I love the responses I'm getting from this story, and I want to say thank you to everyone!
Special dedication to Kryalla Orchid, who is a great friend and a terrific author in her own right. If you haven't read her stories you need to remedy that immediately. She's a master at plot, romance scenes, Rob/Star cheekiness, and Bb/Rae. Go check her out. Love ya Kry!
A number of you have commented that Beast Boy seemed really mature during the date… I tried not to make him too mature, but please remember that in this story (if you haven't picked it up) that Beast Boy is 19, Raven, Robin, and Starfire are 20, and Cyborg is 21. I would hope that Beast Boy wouldn't be quite as silly and goofy when he's really trying to impress Raven on their first date, especially when he's a little older. Hope that explains my reasoning.
Anyway, on with the chapter!
Once on their way home, Raven's anxiety set in again. She remembered what knowledge had said, and she was nervous. Being intimate wasn't one of Raven's strong points, and she was worried.
Beast Boy snaked out a hand and grabbed hers comfortingly.
"You seem upset about something. Wanna share?"
Raven sighed. "Um, about what knowledge said…"
"Yeah. Listen Raven, if you're uncomfortable or don't want to at all tonight, don't worry about it. I understand."
"You do?" she said in a small voice.
"Of course. I don't want to pressure you into anything, okay?"
"Okay…"
There was a silence.
"Beast Boy?"
"Yeah?"
"What happened when Lust took over me before? Why are you so embarrassed about it?" Raven asked.
Beast Boy's cheeks reddened, and then he said, "I'll tell you if you tell me about that 'thought in the shower' Lust was talking about."
Raven coughed.
"But-"
"Nuh uh, fair trade," he said.
Raven sighed again. "I was in the shower, when I suddenly got this thought that… it wouldn't be so bad if… you… came in and joined me," she said quickly, stringing her last words together hoping he wouldn't catch them.
"What?!" Beast Boy exclaimed and Raven flinched. "Really?!"
He looked at her with a big grin on his face.
Raven gave a small nod and stared straight ahead.
"Well, if that's what you want Raven, we can arrange that-"
"Don't even think about it," she cut him off severely.
"Oh, fine," he huffed.
"Your turn," she said.
"Oh, uh, yeah. Lust kind of, well kissed me, and then she tossed me onto your bed, and then she pinned my hands above me and kinda… touched me… a little lower."
"…"
"Um, yeah. Cupped the boys straight up."
"…"
Beast Boy looked over at Raven. She wasn't moving. He waited a little more… wait for it…
"WHAT?!!!"
There it is.
He winced.
"Oh oh oh oh oh ooooooh… I'm so sorry Beast Boy, I had no control over it, I mean… I didn't know, I'm so sorry," Raven gushed like he had never heard her before.
"Don't worry 'bout it Rae," Beast Boy waved it off. "S'not like I didn't like it," he mumbled.
"Huh?" Raven stopped, looking over at him. "You, you did?" she reddened.
"Raven! Don't you get it? You're hot. Of course I liked it."
"Oh," she said meekly.
"So about tonight. After knowing about this, are you going to be comfortable with me?"
"Uh, I don't know, maybe? I…"
Beast Boy pulled into the Tower's garage.
"Well, think it over. We'll just see how it goes."
Beast Boy got out and helped Raven out of her seat.
"Mm, Rob and Star are already home," he said, eyeing the R-cycle parked in its place. Raven gave a small nod of recognition, but she was too embarrassed to look him in the eye anymore, and her face was flaming as she and Beast Boy entered the elevator to take them upstairs.
They avoided Ops and walked down the hallway to Raven's room.
"Well? Are we calling it a night, or are you inviting me in?" he asked quietly.
Raven fiddled with her clutch and held her stuffed cat tightly. "I… I guess you could come in. For a little while," she rushed.
"Okay. I'm going to go get changed into something more comfortable. You can do the same, and I'll knock when I come back, alright?" he headed down the hallway.
Raven went into her room and leaned against the door, the nerves in her stomach twisting in knots. But there was also a little excitement there, because she could hear Lust's feelings pouring over into her. Suddenly she felt very much in the mood, and she went to her pajama drawer and found her little black sleeping shorts and a dark purple cami. She tossed them on, hung up her dress in her closet, placed her cat on her nightstand, and waited for Beast Boy to return.
