AN: As pre-mentioned some days there will be two updates since it is holidays, and I have lots of time on my hands. Second installment for today, hope you enjoy it.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Teen Titan's, and I also reckon that the previous statement was grammatically incorrect.
"It is the confession, not the priest, that gives us absolution"
Oscar Wilde
Chapter 10 – Confessions
The sun had barely risen, the slightest of lights illuminating the previously dark city. Golden light enveloped all of Jump City, the sound of silence penetrating all corners, even a lonely island where a tower stood. Raven's eyes opened sluggishly. It had been days since she had slept without nightmares haunting her. She hadn't felt this feeling of freshness for a long time. Standing up she stretched her limbs, thankful for her dreamless sleep. Events of the past few days burst into her mind. With her head now plagued with the burden of thoughts, Raven no longer felt the refreshing feeling she had felt previously. She left her room quietly, hoping that no one else was awake.
Raven entered the common room, extremely relieved that no one was there. She immediately headed for the kitchen as usual, anticipating the warm tea to come. Beast Boy's eyes still flitted through her mind. She didn't know what that powerful look meant, but it scared her. Quietly she sipped her tea, still unable to push Beast Boy's intense gaze out of her mind. The door to Robin's room slid open, putting an end to her pondering thoughts.
"Good morning Raven" muttered Robin, unsurprised to see her up at the crack of dawn.
Raven merely gave him a look of acknowledgement, before turning back to stare out at the sunrise.
"I got a call from Cyborg in the night. He said he'll be back in a couple of days" said Robin, opening up the newspaper.
Raven nodded, the damage to the Titan East's Tower must have been pretty bad. Robin began making breakfast, after skimming through headlines. With careful precision he made pancakes, making sure each measure was perfect. The common room doors slid open once more, giving way to Starfire.
"Morning of goodness to you all, friends" Starfire cried with joy.
"Morning Star" replied Robin, still watching the pancakes intently, as if they would run away as fast as they could, if he turned an eye.
It wasn't long before Beast Boy plodded into the common room, rubbing his eyes. He would have liked to have slept for longer but the smell of pancakes had woken him, and he liked his pancakes fresh.
"Hey guys" yawned Beast Boy, looking around the room and stopping at Raven.
"Your just in time, the pancakes are ready" said Robin, placing each of the pancakes carefully onto a plate.
The four Titans sat down on the kitchen table, looking greedily at the meal in front of them. They began eating in silence yet again. There hadn't been any meals where the Titans had talked for a while, as their minds were miles away from their food. Beast Boy observed his teammates eating again. Robin was eating exactly the same way as before taking in entire pancakes every mouthful. Starfire ate slowly as before, though still shoving the round cakes past her lips. And Raven, he thought to himself. Beast Boy had thought over the night, and now had little doubt that he had feelings for her. He stole another glance at Raven, hoping no one would notice. She ate so elegantly, cutting her pancakes first before gracefully placing her food into her mouth. She was inattentive of her meal, yet still managed to show so much care to it. Raven turned around, her eyes catching Beast Boy's. He took in a quick breath, feeling a swooping sensation around his mid-riff, and he quickly looked down at his plate, hoping Raven didn't know how long he had been looking at her.
Raven saw Beast Boy duck from her eyes, wondering why he avoided her gaze. In a way she was glad that she hadn't met his eyes, in case she met the fervent pair she had the night before. She turned back to her meal, finally finishing her final pancake.
"When's Cyborg getting back" asked Beast Boy abruptly, having not heard Robin's announcement previously.
"He said he'd be back in a couple of days" replied Robin.
"Oh, okay" muttered Beast Boy, glancing at Raven who had turned to look at him. His heart fluttered as he looked into her violet eyes. He wished that she would say something, anything to him. Raven turned away from him, looking past Starfire solemnly.
Robin had noticed the way Beast Boy had looked at Raven, but he said nothing. He was unsure what it meant, and whether it boded ill or not. Keeping his mouth shut, he returned to his meal, finishing off the last pancakes on the table.
"Friends. Let us celebrate this glorious day by venturing to the mall of shopping" cried Starfire suddenly, as if the thought had just come to her mind.
"Pass" muttered Raven, standing up, heading towards her room.
"Oh, but Raven, you have not visited the mall for so long!" pleaded Starfire.
Starfire then continued to bombard Raven with her insistences and all Raven saw was the movement of Starfire's mouth. Raven knew she hadn't gone to the mall with Starfire for a while, and they had come to an agreement that Raven had to join Starfire at least some of the time. The loud voice of Starfire rang in her ears, and it was too much for Raven to tolerate any longer.
"Okay, okay!" cried Raven in protest.
Starfire let a high-pitched shriek of joy, before grabbing Raven, and zooming out of the tower, leaving Robin and Beast Boy alone. Robin placed all the plates into the sink, preparing them to be washed. Beast Boy stood up heading for his room.
"Beast Boy" called out Robin sternly.
Beast Boy turned around, looking at his leader. "What?" Beast Boy muttered.
"Is there anything on your mind that you'd like to tell me" started Robin seriously.
"Uh… no? Should there be?" answered Beast Boy, a little confused.
"You couldn't keep your eyes off Raven again this morning" said Robin.
Beast Boy gave him sheepish look; he couldn't come up with anything to say.
"Is there something going on between you and Raven?" inquired Robin, hunting for an answer to his mind's questions.
