OK, here we go again. Another look at Beast Boy and Raven's first official kiss and its aftermath, from Teen Titans (third series) #30 & #31. I had a fair number of requests to continue this thing from Beast Boy's POV, so here we are.
Truthfully, I'm not really as happy with this section as much as I am with the first. There are parts of it that just don't feel right, and I'm not happy with the ending. But I'm tired of looking it over and tweaking, so here we go anyway. Sometimes, you just gotta stop staring at your writing, put it out for people to read, and move on - and I think this one has reached that point.
As previously, this is set in a hybrid universe that consists of the Geoff Johns' Titans but with the Teen Titans animated series past. Basically, I'm trying to imagine what the animated characters might be like if the series were to last long enough as to touch upon current comic book storylines. Thus, the characters here are slightly different from their comic book counterparts.
I've included a couple of endnotes at the end for the DC Comics impaired.
SHIPPING FORECAST: If you haven't guessed, this story is heavily Raveast. If you don't like the BB/Rae pairing, then don't read. If you continue beyond this point, you have no one to blame but yourself. Flamers will be treated with all the respect they deserve, i.e. "none"; I have no objection to those who wish to make valid, constructive criticism on my writing, even from those who dislike BB/Rae. But if all you wish to do is to trash the pairing or spout off diatribes against its fans, then go post someplace where they give a crap, because it certainly isn't here. Yes, ravenstarfire, this means you.
NOTE TO BB/RAE FANS: I urge you, if you can at all do it, buy the Teen Titans comic book currently being written by Geoff Johns. Johns has said that he has big plans for the Titans over the next few years, and its looking more and more that Garfield and Raven's story will be playing a major part in that. The best way to support this couple right now is to make sure the title continues to be a big seller, because the better it sells, the less likely DC will feel a need to fiddle with it. If you can't buy the monthly title, then pick up the trade paperback releases; they're available at most good bookstores, including Barnes & Noble and Borders (and for those who are wondering, the trade paperback that with Teen Titans #30 & #31 in it is tentatively scheduled for release this summer, probably in June or July '06).
Enjoy.
--DBK
For Now: Beast Boy's POV
A Teen Titans fanfic by DeTroyes.
"You know," Kid Flash said, "if this is a bad time, we can always come back later."
"Yeah." Speedy agreed, "I mean, there's only like a whole city in flames outside. I suppose we can probably find something to do."
Beast Boy rolled his eyes, as he and Raven disengaged, their encounter now over. Back to the business at hand, which was decidedly far more important than the vagaries of two people who had been playing a game of "do we/don't we" for far too many years. In a way, the arrival of two of his charges was a blessing in disguise. He needed to think, to consider, to catch his breath. But now was not the time for that, not with this Brother Blood on the loose and Los Angeles under attack...
But he couldn't get it out of his mind.
Her lips, he thought. so soft. God, I can't believe how good that tasted.
Remember that. Don't let the memory fade. Remember that taste, that feel...
How long have you been dreaming of that moment, Gar? Four years? Five? Since that one day early on when she actually laughed? And now its come, and you didn't even expect it?
He stole a sidelong glance at her. She had her cowl up, now. Like she always did, when she wanted to be unreadable. Her eyes were in the shadows again, but the murky light still shown on the lower part of her features. She was facing him, and in the dimness he thought he could see a faint, satisfied smirk on her lips.
Beast Boy tore his gaze away, and shook his head.
A few years ago, he silently mused, had they done what they had just done, and had been caught just like they just had... the two of them would probably have jumped as far from one another as they possibly could, and then vigorously denied to everyone - themselves included - that anything had actually happened. But now, now they merely shrugged it off, and acted like it was nobody's business but their own.
I guess there is something to be said for growing older.
Wonder Girl arrived, and Beast Boy - regretfully - banished those thoughts. Time enough later to sort things out, he silently considered. There was more important business at hand.
They were on their way to Death's Door.
Raven materialized in the strange world of the afterlife, the realm of souls and shades. Airborne they were, amid clouds and thunderstorms the likes of which Beast Boy had seen only in nightmares. But too late, Gar realized their mistake.
He couldn't transform.
There was some kind of psychic interference here. He could feel it echoing as a shiver up and down his spine, reverberating with more intensity as he frantically tried to find some flying form he could shift to. But the shift wouldn't come, and the shiver became more intense the more he tried.
It was one of the known weakness of his powers. For some reason, certain kinds of psychic interference played havoc with his transformations, and prevented him from shifting. And they'd transported right into a veritable storm of psychic emanations.
He plummeted.
As Beast Boy fell, he looked up frantically, reaching. As he did so, he could see Raven. She looked to her side, expecting to find him, probably in some bird-like form (Pterodactyl had actually been his first choice, followed by eagle). But then she must have sensed the psychic barrage. It didn't affect her - she was, after all, in some ways more at home in this realm than ever she was on Azarath or Earth - but she must have belatedly remembered that one weakness of his powers, for only then did she dive in pursuit of him.
