Hello, everyone!
Thank you again for waiting for my next chapter. I know it took a bit longer but my girlfriend and I did end up moving so we were lacking a desk for a bit. My mother came in and brought our old one in and finally, we can both write again! It shouldn't be too long for this chapter to be fully published and ready to go.
Regardless, a chapter a month at the very least. If not, one every three weeks.
Beyond that, I have nothing else to say. Please, enjoy my next chapter.
"You're so damn annoying," Cyborg yelled, glaring at Kid Gizmo.
"I can tell you like my upgrade, Metal Butt!" he called back, his mech-suit pinning him down. Growling, Cyborg pushed the pint-sized kid off, opening fire with his sonic cannon. Gizmo was sent flying into a truck. Before he could even stand, Cyborg tackled the kid down.
Not too far away flew Starfire. Her hands began to glow green and she started to shoot down towards See-More. It didn't take long for him to fall over, knocked out cold. Starfire shrugged, smiling softly.
Raven went up against Billy Numerous. Holding her shield up, she started to track down the real Billy. Tracking him in a sea of the same person was already growing an annoying headache. Beastboy, not too far away, spotted the real one and morphed. He turned into a rhino, instantly knocking him out. The others disappeared, leaving Raven alone.
"You owe me, Rae!" Beastboy called out, striking a hero pose. Raven made a face. She noticed another villain approaching him, ready to strike. With a swipe of her hand, she sent a mailbox in his face, saving him.
"You like to be wrong, don't you?" she replied. He chuckled in response. Starfire landed next to him, dusting her hands. Cyborg came in soon enough, tossing Gizmo's suit into the trash. Now, it was Robin's turn and he was nowhere in sight.
"Oh, I do hope Mammoth is not giving Robin too much trouble," Starfire noted. There was silence before a scream erupted from the nearby bank. As the team turned, they saw Mammoth fly out of the bank, crashing into a car.
"I think he's fine," Beastboy said. Raven rolled her eyes.
"What tipped you off?" Raven replied.
"I'm going to check on the poor fella. Going up against Robin alone just isn't fair," Cyborg said. Beastboy nodded, following him.
"Good work, team!" Robin said, coming out of the bank. "Let's head out to the tower. We can't miss our training session."
"Didn't we just work out?"
"That was just a warm up," Robin replied, smirking.
"For you, probably," Raven remarked.
"Is everything alright, Raven?" Starfire asked.
"Yes. I just need to have some tea," Raven said, rubbing the sides of her forehead. Her head was already pounding like before. Starfire nodded, a light look of concern blemishing her features. It wasn't long till Cyborg and Beastboy returned, the car on and ready to go. Raven sighed softly, rubbing her temples.
Why did it feel like forever till she would have her tea?
In the training room, the titans had already begun their workout. Robin was surprisingly still, reading and studying his gift from Beastboy. Cyborg occupied himself with lifting; he was pushing to a few ton. Starfire, never needing to really train, sat by Robin. She toyed with Silkie, rubbing its slimy belly. Raven was floating, a book in her hands.
Beastboy finally entered, approaching the nearest punching bag. He sighed softly before starting. As he started to punch and swing, the bag moved further and further in the room. As he continued to move, the others took notice. What first looked like a good work out evolved into something else.
At that moment, Raven felt something else. She could feel his inner rage surface. With a loud cry, Beastboy swung once more. The bag flew off the moving chain, crashing into the wall.
My beast…
Beastboy panted, standing still. A hand pressed over his shoulder, causing him to jump back. He turned around, facing Cyborg.
"Chill," Cyborg started, "Are you alright? That was just weird."
"Yeah. I just needed to let out some steam," he replied, looking away.
"We've been calling your name out for a while…"
"Really? I didn't notice."
"Friend Beastboy...? Is something of the matter? You were the OK not too long ago," Starfire said, lips pressing into a frown.
"Don't worry, Star. I'm fine."
"If you have that much steam, get on the mat. I'll fight you till your sick of it," Robin added. He smirked, cracking his knuckles. There was something off about Beastboy and Robin wanted to know.
"No thanks. I'm already out of it. Maybe tomorrow."
Raven chanted soft words to herself, keeping her hood down. Beastboy could feel a trickle of energy; someone was trying to unlock the door. He shook his head, keeping the door locked, kicking her away from the information she sought.
Nope. I'd rather explain this issue to her much later.
He looked up, meeting her gaze. She knew instantly that he was well aware of what she was doing. Raven was impressed that he had managed to keep her at bay with such little effort. He was a natural, still interacting with the others, discussing dinner and cracking jokes. No matter how much effort, she pressed, she could not invade his mind.
"There's the white noise again," Love whispered in Raven's mind.
"It's bad enough we can't always tell what he's feeling. But, now, he's blocking us! I didn't see that coming," Brave huffed.
Raven snapped out of her mind, approaching Beastboy.
"Is something wrong?" she asked, still trying to enter his mind.
"Letting out some steam," he answered. He tilted his head, giving her a look, asking her to stop. She tried to sense for his emotions but found nothing.
"Fine. If you won't tell me, I won't care," she said. She grabbed her book, storming out of the training room.
What the hell are you hiding?
"What did you do now?" Robin asked.
"Punch a bag, I guess? I don't know," Beastboy lied, shrugging. For someone who wanted others to share, Beastboy kept plenty to himself.
Beastboy was in his room, reading over one of his cookbooks to pass the time. He knew very well that Raven was mad at him. He also didn't have any plan to explain himself; he would rather have some proper explanation. The sad thought was that he didn't want to tell her the full truth. He wanted her to know enough so she would stop asking. With her so far away, he was free to think without the fear of her entering his mind.
Midday was quickly approaching and he would have to enter her mind again. Unless, of course, if she wasn't going to let him. He closed his book and looked outside. Ruffling his hair, he took a moment to breathe. A knock interrupted him. Starfire stood at the door, a worried look on her face.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Friend Raven has not left her room. I believe it would be best for you to talk to her," she said, clasping her hands in front of herself.
"Alright. I'll put this book back and be there."
