Chapter 18
Robin waited in the tunnel of the arena once more. He leant against the wall; arms folded across his chest, one-foot propped up on the wall and deep in thought.
Last night had been hard on them all, after the confronting display between Raven and Beast Boy. Cyborg had gone to Beast Boy and been blasted by the changeling. Beast Boy had gone on a screaming rant about how Cyborg continually interrupted them so this was partly his fault. Robin had secretly applauded the boy. Starfire had gone in after that and simply hugged the changeling and told him she was here for him. Beast Boy had responded by turning into a porcupine and curling up in the corner.
So Starfire had spent most of the time in companionable silence with the half-demon, not talking, but simply being there is she need it. He wasn't sure if it had been appreciated or not as Raven had simply retreated into her mind and not returned until just before they had to leave this morning.
Robin had gone to Galfore and explained the situation to him. Galfore had come up with a rather interesting solution.
"Are you sure you want to do this, man?" Cyborg asked quietly.
"No, not really," he replied shortly. He sighed and raised his head to look at his friend. "It's a good idea and all and it will mean that we get that bastard of Raven's back. I just don't think I should be the one doing this."
"Yeah, well, there is no reasoning with BB over this. He won't even talk to me."
"Do you blame him? Seriously Cyborg-" Robin stopped and sighed. "Nevermind. I can't do this right now, I need to concentrate."
Cyborg snorted disbelievingly and Robin eyeballed him before deciding to ignore it. Everything okay there, Star?
Oh, Robin, it is terrible. Beast Boy is refusing to speak to me and Raven has retreated into her mind again.
Just hang in there. We need to keep trying.
I do not like what you are about to do, but I am unable to see an easier solution. With Beast Boy and Raven not speaking I cannot suggest… I do not like this Robin. You must be very careful.
Robin ran a hand through his hair and pulled at his gorget. Me either. I'll be careful, Star, I promise. This can backfire in so many ways and given the mood Beast Boy is in it could be disastrous. I-
"Are you prepared, Robin?" Galfore asked as he approached, interrupting Robin's train of thought.
"As much as I'll ever be," he said pushing off the wall and straightening up. "Sorals good to go, Cy?"
"Yeah,," he replied. "I'll head back to the box, give Star a hand."
"Let us depart," Galfore said, striding out into the arena with Robin half a pace behind him and the ceremonial box begin carried by two guards following.
When Galfore reached the middle of the arena he turned to face the remaining contenders. He held up his hands commanding silence from the crowd. "Rundn!" he bellowed when there was enough quiet. "You have been challenged! Present yourself."
Robin had kept his eyes on his friends during Galfore's announcement. Beast Boy, who had been busily slouching on one of the stone benches, sat up straight and Raven's eyes snapped open. Robin turned away, watching for Rundn who came flying from the contender area.
"Rundn," Galfore said as the man approached. "You have been challenged by Robin for attacking his friends. Do you accept?"
"I do not!" Rundn bellowed, pointing up at the viewing box where Robin's friends sat. "They attacked first, I was merely defending myself. I wish counter challenge that green thing for daring to place his hands on my person."
Robin swore, but Galfore seemed strangely pleased. Robin glanced up at the pillar-box once more. Starfire was speaking quickly to an agitated Beast Boy, while Raven's eyes were glowing with power.
"If you do this," Galfore said. "You must renounce your xhandal intention."
Rundn nodded. "So be it."
"Beast Boy," Galfore cried and Starfire swung her head to her k'norfka. "You have been challenged. Present yourself."
Beast Boy stood and jumped lithely from the balcony. Raven made a grab for him, but Starfire grabbed her hand and spun Raven to face her, before speaking to her friend.
"Robin," Beast Boy snarled to Robin as he approached. "You really shouldn't have interfered."
"Wasn't my idea," Robin replied quietly. "Galfore planned this by the looks of it."
"Beast Boy," Galfore said as Beast Boy turned to the huge man. "You have been challenged by Rundn. Do you accept?"
"Do I have to use one of the sorry things?" he asked Robin, pointing at the box.
"Sorals," Robin corrected.
Beast Boy glanced at him. "Yeah, them. Do I have to use one?"
"No. That is the only weapon allowed, besides your own skills."
"Okay, I accept."
Galfore raised his arms. "The challenge has been accepted!"
TTTTT
Beast Boy stood in the center of the arena, suddenly realising how Robin must feel each time he stood here. It was quite nerve racking; he could feel the eyes of the crowd on him, staring at his every move.
