Part 17
"Listen Cyborg about earlier… I'm sorry, I should not of went off on you like I did. "
"Well I told you man, I had the shot."
Robin nodded, "I know, I know, and I should always trust you'll have the shot," they both shook hands and Robin went on his way.
Cyborg went to his work table and got a remote that was sitting atop of it, he pointed it at his 'baby' and pressed a button that should've illuminated the headlights, but nothing happened, He let out a long drawn out sigh and opened the back of the remote to figure out what went wrong.
--
Starfire peered over from the couch at Raven who had her head in a book. A small grin painted itself upon her face, and she slowly made her way over to Raven, "Raven you wouldn't happen to know where friend Beast Boy is do you?"
Raven looked to her right at Starfire, "Last I checked he was in his room."
"So you checked him?" Starfire asked.
Raven blinked, "I suppose."
"Something is," Starfire searched for the right words, "Something is up, you seem very distracted."
Raven looked around the room to see they were alone, "I'm not distracted, and nothing is up." She turned her head back to her book.
Starfire frowned, "Why are you lying to me?"
Raven sighed, "I'm not, I'm just… avoiding the truth."
"Isn't that lying?" She questioned.
Raven pinched the bridge of her nose, "What do you really want?"
Starfire shrunk backwards, "Just what I asked," she let out a small gulp.
Raven let out a breath, "Well if you must know I sorta' have plans later."
Starfire placed her hands together in excitement, "What type of plans?"
"Beast Boy and I are going to take a walk," she paused, "In the park."
She beamed, "That sounds wonderful friend! I am so happy for you two."
Raven raised an eyebrow, "You are?"
Starfire nodded, "It is great that you and Beast Boy are becoming closer, it is truly tremendous and must make you very happy yes?"
"I don't do happy." Raven reassured Starfire and herself.
Starfire frowned, "Oh that is not true, you are avoiding again."
"Yes Starfire it is making me happy," She surprised her-self saying that, was it true was the idea of going out again with Beast Boy truly making her happy? It must or else why even ask in the first place?
Starfire gave her friend a hug.
"Am I interrupting anything?" Robin asked as he entered the room.
Starfire let go and drifted over to Robin, "Oh Robin I have wonderful news! Friend Raven and," she was cut off by a loud cough from Raven.
"Star," she said in a threatening tone.
"Eeep!" Starfire hide behind Robin, "Never mind."
Robin simply shook his head and made his way to the kitchen.
--
Beast Boy knocked on Raven's door. He hoped this work, he was really putting out a risk, this may be too mushy for Raven to really enjoy it, she may even think it was over the top and be put off by such an offer, but Beast Boy's instincts told him it would be alright.
Raven opened the door to see a purple tulip staring back at her, except instead of a green stem there was a green hand, she looked to see Beast Boy holding it out to her.
"For… for …for you," he finally got it out.
Raven took the tulip surprised, she didn't know where to put it, she didn't have a vase, and her hand shook as she held it, why was she so nervous? She went into her room and looked for a place to put it, the only place she had was on the dresser, she wish she had a vase, she noted that she needed to get one later.
She made her way back to the hallway, "Thank you Beast Bo – Garfield."
He placed a fist on his hip, "Shall we?"
She blushed slightly and wrapped her arm between his and they made their way out of the tower.
Cyborg blinked as he poured himself a glass of milk, "Where are you two going?"
Beast Boy looked over his shoulder, "Your milk is spilling."
Cyborg looked down to see his glass overflowed, "Ugh! Why me?"
--
Raven looked down to see her outfit lose another shade of purple and turn another shade of white. She looked over to see Beast Boy look about, she was pretty sure if they weren't arm and arm that he'd be bouncing around – like his usually self: carefree, outgoing, friendly, and youthful. Raven always pictured the next day may be her last, she always feared what was not out there, and meditate on all the horrible things that are in the world, but Beast Boy was completely different. He always thought things would be in place so he manipulated his way around things, he always thought tomorrow would be a better day so he didn't mind joking and having as much fun when he could, because he could always out-do himself later – if he needed to.
Beast Boy looked over at Raven, she was so elegant, so beautiful. The moon seemed as though it was created for her lovely face as though they sparkled in unison. Her bright purple eyes held so many feelings that she had to contain, but he'd try his best to let them out. She had so much to offer the world, but first she had to respect and come to terms that she is worth it all, to him she was worth the world.