In a few minutes there was a knock on her door and she admitted Beast Boy.
He had thrown on a white t-shirt and his gray sweat pants.
"Hey," he said, coming into her room.
"Hi," she said nervously.
"Wow. You look really cute in those shorts," he said, admiring her legs.
Raven laughed a little, shifting her legs and feeling rather self conscious.
"Well," he said, not quite sure how to proceed. "Hey I've got an idea. Have you ever gotten a back massage before?" he asked, conjuring up a way for him to touch her, but not in a sexual way as to ease into personal contact with each other. He knew she was nervous to have someone touch her for the first time.
"No. Who would ever have given me a back massage?"
"Dunno. Just asking. You want one?"
"Maybe," she looked unsure.
"It'll feel good, I promise," Beast Boy said earnestly. "And I promise I'll keep my paws above your lower back!"
"Break that promise and you might be spending an eternity in another dimension… one where there are no females to give back massages to and no video games, and the only thing on tv is constant reruns of 'Barney the Dinosaur'."
"My personal hell," Beast Boy shuddered. "Deal. Hands will not roam off your back."
"Good," Raven muttered, and she lay on her stomach on her bed. Beast Boy straddled her legs and began slowly pressing his thumbs and fingers into her upper back.
Immediately the invasive and awkward feelings were replaced with relaxation and a warm sensation flooded through her back as Beast Boy's hands kneaded.
"Ooooooooahhh…." Raven mumbled, having no control over the sound escaping her lips.
"Feel good?" Beast Boy grinned.
"Yessss…" Raven hissed, as he massaged a knot below her shoulder blade.
She tried to keep the moaning to a minimum, but his warm hands rubbing her skin and relaxing her muscles made her restraint increasingly slip away. Beast Boy noticed she was trying not to make noises.
"Don't worry about voicing how good this feels, Raven. I like hearing you moan," he said cheekily.
She blushed, but felt her inhibitions fall as he started on her lower back.
"Oooooooh…"
Meanwhile, outside Raven's bedroom Robin was walking down the hallway, intending to meet Starfire in his own bedroom. As he walked past Raven's room however, he heard a sound that made him stop dead in his tracks.
"Ooooh… oh Beast Boy…"
He craned his neck towards Raven's door and stared at it like it was Slade in a tutu.
After listening to a few more moans, he whipped out his communicator and frantically whispered into it.
"Cyborg!! Cyborg! Raven's room, pronto!"
Cyborg came running around the corner as silently as a seven foot tall half ton robot could, and breathlessly asked, "What?!"
"Listen," Robin whispered.
"Oooooommm…"
Cyborg turned to stare at Robin with unbelieving eyes.
"Is that… are they…?"
"Beast Boy, this feels sooooo good…"
The two boys suddenly burst into immature giggles, trying to be as quiet as possible. At that moment, Starfire walked around the other end of the hall, looking for Robin when he did not show up at his room.
"Friends! Is something-"
"Shhhhhh!!" the two hushed her. Starfire stopped up next to them.
"Is there something happening?" she whispered.
Robin snickered. "Listen."
"Ooooh, oh Beast Boy… a little to the left…"
Starfire's eyes grew wide. Then her face broke out in a grin.
"Man, I can't believe little green bean is getting some action in there. He actually managed to score with Raven?"
"You owe me ten bucks," Robin said, holding out his hand. "Remember our little bet?"
"Aw, come on… we don't know for sure-"
"Please, what is this 'scoring' with Raven? Beast Boy and Raven are playing some sort of game? I thought they were…" she stopped, unsure of herself now.
The two boys instantly sobered and looked at each other.
"You said it," Robin accused as Cyborg said, "She's your girlfriend."
Starfire stared at the both of them, still confused over their terminology, when Robin suddenly exclaimed, "Hey! See, even Starfire thought they were doin' it too. You owe me ten bucks chrome dome!!"
"Do not geek beak! We don't know they were doin' it!"
"Well why else would she be making those noises?!"
Starfire broke into the conversation. "You two have made the bet on Raven and Beast Boy being intimate? What horrible and unacceptable behavior! How could you?!" she admonished them.
As Starfire began to get upset, Cyborg and Robin attempted to hush her and calm her down. With all the commotion, the three passed the motion sensor on Raven's door, which slid wide open as Beast Boy forgot to lock it when he entered.
