This took me longer than I expected and I apologize...I had massive writers block...but it is along one. I was determined to get this posted today since I start working tomorrow...yes I know ...it's awful. Also THANK YOU secondrate for helping me fix up my story again...and thanks to everyone who's reviewed.
"Dude, I'm telling you, there is no way you can beat me," Beastboy told Cyborg with a confident smile the two of them sitting across from each other on the counter. "I've been staying up late for the last four nights practicing."
"Practice all you want little man," Cyborg smirked, "'Cause it ain't gonna do you any good."
"We'll see about that," Beastboy said. "And for your information, I'm not little."
"So you grew a few inches, big whoop," Cyborg replied rolling his eyes. "You're still scrawny, and further more, still shorter than me."
"Dude, I'm not scrawny," Beastboy glared. "And besides, you're like a giant."
"And that's cause I eat meat," Cyborg replied finishing up the burger he had been preparing. "Maybe if you'd stop with the whole 'tofu' thing you'd be big and strong like me too."
He flexed his arms to show off his metallic muscles.
"I'll pass," Beastboy replied dully.
"But it's good for you," Cyborg taunted raising his burger up to Beastboy's face.
"Dude I'm serious," Beastboy said leaning his head back to put distance between him and the sandwich.
"You have no idea what your missing out on B," Cyborg replied taking a bite out of his food.
Beastboy shuddered.
"I'd like to keep it that way too," he said, resting his head on his hand. Almost immediately, his eyes traveled over towards Raven -who was obviously doing her best to ignore the two.
"Hey man...you okay?" Cyborg asked beginning to wonder if he had taken things too far.
"Huh..." Beastboy jumped slightly as he looked towards him.
Cyborg glanced over at Raven then back to Beastboy, and raised an eyebrow
"Oh...yeah I'm fine," Beastboy replied, hiding a blush. "Like I said, I've been staying up late to practice...just a little tired that's all."
"Okay man, whatever you say," Cyborg shrugged a smile forming on his face. "But don't try and use that as an excuse when I beat you."
"Not going to happen," Beastboy replied.
"Then bring it on green bean," Cyborg challenged every bit ready to abandon his sandwich and rush towards the couch to play.
"Uh...guys," Robin said getting there attention.
"I hate to sound like a parent or something..." He began.
"Which means that you're going to," Beastboy commented.
Robin sighed and Cyborg smirked.
"Fine, ..I may as well go ahead then," Robin replied taking in a deep breath. "Beastboy you shouldn't stay up late...Cyborg you shouldn't tease Beastboy...and both of you are going to have to wait to play your game 'cause Starfire's watching TV."
"Man...you do sound like a parent," Cyborg said, earning a chuckle from Beastboy, and a glare from Robin.
"So what's Star watch'n anyway?" Cyborg asked.
"Some kind of fungus show," Robin replied with a strange look on his face "Apparently their showing an all day marathon."
"Duude," Beastboy said in a whining voice. "How are we suppose to play video games?"
"Beastboy, you play video games everyday... and apparently at night too," he added as an after thought, giving Beastboy a brief disapproving glance. "It's not going to kill you to go one day without it."
"Says you," Beastboy complained, "It's one of my three basic needs...I can't not do it."
"And your three basic needs would be what exactly?" Robin asked admittedly a little curious...Cyborg looking over somewhat interested as well.
Beastboy let out an over exaggerated sigh as he raised his fingers up to list them off
"Eating tofu...Playing video games...and..." He paused glancing at Raven from the corner of his eyes.
"Don't tell me you forgot," Cyborg said with an amused smirk. Robin smiled as well.
"No." Beastboy replied slightly offended.
"Well?" The other two boys asked.
Beastboy looked away and mumbled something under his breath.
"Not all of us have super sensitive hearing," Cyborg commented.
Beastboy sighed, looking a little hesitant...
"Um...I said...telling jokes?" Beastboy replied his expression going from unsure to happy. "Yeah...that's it...telling jokes!"
