Thanks for the reviews i've gotten. Don't worry, this won't be a Star/BB fic as it will be explained in the chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans.
Cyborg leaned against the back of the couch, trying to take his mind off their recent defeat. He watched Starfire restlessly move around the kitchen trying to cook some food for the rest of the Titans. Cyborg turned to the T.V, hoping that some television could remedy his troubles. Flicking through channel after channel, he gave up and sighed. Getting up, he moved towards the kitchen to see what Starfire was doing.
Starfire's mind wasn't completely on what she was doing. Her eyes seemed distant as she stirred some batter mix in a large ceramic bowl. She didn't notice Cyborg approach, nor hear his metallic footsteps banging on the floor. She kept thinking of Robin's reaction at their loss today. She could picture his face, hear his voice and feel his anger. She sadly remembered what happened before with Slade, and how Robin couldn't handle it. And last time the whole team suffered, and now he was taking it out on poor Beast Boy. Beast Boy was only trying to help, she thought.
Cyborg opened his mouth to say something, but decided against it when he saw her deep in thought. Probably thinking about Robin, he thought. He turned and left the kitchen, leaving Starfire with her thoughts.
¨ ¨ ¨
Beast Boy looked down at his freshly wrapped hands, feeling the numbness from the pain. Raven had decided against giving him painkillers. He was part animal and she didn't know if he could have them. Beast Boy sat deep in thought, desperately wishing that Raven would finish soon so he could leave this wing.
"There, you're done" Raven finally announced, looking up from his hands. Beast Boy simply nodded and gave a quick thank you and left, practically running. Moving up the stairs at a quickened pace he tripped and collided with the floor. Instinctively putting his hands out to stop his fall he fell hard on his hands.
Raven picked up the medical supplies, placing them back in the cupboard neatly. She heard a cry of pain coming from the stairs just outside in the corridor. Rushing to find out what it was, she arrived to find Beast Boy sitting on the floor gently rubbing his knuckles.
"What happened?" she asked, helping him up. She could feel Beast Boy trembling with pain, with small tears forming in his eyes.
"I tripped…" he said finally, pushing back the tears. He kept his eyes fixed on his hands. I feel stupid, he thought.
Another silence surrounded them. Raven took another look at his hands.
"Are you okay?" Raven asked quietly. Beast Boy shook his head and smiled. It was the first genuine smile he had all day, glad that that someone cared a little bit about his well being.
"I'm okay" he replied still smiling. He turned and headed down the corridors, watching where he was going. His footsteps echoed slightly, putting him off. He stopped outside Robin's room, debating whether or not to apologize for earlier. No, I better not, he thought. He listened carefully outside of Robin's door, his keen hearing picking up almost every sound in the room. He could hear faint breathing with the occasional rustling of paper. Doing research, he thought.
Not wanting to linger anymore, he quietly made his way down the rest of the corridor. The cold grey walls led him to his own room, his sanctuary from the outside world. At least here I'm not judged, he thought. Except the mirror. The same one that judged him everyday and taunted him everyday. He hated that mirror, he didn't know why he kept it in his room. It's a reminder I guess…a reminder of what I am, he thought sadly. He reached his door, hesitating to enter. He didn't want to face his mirror anymore, not now.
Turning away from his door, he continued down the dark corridors. The corridor led to the west wing of the Tower. Sunlight blared through the windows that greeted him as he turned a corner. Shielding his eyes, he gazed out to the bay. It was only midday and the sun was still high up in the sky, shinning brightly. Perhaps I could go up to the roof, he thought.
He walked up the endless flights of stairs leading to the roof. At the top, he opened the door and walked out into the warm sunlight. Closing his eyes, he could feel the sun heat his body and his soul. He loved the day, the light, the sun. Darkness was never his thing. Too many bad memories and experiences.
He made his way over to the edge of the tower, sitting down. He hanged his legs carelessly over the edge. He stared across the bay; the beautiful blue ocean lifted his spirits slightly. He could hear the birdcalls of the gulls in the bay, and the occasional foghorn of the ships navigating the coast.
Beast Boy sat there for what seemed like forever to him, but it was only an hour. He lay back on the roof, feeling the warm sensation of the sun on his body. Closing his eyes, he let his mind wander over the day's fight. It was my fault, he thought, I'll apologize to everyone later. But for now he was content to lie in the sun's warmth, feeling his troubles slip away from him.
