Chapter five: Christmas tree.
The Titans had but one Christmas tree in the entire tower, but it was gargantuan in size, it scraped the ceiling and was as wide as the common room entrance, it had taken some manoeuvring to get it through the doors, and many of its branches had been bent or snapped in the process, but they'd succeeded in erected it in the corner of the room, against the large bay windows.
It was plentifully decorated, and many of the trinkets had been sent in my adoring fans, baubles with their faces on, or little hand-knitted decorative dolls, that were ever so slightly creepy. They had been sent miniature handmade stars, sewn together out of soft felt and a colour for each of them, red for Robin, orange for Starfire, blue for Cyborg, green for Beast Boy and purple for Raven, each star decorated with the appropriately coloured glitter, the Titans had pinned their personal star to their own stocking, and quickly wrote appreciate replies to some fan letters they'd received, bidding happy holidays left, right and centre.
It was strange in a way, the Christmas tree almost looked like the Titans had a shrine to themselves, with the branches weighed down my gifts that so often depicted their names or faces, but it was a way that the Titans showed their appreciation for their adoring public, they'd take a group picture before the large tree and they'd send it to a local newspaper with a public statement of thanks.
Raven was not a fan of this part of Christmas, most of the 'presents' her fans sent her were unnerving and the tree itself was a hassle to get in to the place as it was, then they had to proceed to dress it with such obscene articles. Every so often she'd get a sweet letter from a little girl who admired her, even if Raven was at a loss for a reason why. Maybe sometimes she'd get a small gift from a fan that'd done their research and gotten her something she truly liked, maybe a collection of different teas, or a classic novel.
Raven didn't like the thought that Christmas felt like a publicity stunt when they had such a monstrosity of a tree. She appreciated the fan support and was thankful for the gifts and messages she received, but she couldn't help but feel that the press and the tree were taking the joy and togetherness out of the holiday.
Raven was grumbling about that dreadful tree one night to Beast Boy, they had resolved to keep their relationship a secret until the New Year, because they weren't so sure about how the team would take it, and Raven would be damned before she let anyone turn her personal life into another part of this ridiculous stunt.
"Did you see that ugly little doll thing I got? I'm way better looking than that!" Beast Boy stated in mock annoyance, attempting to lighten the mood.
"I thought it was quite a likeness." She replied evenly, but her tiny smirk let him know she was joking.
"Thanks, babe." He replied dryly and her smirk became more pronounced.
She took a seat beside him on his bed and rested her head against his shoulder, a part of her wished that they had been open earlier on in their relationship, because she wanted to freely spend Christmas with her boyfriend, but she wouldn't reveal it now, because she refused to be another trinket on the shrine of the 'Annual Festive Titans Publicity Stunt', as she called it. That was not happening.