when she stood still,
but peaked out as she walked.
Passing through the curtain she was reminded once again of the video from the night before. She looked around, but didn't see her teammate anywhere. Suddenly, she saw him peek up from the other side of the store.
"Over here!" He shouted with a wave. When she got to him, he rushed to put the hat on her head, but exploded into a fit of laughter when it completely covered her eyes. "Maybe not this size." He turned back to the hat rack and grabbed a smaller hat, which fit perfectly. "Sweet! Alright, do you own any regular clothes?"
"I own several pairs of black pants which will suffice. And i do own black boots."
"Awesome! Let's pay and get to the next store." Bringing their belongings to the register, they rang the bell, drawing Hank from his office. "All set to go, Hank! How much do we owe you?" Hank held up a hand.
"Nonsense, the money you and your friend have saved me by protecting this building over the years, I believe I can afford to let you have those. Think of it as a thank you gift." His smile was genuine.
"Are you sure?" Raven asked. She wasn't one to take charity ordinarily.
"Am I sure? I insist! Please, I'd be insulted if you didn't. Go, and have a happy Halloween!" He handed the two a bag for their items.
Raven knew leather wasn't cheap, so the weight of the man's generosity was not lost on her. Removing the hat and coat, she placed them into the bag. And bowed her head.
"Thank you for your kindness." And with that, they left.
"Oh man, I can't believe the money we saved!" Beast Boy exclaimed as they headed down the sidewalk.
"It is nice to know that there are still people out there that appreciate what we do. Most of them just expect us to be there." Before too long, a thought occurred to her. "Beast Boy?"
"Yeah, Rae?"
"You know we can't make this costume completely accurate, don't you?" She said with a smirk. He'd been making her blush, whether or not it was intentional. Now it was her turn to push his buttons.
"What do you mean? We have the hat, the coat, pants and boots. Robin has some gloves we can 'borrow'. What's the problem?"
"In case you hadn't noticed, there are certain biological differences that will need to be taken into consideration."
"We can get a wig if you don't want to dye your hair. I thought it all out." Her face scrunched.
"I had no intention of dyeing my hair, so that was never a question."
"Well, if that's not it, what's up?"
"Do you recall how the outfit he wears exposes a great deal of his chest?" Beast Boy stopped walking, but she continued. The thought of her in a similar outfit buzzed around his head. He could feel his face heating up.
"Uh, we can work around that." He caught back up with her. "Just wear your regular leotard. It'll be fine. People will still get it." His voice was nervous, and the words came out fast. He cleared his throat and looked at the sign on the store they were approaching. "Hey, Celebration Town!" He sounded relieved. "We should be able to find a wig and some makeup in here!" Raven grabbed his arm and halted him. He turned to face her.
"You never mentioned makeup." He just laughed.
"Plan on growing a mustache and goatee, do ya?" He gave her a smile that made her stomach flutter.
"I do not."
"Makeup it is, then!"
Their stay wasn't very long. The black wig and makeup were easy enough to find when they asked the young girl at the register for directions. Beast Boy made a comment about them having to pay on the way back to the tower. But Raven knew he was only joking. After all, a retail worker wouldn't dare make that call without consulting the higher-ups.
"So, what do you plan on attending the Halloween party as?" Raven asked as they flew. Beast Boy, being in the form of a parrot, was easily able to reply.
"It's gonna be a good one. I got a bunch of brown and tan body paint. And I can shape-shift. So I thought Donkey Kong would be hilarious!"
"And that is…" She asked as they landed on the tower's roof. He morphed back into his human form. His face was one of disbelief.
"Look, I know you aren't that familiar with video games, but come on! It's freaking Donkey Kong!" He threw his hands in the air to accentuate his point.
"I was joking, Beast Boy." She said as they passed through the door to the stairwell. "As out of touch as I am with video game culture, you play enough games for me to pick up a few characters." His eyes were wide for a moment before a loud laugh came from him.
"Good one, Rae!"
"I'm glad you enjoyed it." They reached the floor with all of the rooms on it and exited the stairwell.
