Notes: Wow. I got something like 20 reviews in the first 24 hours after posting this story, which is possibly a record for the first chapter of a story. I guess the TT fandom is really active. shrugs I don't know how fast this story will come out, but I think I know where it's going, so that's a good sign. Some of the reviewers brought up some interesting points (particularly Pokemon Fan), most of which will eventually be touched upon in this story. So, uh, here goes with Chapter 3 of "The Man Without."
Insert appropriate disclaimer here
The Man Without
Chapter 3 – The Waking Beast
Late February
"Hey, where's Raven?" Beast Boy asked the next morning of the only other person in the common room.
"No idea, man," Cyborg replied drowsily he absently salted his coffee.
"You look like shit, Cy," Beast Boy told him.
"Didn't sleep much last night," Cyborg replied. He took a sip of his coffee, grimaced, then took another longer drink.
Beast Boy nodded sagely. "Yeah, your room's right next to Starfire's." He looked sympathetic.
"So much noise!" Cyborg mumbled woefully. "I thought I'd put enough soundproofing in the walls but apparently Earth has yet to invent a substance that can block out the screeching of a Tamaranian in heat." He shook a little more salt into his coffee.
"Tough luck, dude," Beast Boy said, clapping a consoling hand on his friend's shoulder. "I'm going to go look for Raven . . ."
"Is something up with Raven?" Cyborg asked.
". . . Not really," Beast Boy admitted. "It's her birthday, though. I want to show her the present I got."
Cyborg cursed colorfully. "It's her birthday again already? Shit, how old is she? Eighteen, now?"
"Nineteen," Beast Boy corrected promptly.
"Damn. What the hell am I going to get on such short notice?" Cyborg set his coffee down and began massaging his temples, both the flesh one and the cybernetic one. "What'd you get for her? She generally either loves your presents or she sets them on fire."
Beast Boy shrugged. "It's a secret this year." A slow blush crept across his cheekbones.
Cyborg raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" He suddenly laughed. "You gonna tell her how you feel about her?"
The younger boy scowled. "Don't be stupid, Cy."
"Oh, well, it was worth a shot," Cyborg said airily. "What do you think I should get for her? Think she'd go for clothes or something like that?"
"As long as you're careful. She liked the coat I got her last year, but the lingerie I got her the year before that was torched, I think," Beast Boy replied, sounding a little distracted. "She's a size 8, and a 34C, in case you were wondering."
Cyborg shot him a sideways glance. "You know her bra size?"
"Sometimes it's best not to ask, my friend," Beast Boy sighed with a shrug. "I'm going to go up on the roof to look for her. See you later and wish me luck."
"I think you'll need it," Cyborg told him.
Beast Boy trooped out of the common room and took the elevator to the roof. As expected, Raven was calmly levitating near one edge, the wind sliding through her hair and ruffling her cloak. Also meditating on the roof was Starfire, whose mere presence was nearly enough to send Beast Boy back downstairs.
"What do you want, Beast Boy?" Raven asked quietly when he got within earshot.
Starfire cracked open one green eye and then the other. "Beast Boy!" she caroled. "You have come to join us in the meditating?" Her expression suddenly turned wicked. "Or were you hoping for something a little less cerebral?" She licked her lips.
Beast Boy felt his face heat up and turned instead to Raven, who looked slightly irritated. Guess I should have known better than to interrupt morning meditation, he thought glumly.
"Er," said Beast Boy.
"Spit it out," grumbled Raven.
"Happy Birthday," Beast boy said, a little more cheerfully. "Um."
Raven scowled.
"Yes, this celebration of Raven's birth certainly will be happy," Starfire added, taking the opportunity to pull Raven into a quick, full-body embrace. She leaned in to kiss the birthday girl but Raven pulled away.
"Robin's probably not going to like it if you keep trying to make out with me, Star," Raven told her friend.
"Oh, he won't mind," Starfire replied cheerfully, her hand gently cupping Raven's cheek. "He understands that it is how I show affection, now that I am a full adult. And you are one of my closest friends."