He looked downward at the cement path. Around them were trees and slight hills. He looked over at her again, he pondered on what to say, or to say anything, and the moment already seemed so perfect as it was. He looked over to see the water of the lake perfectly still the moon reflecting across it. "Rae?"
She decided to let him keep his pet name for her, "Yeah?" She hoped he didn't say anything stupid, the moment seemed so right.
"You look really… with the moon shining and everything you look really really great," he gulped and rubbed the back of his head, "What I mean is that you look terrific."
Her lip bent upward slightly, "I understand, thank you."
He laughed, "No reason to thank me, I'm just telling the truth Rae, anyone would be dead wrong if they thought anything else." He reassured her, he felt his green skin turning red.
"You know every time I come here, there's one place I like to go, to meditate," she led him off the path and they made their way up a tiny hill, a single weeping willow laid atop of it. They ducked under the leaves and sat down underneath the tree. Little silhouettes of light drifted through the folds of the tree and they sat basked in moonlight and the pine like scent of the tree.
He let go of her, she looked over at him, a puzzled look on her face, "Meditate," he said.
"Are you sure?"
He lied back against the bark of the tree, "Yeah I want to stay here awhile," he closed his eyes feeling a sense of serenity come over him.
--
Starfire made her way behind Robin and looked over his shoulder as he sat at his computer, changing, deleting, and making new files. "Robin I have a secret I want to tell you."
"Ah!" Robin whirled around in his chair and fell to the floor.
"Are you okay?" She asked concerned.
He got up and put the chair back in his rightful place, "Yeah you just scared me, that's all."
"I am so sorry, I will leave you alone," her face clearly unhappy, she lowered her head and began to leave but Robin stopped her.
"What's the secret?" He asked.
Her tone quickly changed and she became happy and excited once again, "Beast Boy and Raven went out for a walk."
Robin laughed, "That's not a secret Cyborg told me they left a half hour ago, of course he didn't add that they were taking a walk, that they just went out."
Starfire twiddled her thumbs and looked down.
"Is something wrong Star?"
"It's just that I think we should go and take a walk, you know at some point of time where you feel as though you have time for such an event…." She lifted her head and looked at him.
He paused unsure of how to answer, "Well if Raven and Beast Boy can decide to take walks together I see no reason why we can't do the same."
Starfire excited flew over and grasped Robin in a hug. Robin placed his arms around her and breathed in her scent, and then something came over him, he wasn't sure what.
"Star?"
She looked at him still in his embrace. He lifted his head slightly upwards and kissed her.
--
Raven finished chanting and took a deep breath centering her self, she felt quite at ease. She looked over to see Beast Boy still resting peacefully, she was really surprised, and it wasn't like him to be so calm, so patient. Usually he was a thousand miles a minute doing this and doing that, but now out here he was so serene.
"How do you feel?" He opened his eyes and looked over at her.
"Wonderful, but I thought you were sleeping," she sat her back next to him against the tree.
"No, I was too busy listening to you, it's really calm, I don't know how else to put it, made me feel better though, being outdoors always makes me feel better though." He looked over at her, "Have you ever heard the rain Rae?"
"I've heard rain," Not completely understanding what he was getting at.
"No I mean have you ever really heard it! Have you ever really smelled it? It's like the dancing and humming of orioles as they make their way to their nest. It smells like new paved asphalt mixed with sand, but not any sand, sand you find at like a baseball game."
She gave him a perplexed look, "You can feel all those things."
He nodded and grabbed her hand, "And you can too Rae. Just like I'm holding you now, you can hold the world like that, you just need to believe you can."
She shook her head, "But I can't. Terrible things may happen."
"Not feeling the beautiful things this world offers is a terrible thing Rae. You can't suppress everything because of fear Rae. You have to open yourself up, I promise you nothing horrible will happen if you do."
"How can you make such a statement, you don't know. I'm just a barrel of evil, and at any second I can break and take the world with me."
"Nothing destructive can come from one so sweet and elegant as you," he placed his hand on her face, "I believe in you Rae, do you trust me."
She slowly nodded, their faces becoming closer.
"Nothing bad will happen," he whispered to her, and then he gingerly kissed her on the lips and pulled away.
Raven looked around, nothing blew up, nothing moved, even the lake stayed perfectly still. Her chest was heaving, she had felt so much fear and suddenly relief filled her body. She looked over at Beast Boy and he saw her grin for the first time in his life as she leaned over and pulled him into a deeper kiss.
-end of part 17