Hello, everyone!
Thank you for all the reviews, favorites and just anything in-between. Again, I'm trying to post a chapter per month. If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to leave a review or PM me.
Anyways….
Onwards!
It was late. Beastboy knew this as he continued to move around his bed, crumpling his sheets. He knew he needed to rest but he just couldn't. Frustrated, he tossed his sheets at the foot of the bed. He looked over his room, eyeing his instruments; he looked over the bookcase afterwards. Perhaps he would just play music or read. Why not both?
Getting out of bed, he grabbed one of the books from the bookcases. He eyed the new cover, remembering his trip to the mall a few days ago. Since he had purchased it, Beastboy had managed to almost finish it. He made way to the roof, preferring to read it under moonlight. Parting the pages, he started. Minutes and hours seem to tick by. The only reason he knew was the exhaustion that was attacking his eyelids. But, Beastboy refused to sleep. Now, he was too close to the end of the book; he wanted to finish it tonight. Pausing for a moment, he decided to get a snack before finishing the book off.
Grabbing a snack was the easy part. Walking through the halls without smacking into anything was the hard part. With sleepy eyes he looked onward. Beastboy paused, sensing something. His eyes narrowed, quickly gaining sharp focus. He spotted Raven on the other side of the hall, dressed in a red tank top and black shorts. She walked downwards, moving towards his room; he followed. He saw her stand by his door, taking a moment to breathe. She raised her hand, ready to knock.
"How can I help you, Rae?" he asked, walking right to her. She jumped in surprise, looking back at him.
"Why aren't you sleeping?" she muttered, lips pressed in a frown.
"I should be asking you that," he replied, head tilting to the side, "But, its just one of those nights for me. My nocturnal side just keeps me up." He walked by her, opening his door. Stepping in, he put his plate and book on the desk. "You coming in?"
She remained silent, looking at her feet. Her short hair covered her face. With a huff, she entered his room, standing in the center. He arched a brow.
"You know you can take a seat, right?" he said. He took his tofu sandwich, snagging a bite. She remained quiet, taking a seat on his bed.
Why am I so nervous? I've slept here once before. Not that I want to sleep here. I just need to talk to him.
Beastboy knew something was wrong when she remained so quiet. He also knew she would discuss it in good time…She just needed the occasional push.
"Is everything okay, Raven?" he asked her. She bit her lower lip.
"Yes."
"Then why are you so nervous?" he asked, moving forward. Beastboy placed a hand on her shoulder. She moved away, slowly standing.
"Nothing. I shouldn't have come here," she replied. She started to make her way towards the door. Beastboy grabbed her hand, stopping her.
"Please don't run away. Whatever it is, you don't have to go through it alone, Rae," he said. She pressed her lips together.
"I had a nightmare," she mumbled, sadness leaking from her voice. He took a small step forward.
"What was it about?"
"That…That is something I don't want to get into," she replied. She sat back down on the bed, looking up. Her eyes were quickly turning red. Beastboy made a face, sitting down by her.
"I can't help you if I don't know anything, Raven," he said, "Anything and everything you say here will never leave this room. I promise you."
"I…I became Trigon," she started, locking her gaze with his, "I was killing everyone. I went to Azarath to kill my mother. I went to Tamaran to burn everything to the ground. Then, I came back here. I made you all watch as I murdered everyone we knew and cared for. Then, one by one, I killed you guys."
She covered her face, her shoulders beginning to shake. Beastboy saw a lone tear drip between the digits, dripping onto her leg. She started to babble, the tears ready to burst. It was sudden but she felt a warmth envelope her form. Beastboy held her, rubbing her back. He moved closer in the bed, laying them down side by side. She gripped onto his shirt for dear life, her nails digging into his skin. Beastboy spoke softly, reassuring the empath.
"It's just a dream," he whispered, "It will be okay… Don't worry… Trigon is gone… It was just a bad dream; that will never happen…"
The words seem to sooth her, calming her nerves. Sniffling, Raven sat up, wiping the remaining tears from her cheeks.
"I'm sorry, Beastboy. I must look stupid to you."
"Not at all, Raven. My dreams are similar to yours," he said, giving her warm smile. Raven tilted her head in confusion.
"You have the same dreams?"
Does he dream of me killing everyone? Does he see me as a killer? Am I a monster to him? Oh, Azar…please, no…"
"Well, yes…You remember, the Beast, right?" he asked. She nodded, "I sometimes dream that I become it. I sometimes dream that I go around killing everyone. Lately, I've been having nightmares about eating you guys." Shivering at the thought, Beastboy looked out the window. "A few times, I've woken up with tears in my eyes. I want to claw at my stomach and rip out my fangs. I know it's just a dream but I sometimes just remember that I might be a monster deep inside. That, one day, it'll be more then just a dream."
Raven felt the sadness and gloom of the room. Beastboy would always come to comfort her whenever she needed it. Even if she wanted to be left alone, he was always there, patiently waiting for her. But, it always felt like Beastboy had no one. He didn't go to anyone; he just kept it to himself. Robin had an understanding with her; Starfire would always listen and do her best to cheer her up. Even Cyborg would do his best to make her feel better. But, with Beastboy, he remained quiet and in his room, riding out the waves.
"You're not a monster," she finally said.
"And you're no demon," he replied, smiling at her.
"I'm half-demon," she corrected. He shook his head, 'tutting' at the girl.
"Nah. That side is an angel from what I can tell," he said. She flushed, smiling at the compliment.
"Thank you, Beastboy. You've helped me a lot."
"Don't mention it. Like I've said, I'll always be there if you need me," he replied. He looked onto his nightstand, spotting the clock; it was nearly three am. "Want me to walk you to your room?"
She paused, giving it some thought. She knew she would be fine sleeping in her room. But, the thought of sleeping in Beastboy's room again made her wonder.
"I was hoping you could play me a song or two, actually…"
"Sure. Guitar or piano?" he asked, walking to his instruments.
"Play something light on the piano," she answered. She got comfortable on his bed, head resting against the soft pillows. He nodded, starting it up.