The five Titans stared at each other helplessly, each group feeling more awkward than the other.
Cyborg was the first to break the silence.
"HA! I don't owe you nuthin' bird boy! They ain't gettin' it on at all!"
Beast Boy's eyes widened as Raven's narrowed.
"Getting. it. on?" she repeated in a low tone that could only mean dangerous for all involved.
"Uh oh…"
Both Cyborg and Robin retreated as fast as their legs could carry them when Raven's eyes turned red.
"Friends! It is glorious to see the two of you enjoying each other's company so! I shall leave you alone now so that you may go back to the 'scoring'."
And with that Starfire cheerfully pushed the button to close the door and floated down the hallway to find where Robin had scooted off to hide.
"Did she just…? Did I hear…?" Beast Boy asked, poking a finger in his ear.
"When we're done in here, we have a death warrant to fulfill for two of our teammates," Raven said murderously. "And I will personally escort both of them to the deepest darkest circle of hell."
"Heh heh… remind me never to get on your bad side," Beast Boy said, holding his hands up in front of him.
"You're the moron who forgot to lock the door," Raven said venomously, turning on him.
"Um, sorry?" Beast Boy shrugged innocently, praying that she wouldn't retaliate.
Raven's temper began to subside, and soon the crimson leaked from her eyes and she crossed her arms.
"You can make it up to me by going and locking the damn door this time, and then getting your skinny little butt back here and rubbing my back again." She crossed her arms.
"Yes ma'am!" Beast Boy said, saluting. He hopped off the bed quickly, locked the door and practically jumped from the door back into the bed.
Raven bounced involuntarily as Beast Boy launched himself next to her.
"Would it kill you to be a little more romantic?" she asked, resting her chin in her palm.
"Wow… I didn't think you'd be into that, Raven," Beast Boy said, lighting up.
"What do you mean?" she asked, a hint of annoyance in her voice.
Beast Boy got rather shifty. "Well… it's just that romance seems to be kind of a girly thing, and you're… not…"
"Girly?" Raven finished for him.
"Yeah," he said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.
"I may not be a shopping mall fiend, or jabber on a cell phone for hours on end, or agonize over which shade of light pink would be perfect for my pedicure, but I assure you, Beast Boy, that I am still a female."
Beast Boy's eyes widened.
"So you're actually into all that romance stuff?"
Raven got a little defensive. "Just because I'm a little different doesn't mean that my gender is different too, you dolt."
She patted down and smoothed the bead spread, eyes downcast. "Maybe I'd like to be a little more like a normal girl once in awhile."
"Raven," Beast Boy said, becoming serious. "You don't have to be something you're not for me. I like you the way you are. You're girly enough for me. You've got all the right parts," he finished slyly.
"Are parts all that matter to you?" she questioned, an eyebrow raised.
"Icing on the cake, baby," he replied tipping her chin towards his face. Raven's eyes widened a little and her heart fluttered when he brought his face closer. "I've always been drawn to you. Your body is just a super hot bonus."
"How can you be drawn to me when all I've ever done is hurl bitter insults at you and send you away with your tail between your legs?"
Beast Boy looked down. "Because I know you wouldn't have been insulting me so much if I hadn't been the one pushing your buttons, trying to get your attention. You're not mean-spirited, Raven. You're witty and clever… something that I've always wanted to be."
"You are witty and clever. When you're not trying to be," Raven said, smiling kindly and resting a hand on his shoulder briefly.
"Thanks," he said sincerely.
The conversation died then, both of them feeling awkward and not quite sure how to continue. Finally Beast Boy broke the silence.
"Why don't you lie down again, and I'll finish that massage," he said, resting his hands on her shoulders as she lay back down.
He began kneading again, slower and more sensually this time. The atmosphere had dramatically changed, and Beast Boy dropped his silly act, determined to show Raven that he could be romantic, just for her, if she wanted him to be. He wasn't sure how good at it he'd be, but he'd try.
His hands were warm, and they glided over her porcelain back like he was a professional. Raven fleetingly wondered where he'd honed this skill, but chose to put the unpleasant answers to that out of her mind. So far Beast Boy had had several surprises up his sleeve for her, and she wondered how many more she would discover by the end of the night. It turned out there was much about this boy she had been living with for five years that she did not know.