"No, Beastboy. Now," she replied. She grabbed his arm and dragged him out. His book fell on the floor, already forgotten. Starfire's grip was something he could never escape. She took him down the hall, stopping by Raven's door. "You must go. She is upset and I fear it was something that happened in the training room."
Beastboy gave up. He knew once Starfire started, there was no escaping.
She's the big sister I never had.
"Alright, Star. I'll talk to her if she's there. She might be on the roof."
"I checked the tower, Beastboy. I checked a few times, even. She did not respond to my knocking. I think it is about time you try, Beastboy."
"You must be really worried, Star…Alright, I'll give it a shot. The worst thing that can happen is I'll be thrown through another window or some weird dimension, right?" he said, smiling softly at the worried alien. He knocked on the door, waiting for a response.
Silence.
"Star, are you sure about this? She might not be there," he said, turning to face Starfire. He was surprised to see her gone. He knocked again, his ears twitching, straining to hear any noise. "Come on, Rae. I know you're in there. Please, open the door."
"What do you want?" Raven hissed, opening the door.
"It's almost lunch."
"Not hungry."
"What about the deal with your emotions?"
"I'd rather you explain what happened earlier," she said, crossing her arms.
"What do you mean?"
"Don't play dumb, Beastboy. What happened in the training room?"
"I was letting out some steam is all!"
"Liar," she said. Raven turned, entering her dark room.
"Wait," he started, grabbing her shoulder, "I blocked you from my mind because I'm always on my guard. It's hard for my animal instincts to stay calm."
"You never did anything like that before."
"I picked this up when I started to live with a mind reader."
"What do you mean?"
"Mento didn't like me mouthing him off in my mind. I learned how to block him out. I'm not sure when I learned but, after a while, he just couldn't read me like he used to. From there on, it seemed like things were worse with the Doom Patrol. Or just with him."
He sighed softly, looking at his feet.
"The one good thing about this is that no enemy can enter my mind. I'm sorry I never mentioned this before. I haven't had anything like this happened since my last mission with the Doom Patrol, didn't know I can still do it."
Clearly impressed, Raven remained silent for a moment. In Azarath, it would have taken someone years of training to block people away. But it was something Beastboy had mastered at a young age.
"Whatever," she finally said, strolling past him. Her eyes narrowed, hands at her sides. She moved down the hall.
"Are you okay, Rae?" he asked.
"It's Raven. And I'm fine," she replied, "I need to think. Come to my room after lunch." Opening a portal, she stepped through, leaving Beastboy alone in the hallway. Raven stepped forward on the roof. She needed some time to meditate and absorb the information Beastboy had given her. She slid into her lotus pose, quickly starting.
"So…he can block us if he wants to," Knowledge started. She arched a brow, lips pressed in a frown.
"I can see why. Living with a telepath for so long can help someone pick up the skills," Wisdom added.
"Does it have something to do with his animal DNA? How was he able to learn something so complex? Or, is it magical?" Lust asked.
"Most animals are known to have a sixth sense; it might have something to do with that. Or, it could be a natural trait for some species," Knowledge explained.
"Is this why we really can't sense him unless he's close?"
Happy raised her hand, bouncing in step.
"That can also explain why we can't read his emotions either!" she started, grinning. Love nodded in agreement.
"Predators are known to be basically invisible to their prey. That might have something to do with it."
"Then, what can we do?" Rude asked.
"I don't know. He's almost impossible to read. Random as all hell and he can block us at any time," Envy replied, glancing at Rage.
"And he might have before without us knowing," Timid said. Happy nodded.
Can we talk about something else?
"Alright! We're all ears; tell us!" Rude yelled, hands at the corners of her mouth.
"Ugh. Go back to sleep, Rude."
"Gladly," Rude grumbled. She used her powers to create a large dark pillow. Taking a seat on the ground, she got comfortable and quickly, fell asleep.
"Out like a light. Things never change," Happy said, shaking her head.
"Raven, what do we know about Beastboy?" Love asked, "Maybe we already know the answers."
Well, I've been living with him for years. He almost never talks about his past. Whenever he does, it's small details.
"That's it," Brave said, eyes brightening up, "We don't know anything about his past!"
"Well, some things," Timid replied, looking over at Knowledge, "Isn't that right?"
"Let me see," she said. She chanted soft words, her eyes glowing yellow. Her hands parted for a large green book that appeared. She moved through the pages, skipping through the fights and pranks Beastboy had pulled. She had even organized the events he had with Raven. Every time he held her or even the times he had said the word "Dude". She had bookmarked the times where he saved her in battle, every time he made her laugh. As Knowledge continued to shuffle through the memories, her lips started to twist into a frown.
"We don't even know his birthday," she said, glancing at the group.
Raven almost lost focus for a moment. Shock filled her form; she almost opened her eyes.
That can't be true.
She tried to remember the last time they had celebrated Beastboy's birthday. As Raven continued to think, she was surprised to not remember anything. Her emotions looked sad, staring at their feet.
"I feel so sad," Timid mumbled, tears forming. She sat down on the ground, covering her face.
"I don't feel to good after realizing that either." Happy said nearby her, sighing softly.
"What are you waiting for, Raven? We need to go and get some answers!" Yelled Brave, shaking an angry fist.
"This might not be the right time…"
"What are you talking about?"
"She might be right," Wisdom replied.
We just learned that he can block me from entering his mind. Asking about his past might get us nowhere.
"Well, what do we do then?"
"Ask the other Titans? They might help," Happy offered.
"We just need to be careful. Leave him alone for now, give him some time to drop his mental guard," Wisdom stated.
"I've got a plan. But, it's going to have to wait," Knowledge said, tapping a finger against her chin.
Fine. I'm going to get something to eat. Get ready, Beastboy will be entering my mind soon.
"Raven, before you go, tell Beastboy to come with one of his cook books!" Wisdom asked. There was a pause and then a long sigh.
Fine.
Shaking her head, Raven opened her eyes. She still felt frustrated and her emotions didn't seem to make it any better. Sliding out of her lotus pose, Raven glanced around the empty roof.
"Why does he have to make things so difficult?" she grumbled. Frowning, Raven left the roof, making her way to the common room.