"I probably should have guessed that one," Cyborg said shaking his head "Way to obvious."
Robin nodded at Cyborg and then turned to Beastboy.
"Sorry Beastboy...but you're just going to have to settle for the other two today," Robin replied. "Unless you want to try and get Starfire away from the TV."
Robin smiled at the apprehension on Beastboy's face.
"Uh...no thanks," Beastboy replied...remembering how upset Starfire got the last time her show was interrupted;also, it was nearly impossible to get her way from the TV when it was on.
"Didn't think so," Robin said with a small smirk.
"Well ... I do have some other things I could work on," Cyborg admitted thoughtfully. "Like fixing some of the towers security glitches."
"Shouldn't you have done that a long time ago?" Robin asked in a slightly upset voice.
"Hey, I've been kinda busy," Cyborg said in his defense. "I was gonna get around to it eventually."
Robin gave him a slight glare and Cyborg was sure he was about to get lectured
"In fact...I'm gonna go do that right now," Cyborg said getting up and making a hasty exit.
Robin sighed.
"I think I'll just get some practice in." he mumbled.
"Dude, how much practice could you need," Beastboy replied, "You train like everyday."
Robin smiled at his teammate as he got up to leave...shrugging his shoulders slightly.
"Basic need." He replied walking out of the room.
Beastboy sighed as he heard the door close and looked out in front of him at Cyborg's half eaten burger. His nose scrunch up in disgust and he decided to dispose of the thing. Picking it up and holding it at arms length away, almost as if it would try and bite him. He tossed it into the trashcan and shuddered.
He sighed again as he glanced around the room...no video games...and he wasn't hungry...so what did that leave.
'telling jokes' ...
He shook his head at the thought and sat back down...now across from Raven and one seat over. He looked up at her as she turned the page in her book...and he couldn't help but smile.
"Drinking tea...reading books...and meditating." he said out loud.
Raven looked over at him.
"Excuse me?" She asked.
"Your three basic needs," Beastboy said with a small smile. "I'm right...aren't I?"
She stared at him for a moment seeming to think it over.
"It's not that I can't go without it," She replied, "I'd just prefer not to."
"Yeah, but other than those three things, what else do you do?" He asked, not realizing that he sounded rude.
"I do happen to do other things," Raven said, slightly offended. "Like help save the city."
"Yeah, but that's like our job," Beastboy replied, "Don't you do anything fun?"
"I happen to find the things I do to be very fun," Raven said, starting to sound annoyed.
"What's wrong with trying new things though?" Beastboy asked innocently. "Who knows, you might find something you like just as much."
"I doubt it," Raven replied looking back down at her book...obviously indicating that the conversation was over.
"Okay then," Beastboy said in a sly voice. "If you're afraid."
Raven peeked up from her book.
"Afraid?"
"It's okay Raven," Beastboy said with an innocent smile. "A lot of people are afraid of trying new things."
Raven gave Beastboy the smallest of glares.
"What exactly are you getting at here?" She asked.
Beastboy smiled. "Oh nothing," he replied. "Only that you're..." and he ended the sentence by turning into a chicken and clucking a few times.
Raven glared as she lifted the book up in front of her...refusing to stoop to his level of petty and senseless arguing.
"See! You're not even denying it," Beastboy replied, now back in his human form. "That means it must be true...which means I was right; you're afraid."
"No," Raven replied in calm anger, "There's just no point in arguing over something so childish."
"That sounds like 'coward talk' to me," Beastboy said with a sideways smirk.
Raven slammed her book shut and sent Beastboy an 'I've had enough' glare. Beastboy flinched ...closing his eyes and covering his head with his arms as if a bomb was about to go off. He waited a moment, not sure if he would be verbally or physically assaulted...figuring he was prepared for anything though...he still didn't expect what he heard next.
"What would I have to do?" Raven asked in an obviously forced Calm.
Beastboy lowered his arms and looked over at Raven with wide eyes.
"What?" he asked in obvious shock.
Raven sighed not really wanting to have explain herself.