He heard her voice, faintly, through the rush of... air? (he wasn't sure what it was he was breathing in this strange world, but at least it was keeping him alive)... that accompanied his fall. But the only word he could actually make out was the last, "Zinthos!" With that, his falling slowed, then stopped completely.
Raven reached his outstretched hand, and took it. As strange as it seemed, it had all happened over only a few seconds.
Beast Boy floated up towards her. Or perhaps she floated down.
But they floated into each other's arms.
For a long moment they said nothing, instead staring into one another. But his arms were around her waist, and hers were around his neck. And neither were feeling the need to remove them just yet.
That taste... that softness...
He searched her eyes. They were now as unreadable to him as they'd always been. But at least they stared back at him, unflinchingly.
Please, Raven. Beast Boy thought. Don't do this to me unless you're serious.
I buried it once before. You know that. You made it plain you weren't interested, so I let it go. But it hurt to do so.
You know what I think, even if I've never said it in so many words. But I'm not a kid anymore, and neither are you. So please don't play with me like one unless you mean to follow through Because otherwise... otherwise, all you'll end up doing is to hurt both of us.
He needed to say something. To ask her.
He had to know.
"Uh... about what happened back at the morgue."
Raven matched his gaze, eye for eye. "Yes?"
Beast Boy hesitated. "Was that for real?" he said, his voice almost a whisper, as if he were afraid of the answer.
Her mouth opened, as if she were about to answer. But no words came.
Abruptly, Raven broke away from him. "We're here. The crossroads." She announced. "I can feel the convergence of souls."
He was floating now, he realized. Whatever she had done to stop his fall, it was still with him. In fact, he realized that he could no longer feel the psychic disturbances. Tentatively he tried to shift, and effortlessly slipped into a bird form. Then just as effortlessly, he switched back.
She'd switched subjects on him. Somehow, it didn't come as a surprise. His next words came without thought, but he wanted to press. For some stupid reason, he mentioned Bette, and immediately regretted it. Smooth move, ex lax. Why don't you mention Terra or Jillian while you're at it? He'd expected her to get angry there...
But she didn't.
Instead, she merely glanced over her shoulder. There was no malice on her face, just a thoughtful look. And a very faint upwards curl to one side of her mouth. "It was... what I wanted to do." Raven said simply. Then she turned away, and gave him a warning about being careful in the realm of the undead. A reminder that their current business was very serious, far from the world of frivolity and courtship.
Beast Boy followed her, but his mind was turning. Had he really heard that? Not just the words, but the tone, the way she said it? There was no sarcasm in that voice, no maliciousness. Just... warmth. And maybe... maybe a hint of, "I'm sorry."
Watch it, Gar. Be careful of reading too much into her. Remember, that's what got you in trouble the first time.
Her taste... her words... her softness...
Maybe it hadn't been my imagination the first time around. But maybe too, it just wasn't the right time.
The discussion with himself needed to be tabled. They were at the door now, and it was open a crack. There was a task at hand, a world to be saved, and a door to be closed. Even as another one, far more appealing, seemed to be opening.
It was something to look forward to.
For now.
--DBK
16 February, 2006
ENDNOTES:
1) The "Bette" mentioned above is Bette Kane, aka Flamebird. In the comics, Flamebird and Beast Boy are very good friends, and at the end of the Beast Boy Mini Series it was strongly hinted that they might even be heading for a romantic relationship. However, despite the hints that were dropped, nothing ever came of it, mostly because the proposed Titans LA comic book series (of which they both would have been major characters) was never given a green light. Bette has a bit of an obsession over Nightwing, and it is theorized that her inability to get past that is probably what killed any possible budding relationship she and Gar might have had. Nevertheless, Gar still has fond feelings for her, as is evidenced most recently by her appearance in Infinite Crisis #4. BTW, in the actual comic book issue in that sequence (TT #31), it is not Flamebird that is mentioned but another superheroine named "Firehawk". It is widely believed that this was a typo, and the name that should have been in there was "Flamebird", since so far as anyone can tell Firehawk and Beast Boy have never met and in any case Firehawk's romantic attachment has been pretty consistently Booster Gold of the JLA. This - and a few other typos from that issue - will probably be corrected when it is reprinted in trade paperback form.
2) Do I really need to explain who Terra is?
3) In the comics Jillian was Garfield's girlfriend immediately after Terra. They dated for a fairly long time, but eventually broke up (in part because Terra II came along and verbally threatened her). It would not at all surprise me if the current producers of the animated series brought Jillian in, should they ever get the chance to produce any new episodes. Since the current comics would probably be happening about 3-4 years in the future of the animated series, I figure there's plenty of room for Gar to have dated and broken up with Jillian in the interim.
4) Do I have to say it? BB/Rae all the way:-)