Bold, Italicized Disclaimer!

Beast Boy sighed reluctantly as he pulled himself out of bed. Raven had graced him with a less-rude awakening this morning, though he was still pretty miffed about having to get up. He valued his sleep, and liked to get as much of it as he could. After all, being a superhero could get rather unpredictable, and he hated missing out on some well-deserved rest.

But he knew that complaining would only earn him a sharp glare and a few biting words, so he kept his mouth shut.

Raven seemed to have been in an oddly cheerful mood as she shook him from his sleep - he could have sworn he saw her smirking. But it had been gone in an instant, replaced by her usual blank expression.

"Get up, Beast Boy."

Her voice was raspier than usual, which caused him to swallow down a chuckle. Despite the fact that his teammate was undoubtedly a female, her voice often gave his a run for its money when it came to being deep. But he still found it endearing - hell, it was incredibly adorable. Her voice was completely unexpected.

"Get up!"

Realizing he had started to doze back off, Beast Boy climbed out of her bed completely, stretching as he stood. He spared her a sideways glance, feeling rather smug as he caught her turning away quickly, a small blush staining her cheeks. Was she... watching him? That was certainly a surprise. Maybe she was attracted to him as well?

But as his mind pondered over that further, he realized that even if she was, it would probably only be from an objective standpoint. Raven didn't get feelings - at least, not for him, anyway. He was barely even a blip on her radar; seen only as a means to expel her more troublesome emotions.

He knew that this arrangement of theirs wasn't going to end up well, but he hadn't realized how... bitter it would make him. He didn't feel like himself.

"I'm going to take a quick shower, so meet me in the common room?"

He looked up at her curiously, not entirely sure if she had actually spoken. She stared back, her eyes darting between his impatiently.

"Okay?"

"...Okay."

He watched as she gathered up her bathroom necessities, a distant expression crossing her features. He wasn't sure what was up, but he figured it was bad news. Had he done something wrong? Was she putting an end to the whole 'benefits' thing?

For some strange reason, that thought scared the hell out of him. He hated how used it made him feel, but the thought of her seeking help from anyone else boiled his blood. Somebody else kissing her; touching her. It was disgusting.

"What, Beast Boy?"

The green titan jumped, having been so focused on his thoughts, that he had still neglected to leave her room.

"Huh?" he blurted, giving her a quizzical look.

She was staring back at him, looking confused as well.

"You're still in here... and you're staring at me," she replied in her monotone, holding her towel to her chest.

Beast Boy blinked slowly, feeling a blush rise to his cheeks. He hadn't even realized he had been staring. He had just been so caught up in his thoughts - his mind was clouded with his fear of her breaking it off, as well as his annoyance at continuing. He didn't know how to feel, let alone think clearly.

"Sorry," he muttered, looking down at his feet. Why was it suddenly feeling like there wasn't even a friendship between them anymore? Had he just been reduced to the benefits?

He could hear Raven moving across the room, though he kept his eyes glued to the floor. He really didn't want to look at her - see whether it'd be anger or pity behind her eyes. He didn't want her to feel either for him. He just wanted a friend.

"Is something wrong?"

She was directly in front of him, her subtle, floral scent attacking his senses while his eyes traced up her legs and towards her face reluctantly. She looked legitimately concerned for him; her brows furrowed and her eyes filled with worry. He wanted so badly to push her away from him, yet at the same time, embrace her tightly and never let her go. It wasn't fair that he felt more for her than she'd ever feel for him.

He wanted to tell her that he couldn't do it anymore; he couldn't pretend that he didn't have feelings. How had she not figured it out already? How was she that clueless when it came to those kind of emotions?

How could she stand there, looking at him with those violet eyes, and not realize he was falling in love with her?

"I'm fine," Beast Boy lied, swallowing down the lump in his throat. "Just tired - you keep waking me up so early." He sent her a half-hearted smile, hoping she'd buy the lie and not take the liberty of checking his emotions for herself. What a mess that would be.

"Are you sure?" She seemed hesitant on believing him, though he couldn't really blame her. He was certain his aura had been like a roller coaster these past few days - she was probably overwhelmed by the back and forth motion of it.

"I'm sure, Rae - everything's fine!" he replied with a little more enthusiasm, hoping that the glimmer of his old self would convince her that he was feeling nothing more than sleep-deprivation. And not unrequited love.