His fingers were light now, teasing her skin, and he was being slightly more daring, running them along the curve of her sides, up underneath her arm and down to her hips. Raven could sense that he was no longer content to be touching only her back.
"Sit up," he whispered.
Raven complied.
Beast Boy resumed rubbing her back, her neck, her shoulders, his fingers lightly caressing her skin…
Raven sucked in a breath when he slowly lowered her bra and camisole straps off her shoulders, leaving her upper back bare.
His breath brushed her neck. "Better this way."
Raven shivered. He pressed against her lower back, going as low as he dare towards her rear end, Raven glancing behind her as she felt his hands dip.
He flattened his palms against her back, smoothing their way back up to her shoulders, then one over to curl around her neck and pull her back to rest against his chest.
Raven's breathing was uneven, and he was instilling a burning feeling inside of her, something that was aching for more, yet still scared and timid to continue on. He didn't give her a chance to protest however, because he guided her onto her back on the bed and rested on his elbow beside her, dipping down and lightly pressing his lips to hers before Raven could react.
Instantly tingles fluttered through Raven's chest, fingers, and toes, and it all began to race through her and pool in one spot. Raven had never felt true innocent desire like this before, but immediately she decided that this was not a bad feeling at all. Beast Boy's lips were soft against hers, and he was lightly moving them over hers, each press and touch sending another shock wave downtown. She was unsure what to do, but knew that she couldn't just sit there stiff as a board. She silently cursed herself for not knowing more about how to be a good kisser, but it was definitely not Raven's area of expertise.
After several seconds of gathering herself back together Raven finally kissed back, moving her lips like Beast Boy was doing. He let out a sigh through his nose and disconnected for a second to take a breath, then pecking her on the lips twice.
He leaned back slightly and smiled, and Raven gave an amazed smile back.
"How was that?" he asked, Raven noticing his voice was sounding huskier.
"Wonderful… better than I expected," she replied softly.
"There's more where that came from," Beast Boy promised, leaning back in for another taste.
Beast Boy kept his promise. The two were content to kiss for awhile, both new to making out and each other, but soon Beast Boy felt himself growing anxious. Raven noticed he was opening his mouth a little more against hers, and she wondered if he dare.
She wasn't sure if she liked the idea of someone else's tongue in her mouth, but when she instinctively opened her mouth for him and Beast Boy slid his tongue into hers, she instantly decided that yes, she did like that idea.
He was tentative at first, quickly touching his tongue to hers, and she responded back. From that instant the nature of their kisses became much more frenzied. They had been smooth, slow, and lazy at first, feeling each other out. But after this breakthrough it suddenly seemed like Raven couldn't get enough of his mouth, of his taste, and he was rolling with her now, switching places as to who was on top and who was on bottom, never disconnecting the now passionate embrace.
After a while the two needed to really sit back and breathe, and Beast Boy took the opportunity to break free from Raven's lips and trail pecks along her jaw and underneath it, sucking a little at the soft skin just underneath her ear, kissing behind it, and making his way down to her collar bone. Raven made cooing noises and little moans as Beast Boy lavished her neck and shoulder with attention, alternating between kissing and sucking at the base of her neck. Raven gripped his shoulders and moved her head whichever way gave him best access, and he cupped her cheek, guiding her.
Beast Boy made his way back up to Raven's lips and the passionate kisses resumed, he still on top now and kneeling comfortably between Raven's legs.
Beast Boy was aware of Raven's acute sense of personal space, and wondered just how much touching she would let him get away with. He tested the boundaries by resting his hand on her stomach, it mostly staying there or moving and rubbing her hip. But then he slid it up her stomach to her breast, smoothed quickly over the top and up her chest to cup her cheek. Raven's kisses halted for a moment and she gave him a mild look.
Beast Boy gave her a sheepish one in return and shrugged a little.
Raven grabbed his hand and rested it on her stomach, with her hand on top of his.
'Okay… guess I'm not getting to second base tonight,' he thought.
'Maybe if you were a gentleman about it instead of being sneaky, you would,' a thought echoed into his head.
'Raven?!'
'Sorry, but that thought came in loud and clear. Next time ask for permission!'
He winced, then took his hand in hers, looked her imploringly in the eyes, and whispered into her mind, 'Raven, please, may I? It would give me great pleasure, and I promise I will not pinch nor squeeze too hard!'