Entering the area, she found the usual scene throughout the years. Beastboy was playing video games with Cyborg on the couch. A little further to the left were Starfire and Robin, talking and flirting with each other. Nearby their feet was Silkie, napping to his content.
"Do you feel better now, friend Raven?" Starfire asked, slowly standing. She approached the empath. Robin stayed put, glancing at the video game.
"Yes. I just needed to meditate, Starfire," Raven replied. She moved towards the kitchen, ready to make her lunch.
"I am glad Beastboy could help," Starfire said, beaming at her friend. Raven growled, glaring at the male.
"What makes you think he helped?" she asked.
"Well, I was wondering what was wrong but you did not respond to my knocking. But, you opened the door for Beastboy, yes?"
"I must have been in a deep trance, Starfire. I'm sorry," Raven replied, lying through her teeth. She was still stuck in thought at that time. How could Beastboy block her so easily?
"Will Beastboy be entering your mind today as well?"
"Yes. Why do you ask?"
"Well, I was hoping we would have the night of sleep with the other female Titans," Starfire started. There was a hopeful gleam in her eyes, her cheeks tinting pink.
"Maybe some other time, Star," Raven replied, looking away. Starfire had asked for this many times before but somehow, Raven always found a way around it.
"So, is that a yes?" Starfire asked, her eyes starting to sparkle.
"Yes. We will talk about this some other time."
"Oh no you don't, Rae. I know what you're doing," Cyborg yelled over. The game had paused, the male glancing over them. Even Beastboy and Robin had stopped, listening in.
"I'm making my lunch," she replied, voice monotone.
"Not that. You're giving Star the run-around again," he said.
Damn…
"But, Raven and I are not running in a circle…"
"No, Star. The run-around is when a person," Beastboy started, entering the kitchen. Raven slapped her hand over his own, causing him to stop. Robin stood nearby, eyebrow raised. Raven held tight, feeling him struggle.
"I…I would love to have a sleepover this weekend if you don't mind, Starfire," she said, flashing a small false smile. She didn't want Starfire to know about all the other times she avoided her activities.
"Oh thank you, friend Raven!" Starfire said, giggling. She made a b-line to the computer, contacting the others such as Jinx and Bumblebee.
"Raven, don't you have to deal with Beastboy? Or your emotions?" Robin asked.
"I can take a break for just one day."
"You really don't want Star to know how many times you've said no to her," Cyborg added, "Don't you think you should let Beastboy go?"
"What are you talking about?" she said. She looked down, spotting Beastboy's blue face. Letting him go, she gave a small smile towards the other Titans, "Oh. Yes." Falling to the ground, he panted, quickly regaining his color and breath.
"I didn't think he could turn so blue," Robin added.
"Are you alright, friend?" Starfire asked, returning to the group.
"I'm fine, Star. Next time, I'll let Robin explain. Its his turn to change to blue."
"Explain what?" Starfire asked.
"Nothing, Starfire. It's not important," Raven interrupted. She glared at Beastboy, warning him. "Anyway, Beastboy, come to my room in thirty minutes. Bring some cooking books as well."
"On it!" he replied, running out. "I need to look for the good ones!"
As he left, Raven glanced at her feet. Her lips twisted into a frown, teeth sinking into her lower lip. The team instantly noted her change in attitude; Starfire felt the sorrow.
"Raven, what is the matter?" she asked.
"Yeah, girl. You were fine just a few seconds ago," Cyborg added.
"We never have celebrated Beastboy's birthday, have we?" she asked, her voice soft. Cyborg made a face.
"Yeah, we did. I remember the date…It was…Oh god, I don't know my little bro's birthday," Cyborg started, realizing the truth. Starfire clasped a hand over her lips, feet landing on the floor.
"Oh my…"
"I can check his file and see when it is. I don't understand how he hasn't said anything over the years," Robin said. He grabbed Starfire's hand, giving it a soft squeeze.
"He has always remembered our day of birth but…we have not," Starfire mumbled. She started to tear up at the thought. "Nor have we noticed to ask…"
"Let's discuss this later. Don't tell Beastboy. I think he's hiding it from us for a reason," Raven said.
"Got any ideas?" Cyborg asked.
"None at the moment. But, I'll see what I can think of."
"What is his real name?" Robin suddenly asked.
"Garfield," Raven answered, "I don't know his last name, however."
"I totally forgot that. It's a funny name, actually," Cyborg said. He instantly noticed Raven's death stare. "Sorry. Not the time for that."
"Do you know where he was born?" she asked. There was silence amongst the group, "Not much to work with, then. Let's hope his files say something." With that, she walked away, leaving the common room.
Beastboy looked over his notes, sighing softly. He had a few pages ready; he wasn't sure which cooking style would work best for beginners. Beastboy understood when Raven asked him to teach her some tricks in the kitchen. He had a feeling that someone in her mind was interested. Whoever it was, he was going to make sure that he would make something Raven liked and that someone could call themselves a chef. Gathering six recipes, Beastboy went to get Raven.
Entering the commons again, he saw Robin trying to hold Starfire back. He had a hold over her waist, trying to bring her down as slowly as he could. Starfire noticed him instantly and grinned.
"Oh, Beastboy! I was wondering if you would like pizza tonight. You can get whichever you like."
"Uhm. We can go to the usual place and have fun," he replied, walking past them. He noticed Robin struggle more, panting to keep her at bay. "So, what's going on here?"
"Nothing!" Robin replied quickly, "Just wanted to train a little more while we ask about dinner."
"Alright. Well, I'm off to see Raven," he said, walking away from the couple. "Well, that was weird." Shaking his head, he approached her door. He took a deep breath, knocking lightly.
"Come in," she said. He entered, the door swiftly shutting behind himself. He spotted that she had two books in hand.
"Are you ready?" she asked.
"So, what are we going to do?"
"It's just you today," she replied, looking at her books.
"No, Raven. We had so much fun yesterday."
"What fun? I was looking for you in the depth of my mind," she replied, arching a brow.
"Right. But, we can have fun together today and make up for yesterday," he replied, walking closer to her.
"No. I have better things to do," she replied. She shielded her mind, hiding her plan.
"Please?"
"No."
"Come on, please? After this I swear I'll leave you alone for the day. That way you can focus on whatever you want. How about that?" he offered.