"I've got nothing new for you but I'll do what I can."
As he started to play, Raven watched on. Her eyes didn't leave him as he played song after song. Beastboy would look up from the keyboard and spot her sleeping face. Flashing a grin, he would then return to playing. It wasn't long till Raven found her center. Her eyelids dropped shut, refusing to open. With the music in the background, she fell into a pleasant sleep.
Raven awoke slowly, her mind fast-forwarding through the night. She sat up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Glancing over, she expected to see a small green cat at her side. She saw no one; Raven glanced around the room. She was back in her own bed, feeling annoyed all of a sudden.
'Wrong bed.'
With a solid frown, Raven crawled out of bed and quickly got dressed. Rushing through her morning routine and emerged from her dark room. Making way to the common room, Raven looked around, spotting no green-skinned man nearby. Her eyes narrowed as she approached the kitchen. A hot cup of tea next to a breakfast plate was set, still warm.
Once she processed the waffles and toast in front of her, Raven turned, approaching the couch. There, she found Beastboy, curled up as a small green cat. Her cheeks flushed, lips parting in surprise.
In the mind of an empath…
"He's so cute!" Happy started, clasping her hands together. Lust stood nearby, smirking.
"I can get used to this," she added, "I like it more when he's shirtless."
"Maybe we should take him to his room?" Knowledge offered.
But…why?
"I asked him to make you tea yesterday. I didn't think he would get up this early," Wisdom informed, arching a brow.
"And the waffles with toast?" Brave chirped in.
"Maybe he's just being nice?" Envy asked, shrugging.
"But, why?" Rude retorted.
"It might have something to do with that nightmare you had, Raven."
Ugh. I'm going to eat before it gets cold.
As Raven snapped out of her trance, the main door opened, revealing a yawning Cyborg. He stretched, blinking. As he spotted Raven, he shot her a smile.
"Hey. Didn't think you'd be down here so early," he started. She grunted in response. Shrugging, Cyborg approached the kitchen, starting with his breakfast. He dove into the fridge, pulling out various meats and a few cheeses. Raven didn't seem to mind the smell as he cooked. She had gotten used to it over the years. Days of coming in and actually eating with her family gave her time to adjust.
She meditated here. She would read here for hours until Robin would yell at her to start her training. Getting comfortable in the common room, Raven took another look around. She noted that Beastboy still slept, his paws covering his nose. As she was about to turn and walk away, Beastboy sat up, turning into his human form. He let out a sharp scream of terror, startling Cyborg.
"What!" Cyborg started, tossing the frying pan down. He turned and ran towards the changeling, "Dude, what's wrong? Are you okay?"
Raven took a small step back, watching over Beastboy. She hadn't expected a shout like that. Beastboy looked around the room, franticly taking in the setting. His breathing was heavy, hands clasped over his chest.
"B, what's wrong?" Cyborg asked again. He moved closer towards Beastboy. Beastboy quickly stood, wiping stray sweat from his brow. He shook his head.
"It's nothing, Cy," he finally replied. He breathed in deeply from his nose, struggling to calm himself. "I just had a bad dream is all. I need some fresh air. Don't worry about it, Cy."
He stood up, making a quick b-line out of the room. He walked past Raven, not even looking at her. All she saw were dead eyes. There wasn't a hint of emotions underneath his aura of white noise. It was like a cold breeze that rushed through her system; she shuddered. The Beastboy that passed her was an empty shell.
"What was that just now?" she asked, feeling sick. Her form struggled all of sudden. She felt so cold and shaky. As her eyelids fluttered to a close, Raven saw black.
"I don't even know what happened!"
Groaning, Raven opened her eyes. She started to stir and move along the medical bed. Looking to her side, she saw Cyborg and Starfire looking at a screen.
"Are you sure she is the O.K?" Starfire asked, hovering over the results. Cyborg lifted his arm again, tapping on the screen.
"Yes. My scans are telling me she's alright. It might have something to do with her powers. Other then that, I'm not sure what it would be."
"And what of Beastboy? He must know something," Starfire asked, tilting her head. Cyborg shrugged.
"He wasn't there. He just got up and left. After, it was just a matter of minutes before Raven hit the floor," Cyborg explained. He glanced at the results again before turning to see Raven awake. Smiling softly, he moved to her side. "How are you feeling?"
"Fine," she replied, making a face. Her features seemed calm; that was something he needed to see. "How long have I been out?"
"Oh, Raven!" Starfire finally said. She was unable to restrain herself for so long. Her arms threw out, hugging the empath. Raven patted her back, struggling to breathe.
"That's not the best idea right now, Star," Cyborg said. He gently tugged Starfire away, giving Raven space to finally breathe. "You were out for about thirty minutes." Starfire nodded, taking another look over her close friend.
"What happened?" Raven asked. She finally sat up, rubbing the sides of her face.
"I was cooking when you and Beastboy were around the couch. He was sleeping but woke up soon after, screaming. He said he had a bad dream or something. He left and then a few minutes later, you were out," Cyborg explained. Raven nodded.
"Where is Beastboy?" she asked.
"Robin talked to him not too long ago. He thought that maybe it was because of Beastboy that you fainted. He was ordered to leave the tower for a few hours," Starfire answered, biting her lower lip. Her feet planted on the ground. Raven made a face, lips pressing in a frown.
"He's an idiot," she muttered. She finally started to slide out of the bed, stretching her limbs. "I'm going to my room. If you see Beastboy, tell him I need to speak to him."
Starfire leaned forward, putting a hand on Raven's shoulder.
"Robin said that your powers might react to the Beast. Is that a good idea?"
"I don't care what Robin said. He knows nothing about my powers," she replied. She moved away from Starfire before leaving the room. Starfire and Cyborg stood in place, confused and concerned.
Why am I getting so angry? Why does Robin think he knows best? Why am I even thinking this?
As she continued to move towards her room, she spotted Robin not too far away. He pushed her out of her thoughts.
"Are you alright, Raven?" he asked.
"Yes. Why are you asking?" she replied, voice flat.
"I'm just concerned. I know what happened in the commons with Beastboy."