She gave him a half-lidded look and rolled her eyes, but then smiled a little.
'I… suppose. But watch it! Get too cozy and you're taking a swim with the fish in the bay.'
'Sweet!'
Beast Boy became serious again, and set about getting the mood back. He kissed her a little anxiously, Raven could tell, and she waited for him to settle down and make his move. After a few moments of hurried kissing, she felt his warm hand slide up her stomach again and tentatively up over her breast, where this time it stayed.
It felt different to have him giving special attention to a place that Raven usually tried to ignore. She never thought of herself in a sensual way, and never thought about someone else thinking of her in a sensual way, either. But she could feel Beast Boy's excited thrill emanating off him in waves, and it actually made her feel… good. Like suddenly she had a very clear sense of being and feeling like a female, and maybe she wasn't so ambiguous after all. Was this the way Starfire felt when Robin touched her? Was this the way a woman felt when touched by a man? If it was, then Raven decided that she liked it, liked having a clearer sense of self and identity, and that being a woman and being girly and romantic might be not so bad. She had never really been all that partial to her own gender before, not really caring that she wasn't the perfect definition of "girl." But suddenly, here in Beast Boy's arms, she was glad she was a girl and she was feeling like the most normal girl in the world.
And all because Beast Boy had copped a feel.
Two hours had passed and the two were beginning to wind down. Beast Boy was thrilled that he had finally made it to second base (and first base too, for starters) and Raven was feeling excited and tingly. Not to mention another discovery had made her feel even more satisfied. While the two were pressed together, Raven could hardly ignore the "poking" feeling that kept hitting her hips or her thighs wherever Beast Boy's midsection happened to be. Raven wasn't naive, and the thought that she, she, could elicit such a reaction in him made her blush and her heart pound, and more tingly feelings trickled down low. She was a woman, and that statement no longer sounded odd to her. It felt right.
Beast Boy was lying on his stomach, resting and waiting for a certain other part of his body to calm down too. He was certain that Raven had felt it, but he wasn't quite ready to sit out in the open in front of her, either. It was a little embarrassing to him, so he breathed in and out, and tried to think about, 'Baseball. No… Mega Monkeys Six… brain eating zombies? Raven's hair… Raven's hips… Raven's breasts… no! no! Not helping!'
"Beast Boy?" Raven asked quietly.
"Mmm?" he mumbled for an answer.
"Thank you for a wonderful night," Raven said, giving him a kiss on the top of his head. She was half sitting up next to him.
'No fair; girls don't have this problem!'
"You're welcome," he said aloud.
"Are you okay?" she asked, a little suspiciously.
"Yeah, fine," Beast Boy murmured into a pillow.
"Why are you laying like that?" Raven asked.
'Uh oh… how do I explain this one?'
"Um… it's comfortable like this."
'No it's not! You're lying right on it! It actually hurts a little!'
Raven raised an eyebrow at Beast Boy's facial expressions, the result of his awkward debate with himself.
"It's comfortable like that?"
"Yeah, totally. Just getting tired and ready to settle in for the night," he said quickly.
"Oh no no no. You're not staying in here tonight," Raven stated.
Beast Boy gave her a surprised pouty face.
"What? Why not? That's totally not fair."
"I'm not used to having a bedmate and it's only our first date."
Beast Boy sighed. "Fiiiiiiine."
Raven crossed her arms. But then she softened with a small smile.
"I really did have a good time though, Beast Boy. Better than I expected."
"So… does this mean we're official? Can I… call you my girlfriend?"
Raven stopped to think about it. Sure they had a date, but they weren't an official couple yet. She had never had an actual "boyfriend" before. The term "boyfriend" indicated a certain level of commitment. It made her feel good that Beast Boy was that comfortable with her to want to take that step already.
"Rae? Rae… does this mean no?" Beast Boy took her momentary silence as a negative.
"I'd love to be your girlfriend, Beast Boy," she said confidently.
"Awesome," Beast Boy grinned, his bottom fang poking out. Raven couldn't help but find him irresistible.
She looked at her bedside clock.
"It's two in the morning; we should probably get some rest."
"Yeah, I suppose you're right." He leaned in and gave her a lingering kiss. "I'll see you tomorrow, beautiful."
Raven flushed, still not used to the compliments.
She walked him to the door, where he gave her another slightly passionate kiss, then headed off to his bedroom.