Rundn stood opposite him, scowling. Beast Boy scowled back and turned to watch the ceremonial box being brought out into the arena, asking himself again why he was bothering to do this. Raven certainly didn't want him. Why should he care if someone was tormenting her? He sighed, mentally kicking himself. Raven was his friend first, that's why. No matter what happened between them, he was at least determined to keep her as a friend. Just not right away, not when it still hurt too deep.
He had tried so hard and that's what had hurt the most. He'd honestly tried. But she never allowed him to get close. He wasn't allowed to hug her, he'd never been allowed to get close enough to kiss her. He wasn't even allowed to flirt with her, not even in private. Starfire and Robin did it all the time, but he got that stupid black band across his face whenever he tried. Sure, she'd made some concessions; he was allowed in her room, as long as he behaved himself. She'd allowed him to mediate with her; she'd even played video games with him. She'd accepted it when he'd curl up beside her in animal form and slept. But she didn't trust him.
He snarled, the Beast within wanted something to pound on. That was another reason he'd accepted this challenge. He'd been so angry yesterday when he'd found out what Rundn had been doing to Raven and then to find that she'd tried to keep it from him was the icing on the tofu cake. So he was going to kick some alien ass today.
Rundn stepped forward and selected his weapon from the ceremonial box. He stepped back and sneered at Beast Boy, tapping the handle against his palm.
Beast Boy refused to bite. When the guards offered him the box, he shook his head.
Rundn laughed as the guards carted the box away. "No weapon, little green freak?"
"Don't need it," he muttered.
"You are planning on yielding quickly? I am sure your girl will love that."
"Are you prepared?" Galfore bellowed from his place.
"I am ready," Beast Boy and Rundn yelled both.
"Begin!"
Rundn charged Beast Boy, swinging his soral. "Prepare to lose! Without a weapon, you are weak!"
"Dude," Beast Boy retorted, leaping out of the way. Rundn skidded to a stop and turned to face him. "I am the weapon. Did you ever wonder why they called me Beast Boy?" He morphed faster than he'd ever done before, roaring into his tyrannosaurus rex form. He opened his mouth, revealing the impressively sharp teeth and allowed a roar to bubble up from his belly.
The crowd fell instantly silent as the roar washed over them.
Beast Boy charged, his feet thumping into the ground creating small tremors. He gnashed his jaw together, allowing his teeth to grind together. Rundn leapt straight up into the air, flying out of reach of the snapping jaws.
Beast Boy sprang upward, morphing into a pterodactyl and winged his way into the air, shrieking as he flew. Once he'd gained enough height, he dove for the hovering Rundn. Rundn lifted his weapon and swung it at the diving green pterodactyl, but it was no longer there. Instead a kangaroo fell toward him, feet first.
Beast Boy struck Rundn hard, forcing the man down onto the ground. He shifted again and became the pterodactyl once more, landing just in front of Rundn, where he shifted back into his normal self. "Just say when," he said scathingly, before morphing into an elephant.
He trumpeted loudly as Rundn picked himself up off the ground and leveled his soral at the changeling. The elephant charged, thundering down upon the ill-fated Rundn. He swung his weapon and there was a thud as it embedded itself into the elephant's shoulder. Beast Boy continued his charge, tossing his head and knocking the man away. His trunk entwined around the handle of the soral, deftly pulling it from the shoulder. Beast Boy tossed the weapon away and morphed back to normal.
"You shouldn't have done that," he said, inspecting the slice on his shoulder, as Rundn chased after the weapon. "Now you've made me angry."
He roared and gave himself over to the Beast. Robin called it a were-wolf, but he called it the Beast. It was nasty, it was ruthless and it was the only form he could truly lose himself in. He'd only willingly used this form once after he'd been bathed with those chemicals that had created the Beast and that was in the fight against Raven's father's fire army. He'd only just been able to control it then. And now, he felt angry enough to use it again.
The Beast roared and sniffed the air.
There!
Prey!
It charged, swiping the fleeing Tamaranian off his feet and tossing him against the wall. Rundn hit the wall with a thump and dropped to the ground. The Beast scooped him up, clenched him tightly in its paw and roared directly into his face. It reeled back as Rundn's eye beams slammed into its face. The Beast howled, clutching its face in pain, tossing the Tamaranian over its shoulder.
Rundn managed to stop his headlong flight by taking into the air and the Beast shuffled around on the ground watching its prey with narrowed eyes. Rundn dived heading toward the Beast with two fists out before him. The Beast stepped to once side as Rundn flew past it and snagged his ankle. It thumped the hapless Tamaranian on the ground several times before spinning and flinging its prey out into the middle of the arena.