"That had nothing to do with him," she started, voice low, "My powers spiked for a moment. It was just too much to handle at that moment."
"Are you sure?" he asked, a brow arching. She remained silent. Raven didn't understand why she wanted to defend Beastboy so much. Regardless, that was the best excuse she seemed to have.
"Yes. I'm sure," she finally said, "Don't blame Beastboy for this. He had nothing to do with it."
"I wasn't blaming him, Raven," he replied. Raven stepped forward, teeth clenched.
"Robin, I know you. I am like a sister to you. I know you are trying to protect me but this is something I have control over. This is my doing, do you understand?"
"Fine," he said, dismissing the situation, "Is there any lead on why Beastboy didn't tell us his birthday? It's really getting hard to keep Star from throwing him a party."
"He doesn't know when it is. What about his file? Anything we can work with?"
"How does he not know?" Robin asked, head tilting to the side.
"He said that after his parents passed, his life became more on survival. He was just trying to make it through the day. So, through time, he just forgot."
"Well, his file doesn't have so much information. Other then his days with the Doom Patrol, everything else is just blank. I even asked them but they didn't seem to know. Elastic Girl said she gave him a little cake every year on the day he joined. But, that's all they did. I'll check other sources before I confront him about it."
"Fine. I'm still working on getting more information from him. It's hard when Starfire keeps pestering me about wanting a sleep over," she replied, shuddering at the thought. Robin grinned.
"Well, no missions for you today. I want you to take it easy," he replied, shaking his head. He started to walk past her and towards his own room, "I'll see you around, Raven."
Raven continued her walk towards her own room. She could still feel her emotions swirling, Rage wanting to take over. Entering her room, she shut the door tight. Raven picked up a large spell book, breezing through the pages. She wanted to archive that event. More then anything, she wanted to know why this had happened.
Raven knew this had something to do with Beastboy.
As the clock chimed for the new hour, Raven took a moment to look over the clock. Spotting that it was two in the afternoon, she shifted in her bed. Beastboy was already late for their afternoon session. Her emotions were stirring again. Envy was getting frustrated with waiting. Finally dropping her large book, she emerged from her room. Raven started by looking through his room before walking into the training room. Soon enough, she appeared in the roof, spotting no green male.
"Where is he?" she muttered, "He knows how I hate waiting. This is going to cost him big time." Ready to head inside, Raven paused. She could feel white noise nearby the roof. "Is he out flying?"
She turned around from the door, seeing Beastboy back to his usual face. For a moment, she was relieved to see him back to normal. Then, the moment passes. Raven felt her hands clench as she walked towards him.
"Where have you been?" she yelled, eyes narrowing.
"I was out flying. Robin told me it would be best if I stayed away for a while," he replied. He took a step back, surprised by her anger. He could already feel her powers flare.
"And why is that?"
"He felt like I had something to do with you passing out in the common room. I'm sorry if I did anything. Was it the breakfast? I used real milk and eggs in them, I swear!" he said, holding up his hands in defense.
"Don't worry about. You didn't do anything wrong," she said, "I just had a power spike and couldn't control it."
"Oh, that's good…For my side, I mean! I was scared I did something. You have no idea how worried I was."
"Where did you go anyways?"
"I did a few laps around the city. Then some around the mountains," he answered with a grin. Beastboy walked towards the common room, Raven following.
"What happened this morning?"
"Nothing. I just had a bad dream."
"Was it like the one from last night? The one you told me about."
He paused, looking at his feet.
"Yeah…"
She bit her lower lip, sensing for any lies. She could tell he was telling the truth. Yet, she felt like something was missing. With a swing of her arm, she punch his shoulder.
"That's for making me wait. Now, let's go. We have a deal to finish."
"Oh. I thought it would be better if I stayed out of your mind today," he said, rubbing the spot she had hit. She could already feel her emotions screaming in protest; Envy was the loudest.
"You'll be fine. I just need to meditate for a while."
"Are you sure, Rae?"
"Yes. Now, come on. I want my free month from my emotions," she replied. Raven wanted nothing more then to just curl up in her room. There was plenty of blanks with the situation. Beastboy seemed clueless and she just wanted answers. Raven thought that her books would offer some assistance. As the pair approached her room, Raven continued to think everything over. She was too silent for Beastboy's tastes.
"So, what have you been up to while I was gone?"
"Nothing. I was reading for a while," she said. They entered her room; Beastboy saw the mess of books and papers everywhere.
"Seems like you were really busy, Rae."
"I was doing a bit of research. Now, it's time for you to go. I'm going to be really busy."
"Alright, just tell the others where I'll be," he said, grabbing the mirror. Mere seconds flashed, leaving Raven alone in her room. Alone, Raven thought to meditate. As she saw the mess less behind, the empath shook her head. Not here, at least.
"Back to the roof, I guess."
Now in the Nevermore, Beastboy tumbled out of the portal. He stood, dusting his pants. He didn't see any of Raven's emotion around. Shrugging, he made way towards the closest portal. From the door, he could easily tell that it was Happy's realm. Walking through, he was swallowed by the bright colors. Mindlessly, he walked onward. His mind was more focused on his thoughts; he was thinking of his feelings for Raven.
I know I like her…No, dude…I love her. I always try to make her smile since that first time at the beach. Oh my god, I love that smile so much. Does she even like me? I think she does…She's hugged me in bed. Maybe she's just a cuddler when it comes to sleeping. I can't lie…Seeing her sleeping on my bed feels so awesome. She's amazing, beautiful and so smart. Even she doesn't show it, she's a great person.
He sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets.
To bad it took me so long to realize that I love her. All those stupid jokes and pranks; we fought for nothing. At least I know how to avoid pissing her off. Now that I think of it, did I ever move past square one with her? I don't think I have…I guess I'll just support her and help her when she's low. I think that's all I can do now. I think…I think that's all I'm meant to do. She deserves someone better then me.
Further in the realm, he spotted the theme park from before. It seemed to have grown in size from before. He spotted the girls nearby on the ground, waiting for him.
"Over here, Beastie!" Happy yelled, swinging her arms. He started to jog towards them.
