Disclaimer: ROWR! NO! I own nothing!

Yay! Chapter nineteen! I don't know how long this chapter is going to be, but chapter 20 will be longer probably no matter what. Woo!

You know what pisses me off more than anything? People who hate Terra just because she's blonde. WHY? She can't help being blonde. It isn't her fault. My best friend is blonde for God's sake! Stop being so shallow, people!

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It was another calm morning in Titans Tower. The sun had now risen fully and the five members of the team were all doing separate activities. Robin and Starfire were making breakfast together, which didn't surprise anyone. It was very obvious that something had happened, something had changed, because both of them were positively radiant. When Robin had come and asked his friends what they wanted for breakfast, he had been absolutely glowing. It was almost scary to see Robin so happy. He and Star had been inseparable all morning.

In the living room, Cyborg was reading the newspaper, chuckling occasionally in the comics section. Raven was meditating, though she seemed a bit more distracted than usual, losing concentration despite the absolute silence and cursing often. Beast Boy, for probably the first time in his life, was completely silent. He was curled up on the other end of the sofa, reading Poe. He had never understood why people made such a big deal over some dead guy before, but now that he had read it, he understood. He did enjoy the comedy and satire stories and the thrill of the horror ones, but what made him completely mesmerized were the poems. Reading through them, he realized why people liked poetry so much. It was because anyone could relate to the emotions expressed in any poem, no matter what it was about. They could find some hidden meaning in the words that mirrored their own situation, and people thrived on feeling that they weren't alone. Beast Boy now understood why Raven read so much. They was no one she could relate to, no one she could really talk to, and so she would seek a way to feel that someone understood in the stories she read. Beast Boy made a silent vow then that she would never have to go to a book to have someone to talk to ever again.

Reading through the poems, he found that almost every single one of them he could relate to. Most of them reminded him of Raven, making it impossible for him to stop thinking of her, gazing at her every once in a while.

Beast Boy yawned. He hadn't gotten much sleep last night. Blinking his tired eyes, he gently closed the book and moved silently along the sofa until he was sitting near Raven. She was still attempting to meditate. He had seen her do it before, so he was immediately aware that it was not going too well. Her eyes were squeezed shut tightly and she was mumbling her mantra much faster than usual, as though the speed of it might have some effect. When she gave a groan of frustration and covered her eyes with her hand, Beast Boy took the opportunity where he wouldn't be interrupting her to speak.

"Hey Raven," he said. Raven jumped in surprise and opened one eye.

"Beast Boy," she acknowledged him with a nod. She sat there looking at him through one eye for a moment before opening the other.

"Uh….sorry I disturbed you," he said apologetically.

"You didn't. It wasn't going to well anyway," Raven said. "Do you want something?"

Beast Boy shrugged. "hey Raven, what do those…um…words mean, anyway?" he asked, trying to make conversation.

"Azarath is my homeworld, Metrion is my home country, and Zinthos is my hometown," Raven answered patiently.

"Uh…cool. I never knew that," Beast Boy said. "I just always assumed you were from, well, earth."

"No. Where are you from?" Raven asked him. Beast Boy was slightly surprised that she had asked this. She had never really asked him anything personal before.

"Right here," Beast Boy said, patting the couch. "Good old Jump City. But we went to Africa when I was just a little kid."

"I never knew that. Who's 'we'?" Raven asked.

"Me and my parents," Beast Boy answered.

"I didn't know you still had parents," Raven said.

"I don't. They died," Beast Boy said bluntly, looking down.

Raven's eyes widened. "Oh God Beast Boy, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring that up," she said softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I didn't know-"

"It's fine," Beast Boy said. "Really. You didn't know."

Raven watched him sadly for a moment.

"Beast Boy, you don't need to try to be something that you're not," she said finally.

"Huh?" Beast Boy asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I know you've hurt in the past. From Terra and everything she did, from your parents, and from God knows what else. I know you try to forget your pain by trying to make other people laugh. By being 'the funny guy' all the time. You don't need to try. We'll all accept you the way you are," Raven answered.

Beast Boy's eyes were shining as though he was going to cry. But he didn't. Instead, he collapsed against her and hugged her. "Thanks, Raven," he said. "No one's ever…you know…been so honest with me before."

"I don't lie," Raven said coolly before letting her less practical side take control and hugging him back. She took this opportunity to bury her face in his hair. His scent was one she could not describe. All she knew was that it was one she wanted to have the privilege of inhaling any time she wanted to.

"Oh, am I interrupting something?" asked a voice. They both looked up at the same time to see Cyborg, standing there, recently back from the kitchen with a mug of something steaming. He had a rather knowing smile on his face. Beast Boy and Raven flew apart at the speed of light, returning to a casual distance apart as fast as they had come together, trying to look as though they had not be entangled a moment ago.

Cyborg still had the knowing smile on his face as he sat down and picked up the remote control.

"Uh…I'm gonna go…get some tofu!" Beast Boy said, walking quickly out of the room. Raven stood up and walked over so she was standing in front of Cyborg, blocking his view of the TV screen.

"You saw nothing," she told him.

"Sure, I saw nothing," Cyborg said, suppressing a giggle.

"Nothing happened, Cyborg. You saw nothing, alright? Unless you want to wake up tomorrow in a situation that will make you wish you'd never been born," Raven said threateningly.

"Alright, alright," Cyborg said, laughing. "I wouldn't tell anyone anyway. Friends keep their mouths shut, right?" he asked, winking with his human eye. Raven smiled slightly.

"Thank you, Cyborg. Now, I'm going to meditate," she said calmly, turning and walking out of the room.

Cyborg shook his head. "When are they going to admit it?" he asked under his breath, chuckling to himself.

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More soon. The next chapter will be better, I swear.