Rundn scrambled for his weapon, heaving it into his hands. The Beast's eyes narrowed as it recognised a threat. It dipped its shaggy head from side to side, watching its prey intently. Rundn dashed forward, his soral held high as he cleaved toward the Beast's head.
The Beast moved, slapping its palms together around the blade of the weapon, tearing it from its prey's grip. It tossed the weapon over its shoulder, swiping at the prey's feet, snapping its jaws at the head.
Rundn shrieked in pain as the Beast's teeth clamped onto his upper arm before the Beast threw its head, tossing the prey away.
The Beast growled loudly as Rundn struggled to his feet once more. The Beast charged, scampering on all fours across the distance, before swiping out with its wicked claws. It caught Rundn across the chest, slicing into the flesh four long gashes, before it barreled over the top of him and skidded to a halt.
The man staggered to his knees and held his hands up in surrender as the Beast turned to face its prey once more. "I yield!" he yelled loudly.
"Rundn yields," Galfore bellowed. "Beast Boy is the winner!"
But the Beast was lost in anger. Its rage had risen up and overthrown the master and was now running rampant. The anger raced through it, igniting its blood in primeval fury.
This prey had hurt it, this prey had tried to steal from it and now this prey would pay.
The Beast roared and charged.
Rundn scampered backward, his face white with fear.
A black raven shrieked into the air between the charging Beast and its prey. Raven stepped out of the darkness, her cowl raised, her eyes shining with power. "Back it down, Garfield," she said softly, walking toward the Beast, one hand held out before her.
The Beast snorted and pulled up its charge, skidding up dust in every direction. It growled at her quietly, snuffling around her. Raven reached out and placed a hand on the Beast's muzzle. She gently ran her fingers through its thick shaggy fur, removing her cowl with her other hand, keeping her eyes in contact with the Beast's. The Beast squatted down before her, leaning into her hand, making strange little crooning noises.
And suddenly it was no longer the Beast and it was Beast Boy that pressed his head against her hand. Raven wrapped her arms around him and enveloped them both in her powers, moving them through the dimensions. She deposited them in the waiting room of the arena.
"Raven," he began only to find himself no longer able to speak as she rose up on her toes and pressed her lips against his. Beast Boy froze in shock, his mind fuzzy before he gathered himself enough to cup her face in his hands and lean into her kiss. She made a small sighing sound against his lips and he placed a hand on her waist to pull her closer.
Her arms wrapped themselves behind his neck. He hissed in pain as her arm bumped his wound and pulled away, clutching at his shoulder.
Raven's eyes widened in shock and she raised her hands to his shoulder, pulling the fabric of his uniform away and exposing the long slice from Rundn's soral. She placed a hand over his wound and Beast Boy felt the warmth of her healing powers flow through him. He put a hand to her cheek and gently caressed it with his fingers, certain she would allow him to touch her now. Her eyes flicked to his eyes from his shoulder and she gave him a shy smile.
"Garfield, I'm so sorry," she whispered as she healed him. "I should have told you. I'm sorry I've been pushing you away. You've tried to be so patient with me and I just kept pushing. I know I'm not the easiest person to get along with, I've been very mean and unfeeling toward you and I had no right to be. You were very right to lash out at me the way you did, everything you said was so true, except one. I do want to be with you. I was just so scared of my feelings for you that I panicked and ran and tried to force you away too." She pulled away. "I'm so sorry."
He caught her hands. "Are you done running?"
She nodded hesitantly, her eyes connected with his uncertainly.
"Sweet," he replied, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. "'Coz I'm gonna kiss you again." His lips descended on hers.
They were slow, easy kisses, the ones that seemed to take forever to share. A shy test of boundaries, a timid discovery to share with each other, with a sweetness and quiet passion that send a tingle down Beast Boy's spine and made his stomach flop with happiness. The tip of his tongue grazed her lips and shyly she opened her mouth to receive him. They slowly explored each other's mouths with their tongues, his hands splayed hesitantly on her back, while hers were around his neck. He nibbled her lip and she sighed against him, her hands drifting up to entangle in his hair.
The Titan communicator beeped.
Beast Boy pulled away from Raven and clacked it open without looking at it. "Cyborg, that is so not funny," he snapped.
"I apologize, friends, for my interruption," Starfire timidly replied.
"That's okay, Star," he replied as they gave their full attention to the communicator, knowing she would never interrupt them unless it was important. "What's up?"
"Robin's next xhandal is about to begin and you have been gone for so long and we were concerned that you had sustained more damage than we originally believed. He does not wish to continue if you were still wounded. All is well, yes?"