¨ ¨ ¨
The dark seemed to reach everywhere. It filled every corner of the room. A large T.V screen glowed to life, illuminating the room. Three figures stood in the light, nervously waiting for another. They could hear faint footsteps approach them, echoing on the metallic floor.
"So my friends, you have something for me?" asked a voice, the owner of the approaching footsteps.
"Yes" the small girl replied. She took a step forward to where the voice came from. A light glowed to life above them, revealing the pink haired girl and her two friends. A tall man stepped into the light of the bulb above them, illuminating his orange and black mask.
"And what might that be Jinx?" he asked with a friendly tone to his voice. He looked down at the small girl with a burlap bag at her feet. She opened the bag to reveal trays of diamonds that glittered under the bulb. The tall man didn't seem interested though and snorted slightly. Sensing this, Jinx spoke up again.
"This isn't the only reason we came here. We want to work for you," she said, hoping that he would accept their offer.
"Why would I want to do that? Last time you failed me" he replied coolly, his left eye staring intently at the pink haired girl. He looked up to the other two members with contempt, and they returned his glare angrily.
"That was a one off. He got ambushed, that's all!" shouted the small boy angrily crossing his arms.
"Shut up Gizmo" spoke Jinx "Today we defeated the Titans with a full squad. I feel we may have proved ourselves," she told the man proudly.
"I know you defeated them, I know many things. Like the fact that the green boy was injured beforehand" he replied softly. At this the three snorted, feeling angry that their victory wasn't appreciated. Slade continued, "Nevertheless, I think you will be of use to me. I accept your offer but remember this. If you fail me again things will not go smoothly for you three"
The three smiled, knowing that they got their wish. They nodded slightly, grinning madly.
"Thank you, Slade" replied Jinx; before the three slinked away into the darkness surrounded the room. With a loud click, the light above them went out. Slade stood there, basking in the darkness around him. Now my plan will begin, he thought. He smiled under his mask at the prospect of making the Titans pay.
¨ ¨ ¨
Robin sat at his desk, patiently sifting through page after page of evidence. Every article that had ever been written on Slade was here. Even though this was the HIVE, he thought, Slade wouldn't be too far away from it. Determined more then ever, he resumed his research on Slade.
He picked up an article written three months ago in the Daily Journal, the major newspaper in Jump City. The article mention Slade's last plan they had stopped. Smiling at the memory, Robin read the article slowly.
The Daily Journal learned today of the latest plot that the evil mastermind known only as Slade instigated on the unsuspecting citizens of Jump City. Thankfully the Titans stopped this plan before any major incidents occurred. Details about the plan are sketchy, with both the police and the Titans unwilling to give any information prior to an investigation. The staff at the Daily Journal wishes, as well as the citizens of Jump City, a heart felt thank you for once again coming to the rescue of this fine city. We wish to thank Robin, Starfire, Cyborg, Raven and Beast Boy for their brave efforts. We will report further on this incident as more facts come to our knowledge.
Robin finished reading, setting the article down on the table. Sighing, he recalled the fight earlier today. Maybe I should apologize to Beast Boy, he thought. His eyebrows sank slightly behind his mask, feeling ashamed of himself.
He leaned back in his chair, placing his hands behind his head. He looked up at the ceiling, staring intently at a fleck of dust. He realized that he couldn't concentrate on his research. If he missed something it could prove costly. Sighing, he got up out of his chair and made his way the door. Unlocking it, he stepped outside into the cold air of the corridor. He shut his door and went in search of his friends, hoping they could get his mind back on track.
¨ ¨ ¨
Raven watched Beast Boy walk up the remainder of the stairs. She watched him incase he had another accident. Satisfied that he made it up the stairs without any incident, she turned back to the medical room to finish packing away the supplies. She walked into the white room, feeling uncomfortable in the brightness around her.
She picked up the strips of bandages that were left on the table, throwing them in the nearby bin. She quickly packed away the rest of the supplies before leaving. Shutting the door behind her she made her way up the stairs towards the safety of her own room.
¨ ¨ ¨
Beast Boy felt a cold chill run across his body, bringing him out of his slumber. He slowly opened his eyes to find complete darkness around him. Wondering how long he had slept for he got up and stretched his refreshed limbs. Looking up at the trees above him, he quietly made his way to the edge of the forest. Looking out across the field that lay out before him, he stopped and sniffed the air. He couldn't smell or hear anything. He crept out tentatively into the open field, not wanting to alert anything to his presence.