She continued to regard him skeptically, though she didn't question him further. Feeling an awkward silence settle between them, he gave her a subdued smile while rubbing the back of his neck.

"So, uh, I'll get outta your hair, now," he laughed, turning himself around.

But Raven's arm shot out almost immediately, latching onto his shoulder and turning him back towards her. He gave her a bewildered look as he stumbled in place, before righting himself.

"Uh?" he questioned, his gaze darting between the hand on his shoulder and the blank look in her eyes.

"I just wanted to tell you that you're amazing for putting up with me," she began with a small blush, though her face remained placid. "And I'm sorry about waking you up so early... Maybe I'll push back my shower, and meditate a little longer in the mornings?"

Beast Boy cocked his head to the side in confusion as her words sunk in. Was she... compromising? Had she actually taken his feelings into account, and attempted to meet him in the middle? Was this progress?

"Uh, well... if that works for you, I'm up for it!" he enthused, actually feeling some genuine happiness for the first time since he had woken up. Raven was trying.

She sent him a small smile, before patting his shoulder awkwardly. Despite her taking the reins whenever they kissed, she seemed totally lost when it came to physical displays of friendship.

Rolling his eyes fondly, Beast Boy shook off her hand before stretching his arms out wide.

"Nuh uh, Rae - this calls for a hug!" he teased, wiggling his brows playfully.

Her blush darkened significantly, though she slowly held her arms out as well, tentatively leaning towards him.

Grinning at her reluctance, he scooped her into a large bear-hug, his lanky frame somehow swallowing her petite one whole. It had taken months for her to be comfortable enough around him to even sit beside him, and now, this was their second hug in less than twelve hours. He was definitely making progress.

Giving her one last squeeze, he released her hesitantly. Her face was bright red and her hair had become a bit disheveled, but he couldn't stop himself from smiling. She looked adorable.

"Okay, we hugged. You can go now." She seemed a little flustered by the act, but he figured it was due to her not being used to having to hug back. She usually stood there stoically, taking the friendly affection with a frown on her face.

"Yeah, yeah," he laughed, turning back towards her door. Letting out a silent sigh, he quickly morphed into a fly and exited her room.

Beast Boy rubbed his arm nervously as he stood before the common room doors. Raven had told him to meet her in here after her shower, but he had gone to his room and fallen asleep instead, meaning it was well past the time she had asked for him. He knew that she probably wouldn't be too mad, but he didn't want to back-track after all that had happened earlier. After all, they had hugged.

Exhaling a shaky breath, Beast Boy entered the common room cautiously.

Right away, his eyes were drawn to the hovering form in the window. Raven's back was to him as she meditated, her cloak billowing behind her gently as she mumbled her mantra under her breath. It was an oddly comforting sight, and the green titan wondered idly if she wouldn't be mad at him.

"Oh, so you've decided to show up."

But that wasn't very likely.

Feeling his ears lower slightly, Beast Boy slowly crept into the room, watching as Raven landed silently on the floor.

"Sorry... I, uh, fell asleep," he admitted sheepishly.

She continued to stare out the window, so he had no clue what she was thinking as he stared at the back of her head. Though, the same was often true for when he was able to see her face, so that really wasn't saying much.

"Hmm." She must have been too angry for words - which scared the hell out of him. Raven was always looking for a reason to chew him out.

Rooted in his spot, Beast Boy continued to internally panic as the empath slowly turned around to face him. She was expressionless, as usual, but her arms were crossed in front of her defiantly. And though he was no detective like Robin, he could easily detect that she was not happy.

"My powers are a tricky thing, Beast Boy." She began moving towards him, and he knew that it would probably be best to vacate the room, but he couldn't find the sense to move. "Very tricky."

Gulping nervously, the changeling nodded his head.

"And sometimes, I have to subject myself to the strangest of experiences, just to alleviate the stress my powers put on me. I'm sure you have an idea of what I'm referring to."

Nodding again, Beast Boy's eyes darted around the room. He couldn't find the nerve to look her in the eyes, unless he wanted his stomach to rip itself apart. Yet, when he did look at her, he was unable to break their locked gazes.

