Disclaimer : Teen Titans are not mine, they belong to DC Comics and Warner Bros.

Broken Record moment: Aussie, spelling, slang, word usage is all different. Grey is spelt correctly, for me. I wonder if anyone actually reads this.

Author's Note: Part of my E'ara universe, so it will be frequently referenced. Set during Raven and Beast Boy's journey (before Soaring).

I need more hours in my day, an hour for writing just doesn't get anything done.

Big Fat Warning: 'tis an M. Adult situations.

Prime

Hiya Cy!

How's it 'hanging'? How's your 'holiday' going? All fixed yet? If I don't get a reply, I know what you're doing!

Thanks for the magazines and the new copy of Mega Monkey's. I can't believe we're up to number ten already! Tell Starfire, me 'n Rae loved the pies she sent though. More please! Rae's message for Star, she needs more 'girl' stuff. I'm gonna pretend that means nail polish and junk.

We're on Bydarius Prime, located in the deepest, darkest, dimmest depths of the universe. Everywhere I can see, it's just this sea of green and red trees. The trees are amazing, they range from tall and broad leafed or teeny tiny with spiky ferny things that wrap around and prick you. I think those ones like to suck your blood. Imagine that, Cy, blood sucking trees!

There's this one sort of tree, its leaves are bright red, like red red, like it doesn't even compare with Star's hair. And it's massive, it towers right up to the top of the tree line. Rae says the colour has something to do with the atmosphere. The colours here are all wonky which makes my skin look really freaky all the time. Yeah, yeah, even more freaky. Anyway, this tree's fruit is bigger than me, and it's the main food here. It tastes like a cross between a sour pineapple and your Cy-B-Q sauce, if that's even possible. It's awful. Blerk.

The Bydarius Prime-er's (Primers? Primarians?) are all vegetarians too, neener neener, so they have all sorts of different fruits they can eat. Get this! They have no mouths! Well, they do, it's this tiny little straw like thing they use to drink fruit. But they can make meals for us, they even have leaf meals! Although, they're kind of chewy, if they're cooked right they taste awesome. Good thing that's what they feed Rae all the time, otherwise I'd starve. I reckon they're pretty bug like, they've got these big bug eyes and that nozzle thing and antenna. Their faces are kinda oval-ly and they got these pincher thingys for hands. Crab like pinchers. I can't see how they'd get things done with those. I should try it, huh?

They're mostly girls too, we're at a temple thingy for Rae, and men aren't allowed in the temple (I wonder if they've actually got men here) so I gotta stay in animal form. We picked a tiger this time, 'co Rae's going to be studying heaps. Technology doesn't work either (omg no games) so I'm gonna drive Rae crazy. This way, as a tiger, I can go exploring and don't have to worry about the animals of this world eating me. No HE-MAN or SHE-RA jokes! I know you were thinking them!

The animals here are wicked. There's the plat-y-moose, a swimming six legged thingy with the bill like a duck and these freaky moose horns! The mosquitoes here are as big as your head, you don't want any of them biting you. There's a turtle-fox, it looks like this foxy thing with a really hard shell. I like its ears, they're all flicky and pointy and junk. I'll show you next time I visit. Oh, there's a fire-bat, which is like one of our vampire bats, that glow in the dark. I got chased by one of them; it's very freaky, like right out of Wicked Scary!

"Do you really have to speak out loud when you write to Cyborg?" Raven asked. "It's distracting."

Beast Boy huffed, chewed on the end of his pen and kicked his feet in the air. "Then don't listen."

"It's a bit hard when you keep saying 'sweet', 'so totally cool' and 'Cy's going to love this'," she told him blandly.

"Nuttin' else I can do," he muttered as he lay on his stomach. "Computer don't work, can't play games, you're trying to study—"

"Exactly," Raven said. "Study. That thing I require quiet for? Remember? We talked about this."

He rolled over onto his back and looked up at her as she levitated in the middle of the room, various books and candles floating around her as she studied. "But, Rae, I'm bored!"

"So, go exploring like you were writing about." She didn't even look up from her studies, the flowing feather quill she was required to write with while she was here never-ending in its scratching.

"Would it be really too much to ask to get a little attention?" he whined.

"I'll brush you later," Raven said absently, the pages in five different books turning at once and her eyes skimmed over the pages.

"You promised that yesterday!"

"I did?" she asked, looking up at him. The scribing quill stopped and the books dipped towards the ground as she finally focused on him.

"Yeah, you did," he pouted.

Raven looked remorseful. "Gar, I—"

"Mistress Raven?" a voice of a temple priestess called and Beast Boy immediately shifted into his tiger form. He growled and turned his back on Raven, feeling pouty.

"Yes?" she called and it was only because he knew her so well that he could tell she was exasperated. Most likely from the interruption, but it could be his fault, too. The priestess would never be able to tell the slight inflection in her voice.