"Alright, let's split up. I'm going to go get my paint on, you go get all dressed up. I'll meet you in your room to help with the finishing touches. Ready?" He held his hand out facedown. Raising an eyebrow, she placed her hand on top of his. "And break!" He shouted, throwing their hands into the air before dashing off down the hall. A small chuckle escaped her. As much as he tended to get on her nerves, she had to admire his enthusiasm and passion for life.
Looking herself over in the mirror, she could honestly say that she didn't mind the look. She hadn't put the black wig on yet, but as far as everything else went, she was comfortable enough in it. Not being too much a fan of hats, she did like that this hat did conceal much of her face at certain angles. Although, the pants she wore would be a bit limiting to her mobility in a fight.
A knock at the door brought her attention away from the mirror. Using her powers, she opened it. Her green teammate rushed inside. He stared for a moment and laughed.
"You look awesome!" She blushed slightly.
"Thank you. I must admit, I am quite comfortable in this attire. I was worried when you told me you had the perfect costume picked out for me, but you impressed me, Beast Boy." She took her eyes away from the mirror and turned to see him. A loud but short laugh came from her, along with a candle on her shelf exploding in dark energy.
His uniform was the same, but his skin and hair was dark brown. She quickly regained her composure.
"You look different." Her voice held a tone of humor to it. He smiled.
"Always do. Now, down to business." He went over to the bag from the party store and pulled out the wig and makeup. Pulling a chair away from her desk he gestured for her to sit, which she did.
"Such a gentleman." He blushed at her remark. "I was thinking about another detail for this to work. Eye color." Beast Boy slapped himself in the forehead.
"Of course! Why didn't I think of that?"
"Don't worry. I know a spell to temporarily change it." She said casually. He smiled.
"Of course you do. You know everything. That rock hard brain of yours never ceases to amaze me." She rolled her eyes. "Alright, let's get to work!" He circled around to the front of the chair and squatted down in front of her. He began dabbing the sponge into the makeup.
As he touched the area around her lips, she felt electricity with each gentle motion. She tried to push the feelings down by focusing her attention elsewhere. But she knew she had to sit still while he did his work. So, she focused her attention on his face.
She couldn't deny it. He was cute. As much as she would deny it, and it irritated her to hear, chicks do in fact, dig the pointy ears. His unbrushed hair gave him a rough-and-tumble appearance, and his always visible fang was a cherry on top for her. She had always found him attractive, much to her dismay, but having her feelings realized made her attraction intensify.
His face was twisted into a look of concentration, his eyes repeatedly going from her lips to the makeup. She couldn't help but wonder what he would do if she kissed him.
"There!" He exclaimed, startling her out of her thoughts. She got up and walked over to her mirror and scoffed at her appearance. "You don't think it looks good?" He asked in a worried tone.
"No, no. It looks fantastic. It just amuses me to see myself like this." She turned to him. "Excellent work."
His smile was wide and proud, but he couldn't deny she did look funny with a mustache.
"You make a very pretty man, Raven." He realized the words left his mouth a moment too late. They both blushed.
"Thanks, I think." She mumbled.
"Oh! One more thing!" He grabbed the makeup again and went over to her. "Look up." She did. As he applied the makeup to her neck, her spine shivered. "Perfect!"
She caught her reflection and noticed he had sharply written 'Sara' across her neck. Nodding, she muttered a slight incantation. Her eyes glowed white, then faded. Her irises were now a hazel brown. He let out a low whistle.
"It's all coming together. Let's go over the video a few more times."
The party was in full swing. All Titans, honorary and otherwise, were in attendance. Everyone was in full costume.
Kid Flash was dressed as The Flash, as borrowing one of his costumes was the only way not to hinder his powers.
Robin was dressed as a spy, full tuxedo and all, with Starfire on his hip in a glittering white gown.
Speedy showed up as Robin, earning a laugh from everyone besides Robin himself.
Aqualad was dressed as Mario, with Jericho as Luigi. Tramm was in a Toad costume.
Mas and Menos were also dressed as The Flash and Kid Flash.
Kole came as a hippy, and somehow managed to get Gnarrk into a suit and tie. He even carried a briefcase.
Cyborg and Bumblebee were police officers, and Jinx, even though it was unplanned, came dressed as a prisoner.
Wildebeest couldn't find a suitable costume, so he just came as himself. As did Hotspot.