"But not everything is always so simple." Raven was now directly in front of him, her violet irises boring into his emerald ones as her mouth sunk into a frown. Whatever she was about to tell him, he knew she wasn't happy about it. Which was either a really good thing, or a really bad thing.

He wasn't sure which was worse.

"I have a really big favor to ask of you, Beast Boy."

That was a little unexpected, but no less terrifying. What more could Raven possibly want? He was already subjected to girl-talk and cuddling - and that was really all he could think of that'd require a prolonged discussion. Unless she wanted more than cuddling. More than just kissing.

"I figure you may be a bit hesitant, judging by our past experience with this. Well, lack of experience for me, I should say, but I think this will be a good outlet. And I know that your skills are more refined than mine, so I would think that this would be manageable for you."

Beast Boy cocked his head to the side in confusion. What was he more experienced at? She didn't think he had..? That would definitely be an ego-booster, but it sadly wasn't true. He was as experienced as her when it came to... well, wait - what was she even talking about?

He didn't want to jump to conclusions - especially since his thought process was a bit of a leap, but what else could she be referring to? Something they both had experienced; but something he was better at than her. What was he better at? Or, at least, what did she think he was better at?

"Will you... will you teach me how to cook?"

Shock and confusion. That was what he was feeling. He must have been hearing things, because it sounded like... No, that couldn't have been what she said. She must have said something else... She couldn't have said that she... she wanted to...

She wanted to learn how to cook?

Beast Boy couldn't swallow down the chuckle in his throat as he doubled over, holding his stomach while his body shook with laughter. Raven wanted cooking lessons? This had to have been the weirdest thing to ever happen to him - and that was saying a lot. His half-demon teammate who happened to be using him as an outlet for her more affectionate emotions without actually feeling anything other than tolerance for him while he was crushing on her hard... wanted him to also teach her how to cook?

"Stop laughing."

He knew that this was obviously hard for her to ask, and his laughter probably wasn't helping, but he couldn't stop. It was just so far from where he thought she was going - hell, he never expected that to come out of her mouth. Raven wanted to cook.

"Seriously, Beast Boy; stop," his teammate demanded, her voice rising slightly.

Swallowing down his mirth, the changeling bit his lip as he stood back up to face the empath.

She was blushing furiously, her mouth set in a straight line. Her brows were furrowed angrily, but other than that, she looked entirely passive.

"Sorry, Rae," he replied sheepishly, his laughter threatening to come back. He knew it wasn't really all that funny, but it had just been so unexpected - he thought she was going to ask him for sex or something.

"Whatever." He could tell she was mad by her clipped reply, and he couldn't help but give her a small smile.

"Awe, come on," he laughed, pushing her shoulder playfully. "I said I was sorry! I shouldn't have laughed at you."

Raven continued to look annoyed, though he could see that she wasn't necessarily angry at him. More so at the situation, he guessed.

"I was hoping we could be mature about this," she deadpanned, giving him a pointed look. "But I forgot I was dealing with you."

Rolling his eyes at her insult, Beast Boy gave her a large grin. "Hey, you came to me, Rae."

"And I'm already regretting it." But her sharp words were blunted by the small smirk tugging at her lips.

Cursing himself for letting his eyes linger on her lips for longer than necessary, Beast Boy let out a wistful sigh.

"Nah, Rae - I promise you won't regret coming to me. I'm a fantastic cook!"

Raven gave him a skeptical look, though he could tell she had already made up her mind. He was helping her, whether or not he even wanted to, and she was going to make sure he knew that.

"I'll take your word for it," she mused, her gaze wandering towards the kitchen behind him. "Well, let's get this over with."

Apparently, Raven had meant baking. Not cooking, but baking. She wanted to learn how to make cupcakes, of all things, and she expected Beast Boy to teach her. How to bake.

Beast Boy wasn't a baker. He made a mean tofu lasagna and a killer Portobello steak, but cupcakes? He was just as lost as her. Though he didn't tell her that.

He was pleasantly surprised to find that she had decided on a vegan recipe, though he figured it was so he'd have no excuse not to try it. She was also being scarily civil with him, and had even smirked at one of his jokes - a lame one, too. And she hadn't called him an idiot yet, which was an impressive feat. The only downside to this experience was her explanation of why she wanted to bake. No, it wasn't just to spend time with a friend - it was an outlet.

