Guys and girls, I'm sorry it took so long to get back on this. I've started working again, and I've truthfully just been more motivated to work on other projects.
That being said, I did promise you all and myself that I would see this through, so here we are. I hope you all enjoy:)
"Mmm-nom… M'kay… So, I think I get what you're putting down," Beast Boy says with a mouth full of vegan pizza. Raven just looks on with her usual brand of deadpan demeanor, anticipating his response to her story about how she came to have feelings for Starfire.
BB licks the remaining pizza residue off his fingertips, then lets out a little belch. "Oof, excuse me!"
More waiting from a now impatient Raven. "Well?" she finally blurts out.
"Well what?" Beast Boy uncharmingly replies.
"Oh my Zod," Raven says with a face palm.
"Oh, you and Starfire! Right!" Beast Boy remembers. "Sorry… I've been distracted by… Other things…"
Raven sighs as she leans back in her chair, and she steals a glance at her crush. Starfire and Cyborg have finally gotten around to getting their order for more pizza filled, this time accounting for the former's nine stomachs. The latter steals a little glance over at his friends too, but quickly and suspiciously turns back around when he sees Raven.
"Okay? Uhm… It looks like they're coming back over soon. Let's just- let's just drop it," Raven dejectedly says as she deflates into a sad little slouch over the table.
"Hey, come on. We got plenty of time," Beast Boy encourages. "Besides; I really think this is something we should talk about now."
"Why?" Raven says, he interested visibly peaking.
"Well, I don't know if you've noticed; but you're not the only one on the team with a thing for Star Wars," Beast Boy quips while pointing outside to a certain caped crusader.
And not the sick cowl and bat shaped electric guitar either.
"Dang it! I hate the mobile site to this thing!" Robin complains while trying to get back to that fellow reader of aberrant script on his smartphone.
Raven rolls her eyes. "Pffft… He'll make a move on Starfire when people start using birth control in Royal Woods…"
"I don't know," Beast Boy assertively responds, "He's been asking me and Cy for pointers lately. I think he's getting pretty serious about it."
Raven steals another little look at Cyborg and Starfire, and while the red haired beauty is having a hay day at the expense of her unenthusiastic looking clerk with black bangs and freckles, Cyborg is trying not to make it obvious that he keeps looking over to Raven too.
She frowns at this, but then returns her attention to her green ex-boyfriend. "Is that why he keeps looking back at us like an idiot?"
"He's probably feeling bad about the Live 2 Lynn thing," BB says with a shrug.
"Man, you two are so stupid with your references that nobody gets but you," Raven rudely comments.
"Meh," he cleverly responds.
He disregards her rudeness though as he becomes visibly excitable. "Okay, listen momma. I'm gonna help you woo Starfire. I gots the perfect plan for how to go abouts it, too," he explains with his signature superfluous pluralizing.
Raven perks up. Well, as much as someone as gothic as her can perk up.
"You'd do that for me? Even if- you know…"
Beast Boy rests a comforting hand over hers. "Hey, I just want you to be happy. No matter what."
They share a smile, then BB returns to form.
"Okay! So here's whatchu gotta do, Rae Rae. You gots to ask her on a date. Except…" he says with a dramatic pause. "It's gonna be a not-date."
Raven meets him with more of that pan of death. "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard."
"Hey, hey! Don't be so quick to judge!" Beast Boy defends. "I managed to win you over, didn't I?"
"You also turned me off from men, apparently," she retorts.
"Oof. That stung a little," BB playfully says. But he scoots closer to her and proceeds to throw down that knowledge. "For reals though. You said she cheesed about your kiss, right?"
"Cheesed?" Raven questions.
"Focus," he continues. "You needs to be all subtle and stuff to make her realize she likes you too. If you just straight up ask her out; all she's gonna do is get confused some more. But if you make it just seem like you guys are just hanging out again or whatever, then no harm done if nothing happens! And if something does happen, it'll be all spontaneous and romantic and stuff!"
Raven's expression could kill. "That's… That's…"
But then, she ebbs. "That's my best shot. Isn't it?" she admits.
Beast Boy nods. "Listen. Starfire's impressionable. Once you… work a little magic… she'll be just as crazy about you as you are her."
"You really think so?" Raven softly asks.
"Girl, I know so," he says.
Before much else can be said though, Cyborg is rushing over to the table. He looks over his shoulder to make sure Starfire is occupied with her pizza pies, then practically smacks the table as he arrives.
"Jeez!" Raven cusses with his sudden commotion.
He ignores her though, instead focusing solely on Beast Boy.
"Bro, listen to me," he starts, looking over his shoulder again to make sure there are no eavesdroppers. "We gotta ixnay on the Obinrae. New OTP, fam."
"What the heck are you talking about?!" Raven blurts out, not even trying to hide the fact she's listening in.
