A/N: Thanks much for the reviews! For those who are wondering, Dylan is coming into the story quite soon... look for it! To audi katia, yes, late-night encounters between BB and Rae are common, but that's because they are so spiffy! I hope mine is unique considering I lack individuality. To Bee Bop, I honestly don't think there is a window in Raven's room, but I'm just using my imagination. And to everyone else, my sincerest thanks, there's nothing better than seeing an inbox with review alerts! Whee! I hope you like it!
Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans. I don't own a small island in the Bahamas, either. Damn you, Johnny Depp!
Just Roommates
Chapter Three - Pathos
Beast Boy thumped through the halls of Titan Tower, not too loudly that he would wake someone up, but making enough noise so if they were already up they'd hear him and give him some company. He was a "people person," so much to the extent that the others often found him extremely annoying. He just constantly wanted companionship, which wasn't a lot to ask, but usually hard to come by with everyone's different hobbies and interests. After a few laps around the main level of the building, he headed for the finish line, the kitchen.
"And his prize," he said aloud, opening the mini-fridge, "is leftovers." Beast Boy grabbed a Chinese take-out carton and kicked the fridge door closed.
"What are you doing," came Raven's stoic voice from the couch with more of a statement than a question. Beast Boy jumped, nearly dropping his "trophy," but recovered in time for Raven to clutch the back of the sofa so she could shift around to give him an icy look.
"What's it look like I'm doing? I don't speak Chinese, but I know this food was callin' my name," he replied, grinning and plopping down next to Raven. Her expression said she didn't really care about an explanation. "Want some?" he offered her the carton.
"Pseudo oriental fast food packed with MSG?" he nodded anxiously. She frowned. "I'll pass."
"Your loss!" he faced his food but didn't feel a utensil in his hand. He looked around his lap and patted the couch. "Guess I forgot a fork," Beast Boy said, standing up.
Raven's eyes glowed an eerie white. Beast Boy stopped as he heard the clank of a cabinet drawer opening in the kitchen, a clink of silverware, and then a dull slam as it closed. A fork shot through the air and into Raven's raised hand. Beast Boy sat down again and she handed him the fork, not looking at him once.
"Hey... thanks," the Changeling's surprise to her sudden deed was quickly overcome by the rumbling in his stomach, which was also surpassed by the rumbling in the sky, and he began to eat-- slowly. This was his chance to talk to Raven one-on-one.
"Don't mention it," she said flatly. A silence passed between them and they both focused their attention on the flashes in the clouds.
"So, uh, couldn't sleep?" was Beast Boy's pitiful attempt at conversation. Expecting a sarcastic answer, he quickly added, "I see you made some tea."
"The thunder was interrupting my meditation. No, I couldn't sleep. I was hoping the tea would help." She took a sip. Okay, good, a start, he thought.
"Yeah, maybe it has the same effect as warm milk, or, err, something," he replied with a mouthful of food. He bit his tongue with a slight cringe when he saw Raven roll her eyes. "It's possible!"
"I suppose it is," a pause, a clap of thunder, then, "Well, is this keeping you awake as well?"
Woah, did she just ask about ME? "Oh, yeah, plus, I was hungry, so..." Beast Boy waved his fork for emphasis, "Hey, remember what happened the last time we had a thunderstorm?" No response. "We rented Wicked Scary." He saw Raven tense up. "Oh, come on, and you were so scared you turned our house into a freaking haunted mansion?!"
"I don't want to talk about it," Raven said through gritted teeth. Beast Boy rested the fork in the carton and scratched the back of his head.
"I was gonna say, it was pretty awesome," he said meekly. Raven relaxed a little.
"Whatever."
They both fell silent again. Raven took another sip of her tea, and Beast Boy placed the Chinese food carton on the coffee table in front of them. Resting his elbows on his knees, he watched Raven out of the corner of his eye. She was usually so emotionless, so apathetic, but tonight she seemed troubled. Angry, morose, nervous, anxious... anything she could be feeling right now, they were still emotions, and for Raven, they still were dangerous and had to be under control. Maybe it's because she didn't meditate? That's why she does it, right?, Beast Boy wondered. I guess it couldn't hurt to ask... actually... yeah, it could. He chose his words as though they meant his life.
"Hey, um, you look kinda... err, down, something wrong?" he said, still grappling for the right thing to say.
"Nothing. Don't even bother pretending you care," Raven shot him a look of steel. Beast Boy felt torn between humbleness and his temper.
"Look, I don't know WHY you hate me so much, but--"
"I do NOT hate you! Didn't we go over this when you INVADED MY MIND?" She snarled, feeling her anger rising. Beast Boy thought she was trying to glare a hole through his head and sided with his temper for this one.
"That was an accident, I thought we went over THAT. And if you don't hate me, why are you so sarcastic and mean to me all the time? All I want to do is talk to you, and--"
"Fine, I'm nasty, but what about you? You're not so easy to get along with either! With all of your pranks and lame jokes and taunts and--" Beast Boy's take-out carton exploded. Raven leaned back into the couch, closed her eyes, and quietly but quickly chanted. Beast Boy crouched down to clean up the mess.
"Raven, I just wanted to talk to you," he muttered after a while. He finished scooping the last bit of food into the largest chunk of the carton he could find and went to dump it in the trash. Raven opened her eyes and looked down at her knees. She could hear him going up the stairs, but then his footsteps stopped. "I just wanted to be your friend."
At that very second, thousands of options scrolled through her mind. What am I supposed to do in this sort of situation?, she managed to think, rather desperately, through the sudden pressure of stress. His words had struck a nerve. Now that she considered it, Beast Boy was never terrible to her, just playful. Maybe he was right, maybe she was sarcastic and mean, but... he didn't understand. A loud crash of thunder agreed with her. He just didn't understand!
"You're right, I guess I really don't understand you," Raven didn't even realize she had said anything out loud, so she jumped at a response from Beast Boy. "But I don't think you ever gave me the chance to try," and with that, he left her alone with the door hissing shut echoing in her mind.
Raven squeezed her eyes closed. I blew it. I completely blew it! Why is it so difficult to maintain both my powers and my friends? Opening her eyes again, she drained the last bit of her tea and approached the door. When she was several feet away from the kitchen area, a sudden sense of frustration and guilt flooded her and she threw her cup in the general direction of the sink. She missed it by only a few inches, better known as the counter, and it broke into a few large shards and clattered to the ground. Forget it. Raven stalked back to her room feeling weak and pathetic.
Beast Boy had heard the sound of breaking glass in the kitchen on his way back and, after pausing for a heavy internal debate, walked around the corner toward his bedroom.
A/N: Ahh, drama! Not my favorite thing to write, but I hope it came out alright nonetheless. I'm toggling between a few ideas for the next chapter, so suggestions are certainly welcome! I'm pretty sure Dylan will play a part in it as well. Yay! Review, please, or I'll wither away!