Disclaimer: I have no ownership of Teen Titans
Chapter 21
Raven didn't wake from her healing trance until the next day. She awoke feeling very confused and wanting to know how her friends had faired in the crash. She then went to them and healed each of their injuries. Oddly, Beast Boy was nowhere to be found. Raven thought it was for the best, for if she did see him she might have thrown herself at him and that wouldn't have been the right thing to do. She might've just escaped death, but by showing Beast Boy that she still cared deeply for him she'd make his decision all the more difficult.
"So, how're we getting home?" she asked.
"Starfire's going to fly to next village where they have phones," said Robin. "She's then going to get someone to drive us out of here and to the nearest airport where we can get a flight home."
"You're going to let her go alone?" asked Raven.
"She's the only one who can handle the harsh sun and get there the fastest," said Robin.
"What about me?" asked Raven.
"We thought it'd be best if you didn't go, just because you spent the last thirty hours healing and then healing the rest of us," said Sarah.
"I can handle it fine," said Raven. "I should go with her, just incase."
"I will be able to make the journey fine," said Starfire. "I do not need your assistance."
"Are you sure?" asked Raven.
"Yes, I am certain," Starfire nodded with a smile.
"Why don't you go relax for a little while?" Cyborg suggested. "I'm pretty sure you snapped your neck yesterday. You better thank your lucky stars for your healing abilities."
"I doubt I have any lucky stars," Raven said then walked away to 'rest'.
As she walked through the village she carefully looked around for Beast Boy. The others said he was doing his chores and duties, so he could be anywhere. She suddenly bumped into someone carrying a basket of vegetables.
"Sorry," she said in Swahili. She then realized it was Aiyana. The girl rolled her eyes at Raven and then continued on her way. Had Raven not been used to people giving her less than friendly looks she would've returned the look. She sighed and decided to go to the waterfall, where she could be alone.
She flew over the jungle, avoiding the difficult walk, and landed at the edge of the river. She took a seat and placed her feet into the water. The air seemed oppressively hot that day and she even thought about going for a swim. But right now she couldn't help but feel depressed. She would have to spend at least one more day here trying her best to avoid Beast Boy. Luckily, it seemed he wanted to avoid her, too.
"Raven?"
She turned and saw Beast Boy hanging off of the side of the cliff face. He seemed as surprised to see her as she was to see him.
"Oh, I didn't know you'd be here," she said, standing up.
"I didn't know you were awake," said Beast Boy, jumping down. "How do you feel?"
"Fine," she said. "I healed the others, so they're okay, too."
"Good," said Beast Boy walking over to her. He looked her up and down then said, "I'm glad to see you don't have any scars."
"They're really faint," said Raven, looking away. Having him look her over like that made her blush and she didn't want him to see. "My powers heal, and scars are the result of healing, of course."
"Well, I can't even see them," said Beast Boy.
A silence passed between them.
"So… what're you doing here?" she asked. "The others said you were doing chores."
"I already did them," said Beast Boy. "I came here to think for a while and-"
"-be alone?" she said, finishing his sentence.
"Yeah," he said with a small smile. "I'm guessing that's why you came here. And probably to hide from me."
"I'd be lying if I said those weren't my reasons," said Raven.
"Yeah, I figured as much," he sighed and looked up into the bright sky, stretching his back out. "Well, I'll leave so you can hide out." He then began to walk away. Raven watched as he proceeded to leave and couldn't bite her lip any longer.
"I don't like hiding from you, you know," she said. He slowed his step until he came to a standstill. He then turned back to look at her. She immediately wished she hadn't said anything. "I… I just don't want you to think that I'm avoiding you because I want to."
"Then why are you?" he asked.
"Because… I want you to make the right decision," she said, looking down, allowing her long hair to hide her face away from him. "I want you to do what's best for you in the long run."
"And do you think you know what's best for me?" he asked.
"I know that if you aren't here with the tribe you'll be unhappy," said Raven. "Maybe not in the next month, but within the year. And then you'll spend the rest of your life wishing you'd made a different decision. I don't want to be responsible for making you unhappy for the rest of your life."
"Well maybe you're not the reason I'd choose not to marry Aiyana and leave the tribe," said Beast Boy. "Maybe it's not all about you."
Raven felt the bite in his words and nearly felt tears in her eyes. How could she have been so stupid? Here she'd been thinking that her presence around him would compromise his choice. Was she really that conceded? To think that she would be the reason he would leave the tribe? She'd said before that she wasn't worth it, to which he agreed. She'd never felt so foolish and embarrassed.
