Chapter 8 – Jealousy Part I
January 29th 2009, Jump City Pizza Place, 8:54 pm - Five years after Terra joined the Teen Titans
"Dude, I can't believe that, after five years, we still have to face the same jerks we battled when we were kids" said Cyborg with his mouth full of pepperoni.
Five of the Teen Titans were sitting at a table of the pizza place they always went to, eating quickly. They had just arrived from a battle against Cinderblock, talking loudly about the fight, since they were still full of adrenaline. The other clients and employees of the place were already used to it. If there was a place you could find the titans, it was there, even after five years. All of them were already in their twenties, except for Beast Boy and Terra, both nineteen years old.
After so much time, the titans had some meaningful alterations. For starters, Robin had a growing outbreak and was taller than everyone except for Cyborg. His uniform looked more adult, and it was now mostly red and black, but he was still Robin. Raven was also with more mature features; her hair now fell to the middle of her back and her uniform was still a blue cloak and black leopard, although she added golden clasps on her hood and knee-high boots. Starfire let her hair go until the middle of her legs and her body became more shaped, and she traded her old top and skirt for a purple leotard open at the belly button, giving her more freedom of movements. Cyborg barely changed, since he already reached his adult height, but had more defined muscles and his armor had a modern design, but still white and blue.
Beast Boy and Terra had the most noticeable changes, since five years ago they had barely reached puberty. Terra was no longer a skinny girl, she developed breasts and hips, giving her a model body, with a slim waist and long legs. Her golden hair now fell to her waist and she wore a yellow and red uniform.
Beast Boy grew considerably, leaving the shortest member position to Raven. He also had broad shoulders and defined muscles all over his body. He wore a uniform similar to his old one, but with short sleeves, black pants and no gloves.
"I know" said the changeling, cutting a slice of his vegetarian pizza "Can't they ever learn?"
"I think they're too stupid for that" said Terra next to him.
"What doesn't mean we should let our guard down" reminded Robin, looking up to the sky.
"We know, Robin" replied Cyborg, rolling his eyes "Stop staring at the sky, Star will be here in a minute"
"Her pizza is turning cold" justified the leader. His girlfriend took charge of carrying Cinderblock to jail.
"Like she can't heat it with one of her hands…" mumbled Raven, lowering her hood "Look, there she comes"
The four titans turned to look. An orange ray shined in the sky towards them, and soon Starfire was sitting next to her boyfriend, cutting a piece of a pineapple and mustard pizza.
"Is everything okay, Star?" asked Robin. During these five years, the Boy Wonder finally asked Starfire to be his girlfriend, and after some more time, started to demonstrated his tender in public.
"Everything ran normally, boyfriend Robin" answered Starfire with a smile "I had no obstacles taking Cinderblock, and then I put him in his restraint area"
"Great. Good work, team" he announced at last.
"That's about half an hour late, Robin" said Cyborg.
"Well, you all know that…" he started, looking like he was gonna give a speech.
"… The work is done after the criminal is behind bars" they all completed.
"Well, it is!" retorted the leader, frowning "But I should congratulate you all. Our team has never been better or so in sync"
"We are really great!" agreed Cyborg, finishing his pizza.
"I know!" said Terra with a smile "Can you believe that some years ago I couldn't go to one mission without causing an earthquake?"
"That's true, friend Terra, your skills evolved hightly" said Starfire, clapping her hands "You had a lot of trouble at first, but now you're one of the most powerful on our team!"
"Yes, everything thanks to Raven's training" completed Robin. Terra's smile faded a little. She hated when people gave all of the credit to Raven. The training was over, she was handling things now.
The titans finished their meal, and Starfire, Terra, Beast Boy and Cyborg ordered desserts. After they were done, the six friends remain for some time, talking and laughing. Finally, when it was close to 11 pm, Cyborg yawned.
"Man, I think I'll call it a night" he said, finishing his drink "Although easy to defeat, Cinderblock still punches hard"
"We'll go too" informed Robin, his arm around Starfire, whose head was laying on his shoulder, sleepy. Raven didn't say anything, but got up along with her friends.
"What? Already?" asked Terra, getting up "Let's go for a ride, I wanna dance"
"Sorry, Terra, I think it's just the two of you" replied Cyborg, taking the T Car's keys.
"I don't really feel like going out, Terra" whined Beast Boy, bending his head "I'm tired too"
"What do you mean, BB?" she asked, laughing "You love to go out, you always drag me to clubs and stuff"
"I think I'm getting old…" said the changeling, putting his hand on his back like an old man "So can we please stay home tonight?"
"I don't think so" she held his hand when he tried to enter the car, right after Raven. "Come on, let's go dance!"
"Terra, I really want to go home" he asked, grabbing the car's door with his other hand.
"We will, after we drink and dance a little bit" said Terra, pulling his arm. The other titans were getting a little embarrassed. Both of them had already drunk at the pizza place, and Terra wanted to drink more.
"I should warn you guys, if you show up drunk at the Tower again, you'll have combat practice every morning for one month!" said Robin, putting his head out of the window.
"Finem then we should go home, let's go, Terra" said Beast Boy, releasing his arm and getting into the car.
"Beast Boy, I'll go dancing, even if you're not with me" she warned him, putting her hands on her waist.
"Okay, have fun" answered the changeling, closing the car's door. Terra stood by the side of the car, shocked "Come on, Cyborg"
"Hmm… Are you sure, man?" asked the robot man, seeing the stare Terra was giving him.
"Okay, fine!" yelled the blonde, walking away with strong steps. Cyborg waited a few seconds, but when he realized his green friend wasn't willing to go after his girlfriend, he started the car.
