Notes: Yet another new chapter! I didn't really change much about this one. I think this was one of the more well-written chapters and flowed a bit better. I hope you like it.
Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans. I do own the poem in this chapter however.
Beast Boy glanced through the titles quickly. He had been there for two hours and he wasn't any closer to choosing the right gift for Raven. Many poetry books seemed perfect for her, but none of them felt special enough. Especially when 'Love Poems' and the like were the most common titles. She always received books, he reminded himself, that's the only thing anyone really knew what to get her anymore. It used to be that the Titans would post a list of the things that they wanted, but Raven had stopped writing hers about two years ago. That's why she kept getting books every year. So, whatever he got her, it had to be different.
"Beast Boy," a voice asked suddenly. He turned quickly to see Raven standing behind him in normal clothes, a confused look on her face, "What are you doing here? I thought you were going to the store."
"Uh…detour. I'm looking for a book," Beast Boy replied, as if it was the most obvious thing to see. Raven raised an eyebrow at this and Beast Boy grabbed the book he had been looking at only moments earlier, practically shoving it in her face, "See?"
"I never took you for the Emily Dickinson type," Raven deadpanned. Barely keeping himself from stuttering, Beast Boy placed the book back and grabbed another…by none other than Shel Silverstein, who wrote children's poetry, "Now that one makes sense."
"Wait, what are you doing here," Beast Boy asked after a moment.
Raven looked embarrassed for a split second, "I always buy myself one book around Christmas time. Do you know how many copies of 'Edgar Allen Poe: The Complete Works' that I own?" He shrugged, "Six…one of them being one that I bought for myself. I think you're the only one who hasn't bought me one yet. Of course I never expected you to get within one hundred feet of a bookstore."
"Aren't you proud of me," Beast Boy asked, acting a bit more like himself. Raven raised an eyebrow at this, "I'm going to go now."
Raven waited until he was almost to the door before speaking, "Do you want to know my favorite poem? It's called Thunderstorm." Beast Boy paused as she started to recite it.
The rain beats against my window
Matching the pounding of my heart
It strikes deep into my soul
Threatening to tear me apart
Inside I feel it's terrible beating
The rain…it's crying for me
Tears that stay hidden beneath the surface
Struggling to break free
The thunder roars
Echoing off the walls
Lightning strikes
Eliminating all
Shadows form
Only to disappear in an instant
It seems like they never came
Like a dream that is distant
Hidden against the wall
Trying to see your face in the dark
Feels like the world's about to fall
Missing that familiar spark
I imagine your arms around me
Your comforting words in my ear
Telling me that I can be free
And to have no fear
But your warm embrace
Is just a dream
No matter how much I want to your grace
Or how real it seems
I can imagine your figure beside me
Holding me close
Want to believe in this dream
Never want to let go
It's all in my imagination
As you slowly fade away
I don't move to stop you
Nothing I do can make you remain
"Why that one," he asked after a moment.
"Because it's everything that I can't have," Raven answered, "And it's all in her imagination anyway." She then turned to resume her wanderings about the store.
Beast Boy left the bookstore pondering the meaning of the poem Raven had just recited. He knew that she was dark, but why should that stop her from loving someone? If only he could show her that. That would be a worthwhile Christmas gift.
He glanced in all the shop windows as he passed. There had to be something he could get her…something that she would truly appreciate.