"Just pick something."
"Really?" Beastboy asked his face lighting up with excitement. "And you'll do it...whatever it is?"
"As long as it isn't something stupid," Raven replied.
Raven watched as Beastboy frantically tried to think of something for her to do...if he waited too long she might just come to her senses and decide against it. Honestly, Raven was a little surprised she was even going to do this...whatever it was. She guessed she was just to stubborn to let Beastboy have the last word...she wasn't sure why, but he always seemed to get to her.
"Okay, okay," Beastboy said more to himself than to Raven. "Let me see...what should you do..."
He looked up...his eyes squinting as if reading the thoughts that were crossing his mind.
"I got it!" he yelled, causing Raven to jump some.
He smiled for a moment as if reflecting on his idea.
"Well?" Raven asked becoming impatient.
"Oh right," he laughed a little. "Well you'll probably think this is stupid..."
"Probably," Raven mumbled.
Beastboy rubbed the back of his neck nervously, not really taking notice to Raven's comment.
"I'd like for you to...play a game," He stated with a small hopeful smile. "...With me."
"Play a game...with you?" Raven repeated slowly to herself.
"Uh...it's okay if you don't," Beastboy quickly replied, feeling stupid. "I can think of something else...maybe you could ...uh..."
"What would we play?" Raven asked, interrupting Beastboy's ramblings.
"What?" Beastboy blinked, surprised for the second time that day.
Raven sighed.
"We can't exactly play video games since Starfire's watching TV," Raven explained, "So what kind of game did you have in mind?"
"Well...I..." Beastboy paused for a moment. "You'd really play a game with me?"
"Well...it's certainly something I don't normally do," Raven admitted, "And if it will get you to leave me alone...then yes."
"Okay then," Beastboy smiled brightly. "I'll even let you pick the game. Whatever you want."
Raven looked thoughtful for a moment as she turned her head away from him.
"I...don't really know many games," She admitted reluctantly.
"You don't?" He asked curiously, "What kind of games did you play when you were a kid?"
Raven was quiet for moment and she shifted somewhat in her seat as if the question had made her uncomfortable.
"I wasn't really allowed to play games when I was younger," Raven replied.
Beastboy was about to question her further on the matter but stopped himself. He remembered that Raven hadn't grown up like most normal children did. She was constantly working at controlling her powers and obviously that left no room for games, all the more reason for Beastboy to try and get Raven to have some fun.
"That's okay," He replied with a small smile.
Raven looked up at him, his eyes soft and kind, not filled with pity but with understanding. It surprised her sometimes how someone, especially Beastboy, could make her feel so...normal.
"I...do know of a few," Raven admitted, "But I've never played any of them before..."
"Really?" Beastboy asked, the excitement returning in his voice. "There's no better time to start."
"They're kind of...childish though," Raven admitted with a light blush.
"That's cool with me," Beastboy laughed, "Those are my favorite kind of games."
Raven looked down. "Well...there's tag...Hide and Seek...and Truth or Dare."
Beastboy smiled at the selection.
"How 'bout Truth or Dare," He suggested, "We don't need a lot of people to play...and it won't take that long."
"Isn't me playing a game with you already considered a dare?" Raven asked.
"Yep," Beastboy grinned, "But I can think of others if I have to."
"Alright then," Raven replied forcing herself not to smile. "You go first."
"Okay Raven," Beastboy said with an almost evil smile. "Truth...or Dare?"
"...Truth" Raven replied calmly.
"Who's your favorite titan?" Beastboy asked immediately.
Raven blinked before narrowing her eyes ever so slightly.
"Well..." Beastboy asked.
"I refuse to choose favorites among my friends," she replied, the slightest hint of annoyance in her voice. "I think of you all as equals."
"Raven, Raven, Raven," Beastboy replied shaking his head with a smile. "If you aren't going to tell the truth then you may as well pick Dare."
Raven was slightly surprised at first, but soon narrowed her eyes at him again.
"Are you trying to say I'm lying?" she asked.