"You're not friends with me?" Beast Boy asked, trying to look both pathetic and manly.
"Oh, I am," said Starfire with a sunny smile. "But Robin has threatened to 'castrate' any other boy who kisses me." She mimed quotation marks in the air.
Beast Boy paled to a sort of minty-green color.
Raven rolled her eyes. "But it's okay for you to kiss girls, eh? Rob's such a pervert."
Starfire gave a wistful sigh. "Yeah. Isn't it sweet?"
Her two friends stared at her oddly.
"Well, I guess I'll go wake Robin up," Starfire continued. "He should have gotten enough sleep by now." She floated over the edge of the roof and out of sight.
"I hope Starfire gets herself under control a little soon," Beast Boy said once the Tamaranian was out of sight. "She's been kind of creeping me out."
Raven laughed quietly; it was a surprisingly mellow sound. "Hey, at least she hasn't been mauling you periodically." Raven tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "I haven't quite managed to explain to her that you usually don't make out with your best friend."
Beast Boy flopped down onto the roof next to Raven. "I guess it's just how she shows affection."
"It's nice to know she cares," Raven continued. "But I really need to sit her down and explain the difference between friends and special friends."
Speaking of special friends, Beast Boy thought, taking a deep breath.
"I actually came up here to tell you about your birthday present, Raven," he said with a slightly sheepish smile.
Raven scowled prettily through her blush. "Oh?" she replied, voice hoarse.
"Yeah, but it's a surprise, and we have to go downtown for me to give it to you," Beast Boy answered.
"Beast Boy, if this is some kind of joke . . ." Raven began.
"No, no, I'm serious, Rae," Beast Boy assured her, waving his hands. "I've sort of got a whole day planned out. We never do stuff together anymore, just the two of us." He took stock of Raven's less-than-interested expression and hurried on. "And it'll just be a sort of lunchtime kind of thing, so we'll be back this evening in time for . . . er . . ."
"The 'party of surprises' that Starfire has planned for this evening?" Raven murmured.
"Hey, you weren't supposed to know about that!" Beast Boy wrinkled his nose. "Anyway, and if we go out for a while, it'll give Cyborg time to get you a birthday present . . ."
"He forgot again?"
". . . And by this evening, Robin might even be able to walk again, and then he'd be able to join in for the party." Beast Boy paused for breath. "So what do you think?"
"This isn't a . . . date, is it?" Raven asked suspiciously, a weird expression on her face.
"Um . . ." said Beast Boy.
Raven's emptied tea cup exploded.
"No! Not a date. Just friends." Beast Boy grinned the manic grin of the slightly terrified.
"Then I'd love to go," Raven replied, climbing to her feet and stretching. "I'll be ready in a half hour."
Once she had disappeared, Beast Boy let out a whoop of triumph, flopped over onto is back and grinned stupidly at the sky. "I am the MAN," he told himself contentedly.
They ended up taking the T-Car for their not-date, and Raven herself was largely responsible for this.
"You are not taking my baby for a joyride downtown," Cyborg had declared firmly.
"Hey, I hear you forgot my birthday again," Raven had replied. And that was that.
Traffic was light, which made the ride only slightly less hair-raising.
"Oh, god, watch out for that old lady, Beast Boy!" Raven shrieked as they flashed through another intersection.
"No worries," Beast Boy said with a smarmy smile. "I've got it covered."
"Remind me again why I'm letting you drive?" Raven muttered.
"'Cause I'm the one who knows how to get there," Beast Boy replied smugly as he accelerated.
"Nuclear family at 2:00! Oh, shiiiiit!" Raven finally closed her eyes.
"Stop being so twitchy, Rae," Beast Boy said. "There's nothing to be afraid . . . Oh, crap!" he howled.
Raven peeked past her hand to see an absolutely clear roadway and a giggling Beast Boy. "You're so easy to tease," he said.
"I'm going to hurt you severely," Raven threatened.
Beast Boy swerved around a college student on a moped.
"But not until I'm out of the car," Raven continued.
They did not, in fact, hit anyone or anything throughout the entire drive to the Jump City Botanical Gardens.