"Beastboy!" she snapped.
"Please, Rae, please!" he begged. He kneeled in front of her, causing her to flush.
"Ugh. Fine. Just stop talking already," she replied. She rubbed her temples, grumbling.
"Sweet! I'm going to tell Robin you're coming with me," he said. He dug into his pocket, pulling his communicator. Robin had a message in seconds.
"Ready to go?" she asked, approaching her mirror.
"Yes," he replied, turning around. As soon as he spotted the mirror, he made a face, "Don't you hate using that to enter your mind?"
"Yes. But, this is the fastest way. It will take a few minutes of meditation to get even close to entering my mind," she said, lying through her teeth. The last thing she wanted him to know was that she liked him holding her.
"Alright. As long as you're fine with it," he said. He handed the books to Raven, grabbed the mirror and then looked at her. "Hold tight." Grabbing her, he spotted the dark hand that came from the mirror, ready to take them in. Once more, they were in the vortex of black and red. Raven smiled softly as Beastboy pulled her close. As they landed, he took the fall, holding her on top of his form. Even as they started to stand, he still held her hand.
"You can let go now," she said, looking away, hiding the coloring of her cheeks.
"Oh! Sorry. I forgot I was holding your hand," he said, laughing a little, "So, do we wait or do we go looking for them?"
"They should be here soon," she said, opening one of the books. She spotted various recipes, clearly interested. Beastboy stood still, unsure with what to do. It wasn't long till Happy appeared behind Beastboy, a grin on her face.
"Hey, Beastie! How'd you sleep?" she asked.
"Fine, I guess. 'Sup?" he asked. She gave him a small hug, bouncing on her feet. Raven looked from the books, spotting Timid nearby.
"Where are the others?" she asked.
"Over in Wisdom's realm. We came to get you guys," Timid mumbled, looking at the ground. "Also…Hi…Hi Beastboy."
"Something wrong, Timid? You seem down," he said. Timid bit her lower lip. She still felt guilty about his birthday.
"Well, she's Timid, Beastie. There's always something that has her down!" Happy explained. She moved next to Timid, wrapping an arm around her. "Keep it together, okay?" she whispered in the emotions ear.
"Okay…Just let me know if there's anything I can do to help," he said, smiling at the gray Raven.
"Thanks…"
"Alright. Let's go," Raven said. The group started the walk towards Wisdom's realm. There was chatter, mostly from Happy and Beastboy. Raven had her head in the books, Timid kept quiet, looking at her feet. When they entered the portal, Beastboy saw a beautiful land. The sky was discolored, stars coating the blues. The moon was close to the land, grass spread over the lands in pure perfection. Beastboy even spotted a few small lakes in the area. The wind was light, swaying the grass in a peaceful atmosphere.
"This is awesome," Beastboy said, taking a quick seat. He just wanted to see the land in front of him. "It's so beautiful."
"I'm glad you like it," Wisdom said, approaching him.
"This is the most beautiful place I've ever seen…"
"What about me, love?" Lust started, falling on his back, "I'm beautiful, too!"
"Hey, Lust. How'd you sleep?"
"Alright, I guess," she replied. Tilting her head, she leaned closer to him, whispering in his ear, "I would sleep better with company." Beastboy didn't reply.
"Yo, BB! Thanks for the save today!" Brave said. She grabbed Lust by the collar, shoving her away. He nodded, looking over and spotting Envy.
"Anytime," he replied, fist-bumping the emotion.
"Hello, Beastboy," Knowlegde greeted. She adjusted her glasses, grabbing the other book that Raven had. Love sat nearby him, smiling softly.
"Hey."
Rage sat nearby, keeping quiet. She nodded at the male; he nodded back. He looked around, seeing Envy wave whilst standing by Rude. Rude was leaning against the other emotion, lightly snoring.
"Sleeping again?"
"Mhm. That's her way of being nice," Wisdom replied. Beastboy slowly stood, dusting himself. He helped Love stand shortly after.
"What do you mean?" he asked. Raven lowered her book a bit, listening in.
"She's Rude. Most of the time she'll say something that can be really hurtful. So, when she sleeps, she's not saying anything."
"I'm sure she doesn't mean for it to come out that way."
"True," Love agreed, "But it's better to be like this then to regret something she would say." She approached the sleeping emotion.
"I can understand that," he said, his ears lowering. He instantly remembered something he had said a long time ago. Once he had called Raven creepy. Since then, she had called herself that a few times; it killed him on the inside. Since then, he had never dared call her creepy. Instead, he wanted to understand her more. So, whenever he didn't understand something about her, he would spend hours trying to get a grip. He wanted to know what kind of person Raven is.
"Beastboy, are you ready for my question?" Wisdom asked, breaking him from his thoughts.
"Oh, sure. Whenever you're ready," he replied, facing her.
"I am Raven's wisdom. As you can see, I love inner peace," she started, smiling softly, "Do you have any words that can help Raven in the future? Any token of wisdom?"
"I don't think you're asking the right person," Raven said.
"I read something on wisdom. Let me think," he replied. Beastboy closed his eyes and held his chin in his hands. It was a good minute or so till he finally nodded to himself, reopened his eyes and grinned. "I guess if there's something you should hear, I have two parts. The first is to be more like yourself and less like anyone else. Only you can be you."
"That does make sense," Knowledge said, finally looking away from the cooking book.
"And the second?" Wisdom asked.
"You're only alone as you choose to be," he said, looking at Raven. There was silence amongst the group, an unspoken agreement. No matter how simple it was, he was right. It was Raven herself who chose this upon herself. The Titans were like family and Beastboy was the main person who always provided her company. He approached her with an open heart; she wondered why he did.
"Thank you," Wisdom replied, a light smirk pressing over her lips. She was satisfied with his response.
"That's a good one," Brave added.
"And most people think you know nothing," Envy said, arching a brow.
"Meh. True Wisdom is knowing you understand nothing."
"So, what are we doing today?" Lust asked.
"Today, we're going to cook. Beastboy will be helping and teaching us," Wisdom replied.
"Cool!" Happy said, grinning from ear to ear, "But, why?"
