Author's Note:

I want to explain what is making me write Gifts. As much to myself as to you. If you are not interested, gentle reader, please feel completely free to skip all of my ramblings and go directly to the story. My thoughts have no impact whatsoever on it.

That said, to business. As I have mentioned previously – both in my profile and in the Author's Notes of All Colors or One – I am not a fan of Beast Boy/Raven relationships. I do, however, try to keep an open mind and if you check my profile, you'll find several beautiful stories dealing with that particular pairing I have favorited, and there are several more that I'm eagerly following. And yet I usually cringe when I see it in a story's description. So why do it? Quite frankly, I'm not certain myself.

I already wrote All Colors or One as an experiment to see if I could write a decent story based on this idea, an idea I'm not too happy about. It turned out pretty good, even if I say so myself, and I am generally satisfied with it (which doesn't mean it couldn't be better). But the point is that I've been there and done that, so this is not the real reason.

What, then? Maybe I want to conform with the overwhelming majority of readers that are BBxRae shippers. Maybe I want to have more people reading my stories. Maybe I just like the challenge. And maybe I can get myself to think that there is a chance for them, but only if I do it my way. Just as our heroes will need time to really get to know and accept each other, I need just as much time to get used to the idea. So no shipping right off the bat. It will happen eventually; the story is all about that, after all; but it will happen slowly and gradually. You have been warned.

Oh, and BTW - if you're interested in my feelings about their relationship - in this story, of course - just listen to what Cyborg has to say. He and I agree completely on the issue.

Standard disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans.

Gifts

The preparations for Beast Boy's eighteenth birthday were one of the few things that could drag Raven out of her room. Even though she personally didn't care much about birthdays or parties, she did understand that it was an important date for her friend. She applied herself to the preparation of the decorations with zeal, soon realizing with some surprise that she was actually enjoying it.

As she floated around the Ops room with Starfire, fixing the decorations in places where only the two of them could reach, she argued with the Tamaranian about the correct positioning and orientation.

"Friend Raven, this is an occasion of the most joyous! You should not consider everything as the part of a problem of the geometric nature. Allow the decorations to fall into the place in a manner that is emotional and unplanned!"

"The only emotion I can feel right now is distaste at the lack of symmetry and order, Starfire" she grumbled, earning a reproving stare from the alien's green eyes. Noticing Starfire's gaze, she sighed and gave up the argument. It was not worth it.

"Very well, have it your way. I suppose I should bow to your experience in these things and follow your lead."

Starfire's face immediately shone with delight. She clapped her hands, beaming at Raven, saying "You shall most certainly not regret it, friend Raven! I am convinced that the result of the end shall be glorious!"

Raven still frowned grouchily at the seemingly random placement and even worse angle at which Starfire insisted that the decorations be positioned, but she followed her lead, only occasionally mumbling her mantra under her breath to move a few corners here and there so that they were not too much out of whack. She did take care to do it while Starfire's attention was occupied elsewhere and made sure that the adjustments were minor.

The two girls finally landed, their job completed, studying the result of their efforts.

"It's not that bad" Raven commented, her right hand on her hip, the head cocked, observing their handiwork with a critical eye.

"It is most wonderful, friend Raven" Starfire exclaimed, placing an arm over her shoulder and dragging her closer into a hug.

"No hugging, Star!" Raven said sharply, her empathic sense overwhelmed by the happiness radiating from the alien girl. The last thing she needed was for Starfire's strong, unbridled emotions to unbalance her.

Starfire giggled and released her hug, but still kept her arm around Raven's shoulder. Raven didn't complain any further; for some reason it did not bother her. Noting the reaction again with some surprise, she decided that it was time to meditate and think of why she's behaving in such an unusual manner. She also needed to prepare mentally for the party, when the room will be full of Titans, all radiating good cheer, joy, love and friendship. As much as they were positive emotions, they had the same disruptive effect on her as the negative ones.

"I will go to my room and meditate. When is Vic bringing Garfield in?"

"Friends Beast Boy and Cyborg will be here at the tenth hour, after they finish the watching of the movie in the theater" Starfire said. "But you cannot go to your quarters yet, friend Raven. There is much of the work still to be done!"

"There is?" Raven asked, mystified. "Robin – I mean, Nightwing – is taking care of the catering, we finished with the decorations and the cake is in the fridge already. I can't think of a single thing left doing. I certainly don't plan on cooking anything, and I suggest you refrain from it, too. Our skills in that area are somewhat… lacking."

"We have to prepare the presents for our dear friend" Starfire reminded her, flitting over to the heap of gaudily wrapped boxes of all sizes and arranging them in a pile, large at the bottom, smaller ones on top.

Raven suddenly turned slightly paler than usual. She pulled her hood up and mumbled something.

Starfire lifted her eyes and gazed at Raven with an accusing expression. "You have prepared the present for our friend, that is correct?"

Raven dropped her eyes. "Um…"

"Please do not tell me that you forgot about the obtaining of a present for friend Beast Boy!"

