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"Well, I guess I'm going then".
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(At the airship some time ago)
"But you and Rita are married? And that's not even the point! Raven and I can barely stand each other, we're not even dating let alone pledging our undying affection for each other!"
"I don't have all the instincts of the animal kingdom inside of me; besides the fact I possess much more self-control to let my feelings for Elasti-Girl interfere with any battle or mission. You're already too protective of this girl, and I'm even more worried now that I know you both still consider each other just friends."
"She'd never date me anyways! So why is this even an issue? Why are you even bringing this up?"
Rita was in the room, despite how often Steve made her feel like she wasn't even on the same planet. And hearing her son talk about himself like that broke her heart in half. Had they really not done a good enough job of building up his self-esteem that he couldn't notice how obviously taken the pale grey girl was with him?
"I think some time away would do you good. I could help you start to reign in this 'inner beast' of yours. And maybe help you realize starting a relationship with your teammate would be the worst mistake you could ever make."
Rita winced every so slightly, hoping no one saw the miniscule reaction. She then laughed internally at the notion anyone even paid her any mind.
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No one really knew what to do once Beast Boy decided to take off for a year, especially considering him and Raven hadn't been able to look each other in eye let along speak to each other since that awkward, awful moment. It had been a long couple days indeed. She was suddenly in her room more than usual, yet Beast Boy's frequent attempts to draw her out were nowhere to be found. Around the team he continued to be as jovial as usual, making jokes and acting excited about his goodbye party. But they all noticed a slight change in how often he was seen out and about, finding him spending more and more time in his room as well. (He missed her).
They knew he was coming back, but the heartbreak hovering above them threated to drop at any moment like that scene in the 'Phantom of the Opera' where the chandelier plummeted downwards from the roof of the theatre. Cyborg particularly was feeling the dull puncture of the unexpected series of unfortunate events, because not only would he be losing his little brother, but he wasn't sure how Raven was going to be once Beast Boy left. She was the strongest person he'd ever known, and the toughest person Beast Boy had ever known, but he saw the way she was around the changeling. She would survive sure, but he didn't want her to just survive. He had seen everything that she had ever gone through and what Raven really deserved was to thrive. He wanted her, well Beast Boy as well, to experience everything they could experience if they could both just take a leap of faith. As different as they were, it was almost comical how they were basically the same person. Both hiding under a mask, both so unwilling to admit that someone could fall so hopelessly in love with the person behind it. And both so unabashedly making the other happy. Cyborg never wanted to be the matchmaker, and he really didn't want to interfere because the most honest shot BB and Rae could give each other would be one that came about uncoerced and organic. But he couldn't understand how they both, and the team, ended up where they are now. Because this, this was a mess.
Garfield Mark Logan was set to leave a week from today.
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"So, he's really leaving then."
Robin broke the silence in the kitchen, taking a long sip of his coffee while his mask moved itself into a position of inquisitiveness. He waited for Cyborg to answer after hearing his drawn out sigh.
"Guess so."
"So, mind telling me what's going on with Raven?"
"Shouldn't you already know?"
"She's heartbroken isn't she, I didn't notice she'd finally realized what's been happening between the two of them."
"So, what should we do?"
"Nothing we can do."
Robin finished the last of his coffee and shuffled off into the hall towards his office. It wasn't his nature to back away from a fight, and despite his unflappable demeanor he wished he could just drag them both out their rooms and force them so start dating under direct orders. But from what he thought he knew about Beast Boy, and what he was sure he knew about Raven, he could only suspend himself in the current purgatory of the tower. She wouldn't do anything, not until she really decided she should. And nothing anyone could say would bring about that realization any sooner. He knew from when they defeated Trigon. When she was ready to come out swinging, she would.
It was his unrelenting fear that Starfire wouldn't always be waiting for him that forced him to finally act. He just hoped Raven would do so too before Beast Boy decided to walk away himself.
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He wanted to slam his first into something. He wanted to cry. He wanted to run into her room and scream in her face. He wanted to dive into the depths of the ocean and pull that silver heart shaped box out of the sand. He wanted to go back to yesterday when he watched her violet hair catch the sun while he dragged her around the local farmer's market. But more than that he wanted Raven to want him to stay. And it made every other potential course of action a massive disappointment.
So instead, he laid on the bed, and started up at the ceiling. And tried to remember how he felt that day at the botanical gardens. Surely, he wouldn't have allowed himself to start to fall so hopelessly in love with someone he had zero chance with, right?
But then again, this was Raven. The deserved the whole entire world on a string Raven. Raven, the powerhouse, daughter of a world dominating demon Raven. Raven the girl who loved books, hated crowds and made his chest tighten Raven. A thousand diamonds strewn across a blue blanket Raven.
His best friend, his partner in crime.
Who didn't care if he left or stayed.
So, he retreated back into the darkness of himself, because why the fuck would she ever waste her time with someone like him.
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Raven wanted so badly for this to end. But there was a very loud part inside her assuring her that this always was going to be the outcome. Her alone, and him gone.
Because why would he waste his time with someone that required this much effort? Why wouldn't he chase down some carefree, video game obsessed ray of sunshine to melt into him until they became some thicker, supercharged beam?
Why we could want to be with darkness, the night sky….
With creepy.
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Cyborg eventually found Raven on the roof and had a feeling she would be alone. What neither her nor Beast Boy ever picked up on was that their big brother often found himself scoping out the roof, if it be in person or on the security cameras. But 9/10 times he'd see a purple and black uniform next to indigo cape and just head back to his room to sleep. But today there was no brazen, neon energy next to a billowing indigo flutter. So, Cyborg sauntered over to his teammate, her grey limbs dangling over the ledge.
"Why didn't you just tell him you wanted him to stay."
He was met with stone cold silence. But he could see the utter torment in her eyes. After a while she finally gave.
"I did."
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I had an amazing day today! And decided to knock out another chapter over dinner
Also please review if you can! I have no idea if anyone even likes this story.
XO ES 2.0
