Beast Boy stumbled into the living room late that afternoon, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Robin and Cyborg were both plopped on the couch, game controllers in their hands. Cyborg grinned viciously at the large screen T.V. as his warrior K. Robin's. Robin released an angry grunt.
"BOOYA." Cyborg cried, victoriously.
"Rematch." Robin huffed.
"What's the matter, Rob, gettin' ya butt kicked for the seventh time not enough for you?" Cyborg's lips curled into a malicious smile.
"Rematch." Robin grunted, once more.
"Goodmorning, my little green friend!" greeted Starfire, cheerfully, as Beast Boy entered the vicinity.
"Hey, Star.. where's Raven?" He asked once he scanned the area and realized she was not to be seen.
"On the roof, meditating." answered Starfire, promptly.
"Oh.."
"Do you wish to consume vast quantities of the wakey-wakey, tofu eggs and bakey?" Starfire inquired, floating over to her friend.
"Uh.. no thanks, Star, I'm not really hungry.."
"SUP, BB?" Cyborg shouted gleefully from his spot on the sofa, not tearing his eyes from the screen.
"Hey, Cy. Hey, Robin." The leader of their team grunted in response as he focused his attention on trying to beat the unbeatable, his thumbs punching the buttons of his controller with an extra amount of force. Beast Boy chuckled at his fierce determination. Robin wasn't used to losing. And when he lost, everyone knew it from the unhappy scowl on his face.
"BOOYA!" Cyborg sprung to his feet, arms over his head as he grinned. Robin howled in frustration before admitting defeat and dropping his controller.
"Stupid video game.." He grumbled.
"There, there, Robin.." Starfire was immediately at his side to offer consolation. Beast Boy couldn't help but smile at the couple. As hard they tried to hide their feelings from each other, the rest of the team couldn't be fooled. Since day one, it was painfully obvious that the pair had a thing for one another, despite their fruitless attempts at remaining "just friends."
Robin tried to keep their relationship at the professional level, but he always found himself extremely protective of Starfire, over the other members of his team. Hewas protective of them all cared for them deeply, but Robin cared for Starfire differently and the other understood that.
Starfire had eyes for nobody but Robin. He had been the first to take the time to carefully explain Earth's strange ways to the alien. She had grown especially fond of him and wanted nothing more than to be with him, but Robin made it perfectly clear that he was a hero.
Beast Boy understood why Robin wanted to distance himself from Starfire. If anything happened to her, it would make it that much harder for him. He didn't want to put her in anymore danger for being close to him.
The changeling sighed as he thought of Terra. Terra, who had betrayed them. Terra, who had tried to destroy them. Terra, who had saved them in the end. Beast Boy had always defended her from Raven.
What's Raven's deal anyway?
Beast Boy had left the living room and began wandering down the halls, lost in his own thoughts.
She always hated Terra.. she could never accept her.. and even after she saved the city from the volcano and Slade, Raven was still skeptical. She pretended like she wasn't, but I could tell.. why did she hate Terra so much?
Beast Boy let his mind wander, let his feet carry him. They had a mind of their own, his feet.
Raven.. she invaded my dreams last night. I know she did. What was she looking for? Terra? Is Raven jealous of her?"
Beast Boy stopped, surprised at his own thoughts. Raven.. jealous of Terra?
No way.. that's impossible.
For one reason or another, the changeling had an unrecognizable desire to see Raven, face-to-face. He felt the overwhelming urge to confront her invasion of his privacy.
She said I called her into my dream.. that's a lie! Why would I call Raven? Why would I want her?
He stormed his way to the roof, kicking the door open, "Raven!" Beast Boy bellowed, surveying the scene for the girl. She wasn't there. Beast Boy searched the entire rooftop of Titans Tower. Finally, he stood at the edge, overlooking Jump City Bay. Nowhere. Where was she?
She's gotta be in her room.
As Beast Boy turned to retreat back into the Tower, he spotted her. She was levitating over the rocky cliffs, legs crossed, meditating. The changeling furrowed his brows before morphing into a green sparrow and fluttering down to her. As he neared the ground, he returned to his human form, crouching low on a large boulder, directly behind Raven.
"Azarath Mentrion Zinthos.. Azarath Mentrion Zinthos.. Azarath Mentrion Zinthos.." Rave repeated, slowly, evenly, ignoring Beast Boy, "Azarath Mentrion Zinthos.."
