I do not own Teen Titans.

Intrigue

(violence, mild adult themes, strong language)

exquis

01.

"Why're you staring at me like that?"

She jumped, startled by his voice that seemed to grow ten times deeper over night. He sounded harsh and as cold as ice. It wasn't normal for Beast Boy, the boy that had always shown her some form of kindness whether he like her or not. She wasn't sure how she felt about that, but it didn't matter anyway. No matter how she felt about his cold attitude towards her, it was obvious that it wasn't changing and she couldn't blame him for that.

Biting her lip, she look down at the book that had been sitting open in her lap. Her mind raced, trying to find an answer to his question. There were so many things she wanted to say, but at the moment nothing seemed appropriate. Especially the questions she'd been wanting to ask since she saw him in the living room that night. What had been wrong with him? There hadn't been any episodes like that since then, much to her disappointment. Why were his eyes black? They'd been changing color more frequently now a days, and she wondered if she were the only one that'd been noticing. They only change for a couple of seconds before they were back to their normal green color, so it's possible the others had no clue. If they did though, they never mention it.

"I asked you a question, Rae." His voice was slightly louder this time. She blink, shocked that he had the nerve to raise his voice at her. She didn't really know how to respond to that.

"No reason. Just thinking." She mutter, not taking her eyes off the book in her lap. She mindlessly toy with the edges.

Usually, that'd be the end of a conversation. They never really pried much when it came to Raven, but now things weren't the same. It pissed her off, how he raise a brow at her and sat back in his chair, crossing his arms. "About what?" He ask, his voice slightly commanding.

Finally, she raise her head and narrow her eyes at him, ready to tell him off. It didn't matter how much he changed, she was still the same Raven, and she wouldn't tollerate him talking to her like that. She stop though, the gears turning in her head. This would probably be the only change she had to ask him a few questions, questions she'd been dying to know the answers to. The others were out today. Raven was never one to go out and party, and Beast Boy hadn't been himself lately. He kept to himself mostly.

Sighing, she threw the book on the table beside her, giving him her full attention. "Same thing you're thinking about. The beastie inside of you." She smile at him. "So while we're on the topic, I'd like to ask you a few questions. If that's alright with you."

She wasn't one to beg, and she refuse to stoop that low. She simply look at him, her eyes giving nothing away of how badly she wanted this. If he refuse to talk to her, that was fine. She'd get her information some other way. She wouldn't force him to tell her his thoughts and secrets, because she did consider him a friend. And friend's didn't do that.

He look at her for a few moments, trying to read her expression. He got nothing, and although this frustrated him, he couldn't help but smile slightly. He felt oddly proud of the purple haired girl. She'd been trying to mask her emotions for years, and she'd gotten good. So good it was annoying, because it put him at a disadvantage. She could read him like an open book, yet to him she was the world's most complicated puzzle.

Finally he shrug, turning in his seat so he faced her fully. "Go right ahead. Although, I don't think I'd be much help to you. I barely know much about it myself."

She smile at him, a genuine smile that made him feel like he was on top of the world. Those smile's were rare coming from Raven, and only appear once every blue moon. He felt special, because he'd brought this one out of her all on his own.

Clearing her throat, she thought about what to ask the green haired boy first. There were so many topics she wanted to discuss, yet there was only so much time to work with. She'd keep him up all night if she could, but that was saddly impossible as their friends would be home in an hour or two.

"Well, I guess I'll ask how you feel about it. You know, having a monster inside of you." She felt that that was a decent place to start. It was easy, or at least she thought it was.

He was quiet for a moment, thinking about his answer seriously. She glance curiously at the emotions swirling around him. At first there was anger, a raw and burning anger that took her breath away. Sadness float around him also, which wasn't that shocking to her. But then there was curiosity as well, which confuse her greatly.

"Your emotions don't make sense." She pointed out to him. He chuckle at her bluntness.

"Nothing really makes sense with me now a days." He laughed. Once his chuckles die down, he sigh. "It's weird, you know? The Beast...he isn't some thing that's living inside of me. He isn't another being. He's me, my insticts. I guess that's the hardest thing to accept. There's a part of me who wants..." He close his eyes, taking deep breaths.

"There's a part of me that wants things I know aren't right. There are thoughts in my head that are dark, so twisted that there is no way in hell they could be my own. But they are, and it scares me." His hands are clenched in fistst, and Raven frowns as the anger intensifies.

"That's the horrifying truth, Rae. I am the beast, and every thought I have of killing some innocent...it's my own."

She wants to get up and comfort him, because she knows how he feels. Hell, she's felt that way ever since she was born. The unfair fact that she can't blame anyone for her sick and twisted fantasies. The unfair fact that she can't blame anyone for her desire to kill. Her demon half is apart of her, and she can't change that.

She stays in her seat and continues to listen.

"But there is also curiousity, you know? What if I gave into my instincts? Gave into the beast? Would things be easier?" He opens his eyes, and she's shocked to see them coal black. "It's tiring, fighting it. Sometimes I want to just...let it happen."

It's silent after that, as she thinks about his words.

"I understand how you feel." She offers some form of comfort, words that will hopefully help him see that he isn't as crazy as he's thinking he is.

"I know you do." He smiles softly at her. "Go ahead and ask your next question."

She wasn't sure if her comfort had work or not, but she wasn't wasting any more time on it. They had roughly an hour or so left before the others got back, and she knew Beast Boy wasn't going to talk then.

"Okay. Next question then. Do you ever wish your beast would just...disappear? Things would be a lot easier if it did, right?"

He shook his head. "I just explained to you that the beast is me. If he were to disappear, then so would I." He stretches. "And I'm not ready to disappear. At least not yet, there are still some things I need to do."

"What kind of things?" She questions.

He doesn't answer, and she knows he isn't going to. She can practially see him closing himself off to her.

"Fine, I won't make you answer that. Last question, and then I'll be out of your hair. For now at least." She smirks at him. "Why are you different? Everything about you is changing, and the others might not see it, but I do." She narrows her eyes at him.

He chuckles. "Sweetheart, hell if I know. My guess is as good as yours." He gets up from the chair and stretches. "You're all out of questions for today, Rae."

"For today? Does that mean I'm allowed more tomorrow?" She raises a brow at him, crossing her arms over her chest.

He didn't answer, and she knew their conversation was pretty much over now. Sighing, she got up as well.

"Well, thank you for answering a couple of my questions."

"Mhm. But, I'm sure you still have many more." He smirks down at her. She didn't deny it.

"You know Rae, you should really stop putting your nose in places it doesn't belong. You're only going to get yourself in trouble." He says casually, walking towards the hallway.

She turns to him. "Why would you say that? Are you expecting trouble to come?"

He didn't answer. He knew one thing though. In the process of trying to get her off his back, he'd only made the demon more curious than she was before. He didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

...edn

author's note:

So here it is, on the 20th like I'd promised. It's shorter than I'd intended it to be, but I had to cut it down a lot because some things just weren't necessary to the story. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.

Tell me what you think of it! You know, if you wanna.

• Exquis