A/N: This part will seem a bit Rage centered but there is a reason to it for I'm trying to get him out of the action and focus on BB and Raven. This part takes place in Raven's caffe where she meats the guy with whom she hanged out in "Sisters" but I fogot his name from the comic book so I just used the name Steve. Sorry.
Part 2 - Raven's caffe
After defeating Punk Rocket, the Titans started walking through the city not doing much except talking. At about 7:30 P.M. Robin and Starfire left the group to see a movie togheter. After about 10 minutes Cyborg also left, heading down to Mike's Auto-Shop to pick up the new rims he ordered for the T-Car.
"So what do you feel like doing comarades?" Rage asked his friends seeing how they should enjoy themselfs as well.
Beast Boy who wanted to get closer to Raven suggested to go to the amuzement park but Raven and Rage didn't seem so keen on this idea.
"Do you know any good places where we could go Raven?" asked Rage.
"Well, sort of, but I don't think you guys will like it" replied Raven, refering to the depresing caffe she usualy hanged out.
"Come on, try us!" replied Rage.
Beast Boy grabed Rage and excused him self "Umm ... one moment Rae. Rage can I have a word?".
"Sure" he replied.
After taking a few steps backwards Beast Boy wispered in Rage's ear, "Dude, what are you trying to do? Did you ever see where she hangs out?".
"Not really" Rage replied.
"The only places she hangs out are the book store and a depresing caffe where we'll probably be going right now".
"And may I ask what is wrong with that?" asked Rage.
Beast Boy looked at him curiously like he didn't know what to answer. "You see, I'm more of a fun loving guy than an emo-goth kid, I like to unwind and stuff, not get depresed and isolate my self afterwards".
Rage put his hand around BB's shoulder as a gesture of friendship. "Look Beast Boy, I think I know what you mean, but hear me out. Life is not all about fun and what-not's, but you probably already know that, happines is not the only feeling that exists on earth you know, there is also sadnes and other not so pleasnt emotions. You see, I think Raven is the type of person who probably is into stuff like that".
BB replied "I know dude, and that's what makes it hard for me to get close to her".
"So this is your chance to get to know her better. What other way to get closer to someone than hanging out with her more do you know?".
Beast Boy finaly understood what Rage meant. Wha the meant to say was that in order to win her heart he should get to know her life style and understand her way of life.
BB smiled and turned around. "So where's that place you were talking about earlier?" he asked Raven sounding interested.
Raven looked somewhat enthusiasted that Beast Boy finaly wanted to hang out with her no matter the place, no matter the people. She didn't show her emotions though, she had to keep a reputation.
They walked a couple of blocks and arrived at Raven's depresing caffe. It was situated in the back of a dark alley and had a sign that read "Souless Destination". They went in and at the entrence Raven was greatend by a sloutchy looking fellow. He had black hair styled in an emo way and a depresed face that lacked any sign of life, a shirt with a ghost on it and a soaking posture.
"Hey Raven, long time no see, how'd you been?" asked the one who greated her.
"Eh, I'm okay Steve, how about you?".
"Still worthless and thinking about new ways to commit suicide ... By the way, who're they?" Steve asked looking at Beast Boy and Rage.
"Oh, they're my friends, they wanted to see the place" Raven replied.
"Oh okay, well have a good time, I'm going home to stare at the ceiling or something".
Steve was the one that Raven talked to when Starfire was attacked by the Centauri police drones who confused her with Blackfire. After that night they regulary met at the "Souless Destionation" caffe and kept in touch.
The caffe was more of a combination between a caffe and a pub. They had tables and a stage from which people would read depresing poetry on open mic nights, dark corners and a lot of pictures of goth, emo and black metal bands ans artists on the walls. Needles to say, BB wasn't in his element but Rage didn't seem to be distrubed by the place at all. They sat at the bar counter waiting for someone to take their order. The music that was playing would have made even a buddhist put a noose around his neck.
"Hey Raven, haven't seen you here in a while, glad to have you back" said a medium size muscular guy with long black hair and a bandana around his head.
"Nice to see you too Morris, anything new happened around here lately that I should know about?".
"Not much, but I've heard that Lyna is now in a mental institute for trying to slit her wrist again, but it's just a rumor. I see you came with some friends" Morris replied.
"Oh yeah, Morris this is Beast Boy and Rage, guys ... Morris".
After introductions Morris took their order.
"I'll have the usual, thanks" said Raven.
"I'll have a coke" said Beast Boy who tried to get into the mood.
"What about you ... umm, Rage was it?" asked Morris.
"Yes. I'll have a beer, a cold one" Rage ordered.
Morris looked at Rage with suspicion. "You know" he said " ... in this state drinking under 21 is forbiden and frankly, you don't seem older then 18".
Rage stood up and took of his mask revealing his deep scar. "Seriously, do I look 18 to you?" Rage asked pointing at his grotesque scar.
His eyes expresed impatience and even an older man like Morris exused him self. "Sorry man, I guess you're right" he said defensevly " ... comming right up".