"Hey, guys. Sorry for making you wait; it was a weird morning," he started. He was getting closer to them. With another step, Rage appeared in front of him. Blood red eyes narrowed, nails grasping his collar, tugging him close.
"You better not make us wait for you again!" she hissed, spinning him around.
"I'm sorry. I just didn't know what to do. Robin made me feel like I had something to do with Raven fainting so I…I just listened to him…"
"Fear not, Beastboy. You are innocent," Knowledge spoke, lying through her teeth. The emotions knew this had something to do with him. The issue was that they did not know why.
"Put him down, Rage. I think he's had enough on his plate," Lust said, crossing her arms over her chest. Rage let go of the male, sending him to the ground. He looked up at her, seeing her features soften.
"I'm sorry for making you wait. I really am."
"You alright, B?" Brave asked. She moved to his side, Rude following. Rude bent down, helping him stand. He nodded in thanks.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"Just try to be on time. Don't keep Rage waiting," Rude remarked.
Happy chuckled, shaking her head. "She really did overreact."
"Thank you for the tea earlier today, Beastboy," Wisdom said, smiling, "It was most relaxing."
"Anytime," he replied, tilting his head to look over at Timid, "How are you feeling? I know you must have been terrified last night."
"I'm fine thanks to you," she mumbled. Beastboy patted her on the head, making the emotion flush.
"You are a lot brave then you think, Timid. Don't forget that."
She covered her red cheeks, staring at her feet.
"How did you sleep?" Lust asked, "I'm sure you must have missed Raven…"
He made a noise, the tips of his ears turning pink.
"Uhm…Anyways…Envy…"
"She was freaking out earlier. She thought you were trying to skip her day."
"Shut up! I was not!"
"I would never skip you. Even if I didn't get to come today, we would have continued from where we left off. If I wasn't here today, I would have tried to make it up to you somehow."
"Why?" Love asked, tilting her head.
"Cause I promised Raven. If I promised to her, I hold that to you guys," he explained. He was going to stand and support Raven; the same would go for the emotions.
The emotions seemed to soften almost instantly. There was a pleasant silence that settled over the crowd. Love was the first to step forward, her eyes shinning in delight.
"Thank you."
"It's nothing, Love. Now, what are we going to do today?"
"Oh yes! We are going to play some games and mainly relax today," Envy started. She had bragging intentions set. Raven wanted nothing more then to make her sisters look bad. Already, the plan was coming together. She knew of the few games that would surely make her the victor.
"Sounds like fun. Are we going to your realm?"
"No, not just yet. You would need Raven's permission to enter my realm," she answered, "You know…a girl has to have her secrets!"
"Alright. Have any questions?"
"Have you ever been jealous of anyone? And why?" she started.
"Not sure, maybe once; I like myself and I'm happy for the way I am."
"Have you ever felt even a little jealous of anybody?" Brave asked. She looked over at her side, seeing Knowledge ready with a book in hand. She waited for him to speak, ready to write down every word. The emotions wanted as much insight of Beastboy as possible.
"Well, to be honest, I was a bit jealous of Aqualad for a bit. The girls love him, ya know? The thought of being from Atlantis is really cool, too," he answered, "I guess looking normal has its benefits."
"I don't see what makes fish face so great," Rude said almost instantly. She gained a quick high five from Lust.
"I think you're way cooler then he is!" Happy said, grabbing his arm. She guided him towards the large Merry-Go-Round.
"Thank you."
"I second that!" Timid chipped in.
"Don't worry, Timid. We all do!" Love replied.
After a short ride, the group waited for Envy to start. She made a face, unable to hold back the smile on her face.
"Like I said, we are just going to play some games just to see who's the best."
"Am I playing too?" Beastboy asked. She shook her head.
"No. You're going to wait," she replied. She wanted him to pay attention to her. She wanted him to see her win. Ever since she had met him, Raven had envied his creativity. He was skilled in various areas; always good with any game he tried. Whenever the emotions would push Raven to try something new, she would refuse. Even with Trigon gone, the answer always seemed to be no. All her life, she grew up on saying no, on hiding her emotions; that was the only thing she knew to do. Regardless of her life with the Titans, she had remained a bit secluded, jealous of their happiness. She wanted nothing more then to show her emotions freely as they did.
"So, what games do you want to lose at?" Brave asked, hands on her hips. The group started to move through the park again.
"We're going to the arcade," she replied, taking Beastboy's hand. She put a little pep to her step, almost breaking off into a run.
"Oh, no you don't. Everyone, after her!" Happy yelled. Some emotions sprang into a run, others taking flight almost instantly.
Once the games started, Beastboy watched them go through match after match. Envy didn't seem to win much but she kept up with the group. Whenever she was losing, Beastboy would always look at her. He took in the details of everyone, it seemed. He was playing fair.
After numerous rounds of shooting and racing games, games with puzzles (because Knowledge loved them so much!) and a few dancing games (to satisfy Happy), the challenge came to a close. Knowledge stood in first place, almost winning all the matches. Happy was in second place, Envy in third, just one match away from tying with Happy. Brave was fourth, unable to hold back her competitive spirit. The other emotions didn't seem to care, only there to enjoy their time.
After finishing her meditation round on the roof, Raven went downstairs to the common room.
I wonder what Envy is making them do. Hopefully, nothing too big; I can trust her.
Entering the commons, she spotted Starfire flying around, communicator in hand. The boys of the group were on the couch, watching a random move. She arched a brow, approaching them.
"Should I ask why she's so happy?"
"Yes, you should. She just got a yes from Jinx about the sleepover. I told her that I would ask Bumblebee if she wanted in," Cyborg explained. There was a pause and then a cry of joy, "She got the invite. That's a yes."
"She's going to talk about this for the next few days," Raven groaned. She took a seat on the sofa.
"Sorry, Raven. This was the best way to distract her," Robin said, smirking.
"Anything new on B?" Cyborg asked.
"No. Star isn't letting me have a second for myself," Robin answered, sighing.