"We have located the rest of those books you requested." The priestesses of this planet didn't speak, per say, especially since their mouths were a nozzle only used for drinking fruit nectar. Instead they projected their thoughts into the air for all to hear, or they could project to each other's minds too. Since they projected their thoughts in pictures and feelings which could be translated by Raven's powers, there was no language barrier. Raven had asked them to project around her, since she wasn't going to allow them into her mind, plus it would give Beast Boy warning that one was coming and he could shift if he was in human form.

"Oh, thank you, I'll be right out." Beast Boy heard the books thump closed and Raven's footsteps behind him. She placed a hand on his back and he huffed at her. "I'll be back soon," she told him. "Then I'll put the study aside for a while, okay?"

He snorted. He knew how she'd get around new books. As much as she intended to now, once she had those books in hand, she'd lose track of time and he'd be going to sleep alone tonight. Again.

"I promise."

She sounded so sad he had to look at her over his shoulder. Giving in to her sorrowful face, he huffed again and rose to his feet to give her a lick on the cheek. She cradled his massive tiger head in her hands and kissed his nose and he nuzzled her in response. Maybe she would only be a short while today.

Two hours later, he was still waiting.

He paced, up and down, round and round. He understood she wanted to visit all these planets to meet the people her future self had met. He understood how important it was, how many lives she felt she had to touch, how she wanted to make sure she knew the skills Rachel passed on. He really didn't mind following her as she traipsed across the universe, running from what she'd done on Earth. He knew she needed to do this. Just as he knew he could always go home if he was feeling lonely. He always went home one weekend a month for some quality Cyborg time. And Starfire's pies.

Things were really bad there for a while. Raven was so heartbroken over what she'd done on Earth, how close she'd come to destroying everyone she loved. He'd spent a long time talking to her about it, helping her comes to terms and to move on. He really didn't like thinking about those days, when she curled up in a ball and couldn't move.

She made the move to a new costume almost immediately. She felt she'd outgrown the leotard, and Rachel's futuristic costume was much more mature. Either that, or she liked the way Beast Boy drooled over it, he could never be sure. It was a long sleeveless white dress, the skirt of it falling from beneath a v belt. It was slit up the side all the way up to her hips and the neck of it cut in a v shape, ending between her breasts. Calf-high laced white boots and white gloves that ended just before her elbow completed her uniform. She wore the dual metal bands around her arm, her k'dona, as well as his raven locket. She'd even inked a raven into her back, as fascinating as he found that particular piece of art, it was disturbing to see her trying to become her future self. He was glad she kept her hooded cape, although the long hair was very pretty. He liked to play with it.

He'd tried to change his costume too, but it didn't feel right somehow. Maybe one day he'd fine something that suited him. It'd probably be the same time he made the shift from Beast Boy to something more grown up.

He sighed. All this travelling, just so Raven could become her fully realised self, with all Rachel's implanted memories. But, they'd been travelling for five years now. Wasn't it time to look to the present, rather than the future or running from the past? And, really, was it too much to ask for a little bit of love from his girlfriend?

Beast Boy huffed. He snuffled and snorted and resisted the urge to shred all her books in a fit of spite. He had to stay in tiger from when she wasn't around, he promised. Especially on a planet like this one, the women were violent. Or so Rachel's memories said. Which really didn't make sense, seeing they were all priestesses… weren't they passive?

Anyway, because he was in tiger form, there really wasn't a lot he could do. He'd already explored the enclosure that was the temple, grey brick walls that jutted from the jungle, the temple itself was cut into the side of a mountain. He hadn't set foot in the temple itself, after all, it was filled with musty old books and tired relics. But the jungle beyond, well, that had been fun, ever time he'd gone he'd discovered something new.

And it would serve her right when she got back and he was gone. If she even noticed.

He snuffled and snorted as he headed toward the door, his body brushing one of her bags as he walked. Something clattered to the floor behind him. He winced and turned, hoping whatever it was didn't break. What he saw on the floor filled his brain with a completely different idea than exploring the jungle.

He couldn't be caught with it here, of course. This would be the first place she would look. But the possibilities… well… he was going to have some fun!

Carefully, he gathered the discarded object in his mouth and slinked from the room, his mind full of mischief.

The courtyard beyond their room was empty, which was good, because it wouldn't do to have someone ask Raven what her pet tiger was doing carrying things around in his mouth. He darted into the shadows and loped toward the wall. There was a cave not far from the wall, really no more than a small hollow, it would suit his purposes. He'd found it on one of his earlier expeditions and it didn't take him very long to reach it.

He paced for a moment, checking the smells of the hollow, making sure the scents of animals were old, before he gently placed his precious cargo on a rock. Shifting back to normal, he picked it up by the handle and looked into Raven's Nevermore mirror. "Knock, knock, babe," he drawled, smiling. "Let me in."

