Yeah…I know Christmas is over, so I'll try to finish this story as quickly as I can. Hopefully you haven't completely lost the holiday mood. Oh, by the way, Happy New Years Eve. Vinnie the Geek, yes, that's the bunny I was referring to. And I gotta say –gasps- what smart readers I have! Nothing gets past you guys, eh? –laughs quietly to self- Ahem. Anyway. On with the story, since you're all DYING to know who this MYSTERY BOY is.

Chapter 3: Snow

The days crept by one by one. Christmas inched ever closer, and Raven was beginning to feel the effects.

"Thumpity-Thump-Thump! Thumpity-Thump-Thump! Look at Frosty go! Thumpity-Thump-Thump! Thumpity-Thump-Thump! …Look at Frost go! Thu—"

Raven could no longer restrain herself. "Beast Boy, say 'thump' one more time and you'll get your wish."

The changeling looked confused for a moment…then her meaning appeared to dawn on him as he squealed and tore out of her reach. Only when he was a safe distance away did he mutter, "Scrooge."

Dark energy surrounded the shapeshifter, lifting him into the air as he yelped in protest. With a casual flick of her wrist, Raven took another sip of tea as Beast Boy's pants dropped around his ankles, revealing red Santa boxers. Disturbed, Raven dumped him headfirst in the trashcan and left it at that. The others could fish him out once they got back from shopping.

Feeling thoroughly sick of the "festive" atmosphere of the Tower, Raven phased through the tinseled and mistletoed wall. She was heading for the one place that wouldn't be decked out like the North Pole.

The Bean was pleasantly dark and uncrowded. The walls were covered with the sort of artwork a person would find in Hot Topic, which made it even more welcoming to Raven, simply because it was the exact opposite of everything outside. Booths lined the walls, tables were scattered across the small floor space, and a stage made up the last available wall. Waitresses (and waiters), dressed in black and having at least one piercing, popped out of the door leading to the kitchen carrying various coffee beverages and snacks. On the stage, a girl with dreadlocks and heavy black eyeliner was reciting a poem…Raven got the basic idea after hearing the first verse and concluded that it was nothing special.

Finding her usual corner booth, Raven settled with her back to the wall and her feet tucked under, pulling The Supernaturalist from her cloak.

The words formed a sort of meditation, sucking her into a world where she knew everything about everyone around her while they knew nothing about her. Here, she could simply watch, unseen and unheard, from the sidelines as the adventure unfolded without her. Nothing was expected of her…

"And here's your coffee, Raven. Black and entirely unsweetened."

She glanced up briefly and nodded at Adrian, or 'Drin, as he was more commonly called. He smiled despite his gothic appearance and her frigid stare.

"Let me know if you need anything else, ok?"

She nodded again, ready to return to her book. Fate was not so kind.

"Hi, Raven."

The empath fought to keep her face straight as the voice penetrated her thoughts and instantly clicked. Same hoody. Different pants.

"I would respond in the same way, if I actually knew your name," she droned, turning the page though she hadn't finished reading it.

He shrugged, sitting across from her with a small smile. "Mind if I join you?"

Raven kept the book tilted up in case he decided to whip out the fiercely intense gaze. "One, you already have; and two, if I mind you will know."

She "read" on in silence as yet another dark poem, this time given by a male, brushed her consciousness. Raven decided that his skills were far better than the girl's had been.

The boy seemed unable to take a hint, since the smile was still clinging to his face. "So what brings you here? Most people are running around trying to get their shopping done."

Sighing loudly and closing her book with a snap that turned a few heads, Raven faced him with a scowl. "You just answered your own question."

"Oh." His eyes seemed thoughtful as he leaned on one hand, tilting his head to the side. "Kinda stupid, the way people show each other they care. Half-kill themselves to get the last stupid Furbie for their kid that they never spend time with."

One eyebrow raised of its own accord as Raven began to pay a little more attention to the individual across from her. The fact that he had just echoed her exact feelings for the holiday was a bit strange, but still, that was no reason to be friendly. "You're not one of those 'dysfunctional family' punks who just wants to whine about his abusive father and alcoholic mother, are you?"

He laughed, not obnoxiously but sincerely. She almost cracked a smile herself. He just looked so… She didn't bother finishing the thought.

"My family has its quirks, but nothing really interesting. I doubt my mom drank a beer in her entire life."

Raven silently noted the past tense, connecting the dots to a conclusion that won another little bit of her attention. "Good, because I have no sympathy for such people."

The boy ordered a coffee when her waiter came back to check on her. Raven tried her best to ignore the way 'Drin gave him the up and down, winking at her.

"So, what about you?" the boy (she was really getting sick of calling him that) asked. "Do you have family? Or do Teen Titans just kinda pop into existence?"

She attempted a fierce glare, though she felt it lacked oomph. "Not that it's any of you're business, but yes, I have a mom. She lives in another country."

He seemed interested as he sipped his cup of black coffee. "Really? You do look kinda foreign. European, maybe?"