She bit her lip and looked up towards him. To her shock he was quickly walking right towards her with a stern look on his face. She felt her heart jump and actually thought he was going to yell, scold, or even lay hands on her. She closed her eyes and braced herself for whatever attack he was about to deliver upon her.
And he did grab her; he placed his hand on the base of her neck and brought her right up to him, kissing her, while placing his other hand on her lower back to keep her close. Raven tensed up, out of pure shock, but once she realized what he was doing she relaxed and wrapped her arms around him as well. He released her lips from his own and held her close.
"You're right," he said. "You are the reason I don't wanna marry Aiyana. You are the reason I'd leave the tribe."
Raven felt her body swell with emotions and she buried her face in the crook of his neck. She was so overcome by shock and relief she was shaking and felt dizzy. The feel of him holding her and the taste of his lips that still lingered on her own was completely overwhelming.
"But you don't know what's best for me," he said. "It's up to me to make that decision."
"I'm… I'm sorry," she said.
"Don't be sorry," he said. "You just want the best for me and that's not something to be sorry about. But let me make my own decisions and let me live with them."
She nodded and they held each other for a bit longer. He then moved and captured her lips again. He kissed her with pure need and desire and she turned limp in his arms.
When the kiss ended they went behind the waterfall to talk, relax, and be together. The cool air in the cave was a relief to Raven, who was heavily sweating by that point. Beast Boy just thought it made her smell all the sweeter. They lay on the soft ground next to each other and basked in the feeling of being together without anyone else knowing.
"Raven, what would you do if I chose to marry Aiyana and stay here?" he asked.
"I would go home and get on with my life," said Raven.
"Really?" he asked.
"Well, I wouldn't have a choice," said Raven. "But that doesn't mean I'd ever be able to get over you and what we could've had. On the outside I'd be the same old Raven who makes sarcastic remarks and catches criminals. But behind closed doors I would think about what you were doing and if you were happy. Would you think about me?"
"Oh yeah," Beast Boy said with a smile. "I'd think about you every single day. I'd hope you were happy, too, and hope you could find someone to be happy with."
"You'd actually want me to be with someone else?" she asked.
"I don't want you to be alone anymore," he said. "Even if that means being with someone other than me."
She leaned over and kissed him. "That's very sweet of you," she said.
"I know," he smiled. "Now, what would you do if I chose not to marry Aiyana and came back with you to Jump City?"
"I would pleasure you in ways you couldn't possibly imagine for as long as you desired," she said.
"Really?!" he said, his eyes going wide and his voice slightly cracking.
"Oh yeah," she smirked.
His smile suddenly vanished and he gave her an odd look. "You're just trying to make me come home with you," he said.
"Would it work?" she asked.
"Oh yeah," he smirked back, leaned over, and kissed her. "But, seriously, if I came back would we, I mean, would you wanna be, like, with me?"
"You mean be your girlfriend?" she asked.
"Well, uh, yeah," he said, his voice cracking again.
Raven smiled softly and said, "Of course I'd be with you."
"So, I've got to choose between going home and having a super hot girlfriend but not being able to be with the tribe ever again or staying here and marrying a girl I don't like but getting to remain with the tribe," he said. "Well, I know what I should do."
"And what's that?" she asked.
"I should leave and go home with you," said Beast Boy. "Cuz I know I'll be happy forever."
"You don't know that, Beast Boy," said Raven. "There's a very good chance that we'll break up within three months."
"No, I know we'll be together forever," said Beast Boy. "When I did the trial where Karasi found out my destiny she looked into my heart and she told me that there was someone out there who had a heart as big as mine and that, even though we're both different on the outside, we were really the same on the inside. And she said that if we wanted to be together we had to trust our hearts and fight for each other no matter the cost. And if we did all of that we'd be happy together forever. You're the one, Raven, I just know it."
"But how can you be sure?" asked Raven.
"Because I saw you in my vision," said Beast Boy. "I wasn't sure who it was before, but now I know it was you. You're the only one I've ever met with lilac hair and the girl in my vision had lilac colored hair and wore a blue cloak, just like you. That's why I know that the right thing to do is to be with you."
"And all of that isn't enough to help you make up your mind?" asked Raven.
"I love it here," he sighed. "The thought of never being able to come back breaks my heart. I wish I could be with you and be with the tribe."
"I wish that, too," said Raven. "Truth be told, I actually like it here."
"So, if we could, would you stay here with me?" he asked.
"If I'm your one and only and you're mine, then of course I would," said Raven.
Beast Boy smiled, brought her close, and kissed her.