TTTTT

Not too far away, Raven shifted as she concentrated on the book she was reading. Her mind's eye was providing her with the memory of Rachel reading the same book, so all she was really doing was consolidating knowledge she already had. Still, it was a very interesting read, the metaphysics behind non-magical teleportation, an odd thing to find on a place like Bydarius Prime where everything was magic.

The library here was massive, huge stone columns, rows and rows of shelves containing old tomes and books and scrolls from all over the planet. It had taken a little convincing for the priestess to allow Raven to view the manuscripts, but a diplomatic note from 'Princess Koriand'r of Tamaran, defeater of the Citadel and her husband, Prince Valiand'r,', as well as a small power display and she suddenly had the entire library open to her to peruse and she was treated like an honoured guest, given her own quarters, meals, and her own personal priestess to assist her. She and Beast Boy were going to be here for awhile as Raven sated her thirst for knowledge.

There was no electricity on this planet, instead glowing balls of light floated around the room. They could easily be redirected with the mind for priestesses to use and Raven had a couple floating around her.

Raven sighed and shuffled, wondering why she was suddenly uncomfortable.

TTTTT

"Heeeeeere, Pinky, Pinky, Pinky," Beast Boy called as he wandered through Nevermore, the representation of Raven's mind. It was a very special place, one that he had the privilege of visiting often.

Still, he'd never come here without Raven, bar the first time he and Cyborg entered by accident. He hoped he would be welcome by the various Ravens who existed in her mirror. Each colour represented a facet of Raven's personality, and Pink was always the happiest to see him, no matter how much that embarrassed Raven.

It was an interesting landscape, one where the laws of gravity didn't apply. Rocks floated haphazardly through the red and black shifting sky. Blackened trees with black leaves were perches for the glowing eyed ravens that were the guardians of Raven's mind. She could change the landscape at will, make it become anything she wanted to, whether it be from her own memories, or her imagination. He had no control and had to follow the path her mind provided for him. There were no 'forbidden doorways' anymore, now Raven allowed herself to feel emotions, but the different colours still liked to stay in their own areas.

Except when he was around, of course.

He knew he was getting close when one the floating rocks shifted into a bright red strawberry and pink trees began to jut from the ground. "Heeeeeeeeeere, Pinky, Pinky, come see your Gar."

"Gar!"

Beast Boy braced himself and sure enough, moments later Pink's weight hit his back. She bounced up and down, peppering kisses in his hair. "Hi hi! You came to visit!" Pink was suddenly clamouring down his back. "Where is it? Where is it?"

Beast Boy smiled and obliged and was rewarded with a high pitched shriek of delight. "Tail!" He glanced over his shoulder, seeing Pink kneeling on the ground, her eyes shining as she watching him flick his tail around. "Ooooh."

He brushed his tail under her chin as he turned to grin at her. "At least someone's happy to see me."

"I'm always happy to see you, pookie face," Pink said, smiling brightly.

TTTTT

"Did you say something, Mistress Raven?"

Raven looked up from her book at the temple priestess who was staring at her. "Pardon?"

"I thought you spoke. Something about my face?"

Raven frowned. "No," she said. "There's nothing wrong with your face."

"My apologies," the priestess said, still staring at her with unblinking eyes. "I thought… would you like anything to eat, Mistress?"

Raven considered. "Some herbal tea would be appreciated."

"Certainly." The priestess nodded and hurried away.

Raven dropped her attention back to her book. She frowned again, every single word in her book had changed, the same phrase reappearing over and over again. "Who, by Azar, is 'pookie face'?" she mumbled.

TTTTT

"Pookie face?" a depressed voice said. "He's going to hate me for that."

Beast Boy smiled at Grey. "You know I could never hate you, babe."

"It's pointless," she said drearily, her own little raincloud over her head. "I've been ignoring you. I'm sorry."

"It's all Yellow's fault," Pink said with a huff and a pout. She flopped onto the ground in a sulk. "It's the books. I can't resist them."

"I'm sorry," Grey murmured again. "I can't stop. I'm obsessed. It will be pointless to try. You're right to blame me for ignoring you, I'm sorry."

"Nothing's ever pointless," Beast Boy said and reached down to reached down to tickle Pink's ribs until she burst into giggles. "I'm not blaming anyone, I just wanted some attention."

TTTTT

Raven giggled, then covered her mouth as a group of priestesses turned to look at her dubiously. "Sorry," she said, her cheeks flaming, and buried her head in her book again.

What was wrong with her?

TTTTT

"Gar!" Green cried seconds before she tackled him. They tumbled to the ground as Green pinned him, with Pink and Grey looking on. "Ooooh, yeah! Wanna wrestle?"

"I think you have me at an unfair advantage."