Learning a new skill took focus, discipline, and hard work. Traits that her neglected emotions would find useful. It was a creative way to release her curiosity and intellect, and also a bit of healthy rage (she especially enjoyed throwing their first batch against the wall when they proved to be inedible).

So, again, Beast Boy found that he was being used. But as he watched her poke her finger into the batter and sneak a taste, he couldn't bring himself to be upset.

"I hope these turn out," Raven huffed, tentatively pouring the batter into the cupcake pan. This was their fourth attempt, and he could tell she was getting rather impatient. Though he couldn't really blame her.

"Fourth time's the charm," he grinned, bumping his shoulder against hers playfully. She shot him a sideways glare, though he could see the amusement in her eyes. They were having fun.

"I just want to get this over with, before anyone sees me like this," she explained, gesturing to her flour-covered uniform. It was a miracle that neither Kid Flash or Jinx had wandered into the common room yet, but Beast Boy figured they were probably still sleeping. After all, it was barely ten in the morning; despite getting an extra bit of sleep in his room, he was starting to adopt the empath's habit of waking early.

"But you look so good, Rae," he teased, desperately hoping his blush wouldn't give away the sincerity of his comment.

Thankfully, Raven let out a snort of amusement, before lifting the pan with her powers and phasing it through the door of the oven. She had burnt herself opening the thing more times than either of them could count, and declared the appliance a nuisance, electing to no longer use the door.

"No matter what happens, we are eating these," she announced, dusting off her front absently. "I did not make all that frosting for nothing."

Cringing as he remembered his teammate's battle with the mixer, Beast Boy glanced at the bowl of (surprisingly) tasty homemade vanilla frosting. It was so far the only edible thing Raven had ever made.

"Well, if all else fails, we can frost these up and give them to Jinx," he suggested with a smirk, imagining the pink-haired heroine biting into the dessert and chipping a tooth.

Raven must have pictured something similar, for a small smile tugged gently at her lips. "Possibly; though I think the first batch would have sufficed."

Nodding in agreement, Beast Boy let out an amused sigh. He had been so angry at his teammate this morning, and now he was having so much fun with her. It was like she made him feel his worse, and his best. How could she make him so bitter, and yet lift his spirits with a simple smile?

A comfortable silence settled between them as they both leaned against the counter, staring at the oven's window while their cupcakes baked. The burnt smell was starting to fade from attempt number two, being replaced by the smell of the spilled batter from attempt number three. It was a calming combination, and Beast Boy found that it was somewhat healing his torn mind. He couldn't stop himself from sneaking at glance at his teammate every so often, the small smile on her face making his stomach churn pleasantly. He hated himself for falling down this path again, but he couldn't stop. It was a one-way road into heartbreak, and he was speeding down it like a mad man. But one would have to be mad to actually form a crush on Raven, wouldn't they?

Letting out a subdued chuckle, he watched as Raven leaned towards the oven, peering into it impatiently. She was obviously intent on getting it right this time.

"I think they're almost done," she mused, giving the dessert an inquisitive look before turning around to face him. "And I think we actually -"

But she was cut off as she stepped into a glob of wet batter and slipped. Reacting quickly, Beast Boy caught her arm and pulled her back, only he seemed to have done so with too much force, causing the empath to slam into him.

He grimaced as the counter dug into his lower back, though he was able to steady them both.

"You okay?" he asked, unable to hide the concern in his voice.

Raven glanced up at him slowly, her eyes wide with surprise. She was pressed firmly against his chest, since he had neglected to remove his arms from around her.

"I'm fine, Beast Boy," she replied, a small blush rising to her cheeks. It was then that the changeling realized he was still holding her tightly against him, but he couldn't find the willpower to let her go. Her face was just inches away from his, and all he had to do was close the distance between them. His eyes idly wandered from her violet irises and towards her lips, which were parted in the most tempting way.

They were slowly getting closer, and he realized in horror that he had begun to lean in. But, to his surprise, it didn't seem as if Raven was doing anything to stop him. In fact, they both were so caught up in what was happening, that neither of them smelt the scent of burning cupcakes, nor saw the smoke billowing from the oven.

They also failed to hear the sound of the common room doors opening behind them.

This is a cliffhanger, right? Lol

Actually, this is what happens when Cupcake Wars is on Netflix. Sorry...

Review? That'd be splendid! :)