"It's about time we learn a little. Let's be honest; Raven has been putting this off for a long time now."
Wisdom waved her hand, causing a kitchen to appear a few feet away from the group.
"We are going to learn as a group. I'm sure having us try our cooking together is better then alone, too. Beastboy will go around and fix any mistake and help us as he sees fit. You can ask for help but, try not to."
With that, Wisdom broke them off into pairs. Brave and Rude, Lust and Knowledge, Wisdom and Timid, Happy and Rage, and Love with Envy. Wisdom was still rather surprised that Raven was there. So, in the end, Raven had Beastboy all to herself; no one seemed to mind too much. At the very last station sat Raven and Beastboy, facing the others.
"Alright, Beastboy. Teach us!" Wisdom started.
"Well, let's take it slow. We'll be working on one dish instead of separate meals."
"Sounds reasonable…"
"I brought two cookbooks with me. They're filled with awesome meals. You guys can look over them and pick which ones you want for me to show you." He pointed over to Knowledge who had a book in her hands. "Go on as a group. Pick something." The emotions approached Knowledge, talking amongst themselves. Raven stayed behind, merely watching. With a shrug, she stood, approaching them. Beastboy took a seat under the nearby tree, sighing softly. "I can never get used to this view…"
"So, what are doing?" Raven asked as she approached the group.
"I want something cheesy," Happy answered.
"Meaty!" Brave added.
"How about some soup?" Rude offered.
"That's too easy. Maybe pancakes so Raven can make them for everyone from time to time!" Love offered. The group paused, glancing at the emotion.
"That's not a bad idea…"
"No. I want some good chicken," Rage said, growling, "Don't you guys?" Although that was a good idea it was not the time. Envy grabbed one of the books.
"Why don't we make something that Beastboy would like?"
"No. That would defeat the purpose of today. We need to learn and get better before we can go against his cooking," Wisdom said. Envy set the other book down.
"Pasta?" Raven offered.
"No. Too easy," Lust replied.
"Why don't we make cake?" Timid mumbled. The group paused.
"Why?" Rude asked, eyes narrowing.
"It would be our secret birthday cake to him?" she replied, biting her lower lip.
Happy grinned, bouncing. "I vote for cake!" she said, raising her hand.
"Don't see why not," Love agreed. Brave nodded.
"So, do we all agree then?" Raven asked. She could hardly contain her excitement.
"Alright. Let's not make a fool of ourselves," Envy said.
"We're ready, Beastboy!" Happy yelled, bouncing about. She instantly caught his attention.
Beastboy stood, dusting his pants. He was at complete peace thanks to this area. The animals inside him just wanted to be tucked in to sleep. Even the Beast wanted to relax and nap away in this land.
Thank god…
"So, what would you like for the chef to teach you today?"
"We want to bake a cake," Timid said, smiling softly.
"Alright. That won't be too hard. So, do you guys want to do something layered, upside down, angel cake, carrot, pound cake or…"
"Just pick something that is simple enough for us and tastes good," she snapped. The group offered soft smiles, surprised with her outburst.
"Okay. A birthday cake it is. It's really simple," he replied, fearing Raven's wrath. "With frosting or without?"
"What do you think?" Rage replied, getting annoyed.
"Okay. With. Let's uh…Let's get started," he said, running to his cooking station. The group divided into groups, Raven walking over to Beastboy's section.
"Oh. We don't have ingredients."
"Don't worry. Just tell us what we need and we'll make it appear," Brave said. She felt a surge of energy, viewing this day as a game. She wanted to be the first to make the cake.
"Cool. All we'll need for materials are measurement cups, spoons," he started, listing off items from his head. Items started to appear in front of the tables. Beastboy glanced at Raven, smiling. "A bowl, pans..."
"And the ingredients?" Lust asked, arching a brow.
"Oh. Well, we need sticks of butter in room temperature. All-purpose flour, baking power, fine salt, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, milk. Sprinkles too, if you want," he offered. All the materials started to appear, sprinkles landing on top. "Perfect!"
Looking over at everything, he started to focus.
"We're going to take this step by step. I'll show Raven how to do it since she's here by herself."
"You aren't going to help," she stated, taking a spoon as a weapon. He waved his hands.
"Oh no no. I can help but I won't do much else."
"Okay. What's next Chef BB?" Love asked. There was a sparkle in her eyes as she looked at the changeling. Raven glared at her, shaking her head.
"I'll go around each table and make sure you all got it before we go on to the next step. That way all the cakes should be all out around the same time. Ready?"
"Yes!" all the emotions replied. Raven nodded.
"Good. First thing is that we need to preheat the oven to 350. Butter the bottom of the pans you pick. Then just dust it with flour and take out any extra."
He turned to Raven, noticing how unsure she was with starting.
"Here," he offered, "Let me help you get started." He placed his hands over her own, standing behind her. Raven was looking at the pan but her lips parted in a light gasp; she smiled. The group looked at Raven as he stood behind her. They smiled too, a light blush adorning the emotions' faces.
"See how simple it is? Give it a try," he said, letting go of Raven once he finished.
"Beastboy, I need some help here," Rude called out.
"Are you kidding me? We got this. Move along, Beastboy," Brave replied, glaring at her lazy sister.
"Does anyone need any help before we move on?" he asked. Getting no reply, he nodded. "Good. Now, put 2 ¾ cups of the flour in a bowl. Add a teaspoon of baking power and another teaspoon of salt. Whisk it all together. Rae, can you handle that?"
"Sure. How hard can it be?"
"Not hard. Just messy at most. Everyone, take off your cloaks," he said. There was a pause, a few of the emotions were measuring the flour.
"Oh, Beastboy. You hardly need to ask," Lust started. Beastboy turned beet red.
"No! Not like that. I know messing with flour and some of these ingredients can get messy. I just don't want your cloaks to get dirty…"
"So, you'd prefer if we get it on our legs," Knowledge said, a smirk on her lips.
"Uh…Well…"
"Beastboy! I thought you were a gentleman!" Happy spoke out.
"Well, at least we know he likes legs," Brave said, striking a pose, showing off her long legs. Rude, Love, Envy and Rage even joined in. Wisdom exposed hers just a bit, a shy smile on her face.