"What do you mean?" Cyborg asked. Robin remained silent, biting his lower lip. Cyborg tilted his head, still waiting.
"Its her mating season," Raven replied, voice monotone. Robin flushed instantly, color rising to his ears. Cyborg laughed, unable to hold back.
"You guys don't understand…It's not really like that. How would you even know, Raven?"
"Well, first and foremost, I am an empath. I can feel her lust for you, Robin. It's practically screaming at me."
"Well, sucks for you. But, really, it's not like that, I swear!" he defended. The look his teammates gave him said otherwise.
"Really, Robin? Then please, tell us. I would like to know so we don't get confused here," Cyborg retorted with a grin. He even paused the movie, allowing the silence to settle in.
"She's just…Well, it is how it sounds but there's more to it."
"Oh? Go on," Raven said, smirking. She wanted to enjoy this moment for as long as possible.
"Just keep it a secret, okay?" he asked. Cyborg and Raven looked at each other, confused for a moment. Robin peeked over the couch, spotting Starfire far off, still talking on the communicator. He moved in closer to the two, his voice light.
"I plan on asking her to marry me sometime soon. The only issue is that she's always next to me. I haven't been able to plan anything special."
"Well, good for you. You picked a really good one," Cyborg said, laughing again. The poor boy blunder had plenty to deal with that was for sure.
"You know that she wouldn't care less how you ask her. Just as long as you do ask her," Raven said.
"I know. But, she's special to me. I want to show her that," he replied. Just as he finished, Starfire flew nearby, grinning from ear to ear. She beamed at the male, waving in greeting.
"Well, if ya need anything, just ask for help. We're here for you," Cyborg said.
"We?" Raven asked.
"Yes. We. You want this to work out between them too."
"I find it better if Robin did this all himself with little help. It helps build character."
"I get it, Cy. I'm just happy enough that I can get this off my chest," he said, leaning back in his seat.
"Should we tell Beastboy?" Cyborg asked.
"He already knows."
"What? When and why?"
"You know how he is. He can keep secrets."
"True. But when did you tell him over Rae and I? I'm hurt, Robin."
"You know that stone he gave Starfire a few days back?" Robin started. The two nodded in response. "Well, I've been thinking of getting a ring that would react the same way whenever she looks at it. Later that night, after she got that gift, I passed by him in the hallway and asked him about it. He thought it was a great idea. He promised me he wouldn't say a word to anyone; it was out of his place to tell you guys. I'm sorry for not telling you sooner."
"If you pick him for your best man, just know that I'll never repair the R-Cycle ever again," Cyborg replied. Robin's lips pressed in a frown, eyes slanted in terror.
"That's just evil, Cy. You know I can't pick between you two."
"Why not both?" Raven asked, shrugging.
"Ssh! She'll hear you!" Robin replied, voice light again.
"Robin, who are we talking about here?"
"Starfire but…you never know she could…"
"She's going to say yes so calm down. You have nothing to worry about," Raven said, "Now, let's drop this and continue watching some movies."
There was a silent agreement; everyone settled back in comfortably on the couch. Cyborg pressed play on the remote, noise filling the room again. Raven could feel the joy from Cyborg and Robin. As she thought it over, she could feel the joy inside herself, too.
The games were getting to a close in Happy's realm. After collecting various prizes from the local game stand, Beastboy noticed something that he thought he'd never see.
"Wait, a second…Is that the chicken I got Rae all those years ago? I never thought I'd see that again," he said, approaching the stuffed animal. Taking it from the stand, he handed it to Happy, the winner of most of the prizes. "This is for winning most of the games!"
Timid, Love, Brave, Knowledge, Lust, and Wisdom all clapped. Envy, Rude and Rage stood on the side, looking annoyed.
"Yes! I'm the best!" Happy yelled, jumping around. She felt so happy, clasping the large chicken close to her form. She squealed, still bouncing around. "Oh Azar, I LOVE THIS CHICKEN!"
"Alright, Happy…Since you won, you get to pick which ride we go on," Envy said, lips pressed in a pout. Maybe if she practiced a bit more, she would have been the winner. She wanted to be the one Beastboy gave the chicken to. She wanted to be the best. With a depressed sigh, she looked up. She just wanted to go back to her realm and let the day go by.
"Well, why don't we all go to the ball pits and then the bouncy house?" Happy suggested. She shot a look at Rage who seemed to grin maliciously.
"Actually, I have to go," Knowledge said.
"Really? Where?" Timid asked.
"Raven is going back to her books. I want to be there to make sure she doesn't miss anything," Knowledge informed.
"Well, we won't stop you. But, I'm going to tag along as well. She'll need the both of us," Wisdom said, adjusting her cloak.
"I don't see why she wouldn't," she replied. Swiping her hand, Knowledge formed a portal. She stepped forward, waving goodbye to the group. Wisdom followed her route. Beastboy approached them with a smile on his face.
"I'll see you guys tomorrow. This was fun today. Also, I'm impressed, Knowledge. You picked up most of those games so quickly," he said.
"Thank you," she replied, thankful that her hood was up at that moment. Her face flushed, eyes staring at her feet. Wisdom smiled at her sister, feeling the joy from her sister.
"Shall we?" Wisdom asked. She walked through the portal, Knowledge following her in before it closed.
"To the ball pit!" Brave yelled, pointing forward. She ran ahead, leading the group in. Envy and Rude stayed outside the pit, watching the others have fun. Beastboy noticed, asking Timid about it.
"What's with them? I know Rude is lazy but why isn't Envy in?"
"I don't know. She only gets like this when Raven is jealous. But, I don't think she is right now," Timid answering, giving him a gentle smile. She adjusted in the pit, her back sprawled against the plastic balls.
"You think I should talk to her?"
"Maybe!" Love chipped in, appearing from her latest dive. Happy jumped into the pit, tossing a few out of her cloak.
"Do you think it will make her happy?" she asked.
"I don't know. I'm just worried about her. It's her day and she shouldn't be on the sidelines," he said. He had told this to Raven numerous times over the years. It worked most of the time, tricking her to join and have some fun.
