Props:
Lady of Faerie: What? Now your brain hurts-it must be catching… (Brain: Sadly, yes. No one wants to kiss Brain.) Hmmm…you are thinking-good!
DM: Uh-if you 'disguised' those compliments anymore, I would be blushing! Thank you! In your case, 'weird' is obviously a good thing. (Brain: I luv u 2! See? I'm weird, too! Kiss me!)
Quite-a-shame: Thank you. Glad you like. (Brain: Your treacherous ploy failed-I read MY reviews!)
Change-of-Heart2: Thanks-my favorite part was BB's clumsiness! Oooh-three 'quite's' in 4 sentences! I must be getting quite good at this…
Warprince: Thanks! Here is more…
Teleportal: Cool name! Cool sentence 'behold…awesome reviewness!' I bow to your coolness.
Nibbles: Awww…more cuteness! (Brain: Stop! It is burning me!) Thanks!
Ryuu: Huh? This is a comedy… (Brain: Only the 'written by' is funny…)
CheezyFairyXXL: Fat! Hmmm…BB has pointy ears, green skin and hair, green eyes, fangs, and was originally a normal human. After being bitten by a contaminated wolf which made all those changes, don't you think he would also be a bit furrier than your average green teenager?
Cheeze, pt2: (Brain: You really want to test me, don't you, Whitefood?) Harumph! 'Metamorph' is a common sci-fi term for a being able to change form. You would know that I did not make that up if you were well read! Where did you find the rule that I can only call BB a 'changeling,' and not a metamorph, shape-shifter, shape-changer, form-changer, meta-human, etc.?
Visigoth: Yeah-I wish… I think all will be explained shortly…a few weeks…if I ever finish this dang-blamed story!
YumeTakato: Thank you!
DannyxSam-forever: Nice! Your name is a great pairing-I love it! (Brain: Die!) Thanks-I will use your suggestion for page breaks!
Bgone: (Brain: I will not!) Thanks! What does go on in the woods….?
2Lazy2Register: (Brain: Please?) Ha ha-that Brain is such a cutup! Movie? Oh yeah-the movie…hmmm…
( Raven blah blah…this page break thanks to DannyxSam-forever! )
"So, Raven," began Robin at breakfast, next morning, "how was the movie?" He managed to conceal his amusement well.
Raven shot him a hot glare. "It was fine-as if it's any of your business."
"Well. You know I'm always concerned about the well being of teammates," he replied in a flat tone, then became even more serious. "I've also noticed that you and Beastboy seem to have worked out his problem."
"Yeah," she lied, "I think everything is okay."
"You know..." Robin leaned in closer, lowering his voice; "I figured out what you're trying to hide."
Inside one of the kitchen cabinets, several glasses were obliterated, before Raven was able to clamp down on her stab of fear. Ignoring the strange look on her leader's face, she spoke smoothly. "So tell me what it is that I am trying to hide."
"You and Beastboy are a couple." Robin couldn't resist a small smirk. "Come on; you can't deny it."
"Is it that obvious?" The Titans' resident necromancer silently exhaled, after her carefully-worded 'confession.' She would have preferred a scathing remark, like 'Got me there, Einstein,' but such a reply would only serve to rekindle leaderboy's suspicions, Raven knew. Hopefully the others, respectful of Robin's prowess as a detective, had already bought into his theory. She arose gracefully from the breakfast table, and headed upstairs, to tell Beastboy that he no longer needed to hide their 'secret.'
"You okay, BB?" Raven said, looking up from her book. She and the changeling had been spending time together for the better part of a month now, and the dark girl had become a fair judge of his moods. His behavior today was different from anything she was accustomed to; he was uninterested in video games, and couldn't sit still next to her on the couch. Normally, he would have been content to lay his head on her shoulder, so enthralled was he by his 'divine enchantress,' as he referred to her in their private moments. He claimed not even to be hungry, which was a statement that could almost never be applied to the shape-shifter.
"Yeah, I'm okay." Beastboy shifted his position once more, seemingly unable to find a comfortable position. "I just feel like I need to get out and do something, like save the city, or something."
He managed a weak smile, but did not maintain eye contact, noted Raven. "If you want to go into town, go ahead – I'll be fine." She gave her friend a smile. "Or I'll go with you, if you like."
"Naw – I think maybe I'm just tired." He stretched his long, slender limbs. "Gonna go upstairs-" he gave Raven a quick peck on the cheek. "I'll see you later, Rae."
Raven made a mental note to check up on him in about half an hour. Something was wrong; he did not need to sleep at 4:30 in the afternoon. 'Perhaps he's getting sick,' she speculated.
Beastboy was still in his room, and the sun was already dropping below the tall buildings of downtown Jump City.
Raven knocked on the door again. "Hey BB? Don't you want to come down for dinner?" Not getting any answer, she phase-shifted through the door, to check on the welfare of the young man she had begun to think of as her 'boyfriend.' A cursory scan of the room revealed that Beastboy was not there. Raven began searching, trailing a stream of curses as she went.
Sunlight striking the window from a low angle infused it with an eerie glow, which caught her attention. Something was different... . "Oh, shit," the dark girl swore softly. Her changeling friend had prepared for his departure this night by re-routing the alarm sensor wiring on his window. Even when the tower was secured for the night, he would be able to reenter the window without setting off the alarm.
The sorceress noted the calendar on Beastboy's desk. Her examination of the date only served to firm the suspicions she already harbored about the green one's 'problem.'
'That fits his pattern of behavior, but…no; that's impossible,' Raven thought. She sat down on the bed, needing a few minutes to consider how she would cover for Beastboy this time...
