Notes: Yeah, another update! I'm going to try and post the chapters faster, especially since Christmas is only a few days away now. Hopefully I'll have finished posting on Christmas day. Again, there aren't a lot of changes in this chapter, but there are a few.
Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans.
When Raven returned to the tower, it was just as she had left it. It had been quiet in the city lately and maybe that was due to the holiday season, but even if it was, something was still suspicious about the silence inside her own home.
She was mildly surprised when Robin turned down a video game match from Cyborg and even more so when Cyborg agreed that he had better things to do. Beast Boy wasn't anywhere in sight, though it had been an hour since he had left the bookstore. He should have been back by now.
Starfire was trying to bake a batch of Christmas cookies but without much luck. She had all but one of the ingredients needed, and was trying to substitute something else into the batter instead. She grabbed the container nearest to her and moved to add it into the mix. Raven quickly stopped the squirt of mustard from mixing in and pointed out the right ingredient. It was anyone's guess how someone had mistakenly put the sugar in with the glasses.
"Look," Raven started talking suddenly. Starfire stopped only momentarily to measure the ingredient before turning her attention to her friend, "If I help you bake that, could you keep a secret?"
"You want to tell me a secret," Starfire asked, the excitement in her voice clear, "What is it friend Raven?"
Raven was about to speak when the main door opened and Beast Boy stepped through, quickening his pace when he saw Raven. Whatever was in the bag he held in his hands was obviously a secret as well. Raven watched as he went, not aware at the smirk on her face at his unintentional antics.
"Is this secret about Beast Boy," Starfire asked once he was out of sight, "Have you bought him a gift yet?" She finished mixing the ingredients, giving her full attention to her friend.
"Not exactly," Raven replied, "I don't know what to do Star. He's so…different from me. We're complete opposites. What could I possibly get him?"
"Robin is also my opposite," Starfire told her, "But I had no problem finding a gift for him. I merely thought of what he might like."
"What did you get him," Raven asked. Starfire glanced around for a minute before turning her attention back to Raven.
"A new punching bag," Star answered quietly, "It has a stand so he can put it in his room. I know that he likes to train in order to relieve stress. I have witnessed him leaving in the middle of the night to go to the training room. I have also bought him a book with various martial art techniques, so he can learn some new material."
"That makes sense," Raven agreed, "I'm sure Robin will love it." The next moment, Star had her in a bone-crushing hug.
"Thank you Raven," she said, "I was worried at first whether or not he would really like it. I figured that Robin could use a practical gift for once instead of video games or another new remote to replace the other ones that he has lost."
"No problem," Raven answered.
Beast Boy immediately got to work clearing out a space once he got to his room. His desk was usually covered in old boxes of food, but it was void of anything in seconds. He didn't have time to clean up.
He pulled out a large amount of paper from the bag. A set of about twenty pens came out next. He just had to think of something to write for her.
Raven had said that she liked poetry, but the one she had recited to him was so depressing. He figured that she would enjoy one that might raise her spirits a bit.
Along with the paper, he pulled out a few books from the bottom of the bag. Titles such as 'How to Write Poetry' and 'Love Poems' were printed on the sides. When he was at the bookstore, he had passed by these books, thinking that they were too girly for Raven. Now he was going to study them for inspiration. It was funny how the most unlikely things would help him with his project. He almost hesitantly opened one of the books and began to read.
Hours later, Beast boy still hadn't left his room. Crumpled papers were strewn around the floor, tossed into corners and unsuccessfully into a trashcan that he had discovered. Another pen went sailing into the air as it ran out of ink. Without him even looking, it landed with a clink into the trashcan.
"Oh, now it actually makes it," Beast Boy grumbled to himself, "When I'm not even looking, imagine that." He looked back at the paper in front of him, "Too much writing, my brain's going on meltdown." Truly, he could barely read his own printed words due to blurred vision from staring for so long, "Is that a 'b' or a 'h'?" He shook his head in an attempt to clear it.
"Friend Beast Boy," Starfire's voice floated through the door. Beast Boy let out a very unmanly shriek at the disturbance, shoving the papers on his desk into the nearest drawer. Corners stuck out at the top, but he ignored them for the time being.
"Yeah Star," he finally uttered out, "Do you need something?"
"Are you going to join us for dinner," she asked, "You have been in your room all afternoon. I am sure that you are hungry."
Now that Beast Boy actually concentrated on something other than pen and paper, he realized that she was right. A glance to the clock revealed it to be nearing seven o'clock. He'd been holed up in his room for nearly six hours! No wonder he'd been straining his eyes for the past thirty minutes.
"Be right down Star," he told her, only moving once he was certain that she had left. His floor was literally a sea of crumpled papers. He didn't bother trying to hide it at that moment, not wanting to keep anybody waiting.
It wasn't until after dinner that Beast Boy got hit with a great idea. Beast Boy watched intently as Raven left the dining area, eyes widening as a memory came to him. He directed his attention to the doors sliding closed behind her.
You think you're alone, Raven, but you're not.
As much as he and Raven were different, they did share a common bond. They were opposites in appearance, and maybe even personality, but they understood what the other had and was going through. What could be a better idea for a poem?
Cyborg and Robin were back to their normal selves by this time and showed surprise when Beast Boy passed up a chance to play a video game. He barely glanced at them as he raced to his room.
"What was that about," Cyborg asked, appearing in the doorway before it could close. Robin was right behind him, "You haven't played video games all day. That's not normal."
"And what is this mess," Robin continued, eyes wide at the sight of papers strewn about. He picked one of papers and was starting to flatten it out when Beast Boy swatted it from his hand, angry at the invasion of privacy. He started to kick the papers back into his room.
"Oh, is it for Raven," Cyborg teased, remembering their earlier conversation, "You writing her a love poem?" He made a dramatic gesture with his hands, "Oh Raven, how I love thee…" The two boys broke into laughter.
"Friends, what is going on," Starfire flew over as she spoke, "What do you find so amusing?"
Robin choked back a laugh, "Nothing Starfire. We're just talking."
"Then why are there papers of the writing on the floor," Starfire questioned, "Is there some kind of battle taking place?" She peered around the door curiously.
"It's nothing like that," Beast Boy told her, "Now if you'll excuse me…" He closed the door in their faces.
"Both Beast Boy and Raven are acting strange," Starfire commented to herself as she walked away, "I wonder…"