"Just admit it Rae," he told her with a sly smile. "I'm your favorite". He leaned forward slightly and wiggled his eyebrows for effect.
Raven fought off the blush that threatened to form on her face and looked away.
"Dare" she finally said.
"What?" Beastboy asked tilting his head to the side."You can't change it." he protested.
"You can either accept the fact that I don't want to play favorites and give me a dare or..." Raven replied standing up. "I can just leave now."
"No," Beastboy shouted. "I mean...uh...that's fine."
Raven sat back down, inwardly smiling at her victory.
"But you have to do it," Beastboy said in a warning tone. "No take backs."
"Fine," Raven replied.
Beastboy smiled as he stood up and walked to the refrigerator...humming as he pulled out a plate of tofu and brought it back to the table. He smiled knowingly at Raven as he sat the plate down and pushed it in front of her.
"Tofu?" Raven asked dully "That's the dare?"
She looked up at him raising an eyebrow slightly ...it was just too easy.
"So...all I have to do is eat it?" Raven asked skeptically
"Who said anything about eating," Beastboy asked, his grin widening as Raven gave him a strange look.
"If you don't want me to eat it...," she slowly asked looking down at the plate. "Then what am I suppose to do?"
"Easy," Beastboy replied, "You pick it up and smush it on your face."
Raven eyes went wide and she stared at the changeling as if to say 'you can't be serious'.
Raven opened her mouth to protest but was interrupted.
"Ah, ah, ah." Beastboy replied shaking his finger, "No take backs remember...no matter how stupid."
Beastboy leaned forward unable to hide his eagerness. Raven let out a defeated groan as she looked back down at the tofu, reluctantly taking it in her cupped hands.
'Okay Raven' she thought to herself. 'You can just set this down now and walk away'
She looked up at Beastboy who raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Scared?" He asked mockingly.
Raven glared at him for a moment then looked back down at the large amount of tofu in her hands.
'You can do this' Raven told herself.
'Dude...I can't believe she's going to do this' Beastboy thought 'Where's a camera when ya need one'
Raven sighed before taking in a deep breath and throwing her face down into her tofu covered hands.
After the intial shock wore off, she slowly lifted her head up; her face covered in white mush, strands of hair on each side of her face also combined with the substance. She blinked a few times, her hands still out in front of her and her expression frozen in disgust and horror.
She was quickly brought back to reality as Beastboy laughter filled the room. She glared across the table at him as he wrapped both arms around his sides and bent over, unable to stop. Tears were beginning to make there way to the corner of his eyes as he tried to calm himself.
"Raven...you...haha...look..." He managed to open his eyes enough to see the angry look on Raven's tofu covered face and immediately stopped. He swallowed hard and gave Raven a nervous smile, feeling as though he were shrinking beneath her gaze.
"You...uh...look great," Beastboy replied nervously. "Yep...definitely your color."
"That.Was.Not.Fun." Raven stated, though her glare had lessened.
"Heh...uh...yeah sorry," Beastboy replied with a weak smile. "I can go get you towel."
"Better get two," Raven said.
"Two?...why tw..." Beastboy's question was immediately interrupted, as a hand full of tofu was launch at his face. He stumbled backwards by the impact and from shock. He looked up at Raven who simply smirked in return, more of her face now visible.
"Hey, no fair," Beastboy replied though he couldn't keep from smiling. "You cheated."
"Funny...I don't remember you saying that was against the rules," She replied still smirking.
"Well...uh...it is now," Beastboy proclaimed puffing out his chest. "It's the official 'no throwing tofu at Beastboy' rule."
"Fair enough," Raven agreed sitting back down. "Are we going to finish the game or not?"
"You mean you want to keep playing?" He asked in disbelief. "really?"
"Technically, the game isn't over until after I ask you," Raven replied, "Right?"
"Oh ...yeah," Beastboy said, wiping some of the tofu away as he sat down in front of her. "Ask away."
"Truth or Dare?" Raven asked in her usual monotone.
"Truth" Beastboy replied.