Beastboy congratulated himself on slipping out of the Tower unnoticed. He had cleverly rigged his window so he could get back in with no one finding out. He also felt pretty comfortable that Raven would cover for him again, should anyone notice he was missing, although he did feel guilty that he still hadn't confided in her. It was just…he didn't want to add to her worries, he told himself; but even that was a poor excuse. The truth was that he loved Raven – he supposed that he always had, if one was inclined to believe in the whole 'love at first sight' thing. He was scared of losing her, especially now that they were actually dating. Everything in his life was going perfectly, for a change; everything, that is, if one did not include his little 'problem… .'
Raven sat in Beastboy's room, furious both with herself, for allowing him to slip away unnoticed, and with her friend, for not telling her what the hell was going on. Was it possible that her suspicions were correct? Could the old superstitions be based on factual occurrences? Or worse yet, was it possible that the changeling was being blackmailed, or used by some slime like Slade? She had to find out what he did at night, for sure. 'Damn it!' she cursed silently – if only there were someone she could talk to about…Wait! There might be one. Someone trustworthy, and who would be concerned enough to help her, yet who was far enough removed from the Titans to be objective, and able to keep quiet. Batman could be of immeasurable help, if he would agree.
The dark girl was just convincing herself to make an excuse to leave for Gotham right then, when a knock on the door to Beastboy's room interrupted her.
"Raven? Beastboy?" Starfire called out. "We are all most concerned for your absence from the evening meal of dinner. Is everything all right, friends?"
"Yes – everything is cool, Star." Raven tried to sound totally unconcerned. "BB's just feeling tired and achy, so I'm keeping him company. I think he may have a cold. I'll just stay here with him, we're fine."
"Okay, Raven. Please tell me if there is anything I may do to help you." Starfire added.
"No, but thank you for asking." Raven muttered under her breath, willing the Tamaranian to go away.
"So Raven is staying in Beastboy's room, taking care of him?" Robin smirked.
"Hey – watch what you're thinking about my little 'sis,'" countered Cyborg. He waited long enough for Robin to think that maybe he was serious, before laughing. "Hey – I'm not gonna be the one to say anything about it."
Raven flew to Wayne Manor, and waited patiently for Alfred to answer the door. She hoped that Bruce was home, since she had not announced her visit in advance. She smiled slyly to herself. Robin didn't even know that she had found out about Batman's alter-ego. He certainly had not volunteered that information, but the sorceress had her own ways of finding things out.
"Miss Raven; what brings you here? I trust that Master Robin is not in any trouble?" Alfred was calm and efficient. He was also painstakingly formal, as always. "Please follow me to the sitting-room, and I shall endeavor to inform Mr. Wayne of your unexpected visit. Please feel free to sit anywhere, except for the green wingback, of course. I trust you are able to entertain yourself for a short time?"
Raven tried not to grimace, not sure she was succeeding. "If I might examine a few books while I wait…?"
"Of course." Alfred replied, leaving her alone.
Beastboy enjoyed the freedom he felt, spending time in the wilds, running with his friends. It reminded him of his childhood in Africa. He almost managed to forget about his guilt at not trusting Raven enough to tell her about his need to get away. Almost.
Raven did not even notice the passage of time, so engrossed was she in examining some of the rare old volumes that were available in Wayne's sitting room. She was also comforted by the low level of lighting that Wayne preferred, which was a taste they shared. She was actually caught off guard, when Bruce entered the room unannounced.
"Miss Raven; it's good to see you." Bruce extended a hand to the dark girl, along with a smile which struck her as being quite genuine. "I hope this is merely a social call, although somehow I doubt it… ." Apparently, Mr. Wayne knew something about Raven's reputation.
"Thank you for seeing me without any notice, Mr. Wayne. I appreciate it." Raven tried to reply with the same casual formality. "You are quite perceptive. I didn't come here just to socialize." She inhaled deeply, calming herself. "I'm glad that Richard introduced us last year. I have a rather large favor to ask of you, which concerns the welfare of another of our teammates."
"Yes?" Wayne allowed himself to express mild surprise. "I was under the impression that the Titans are quite capable of handling their own problems."
Raven thought she heard a bit of bitterness in Wayne's voice. "From Robin, I suppose?" She said. Wayne nodded, saying nothing. "Mr. Wayne, my problem actually involves your protégé, in that I wish to keep him out of this affair."
"Indeed," replied Bruce, in a manner which reminded Raven uncomfortably of her own mannerisms. "And how can I be of help in this matter?"
Raven swallowed hard. "I happen to know – of my own accord, that you are possessed of certain 'exceptional' resources and abilities that I am in need of." She tried not to look at Bruce in a challenging manner, but she was hoping not to have to come out and say that she knew… .
Bruce studied her face carefully, intently. "Am I to believe that you know something about my 'hobby,' which few, other than Alfred and Richard, are privy to?"
"Yes, I know about your 'hobby,' as you refer to it." Raven wove her hands through the air in front of her face, opening a dark portal, which displayed a dim view of the Batman's famous automobile. She waved her hands again, and the portal vanished.
If Wayne was surprised, he did not show it. "I assume you have known this for some time?" He asked. "And therefore, you can be trusted." He smiled, lightly. "Noting also that Richard has reported on your conduct in only the most glowing terms."
Raven released the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "Thank you." Was all she could manage, trying to cover the reddening she felt rising on her cheeks.
"Well, then, Raven. What help can Batman offer you…?"
(Brain: Don't forget, this time! Idiot!)
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