Fan Fiction ❯ A Raven's Cry ❯ The Morning After and Some Confessions to the Team... ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter 4

 

Beastboy woke slowly. He could feel Raven's slim form pressed into his chest, could feel her steady breathing. He gently stroked her hair, careful not to wake her, until he heard a knock on the door."Hey, Raven. Are you there?" Robin called.

Beastboy let out a sigh and gently shook the form that slumbered in his arms. "Raven, wake up, Robin's knocking." Her only reply was to mumble incoherantly and roll away from him. "Great." He carefully got out of the bed and padded silently to the door. He slid it open a few inches and stuck his head out. "Hey dude, what's up?"

"Uh, Beastboy? What are you- I mean, why..." He looked past Beastboy and saw where a second person had been under the covers with Raven. "Uh, practice is, uh-" he fought for words, illiciting a laugh from Beastboy, "You're late for practice." He finally managed.

"Look, me and Raven had a long night, can we skip it just for today?"

"Sure, I guess. It's been slow lately." He stood akwardly in the doorway, unsure of what to say. "I'd better go let the others know."

"Right." Beastboy closed the door and walked back to the bed. He stared down at Raven's form, "You're so beautiful." He gently crawled into the bed next to her and gently put his one arm around her. As his hand came to rest, though, she awoke with a start. She rolled over and smile at him. "Morning Beastboy."

"Hey. Did I wake you up?"

"It's okay."

"I was gonna let you sleep late. After you fell asleep, you kept mumbling in your sleep. Nightmares?"

"Yeah. Same as always."

Beastboy leaned forward and kissed her softly. "It's okay now, I'm here for you."

"We'd better get up." She sat up and looked over at the clock, "We slept in pretty late, I'm surprised Robin hasn't been up to check on us."

"He was just here. He's cancelled training for today."

"Oh." Raven fell back to the bed and closed her eyes. After just a minute her eyes snapped open and she sat back up, "Wait, you talked to him?"

"Yeah, I didn't want him to wake you up."

Raven grabbed a pillow from her bed and swung it as his head. "Do you realize what he must be thinking now?"

Beastboy deflected the pillow and used her momentum to pull her against his chest, "So? We'll go out and clear it up."

"Yeah right." She stood and went to her closet. "Why don't you go get changed, then we can get some breakfast."

"Sounds good." Beastboy stood and went to the door. "I'll meet you in like twenty minutes."

After Beastboy left the room, Raven pulled a clean uniform out of her closet. Since waking that morning she had felt a low grade terror, and now that she was alone, she was having trouble controlling it. Her vanity mirror was covered with black energy and cracked up the center with a loud snap. She jumped at the sound and turned to stare at the broken mirror showing her two broken images of herself. "I've got to take control." She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, searching for her center. At a sudden small noise elsewhere in the tower, she jumped. She grabbed her clothes from her bed and rushed into the bathroom, slamming and locking the only door, giving her only a small sense of security.

After Raven had showered and dressed she left her room, trying to keep her face emotionless, but failing, betraying her fear. She almost ran to Beastboy's door and knocked loudly, almsot frantically. After a moment Beastboy slid his door open, a shirt in hand, his hair dripping. "You okay, Rae?"

"I just didn't want to be alone." She stepped into his room, trying not to look over her shoulder.

As soon as Raven was in the room, Beastboy dropped his shirt on his bed and pulled her in close. "It's okay, Raven. I won't let anything hurt you."

She wrapped her arms aroung him. "I hate feeling like this. As soon as you left, I felt so frightened, alone."

"It's okay, Raven. Even if you're father finds out, he won't for a while yet. We're safe for now."

"I know. It doesn't help though."

Beastboy sat her down on his bed, and picked up his shirt. "You know," he said holding it up in front of him, "This is like the third shirt I've tried on today. Nothing fits anymore." He tried to pull it on, but only succeeded in tearing it almost in half.

Raven only smiled weekly. "We'll have to go shopping later. And get you some new uniforms."

He sat next to her, taking her hands in his. "Just remeber one thing, Rae."

"What's that?"

"Your four best friends are super heroes. What's more, if we get into something we can't handle, we've got the Justice Legue on speed dial."

Raven laughed queitly. "I know."

"Let's get down stairs. Maybe you'll feel better once you're around the others."

"Sure."

 

Cyborg walked into the living area, wiping engine grease off his hands. After Robin canceled practice, Cyborg decided that it was time for the T-car to have a few upgrades. He looked up and saw Beastboy standing in the kitchen cooking pancakes shirtless. He was about to make a quip about wardrobe malfunctions when Raven stepped up besideBeastboy from where she had been making tea.