Pantha dressed as Bane, and Herald as the Riddler.
Argent dressed as a motocross driver.
Bushido was a samurai.
Red Star wore a hazmat suit.
Kilowatt, Thunder, and Lightning also showed up as themselves.
The music was loud and there was plenty of food. Paper pumpkins and bats adorned the walls. Orange and black streamers hung from wherever they could be attached. A novelty witch prop was plastered to the large window of the room, making it seem as though she had smashed into it.
Everyone was having a blast when suddenly, black sparks of electricity reached into the room, throwing it into darkness.
"What's going on here?" Argent asked from the darkness.
A bell tolled in the darkness. Loud, ominous music began playing and Cyborg recognized it from what Beast Boy was whistling that morning. That was The Undertaker's theme song. A large smile spread across his face.
"No freaking way he got her to do this."
"Do what?" Bumblebee asked from her place by his side, their arms linked.
"Sit back and enjoy the show."
Slowly, the doors to the room rolled open, a silhouetted figure stood in the doorway. The lights came back on in the room, but they were now an eerie blue. Fog rolled into the room. Slowly, the figure moved into the room. The movements were meticulously calculated and ominous. Once reaching the center of the room the figure raised its hands and the lights faded back into normal and the music stopped.
Raven's heart was pounding. She wasn't thrilled with the more grandstanding side of the costume and she hoped it didn't come across as foolish. But she was instantly swarmed and praised about the display.
A shy smile came to her face and she turned to see Beast Boy standing in the doorway leaning against the frame. She had to admit, he knew how to work a crowd. She was pleased it didn't last too long, as everyone knew she wasn't one for having her personal space invaded.
"Oh, Raven! This is a most wonderful costume!" Starfire loudly exclaimed. "I never expected you to be so into the idea of dressing up!"
"Well, I lost a bet. Besides, I don't believe I look too bad." She was still feeling shy with all of the attention.
"Raven!" Three voices yelled together. Instantly she felt her heart soar and began scanning the group. Suddenly, three much smaller bodies made their way to her, wrapping her in a fierce hug. She returned it enthusiastically.
"There's my kids! You seem like you get bigger every time I see you."
Melvin, Timmy, and Teether came as the Three Musketeers. They couldn't find anything to fit Bobby. Teether was hesitant to talk to Raven after getting a better look at her, but she gave a small smile.
"It's me, buddy." She took off the hat and wig revealing her purple hair. That seemed to do the trick.
"Jesus, B. You lose a bet with a tanning bed?" Cyborg said loudly. Everyone turned to look at the brown changeling, who just scoffed. He pulled a tie out from his pocket and put it on. The letters 'DK' were on the bottom of the tie.
"Check it!" He turned into a brown gorilla and dragged a barrel out from the hallway with the same lettering painted on the side. This brought forth another bout of laughter from the group.
Aqualad stepped forward and spoke in a remarkable imitation of Mario's voice.
"So we meet again." Beast Boy grunted. "Get him, boys!" Jericho and Tramm joined in and jumped onto the changeling trying to wrestle him to the ground. The play fight began migrating around the room.
"You better not break anything!" Robin shouted. He knew they wouldn't, but didn't want to take any chances. After a few moments, and with little effort, Beast Boy was able to stuff them all into the barrel and send it rolling across the floor.
It collided with a wall and broke into many pieces. The three were now in a pile of limbs and dizzy from the spinning. Beast Boy banged on his chest a few times letting out an ape like laugh.
Thunder clapped him on the shoulder, a loud boisterous laugh coming from him.
"Your antics bring much entertainment to me, Green One. Or should I call you Brown One?" He asked with another laugh.
Eventually, the party wound down and the young heroes went their separate ways. Raven was sitting on the couch, the three kids curled around her in various positions sleeping, using her long coat as a blanket. Luckily one of her arms was free for her to read a book.
Beast Boy was hustling about in gorilla form again, green now, having showered the paint away, using his large arms to make quick work of pulling down and disposing of decorations. Despite it being almost one in the morning, he was still riding off of the party high and had energy to spare. Finally deeming he had done enough for the night, he sat on the couch as well, back in his human form.
"Whew! What a party!" She shot him a glare, motioning towards the children with her eyes. He let out a nervous laugh. "Sorry."
