Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans. In a way, they belong to all of
us.
* * *
Beast Boy was in his room, alone with his thoughts. He was still reeling from the surprisingly vicious word-association exercise he and Raven had shared.
"Kill?" he grumbled. "What kind of an answer is that?"
He flopped face-down on his bed.
He thought he had understood: Raven didn't want to be near him. The exercise certainly seemed to confirm that. So the problem was on his end.
Why couldn't he stop pursuing her? It was obvious he was getting nowhere. He should just give up. But somehow, it didn't seem right. Or fair.
A knock at the door jolted him out of this reverie.
"Come," he yelled into his pillow.
The door squeaked on its hinge.
"Shot down, eh?"
Beast Boy sat up.
"You were listening?" he nearly shouted, his rage evident.
"Sorry, Beast Boy," said Robin, holding his hands out in a gesture of peace. "If you wanted privacy, you could have asked."
"It doesn't matter," muttered Beast Boy, falling backward onto the bed again. "Anyway, yes. Shot down. What's it to you?"
"I just wanted to see that you're alright."
"Sure. Peachy."
Robin cleared his throat. Apparently, he had been rehearsing this scene.
"I hope your feelings for Raven won't compromise our crime-fighting," he said cautiously.
"You and me both."
Robin paused again.
"Isn't there any way you could, you know, just put it behind you?"
"Don't you think I've tried?" Beast Boy was on his feet. He grabbed Robin's tunic. "I loved her the moment I saw her. Yes, I know, cliché city, but it's true. Well, for a long time I didn't say anything. But yesterday, I couldn't hold it in any more." He sighed. "You have no idea what it's like."
Robin racked his brain for something reassuring to say.
"We'll figure this out eventually."
Beast Boy clasped his shoulders.
"That's the spirit! She'll have to give in eventually."
"That wasn't quite what I meant."
"Quiet, man! I have serious planning to do."
* * *
Beast Boy was in his room, alone with his thoughts. He was still reeling from the surprisingly vicious word-association exercise he and Raven had shared.
"Kill?" he grumbled. "What kind of an answer is that?"
He flopped face-down on his bed.
He thought he had understood: Raven didn't want to be near him. The exercise certainly seemed to confirm that. So the problem was on his end.
Why couldn't he stop pursuing her? It was obvious he was getting nowhere. He should just give up. But somehow, it didn't seem right. Or fair.
A knock at the door jolted him out of this reverie.
"Come," he yelled into his pillow.
The door squeaked on its hinge.
"Shot down, eh?"
Beast Boy sat up.
"You were listening?" he nearly shouted, his rage evident.
"Sorry, Beast Boy," said Robin, holding his hands out in a gesture of peace. "If you wanted privacy, you could have asked."
"It doesn't matter," muttered Beast Boy, falling backward onto the bed again. "Anyway, yes. Shot down. What's it to you?"
"I just wanted to see that you're alright."
"Sure. Peachy."
Robin cleared his throat. Apparently, he had been rehearsing this scene.
"I hope your feelings for Raven won't compromise our crime-fighting," he said cautiously.
"You and me both."
Robin paused again.
"Isn't there any way you could, you know, just put it behind you?"
"Don't you think I've tried?" Beast Boy was on his feet. He grabbed Robin's tunic. "I loved her the moment I saw her. Yes, I know, cliché city, but it's true. Well, for a long time I didn't say anything. But yesterday, I couldn't hold it in any more." He sighed. "You have no idea what it's like."
Robin racked his brain for something reassuring to say.
"We'll figure this out eventually."
Beast Boy clasped his shoulders.
"That's the spirit! She'll have to give in eventually."
"That wasn't quite what I meant."
"Quiet, man! I have serious planning to do."