"Or, ya just like being pinned," Green said with a coy smile.

"Could be that, too. But-" he slithered out from under her in snake form, and then tackled her back to the ground as himself. "I much prefer it when you're under me."

"That sounds like a challenge!" Green crowed and shoved against him. They rolled, scuffling on the ground, with Pink cheering happily. Green got him in a choke hold and he had to change to a mouse to free himself. He pinned her to the ground which she deftly wriggled out of. They tussled and laughed. She wrapped her legs around him and arched her back, tossing him to the ground.

They wrestled and scuffled, she never allowed him to have the upper hand. He growled playfully and laughed as she bared her teeth at him in return. Then he was grabbed and shoved up against a rock. Red wrapped her arms around him and plastered herself on his chest. "Heeeelllooooo, handsome!"

TTTTT

Raven frowned as the sudden want for wrestling passed. The need to play was shifting toward something else. She glanced up and down the library, looking at the books and the priestess quietly reading. She didn't sense any magical spells at work. Maybe her mind was just playing tricks one her.

She sipped her tea, shifted her position on the chair, and returned to reading.

TTTTT

"Hey! I was playin'" Green protested, getting to her feet and dusting her cape off.

"I'm done now," Red hummed and walked her fingers up Beast Boy's chest. "I have something much better in mind."

"Oh, really?" Beast Boy asked, unsurprised. Red was intriguing, she could be either passion or rage and it was always a challenge for Beast Boy to discover which emotion she was embodying. Seemed it was passion today.

Red turned, rubbing her back against his chest as her hands dipped lower, still looking at him with flirty eyes. "You were looking for me, weren't you?"

"Maybe," he replied in a teasing fashion as he took her shoulders and gently lifted her away from him.

"I knew he didn't want me," Grey despaired and hunched her shoulders to make herself smaller. "I've been ignoring him too much."

"I didn't say that," Beast Boy said, crossing the distance between them to take hold of Grey's chin. She looked at him with those big, sorrowful eyes and he kissed her. He wrapped his arms around her, plucking her off the ground. Red swooned while Pink sighed in delight. He held her close, long, leisurely kisses, hands wandering and teeth nipping until her hands fisted against his shirt, until she crooned under her shaky breath, until trimmings of her cloak shifted colour, changing to red. He broke away to nuzzle her neck while Grey gasped. "But I'd rather have all of you."

"Ooh, ooh," Pink cried, waving her hand up and down frantically. "Me next!"

Beast Boy happily obliged.

TTTTT

Raven rubbed the base of her neck, before fiddling with her locket. She felt flushed and wondered at the sudden heat. Continuing to read, she barely noticed her left hand was lazily drifting against the skin of her neck, up and down the 'v' of her dress, soft, gentle caresses.

She chewed her lip and turned the page.

TTTTT

Pink sagged against Grey, smiling happily to herself. "Wow," she breathed as Beast Boy steadied her.

Green waggled her finger at Beast Boy as he turned his gaze to her. "Don't even think about it, bucko," she said, a hand on her hip. "That don't work on me."

"No, but I know what does," Beast Boy drawled. He sidled up to her and trailed a hand up her arm as he moved around behind. "A long," he whispered in one ear, before moving to the other, "hard," he nipped her neck, "hot," he trailed kisses down her shoulder, "ride."

He moved away and shifted into a stallion, tossing his head so his mane flowed, flicked his tail, snorted and pawed the ground invitingly. Green's eyes gleamed before she vaulted onto his back.

The landscape of Nevermore obligingly shifted. No more floating rocks, no more uneven surfaces. Instead they were at the beach, frothy waves kissing the pearly sand. He tossed his head and half reared for the other colour's pleasure as he pivoted before bolting.

He could feel Green's legs clenching against his ribs as he galloped. She pressed herself against his back, her fingers entwined in his mane. Her eager breath rasped in his ear while her green cape flapped madly behind them. Salty spray splashed against them.

"Faster!" she cried, her knees applying pressure to his sides and Beast Boy obliged.

TTTTT

Raven clenched hands and felt flustered. All of a sudden she was thinking of sandy beaches, of crashing waves and the rhythmic thudding of strong hooves. Of the long rides she and Beast Boy had taken together over the years and the subsequent togetherness at the end of the ride. How his sweat would shine, his chest heaving against her legs and how his speed would make her feel alive.

It was getting harder to concentrate on her book. Maybe she should just call it a day and go spend some time with him. She stood, intending to close the book when a passage caught her eye. She skimmed it and, without meaning to, sank back into the chair.

TTTTT

Beast Boy cantered back toward the other colours, liking the way Green was lazily stroking his neck as she draped herself along his back. She slithered off his back, caressing his shoulder as she walked around to kiss his long nose. "That was awesome," she told him.