Raven raised an eyebrow, having expected him to be the more outgoing of the two and choose dare. He gave a sheepish smile as if reading her thoughts and answered.
"I wouldn't want any Dare induced pay back," he replied and Raven couldn't help but smile slightly. She looked down for a moment, trying to figure out what kind of truth would be most embarrassing for him, or at least, something that he wouldn't normally admit to on his own. Curiosity got the better of her though and she couldn't help but wonder...
"What were you really going to say?" She asked and Beastboy sent her a confused stare.
"Your third basic need," Raven explained, "You weren't going to say 'telling jokes' were you?"
Beastboy stared at her for a moment before looking down.
"No...I wasn't," Beastboy replied.
"What then?" Raven asked.
"Telling jokes is definitely one of my specialties," He replied with a small smile. "But I...I was going to say trying to get you to laugh...or even just to smile."
Raven could feel her cheeks blush and she hoped that it wasn't noticeable because of the tofu.
"That's...nice," Raven replied softly.
Beastboy looked up at her with slight surprise before giving her a shy smile. Raven's violet eyes shined with what Beastboy could only assume was gratitude as she looked into his emerald ones.
'Wow' Beastboy thought, 'Even covered in tofu she's beautiful'
Beastboy didn't even notice as they began to lean forward, as if some force was pulling them closer together.
Raven could not stop what was happening, what was going to happen, and she didn't want to. Their lips were almost touching now...their eyes beginning to close.
EEEEEERRRRRR EEEEERRRRRR EEEEERRRRR EEEEERRRRRRR
"Ahhhh..." Both Raven and Beastboy screamed and jumped back out of their seats as the Titans alarm went off.
Suddenly the noise stopped and Beastboy and Raven stood there trying to catch their breath...when in the distance you could hear Cyborg scream.
"My bad...false alarm."
A part of Raven was angry at Cyborg for having interrupted them, while another side was simply relieved and grateful that he had. Embarrassment, however, was stronger than any other emotion at the moment and both Raven and Beastboy looked up at each other trying desperately not to blush.
"Uh...um...heh," Beastboy rubbed the back of his neck and smiled weakly. "Good game Raven."
Raven nodded slightly.
"It wasn't to bad," She said, relieved to find her voice was calm. "Though I'm not ready to throw away my books just yet."
Beastboy gave a small fake chuckle at the comment.
"Yeah...I didn't think so," he replied.
A moment of silence filled the room as Beastboy and Raven looked down at the floor. Finally a small smirk appeared on Beastboy's face as he looked up at her.
"Scared you, didn't it?" he asked.
Raven looked up, startled.
"Huh?"
"The alarm," Beastboy said with confidence. "Admit it...you were scared."
"I'm not the one who screamed like a little girl," Raven shot back.
"HEY!" Beastboy protested, "I do not scream like a little girl."
Raven glared slightly at Beastboy as he stuck out his tongue. Inwardly she was smiling at him though, for having saved them from the awkwardness of the moment.
"Fine, whatever," Raven replied in her monotone voice, "I'm just going to go and take a shower before anyone sees me."
Beastboy smiled slightly as Raven tried wiping more of the tofu off her face with her sleeve.
'She looks yummy' a deeper, more animalistic, voice replied in his head. The voice sent a chill down Beastboy's spine and he mentally slapped himself...'where the hell did that come from'
"Um...Beastboy," Raven said stopping near the door to turn around and face him.
"Yeah." he squeaked, almost afraid Raven had heard his thoughts.
"I really did enjoy this..." She told him, "Thanks."
"You're welcome," Beastboy replied with a friendly smile, all previous thoughts forgotten. "Maybe we could do this again sometime?"
Raven stared at him for a moment. "You mean Truth or Dare?"
Beastboy shrugged.
"Doesn't matter," he replied. "I like just hanging out with you."
Raven smiled and opened her mouth to speak when the door behind her swooshed open.
"I'm telling you, man, it was an accident," Cyborg replied walking along side Robin who didn't look at all happy.
