Chapter 4

Beast Boy looked into the common room and saw Raven sitting on the couch. The monster movie marathon was just about to begin and he knew she was expecting him to be there. He didn't really feel comfortable being around her when she was so… normal, but he wasn't about to break a promise. He took a deep breath in, calmed himself, and headed over to the television.

"There you are," she said with a smile. Beast Boy nearly tripped over his own feet when he saw her. She was wearing pajamas. He had never seen her in anything other than her leotard and cape. She was in light blue pajama bottoms and a blue tank top that had a picture of a black bird on it. In her lap sat a large bowl of popcorn. "Sit down, it's going to start."

He slowly took a seat on the far end of the couch. She placed the bowl of popcorn between them and he let out a small smile as he grabbed a handful of popcorn. She smiled back and quickly turned her attention to the screen. As the first movie began she quickly jumped up and turned the lights off.

"Are you sure you want to do that?" he asked. "You don't want to get too scared."

"Oh please, I'm not going to get that scared," said Raven laughing and sitting back down. "And even if I do, I just have to tell myself that it's just a movie and that the monster is really a middle aged man in a zip up costume."

The creature crept closer to the young, unsuspecting couple. Its teeth were glistening with its slimy, spit that drip drip dripped off its jaw. Its breathing became heavy and fast as it approached them. The sound of its massive body moving through the mist was subtle, yet clung to the hairs on your neck. Its eyes narrowed as he saw his victims through the fog…

Ravens eyes had never been so wide with fright. She had her knees under her chin and she hugged them close to her. She was almost shaking with fear. Her heart was racing and all of her attention was on the movie. Beast Boy had seen this movie twice before, so he wasn't as anxious. He looked over at Raven and saw that she had actually turned a little paler from fright. Suddenly she hid her face in her hands as the monster practically breathed down the couple's neck. Beast Boy couldn't help but smile.

"I can't watch," said Raven through her hands.

"You alright?" asked Beast Boy trying not to laugh.

"Tell me when it's over," she said, burying her head into her knees.

"It's okay," said Beast Boy. "Remember, it's just a…"

"BOOOO!" screamed Cyborg behind Raven's head.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Raven screeched, leaping five feet into the air. She kicked the bowl of popcorn and then landed on top of Beast Boy. Cyborg fell over laughing hysterically.

"Oh my god!" he laughed. "That was too good! Too good! Ah ha ha ha!"

Raven clutched to Beast Boy as tightly as she could. She knew that her heart had skipped a few beats. She was now definitely shaking all over.

"Dude! What's wrong with you?" screamed Beast Boy.

"Sorry, man, I couldn't resist," said Cyborg picking himself off the floor. He kept giggling to himself as he walked away, going to do who knows what.

Raven was still holding onto Beast Boy pretty tightly. She was slowly getting her heart back to a normal pace, but she was still shaking all over.

"Uh, Raven, you okay?" asked Beast Boy.

Raven nodded and slowly sat up and got back to her place on the couch. There was popcorn all over the place and as she scooted over she felt them crunch underneath her. She moved her hair out of her face and sighed a very shaky sigh. "He is such a jerk," she finally said in an unsteady voice.

"Yeah," he laughed. He hadn't really laughed in a while. Well it was more like a day and a half, but that was a long time for him. "Do you still want to watch the marathon? Cuz I can totally understand if you just want to turn in for the night."

"No," she said, closing her eyes and shaking her head. "I want to keep watching."

"Really?" he asked very surprised.

"Yeah. I was really enjoying it until Cyborg scared me."

"You were? You looked scared to death to me."

"That doesn't mean I wasn't enjoying it." She smiled and swiped the popcorn off the couch. "Uh, Beast Boy?"

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Would you mind if I sat closer to you?" she asked shyly. This nearly knocked the breath out of Beast Boy. "It's just that… well… I know that I won't get as scared if you're near me, you know? Every time I get scared you can just reassure me that it's just a movie."

"Uh… okay," he said, still in shock. Raven gave a shy smile and moved closer. He felt his heart start to race as he felt her pajama pants touch his thigh. She tried to sit casually, but as soon as she got absorbed into the movie once more her knees went back up to her chin.

