Chapter Three
"So, now you're okay with me loving you?" Beast Boy asked Raven.
"Well, sort of." the mystic replied. "Mind if I ask you when you started loving me?"
"I did have love for you for a while, but it was just platonic then. You know, a friendship? I guess after the incident with Adonis I really started to feel love for you."
"Why then?"
"We connected on a level I didn't think we could. We both had monsters inside us, and a need to control them. For me, it was next to impossible for me to not feel love after that."
"But you never really showed it."
"I hugged you more after that. Remember?"
"Yes, I do. You took advantage of situations to manage it, didn't you?"
"Well, when we were on Val-Yor's ship, I know I did. But after you defeated Trigon, I was genuinely glad to have you back. For a time, we thought you were dead!"
"How long a time?"
"I didn't time it, but I knew it was from when Trigon appeared, to when Slade first showed up."
"Must have been hell for you."
"It was for all of us."
"But you especially, since you loved me, right?"
"Yeah, I guess. Starfire was pretty mad at Slade when she thought he dishonored your memory, though."
"Given that she's from a race of warriors, it's no wonder she got mad."
"Yeah. Say, you think on Tamaran I could say 'Warriors, come out and plaaaaaaaaaaaaay!'"
"What are you talking about?"
"Never mind. It was a movie reference."
"I see. So, anyway, how deep is your love?"
Beast Boy thought for a moment. "I don't know. I never measured it."
"How deep do you think it is?"
"So deep, I felt pains in my chest knowing I couldn't really show my love for you in the proper way."
"That sounds deep enough, I suppose."
"How much do you know about love?"
"Sorry to say, not much. I never was in for romance."
"Swell. The blind leading the blind, huh?"
"I think we can trust our instincts."
"Good idea. Say, I got a question for you!"
"What?"
"Answer me honestly now. Do you feel love for me?"
"What!"
"Do you feel love for me, just like I do for you?"
Raven rubbed her temples, collecting her thoughts. "I don't know. I've spent my life suppressing my feelings."
"Then how do you explain Malchior?"
'Why'd he have to bring him up?' thought Raven.
"I don't want to talk about him."
"Right, sorry."
"It's okay. Anyway, I guess I'm not in touch with myself like you are."
"Perhaps I can help, then."
"Perhaps. But not tonight."
"Why not?"
"It'd take too long, and I'm tired."
"Okay. Let's go to bed then."
"Right. Um, in our separate rooms!"
"No problem."
The two Titans stood up, brushing off the dirt from their backsides.
Beast Boy was about to head inside, when Raven grabbed his arm.
"What?" he asked.
She was staring toward the mainland. "Let's go someplace tomorrow. Someplace where we can be alone. Say...there!" She pointed to a distant forest.
"At night?"
"Yes."
"In the dark? All alone?"
"You got a problem with it?"
"No, none at all!"
Raven smirked. "You know, it won't be all that dark. It's almost a full moon."
Beast Boy smiled. "Hey, wanna see a real full..."
"Shut up." Raven interrupted as she went inside. Beast Boy suppressed his laughter as he followed.