A Christmas Beer-acle

Merry Christmas ssjeasterbunny! This might be terrible.

Christmas spirit was in full bloom in Jump City. Lights shone, Santas ho-ho-hoed, choirs sang and there was a lot of shopping. One place in the city, however, boasted even more festivity - the Tower. Cyborg had arranged for some of the defence turrets to fire harmless laser displays into the sky, much to the appreciation of the attending guests. Yes, guests. To the Teen Titans spectacular Christmas party. This year in particular boasted an expansive guest list. Many of the other Titans remained at home in their own Towers or with their families, but there were still a few to join the original five. Apart from that, several families and bigwigs from the city were there to thank them for their donations to the Titan fund and to various good causes sponsored by the heroes. There were several representatives of said good causes in attendance in thanks for their work. There were also some civilians invited only for their company, like Sarah Simms. All in all, the Tower was full - the party wasn't even all on one floor! There was a bar upstairs for the older guests that served alcohol. In the main room was a non-alcoholic bar and a rather massive buffet. Even Beast Boy couldn't complain - there were plenty of quality vegetarian delectables for him to try. No, there was only one person who felt a need to complain, though no-one would listen: Raven. She sat at the bar, sipping a glass of water and had spent a frustratingly large portion of her time rejecting the advances of several rich boys who had arrived with their parents. That isn't to say they were all rude (though one or two took too long to get the hint), just... unaccustomed to people saying no. She sighed as she sensed someone sitting next to her.

"Not interested," she said, tiredly. A familiar voice answered her.

"Oh. Guess I wasted my money," he laughed. Beast Boy. Raven looked up at last, unsure what he meant. She groaned when she saw his headgear: a baseball cap with a sprig of mistletoe stuck to the brim.

"Really? You spent money on that?" she asked. He shrugged.

"Jus' a coupla bucks," he muttered. Raven eyed him warily, leaning in close. She saw his eyes widen and dart between her and the mistletoe, rolled her eyes and batted at the cap, knocking it backward off his head. She leaned closer and watched his eyes. Then she could smell his breath and there was no doubt.

"You... you're drunk!" she gasped, faintly scandalised. Robin had been adamant that none of the Titans would drink illegally, even with the bar upstairs. Beast Boy nodded glumly.

"Aayyyyup. Someone spiked the punch. I was eatin' this veggie curry stuff - and it was super spicy, right? - so I started chuggin' the punch right outta the bowl! Cy got rid of it and Rob already knows it weren't... wasns't... wasn't my fault. Don't feel too bad, to be honest, Rae-Rae," he rambled. Raven's eye twitched.

"You can't be all there if you're not running after calling me 'Rae-Rae'", she reasoned. She let it go, just this once. Beast Boy leaned on the bar, his hand on his cheek interfering with his mouth and slurring his words even more. His eyes blinked lethargically.

"Srry Rrvnnnn..." he breathed. He shifted a little so he could speak properly, looking slightly distressed. "Hey... are you really not interested in me? Am I boring or somethin'?" he asked, a genuine aura of upset around him. Raven stifled a smile, shaking her head.

"No, Beast Boy. If there is one thing in this world that you are not, it's boring," she said, certainly. Beast Boy smiled broadly, his aura brightening with joy and laughter.

"I'm sure there was some snark in there somewhere but I'll take it," he chuckled. Raven turned away for a moment to hide a smile she couldn't prevent. When she turned back, he appeared to be swaying gently.

"Are you okay? I'm surprised Robin hasn't already confined you to your room," she said. Beast Boy grinned again, this time triumphantly.

"I convissed him there was no way he could keep me in there. Told him I'd escape an' I would too!" he proclaimed.

"Convinced," Raven corrected.

"Yup," Beast Boy agreed, happily. Raven sighed again. She took another sip of her water, keeping an eye on her inebriated friend.

"It occurs to me that you're the first one of us to ever get drunk," she said. "How does it feel?"

"Well it feels good to be first in anything, y'know? But don't worry, Rae, it's the taking part that counts," he answered, nodding sagely. Raven pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Not being first, Beast Boy... how does it feel to be intoxicated?" she asked again. Beast Boy pondered for a moment.

"Hmmm... well, being intonicated... intoxerated... intelocated... indenerated... in...in... in..."

"Drunk!" Raven supplied.

"Being drunk feels kinda wavy. Like the world's moving and I can't stick with it. I feel sorta open, too. Like I can talk to people and stuff. And I'm warm and sorta numb. Check this out!" He held his hand out, pointing his finger toward Raven. There was a small line of red on his fingertip. "I totally cut myself and I didn't even feel it!" he said, with inappropriate pride. Raven touched the blemish with her own finger and, with a blue spark, healed it.