"Like this?" Timid asked, moving her cloak, hardly revealing any skin. Raven made a face, getting angry at her emotions.
"Beastboy! Stop starring!"
"It's not like that, Raven! They were just…Just…"
Beastboy turned away, covering his face with his hands.
"Just get some aprons. Can we just focus on the cake now?" he asked. The group started to laugh.
"Sure, Beastboy. We're just having a little bit of fun," Love said. Face still red, Beastboy grabbed the cookbook, sticking his face in.
"Beat the butter. Add 2 cups of sugar and half a cup of oil. Add one egg and beat the mixture till it's soft and creamy. Add four more eggs but beat them one at a time. After the last egg, add some vanilla and mix it a bit more." Nodding, the emotions got to work. Beastboy knew that it would be easier with an electric beater but he preferred for them to work for it.
"Ugh. Like this?" Raven said, frowning at her mixture.
"Yeah. You have it down. But, it needs to be a bit more creamy before you add the next egg," he replied, "I'll go check on the others. Keep up the good work."
"Beastboy, I think we made a mess already," Love said. Envy worked on cracking the eggs, causing them to splatter.
"It takes some time. Here, let me help."
"No! I have this," Envy replied. She cracked the egg against the bowl, causing it to spill again. "Why is it so hard?"
"Come on, Envy. I'll help you if you let me," he said. He took her hand and patted the egg gently against the bowl. As Love watched on, she saw the expression on Envy's face; she planned this. "You can't tap it too hard or else it'll get everywhere. Try to be a bit more gentle."
"Thank you, Chef," she said, blushing lightly. Beastboy left her and went to check on the others. Love turned to Envy, whispering in her ear.
"Did you like the one on one time with him?" Love asked, smirking at the blushing Envy.
"Oh, shut up. You would if you could," she replied. After whisking the batter, she added the next egg. "But, I really liked it."
Lust had seen the whole event and wanted to beat Envy at her own game. As she looked over, she saw that Beastboy was moving over to the next step. With Knowledge, she never made a mistake once as soon as she was shown how to do her work.
What can I do? There must be something I can do to bring him over here!
Grabbing her whisk, she prepared for her move. Knowledge stopped her, shaking her head.
"We're making a cake for Beastboy. Please, don't forget," she said, adjusting her glasses.
"Fine," Lust hissed, eyes narrowing.
"Looks like you're all ready for the next step. Hold on, Raven. Let me see the batter," he said, taking the bowl from her hand.
"Did I do something wrong?" she asked, head tilting in confusion. For a while she had focused on the task on her own.
"No, you've been perfect. It's just that I have to show you the next step. Everyone, come and see so you get a good look."
I'm doing fine. Just calm down and finish the cake…
"So, you guys will have to alternate folding the flour mix and one cup of milk into the batter with a spoon until it's smooth. Put the flour in three times and milk twice to help with the process. Make sure to do one after the other; you should end with adding the last bit of flour. Add the sprinkles in after, mix it well and you should be done. Any questions?"
"Well, that went over my head. Can you show us again?" Happy asked. Beastboy handed the bowl back to Raven.
"Sure. Let me just make sure Raven has it," he said, turning to face her. She was covered in cake batter and flour. She was focused with her task and the results seemed rather positive. "Nevermind. She has this."
"Good! Now, stop being silly and show us already, Beastboy!" Happy said, walking to her station. Beastboy followed in, explaining the process over with her. With a nod, Happy started on her task. He looked over at Rage.
"What about you, Rage?" he asked.
"You didn't show me correctly. Do it again," she demanded.
"No, Rage. You're doing it wrong. This is how it's done," Happy replied. She took the bowl away. Rage made a noise, grabbing it back. The fight started up quickly after that. Rage tugged the bowl back, seeing Happy struggle with her grip. With a twisted grin, Rage let go, watching Happy fall back with the bowl. Beastboy jumped in quickly, catching the pink emotion with one arm and the bowl in his other hand. Happy blushed darkly, nodding in thanks.
"Guys, calm down," he said, setting the bowl on the table.
"We will! Won't we, Rage?" Happy said, turning to the red emotion. She scoffed, crossing her arms.
"Whatever."
Seeing that everyone else was doing fine, he told them to put the batter in the cake pan. With all the cakes tucked in, he set the timer for forty minutes.
"Sweet. You guys work fast."
"I picked the group based on the best for learning," Wisdom replied with a grin.
"Cool. Keep helping Timid. She's having a bit of trouble. Don't hesitate to call me in when you're having trouble here and there."
"Yes, chef," Wisdom replied, cheeks turning pink with embarrassment.
"Now, onwards to the next phase."
"Aren't we done already?" Rude said, taking a seat on the floor.
"No. But, we're close."
"Then, what are missing?"
"The frosting," he answered, "Which, to be honest, is the easy part." He paused, looking at Raven. "I'll stay with you till you finish this part."
"Whatever. I'm doing fine without you," she said, her voice monotone. She was surprised she was so calm on the outside. Beastboy shrugged.
"Alright. Well, take the rest of the butter you have and add into a new bowl. Add a tea spoon salt and beat it till its smooth. Once it's done, add two tablespoon of cream, one at a time. Beat it till its creamy and you should be done." He went over it a few times, making sure the girls would not forget.
"Beastboy, I think we're done," Knowledge called out, "Can you check to see if its done right?" He went over, looking over the frosting.
"I'll be right back, Raven."
"I'm done," she replied, setting the bowl down. He nodded.
Beastboy walked over to Lust and Knowledge's station and took a look at the bowl. He nodded in response.
"Let's have a taste," he said, grabbing a teaspoon. Dipping into each bowl, he was about to have a taste. Lust spotted him and used a bit of magic to lift each bowl; his fingers dipped instead. "Oh, sorry about that. Where's the napkin?" he asked, whilst looking around. Lust grabbed his hand and flicked her tongue, licking the frosting off.
"Oh, it's really good, Beastboy," she said, giving him a sly smirk. From afar Raven watched, anger bubbling over. She was ready to go over and pull him away from Lust.