He blew in her face softly before he shifted back to normal to kiss her. "Glad you liked it."

The landscape shifted back to its normal state, the red and black shifting sky, the hard rocky ground they stood upon. Rocks floated through the air and ravens watched them from blackened trees.

"Yellow's still got my head buried in a book," Grey said mournfully.

"How can I?" Pink cried, aghast. "He makes me so happy!"

"Drastic measures," Red said, waggling her eyebrows at him.

"I don't know," Brown said, ghosting up to them, looking indecisive. "Are you sure that's wise?"

"Why wouldn't it be?" Green queried.

"Well," Brown said meekly, tapping her fingers together. "I'm in the middle of a temple, studying. I might appreciate a little more warning… don't you think? But then again, since I have been ignoring you, maybe we should just—"

Beast Boy sighed, disheartened. "She must be really concentrating. I should go."

"Aww, Gar," Pink complained. "You don't have to. I like having you here."

"Do you even know how to get out without me?" Green asked tartly, a hand on a cocked hip and an eyebrow raised.

Beasy Boy cringed. "Ummm…"

"Didn't you think that far ahead?" Brown asked. "That was pretty silly."

He sighed. "Yeah, I guess. I really didn't think she'd be this hard to distract. But since she is, well… I shouldn't disturb her. What if she's in the middle of spell or something—"

"I suppose I could help," Purple announced as she arrived with a swirl of her cloak.

"Oh, good," Red all but purred. "At least the magic's distracted now."

Purple shrugged. "Yellow presented a good case, those books contain many intriguing secrets. But being with Gar can be more beneficial than meditating, at times, and I've had enough of books." She looked at Beast Boy. "It would be easy to get you back, if you really wanted to go. I'm mostly distracted now, a little prompting would be all it would take."

"Are you doing a spell?" Beast Boy asked.

Purple shook her head. "Nothing of consequence. So, shall we—"

"Oh, kiss me already," Red wailed, grabbed Beast Boy by the shirt and yanked him to her. The world twisted around them and they were suddenly in a room, the only furniture was a large bed in the centre.

Surprise rocked through him as his back hit the mattress. While he didn't mind kissing the Raven's who lived in Nevermore, he'd never done more than that. And for a bed to manifest was concerning. Red didn't seem to care as she crawled up on the bed, holding the skirt of her dress so her legs were free, and straddled him.

"Umm…"

"Remind me what I'm missing, Gar," she crooned, taking his hand and placing it on her thigh. "No musty old books will keep me from you, then."

"Rae," he said, hesitantly, but she grabbed his shirt again, hoisting him up to kiss him.

The problem with the colours, he found, was they were exactly like Raven in almost every way. Her taste, her smell, the way she moved, the sounds she made, she elicited the same feelings of lust and love. He could separate the feeling when he was in control, but with Red straddling him like she was and the feeling of her mouth against his, not to mention other parts, she was fast becoming irresistible.

TTTTT

Raven squirmed.

There was a heat spreading in her belly, a fire that was beginning to burn brightly. She flushed and wriggled, trying to get away from the phantom fingers that seemed to be dancing inside her skin. She could feel them making their way up her back, across her ribs, kneading and stoking.

A sound echoed through her ears, gasping, a soft moan, and a tiny croon. Looking around, she couldn't see anyone making any sort of noise that matched what she was hearing. Besides, she thought she recognised that croon. She loved that particular noise when Beast Boy was feisty. It always made her feel special.

A quick mental probe of the area determined he wasn't anywhere close. Or even within the temple grounds. Which was odd because—

Those phantom hands circled her breasts causing Raven to shudder in anticipation. There was a wet heat between her legs and she clenched her knees together in response. Arousal rocked through her, surprising her completely.

She probed the books around her for magic spells or traps and came up empty. Her eyes shone with power as she double checked her surroundings, but there was nothing that could make her feel this way. Well… there was one thing.

Oh, Rae.

Oh, of course. Raven's lips curved into a smile. An overdramatic vying for her attention, was it? Quite ingenious really.

Hands on her thighs now, creeping up, sliding down. There was a yearning within her for those hands to move, to slide over her skin and seek release.

Wait.

She didn't want to wait. Stifling a gasp, she bit down hard on her finger to keep herself quiet as priestess turned to look at her. Shifting on her seat, she turned her face away and closed her eyes.

No.

Hands and touch and teeth and tongue. She could taste him now, the feeling of his hands stronger against her skin. Her balls of light flickered as she lost control over them. Several more priestesses looked over at her and Raven raised her hood to hide her flushed face.

No, stop.

The library rocked. It dipped and swayed, ever churning movement. She was lost, out of control, so close and completely focused on the demanding hands that slid across her body.

Raven, please.

The persistence of the hands changed, turned from pull to push, but she didn't want them to stop.

RED, GET OFF ME!

