Puppy Love

I don't own TEEN TITANS

He looked at his clothes. He ditched the dark purple and black for the white and red suit. The older one was starting to stretch. The party was in full swing. Balloons, drinks, laughter, and the terrible singing of some of the Teen Titan's most tuned deaf heroes rang out from the center stage. The green man smiled.

So much time had passed. So many things were different. But being in the same place with the same red carpet leading to the large TV that would show the gleaming rising sun over Jump City's river gave the changeling so many precious memories. Flying superheroes overhead danced around the banners and streamers. A comedy booth was set up near the kitchen area as several different Titans took turns trying to beat the previous Titans' high score.

A group of girls walked by him, giggling as they waved. Beast Boy gave a goofy toothy grin of his own, waving back. He tightly gripped the plastic cup in his hand and tossed it over to the nearby trash can. He missed, but a dark-suited figure gently put the cup into the bin. "Hey, Beast Boy, what's up?"

"Oh, hey Robin. I mean... Nightwing," Beast Boy smiled weakly. He still forgot their new names.

"Hey, right now, you can call me Robin. I don't mind."

"Just like you don't mind dating Starfire?" Beast Boy smirked. Nightwing rubbed the back of his neck, giving an awkward grin. He sat down next to the changeling and they watched the party from the sidelines where they used to have breakfast. The green man lifted his head. "This used to be our home."

"It's still our home. It's always open to you if you need it."

"Nah," Garfield sighed, resting back against the dining room seat. "I think I'm good. It's weird being at a party like this. Is this what school reunions are like?"

"Kind of. That feeling of being around a bunch of people you knew so well only to see how life has changed the both of you?"

"And they're like total strangers," the changeling added. Dick smirked and gave a small chuckle. "Yeah, I... I don't like feeling like that."

"Mmm, I thought Raven was the one that didn't like parties," Nightwing said, quietly sipping his cup. Beast Boy frowned, scanning the room full of heroes from different ages and parts of the world. He could see Cyborg cutting up some good BBQ next to a roaring indoor grill that he added to the T-Tower.

Starfire was the center of attention most time. Dancing on the floor while the D.J. kept mixing beat after beat.

Beast Boy narrowed his eyes. "Where is Raven anyway?" He asked.

"She's probably outside or in her old spot on the roof."

"Huh, I thought working with the Teen Titans in the south would make her more social," Garfield smiled, dusting his gloves. "Good to know she hasn't changed."

"Has your crush on her changed?"

"DUDE!"

"What? Everyone knows about it?"

"No, you, Kori, Vic, and me know about it."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"I... I don't know, man," Beast Boy sighed. Garfield ran his hand through his dark green hair with a loud groan. "After doing my own thing for a while, I guess I nearly forgot about her."

Nightwing raised an eyebrow. "I highly doubt that."

"I mean, I forgot about my crush for her. I... Looking at all these people and how some of our friends have changed? It makes me wonder how Raven's changed, and if I've changed for the worse."

"Whoa, where's all of this coming from?"

Beast Boy smirked, "I got in touch with my... vulnerable side over the years."

"I knew you carried a lot of pain, Gar," Nightwing said, "But unlike Raven, you keep a lot of it under lock and key. I'm only sorry that we didn't do anything about it. That we didn't ask if we could help."

"Trust me," Beast Boy smiled widely, patting his night-themed friend on the back, "You guys being there was more than enough for me."

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Nightwing asked.

Garfield smiled, "Don't worry, I'll find Raven and see how she's doing, okay?"

Nightwing looked at the green changeling for a second longer before dispersing into the party. Beast Boy looked around at each wall and corner he could find. He turned into a small hummingbird and took a view from above. No sign of a dark purple-haired woman anywhere. He flew through the doors of the Common room and transformed back into a human. The doors hissed shut behind him.

Dark night penetrated the hall. The hallway lights were dimmed. At least, they seemed that way to Beast Boy. Almost everything looked covered in black.

The silence of the tower spooked him out a bit. Each step echoed horribly in his ears. A tingle rushed up his spine.

It wasn't scary. Just haunting.

Dreadful.

Awful.

But not in the way we use those words.

The familiar shadows and dark places all called back to the Changeling's memory. He could walk this hallway blindfolded.

No, fear wasn't the feeling. At the corner down the hall, the feeling grew more and more intense.

