Windows

"The eyes are the windows to the soul, Raven!"

That's what he always said and, to her eternal consternation, he always seemed to be right. No matter how high she built up the wall around her heart, no matter how rigid she kept her expression, one look in her eyes and it was all in vain. Eyes are windows to the soul...

Raven never usually bothers looking - she is an empath after all, able to see their emotions around them instead of relying on looking into their eyes. Still, one day, she tries it, wondering if there's more to see.

Cyborg's aura is always warm with amusement or protective fury, never truly cooling down as his impressively inventive mind works away even when he relaxes. Raven enjoys the change in his aura when his friends are around, growing brighter in their company. When she makes herself known and makes a point of watching his eyes, it becomes that little bit harder to keep her face still. His eyes had lit up at the sight of her, just as his aura coloured with affection, and she senses an almost familial connection between them. She allows herself to repay his enthusiastic grin with a tiny smile as she revels in it. Cyborg loves her.

Starfire's eyes are unsurprisingly expressive, given the vivid aura she constantly projects around herself, always fluctuating and flaring as she wears her heart on her sleeve. Starfire's default setting seems to be sheer delight and she sees it in almost everything from the friends she lives with to the food she eats. Joy is to be found in everything, according to Starfire, and Raven sometimes wishes she could do the same. When Raven agrees to a fairly ordinary shopping trip, Starfire's aura explodes into molten ecstasy, just as it always does. Raven watches her eyes and sees a nuance she had missed before, a deep-seated need for assurance and comfort. Starfire has suffered in her life and seeks her friends to buoy her spirits, to raise her from her sad memories, and her friends are happy to oblige. Raven sees the great value Starfire places on their time together and is humbled. Starfire loves her.

Robin's eyes are almost always concealed, a secret he knows to hide away. He is almost as adept as she is at controlling his expressions and body language, but even he can't conceal his aura. It is always sharp-edged, his very essence a blade to fight evil and shield the good. He is a hero. On a rare occasion, they are relaxing and he lets his guard down enough to be Dick Grayson instead of Robin, the only one of them to truly experience such duality. Even then, his eyes are wary, his body conditioned to monitor his surroundings. His aura settles into something softer and more nurturing with his friends - Robin is a blade. Dick Grayson is a friend. Raven sees in his eyes that he trusts them all completely... and that he is still slightly surprised by that. When Raven sees that someone who is trained to suspect everyone, who knows of her past and heritage, can call her an ally, a comrade, she is steeled and strengthened by his faith in her. Robin loves her.

Beast Boy's eyes are the hardest and easiest to engage. Easy because he is happy to let her look at him for as long as she likes. Hard because he looks back... and sees her. His aura's brightness is second only to Starfire, and arguably flourishes in even harsher conditions, even more cruel memories. It shines in almost surprised joy when he is reminded of his value to his friends, his conditioned response to assume foul play or deception. But that is only his first thought, every following thought trusting them and enjoying them wholeheartedly, and every day that first voice gets quieter. When Beast Boy looks at her, his aura swells with affection, his natural curiosity always piqued by the sorceress, so different from him in seemingly every way. Their common ground is betrayal, both of them feeling it in their lives and their hearts, and gives them a link that doesn't tarnish. His eyes are telling in that they don't remain fixed on hers, they wander, they take in all of her, both in appreciation and a nervous desire to make sure she's alright. Raven blushes unwillingly as his eyes drink in her shape, her form. Beast Boy loves her... and he loves her.

Their friendship is there, tumultuous but strong. Their fellowship is there, forged in strife and battle. Their conflict is there, a reminder of their differences but not necessarily a detriment to their relationship. Over all of it, he sees her in a way the others don't. They all see her as a friend, a comrade, a sister. When he looks, he sees Raven his friend, Raven his comrade... He sees Raven, the woman he loves and his eyes shine when he looks at her, only growing brighter when she looks back. They look into each others' eyes and know they are in love.

When Beast Boy watches Raven's eyes, he sees what she is forced to hide. Every laugh or sob or smile or shudder, all of it is ruthlessly contained, and so he seeks her eyes. From them he learns something beautiful. Raven loves them.

He remembers the first time he looked in her eyes and saw his own reflected in them, the first time he saw she was in love. He had kissed her then, almost weeping when she kissed him back. She had asked him how he had known and he had answered as best he could:

"The eyes are the windows to the soul, Raven!"

Well, this came out of nowhere. I just had this idea of Raven liking the way BB looked at her and this happened. I think I like it, a different tone for me. Hope you like!

-Jack