As abruptly as it had all begun, everything stopped.

Raven felt angry.

TTTTT

Beast Boy scrambled away, gasping in breath and struggling to hold onto his pants as Red tried to claw them off. "Stop it!"

Red's eyes flashed. "What?" she snapped, absolutely still.

His back thumped against a barrier and he cringed. "Look," he said, hastily, wondering where the hell his shirt went and how she'd gotten them off that quickly. "Babe, you know I love you, but I meant what I said that I'd rather have all of you."

"All of me?" Red snarled. "This is all of me."

"No, you're just a single part of—"

"I am Raven," Red snapped and blinked four eyes. "I'm not 'just' anything."

This was going bad, fast. "Rae—"

"I seem to remember telling you my mirror was not a toy."

Beast Boy breathed a sigh of relief as a white raven screeched and Raven stepped through. "Hey, babe—"

"Don't you 'hey babe' me," she chided, cutting him a slashing glance before she fixed her eyes on Red. Red melted, her essence sliding through the air and into Raven. Raven closed her eyes as she absorbed Red, then opened them and fixed her violet eyes on Beast Boy.

Beast Boy twitched restlessly under her scrutiny. "Umm…"

"So, you thought you'd live out every guy's ultimate fantasy and have an orgy, did you?" Raven asked him, eyebrow raised and arms folded on her chest.

"Ahh—"

"After all, seeing as they're all me, it's not like your cheating, right?" she asked, waving her hand around as she spoke, before they both went to her hips.

Beast Boy cringed, hearing the anger hidden in her voice.

She tapped her foot just once and prompted, "Well?"

"I was lonely," he blurted. "And you said you were only going to be—"

"Oh, so this is my fault?" Raven interrupted.

"I didn't say that," Beast Boy protested.

"No, you just implied it," Raven told him.

He tried a different track. "The colours think you're ignoring me."

"Oh?" she asked mildly.

"Grey was quite depressed about it."

"I see."

The mild tone was unnerving, but he pressed on. "So… some part of you must know its true—"

"And you thought sneaking into my mirror would fix that."

"Well, yeah!"

Raven raised an eyebrow.

"I just wanted to spend some time with my girl," he said meekly. "In whatever form."

She sighed. "Guess I'll just have to punish you."

"Punish?" Beast Boy squeaked.

Raven nodded and closed her eyes. Beast Boy caught a glimpse of the other colours, the facets which made up parts of Raven's personality, surging through the air and into her. "Yes," she said as she opened her eyes. "You disturbed my study. You decided to play games in my mind, while I was in the middle of a temple filled with priestesses from whom I need information. Not to mention you made me laugh. I have an image to uphold. That deserves a punishment."

Beast Boy gulped. "Rae, I never meant to—"

Raven gave a long suffering sigh. "You're going to have to finish what you started."

Beast Boy stared at her. He blinked. Swallowed. Blinked again. "Huh?"

She moved up to him and put a hand on his chest. "That was pretty amazing. Rather ingenious. Seducing my mind? I was almost… ahh…" she blushed and dropped her eyes.

He felt his eyes widen as he realised why she was embarrassed. "Really?"

"I was very close."

He gulped.

"So, finish what you started, Garfield," she said sternly. "Don't make me separate and sic Red on you." She peered at him. "Or is that what you want—"

His hand shot out, snatching her by the back of the neck before he crushed them together. His hands slipped up the slits in her dress until they reached her hips and he lifted her from the ground. A quick spin, and he was pressing her up against whatever barrier he'd run into before, which turned out to be a wall. She made a small noise and obliged the questioning direction of his hands, wrapping her legs around his waist. The pressure of her legs did all sorts of wonderful things to his libido and he plastered them together tighter.

He licked his way down her neck and along the v in her dress while she ran her hands over his bare back.

"I have good taste," Raven whispered, her hands stroking encouragingly as she lifted her chest higher.

"Hmm?" he murmured, concentrating on the taste of her skin.

"I went for the shirt first."

"Actually," he mumbled, slipping the sleeve of her dress down over her shoulder for easier access. "You went for the pants first and while I was distracted keeping them on, the shirt vanished."

Raven's snort contained a mixture of mild humour and arousal. "I see."

"Better taste, huh?" he asked, waggling his ears.

"That remains to be seen. Wolverine or Incredible Hulk?"

Beast Boy laughed and nuzzled her chin. "You'll have to find out."

She gave him a wicked smile and he found himself hoisted backward by her powers. Landing with an oof on his back on the bed, he watched as Raven took a step forward and her clothes melted form her form. One step they were there, the next they had vanished in a swirl. He gulped, feeling her powers engulfing his ankles before his pants were torn from him.

Raven smirked. "Really?" she asked, tilting her head.

Beast Boy gave her his best puppy dog look, short of transforming into a puppy.

