Timeline: 8 Months Post- Trouble in Tokyo

From Raven's POV

Beast Boy has been in a slump lately. Maybe the other Titans haven't picked up on it but I have, because he's acting exactly the same way I did in the buildup to my father's arrival: outwardly cheerful but deeply pained on the inside.

He must be completely resigned to despair just as I once was.

"You think you're alone, Raven. But you're not."

He always seemed to understand me more than the others. Taking that escapade into my mindscape, comforting me after Malchior, giving me that lucky penny when I was at my absolute lowest. Despite his goofiness, Beast Boy has consistently made an effort to be there when I needed him.

But when have I properly returned that favor and been the friend he so sorely deserves?

Not enough, that's the answer.

Well, I'm going to remedy this now. I knock on Beast Boy's door and anxiously await his response.

"Beast Boy? Can I come in?"

"Wha…?" I hear from the other side. Clearly he's surprised. "Oh, sure."

I enter his room and see he's laying down, staring at the ceiling. He briefly looks up and waves, sporting a plastered-on smile.

"So… what's up?" he feebly asks.

It hurts so much to see him this way. When's the last time he told one of his silly jokes? He's just not Beast Boy without them.

But right now he needs comforting and that's the language he knows best. I never thought I'd do this outside of babysitting, but here we go.

"I need to ask you something. What's the best time to go to the dentist?"

"Uh, I don't know." He looks to be thinking. "I guess weekdays are probably less crowded."

"Tooth hurty."

"I don't know, it might be better to go earli—" I can see the exact moment he realized because his eyes got that special look of wonder. He sits up and laughs adorably. "Raven, you told a joke! I'm so proud of you!"

If that made him proud, then wait 'til he hears this.

"Where do cats go when they die?"

Beast Boy practically hops up and down in excitement. "Ooh, tell me!"

"Purr-gatory."

He laughed even more. "Wow, those are so good! Got any more?"

"Not much," I admit, "but I could share the story of the two ants who married in secret. It was the very first antelope."

"AntelOOOOOOHHHH, I get it! You're a proper jokester!"

It warms my heart to see his happiness return. I really hope my next trick will only amplify it.

"I've been learning a lot from you," I say. "And not just jokes. You also inspired some spells."

Right now he's clearly wondering how he could've done that, and while I could simply tell him, I think it's best to let him watch the magic in action.

"Metrion Felis Verto!"

I feel the magic envelop my body and suddenly I'm on the floor staring up at Beast Boy in a form replicating his favorite shapeshifted state: an adorable kitten (with gray fur & purple-tipped ears).

"Ta-Da…"

I can still speak, thanks to the different means of transformation.

In quick succession, Beast Boy gasps, picks me up, and snuggles me close to his body. "Awwwww, so cute!" he coos. And now he's giving me a belly rub while saying "Pspspspspspspspspspsps…"

Ooh, this is nice. I can't help but give into feline instincts and happily purr. I see why he enjoys this form so much.

Wait… he stopped. That's not good.

"Wait a minute…" he says.

Uh-oh.

"Is your happiness messing around in there? You're not acting too Raven-y right now."

This is pretty out-of-character for me, isn't it? I suppose I'd better come clean, even if my explanation is bound to make him miserable again.

"I can explain," I tell him. "Can you set me down first?"

He nods and places me on the bed next to him.

"…otᴙɘV ƨilɘꟻ noiᴙtɘM"

Now I'm back to normal but I still feel so small…

"I just noticed you were feeling down and wanted to cheer you up, especially after all you've done for me."

He looks at me with a resigned look in his eyes. "I can't hide my emotions from you, can I?" He sighs and rubs the back of his head like he tends to do when he's nervous. "I'm scared, Raven. Scared of losing myself to my powers again, but forever. How else would a screw-up like me turn out in the end…?"

Before I even know it, I wrap my green teammate in a tight hug.

"You're not a screwup, Beast Boy," I insist. "You never were."

He moves away from the hug and shakes his head. "No, I am. Everything good I do is just a break between total messes. I'm almost 17, but at the end of the day I'm still just that dumb kid who could never please Mento."

"Mento didn't deserve you," I say. "It's his fault you weren't good enough for him, not his."

"I guess."

"We stopped the Brotherhood thanks to you, the Doom Patrol were never able to do that."

"Probably because of me."

Ugh. For Azar's sake, why am I so bad at this!? Beast Boy makes this seem so easy.

"I'm so sorry…" I mutter. "I just wanted to make you feel better, but all I did was hurt you. I always hurt you…"

"What!?" he exclaims. "No you don't!"

"Yes I do!" Emotional restraint be damned, he needs to hear this. "I joked about your name even though you're clearly sensitive about it, I literally hit you more than once in Tokyo just because I was jealous you wanted to hook up with local girls, I—"

"You were jealous?"

Crap, I said too much. But I guess there's no going back now.

"I love you, Beast Boy."

His eyes widen to such an extent that I'm afraid he might strain himself, but I keep going.

"I don't know when it started. Maybe it was when you rescued me from Adonis, maybe it was while we were on the move against the Brotherhood. Either way it's real and it's strong and I completely screwed it all up. You hear that? There's only one screw-up in this room and it's me!"

There it is. I laid my soul out bare for him to dissect however he wants.

"I didn't realize you were serious…" he mutters.

What? What is that supposed to mean?

He seems to pick up on my confusion because he's quickly talking again. "One of your emotions flirted with me when they all got loose."

Oh, of course. Literally betrayed by my own feelings.

"She seemed to really wanna date me," he said, "but I assumed that was just the flirty part of your personality acting flirty for the hell of it. I didn't want to get my hopes up…" He suddenly smirks and I can feel his confidence return. "So chicks really do dig the ears, huh?"

I want to roll my eyes so much but I just sigh as blood rushes to my cheeks.

"Yes. They're beautiful."

He smiles. "I think I love you too, Rae."

He's happy again, that's good. Maybe I'm not so bad at this after all— Wait. Wait.

"WHAT did you just say!?"

He can't have just reciprocated my confession. Surely I heard that wrong — I must've gotten too lost in my relief to understand him properly.

"I said I love you," he repeated with just as much sincerity. (How!?) "I think whatever Terra and I had was just a kiddie crush, ya know? We probably wouldn't have lasted a lifetime together, but I think I'd go nuts if I had to live the rest of my life without you. I didn't realize it until just now, but I guess that's love."

I-I-I-I… wow.

"Damn, you're smooth," is the first thing I manage to say.

"Hehe, yeah." Beast Boy replies. "You can call me Garfield… if you want…"

"I think I might, Gar."

And with those words, I pucker my lips and lean forward to make this love official. It seems he got the memo, since I quickly feel our lips make contact, and I can't even begin to describe the sensation of our kiss. My joy combines with his within my mind to form a perfect euphoria.

After all these years longing for something missing which I never quite knew how to articulate, I've finally found it.

I finally feel complete.

And then they continued making out for a while…

If you're unaware, that incident where Raven's Emoticlones escaped to the outside world occurs in Issue #42 of the Teen Titans Go! comics, which (for the most part) are canon to the animated series.