Raven crossed her arms over her chest. "Do you always talk this much, or is it just the coffee?" she droned, masking discomfort with biting wit.

He shrugged, a smile lighting up his eyes in a way that made her look down at the table, a certain amount of heat creeping into her cheeks.

"I guess I just want to get to know you. You seem like a person with a lot of interesting stories behind them."

Raven cocked an eyebrow. "There are less dangerous ways to entertain yourself." He laughed quietly again, which, for some unknown reason, she was glad to hear. "Besides, if you're going to ask so many questions, it's only fair that you answer a few of mine."

He took another sip of coffee, glancing toward the stage as a boy with blue hair gave a dramatic recitation of The Raven. "Fair enough. The answers might bore you, though."

Raven smirked, enjoying herself for the first time. "Trust me, when you've watched a documentary on hotdogs, nothing compares." Chuckling quietly as he laughed, Raven folded her hands on the table and leaned forward slightly. "Let's see…for my own convenience, what in the free world is your name?"

He sighed and snapped his fingers. "Rats. Ah, have it your way then." Sitting up straight and squinting imperiously, he spoke in an exaggerated British accent. "You may call me King Richard the Third!"

Raven twitched, trying hard not to laugh out of pure terror. "Oooookay then, Ritchie Rich. Your turn."

His nose wrinkled at the nickname, but he quickly recovered. "Is your real name Raven?"

The empath nodded. "Cheater, you can't copy my questions." When he simply shrugged and smiled, Raven looked up at the ceiling for inspiration. "Any siblings?"

"Nope," he said, taking a swallow of coffee and drumming his fingers on the tabletop. Grinning mischievously, he asked, "Any siblings?"

Raven reached across the table and smacked the side of his head, the way she would if Beast Boy annoyed her. "No. New rule, if you copy my question you have to think up a different one. Got it?"

King Richard sighed in defeat. "Fine…what's your favorite food?"

Raven thought it over for a minute before coming to her conclusion. "Waffles." Her acquaintance choked on a mouthful of coffee and gave her a questioning smile…heck did he ever stop smiling? She chose to ignore the face. Smirking, she asked, "What's your favorite food?"

Richard opened his mouth to protest, but Raven silenced him with a glare. "Tuna Casserole," he admitted, grinning sheepishly. Raven raised an inquisitive eyebrow, so he muttered, "My grandpa makes it so darn good, you have to taste it to believe it."

Shrugging in acceptance, the empath asked her next question. "You attend Jump City High School, right? What grade are you in?"

For the first time, Richard's smile faded. Looking down at his hands, he took his time in answering. "Actually…I dropped out. I would've graduated this year if I hadn't." Clearing his throat, he looked up and smiled, though it didn't seem as real. "Ok, list off your favorite band, movie, book, and actor."

Raven chuckled, opening her mouth to declare him a cheater, but the ringing of her communicator killed the words in her throat. As it continued to ring and Richard's intense gaze fixed itself to her face, Raven gave herself a massive reality check. Time to rejoin the real world.

Flipping open her communicator, she uttered a quiet and surprisingly resentful "What?"

Cyborg fought back laughter just to answer her. "Hey…Raven, where…you at? You missed the…photo shoot…banana peel…" He dissolved into wheezy chuckled again.

"What on Earth are you—?" Raven cut off as it dawned on her. They must have discovered Beast Boy. She was somewhat surprised that the changeling hadn't gotten himself out first…but then he wasn't exactly a genius. "Home already?" she observed, catching a glimpse of the kitchen behind him. It couldn't be any later than noon…

Cyborg stopped laughing and stared incredulously at her. "Already? Girl, it's six-thirty. When you comin' home? Star won't let us eat til you get here."

Amethyst eyes wide, Raven uttered a gruff, "Be right there," and shut the communicator.

Turning to Richard, she rattled a response off the top of her head. "Dashboard Confessional, Sleepy Hollow, The Hobbit, and Johnny Depp." Drinking the dregs of her coffee, she tucked her book back into her cloak and tossed some money on the table.

Richard stood up with her, walking to the door at her shoulder as though they were old friends. For some reason, this didn't bother Raven as much as she knew it should have.

As they stepped out into a world of white, he whispered, "And in case I don't see ya, good afternoon, good evening, and goodnight!" With that, he dug his hands into the pockets of his hoody and headed off down the street, sneakers crunching in the snow.

Raven watched him for a while, reaching up to touch the soft white stars that had entangled themselves in her hair. "Yeah…bye."

So there's the third chapter. This story shouldn't have any more than six…ok couple things to say. This all takes place before episodes like Haunted and such. I don't own the various and sundry things I have mentioned that do not belong to me, such as Furbies and Ben Franklins and Hot Topics. I also don't own that last quote, which is from The Truman Show. So…happy New Years Eve, people. Sorry if I sounded rude in the beginning, I'm just not in the best of moods. -Dusty