She rolled her eyes and returned to her book. The wig was gone, but she still wore the hat. Her eyes were also the same hazel brown color, but he could see the vibrant purple was starting to make its was back.
He took a moment to admire her. She looked so at peace with the kids by her side. She was gently running a hand through Melvin's long blonde hair. He smiled, and she caught it out of the corner of her eye.
"What?" His smile widened.
"Nothing. It's just… you're a natural, Rae." Knowing what he meant, she hummed in response. "Those kids think the world of you." She smiled at his words.
"That's very kind of you to say." She turned a page. "You know, they seem to like you, too."
"What can I say? I'm a party animal." He spread his arms across the back of the sofa and leaned his head back. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He heard her close her book.
"Before you get too comfortable, would you mind helping me get the kids to bed?" She asked.
"Happy to help," he said with a smile. He stood up and scooped Melvin off of her lap. She clung to him in her sleep. He grabbed Teether from her left. This way she only had Timmy and his blanket to worry about.
She gave him a grateful smile as she stood up from the couch. Bobby opened an eye as they walked away, but made no motion to move. After all, he was too big for a bed anyway.
"Where to?" He asked Raven.
"One of the spare rooms. My bed isn't big enough for the four of us."
"Nah, they'll wanna wake up somewhere they know. I can give them my bunk bed. Melvin on the bottom, Timmy and Teether on top."
"Nonsense. Where will you sleep?" She asked.
"Couch works for me. Besides, I'm not all that tired yet anyway." She nodded.
"Neither am I. I wouldn't mind getting some more reading done as well." They made their way into his room and placed the children onto the bunks. He grabbed extra blankets from his closet to avoid any argument over blanket hogs. They had learned that lesson early. Raven gave each child a kiss on their head and the two left the dark room and went back into the well lit hallway. Raven took one last peak into the room as the door slid shut.
"You're such a mom" Beast Boy said from behind her. She blushed, but spun around and glared at him.
He had to laugh. She still hadn't washed off the makeup yet.
"Something funny?" She asked.
"No, sir. Nothing at all." She looked confused, but then remembered the fake facial hair.
"Oh, haha." Her voice was dry. They began walking back to the living room. "If I recall, you said I made a very pretty man." There was a teasing in her tone.
"Well… you do." He stated plainly. But his eyes were locked forward.
"Is that so?" She asked slyly.
"It is." They entered the room and both found their way onto the couch. Beast Boy sat first, and Raven grabbed her book from where she had placed it, and sat herself next to him. Her eyes were now back to their normal color.
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a pack of alcohol pads and handed them to her. She accepted them and began wiping her face. In a few short moments, her face was clear of any evidence there had been any makeup on it.
He turned on the television and started up a movie, the volume low enough to where his sensitive ears could hear it and hers could not. She continued reading her book, but found she couldn't focus properly on it. Her mind kept wandering to her friend beside her.
Stealing a glance, she saw he had adopted the same position he was in when they had gotten up to leave the room. His arms were spread across the back cushions. She wondered if he felt the same about her.
He blushes enough around us, so it is possible Knowledge spoke up.
I say we make a move. What's the worst that could happen?
She was staring now, and he noticed.
"Everything okay? I didn't miss any paint, did I?" He asked.
"No, everything's alright." She paused for a moment and went back to her book, and him to his movie. She let out a huff. "Beast Boy?"
"Yeah, Rae?" He asked without looking away.
"Would you like to join me for dinner tomorrow night?" She asked. She could feel the blood rushing to her face and knew it had to be very red.
He looked at her completely dumbfounded. Then he gave her a big lopsided smile.
"Nothing would make me happier." Her heart fluttered.
"Good."
A silent moment passed between them.
Ah, screw it.
She leaned over until her body was resting against his. He stiffened at first, but almost immediately wrapped his arm around her, still watching his movie. For the first time, her eyes went to the screen.
"This one again?"
"Jurassic Park is a classic."
The End.
Hopefully this isn't too out of character. I started writing this a few years ago and tried finishing it for Halloween, but it ended up being a lot longer than I had anticipated. I hope you like it!
I also don't own Jurassic Park, Donkey Kong, or The Undertaker'.