There was a presence here. But not her presence. Somehow, Beast Boy could feel the faint presence of the old days. He could hear his running footsteps as he and Cyborg played stankball. He could smell the ball whisking by. He could hear Starfire's weird alien music and singing entering his ears. He could almost see the four red eyes peering at him from Raven's angry face.

Garfield blinked. The images disappeared just as fast as he thought it was there.

"What are you doing?"

Beast Boy spun around and immediately found her.

He gasped softly. The dark sorceress raised an eyebrow underneath her cloak.

Strange. He wasn't screaming at the top of his lungs. "What are you doing here, Garfield?" She repeated.

The green hero swallowed and cleared his throat. "I was looking for you. Just... you know, making sure you weren't lonely."

"You know I don't do parties," Raven replied, walking down the hallway. Garfield quickly followed suit.

"Yeah, but if memory serves me right, you don't do isolation well, either."

"So?"

"I'm the balance."

Raven stopped, taking off her hood. She stared at him.

Beast Boy swallowed hard again. She was shorter. A head and a half shorter than him. Her vibrant purple eyes showed in the one faint trace of moonlight that came in through the large panel windows. She had changed her hair a bit, dying the tips with a slight red though the color was fading. "You changed your hair?" He asked.

Raven quickly rubbed it, glancing away from his eyes. "Yes, I... some of the other titans at my tower thought it would be a nice change."

Beast Boy blinked, slightly narrowing his eyes. "And... you let them?"

"Yes... is it bad?"

"No, no, I'm just... you're usually hesitant with new things. At least when it comes to fashion and stuff like that."

Raven raised her eyebrow. "I've let Starfire-"

"No, Starfire 'pestered' you until you did," Beast Boy smirked. The sorceress rolled her eyes but held a tiny smile.

She slightly narrowed her eyes. Garfield was biting his lip a bit while his gloved hands balled into fists before running alternately through his evergreen hair. He was nervous. Though not a surprise to Raven, she was surprised he was managing it so well.

And that nervousness didn't seem like it was coming because of her. "Is something wrong?" She asked.

"What gave it away?" The Changeling asked. It was useless to deny it.

"You're shaking. You're nervous."

"Aren't I always like that around you?"

"I said nervous, not afraid or... creeped out," Raven smirked. Beast Boy grimaced. What was once an insult from the frustrated green teen now became the dangling tool she used to put him in his place or prod him around at times.

At least she wasn't hurt by it.

Beast Boy rubbed the back of his neck. "I just... feel a little out of it right now. I should be enjoying the party, but... I don't know."

"You're lying."

"Not completely."

"Hmm," She quietly agreed.

"I just... don't know. I'm trying to just... figure something out. But I was trying to find you."

"And now?"

"Now? Beast Boy echoed. "I don't know."

Raven crossed her arms, stopping in the darkest part of the hallway. "If you're trying to get me back to the party-"

"I know better than that," He chuckled. "No, I... wanted to talk to you, but... I don't know what to say."

Raven raised her eyebrow and walked on. "Your emotions are still annoying," She muttered.

"What?" Beast Boy said, greatly confused.

"I was always taught that there were only a few emotions, and there were few combinations of those emotions. Anger and frustration often mean disappointment. Sadness and happiness? Bittersweet. You," she said stopping again in the hallway. "You have so many emotions that I don't know how to decipher. You're the only person that I know who wears their emotions so openly yet keeps his trauma at bay," She took a long breath. "And it's annoying because all your emotions prevent me from actually trying to figure out what's going on in that head of yours."

The green Titan narrowed his eyes, gently grabbing Raven's hand. "How long have you been feeling like that?"

"Ever since the Brotherhood of Evil," Raven sighed, "Seeing that different side of you. That pain you carried. It made me wonder how much you are able to hide from me."

"Because of my emotions?" Raven nodded. Beast Boy tilted his head. "Isn't an empath supposed to-"

"It's different when the person has so many emotions. You keep certain emotions on the surface while effectively burying others deep below. I've always felt those emotions, but... faintly," Raven smirked a bit, glancing up at his face. "I always wondered how you managed to do it."

"The animals." Raven raised her eyebrow. "The animals often help me with that. Feeling that anger and fear I had towards the Doom Patrol? I turn into a gorilla, a T-Rex, or a tiger. That usually happens when I'm in control."