"Cyborg, I'm really not in the mood to..." Robin stopped as he spotted the two titans standing in the room.
Cyborg noticed his expression and looked up as well. There stood Raven and Beastboy, both of them looking like deer caught in the headlights. Beastboy offered an embarrassed smile and Raven stood as if frozen in time...both of their faces covered in tofu. Cyborg and Robin exchanged glances before busting out in laughter. Raven pulled up her hood, as if that alone would shield her from the embarrassment.
"Man…haha...what did we miss?" Cyborg managed to get out between fits of laughter
"Looks like...haha...Beastboy's lunch exploded," Robin replied.
Raven turned her head away and Beastboy shot the two laughing titans an annoyed glare.
"I'm just going to go," Raven mumbled, beginning to vanish beneath the floor in her black energy.
The laughter slowly stopped.
"Raven wait..." Beastboy said, but she was already gone.
Beastboy frowned as he looked down at the spot where she had been.
"Hey, sorry man," Cyborg replied with a frown.
"We weren't trying to upset her," Robin added.
Beastboy sighed.
"I know," he replied, "But now she'll never..."
"Never what?" Cyborg asked.
Beastboy glared slightly at the two.
"Nothing," he mumbled crossing his arms and looking away.
Cyborg and Robin exchanged confused glances, trying to fill in the pieces.
"I'm sure she'll forgive you, Beastboy," Robin told him.
"Yeah," Cyborg nodded, "She always does."
'Forgive me?' Beastboy thought.
"Oh...yeah," Beastboy replied quietly, realizing that it appeared as if he had been the one responsible for the mess. "I hope so."
"I am certain that friend Raven is not upset with you," Came Starfire's voice.
The three titans looked over towards the couch where the alien was now standing.
"Starfire!" Beastboy squeaked having forgotten she had been in the room the entire time. "H-how long h-have you been listening?"
"Ever since the alarm, which had rudely interrupted my favorite earth broadcast," She replied putting on a small apologetic smile. "I did not mean to drop the eaves."
"You mean eavesdrop," Robin replied.
"Yes, I apologize," Starfire said.
"That's...okay...no problem Star," Beastboy replied glad she hadn't seen what had almost happened.
"Yeah it's not like Beastboy and Raven were having some kind of private moment," Cyborg said both him and Robin laughing slightly.
"Uh...right...heh...I'm just gonna...uh...go wash up," Beastboy replied walking towards the door making sure to keep his head down to hide his blush.
Robin and Cyborg just shrugged at his behavior while Starfire smiled knowingly.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Raven stood over the bathroom sink and splashed more water onto her face. Silently she reached for a towel to pat her face dry then looked up into the mirror. She stared at her reflection for a moment with a frown.
'We were so close' a voice inside Raven's head replied. 'He was going to kiss us...we were so close'
"who are you?" Raven asked herself still staring at her reflection.
'You know, I think Beastboy's our favorite' the voice replied obviously ignoring Raven's question. 'You should have told him...I bet he would have liked that'
'Who are you?' Raven repeated in her head seemingly annoyed. 'Every time I'm around Beastboy I feel you...you're the one who makes me blush...who make me smile when he's around'
'That's not me Rae' the voice replied. 'Its Beastboy who makes you feel that way...its Beastboy who you feel for'
Understanding flashed across her face.
"That means you're..."
'Affection...love' the emotion finished.
Raven swallowed hard and stepped back from the mirror shaking her head slightly.
"No...that can't be."
There was a knock on the door and Raven jumped slightly.
"Raven..." Came Beastboy's voice from the other side "Are you in there?"
She stared at the door unable to find her voice at the moment.
"Listen Rae...I'm really sorry," he replied pressing lightly on the door and sliding it open. He looked inside but it was empty, nothing but a towel laying down on the floor and the sound of the dripping sink.
I hope everyone enjoyed this...please leave me a review. I really hope my job doesn't stop me from posting more. THANKS again secondrate . REVIEW PEOPLE...it motivates me!