Morris left to get the three their drinks. Seeing how neither Raven or Beast Boy knew Rage's exact age they looked at him curiously. Rage put his mask back on and looked around the caffe which was full of people hoping that nobody was paying any attention to him. After taking a look around he turned to his friends who were looking at him.
"What?" asked Rage curiously unableto understand why his friends were stareing at him.
Beast Boy managed to speak. "Dude, we don't know much about you, not even your real name, and we know that it bothers you if we get in your bussines, but ... how old are you any way?".
Raven observed the two and wanted to see how Rage would react to BB's question. She didn't expect Beast Boy to work up the guts to ask Rage his age, seeing how the other was instable when it came to personal questions.
"Between us, I'm actualy 18, but I look older to most people so it helps sometimes".
After hearing Rage was only 18 they couldn't belive it. They started asking their selves if Rage's 'soldier past' was in fact even real but before they could say anything Morris came back with their order.
After cheering for friendship the three started talking about all sorts of stuff like movies, music, food, the place they were in, etc.
Everything was going smoothly. BB even got to like the place and started taping his foot to the otherwise depresing music. Raven noticed and even though she was usualy not impresed by BB's behaviour, she felt like he was really geting into the mood and understanding her way of living. A seed of light and hope was now planted inside her usualy dark soul.
Beast Boy couldn't stop looking at Raven. He understood that he would have to start understanding her if he wanted to win her heart so he focused more on the depresing atmosphere and didn't say one cracking joke. Even so, he couldn't stop asking him self one thing:
"Look at her.Her dark eyes, her black hair, her fair features ... How could something so beautifull be so sad all of the time?"
Rage sometimes intevined in the discusion but mostly let BB and Raven talk so that they could get to know each other a little better. From time to time he would look around and take a sip from his beer. He seemed to be day dreaming most of the time.
After about an hour of talking Rage excused him self for he had physical needs he had to atend to and asked Raven where the restroom was. When he got there he opened the door and observed fout men harasing somebody. He quietly closed the door and went forward. He heard them cursing and also heard what he thought was a girl moaning from pain. The people out side couldn't hear her because of the loud music so he realized he got there in time to stop something that might have turned out bad.
"What's going on here?" Rage yelled clinching his fist.
The four men who were startled by Rage's interuption turned around to face him. They all had long and untidy black hair and wore black cloathes with different satanic markings on them. Their victim was a young girl who they were trying to rape. She had her mouth covered with duck tape and her hands tied behind her back. The four molesters didn't even get to take one of her cloaths off and were mad thinking that the new comer would try to confront them but noticing his black shirt and mask they asumed that he was one of theirs.
"Look man, this chick is wearing a cross and a Virgin Mary bracelet. You know what that means ... " said one of the agresors with a devilish grin on his face.
Rage took out from underneith his shirt his small wooden crucifix thus trying to provoke them.
"No, in fact I don't get it you sick bastards. Now let the girl go or else I'll have to kick your satan-worshiper wanabe's arses all the way back to hell".
After hearing this the four rapeists took out a blade and attacked Rage forgeting about their victim. Rage easily took down each one of them through simple martial art techniques and took their weapons. During the fight, Rage didn't notice but he was cut on his left upper arm, and even if the wound was shallow it still bled making a small line of blood trickle down his arm down on the floor. After taking down his opponents Rage started stomping each one of them full of hate. As an orthodox christian he hated satanists and was fed up with their behaviour thus explaining his contradictory hatefull reaction.
When he stoped stomping them Rage took off all of their cloathes and threw them out a small window in the back of the restroom. He unwraped the young girl who was crying and terrified because of what happened to her. The girl was actualy rather preaty. Brown hair, blue eyes, smooth skin and nice curves (throw in a horse, a body armor and a gown and the scene could well have resembled a fairy tail).
He placed his hand behind her neck and lifted it up trying to calm her down.
"It's okay now, it's okay. They can't hurt you anymore" said Rage trying to calm her down.
The girl lunged into his arms and soaked him with her tears. Rage stroked her hair and told her everything was okay. He looked at her and whiped of her tears as a sign of compasion. They stood up and looked at the four criminals who were lyeing out consciense and almost butt naked on the bloody floor.
"Did they do anything bad to you?" asked Rage checking the four for weapons and kicking them from time to time.
"No" the frightened girl mumbled " ... I was, I was just ... trying to go to the bathroom when ... they took me ...by force here and covered my mouth and tied me up ... Thank God you arrived on time".
"What's your name?"
"My name is Jesse"
"Good. Well Jesse, it would be much safer if we would get you home right now, what do you say?"
"I'm scared of walking alone ... I don't think I can ... "
Rage took Jesse's hand trying to give her some confidence.
"Dont' worry Jesse, I will acompany you to your home so that nothing unpleasnt will happen again, alright?" Rage asked with a tone full of kindnes in his voice.
"Okay ... but ... what about them?" asked Jesse pointing at her attackers.
"We'll inform the police from a public phone right after we get out of here. I just hope I have some spare change" he replied taking Jesse outside.