"Something I should know?" she asked, obviously trying not to laugh.

"It was a joke, okay?" Beast Boy said, exasperated, his ears drooping with embarrassment. "Flash thought he was being funny. He snitched all of my underwear and repacked it with this."

"Does Cyborg know?"

He cringed. "I hope not."

"Get rid of them."

Beast Boy responded immediately, tearing away the offending piece of clothing and tossing it away. Raven crawled up to him, pushing him flat on the bed with a hand and straddled him. She splayed her fingers on his stomach while he reached up to stroke a breast.

"So, where were we?" she asked.

"I think," Beast Boy said and shifted his hips, "right about," a little more movement and Raven gasped, "here."

She rocked. "Oh. I see."

"Mmm-hmm." He slid his hands down to her thighs and closed his eyes.

A moment of silence. "Guess it's been longer than I thought."

"Meh."

"Meh?"

He loved the feel of her skin against his hands, it was so smooth his hands glided over its surface. "Well, you're here now. That's all that matters."

She shifted, slowing. "I'm sorr—"

He glared up at her playfully and growled. "If you're gonna get remorseful while I'm inside you, I'm gonna have to bite you."

"Like you could," she scoffed.

"Well, you have me at a disadvantage, but I'm sure I could figure something… oh… do that again."

More silence, quiet company, rocking motions, soft, euphoric sounds, then, "So where were you going to bite me?"

He chuckled. "I can think of a few choice places."

"Really?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

He demonstrated, his fingers trailing over her skin. "Like, here, or here, or even here, to name a few."

"I like to see you do contortions to get that last spot."

"Babe," he grinned. "I can change my form, remember. Hell, I can probably bite you on the— oh…" He arched his head back, his legs tense, hands grasping. "Oh… wow… oh… where'd you learn that?"

There was a sense of smugness in her voice. "One of the books I've been studying is akin to kama sutra."

"…Wow."

"… So, you were saying?"

"… Ahh… I forget."

A breathy moan, an arched back, fists clenched against sheets. Beads of sweat shone between peaks, slippery hands grasped against skin.

"You're sooooo good at this."

A bland face. "Thanks."

"No, really, you're awesome."

"Nice to know." She shifted her hips, changed the angle, lust in her eyes.

"Aren't your knees hurting yet?"

"It's my mind, Gar. I can do what I want, for however long I want."

"Sweet."

"Thanks for the concern, though."

"Actually," he said and flipped them. He pressed her to the bed, licked between her sweaty breasts and thrust. "This is where I really wanted you."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, all of you, the original, my one and only. Splayed provocatively beneath me, sweaty and lusty and all mine." He lowered his head to her neck. "Nom, nom, nom."

She smacked him. "You did not just nom me!"

"Did too!" he laughed. "Watch! I'll do it again. Nom," –thrust– "nom" –thrust– "nom."

She sighed in delight. "Okay, well you can do that."

He took her wrists, pinned her to the bed and laughed as he flexed her hips, eliciting new and erotic noises from her. " 'kay, hang on tight, let's see what this baby can do!"

She rolled her eyes, huffing indignantly before he attacked her mouth. Never pausing, she kissed him back just as hard, just as eager. He took her breath, and she took his.

He amplified the strength of his thrusts, the speed. Laboured breathing intermingled as they worked together, her hips rising to meet his. Her fingers grasped at his shoulders, digging in as she pulled him close to her.

He grabbed the bed beneath them and hung on. Pulling away from the kiss, he stared into her eyes, placing small kisses against her face each time they moved. Their panting was harsher now, bodies shining with sweat, meshed together as they tried to coax each other to topple over that cliff into that familiar abyss.

He pressed his forehead to hers while she clung to his back. And then Raven cried out, her eyelids fluttering, her mouth open wordlessly and he felt her tighten around him. He increased his frantic speed as she surrounded him, everywhere at once, encompassed all senses. It was all he needed and his world exploded.

Afterward, as Raven snuggled contently against his chest, Beast Boy absently played with a strand of her hair. He swallowed. He sighed. He swallowed again and cleared his throat.

"What's troubling you?"

His eyes went wide. "Nothing."

"Mmm-hmm. Right." She lifted off his chest to look at him, "Hi, I'm Raven, the Empath."

Beast Boy cringed. "Damn."

Raven frowned. "Gar, you're a mixture of nerves, melancholy, concern, panic, hesitance, love, hopefulness… okay…" She narrowed her eyes at him and sat up, kneeling on the bed beside him. "So, I take it you wanted to ask me something? Or should I just give you my answer and save you the trouble?"

He propped himself up on his elbows. "Don't do that!"

"You're broadcasting," she said as if it explained everything.

"Can't I have any secrets?" he whined.

She shrugged. "Sure, you're just not very good at keeping them, that's all."