"What are you doing?" Knowledge asked, stopping Lust from continuing her attack. Beastboy gave up with cleaning his hands.
"Well, I guess I can just eat the rest," he said, licking his other fingers with an innocent smile. Lust, Knowledge and Raven watched as he went through each one, licking off the food. His lips went over the finger Lust had licked before. Lust grinned, Knowledge's jaw dropped and Raven starred at Beastboy. "Well, it's good. I hope Raven made it just as tasty."
"Well, I'm done for the day. That was all I needed," Lust said, completely satisfied.
"Did I miss something?" Beastboy asked. Knowledge shook her head.
"Nothing you need to know."
"Well, you two relax for a bit. Just wait for the cake to finish," he said, returning to Raven. Once he was close enough, she punched his arm. He winced, sending her a confused look. She made a face, returning to the frosting. Her anger went towards the mixture, smoothing it out.
"Is this good?" she growled, smashing the bowl on his chest, causing a mess. Beastboy scooped the mixture with a finger and had a taste.
"Yes, actually. You're really good at this. "
"Good. I'm going to meditate," she replied, turning around. Tossing her apron aside, Raven continued to move away. "Let me know when I should check on the cake!" With that, she marched off towards the tree. Confused, Beastboy watched her.
"What did I do?" he asked, setting the bowl down. He left it there for a bit, checking on everyone to make sure all of it was done. Eyeing his messy uniform, he sighed softly. "I should have put on an apron, too." Happy approached, giggling at his mess.
"Why don't you wash up in the lake?" she suggested.
"Can I?" he asked, looking at Wisdom. The emotion was by Raven, meditating with her.
"Yes. Just keep it down, alright?" she replied, giving him a soft smile. Nodding, he approached the lake, sliding off his shirt.
"I think it's about time we all take a look," Envy said, pointing over. There was silence as the emotions watched him.
"We really shouldn't be looking," Timid said, her eyes still glued on to him. Beastboy dipped his head in the lake, adjusting to the cool waters. Water dripped through his green hair, dripping down his shoulders. He washed his hands and soon grabbed at his shirt, dipping it into the lake. He started to scrub and clean it down for a while, getting out the stains. As he started to finish up, he shook himself like an animal to get out the excess water.
"Hot damn," Brave muttered.
"Shut it," Raven replied. She couldn't close her eyes as she watched on. The shadows of his muscles outlined his build so perfectly.
Why am I so attracted to him?
"Thank Azar he's single," Envy said.
Stretching out his arms, he flexed out his muscles, groaning in approval. He bent over, picking up his wet shirt from the water. Shaking out the water, he started to turn his shirt.
"He's really dreamy, isn't he?" Love sang, looking at Raven. Even Rude had one eye open as she pretended to sleep. Beastboy stopped, sitting on the grass. He looked up, starring at the clouds.
"What is he doing? The show must go on!" Lust purred.
"How about we not forget what were doing before? We're making a birthday cake, not ogling him," Knowledge said, her voice low. Already, she had booked this image in her mind; she knew Love and Lust would ask for it later. There was a pause as Beastboy stood, tucking his shirt over his shoulder. He walked over to the quiet emotions, arching a brow. He moved his hands behind his head, the wind grazing against his wet hair.
Get it together, Raven. Close your eyes and focus!
"Can I ask you something?" he started. Raven opened her eyes, spotting him next to Wisdom.
"Yes, what is it?"
"Did you create this place? All of it?" he asked, gesturing to the land.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, it's really beautiful here. I just wanted to know if you created this."
"No. This wasn't me. Raven created this," Wisdom replied, looking over at Raven. She had closed her eyes, trying to relax herself.
Beastboy smiled and turned to the clouds. "That does make sense. A beautiful mind for a beautiful girl, right?"
Wisdom flushed. Raven's eyes shot open, her cheeks turning red. Happy, after hearing this, ran to Love, Knowledge and Timid, ready to tell them.
"I'll go check on the cakes. Sorry for disturbing you."
"Not all, Beastboy. Your presence is always welcome," Wisdom replied, watching him walk away. She looked at Raven, "You should allow yourself to smile. He called you beautiful."
"Whatever," she mumbled, looking away. A small smile adorned her lips.
After checking on the cakes, he rejoined them. Beastboy turned into a kitten, playing with the other emotions. Happy, Brave, Timid, Love, Lust and Envy took their time to enjoy playtime with the cat. He was just so adorable that even Raven had to look over a few times. She stayed with Knowledge and Wisdom, meditating. Knowledge, after a while, started to read through the few cookbooks Beastboy had brought. Rage, quiet above all, kept her eyes on Beastboy. Rude slept through, comfortable under the tree. Every few minutes, Beastboy would check on the cake. Once it was out, he left them to cool. By then, his shirt was starting to dry off. As it finished cooling, he returned to chef mode.
"Alright. So, for the last step we are going to add frosting onto the cake. Then, we can eat and enjoy," he said. The emotions stood, moving to their stations. "Are you coming, Raven?"
"I just found my center!" she snapped. Huffing, she stood, walking over to him.
"Really? You've been meditating for a while."
"Hard to focus when you're making so much noise."
"Sorry," he replied, turning to the group, "This part is really simple. Grab your flat spatulas and add the frosting on the cake. Smooth it out and then add the sprinkles to decorate." Taking the spatula, he started to help Raven. It seemed as everyone was too focused on their cake to need help.
"What?" she asked, noticing he was looking at her.
"Nothing. This is just really nice."
"Mm. Maybe I'll let you show me some other recipes."
"I'd like that, Rae," he replied. He watched her coat the cake with frosting. Grabbing the sprinkles, he was about to pour it on top. Raven stopped him, taking the container out of his hands. "What?"
"Go check on the others. They might have messed up."
"They look fine."
"Go!" she snapped back, pushing him away.
"Fine!" he said, backing away from her, wondering what he had done wrong. Going through groups, he took time with Rude and Brave. Timid and Wisdom had finished; Love and Envy were just about done. Knowledge had taken away the frosting from Beastboy, refusing to repeat the events from before. As he finished with Happy and Rage, he saw that they had plenty of frosting left but the cake seemed just fine.
