Starfire flew through the hallways towards Raven's room. Soft sobbing echoed past Raven's closed door. Starfire stopped right in front of the door and then knocked softly.
"Friend Raven, can I come in?" Starfire asked just loud enough to be heard.
The sobbing quieted to a soft sniffle, and the door opened to show a red and puffy-eyed raven. His clock and leotard were disheveled, and his hair was a mess.
"Star, is everything okay?" Raven asked in a cracked voice.
"That is what I ask you, Friend," Starfire said, looking sad as she took in her friend's face.
"I'll be fine, just not used to feeling all this," Raven said but stepped aside for Starfire.
Starfire entered Raven's room, looking around before sitting on the bed. Raven followed and sat next to his head down.
"Star, does me being male change anything between us?" Raven asked after a few minutes of silence.
"No, Friend, it does not," Starfire said with a sad smile.
Raven hugged her tightly and sniffled. Starfire hugged back, a more happy smile on her lips. Raven pulled back and smiled back at Starfire.
"I really needed to hear that, Star. Thanks," Raven said before the two of them lapsed into comfortable girl talk, just like Starfire always wanted to do.
Dinner time was upon the Titans as Raven and Starfire walked into the common room. A soft smile on Raven's face was mimicked with Starfire's brilliant one. Raven looked around the room and saw Robin and Cyborg ordering takeout at the dinner table. A sulking green shape was in the corner of the couch, with his face buried in a comic book. Raven raised an eyebrow at this.
"What happened?" Raven asked, walking over to the two at the table.
"What do you mean raven?" Robin asked, looking up from the takeout menu.
"Why is Beast Boy sulking? We fought. It happens. He's never like this." Raven said as softly as she looked back at the couch.
"We talked to the green bean; don't worry about it," Cyborg said with a prude smile.
Raven stood still as a statue, looking at the two other men. Cyborg turned back to the menu, and Robin struck up a conversation with Starfire. Beast Boy poked his head over the back of the couch, and his eyes widened. He could see the anger leaking into Raven's neutral face from his position. His eye was twitching, and his hands curled into fists. His curiosity was now peeked.
"What did you say to him?" Raven said in a quiet voice as cold as ice.
"We just told him off for how he was behaving. It was not right to freak like that." Robin said before turning to Raven, his own eyes widen in fear. The anger that Raven was radiating was coming off of her in waves.
"It was normal to freak out. I'm still freaking out," Raven said, narrowing his eyes. "yes, it hurt a lot, but that doesn't give you the right to get involved" his second set of eyes twitched open for an instant, bathing the room in a red glow.
All three of the titans at the table were speechless and looking a little afraid. Beast Boy hopped over the couch and walked over to Raven slowly.
"Raven, calm down, it's alright, no harm done. I'm still here," Beast Boy said, stepping up and gently touching Raven's wider shoulder.
With a jolt, Raven looked over at Beast Boy. His eyes widen, then narrow. The anger and sorrow were fresh but fading with the concerned look he gave him. Raven cocked an eyebrow in silent question to Beast Boy.
"Can we talk again? I didn't mean to upset you in the gym," Beast Boy asked as an answer to the silent question.
"Yes, we do need to talk after all." Raven's voice was emotionless, but his eyes held a spark of hope, making Beast Boy's guts squirm with guilt.
"Rae, before we even start to talk, I want to say sorry." Beast Boy said before walking toward the door.
Raven shot Cyborg and Robin one last angry look before following Beast Boy into the hallway. The two walked in silence till they reached the roof. Beast Boy sat on the edge, dangling his legs over the side. Raven sat beside him, just close enough to reach out his arm to grab him if he needed to. The two sat looking over the bay for a moment. Beast Boy was clearly thinking hard about what to say.
"Raven, you know I never just liked you for your body. I was still too shocked to think clearly and still am, but I didn't say anything because I was staring into your eyes. They are the same as before, but I could read them like an open book and got lost in them." Beast Boy said, still looking over the water.
Raven looked at Beast Boy's face. His empathic abilities told him it was the truth, and a blush spread across his cheeks. Raven took a deep breath.
"Gar, look at me, please?" Raven said, turning his body to fave Beast Boy.
"Rea, I never meant to hurt you." Beast Boy said, turning to him.
Raven gave him a small smile and looked into his eyes, trying to express all the warring emotions he felt through them. "Gar, I didn't want to hurt you either, but I can help this change."
"I know, and hey, it's not all bad. You're one of the guys now. Maybe we can get you to play video games with us now," Breast Boy said, trying to slightly defuse the tense atmosphere.
Raven gave a tiny snot and shook his head. "Gar, I could slap you for that one," he said, but the slight smile and laughter in his eyes told Beast Boy it worked.
"Well, what now?" Beast Boy asked, his ears perking a little.
"Gar, I wanted to talk about us," Raven said, holding his hands in his lap and looking down at them.
"Rea, can we wait?" Beast Boy asked, looking away from him.
"Gar, please, I know this is strange, but I, god, this is hard, and I need you," Raven said, his hands clenching into tight fists.
Beast Boy's eyes widened, and he nodded slowly, his hands clenching. He shook his head and turned away, taking a deep breath.
"Rea, I can be here for you, but this will change things." Beast Boy said, still turned away, hiding his face.
Raven was getting frustrated. The emotions coming off of Beast Boy were such a swirl, but he could feel the two most prominent were hopeful curiosity and attraction, with fear mixed throughout. He stood up and towered over the sitting Beast Boy. Raven let out a growl deep from his chest. He reached down and grabbed Beast Boy by the back of his suit and pulled him up. Turning the now slightly confused and frightened Beast Boy around, Raven held him at eye level.
"Garfield, what is the issue here? I know you don't really have an issue with my body. I can read your emotions." Raven said with a frown.
"Put me down, rea," Beast Boy yelped out. He started to squirm in Raven's grip.
"I will when you tell me the truth," Raven said, bringing Beast Boy's face closer to his own.
"Rea, please, I can't say it," Beast Boy whined but stopped moving and hung in the air.
"Why can't you? It's me, Gar, your best friend. Do you know how hard it was before to want to be with you and be unable to with my powers? But now that problem is gone." Raven said, his face showing so much frustration and pain.
"Wait, what?" Beast Boy floundered, shaking his head before looking back into Raven's eyes.
"If I expressed how much I felt, I would have leveled the tower," Raven said flatly as if it was common knowledge.
"S-so, is that why we never went out?" Beast Boy asked, staring into the pools of amethyst that seemed to stretch forever.
"Gar, what really is going on? Are you scared I'd change?" Raven said, his face softening to a soft frown.
"YES, ALRIGHT, I'M SCARED YOU WILL LEAVE ME!" Beast Boy yelled.
Raven let go of Beast Boy's suit and hugged him tightly, burying his face into his hair. Raven's hands gripped the sides of Beast Boy almost painfully with how tight he was clinging to him. Beast Boy took a few seconds to get over the shock of Raven's display before adhering just as close to him.
"Gar, I would never leave you. Please don't be scared." Raven said into his hair.
"Rea, what did I do to deserve you?" Beast Boy said, his voice cracking with emotion.
"Put up with an emotionally stunted goth who most thought was creepy," Raven said with a chuckle, making Beast Boy let out a wet laugh.