For every overused plot or topic I think of for BBRae, I will be writing my own short story based on it. Here's hoping it doesn't suck!

Title: Red Berries
Rating: T
Characters: Raven, Beast Boy, Cyborg
Overusedness: Mistletoe
Notes: Why do the people around me insist on putting holly up? Am… am I alone in this world of lost berry-people? Anyways, I thought I'd get this started with a little holiday themed story. As only one of my friends are Jewish, it's going to be Christmas. Sorry. I also apologize for getting this up… four days after Christmas.

When Raven walked out of her room that morning, she was not expecting to be spitting out leaves of some sort. When they were finally out of her face, she looked up to see a sprig of leaves and berries tied to a sting. The string was then taped to the ceiling just outside her door, apparently a little too low. She closed her eyes and groaned.

So far each year, they'd managed to avoid any contact with mistletoe ideas. Several reasons, really, that Raven never failed to bring up previously. First off, the team was always at a point in which they weren't quite comfortable enough with each other to go so far as mistletoe. Lately, though, they've been closer than ever and so that was out. After that, Raven usually brought up that with her unpredictable powers, any stress like that could be hazardous. She was stable now, though. That's out the window as well, then.

Third reason she would mention was that they were always too busy to bother with it. But, they hadn't had much activity as of late. Last, she'd make mention of other activities. Why bother putting it up if there were more community-giving jobs elsewhere? She remembered looking out the window last night, though, and seeing the makings of a blizzard.

Apparently Beast Boy decided to make the most out of his morning. She reached out and took hold of the offending plant and ripped it down, reaching back in her room to throw it out. She steeled herself and set out towards the common room. Every five feet it seemed was a bundle of leaves and berries just above her head.

When the doors slid open, she was met with an odd, almost eerie silence. Everybody was watching her, trying but failing to be discreet about it. After all of these years together, they still weren't quite sure how she would react to certain things. When she cleared her throat and took a calm step into the room, the other four went about their merry business. Star went back to grooming Silkie while the three boys started an avid conversation.

After her tea was prepared and she was settled firmly on the couch between Starfire and the boys, as they had been so kind as to take the ends, she started in on her novel. It was around chapter three when she realized it was quiet again. She looked up to find the only person in the room to be Cyborg. He was staring at her wide-eyed, perched on the edge of the couch and leaning forward. She blinked, staring back at him for a bit before she slowly closed her book and set it down. "Yes…?" she ventured.

"How are ya, Rae?"

Her brows furrowed. "Fine, and you?"

"Oh, you know. Same ol' same ol'."

Her expression of incredulity didn't waver as she licked her lips. "Where did everybody go?"

"Robin and Starfire went off to enjoy the wonders of mistletoe, I guess," he supplied.

"And Beast Boy?"

He shifted uncomfortably. "That's a good question."

"A very good question," she egged.

"He's, uh… preparing for tomorrow. Y'know, Christmas and all."

"Cyborg, tomorrow is Christmas Eve."

He shrugged. "Always early to get around, right? He just loves the holidays and all."

She nodded slowly. "Alright, I think I'll be headed back to my room." She stood and started to head towards the door to the hall.

He jumped up and in front of her. "Are you sure you want to be going up, Rae?"

Her brow rose. "Yes, quite positive."

"I uh, I can't let you be going… to your room."

"Cyborg…" she warned. When she moved to go past him, his arms shot out and she was struggling against him.

Five minutes later Raven was standing outside her room and leaving behind a burnt-out Cyborg. She sensed movement inside, and prepared herself for the worst. She used her powers to throw open the door and a black aurora simmered like fire on her fists. She was met with a rather unmanly shriek and the dull thud of a bucket being dropped. The black immediately disappeared and her stance deflated.

"What on earth are you doing in here, Beast Boy?"

He turned around, seated on the ground where he fell, to give her a guilty look. "Uh… decorating?"

"I can see," she grimaced as she took a look around. Leaves with red berries were strung from every available spot around her room, and a tub of even more sprigs lay forgotten on the ground. "But I repeat, what are you doing in here?"

He stood up and walked over to her as to talk to her better, and she stepped in a little to meet him. "Every year you look so angry during Christmas, and I just wanted to make it a little more exciting for you this year." He shrugged. "A little more Christmassy."

She rolled her eyes. "Mission accomplished. I'm assuming you were meant to get out before I got here?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I'm not even gonna ask what happened to Cy."

"Good," she commented. "Now, why haven't you left yet?"

Beast Boy smiled slyly and took a half step closer, pointing a finger upwards.

She normally wouldn't have bothered to look up, but she took a deep, sighing breath and allowed a fleeting glance upwards. When she returned her gaze to him, he was even closer yet and grinning wolfishly. "I believe the tradition goes… where kisses come from mistletoe."

She rolled her eyes at the lame attempt at a rhyme but spared him a small bit of amusement. Her lips curved upwards and she moved to only a breath away, nose resting right beside his. "I'm sure it does… but poor deluded Beast Boy. Mistletoe has white berries."

She rested a light, almost non-existent kiss on his cheek and pushed away. "Alright. Out, I need to clean this stuff up." She shoved him out the door and slammed it shut.

He stood in the hallway, where he just managed to keep himself from falling. His expression was one of intense perplexity, but after a while of just standing there did he grin smugly. "Heh," he mumbled to himself. "Time to paint all the berries white then."

And then just imagine his next attempt backfiring when she explains the leaves are different as well. There's always next year, BB! 3