"Yeah, everything is fine, Star," Beast Boy replied with a smile. "It's not much more than a scratch for an elephant. Raven's healed me."
Starfire smiled. "Then perhaps you have been doing the 'making up'?"
Both Beast Boy and Raven blushed. "Yeah," Beast Boy replied with a glance at Raven. "Something like that. We'll be out soon."
"Glorious," she replied heartily and clicked the communicator off.
TTTTT
Starfire smiled brightly as the blushing Beast Boy and Raven sat down beside her. "Everything is forgiven?"
"Yeah," Beast Boy said, taking Raven's hand and cradling in his lap. "We sorted everything out."
She nodded and turned her eyes back to the arena floor. "I am glad."
"So am I," Raven softly said and Starfire glanced at her. There was a soft blush on her face and she couldn't seem to stop that tiny smile that was spread across her lips. Starfire flicked her eyes to Beast Boy, who couldn't stop looking at Raven in amazement.
Starfire smiled knowingly to herself and cast her eyes back at Robin in the middle of the arena. He'd been matched up with a Tamaranian man called Nydn, small wiry looking man. Starfire frowned, he didn't have the physique to be warrior, he was so skinny and by the way he was carrying himself, she believed he would have been more suited to the scholar life. But the scholars themselves were skilled warriors, so she wasn't about to underestimate him and neither was Robin by the looks of things as he circled Nydn carefully.
Robin was holding his soral rather tentatively and Starfire knew he worried it may break again, despite Cyborg's assurances that the weapons were fine.
Nydn charged Robin and Starfire watched with starry eyes as he dipped and ducked out of the way of Nydn's blade. She wondered if Robin knew how sexy he looked in the xhandal outfit, she really did enjoy the fact that she was able to see his behind, rather than it always being obscured by his cape. And the bare chest was just to die for.
Starfire sucked in a gasp of breath as Robin lost his weapon, her fingers digging into the balcony wall before them. Nydn's demeanor changed to a triumphant one as he cleaved at Robin. Robin dived away, cartwheeling and somersaulting around as Nydn continued to swipe at his constantly moving form.
Robin suddenly shifted direction, charging at the man and Nydn let out a gleeful laugh as swung a sideways cleave at Robin.
The gleeful laugh was cut off as Robin rolled beneath the seeking blade before surging upright, delivering a powerful uppercut to Nydn's jaw. His head snapped back sharply and Robin snatched the weapon from his hands as he fell backward before leveling the soral at the downed man's throat.
"I yield," Nydn cried and Robin dropped the weapon to the ground and a wave of relief washed over Starfire. Even though she knew Robin could do this, it was still nerve racking having to just sit and watch.
"Robin wins!" Galfore bellowed gleefully.
"Um, Star?" Beast Boy asked, concerned. "Do you know you're breaking the wall there?"
Starfire looked back at him in surprise before she glanced down at her fingers. She pulled her fingers out of the wall sheepishly and felt a blush creep down her neck. "I apologise," she said quietly, getting to her feet and heading toward the stairs that led to the underbelly of the arena, Beast Boy and Raven not far behind.
Cyborg met them at the halfway to the waiting room with a cheeky grin on his face. "So," he said with a waggle of his eyebrow. "Raven and BB, siting in a tree-"
"Cyborg," said Starfire sternly, waggling her finger at him, one hand on her hip. "It is unfair of you to continue the teasing. I believe I speak for all of us when I say that we are weary of it."
"I agree," Robin said, coming up to meet them. "Enough is enough. You spy, you tease, and you lay in wait so you can deliberately interrupt. It's not very nice and you really wouldn't like the four of us to do that to you."
Cyborg blinked in surprise. "Hey, now, that's not fair. You guys can't gang up on me. BB's been teasing you too."
"Beast Boy knows when to stop," Robin replied. "And if you haven't noticed it's been happening less and less since he and Raven hooked up. Look, Star and I can handle a certain amount of teasing. That's fine. We've gone out of our way to be discreet about our relationship, it's a little more open now we're on Tamaran but that's to be expected. But I am getting so sick of the smirks and the innuendos every time we come out from behind closed doors. We share a room; we're getting married. Get over it." He glanced at the passive Raven and Beast Boy. "And I'm sure that they are going start hating it too. Raven has a lower tolerance for stuff like that and I'm sure you don't want to spend a week thinking you're a chicken do you?"
Raven grinned wickedly. "Could I?"
Cyborg huffed and held his hands out before him to placate his friends. "Fine, whatever."