"So, he got away?" Beast Boy's murmur was soon accompanied with a hiss as he felt a stinging pain as a rugged fabric pressed against one of the many scars that ran over his back. "Yes, now stay still." Raven grunted, her stern voice commanding the changeling to hold himself still as best he could, biting his lower lip as the disinfecting wipe was once again pressed against one of his scars. It wasn't long since Garfield had regained consciousness, and finding himself awake in the Tower with the sun still shining bright and with it looking like it was going to stay up for a good while longer, he couldn't have been out of it that long. The nasty gash on his arm was wrapped up tightly, and he already had a band-aid on his chin and many bandages running over his thighs.

"And Star?" He couldn't help but ask, to which he earned a scoff from the empath. "She's fine, a bit dazed, but her alien biology already has her at almost 100%." There was a bit of an edge to Raven's voice, then again, when wasn't there when she addressed him? Still, it was a bit weird to hear, and once the half-demon finished wrapping up bandages over his torso to shield his wounds, he turned around to face her.

"What's wrong? We'll get Doctor Light, don't worry about it. He just got lucky we're a bit rusty on fighting his kind." Beast Boy tried to ensure the quiet empath, "Did he say something to you? I know he can-" Raven however quickly cut him off with a quick huff, hovering away from the hospital bed he was sitting at, returning the box of bandages to a nearby drawer. "Try not to exert much energy, Cyborg says you should be fine to walk around the Tower, but no training and no Stankball until he gives you the clear." She told him, hovering out of the medical bay before Gar could even say anything in response.

Just letting out a snort, the Titan slowly stood up, cracking his back and neck and getting the blood flowing back into his legs. Weirdo. He quietly thought to himself, but then almost immediately regretted that thought. He wasn't LYING when he thought of her as someone weird, but really, who was he to think that? He was green with pointed ears for Pete's sake! Not to mention how it seemed thoughts like those just made her want to isolate herself more, and even encouraged her to fall into the trap of Malchoir's. Still, her behavior did seem more dismissive than usual, usually she had some sort of backhanded jeer she'd throw at him, but nothing.

But he wasn't to try and figure Raven out, that would probably take him until he was old and fragile, and even then, that's generous. Ignoring the nagging pain in his legs and walking out of the medical room, he was greeted with the sight of Arsenal holding a frozen bag of peas to his head and a perplexed look on his face. Looking over towards where his masked eyes were, Beast Boy could just make out the cloak of Raven's disappearing into the hallway.

"She always like that when you guys get your butts whooped?" He said in half amusement, half surprise, lowering his perked brows and looking over towards Garfield. "Like.. what?" Beast Boy asked in response, being at least somewhat grateful she wasn't only being weird towards him. "And what exactly do you mean by 'you guys'? You're apart of this team now too, you know."

"Hey, I know that, he hit me pretty hard, won't deny that. And I also know that Raven can be, to put it lightly, grumpy, but I just asked how you were looking and she gave me a huff and a glare. Thought maybe you weren't doing so hot, but you seem fine... enough." Roy explained, ending his statement with a small chuckle and flicking the shorter Titan's forehead.

Grunting, Beast Boy retaliated with a hard point to the archer's cheek, who just snorted in amusement. "I think Cyborg wanted to talk to you once you got up, so I wouldn't keep the big fella waiting." With that, Arsenal walked off, doing a casual flip of his bag of peas before pressing it back against the side of his head. Show off.

"Holding up, Salad-head?" Cyborg's deep voice teased Beast Boy as he entered the main room, seeing the cybernetic leader use one of his finger blowtorch attachments to work on fixing his shoulder, which had a few flying sparks come into view.

"Doing better than ever, Mr. Stone! Will be sure to file in my health report to your office once my hours are cleared up!" The changeling returned the teasing tone, making sure to end his statement with a bow of his head, though an aching pain in his back made him stop. "Just.. ow, wish that we had a different No.5 on the team. Seems like we replaced a Dick with another dick."

A snort came from Victor's nostrils, and slapping the hatch back down onto his robotic shoulder, he walked up to his shorter friend. "You don't like Roy?" He questioned, which earned a grunt in return. "He can be... annoying." Garfield explained, to which Cyborg let out a small burst of laughter.

"Pot calling the kettle black there, grass stain. It's going to take some getting use to having someone like him in the Tower over Robin, but I figured his skillset and experience would fit for the best in this team." He explained to Gar, who just let out a huff and nodded his head.

"Now, you know you doing good? I wouldn't want my second-in-command to be out of action, especially if Doctor Light is actually competent now."

