The Titans annual get together party was in full swing. Every year Robin would organize it and invite Titans East and all the honorary Titans as well, whose number kept growing every year. Cyborg prepared all the food and as usual had outdone the previous year's effort.

Robin surveyed the scene and felt pleased with himself. Kole and Jericho, who were the current "in" couple, were chatting away. Well, Kole was chatting as Joey was signing. Robin smiled, patting himself on the back for having introduced them earlier that year. At first Gnarrk was the overprotective foster brother, but Jericho soon won him over. Robin continued to survey the party, making sure that everything was going smoothly, and so it seemed; there was plenty of food, plenty of non alcoholic drinks and music was great. He nodded his satisfaction, until he noticed something, something that was missing.

Beast Boy was headed to the buffet table to get seconds when Robin intercepted him, grabbing him by the upper arm.

"Beast Boy, have you seen Raven anywhere?"

The green Titan shrugged. "Can't say that I have."

"Would you mind checking in on her? She usually comes to the party, even if just for a little while."

"Maybe she doesn't wanna come. I mean, she isn't really good with people. Do I really have to go check on her?"

Robin frowned. "Don't ever let me hear you say that again, or her for that matter. And yes, I want you to go check on her."

"Fine, I'll go see if she's OK. She's probably just meditating and'll just say that parties are pointless or something."

"Thanks, and be nice to her, OK?"

"Hey, I'm always nice to her. She's the one who ..."

"Beast Boy, just go."

The changeling gave his leader a mock salute and dashed out of the common room.

"Dude, I was gonna go flirt with Argent, by the time I get back, Speedy's gonna be all over her." he grumbled in a low voice.

He made his way to the habitat level on the Tower, running up the stairs. Before he knew it he was standing in front of the door that had "Raven" stenciled on it. Before knocking, he sniffed the air. He had never told anyone that he liked the way Raven smelled. Of course there was no point, the others would think that he was referring to the lavender perfume she wore, which he agreed was rather easy on the nose. But that's not what he meant, he liked Raven's natural scent.

Every one of his teammates had their own unique scent. Robin and Cyborg, while each being unique, were easily identified as humans males, even though the Tin Man also reeked of silicone lubricant. Starfire, she had a weird scent, which was understandable as she was an alien. Personally, he didn't care for it and figured that either Robin couldn't smell it or he loved her so much that he didn't care that she had a faint aroma of rotten eggs. Aliens.

If pressed to describe Raven's scent, he would have said that it was primal, and it had an effect on him, an effect he worked hard to suppress, as he knew she didn't like him, not that way anyway. It was best to keep her at an arm's length, lest her pheromones do a number on him and really get him into trouble. He continued to sniff the air he could tell that something was off. He nodded to himself as the pieces of the puzzle came together.

Of course, it's a full moon. Now we know why she didn't come to the party.

He was about to turn around when her door cracked open, revealing nothing but shadows in her room.

"Beast Boy?"

He quickly turned around"Hey, Rave. Rob sent me to check on you, to see why you aren't at the party. You're not feeling good, are you?"

"No, I'm not. Thanks for coming to check in on me."

"No problem, I'll tell Rob you're not feeling well."

He turned to walk away, but stopped. "Hey, I can bring you something to eat. Chrome Dome made some pulled pork in barbecue sauce, or I could bring you some tofu?"

"I'm not hungry, but thanks."

He nodded. "OK then, I'll let you be."

As he walked away she called out to him.

"Beast Boy, would you stay with me for a while?"

He hid his surprise at the question the best he could as he slowly turned around.

"Uh … sure. No problem."

Her door slid wide open and she stepped back into her room, which was dark and permeated with shadows. He cautiously walked in and his nose put to bed any doubt that it was indeed that time. It was demon time, which happened every full moon. And when her demon side asserted itself, her scent changed, big time. She was standing in the shadows and he noticed her four glowing red eyes.

"Please, Gar; sit down with me." She gestured towards a small couch in her room. He sat down with her and did his best to not look at her.

"It's too bad you're not feeling well. This year's party is really good."

He heard her sigh.

"I never asked to be like this."

He turned to look at her. "What do you mean?"

Raven lowered her hood and he gasped when he saw her face. Even in the dimly lit room he could tell that she was completely red with white hair, and she had small horns, not unlike her father's antlers, growing out of her head. He gulped before speaking.

"Uh, I didn't know that this happens to you. I mean, I kinda knew you get cranky and demony during a full moon, but ..."

"It does happen, I can usually keep it under control with meditation, or at least not let it manifest itself like this. It's … never been this bad before. I don't know what to do, I can't suppress it this time."

"You mean that before if you meditated you could stop it?"

She nodded. "I could before. When it's a full moon, this wants to happen, every time. And I don't have to tell you that this time it's really bad. I know you can smell my demon stench. I must be disgusting, I'm so sorry."

"No, it's OK. It's not really that bad … I mean, I kinda like it." His voice trailed off.

"It must be an assault on your nose. Especially yours, since it's so sensitive."

"Don't apologize, it's just your nature doing its thing."

"Stinking up the bathroom is also nature doing its thing. There's a reason we keep a can of air deodorant aerosol in every bathroom."

He guffawed. "Dude, the other day Cy totally dropped a load. I could smell it for days. Not even the spray could cover it up." He then changed to a more serious tone. "Rave, there's nothing wrong with you, really."

"Gar, my hair is white and my skin is red. With a little meditation I could usually get it under control … but it's been hours now and I can't shake it off … I can't go out there like this … like the monster I really am."

"You're not a monster." He said as he wrapped his arm around her. "You're my friend, our friend; and we all love you, just the way you are. I know I do." He then kissed her tenderly on her cheek. She looked surprised at first but then gently hugged him.

"You're crazy, do you know that?" She droned in her deadpan.

"Tell me something I don't know." He said as he released her. He smiled happily, as he gestured at her mirror. She looked and saw a violet haired gray girl staring back at her. A sigh of relief escaped her lips.

"I suppose that's as close to normal as I'll get tonight. Thank you, Garfield." She leaned forward and kissed him very tenderly on the lips. He took her hand and squeezed it as he smiled back at her

"So, shall we join the party?"

'"Sure, but could I ask you a favor?"

"Sure, Rave; anything you want."

"Will you be my official date tonight?"

"You bet … and Raven, you might never have asked to be like this, but I'm glad you are. I wouldn't want you to be any other way."

The left her room together, her arm around his waist and his around her shoulder.

The End