Cyborg watched as Raven's fingertips lightly traced the outlines of the muscle on Beastboy's back and she whispered in his ear. He giggled and leaned down, whispering in Raven's ear, who only blushed.

Cyborg backed into the hall and, after the door closed, leaned on it for a moment with a confused look. "BB and Raven? No way." He straightened up and looked around the hall, "I wonder if Robin knows whats goin' on."

He found Robin in the training room, lifting weights. "Hey, Robin, you got a minute?"

Robin set the weights, that he had been bench pressing, on their brackets and grabbed a nearby towel with wich he wiped his fore head. "What's up?"

"I dunno, have you noticed anything weird going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"Between Bb and Rae."

"Whatever they do in their spare time is their choice."

Cyborg stared at Robin for a moment, before breaking out in a grin. "What do you know that I don't."

"It's not our concern, just let them be."

"Oh, come on man, spill it."

"No."

"You know, I can just check the security footage, see if that'll tell me whats up."

Robin grumbled under his breath, "Alright, fine. When I went to check on Raven this morning, Beastboy answered the door. It looks as though he slept in her room last night. That's all I know."

Cyborg stood for a moment, his eyes wide. "Wow."

"Yeah. If you want to know anything else, you'll have to ask them."

"Want some lunch? It's a little early, but I haven't eaten yet."

"Sure."

 

In the living area they saw Raven and Beastboy sitting on the couch, watching clouds slide past the window. Starfire was preparing a meal for herself, occasionally stealing glances towards the couch. Whe Cyborg and Robin walked in, Beastboy glanced in their direction. He whispered something in Raven's ear, who turned to look at them. "Hey, Robin get over here!"

Robin walked over, "What's up?"

Beastboy spoke up first, "We need to talk about this morning."

"Look, whatever you two-"

Raven narrowed her eyes at him."Robin, just let us talk."

"Right."

"We just wanted to say that nothing happened last night. I was upset, so Beastboy spent the night."

"Alright, like I said, it doesn't matter. Just as long as it doesn't get in the way of your duties, I don't care." He started to stand.

"Don't go anywhere yet." Beastboy looked back at Cyborg and Starfire standing in the kitchen area, all pretense of cooking lost. "Hey guys, get over here."

Starfire flew over excitedly, lowering herself onto a couch, while Cyborg walked over and sat next to Robin. Finally Beastboy spoke, "I guess you all know that Raven and I are together now, right?"

Cyborg grinned, "You finally worked up the courage to ask, BB?"

"Not quite. I invited Beastboy to meditate with me, and somehow he started picking up on my emotions."

"Especially the ones that she was having trouble putting away, especially how she feels about me."

"Alright, now this I don't understand, you're feeling now Raven, how? I though when you felt, boom."

"Well, I've been lying to you for the last few years. I can feel, but..." Raven took a deep breath, "I was afraid to feel anything."

"Friend Raven, why are you afraid of feeling?"

"A long time ago my father caught up with me. He said that emotion is a weekness, and that if I ever felt emotion again he'd wipe out anything and anyone that I cared for. I always hid my emotions because of that, to try to protect you."

Robin leaned back in his seat, a thoughtful look on his face. "So, we're going to have to deal with your father."

"If he ever finds out." Beastboy said.

"He will find out, and he's not going to stop with my friends. He's going to wipe out the city."

"I see." Robin leaned back, his arms folded. "If we're lucky we'll have plenty of time to prepare."

"Trigon is not something you can just prepare for. You just hope you can survive it." Raven's voice sounded bleak and hopeless. Beastboy pulled her to him and held her tightly.

"We'll be fine, Rae." he whispered in her ear.

"Well, congratulations guys, I'm happy you've finally come out of your shell, Raven. And when Trigon shows up, we'll be there for you."

"Yes!" Starfire jumped to her feet. "We must have celebration!" She turned to run out, but was stopped.

"Before you run off Star, I gotta go shopping. After the other night, nothing fits."

Robin stood, "I might have something that'll fit you."

Beastboy stood as Robin walked out. "Wanna come shopping with me, Rae?"

"Sure."

"I shall go make preparations for a celebration!" She flew out of the room, heading for her own.

Robin walked back in holding a white t-shirt. "This is all I've got. It should fit."

Beastboy took the shirt and pulled it on. "It's a little snug."

Raven stood and put an arm around his waist, "It'll do, lets go."