"No, I've… well…"

Starfire's small eyebrows shot up. "Well?"

"I was thinking of going to buy it tomorrow" Raven said lamely, not wishing to admit that, to her shame, she did forget.

A fierce frown appeared on Starfire's face. A very unusual expression for her, Raven thought pointlessly as Starfire placed her hands on Raven's shoulders and spoke softly.

"That is not an acceptable solution, friend Raven. We shall go forthwith to the mall of shopping where you will apply yourself to obtaining the suitable gift as the token of the appreciation for our friend."

"But I…"

"And", Starfire continued, still staring at Raven with that it-is-not-open-to-discussion look in her eyes, "you shall also find the appropriate attire in which you shall do the appearing tonight."

Raven felt a surge of annoyance. "I am not going to –"

Starfire placed a finger on Raven's lips.

"Yes, you will."

"But I need to meditate –"

"You shall place all other considerations with the lowest priority" Starfire said resolutely.

"No, I can't –"

"Yes, you can, friend Raven. Nothing is more important today than the celebration of the day of the birth of friend Beast Boy."

"But I really have to –"

"No."

"I really should –"

"No!"

"But how do I –"

"Oh, I shall be most glad to be of the assistance to you."

"I don't have –"

"I shall lend you all the funds that shall be of the necessity."

"I really –"

"Enough!" Starfire cut her short finally, grabbed her under her arm and started dragging her towards the exit. "We shall go at the immediate instant!"

The only thing left for Raven to do was to admit defeat and follow Starfire.

The annoyance Raven felt was threatening to turn into fully-fledged anger by the time they finally returned from the shopping mall. There was barely enough time to shower, dress and run to the Ops room so that they could all hide and prepare the surprise.

As if Beast Boy didn't know it's his birthday today. As if he isn't expecting a 'surprise' party. All this is pointless!

She brushed her hair, thankful for her preference in keeping it short. She shuddered thinking about the amount of time Starfire must be wasting trying to control that mane of hers.

Just as she finished, there was a knock on her door. She opened it a crack and saw the Tamaranian flitting impatiently outside.

"I have come to help you with the preparations, friend Raven" Starfire said with a smile. "May I enter?"

Surprised, Raven opened the door fully and stepped back, letting the bubbly alien in.

"I see you have started the brushing of your hair" Starfire said.

"Actually, I just finished" Raven replied, still not sure what Starfire was up to. "I was about to get dressed."

Starfire looked at her, raising an eyebrow, then closed her eyes, sighed and spoke, as if to a petulant child.

"That will most certainly not do. I must remind you again that this is not the occasion of the everyday. You shall now allow me to do the preparing of your appearance so that it is within the acceptable."

Raven frowned, the annoyance she just managed to push down surfacing again.

"Starfire, I don't think –"

"I shall hear no more about it!" Starfire said with finality in her voice. "Now, let us proceed first with the dressing."

Starfire helped her into the black evening dress that she chose for Raven only an hour or so ago. It flowed to her ankles, tightly hugging her figure, while two deep slits on the sides allowed her to walk with relative ease and showed off a lot of leg. Her left shoulder was also left bare, her pale skin contrasting sharply with the black dress. Slightly uncomfortable, Raven complained again to Starfire, as she did in the boutique.

"Are you sure that these slits are not too high?"

Starfire looked at her quizzically.

"I fail to have the understanding. You usually wear the tight outfit and your legs are left in the bare state. I do not see much of the difference. This dress covers a larger percentage of the skin than your uniform."

"I know that, Star, it's just that…"

"Ah, I understand" Starfire said, then frowned. "You shall not wear the cloak tonight."

"Starfire!"

"That is my word of the finality!" Starfire exclaimed in an unusually fierce tone.

Raven sighed, again forced to concede defeat. Starfire quickly took advantage of her opponent's lack of resistance to start working on Raven's hair.

Raven had to admit that Starfire's strong but gentle hands relaxed her as she brushed and combed. She closed her eyes, grateful for the chance to calm down, focus and balance her emotions, already dreading what was approaching.

"There, I have completed the arrangement of your hair" Starfire said suddenly, startling Raven out of her peacefulness.

She opened her eyes and looked at the mirror. On the right side, the hair fell over her eye while on the left side it was gathered with an ornament in the shape of a black bird, studded with amethysts.

Raven's eyes grew wide. "Star, this is… Where did you find that? I'm not –"

"That is a small gift for you, from me" Starfire said and giggled. "And I have yet another one."

She turned around, rummaged in the bag she brought with her and turned back again to Raven.

"Close the eyes" she commanded. Raven obeyed.

She felt Starfire's hands placing something around her neck.

"You may open the eyes again" she heard.

Raven opened her eyes to see a silver chain necklace with a large, clear, beautiful amethyst set in it hanging from her neck and resting between her breasts.

"Starfire! It's beautiful!"

"Indeed it is" Starfire replied, giggling. "I have acquired it a few months ago and I intended to present it to you on the day of your birth, but this occasion is just as good!"