"We're going in that big greenhouse there," Beast Boy said, gesturing to the glittering glass building at the center of the complex. "The new exhibit there isn't open to the public yet, but I did a favor for one of the head guys working on it and he's going to let us in today."
Beast Boy neatly parked the car and led Raven toward the building. "Once we get inside, I want you to close your eyes until we get to the spot."
Raven looked skeptical.
"Oh, just do it, Rae," Beast Boy said, holding the door open for her. "It'll be more fun that way. I promise."
"Whatever," Raven said. She did, however, close her eyes and allow herself to be led by the hand.
For a while they walked on what sounded like a wooden boardwalk, then Beast Boy led her off the path and through leafy undergrowth for a ways. There was a gurgling sound, like rushing water over smooth stones and the scent of exotic flowers and damp earth filled Raven's nostrils. In the distance there was the slightly incongruous sound of common sparrows calling to each other.
"Okay, you can open your eyes now," Beast Boy told her.
Raven complied and the sight took her breath away.
"Oh, god," she choked, her gaze taking in the pool and the waterfall and the smooth boulders and the huge tree.
Beast Boy was seated on one of the huge rocks, his bare feet dangling in the clear water of the pool. His back was to the tree and the artificial jungle loomed all around. His expression was one of supreme satisfaction with a slight hint of nervousness.
"Was that a good 'oh, god' or a bad one?" he asked.
It was exactly like Beast Boy's dream, only now there was a picnic spread out nearby and her companion was his usual youthful-looking self.
"It's . . . beautiful, Beast Boy," Raven said, finding her voice.
"It's all for you, Raven," Beast Boy said. "But the scenery's not your present." He moved toward her.
Raven, remembering with complete clarity the details of Beast Boy's dream, took a step back, not quite willing to be flung into the water and then seduced.
Beast Boy reached around her and dug two bottles of soda out of a picnic basket. "You're jumpy, Raven," he commented, handing one of the bottles to her. "What's up? Do you really not like it?" He sat back down at the water's edge and tossed his feet back in. "I thought I'd show you a little something of my childhood in Africa. I spent a lot of time in forests like the one they've put together here." He took a gulp of soda. "This is supposed to be their rainforest exhibit, but it's a lot cleaner than real rainforests. Fewer bugs too . . ." He glanced sideways at Raven. "You sure you're okay?"
"How'd you sleep last night?" Raven asked suddenly.
"Uh, fine, I guess," Beast Boy replied. "Why?"
"Any dreams that you remember?" continued the girl.
"Not really anything I remember clearly," Beast Boy replied, looking even more confused. "I woke up in a really good mood, though. Must have been nice dreams, whatever they were."
Raven relaxed slightly and sat down next to Beast Boy, pulling off her boots and socks and dangling her bare toes in the chilly water. "I remember your dream last night," Raven continued.
Beast Boy blushed. "Ugh, I can't believe you actually eavesdrop on people's dreams."
"I wish I didn't," Raven said honestly. "Particularly yours," she lied.
Her friend paled. "Oh. Sorry."
"Don't take it the wrong way," Raven explained. "But it's just a little weird how often I'm in your dreams."
Beast Boy continued to blush furiously.
"But last night, in the dream, you brought me here." Raven glanced sideways at the shape-shifter.
"Oh, I guess that's why you kind of freaked out when you saw the place," Beast Boy said with a hesitant little laugh. "Was it, um, a romantic dream?"
"Yes," said Raven, her face heating up.
"Oh," said Beast Boy.
There was silence between them for a long moment, the rushing water filling the space with white noise.
"Your dreams are weird, though," Raven spoke up. "You never look the way you do now."
Every muscle in Beast Boy's back suddenly tensed, then deliberately relaxed. If Raven hadn't been watching him, she might not have noticed.
"Weird," was all Beast Boy said in reply, though his voice was a little hoarse.
"Anyway, last night I woke up from the dream when it got a little, um, uncomfortable for me," Raven continued.
Beast Boy blushed to the tips of his pointed ears.