The filed lit up dimly, basking everything in an eerie glow. He turned his head sharply, alert to any danger. Realizing that it was only the moon shinning from behind the clouds, he made his way on down the field. Eventually he came to an old wooden fence, running alongside a dark green hedge. He could smell something across the hedge, something that smelled like food. Licking his lips as he savored the taste in the air, he jumped over hedge in a single leap.
He spotted a small lamb, just away from the main herd. He carefully made his way closer to the unsuspecting animal. Feeling his sharp fangs in his mouth, he knelt down by the lamb quietly. Grabbing its head and shoulder he bit down hard onto the lamb's neck. A soft crying sound came from the lamb's mouth, but Beast Boy felt no remorse. He only felt the hunger in his stomach and the taste of the lamb's blood in his mouth.
He picked the lamb up with his mouth still in its neck. The sound of the lamb had died down and he quietly carried away. Throwing it over the fence it made a soft thud onto the grass. Jumping over he resumed his feeding on the animal, satisfying his hunger and his urge to kill.
¨ ¨ ¨
The sun still shone down on Jump City, warming everything under the warm rays. A green teen was lying on the roof, basking in its warmth. He was still asleep, but small beads of sweet dripped down his face. He bolted upright, eyes staring out into the bay. Panting, he felt his cold clammy hands in his grey gloves. Pulling them off his hands, he placed them neatly to his side. He was warm, too warm. I may be coming down with a fever, he thought to himself.
He stripped his top off, confidant that he was alone on the roof. He felt a cool breeze upon his body, cooling him down. He instantly felt better, his body returning to its natural heat. He wondered what time it was, it looked around mid afternoon. His animal senses confirmed this. Getting up and stretching, he turned around to see Starfire looking at him from the door.
¨ ¨ ¨
Robin walked into the main room, finding Cyborg stretched out on the couch channel surfing. Saying a quick hello, he asked where everyone else was.
"Star's in the kitchen…Raven and Beast Boy are probably still in the medical wing" answered the metallic teen.
Nodding, Robin made his way over to the kitchen to find Starfire. She wasn't there. All he could find was the remnants of the batter mix she must have been making. Giving up, he left the kitchen and sat down next to Cyborg on the couch.
"I thought you said that Star was in the kitchen?" he asked, perplexed.
"I thought she was," he answered, still gazing at the large screen in front of him.
Robin merely sat there, wishing that Cyborg would pick a channel. Leaning back he started to relax, trying to get his mind off Slade for the time being.
¨ ¨ ¨
Starfire smiled slightly as she walked over to Beast Boy, looking away from his chest and stomach. Walking up to him she sat down on the edge of the building, looking over the bay.
"Yes Star?" Beast Boy urged. He quickly grabbed his top and put it back on, not wanting to show off anymore of his green skin.
"Um, I wanted to talk to you about something…" she answered nervously, still looking over the bay. Beast Boy quickly understood what she was driving at. Sure that she wasn't going to talk, he decided to.
"Is it about Robin?" he asked tentatively. Starfire tenses up, not able to look at Beast Boy in the face.
"Yes, how did you know?" she asked perplexed.
"Raven mentioned it before. Besides it's pretty obvious," he continued. She smiled at this and turned to face him.
"Well, I have feelings for him. More than usual, but…" she stopped, her smile gone.
"But what, Star?" Beast Boy urged again, trying to be helpful.
"I don't know if he admires me back. Not in the manner of friendship" she confided, her eyes shut trying to force back tears.
"Star, I'm sure Robin likes you back. I mean it's pretty obvious that he does," he said softly.
Starfire's eyes lit up in happiness, and her sweet smile graced her face once again. She turned to Beast Boy and got up, grinning madly. Offering her hand she helped him.
"Thank you for your kind words friend. I shall converse with Robin soon" she nearly shouted, unable to hold in her excitement.
"Anytime Star," he said kindly, returning her smile. Star lunged at him and enveloped him in a deep hug, lifting him into the air. After a while she let him down, still smiling. She gave a quick goodbye and she left through the open door and down the stairs.
Beast Boy smiled, glad that someone had found some happiness in their life. Beast Boy wasn't keen on relationships, he never had one. Nobody could look past the green skin and pointy ears. He remembered of a time that he was chased out of a small rural village, just because of his skin. He was nearly lynched by the scared locals after they found him. It was close but he escaped. It was only his animal instincts that kept him alive, kept him running and kept him fighting. If he had more control he would be dead long ago.
Turning to look at the bay one last time, he entered the darkness of Titans Tower, his house…never his home.