Raven studied the pendant and suddenly frowned, again feeling uncomfortable.

"Thank you, Star. It is beautiful and I love it. But it does draw attention to my… you know."

Starfire laughed. "That is indeed the idea behind the intent!"

"Starfire!" Raven exclaimed, blushing, refusing to believe what she just heard.

The Tamaranian giggled again, shaking her head. She embraced Raven tenderly.

"Friend Raven, you must know how to properly attract a mate. You have been without one for too long."

Raven blushed even fiercer. "What? Starfire! Who –"

Suddenly, realization hit her. She gritted her teeth, trying to force her anger down.

"You planned it! All of this!" she shouted accusingly at the alien girl.

Starfire dismissed her with a wave of her hand.

"Of course! There is no better time than today to do the attracting of the mate. We shall have lots of guests, and many of them are of the considerable good looks!"

"Does Rob – Nightwing know about this?"

Starfire giggled again. "Of course not! This is a thing between the females."

Raven closed her eyes, forcing herself to calm down. This was getting way out of hand.

Just a few hours. I have to bear it just a few hours and then I'll go back to my room and get rid of this dress and the high-heeled pumps she will make me wear, and this silly hairdo, also. By tomorrow it will just be an unpleasant memory.

Clutching at those words, finding comfort in them, she opened her eyes, just to see Starfire approach with a makeup set.

Black energy flowed from Raven's eyes, creating a nimbus around her head, threatening to disarrange what Starfire had worked so hard to achieve.

"No. Makeup." Raven growled through clenched teeth.

"It is of the necessity, friend Raven!"

The nimbus around Raven's head darkened and thickened. Small white sparks started coursing through it. Her carefully made coiffure started unraveling.

"Starfire. I said, no makeup. Period."

The Tamaranian considered Raven's reaction and decided that it would not be worth ruining the hair styling. She sighed and nodded.

"As you wish" she said, managing to sound hurt, while she giggled inwardly.

Raven rubbed her temples, careful not to muss up her hair. She sighed, realizing she was defeated yet again.

"All right. Just a little."

It is interesting that the same procedures work on human females as well as the males, Starfire thought without letting her face show it. She also kept an iron grip on her feeling of victory, knowing that Raven would be able to detect it and realize that she had been tricked.

A few minutes later, Starfire declared Raven ready.

"You are now fully prepared. Please accompany me to the quarters of my property so that you can assist me with my own readiness."

Just a few hours. I will leave by midnight. Everyone will expect me to, anyway. Nobody will be surprised if Raven, the heart and soul of any party, takes her leave early.

Somehow that thought was not comforting anymore. She dismissed the feeling, reaching a decision, knowing it had to be done.

Let's get this done and over with.

"Lead on, Starfire."

They went to Starfire's room where the alien girl started grooming herself. Raven looked at the wall clock with some alarm.

"We don't have much time, Starfire."

"Do not concern yourself, friend Raven! I have made a… request… to Dick so that he can delay the start of the celebrations."

Raven lifted an eyebrow. "I see."

Starfire giggled again. "It is not difficult to do the manipulation of the Earthly males. You shall find out so yourself soon, I hope."

Raven blushed again. "Starfire…"

The Tamaranian waved her hair brush at Raven. "You shall not change the conviction that I have, friend Raven. You are in need of a mate. You need to feel love."

"Starfire, you know I can't!" Raven exploded, then pulled herself together. "You of all people should know what happens to me when my emotions run rampant!"

"I do. And I know that you have to at least do the trying."

Raven scowled, pushed almost to the limit. She closed her eyes, soundlessly mouthing her mantra, seeking to recover her peace and balance. As much as she was furious at Starfire for her actions, she was also deeply touched by her friend's obvious concern and wish to be helpful. The two opposing emotions fought each other until she resolutely dropped a heavy lid on them to keep them in check until she had time to meditate and deal with them properly.

A thought occurred to her. Her scowl started melting. A small chuckle shook her shoulders.

Starfire beamed at her. "I knew you would find the arrangement I made acceptable, friend Raven!"

"I was just thinking of Dick. Poor guy."

Starfire giggled. "Yes, he is most distraught when I apply the charms on him" she said as she flashed a mischievous smile at Raven. "It is a kind of power that we females have over the Earthly males, yes? And Tamaranian males, also, or so I have heard."

"So boys are boys everywhere in the universe, I guess" Raven said with a smirk. Once she had accepted the inevitability of it all, she relaxed and started to enjoy it.

Starfire placed a hand over hers. "And girls are girls. And friends will be friends, always."

Soon Starfire had finished and stood ready. "We should go and prepare for the arrival of friend Beast Boy" she said.

"Then let's go. And Starfire?"

"Yes?"

"Regarding this. All of this" she said, a crooked smile appearing on her usually serious face. "There will be a reckoning, you know."

Starfire returned the crooked smile.

"I would expect no less from you, friend Raven!"

Hand in hand, they flitted to the Ops room.