Raven returned to her bed, feeling like she was floating more than walking. She giggled. She couldn't help it. She kept repeating in her head 'I have a boyfriend. I have a boyfriend!"
How was she ever going to fall asleep when she felt this giddy?
Eventually tiredness from not sleeping much the previous night and all the excitement caught up with her and she closed her eyes, falling into a deep sleep…
Until she was interrupted with a horrible vision.
Raven could feel the cold rapid water rushing over her head, her lungs on fire aching for a breath, the fear and nausea of drowning clutching her senses… suddenly her head bobbed above water and she could see as she gasped for air, water spray and rocks ahead, vines dangling into the river. The current dragged her under again, and she tumbled blindly, hitting a rock to stop her from flowing further as she grasped onto it. She painstakingly pulled herself up against the harsh flow of the water and gazed ahead frantically… they'll be hurt, they can't get hurt…
A man and a woman were in a boat farther down the river, the little dingy flinging wildly out of control as it began taking on water.
"Mom!! Dad!!" she screamed, her voice hoarse and child-like.
She tried to change, tried to frantically think of a form that could save them… a fish for now. She swam underwater towards the boat, as fast as her fins could take her, but when she changed back to look to her horror the boat was headed towards a waterfall, and heading there fast. What could she do? Think… think… A bird now, a sparrow in the sky… she was cawing frantically, panicking, as the boat began to tip over the edge, the woman and man screaming as they disappeared into the waves and spray below, the boat smashing to pieces on the jagged rocks. She flew lower, circling to find them, praying they were somehow still alive… cawing frantically, circling, and searching the waves…
Raven gasped as she sat up in her bed, pressing her hands to her chest, willing her throbbing heart to calm down. She reached up to her face and felt the tears slipping down her cheeks, falling off her chin. She was sweating, her hair was damp from the mixture of tears and sweat and her shirt and shorts clung to her pale cold skin.
"It was so real… it felt so real…" she murmured repeatedly, attempting to calm herself down. "So… real…" Suddenly she bolted out of her bed and ran for Beast Boy's room.
She could hear him, tossing and turning and moaning, frightened moaning, and she quickly entered his room and dropped to her knees next to his bottom bunk, gently shaking him awake.
Beast Boy also awoke with a panicked gasp, shaking like a leaf.
"Raven," he breathed shortly, and hastily scrubbed the tears from his cheeks.
"Are you okay?" she asked, concerned.
"Fine," he said, covering his face with his hands and breathing heavily in sighs, his whole body racking with every breath.
"Beast Boy, are you sure you're okay?" she asked again, now rubbing his back lightly.
"Raven don't—ask me that right now," he said, a hitch in his voice as he rubbed his forehead with his hand. "Why'd you come in here?"
"Beast Boy… I…" Raven wasn't sure she should tell him the truth. She was worried that he might be angry she had been privy to his private dream. "Was that real? Did that really happen?" she finally asked softly.
Beast Boy hiccupped, before he said, "You saw?" bitterly.
"I didn't mean to," Raven said honestly. "My powers must have felt a disturbance and reached out to you. I'm sorry, Beast Boy. I couldn't control it."
He sighed in response.
"Did that really happen?" she asked again. "Beast Boy, I experienced the dream as if I were you. In first person. It was… terrifying. Did this happen?"
He slammed his fist into the mattress. "Yes," he said emotionally.
Raven fell backwards at his sudden outburst.
"I'm so sorry…"
"Sorry doesn't change things," he said sadly with a hint of loathing behind it.
"No, it doesn't. But, why have you kept this hidden so deep within yourself? Beast Boy, I never realized that you had experienced something so horrific. You can't be okay after that."
"It doesn't matter," he said shortly, the anger in his voice still eminent.
"Have you been suffering with this memory all this time, and never let any of us help you?" Raven asked quietly.
Beast Boy laughed in a rueful breath. "You're one to talk. Look what you've kept inside yourself, Raven."
"But eventually I needed your help. I admitted I did. And now, Beast Boy, you need to let me help you."
"There's nothing that can help me now," he said, staring at the end of his bunk bed.
"Yes, there is. Talk to me. Tell me what's wrong. I will listen," she said earnestly. "I'm a good listener."
"What you saw happened. That's it."