"Why don't we just tell her to get over it? Losing is part of the game, right?" Brave added.
"Do you guys mind if I talk to her for a bit?"
"You don't wanna stay with us, BB?" Lust asked, faking her hurt. She started to dramatically drown in the ball bit.
"I'll be back. I just want to talk to her alone for a bit," he said. There was a silent agreement as the others started to crawl out of the pit, giving them room. Happy screamed in joy and made way to the bouncy house. She held the large chicken in her arms, vowing to never let it go. Envy seemed to join the back of the group, giving Beastboy the perfect opportunity.
"Hey, you got a sec?" he asked.
"Not really. Kinda doing what Happy wants to do. So, let's get this over with," she said, sulking.
"Well, I have a better idea," he said. he grabbed her hand, leading her to the food court. He hadn't eaten most of the day to begin with. After hearing about Raven's collapse, he rushed to her side, refusing to leave until Robin told him otherwise. Granted, he could have stopped and had a snack when he was flying. Or, even when he was walking around the city or mountains. Yet, he waited till he returned to the tower. In the end, Raven had dragged him into the nevermore before he could have a bite of food.
"What are you doing? You know the others will come looking for us!" she started. They entered the kitchen for the food court. He shuffled through cabinets and drawers. Finally, with a laugh, he pulled out a few bags of tea.
"I knew she would make these appear too!" he shouted, grinning from ear to ear, "Which one do you want?"
"We have to get back!"
"Don't worry about it. I asked them if I can spend some alone time with you," he replied. She flushed, sliding her hood over her head. "Please don't hide yourself from me; it's just us, Envy. I just want to have a little meal with you, if that's okay." Nodding, she took a seat nearby, biting her lower lip. It felt as if he cast a spell on her with his sweet words. She watched him as he picked the tea, parting the bag called Star Essence.
Minutes later, he managed to make a tray of snacks and a pot of tea. Envy lifted her head, her eyes glistening with readied tears.
"Why didn't I win?" she asked. She wasn't sure how she felt. The last thing she wanted from his was pity.
"Because," he simply said, setting the tray down in front of her.
"Cause what?"
"Because I want to talk to you?" he replied back, taking a seat across from her. He grabbed one of the cookies and took a bite.
"But…why?"
"I want to know why Raven feels envious. It always looks like she has it altogether."
"Why would I tell you that?"
"I'll tell you who I'm truly jealous of," he offered, smirking at the emotion. He knew she would take the bait.
"It's not Aqualad?"
"Not even close."
Who is it? I can't tell him its Terra! Maybe I could let little bits slip to get him to talk. Knowledge would kill for this info.
"Alright, you have a deal! Only if you go first."
If I don't like your answer, I am not telling you.
"Sweet. But, I'll tell you his name at the end," he replied, sipping his tea. He could already see Envy at the edge of her seat, waiting for the answer.
"I was never jealous of him but more on what he did. I did like the way he talked. He was smooth and it just felt weird…it felt like he wasn't what he said he was. He would be able to make a girl smile with little to no effort. I would always try but all I'd get is a small smirk from her whenever I said something dumb. He had confidence and called her beautiful. I would always get nervous and say something I'd regret.
"He made her so happy. She would smile so much more in the open; she even sang out loud. I was furious. How could he do so much from her in such little time? It's like he had the key to all her doors and all I could do was watch from the outside."
He paused, taking another bite from his food. Envy absorbed every word, leaning in to listen to him. She didn't know how to feel based off the information. She waited for him to talk again; he took his time with cookies and tea.
I'm not sure if this is a good idea to tell it to a part of her. But, it's too late.
"At first, I thought it was fine if he made her smile. I hardly ever did. I liked seeing her happy even if it was with him. I would wonder what I could do to make her smile like that. I tried planning for hours almost every day."
"So I kept myself busy. After a while, I couldn't help but think of her. I would get annoyed when I saw him. I couldn't say anything; he was making her so happy. While I never said anything, I just watched silently. I had a feeling his words to her would never true. I didn't say anything…not for a while. At that moment, her smile was much more precious then the truth."
Beastboy smiled sadly, looking down at his hands. Envy, finally realizing who he was talking about, parted her lips in a silent gasp.
No, it can't be! He is nothing compared to you!
"He took her light from her. I should have known he wasn't going to be good but I didn't know much back then," he said, running a hand through his hair, "Her light is like a candle. It'll flicker from time to time but, once you get it right, it brightens up instantly. That smirk becomes a smile."
There was a fast change in his face. The look in his eyes was something akin to bliss.
"The brighter you got it, the bigger her smile would get. I got her to truly smile and laugh once. It was when I barely knew her; she laughed at one of my jokes. After that, that candlelight would just dim to normal. Usually when I would say something, it would move from side to side. Sometimes, it would bounce. She was avoiding me and I knew it.
"But, when he came along, her light quickly grew but it wasn't good for her. It burnt out so quickly…She didn't shine like she used to. Not for a while, at least."
"Do you want to tell me who it is, Beastboy? You don't have to if you don't want to," she asked, voice shy. She didn't want to hear Melchior's name.
"The stupid dragon in that book," he answered, smiling softly. That was something he wanted off his chest for a while.
"You shouldn't be jealous of him."
Because we like you now. We feel much closer to you then we ever did with him.
"You're right. I was for a long time but now I'm just glad that Raven can come to me when she's down. Just like last night!" he said. With a chuckle he grabbed his cup, drinking down the liquid.
"Thank you for opening up to me," Envy mumbled.
"No problem. We're friends, right?"
"Yes. Yes we are…And…And the girl is…?"
"Yeah," he said, knowing she was going to ask.
"You want me to tell you who Raven is jealous of, don't you?" she asked, biting her lower lip.
"If you want to, yes. I know you really shouldn't; I don't want her to get mad."
"I'll explain it to her later. This is really something that would be better to hear from her, too. Do you want me to tell the others what you've told me?"
"Sure, you can tell them. I think most of them already know," he said. He looked around, eyes narrowing. "You can come out now."
