A continuation of Discoveries.
Thank you for reading
Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans or any of the characters in this story.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
2.- Acceptance
His returnal is a miracle, but it's also shaky. The Titans have learned to live with grief and worry for a year, and it's not surprising to see them so affected by his late and unnoticed return.
Starfire still cries for the whole week, every single time she sees him. Beast Boy is glad he's grown stronger, because her crying episodes are also mixed with a lot of bone crushing hugs. Hugs he can't deny, he doesn't have that right.
Cyborg invites him everywhere. To fix his 'baby' T-Car, to play video games, to spar or just do nothing together. There's a clear hole in his heart and he's trying to fill it back again.
Robin's not much different, not evidently at least. But his training sessions are lighter, and he always puts Beast Boy as his sparring partner. Starfire lets them know over breakfast that Robin has a hard time showing emotion, but sparring is always a way to communicate for him.
"The way he uses his fists when fighting with you…it's like he's trying to do the talking" She confessed over a night of girl talk with Raven, "It's like he's doing the courting" She reinstated and blushed, putting her hands on her cheeks.
"I don't think that's the case, Star"
But the weirdest of them all isn't them, it's Raven. She avoids him the entire first week, and doesn't come out of her room. Then the next Monday she meets him in the kitchen, and hits him with a dark magic hand in the air. It's not a strong hit, but he guesses, it's just a way to show her frustration.
"Don't ever leave like that again" The threat was scary and real, but so was the fact that her face was not covered by a cloak, and her cheeks were red.
"I won't" That's all he said and she nodded in satisfaction before teleporting away. When Beast Boy turned around, the salt container was broken and so was his plate of food.
A month afterwards and it's a factory reset. They are back to normal, more after the few pranks Cyborg and Beast Boy played on everyone. Some earned them laughs, others a beat up (Starfire's mustard, but it's just vanilla ice cream) and others they were thrown out of the Tower and into the water.
"Worth it!" They yelled as they fell out of the tower, laughing while Raven growled, her cloak painted pink.
Missions are minimal this time and he takes that time to recover, slowly. Raven is obsessively searching for a spell to bring his eye back, sitting on the couch next to him, and he's grateful for that, but it happened too long ago that he couldn't care much anymore. This is him, and that was an eye he was willing to sacrifice.
She hears his words and the next hour is filled with questions about his mission, her eyes never once leaving his own. Raven had changed, now she wore her cloak down most of the time and he couldn't be more grateful.
"Then why the hell would you jump in front of—
"You're beautiful" A thought escapes him and she blushes, interrupted and surprised. The lightbulb pops above them and she disappears into a portal.
And he's happy with everything. Life is better here, with his family,
The days go by and Raven finds a spell, and his eye is back. But she cries a little because in the end, he doesn't regain his sight. The nerves are disconnected, and no amount of magic fixes them.
Cyborg offers his alternative, and Beast Boy shakes his head. He doesn't mind, it's not that big of a deal.
By the time Raven moves on from everything and goes back to normal, it's been two months since he came back.
That's when the weird behavior starts.
He's spread out on the common's sofa, playing games, when a pair of violet eyes fall upon him. He can sense them, something-something animal sense helps him with that.
But she says nothing. Just drops her bum on the other side of the couch, opens her book, and reads next to him.
Garfield is so elated he doesn't say anything in fear of breaking the mood, and spends the next three hours in silence with Raven.
Then after a mission, they are always the last to leave the med-bay, and it's always per Raven's request. She takes care of him, because she knows he likes to keep quiet about his wounds. But they are there, Mammoth is an idiot, but he hits hard.
It's not new, Raven's always been obsessive about her teammate's health. Much more than her own, as well.
But her hands never stop touching him now, when they check up on his injuries.
They remain on him, sometimes drawing circles, sometimes just keeping a tight hold, and it's new. Raven's skin is soft and smooth, so Beast Boy doesn't complain. It's a blessing, in his mind.
One day he's having breakfast, and offers Tofu, knowing everyone's going to decline.
But Raven doesn't, and he definitely doesn't cheer in happiness from that alone.
Over the days, this keeps happening. Raven talks to him, and she's clever, witty, sarcastic, funny, a bit of a hassle and a beautiful person. He already knew this, but it's now a reinforced thought.
They still fight, he still annoys her. Her times for chit-chat and friendly banter are few and far between, but they exist now so he doesn't mind. It's clear that he gets to her.
"Rae"
They were in the training room, early in the morning thanks to Robin's orders.
""Not now, Gar. Robin said we can have freestyle training this hour, and I'll use that time to meditate"
"But…"
"Beast Boy, go bother someone else!" A grumble was all it took from Beast Boy for Raven's face to change into one of guilt. She was having trouble controlling a certain impulse lately, but it didn't mean she could yell at him like that, "…Fine, what is it?" By the look of his face, she already knew this had been a mistake.
"Right, so, why did the chicken cross the street?"
Beast Boy knows it's stupid to play games with feelings. He knows it firsthand. So when his heart clenches at the sight of Raven, barely evading Gizmo's spell, he realizes he's fallen.
When Raven smiles at him over a joke on a Wednesday Pizza Night, and his world turns a slightly brighter, he realizes it's over.
Beast Boy only has one eye, but he could be blind and still see it.
He's in love. In love with Raven.
0-0-00-0-0-0-0-0-
I want to make Raven a bit more assertive but too much would be out of character.