"But there's more to it than that. You're hurting so badly, Beast Boy-"
"I couldn't save them!" he cried, new tears springing to his eyes. He turned his head away from Raven, a sob jerking his shoulders.
Raven was silent for a moment, realizing what lie at the heart of the matter.
"Beast Boy, you couldn't possibly have then. There was nothing you could have done, and you almost fell yourself."
"No… no, Raven. I didn't. I flew away like a coward. I could've done something… I could've!"
"But you can't blame yourself for what happened, you can't," she said calmly, trying to calm him down as well.
"What good was it of them to save me, to have this ability to turn into anything and not be able to save them?! I was useless!"
"They saved you?" Raven asked.
Beast Boy breathed heavily as Raven placed her hand on his back again, calming his hysteria.
"Beast Boy, what happened to you?" she asked gently, her eyes shining kindness and understanding.
He continued to stare at his comforter as he began to talk tonelessly, the words pouring out of his mouth in a storm, like they had been waiting to burst out for a long time.
"My parents were Mark and Marie Logan. They were scientists, biologists, and doing research in Lumumba, Africa. I was eight when I contracted sakutia, a rare tropical disease that no human has ever survived. I got sick and almost died, but my parents were able to save me by injecting me with a serum to rewrite my genetic code, which was susceptible to the serum because of sakutia. My DNA was infused with that of animal DNA, because animals can survive sakutia. It is because of this that I can shape-shift. My skin is green because of side effects of the disease."
"Beast Boy… I… didn't know that this was how..." Raven faltered.
"My parents were boating down the river in unfamiliar territory, in search of a rare kind of primate, when the rapids became too much for them to handle. I had been following along the river, when I saw them get carried away. I jumped into the water to try and save them…"
He stopped, his voice cracking, and he looked at Raven, who could see the raw pain and hurt in his eyes like it had happened to him yesterday.
"I couldn't, Raven. I didn't know what to do. I was too young to think quickly enough, too young and my powers weren't explored enough to carry them away from the fall…" a tear dropped down his cheek.
Raven hugged Beast Boy then, her mind still echoing his dream and his pain, and she wished that somehow she could ease it. Now she understood what he sadly reminisced about, when she saw it in his eyes. When she let go, he turned into a kitten, looking lost and forlorn. She figured this was his way of cutting off the conversation. She smiled at him and scooped him up into her arms, carrying him to her bedroom. She plopped him onto her pillow, where he mewed pitifully.
"Just for tonight. I know I said you couldn't stay in here, but I'll make an exception," she mock scolded him.
He mewed again, and Raven could sense an "I'll have to have bad dreams more often," comment emanating off his form.
"Keep it up and I'll be the source of those bad dreams," she said in response.
He mewed adorably then, and snuggled up into the curve of her stomach, lightly purring.
Raven gave a small smile and gently petted him until they both drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, Raven awoke slowly after a refreshing sleep, and glanced at the small clock radio beside her bed.
' Ten thirty? I slept in…' she thought.
She shifted to move when she felt another weight stir in her bed. Freezing for a moment, she looked over her shoulder and was momentarily surprised to find Beast Boy snoozing away and sprawled out over half her bed, with most of the blankets entwined around his legs. Then she recalled last night's events and furrowed her brow when she remembered that he had originally been in the form of a kitten when they fell asleep. So much for making it feel a little better with having him in her bed as a kitten, because he was now in human form with boxers being his only scrap of clothing.
Raven scanned her eyes over his body, her cheeks flushing when she remembered the events before his dream, and over the fact that she was liking what she was seeing. But when she realized that his boxers weren't buttoned, she quickly turned her head away when he rolled over, her heart pounding from the peep show she almost witnessed.
Beast Boy yawned loudly and blearily opened his eyes. He rubbed them, then looked around the room bewildered as if he didn't remember why he was waking up in a place different than his own room. He glanced over at Raven and everything clicked.
"Mornin' beautiful."
"Good morning, Beast Boy," Raven answered.
Beast Boy stretched lithely, cat-like, and Raven watched out of the corner of her eye. She then got up and stretched herself, going to her dresser mirror and taking a quick look to make sure she didn't look too sleepy or that her hair wasn't too messed up. Raven never worried about her appearance that much, but suddenly she felt a little self-conscious in front of Beast Boy, and hoped she didn't look too bad.