"Raven.." Beast Boy remained crouched. Raven continued to ignore him as she proceeded with her chanting, "Raven." He said once more, a little louder, with a little more force.
"What do you want?"
"You're ignoring me."
"You're interrupting me. What do you want?"
"To talk to you."
"About what?"
"About last night." Raven remained silent. He must've caught her attention, "You were in my dream."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Yes, you do, Raven. Why were you in my dream?"
"You dragged me into it." muttered Raven.
"You're lying."
"Why would I lie about something like that?" She continued showing her back to him, the lids of her eyes slowly sliding open.
"You wanted to see what I was dreaming about." Beast Boy retorted without a moment's hesitation. Raven scoffed at his conclusion.
"I have the power to penetrate the deepest barrier of anyone's mind.. tell me again why I would want to be in yours?"
"You wanted to see if I was dreaming about Terra." Beast Boy ventured into dangerous territory, but he had had it with Raven's ridiculously imaginary conflict with the girl-turned-statue.
"What?" She couldn't believe her ears.
"Admit it, Raven, you hated her."
"I didn't trust her.. and for good reason too," Raven balled her hands into fists as she remained levitated, "if you've already forgotten, she did betray and attack our friends."
"She did the good thing in the end!"
"One good deed doesn't erase a lifetime of evil."
"A lifetime of evil?" Beast Boy fumed. How dare she! Terra was just confused. She was just misunderstood! "If case you've forgotten, Raven," Beast Boy began, "you ended the world. You did a lot more damage than Terra ever could.."
Raven was stunned into silence. Beast Boy had said a lot of mean things to her and about her over the course of time, but never had she felt her eyes brimming with tears. He had never made her cry.
Why did it hurt her so much? She didn't understand.
She didn't respond.
"You were jealous of her, weren't you? She was so friendly and everyone liked her and you were afraid she would replace you!"
Dude, shut up! Beast Boy told himself.
He tried to stop himself, but he couldn't. It was like word vomit. He needed her to hear this. He couldn't stop himself from missing Terra more and more each day. After she turned to stone, Raven said she tried everything to bring her back. She was lying. She just didn't want to get replaced. That was it. That HAD to be it.
That's not it! He argued with himself, Raven did try her hardest. She's really a kind girl, no matter how creepy she can be..
"Stop it.." Raven clenched her jaw, lowering her head.
"Face it, Raven, you hated that Terra fit it so perfectly so quickly and you're still trying to fit in after all this time!" Beast Boy seethed.
"Stop it! Shut up!"
"That's why you didn't try to reverse the curse! You know you could, you just didn't want to!"
"Leave me alone.." The tears slid down her pale cheeks.
"Why were in my dream, Raven?!"
"Go away!" The girl lowered her feet to the ground, fists at her sides.
"No! Not until you tell me the truth!"
"About what, Beast Boy? What am I supposed to be lying about?!" Raven spun around to face him, the distraught plainly written across her countenance.
"Everything! You hated Terra from the beginning! You didn't want to reverse the curse! You were jealous of her!" Beast Boy grabbed her arm.
"I didn't hate her.." Raven whispered, eyes downcast, cheeks glistening with tears, "I didn't trust her at the beginning." She paused a moment to glance up at him, "I began to trust her though.. because you always said how wonderful she was. I dropped my guard and let her in. I trusted her.." Beast Boy's hardened gaze softened at her weak voice, "I tried everything I could think of to bring her back.. because you were so unhappy without her."
"You.. you tried for me?"
"Yes. I was jealous of her, but only because she captured and held your attention longer than I could ever dream of.. if I ever hated her, it was only because you didn't look at me the way you looked at her."
"What.." Beast Boy was dumbstruck, "Raven.."
The hood of her cloak glowed with her spiritual energy and seemingly of its own accord, settled itself upon her head, shielding her eyes, "You called me into your dream, Beast Boy, whether you want to believe it or not." She pushed past him, heading back to the Tower.
"Raven, I.." He held out a hand to grab her shoulder, but a force field of energy, in the shape of a raven emerged from the ground, separating him from her. Raven stopped in her tracks, her back to him.
"I'm sorry I couldn't bring Terra back.." She said, bitterly. The raven consumed her and retreated into the stone below. Raven was gone.
Disclaimer: DC owns the Teen Titans and Terra.