Rage noticed Raven rushing with the cake decorations when Beastboy was about to turn her way. She sent a message to Rage telepathically, instructing her to keep Beastboy busy while she finished. Without thinking, Rage grabbed some of the frosting and tossed it onto Beastboy's face. Happy, unable to contain herself, burst out laughing.
"Just didn't know what to do with the rest, chef," Rage said, shrugging. With one eye open (since the other was coated in frosting), he grabbed the bowl. With it upside down, he placed it on Rage's head. There was silence; even Raven had paused.
"That's what you do with it," he said. There was a spark in Rage almost instantly. She grabbed the cake and threw it at Beastboy. He moved last minute, the food hitting Brave instead.
"Oh, you're going to pay for that," Brave muttered, energy flaring. Cakes started to fly as the food fight began. Timid hid behind Rude. The brown emotion tucked herself away from the chaos, merely watching it unfold.
Everything was fine and fun until Raven got hit. She turned quickly; the others stopped mid throw. Instantly, it was over. If Raven blew up, they were done for. Before she could scream, Beastboy tossed frosting, coating her cheeks.
"You Stupid little," she started, marching towards him. Beastboy broke into a run, Raven following after him. The fight was back on, cakes flying again. Raven lifted a slice, tossing it onto him. Timid, after watching for a bit, suddenly joined in. Beastboy laughed, licking the frosting off his face. Distracted, he hardly noticed more creamy material on the floor. He slid, cake raining down upon him. Sitting up, he saw the group of girls in front of him, Raven in the front. She held a handful of cake in her hands.
"Any last words?" she asked, ready to throw.
"It tastes good," he said, grinning from ear to ear. He closed his eyes, expecting cake. Moments passed but there was no throw. Opening one eye, he saw Raven holding cake with one lit candle. Sprinkled with candles was Happy Birthday Beastboy!. Raven smiled as she gave it to him.
"Hope you like. I'm not much of a cook, you know," she said, tucking hair behind her ears.
"Thank you," he mumbled, accepting the cake, "But…why?"
"I realized you never told us about your birthday. So, I figured we could make you this," she explained. Using her powers, she cleaned the mess up.
"Thank you, Rae. This really means a lot to me," he replied, looking down.
"Aren't you going to make a wish?" Happy asked. He looked up, nodding. Glancing around, he saw the emotions' smiling faces. Even Rage smiled a little. Beastboy closed his eyes, thinking of his wish.
I wish I could kiss you.
He blew the candle out instantly.
"What did you wish for?" Envy asked.
"Well, I can't tell you. If I do, it might never come true," he replied, blushing a little. She huffed but didn't argue. After that, the group had cake. It was quiet and so peaceful. Overall, the emotions were happy, Raven was happy and Beastboy felt something he knew was there all along.
As they gathered to leave, Wisdom pulled Beastboy away for a moment. She whispered in his ear, making him smile. He nodded, approaching Raven again. The vortex appeared in front of them; he held Raven once more. Raven thought how ironic this was. She used to hate to travel like this. Now, it was her favorite part because of Beastboy.
Beastboy landed in the room first, holding out his arms as Raven landed on top of him. He grinned at the empath.
"You know…if someone walked in right now, what would they think?" he started. Raven, distracted, shook her head. She held him down, more focused on her task.
"You never told me what date is your birthday," she replied. He smiled warmly.
"I don't know my birthday," he replied. Her lips parted in surprise.
"How?"
"The last time I had a birthday when I was four going on five. I got sick with the virus that gave me my powers. After my parents died, life became important; I was struggling to make it to the next day. So, from there, my birthday was never really important. Life kept going and I just forgot. I forgot where I was born, what my favorite toys were. All that stuff is gone. At the end of every year, I just say I'm one year older."
"I'm sorry, Beastboy. I wish one of us had known. We had been a team for five years and no one ever knew."
"It's not a big deal to me; don't think about it," he replied. He watched her as she laid down next to him. His lips pressed into a smile.
So beautiful.
"Well, Rae…Do you like being on me?" he finally asked. Flushed, she got up, pushing him away with her powers.
"I have to go wash the cake out of my hair," she mumbled, looking away. With a grin, he got up and went to the door. He paused, looking back at her.
"Thank you for today, Raven. I had a lot of fun," he said, waving goodbye. Leaving her alone, he entered the common room. He spotted the rest of the Titans talking amongst themselves.
"Hey guys! What'cha doing?" he started. He jumped onto the sofa, grabbing a controller.
"Not much. Just took care of a crime while you and Raven were gone," Cyborg replied, taking a seat next to him.
"Did you enjoy your time in the head of Raven?" Starfire asked. Beastboy nodded.
"Yeah. It was fun!"
"So, you having fun with Raven?" Cyborg asked, elbowing him in the side.
"Dude! You know she'll kill me if I try anything."
"That's my girl!" Cyborg replied, feeling pride for his little sister.
"Oh, I wish Robin and I had someone to do the double of dates with," Starfire said. She knew how much Beastboy liked Raven; she wanted to push for it. The whole world seemed to know. Minus Raven.
"Where's Robin?" Beastboy asked. He wanted to avoid the subject.
"He went to check something in his office," Starfire replied.
"Why don't you ask Jinx and Kid Flash when they're stopping by this weekend? That can be your double date," Cyborg offered.
"I will. I am just uncertain when they would like to come," she said, "I will do the searching of Robin."
"Alright, Star. Have fun," Beastboy said. He watched her fly off, knowing full well how much she enjoyed her time with him.
From there on, Cyborg and him played video games. Night rolled over; they ordered take out. That night, Beastboy kept his promise to Raven. He did not disturb her as she read or meditated. He passed time with Cyborg and Robin instead. From the other side of the room, dark eyes met. Smiles exchanged.
No words needed to be spoken.
Well, that's a wrap for this one. Once more, thanking you for waiting for this chapter. My girlfriend and I have been really busy as of late. Not just with moving but with furniture. On a plus side, I'll be proposing to her next month! (She knows since she's writing this, I feel this is something that need to be talk out with her) So, I'll be busy saving for the ring.
She'll be busy with chaotic work as per usual. We'll try and update every 3 week or once a month for sure.
Best,
SantoRamon