Beast Boy got up and pulled Raven's blankets with him. She glanced at him, slightly annoyed, and asked, "What do you think you're doing? My comforter stays on the bed."
"Oh, oops. Sorry… I'm used to just taking my blanket with me," he said sheepishly. He began to put it back and straighten it.
Raven sighed. "You can take it… as long as you don't get it dirty."
"Really?!" Beast Boy brightened.
"Yes," Raven rubbed her temple. "But spill cereal on it and I will force feed that blanket down your throat."
"I promise I won't get a speck of anything on it," Beast Boy said, holding up his right hand. He snuggled up in the soft fabric. "This is nice… it smells like you," he grinned, rubbing it over his face.
"And what do I smell like?" Raven asked, skeptical.
Beast Boy looked pensive. "I don't know exactly; a mixture of… lilacs and rain."
"That would be my shampoo scent."
"You always smell good. I can tell; I have an enhanced sense of smell."
"Really?" Raven said, only half listening.
"Yeah. And it's really helpful too, around… that time of the month, cause then I totally know when you're going to be really cranky and to stay out of your way!"
Raven dropped the book she had just picked up and stared with shocked eyes at the wall for a moment. Then she clenched her fists, and slowly turned around to glare at Beast Boy.
"So you've been keeping track of my cycle, just so you know when to stay away from me?" she growled.
Beast Boy immediately knew he shouldn't have said that, and he cowered in front of Raven.
"Um, don't think it was on purpose or anything. It's not like I can stop my sense of smell," he eeped. "I know when Starfire is too. She always gets so weepy…"
"WHAT?!" Raven thundered.
"I'm outta here!" Beast Boy exclaimed, throwing Raven's blanket around his shoulders and making a mad dash for the door. Raven however stepped on the end of the blanket and Beast Boy was running in place and not getting any closer to the exit and freedom. She pulled the blanket closer and closer, and finally wrapped an arm around his neck.
"Raven, really I'm sorry! I can't help it if blood is a really recognizable smell!"
She caressed his cheek dangerously.
"Beast Boy, calm down," she said sweetly, lulling him into a false sense of security. "I know it's not your fault."
He stopped struggling. "Really?"
"Yes. But I just want you to know… that next time, keep your snooping little nose to yourself!" she growled, and shoved him to the floor. "And stay out of Starfire's way too. I'm sure she wouldn't appreciate to know that you know her bodily schedule like clockwork."
Beast Boy hunched his shoulders in the blankets, only his eyes peeping out from underneath them.
"Got it," he squeaked.
Raven gave him one more side-long glance and then turned and swept out the door, heading for the breakfast table.
Beast Boy sighed and got up, following her out, mumbling, "This wasn't exactly how I pictured the morning to go…"
When Raven entered the common room and sat down at the table, it was to find her other three teammates grinning at her like cats.
"So, where's your little green bean boy toy?" Cyborg asked nonchalantly.
Raven sniffed for an answer and began preparing her herbal tea.
"So, Raven, how was the rest of last night? Does Cyborg owe me ten bucks?" Robin grinned.
Raven's fingers tightened on her tea kettle handle. She turned around with a murderous grin of her own.
"That reminds me… you two have some well deserved payback coming your way," she said, her eyes leaking crimson.
Robin and Cyborg gulped.
At this moment a hesitant Beast Boy walked through the doors, blanket around his shoulders.
Starfire looked up and waved to greet him, then put a finger to her chin and studied him. Then she exclaimed with a teasing grin, "Why friend Beast Boy, is not that friend Raven's blanket you are coveting?"
Robin and Cyborg looked at each other, eyebrows raised and more teasing grins.
"OooOOooh! Raven and Beast Boy sittin' in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g!"
But Cyborg didn't get much farther with his song, because Raven had used her magic to plant his breakfast into his face.
As the others laughed hysterically at Cyborg with bacon and eggs all over his mug, an alert rang out on the Titans mainframe computer.
Robin shushed everyone and they all went down to stare up at the screen.
Everyone gasped.
Robin stared up grimly at the symbol visible through the static.
Whaaaah cliff hanger! Now, who could that be? Hmmm… there's so many possibilities…
Hope I did the BB/Rae romance well. I said it wasn't going to be as intense as Robin and Starfire's scene, because they totally wouldn't be ready for that kind of stuff.
Next up, the identity of that mysterious caller, and a little friendly sparring…