"And I suppose surprising you is never an option," Beast Boy said sourly.

"Are you going to ask me?"

He peered at her, the blandness in her voice not even giving him a hint on what she might answer. "Well…" he swallowed. "Um… we've been… um… you know how much I—"

Raven looked around, her eyes focussing on his pants before she levitated them to her. "Is it in here?" she asked, peering into a pocket.

"Raven!"

She looked up at him, his pants dropping down to her lap. "Sorry," she said and looked at him with the epitome of patience.

He flopped back on the bed. "You know, you've completely ruined it now."

"Sorry," she said again.

He covered his face in his hands. "Left pocket." A quick peek saw her digging her hand into his pocket in an almost eager fashion. He covered his face again, refusing to look. When he could no longer stand the silence, he spoke. "Well?"

"You need to make a token effort," Raven told him. "How else will Starfire squeal over it later?"

"How about you give me your answer and then I make that token effort?"

"Nope," she said, popping the 'p'.

He peered through his fingers, his mouth dropping open as he noticed the pink highlights through her hair. "Really?"

She rolled her eyes in true Raven fashion. "Yes, really, now ask me!"

"Marry me?"

"That was pathetic."

He sat up and clasped his hand against his chest dramatically. "Raven," he said in a deep, theatrical voice. "You are the jewel of my life, the apple to my eye, the umbrella to my storm, the boat that rocks my sea, the leash to my—"

"Okay, the first one was better."

Beast Boy grinned. "I luv ya, babe, marry me?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Did you honestly think I'd say no?"

Beast Boy grinned at her. "Do you honestly think I would've asked you if I thought it was gonna be no? I just like saying 'really'."

Raven laughed.

He nodded to the small, unopened box in her hands. "So… do you like it?"

"I haven't looked yet."

"What?" he asked, startled. "Why not?"

She smiled at him. "Well, we really should do some things properly."

"Since when have we been a normal couple?" He laughed and took the box from her, creaking it open and holding it out to her.

He enjoyed her sharp intake of breath followed by, "Oh, Gar."

He took the ring from the box and slipped it on her finger. He'd brought her a white gold ring, to match her locket, and dipped further the trust fund his parents had left him than he'd ever before to get it set with a single prominent black diamond. It wasn't a gaudy ring, like the man in the shop had wanted to sell him, nor was it extravagant. Raven didn't like jewellery, beyond the ones she wore already, and this nice, simple one suited her immensely. The instant he'd seen it, he knew it was the one.

"It's beautiful," Raven said, studying her finger.

"Just like you."

She flushed, looking at him through her eyelashes. "Casanova."

He laughed. "Well, there are multiple versions of you," he said, leaning in to kiss her. He pushed her back on the bed, settling over her to kiss her senseless.

"Does this mean we can go home for a little while?" he asked when she was breathless, voicing another concern which had been bothering him for quite some time. In all the time they'd been away, she'd never been home.

"Hmm?" she asked, frowning. "I'm not finished my studies yet."

"Well, we do need to tell them, and…" He took a deep breath and plunged in, "You haven't been back in five years. We don't have to stay, but it would be nice to go and see Steve and Rita too, and show off my new fiancée."

Raven smiled. "That's got a nice sound to it."

Beast Boy grinned. "Sure does. So? Quick holiday home? Then back here to finish your training?"

She blanched. "Gar, I don't know. I'm not sure I'm ready—"

"It's time, Rae," he said gently, rubbing her nose with his. "Time to stop running and go and see our friends. They ask about you all the time. The first thing I have to do is tell them how you're going. Starfire gets real sad whenever I go back alone, Rae, she misses you real bad."

Raven sighed, sounding sad herself. "I miss her too." She closed her eyes briefly before she reopened them. "Okay, Gar, we'll go home."

Beast Boy whooped, happily.

"Did I miss it?" Orange said, surging into existence from beneath the ground. She yawned, blinked, and looked at Beast Boy. "Hi. You're naked. Nice."

"Very nice," Raven said and turned to Beast Boy as she absorbed Orange. "Oh dear," she continued, roping her arms around his neck and draped a leg over the back of his. "Looks like you'll have to start over."

"Dreadful shame that," he replied cheekily.

"Yes, very. Get to it."

I realise the whole Nevermore thing is overdone in the BB/Rae world, but, darn it all, I wanted a go too!

If the markers of the cartoon were using any conventional symbolism for the colours they picked for Raven's parts, this would have been easier to assign characteristics. As it was, they stuffed up.

Anyway, my observations and guesses.

Pink – happiness, friendliness
Red — passion, which can be either rage or love
Orange – lazy, rudeness
Purple – mystery, magic
Green – bravery, action
Brown – indecisive, honesty
Yellow – wisdom, intelligence
Grey – depressed, timid

There we go, completely Rae/BB. Fun times and good memories.