"Then you should be more careful," Raven contended. Beast Boy nodded wearily.

"I guess. You never said why you're hiding over here anyway, Rae," he said. She shrugged.

"I'm not into parties. Robin wouldn't let me hide in my room so I picked a spot where I could sit down. I still ended up fending off some overly optimistic suitors, though. Can you believe I've been hit on a dozen times tonight?" she grumbled.

"Well sure!" Beast Boy said. "You're all pretty and awesome and stuff and things," he stated. Raven looked at him agog for a moment before her mind caught up with her.

"Stop it, Beast Boy. It's just the drink talking," she said. He nodded.

"Yeah, that makes sense. I normally just think it, not talk it... say it, I mean," he carried on, seemingly unaware - and blissfully so - of what he was doing: letting the green cat out of the bag. Before Raven could even think of anything more to say, Beast Boy started to tip over. She reached out and stopped him from falling.

"Beast Boy?" she said, worriedly. He looked up at her, blearily.

"I don't feel so good, Rae..." he mumbled. Raven slung his arm across her shoulder and started to guide him toward the door. "F'rgot m'hat..." he muttered. The cap floated into her waiting hand as they walked. Once through the door, Raven started heading to Beast Boy's bedroom.

"Come on, Beast Boy. I think that's it for you tonight," she said. He nodded.

"Hey, Rae? You were saying you weren't interested in, like, a couple kinda way, right? What with all those dudes sniffing around?" he asked.

"That's right, Beast Boy," she answered. She almost stumbled at the burst of dismay from the changeling.

"Are you really, totally, honestly not interested in me? At all?" he asked, shakily. Raven carried on walking, her mouth working silently. Even if he had help, he was being utterly honest right now. She owed him the same.

"I... I've thought about it," she admitted quietly. He gasped.

"Really?" he breathed. She nodded.

"Yes. When I started really working out my emotional limits, I thought about potential romance with all of you. Found out I'm not sexually attracted to women or, at least, not to Starfire, though I find her aesthetically pleasing at least. Robin is too close to me and I've been in his head: I couldn't even picture us together even if, like with Starfire, I can see why other people find him attractive. With Cyborg it would be weird - he treats me like a sister and I find I would like things to stay that way. When I pictured us as... well, us... it didn't seem so bad," she explained. Beast Boy remained silent. "I really hope this isn't just cause you're drunk..." she whispered.

"Nuh uh!" Beast Boy countered. "I was sober when I bought the hat and I was totally gonna try my luck with you!" he finished. Raven shook her head, wearing a small smile all the same.

"Charming..." she drawled. Finally, they reached Beast Boy's door. It took two attempts but he managed to input his code and let them in. Raven guided him toward his bed and sat him down. "I'll be right back." She left again, coming back minutes later with a glass of water. He accepted it gratefully and drank it all. She eyed him questioningly when he started to chuckle. He caught her look.

"Heh, sorry. Just kinda hoping I remember this in the morning," he said. Raven sat next to him, wearing an amused smirk.

"I'll remind you," she promised, getting a blush from the changeling. She looked down at her own hand. "Hmmm... what the heck," she muttered.

"What wuzzat, Rae? Hey!" he protested, feeling something on his head. He touched it with his hand. "My hat?" he wondered out loud. Raven had a finger to her lips and an artfully surprised expression on her face.

"Oh my, look at that. Mistletoe. Can't argue with tradition, can we?" she said. Not expecting an answer from the flummoxed Beast Boy, she slowly leaned in and kissed him gently. He looked back at her in utter amazement. Slowly, his open mouth morphed into an incandescent smile. Raven flicked the cap, knocking it off once again. Beast Boy, even in his current state, got the message: that was all he was getting tonight.

"Well... that was pretty awesome," he eventually managed. Raven reached out and flicked his nose.

"Go to sleep," she instructed. "Before you say anything more and change my mind," she joked. She stood, allowing him to lay down and struggle with his covers. Just before she left, she turned in the doorway, seeing he was still watching her dreamily. She hesitated for a few moments and then spoke: "Merry Christmas, Beast Boy. Garfield." His smile grew even wider. She turned and exited his room, managing not to laugh as she heard him cry out.

"A drunk Christmas miracle... A CHRISTMAS BEER-ACLE!"

"Idiot," she muttered with a new warmth to the word. She wondered a little at her behaviour. It was true she liked the boy, but she was rarely so free with her feelings. Perhaps his own admission had drawn it out of her. Perhaps her empathic abilities had inadvertentlyleached his intoxication, lowering her inhibitions. Perhaps... she would worry about it tomorrow.

And there it is, yet another little ball of meaningless fluff with a frisson of Christmastime about it. This was written as part of the Teen Titans Secret Santa, go and check out the tag on tumblr!

-Jack