"No!" cried Beast Boy defensively, a red blush growing over his cheeks.
"I saw the way you looked at Raven…" muttered Robin quietly.
Beast Boy remained silent, not knowing how to explain himself.
"Beast Boy… tell me, do you… like Raven?" stammered Robin, wondering how such a thing could ever be possible.
"I…" Beast Boy murmured, searching for an answer. He couldn't tell the truth… could he? Would it matter though, Robin had basically deduced it anyway. Beast Boy's shoulders slumped in defeat.
"Yeah… I do" whispered Beast Boy. Saying it had been terrifying. Hearing himself say it had been satisfying. Realising that what he had said was true was exhilarating… breathtaking.
Robin let out a huge breath. This was… interesting to say the least. He now understood why Beast Boy was acting so strangely, why there seemed to be such an awkwardness between the two.
"How long for?" asked Robin.
Now Beast Boy had spoken the truth, everything came easier. "Only since yesterday I think…" he answered
"Does… Raven know?" questioned Robin softly.
"No" replied Beast Boy. "And you can't tell her. You can't tell anyone!" he cried vehemently
"Okay! I won't" said Robin, taken aback by the fierceness of Beast Boy's reply.
"Do you swear?"
"I swear…" whispered Robin. "But only because it has to be you who tells Raven"
"I can't! If I tell her she'd…" started Beast Boy anxiously
"She'd understand" continued Robin. "She'd want to know. She's probably as confused as I was about you."
"No. No, I can't. I'm not supposed to like her, it's all wrong. We've fought for so long, we're complete opposites, how is it possible that I like Raven? She'd probably laugh at the concept" raved Beast Boy.
"Raven would never laugh at you, she never has, she never will" soothed Robin.
"Only once" whispered Beast Boy so quietly that it escaped Robin's ears. His mind was flashing back to the conversation they had had. Though she hadn't laughed at him, he still remembered the time she had laughed with him. Robin was right, she wouldn't laugh at him. But she definitely wouldn't take to the idea of Beast Boy having a crush on her.
"Just let me work this out for myself" replied Beast Boy, turning his back on Robin. Silently, he walked out of the common room, entering his bedroom. He had finally said it out; he had finally accepted the truth. He had fallen for Raven, and knowing that without doubt was incredibly satisfying. Of all the unlikely people, it was Raven who was his first crush. He knew Robin wouldn't tell anyone, he was pushy and irritating, but he was trustworthy. He would never break an oath. An incarnation of Raven floated in Beast Boy's mind. Beast Boy felt a little guilty, as he remember Terra. They had had a relationship, and he felt as if he was spiting her memory. But she had chosen a different path, thought Beast Boy, trying to push his guilt from his mind. It felt good to tell someone about his feelings for Raven; he just hoped that Robin wouldn't accidently give a hint to her.
Raven and Starfire wandered the first floor of the shopping mall. Raven was seriously regretting her decision to follow Starfire to the mall. It had been two long gruelling hours of Starfire yanking on her arm, and pulling her to a store filled with pink, yellow and red clothes. She didn't think she could tolerate anymore. Starfire grabbed Raven's arm, pulling her into another store.
"Look Raven, this would look wonderful on you!" cried Starfire.
"It's pink. What did I say about pink Starfire" muttered Raven lazily.
"Oh right" said Starfire looking crestfallen.
Out of nowhere, a blond boy tapped Raven on the shoulder. He looked around the same age as Raven.
"Hey! Aren't you Raven from the Teen Titans?" asked the boy enthusiastically.
"Uh… yea" replied Raven, wondering what this excitable blond teenager wanted.
"I don't really have time to talk… but is it okay if you could give me your autograph?" the boy inquired, a hopeful smile on his face.
Raven rolled her eyes. Fans, she thought to herself. Grabbing the pen that was in the boy's left hand, she did a quick but neat signature on the paper pad the boy was holding.
"My name's Simon, if you were wondering" added the boy, before zooming out of the store to rejoin his friends.
"That was… refreshing" muttered Raven to herself.
"Oh Raven! Did you make the new friends?" cried Starfire in delight.
Raven shook her head, looking down at her watch.
"Starfire, it's been three hours, I've got to go now" said Raven, hoping to whatever higher being there was that Starfire would release her from this earthly incarnation of hell.
"Aw… Very well then, I am sure you will need to do the meditating" sighed Starfire disappointedly.
The pair arrived back at Titan's Tower after a long journey. Starfire was carrying so many bags that they couldn't fly without dropping half the load, so the two were forced to walk. Raven was by now thoroughly irritated that the entire venture to the mall and back had taken so long. It was already nearing sunset when the two had entered the Tower. Raven walked swiftly to her room, ignoring Starfire's insistences to try on some of the clothes that had been bought for her. She shut the door with incredible relief, at last she could think without the high-pitched voice of Starfire intruding on her thoughts. She was exhausted. Starfire dragging her to every single store of the mall had taken a lot out of her. Not only that but her own empath powers always picked up the overwhelming amount of emotions running through the mall's occupants. She had been unable to shut her mind from them, as she would with her teammates, since there were just too many emotions to close off. She slipped under the covers of her bed, and without another thought sleep instantly swept over her.
AN: Chapter 10, :). Don't dismiss Robin or Simon, I'm not sure whether I want to play ball with them. Enjoy this, and thanks for all the reviews.