"And I noticed that there was a light on in your room, so I went to go see if you were awake and wanted to talk or something . . ."
"Oh, shit," said Beast Boy.
"Yeah, I saw you," Raven said.
"Well, damn," Beast boy added.
Again, silence.
"So what the hell's up with you?" Raven asked as she unscrewed the top of her bottle of soda. "Which one's the real Beast Boy?"
Several emotions flickered across Beast Boy's face. "It's complicated . . ."
Raven lost her temper. "No, it isn't! It's a very, very simple question, Beast Boy. And I'd like to know the answer." She leaned closer and poked him in the chest. "Which one is real, this body or the one you wear at night when you dream?"
It was a good thing that Beast Boy tended to wear baggy, skater-boy-type clothes when not in uniform, because a moment later he was filling them out considerably better. His shoulders broadened and his body lengthened. Sleek muscles filled out his t-shirt and cargo pants.
"Okay, I guess that's my answer," Raven said, a little startled. She leaned back against the tree.
"Yeah, this is what I really look like," Beast Boy finally said, scratching his slightly stubbly chin.
"Well, at least that's one fucked up puzzle from your dreams that's solved now," Raven murmured. "I never knew you could change the appearance of your human body. Though I'm not really sure why you parade around during the waking hours in the body of a twelve-year-old."
"Like I said, it's complicated," Beast Boy said with a smile that was somehow both ashamed and relieved. It was this odd mix of boy and man that Raven found so intriguing about Beast Boy's dream self. She wondered, for the first time, whether she'd been underestimating Beast Boy the whole time she'd known him.
"Well, you might as well start explaining, then," Raven said with one of her rare smiles. "We aren't expected back at the Tower for hours and honestly, what else did you think we were going to do other than eat lunch?"
"Uh, actually I was planning on seeing if you'd let me kiss you," Beast Boy admitted.
"Don't press your luck," she growled.
"Ahem. Anyway," began Beast Boy. "I've always been kinda scrawny, and I looked like a little kid until I was about fifteen. That was when two different things happened. First, I found out that I could not only shift into the shapes of different animals, but I could change my human appearance. Second, I started getting a bunch of zits."
Raven raised an eyebrow.
"So, I was kind of vain at the time, so I just shifted into the way my body was before the zits," Beast Boy continued, trying to ignore Raven's amused expression. "And then after that, I hit a growth spurt, but had to keep covering it up because of my skin. And then by that point, my real body was different enough from my pre-zit one that it was just too embarrassing to have to switch back. And I couldn't quite figure out how to slowly ease into my real body without making anyone suspicious . . ."
"Wait a second," Raven interrupted. "Are you saying that you've been hiding in the body of a little boy for the last three years because it had clear skin?!"
Beast Boy shrugged.
"You, my friend, are by far one of the weirdest people I know," declared Raven, throwing her hands into the air in exasperation. "I can't believe you'd hide a body like that because you were too stubborn to admit you were vain when you were fifteen."
Beast Boy perked up. "You like the way I look?"
"Did I say that?" Raven said evasively.
"Cause you really sounded like it," Beast Boy continued. "Does that mean that maybe the kissing's back on the schedule for the afternoon?"
"You are incorrigible," she told him. "And the answer is 'no.'"
"Aw," pouted the green-skinned boy next to her.
"Despite your grown-up body, you still act like a little kid," Raven noted with a faint smile. "Why do you act like an adult only when you're asleep?"
Beast Boy leaned close suddenly, invading Raven's personal space in a way he rarely did outside of dreams. "Wouldn't you like to know, eh?"
Raven sniffed and rolled her eyes. "Boy are you full of it."
"Yup," said Beast Boy before he reached over and began emptying the picnic basket with his usual enthusiasm.
Next Up: Not everything's coming up roses. Raven attempts the earth-shattering task of convincing Beast Boy to permanently discard his 15-year-old disguise. Beast Boy attempts the even more difficult task of wooing Raven some more. And a "party of surprises" takes place. Oh, and Cyborg finally gets Raven a present, saving his sorry ass.