Cyborg again ignores her as he gets within an inch of BB's grill. "Somebody else likes the target. Somebody ELSE," he furthers, trying to nonchalantly nod his head in Raven's direction.
"Will you stop being an idiot for two seconds and tell me why you're whispering about me?!" Raven orders.
Cyborg finally looks her in the eye, then pulls Beast Boy into a tight, desperate squeeze. "We've been exposed!" he cries.
"You're hurting me," his so called bro whimpers while in his death clutch.
"Friends! Oh, friends!" Starfire calls out as she begins making her way over with an impressive stack of pizza boxes. "I have used the barter scrip to acquire more of the pizza delicacies!"
She's not the only Titan whose timing is impeccable, as Robin too makes his way in through the entrance door. He takes a deep breath with his posture fixed perfectly, and then follows Starfire over to the table to join her in joining the others.
"I do hope you all have saved room for more," Starfire jokes with a little giggle. She then sees Cyborg releasing Beast Boy from his squeeze, and raises a brow. "Were we exchanging hugs? Why was I not told about this?" she wonders before turning to Raven and giving her an unexpected big hug. It's certainly not unwelcome though. Despite not returning the display of affection, Raven does smile and blush a little bit.
Robin clears his throat though to beg for everyone's attention.
"Uhm, actually Starfire… That reminds me of something," he begins.
The other three Titans all get wide eyed as they realize it's about to go down.
"Starfire… I've really enjoyed getting to know you all these years. Man. How long's it been now?"
"It feels like this crap's been going on since 2003!" the clerk with freckles and bangs barks with an emo drawl.
"Cool your tits, Maggie!" Robin hollers back before clearing his throat again. "As I was saying… These last few years have been really special for me. And, while that's because of all of you guys, I have to admit; you've grown the fondest of all on me," Robin tells Starfire.
"Dang, he's really doing it!" Cyborg whispers to Beast Boy.
They all watch on with disbelief as their leader gets ready to go for the win regarding the seemingly unfazed Starfire.
"Starfire, I like you. I really like you. Would you… wanna go see a movie with me tonight? Just the two of us?" he asks with an earnest smile.
All of the spectating patrons "Awww" at the proposal, except for a certain emo clerk.
"Who writes this crap?" she cynically states.
Everyone eagerly awaits Starfire's answer. The tension grows and grows until it's reached fever pitch, but finally, she grants him a response.
"Okee dokee," she answers with a smile.
Once her words have registered for everyone, they allow their emotions to properly convey. For Robin, it's pleasant surprise. For Beast Boy and Cyborg, it's just surprise. And for Raven…
It hurts…
"Wait. So… Yes? You mean you'll go with me?" Robin reiterates with a smile.
"Sure. I love the cinema," Starfire says with a certain degree of carelessness as she shrugs and smiles.
"Great! Uhm, I'll go ahead and order us some tickets," Robin says as he sits down beside Raven and pulls out his phone.
While he happily punches away on the touchpad, Raven can't help but sorrowfully look down to the surface of the table as she realizes it may be too late for her to do anything about her feelings for Starfire now.
Cyborg and Beast Boy realize all too well, and it doesn't take long for Star and Robin to pick up on her disappointment also.
"Is something wrong, Raven?" Robin considerately asks her.
She looks to him and sees the sincerity in his eyes, and has to look away. She sees Beast Boy and Cyborg meeting her with the same pitiful expressions, and they're just as painful to watch.
Then, there's Starfire. As expected, she too wears her sadness over Raven's obvious pain all over, her bright green eyes boring a hole right down to her half-demon soul.
That's what hurts the most.
"Yeah… I'm fine…" she lies, and she frees herself from anyone's gaze again so she can try and force herself to enjoy some of the pizza before her.
She doesn't.
Listen… Vegan pizza is actually pretty great.
Some of my descriptions about Cy and Beast Boy here could really be taken out of context if someone skim read this. (I say "if" like anyone would want to skim read through my work. Ha!)
Okay, so I know this was short, but I wanted to get something out again sooner than later so nobody thinks I've MOM'd this thing. I'll be honest, motivation has been scarce to work on this, but not to the extent that I'll drop it completely. I still love Teen Titans, and with the new movie coming out here soon (can I get a What What), hopefully I can get compelled to finish this thing before the summer's over.
I guess what I'm saying is, we're transitioning into the final act, but it just may take me a little bit to actually get there. Of course, teamwork does make the dream work, so I know I can do it with the support of my dutiful minions. I wouldn't expect any different though. You guys are always awesome even when I don't ask you to be.
(Except YOU guest reviewer for Wide Open Spaces. YOU are a boner.)
Alright, I've rambled enough. Thanks as always for reading, and please stay tuned for more. And while some of you may think you're too cool for the TTG movie, know that I'ma be Fandangoing tickets for it as soon as my skinny fat butt is able to.