"That's so cheating! No super hearing allowed!" Rude yelled, stepping through one of the walls. The other emotions joined in, huffing in defeat. Rage approached him, slapping Beastboy upside the head. "What was that for?"
"You should never be jealous of HIM. Understand?" she hissed. He nodded, biting his lower lip. The last thing he wanted to do was argue. Love approached him, giving him a hug.
"Thank you for being there that day," she mumbled, nuzzling her nose against his shoulder.
You kept the light from dying out.
"Well, yeah. I wanted to make sure she was alright. I know she needs help sometimes."
"You know that Raven knows?"
"What? Don't tell me you told her!"
"Blame Happy for this one," Brave said, pointing towards the emotion. Happy hid behind her chicken, whimpering. Beastboy groaned, his head hitting the table. The group laughed, Timid approaching him. She helped him sit up, glancing over in concern.
"How am I going to look at Raven in the eyes now? She's probably mad at me for being stupid!"
"You can practice with me," Lust purred, getting close to him. He leaned back in his chair, his face pink. Lust winked, licking her lips. Envy grabbed her shoulder, tugging her back. "I was getting somewhere!"
"That is not your place," Wisdom said.
"Her place for what?" Beastboy asked. Happy shoved the chicken in his face.
"Nothing! Don't worry about it."
"I have a question for you, Beastboy," Timid mumbled, playing with her fingers. He tilted his head, waiting for her. "Can we go and lay on the grass until you leave?"
"I wouldn't mind that. I did a lot of flying today so something relaxing sounds awesome," he answered. He grabbed another cookie, popping it in his mouth.
"Sounds like my kind of plan," Rude remarked with a grin. Grabbing her chicken from Beastboy, Happy stood straight, pointing onward.
"To the fields!" she called. Brave broke off into a run.
"Last one there is a rotten egg!"
Envy got up from her seat, wishing she had more time with Beastboy alone. She still felt good, a lot better then before. Beastboy had opened up to her, opening up to Raven more then he ever had. Love spotted the expression Envy had, arching a brow.
"Happy?" she asked.
"I'm happy he wanted to talk to me. I think that's what I really wanted today."
"Come on, guys! Let's go relax with him while he's still here!" Lust bellowed. Rage and Rude followed in. Love chuckled, Envy giggling. They nodded, running towards the open grass.
Meditating always seemed to bring Raven into a calmed state. She used it for an escape, for control. Today, however, she was using it for reading. In her mind, she took home in Knowledge's library. She was going through various books, trying to find answers for this morning. Wisdom was around but didn't help much, opting to spend time with Beastboy. She had paused mid-sentence in a book once she heard Beastboy speak. Her cheeks flushed, research forgotten as she processed it all.
Knowledge and Wisdom had stopped reading and tuned it, listening to what Beastboy was saying. Raven had set aside the books, merely sitting there, smiling and blushing. She didn't know he had cared so much!
"You could have told me that in person. I would not have been mad," she grumbled, unable to hold back her smile. Minutes ticked by before she fully regained her focus. She continued her research, finding nothing from various books. Dropping the dusty texts, she went through a few scrolls. Locating an odd empathy-training scroll, Raven started to browse. Her chest swelled with joy as she found the answer.
She knew that he was asleep in the common room, having a nightmare. That nightmare, so realistic and horrifying…She realized that it played itself as a reality. When he awoke, the events from the nightmare had felt so real, leaving him to be a hollowed spirit.
In Azarath, a hallow spirit was known as someone that was an emotional shell. They were like a glass ball, ready to be filled with clear liquid. From a distance it looked like there was no change. Yet, everything was far from normal. Most empaths in training instinctively home onto a hollow spirit, only to gain a strain on their powers.
It was no wonder why she could not sense anything from him! It didn't help that she, as an empath made a rookie mistake. Her mind was in overload, trying to sense something that was not there and that had caused her to faint.
"This is it," she whispered, reading on. If Raven were to go to his nightmare and try to fix whatever is causing the nightmare she could have been spiritually scarred; this would limit her empathy abilities or the nightmare could even kill her. The nightmares are dangerous and one is never truly prepared even if given information beforehand. One should only enter the nightmare in extreme cases. The most common way to treat hollow spirits is by working on the subject fears, regrets and all attached trauma.
She bit her lower lip. Raven closed the scroll, sighing softly. "I need to keep track of him; he needs to tell me what his dream was about. In detail."
"How are you going to do that?" Wisdom asked, arching a brow.
"I'm not sure. We're going to talk about it sooner or later."
"I have an idea. I'll be using it on my day to be getting information," Knowledge said, tapping a finger against her lips.
"Like what?"
"We still don't know if Beastboy is himself fully. It would be better to give him a day or two to relax. By then, it'll be my day. I'll ask him questions like it's a game!" she explained, grabbing the books from various desks. With a flick of her wrists, they started to move back into their homes.
"Are you sure that will work?" Raven asked.
"I don't have it all down with detail but yes, I'm sure it will," she said. After the last book was put back, she suggested heading back to Beastboy. Raven and Wisdom agreed, leaving the library from a portal Wisdom had opened. As Raven stepped in, she started to fall through, gasping in surprise.
"Ow! What hit me?" a voice started. Raven groaned, blinking, adjusting her vision. "Raven?"
She looked up, finding herself on top of Beastboy. She flushed, scrambling to stand.
"Nice of ya to drop in!"
"Oh! My apologies. I didn't think the hill had such curves like this!" Wisdom explained, retaining an innocent look. Raven spotted the emotions littered along the grass, content with the day. Finally, her eyes landed on Beastboy again. She was lost in a sea of green, various shades ranging from his hair, skin and eyes.
"You alright, Rae?" he asked. She blinked, shaking her head.
"It's nothing. I just have a lot on my mind," she answered, voice monotone but soft.
"Hey, look what I won today! It's the chicken Beastboy gave ya!" Happy started, moving closer. She adjusted the chicken underneath her, using it as a pillow.
"You must be the luckiest girl in Nevermore…"
He'll never find the one I keep in my closet.
"Did you come to get me?" he asked, sitting up.
"No, not just yet! He still has some time!" Envy whined, sitting up.