Within the next half hour Raven was hiding her face again and whining every time a suspenseful moment came up. Beast Boy could hear her repeat softly, "It's just a movie, it's just a movie." He slowly lifted his arm and placed it on the back of the couch. He wasn't exactly sure why, it just felt natural. She, on the otherhand, buried her face into her palms."Tell me when the monster has him."

"Oh no, you've got to see this part," he said, pulling her hands down. "This is the best part of the whole movie." Raven reluctantly peered at the screen and watched.

There was a little boy sitting in the corner of a room. He looked scared to death. He was pressed up tightly against the wall and tears were streaming down his face. It was deathly silent, except for the sound of his racing heart beat.

Raven moved in closer to Beast Boy, trying not to cover her eyes. The changeling knew what was coming and he wondered how Raven would react. He couldn't help looking at her, waiting for the moment to come.

All that was on the screen was a close up of the little boy's terrified face. He slowly closed his eyes and whined from the horror of what was happening to him. Then from behind him two large monster arms bust through the walls, wrapped around the boy, and pulled him backwards and through the corner.

Raven screamed and buried her face into Beast Boy's chest. He was slightly shocked, but he smiled all the same. "You jerk!" she screamed into his chest as he broke out laughing. "Why did you make me see that?"

"Because I could never forgive myself if I didn't," he said, trying to stop laughing.

"Just turn the lights on, I can't take it anymore," she said, not moving.

"You sure?" he asked, not believing that she was actually giving up.

"Yes! Now get your arm off of me and go turn the lights on!" she screamed sitting up.

Beast Boy hadn't even noticed. He looked to where his arm had been on the back of the couch and saw that it was no longer there. He looked to Ravens shoulder and saw that his arm was snuggly wrapped around her. He quickly took his arm back and jumped up to turn the lights on. When the room was bright once again he looked over to the couch and saw Raven. She was shaking her head, like she was mad at herself, and shaking her leg feverishly. He went back over to her and sat down.

"Are you okay?" he asked trying not to laugh.

"No! I've never been so scared in my whole life," she said with a smile. He was starting to like that she was able to laugh at any situation. He had basically tricked her into being terrified and she was still smiling at him. She wasn't going to hurt him; she wasn't even going to yell at him angrily. She actually looked as if she had enjoyed herself.

"Well the lights are on so you don't have to be scared anymore," said Beast Boy relaxing back into the couch.

"I am never going to get to sleep tonight," groaned Raven.

"Just leave the lights on," he said. "That always worked for me when I was scared."

"You're never scared," said Raven looking him right in the eyes. "How can you never be scared?"

Beast Boy stalled for a second. He didn't know why, but in that moment he studied her eyes. Her violet eyes with a hint of midnight blue that only sparkled when she willed them to. He didn't know why he had never noticed her eyes before. Perhaps it was because she usually had them hidden beneath her cloak. Maybe it was because she had never looked him in the eyes before other than to threaten him. "I get scared."

"No you don't!" said Raven pushing him playfully. "You're never scared when we watch a horror movie."

"That's usually because I've already seen it three times by the time you guys see it," he said smiling.

Raven stretched and stood up. "Well I'm done. Guess I'm just not brave enough to handle a monster movie marathon. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to use the bathroom." With that she exited, humming to herself as she did.

Beast Boy turned the television off and sat there for a few minutes. A thousand things ran through his mind.

'Was she really that scared? Has she always been this scared of movies? Did she mind that my arm wrapped around her? Did I mind? Why did I even do that? Well, it wasn't intentional, right? You know, I never realized how pretty her eyes were. What? Where did that come from? Wow, she sure is different. It's weird. I think that if I met any other girl who acted like how she's acting right now, I would be all over them. This is the type of girl I like, sweet and fun loving. But I can't like Raven. It's like an unwritten rule that you can't like your teammates. Wait a second! Starfire and Robin are becoming an item, so why couldn't Raven and I? WHAT! Why did I just think of that! I'm thinking of me and Raven getting together? Okay, enough thinking for tonight. Must go to bed.' With that Beast Boy stood up and went to his room. As he passed by Ravens room he couldn't help feeling a smile creep onto his face.