"Unlike the incident with Adonis and the Beast?" Raven guessed. Beast Boy sighed. "That would explain why I could never figure your emotions out. You use them too well."

The green Changeling shrugged. "You have to be in order to be me," He smiled. Raven allowed herself a small smile as well. "I didn't expect you to be this blunt about it," He said as they climbed up to a familiar spot atop the T-Tower. The night sky opened up like a canvas as they opened the door.

Raven smiled a bit wider, "Working with the South Titans has made me a little more... honest and open about my own emotions."

"Can you say the same for me?" Garfield smirked.

"You were always open with your emotions. We just never found a reason to wonder if you were hiding something," Raven replied. They walked near the edge of the tower. The crashing waves grew quieter as the warm wind sang softly through their ears. Her cloak fluttered in the wind a bit, showing her entire body.

"You still wear the leotard?"

"You don't like it?"

"I love it. I guess I was worried that you'd change over the years," Garfield sighed a little easier.

Raven must have felt it because she smiled along with him. It fell a little after a while when she looked towards the large moon rising above the waters. "I'm surprised though."

"Hm?"

"I thought you would've come to me about... your crush?"

Garfield's throat trapped all the air it could transfer and coughed loudly. "Ack! Ack! Ack! What? I uhhh." His brain slowly tried to piece something together. "How long did you know?"

"Recently."

"You listened in on my conversation with Robin," he stated. It was the only way, "How?" His eyes shrink further. "And why?"

Raven bit the tip of her thumb's fingernail, trying to focus on the moonlight. But the green man stepped straight in front of her line of sight, crossing his arms much the same way she would. She widened her eyes just a bit. Had they really picked up each other's mannerisms? Even after being a part for so long?

"You seemed... upset."

"And?"

"Last time you were upset at a party, you were jealous of Garth and Karen had to do CPR."

"Aqua lad had it coming and Bumblebee used her electric... thingy."

Raven smirked, crossing her arms. "What I mean is, it seemed like something was wrong."

"So you listened in," Beast Boy said. Raven glanced away.

She sighed, "Why does it bother you so much? This crush on me?"

"I..." Beast Boy's breath was caught in his throat. For a while, he said nothing. He didn't breathe. Then he gave a long exhale. "I... I don't know if it means anything."

"What?"

"I've changed. You've changed. Was that crush genuine love or was it just... regular teen puppy love that only lasts an Intergalactic Five season?"

Raven's eyebrows showed worry while the rest of her face stayed the same. "I just," Garfield continued, "I don't know." The crashing waves sang over and over against the rocks while the two heroes' hairs swayed in the wind. Beast Boy looked at the full moon. He let another sigh come out of his mouth.

"Do you... regret that?"

"Regret what?" Garfield asked.

"Regret having that crush?"

Beast Boy smirked a bit, "When it came to being sent to another dimension or hurled through a window? Maybe."

The dark pale woman allowed herself a half smile. Beast Boy smiled a bit wider. "What?" Raven asked.

"So jokes about myself make you smile." Raven rolled her eyes, but her smile didn't leave. "But no. I don't regret it."

"Do you... still have it?"

His eyes shot open. He stared straight at Raven who tried her best to keep her composure as she stared at the moon. Beast Boy pulled her from her gaze and caught her hands. Her purple irises stared into a pool of green. His sharp toothy grin widened. "I do."

"I... I do too." She shrank her eyes. "Why did you-"

"You wouldn't have asked a question like that unless it meant something to you. The first words out of your mouth would've been something about 'being friends'," Beast Boy smiled, speaking deeper, "I know how this goes."

Raven smirked ever so slightly. "You continue to surprise me."

"I've changed a lot. But I'm still the same person who loves to see you smile."

"Don't get used to it," Raven said, dropping the smile for a moment. "Because you're still not funny."

Garfield smiled wider, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

He gently pulled her head and kissed her on the lips. The moonlit covered their forms while Raven's hand searched and found his evergreen hair to hold. The Changeling snaked his arms around her small waist, tightly hanging on to make sure she'd never leave. Raven's hand roped around his neck, driving him deeper into the kiss. The wind swirled around them. For a moment, the two thought they were flying.

But they didn't care. This puppy love of theirs had turned into something much more.

The End