"No. We came do join you since we finished our research," Wisdom answered. She took a seat nearby. Raven sat down nearby Brave and Timid.
"Any luck?" Love asked.
"Yes. We even found the answer for this morning?"
"Is this about you fainting earlier?" Beastboy asked. Knowledge nodded, taking her lotus pose on the ground.
"So, what's happening?" Brave asked.
"Basically stress. Nothing important," she explained. Her voice said enough; drop it till Beastboy leaves. It was quiet, the breeze light and pleasant. Raven found it rather silly that before, she would hate to spend a second more with Beastboy. Now, there he was, in her mind, hanging out her emotions. He made everything feel so peaceful.
"I'm sorry about Terra," he said.
"Why?" she asked, surprised.
"Well, we talked about what made me jealous. And the more we talked about it, the more it made me realize you might have been alone when she was there. It wasn't right and I'm sorry about that," he explained.
"It's okay. You like her, I can see why," she said. For a while, Raven did feel like she was replaced by Terra. She played video games with the boys, shopped with Starfire. She was always there, doing something with the team. Little by little, the invitation for Raven became less frequent. What hurt was the effort was gone. He stopped trying to get to join in. He would ask, get a no, and then leave it be.
"Here's the thing…I don't even think she liked me. She needed someone to comfort her, so I did. But, that wasn't enough so she went to Slade. I was a fool to go after he," he explained. Beastboy chuckled, tilting his head back. "It was just nice to have someone who wanted you there. Before her, I thought no girl would like a green weirdo like me. I thought she would like me for me…but that was a waste."
"You have fan girls after you all the time."
"That's because I'm one of the titans. If I wasn't, there would be angry mod after me," he replied, smiling at her. He spoke so simply, with experience.
What happened to you…?
"I just want to say sorry. It wasn't fair for you to take away that friendship. It should always be there."
"I was jealous of Terra for what you said. It felt like I was slowly being replaced; no one wanted to be with me. I am glad you told me this. I know this is not much but…I'm sure there is one girl who likes you for you," she said. She paused before slowly standing, dusting off any dirt and grass. "Your time is up. Let's go."
"Alright. Let me just do one more thing," he said. He walked to Envy and pulled out a small green bear from his pocket. "This is for you." Envy held the toy in her digits, her eyes twinkling in delight. She loved the gift; it was written all over her face. Nodding, she grinned at Beastboy. He waved before heading over to Raven. With another wave goodbye to the others, he followed Raven through the portal.
There was a moment of silence.
"Wanna trade that for a chicken?" Happy offered. Envy remained silent, staring at her gift.
"Good day?" Lust asked.
"No. Just perfect."
"I'm glad."
As they arrived in in the tower and out of her mind, Raven could already feel her headache growing. It seemed like the gifts Beastboy had given her emotions were too much; she needed to meditate again.
"I didn't get to ask you yet. How was your day, Raven?"
"It's fine. I found out Robin's little secret."
"You mean about asking Star?"
"Yes. Really good news."
"I know! They've come such a long way. It's about time, too!"
"Mhm. Now, I need some peace so you have to go," she said. Sliding off her cloak, she tossed it onto her bed. As it landed, there was a distinct grumble from Beastboy. "I think it's about time you ate."
"Will do! See you around, Rae!" Beastboy replied. He grinned, running out of the room.
"It's Raven!" she yelled, hands clenching.
Hours later, the crime alarm started to ring throughout the tower. The team sprang into action, ready to fight Dr. Chan's new laser weapon. Raven stayed behind as per Robin's orders, opting to meditate her headache away. She got comfortable in the quiet common room, finding her inner peace. It all seemed to shatter once her communicator started to ring, the tip red with alarm. The screen flashed, revealing Beastboy's face.
"We need you at the pizza place at the center of town!" he cried out, his face in panic, "Please hurry!"
She moved quickly, grabbing her cloak. A portal opened and she dove right in, appearing in front of the pizza place. Raven expected to see destruction, terror and cries of citizens. Yet, everything seemed fine.
"Friend Raven!" Starfire called. She flew by, hugging Raven, "I am glad you came to join us for pizza. I was worried that you would not join us and stay in your room."
"Beastboy has a way with words, doesn't he?" she replied, knowing exactly what he had done. She floated over, slapping him behind the head. He yelped, jumping in his seat. Cyborg and Robin laughed, watching him rub the spot she had smacked.
"That hurt, Rae…"
"Told ya, BB. You should have just asked her," Cyborg said, smirking.
"She would have said no!" he argued back.
"Are you angry with Beastboy, Raven?" Starfire asked, joining in.
"Not at all. Just thanking him for asking me," she said, arching a brow.
"That is an odd way of showing appreciation. Is this a new tradition with the younger people? Oh, I must try it! I wish to thank Robin in such a manner," Starfire said. She floated by her boyfriend, raising Robin. He started to mumble, waving his arms in defense.
"Wait! Star…"
She moved to swing but missed as he moved away. Robin dodged another strike and broke off into a run. Cyborg and Beastboy started to laugh, unable to hide it. Without warning, Beastboy received another smack on the head.
"See what you did? Now Starfire is going to kill Robin!" Raven nearly yelled.
"But, you're the one hitting me!" he replied, stepping away from her.
"Starfire, stop! Beastboy had it coming! He was just messing with Raven" Robin cried out. He was still moving away from his lover, almost unable to dodge her swings. He was starting to pant, Starfire still full of energy. She giggled, landing on her feet in front of her scared boyfriend.
"Oh, that does make more sense! Then let us continue with our meal. I am the sorry for attacking you," she replied. Grabbing his hand in her vice grip, she dragged him back to the Titans, taking a seat on their table.
That was how the night seemed to end. There was laughter and relaxing. The Titans had easily defeated Dr. Chan, even as a team of four. As it started to get dark, they returned back to the tower and settled in the common room. There was peace for the night.
And that's it for this chapter! Hope you all enjoyed this one. Once again, sorry for the slight delays but life gets busy. If you have any questions, comments or concerns, let me know!
Best,
SantoRamon