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Beast Boy never thought he would be relieve for being alone. When Cyborg parked the T Car at the Tower's garage, he was the first one out of the car and went up by himself quickly, because he didn't want to listen to anyone scold him about leaving Terra alone, or ask if he wanted to talk, or anything. For the first time in his life, Beast Boy wanted to be left alone. He sighed, listening to the silence. Lately he hadn't had one minute of silence. Terra was always around him, talking nonstop like… Well, like he used to do. Like he still did, but not so frequently anymore.
The changeling didn't really understand what was happening. His life had turned into a total mess in the last few months. He wanted to talk to someone. His first option should be his girlfriend, Terra, but every time he thought about it he felt discouraged. Lately every talk he had with Terra turned into a discussion. He should talk to Cyborg, his best friend, but he wasn't sure he would understand. Besides, Terra was always around him, so couldn't talk to anyone.
"Hmm, I think I should do this now that she's not here" thought Beast Boy, going to his metallic friend's room.
"Cyborg" called Beast Boy in a low voice, opening the door just a little. Unfortunately, Cyborg was already asleep. Beast Boy closed the door, put his hand on his face and sighed. It was too late now. If he wakes up Cyborg because he wanted to talk, he would probably be flung by the Tower's window.
Suddenly he thought about someone else.
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After she got home, Raven wished her friends a good night and went to her bedroom to take a shower and change clothes. After that, she went to the kitchen to prepare a herbal tea, hoping to relax after staying so long with her friends at the pizza place. While waiting for the water to heat, Beast Boy appeared at the main doors. He wasn't wearing his uniform, but a blue T shirt and a pair of gray sweat pants.
"Hey" he greeted her, seeming a little agitated.
"Hello" replied Raven peacefully.
"Raven?"
"Yeah?"
"Can I talk to you?"
Raven frowned. Beast Boy wanted to talk? To her? He usually just talked to her to ask her to do stupid things with him, Cyborg and Terra, or to tell her a new joke. She stopped for a minute, feeling the boy's emotions. They were messy and negative. He probably had a problem.
"Hmm… I guess" answered Raven, shrugging.
"Thank you" said Beast Boy, sitting at the other end of the table "You know, Rae, it's just… I think something's happening to me and I don't know what it is"
"I believe it's call the puberty" said the girl solemnly.
"Well, I guess this conversation is some years late" laughed the changeling.
"Beast Boy, could you go to the point?" she asked, picking up the kettle with her powers.
"Right. So, I've been feeling different these last months" he started, feeling relieved "You know, I don't feel like going out every night like before…"
"I think you made that pretty clear tonight" mumbled Raven, pouring the hot water in her blue mug.
"Dude, don't mention it" he ran his finger through his hair "Lately I always fight with Terra over that"
"Really?" asked Raven, honestly surprised "I haven't seen you guys mad at each other"
"That's because we start a discussion, then she doesn't want to listen anymore and she walks away" he told her, picking a cookie jar from a closet "Then, when we meet again and I think we'll talk about it, she just pretends nothing happened"
"That reminds me, why are you having this conversation with me and not her?"
"Are you kidding me? She doesn't talk. I mean, she doesn't talk talk. Like, seriously. She says she's not patient enough"
"Are you?"
"That's what I'm talking about, Raven!" said Beast Boy, spreading cookie bran all over the counter "I want to have a serious conversation? I want to stay home? It doesn't look like me, but I can't help it… I've lost will of going out, talking nonsense and being in a relationship that… Well, forget it. Maybe it's just a phase…"
He supported his head on his hands and his elbows on the counter, looking pretty miserable. Raven sighed. She never thought she would see her changeling friend acting like this.
"Beast Boy, I may have an answer" she said, blowing her tea.
"What is it?" asked the green boy, alert.
"As crazy as it sounds…" she started, sipping her tea "… I think you're growing up"
Beast Boy remained quiet for some seconds, thinking about his friend's words. When he was about to reply, however, the main doors opened and Terra came in. She stood there, staring at them for an instant.
"Beast Boy?" she called.
"What is it, Terra?"
"Can I have a moment?"
Beast Boy and Raven looked at each other. He gave her an apologize look and followed Terra to the hallway. Raven decided to finish her tea in there to give them a little time before going to her room.
Terra took Beast Boy to her bedroom, then she looked at him with an angry expression.
"Beast Boy, I can't believe you left me alone to talk to her"
"Terra, I did not left you alone to talk to Raven" answered the changeling "And I don't like your tone"
"Oh yeah? I don't like the fact that you left me standing…"
"I told you I was too tired!" he lost his patience "Can't we, for once, do what I want to do? Just once!"
"What are you talking about? We always do what you want"
"No, we always do what you want, and you think that's what I want too, because you only listen to what you want"
"That's so not true. And I'm getting tired of all the attention you give to Raven. I'm you girlfriend, not her!"
"What the hell are you talking about?" asked Beast Boy "I talk to Raven just like I talk to any of our other friends"
"Really? Are you always going to their rooms to invite them to everything we're going to do?"
"Oh yeah Terra, remember when we were going on that date and I invited Raven to join us?" asked Beast Boy sarcastically.
"That's enough Beast Boy, I don't want to listen" said Terra, putting her hands over her ears.
"Just like every discussion" he said, throwing his arms in the air and walking away "You run away and we're back to square one"
"Oh, really?" yelled the blonde, offended "So let's decide something about this discussion right now!"
Beast Boy stopped without turning to her.
"What is it?"
"I don't want you to see Raven again"
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