A shudder ran over Beast Boy when he heard that line, and for a second it caught him off-guard.

Once Cyborg became the leader of the Teen Titans, a few days after Robin's, or now Nightwing's, departure, he decided to name HIM of all people as his second-in-command! Not the stronger Starfire, not the smarter Raven, not even the more skilled Arsenal, but him, Beast Boy! His leadership of the Temporary Titans and the raid on the lair of the Brotherhood of Evil that eventually led to their demise was the main selling point for Victor, but he also sited the fact that Beast Boy was also the most experienced hero out of the group now and that he would be more comfortable having a fellow 'bro' as his No.2.

"I'm doing alright, not really anymore cut up or beat up than I usually am after fighting actual villains." Gar soft-lied, knowing that his injuries were more than just a few bruises and cuts. After all, he fell through a building! Usually he just gets knocked into walls or other Titans, though that second part was technically also what happened. "Really... I'm more concerned over Star. She's the one who absorbed most of the fall."

Beast Boy wasn't sure exactly why he was so concerned for Kori, she was the most durable of them all and even Raven said she was doing well. A fall like that would hurt him a lot more than it would her, plus he even fell unconscious before he could even see her state in the rubble. For all he knew, she could've gotten up and walked it all off.

"She's good, I think she's in the training room actually. Though BB.." Cyborg made sure to stop the changeling before he could go running over, a large metallic hand on his chest. ".. she is still very emotional, so... don't take anything she says too seriously."

The sound of a war cry, followed by the bending and breaking of steel was what first greeted Breast Boy as he entered the mini gym, giving him a quick jump-scare before he hurried down the stairs and onto the smooth wooden floor where he found the Tamaranean looking down at one of the punching bags, which had been torn off of its hinge on the roof.

"Uh, Star, you know Cyborg hates having to keep hang these up." Garfield greeted with an awkward chuckle, scratching the back of his neck anxiously as his teammate turned to him and those wide eyes... were just as pretty as before. Maybe even moreso now that his vision wasn't-

"Garfield!" And before he could finish his thought, Beast Boy had found himself in a bearhug, feeling his taped-up wounds scream out in pain as the ever so strong alien crushed down on them with her deceptively powerful arms. Such a contrast to her more... sensual embrace just hours before.

Quickly tapping out in order to save himself from anymore injuries, the changeling gasped for breath once the death hold was released and wiped some sweat off of his neck and cheek that was imprinted on him by his friend. "Gosh, how long have you been in here?" He questioned, tugging on his top to empathize just how much sweat now soaked him.

"Oh, apologizes! I have been very upset since our unfortunate defeat, especially since you were the one most hurt in it." Starfire explained, a few pants mixed in and with her feet casually lifting from the ground. She just couldn't stay still and was swaying from side to side while floating ever so slightly. Does she even know she's doing that...? "Hurt because of me and my inability to defeat the Doctor Light!"

"I wished to have stayed with you until you were awake again, I was so worried for you, but Raven did the insisting that I keep my brain busy with strenuous activity! And so I thought to do training here so that I may protect you and not let you get hurt like that again!" She just kept going on and on, and Beast Boy felt the need to quickly break up her monologue with a cough. Exercise does make you hyper..

Unsure of just how to respond to all that, let alone process it all since her speech was just so quick, but the one thing that stood out to him was her training to protect him. Garfield knew he had flaws, headstrong and egotistical, he's always been like that, in combat and just around the Tower. And it led to him getting hurt, but he always got back up, ready for more. He didn't NEED protecting! "Star, I'm flattered, but you.. you don't need to do all of this for me. Protect yourself, you don't need to worry about me." He spoke in a slightly nervous tone, suddenly understanding just what Cyborg meant when he said she was emotional.

"But I do! You are... excuse me, not quite the most intelligent. You do so many of the risks that just lead you to be harmed, even putting yourself in the path of harm to protect me!" She said, hunching over Beast Boy like a stern mother talking down to her child, shadow casting over the worried friend. "I-" "Kori!" He interrupted once more, placing both of his hands on her shoulders and gripping down tight, giving her a hard stare.

Silence overcame the room, with Gar holding his eyes to look at Star's, to which he could see her pupils move around in various directions, many thoughts clearly running throughout her head, before eventually, they grew clouded. For the second time, the changeling felt the Tamaranean's embrace.

But this time, it was soft... vulnerable. Usually Starfire dominated all the hugs she commenced, but now, it was like she was giving herself up, using her friend's body to hold herself up. Her face was buried in his shoulder, letting out muffled sobs, her arms were wrapped delicately around his waist instead of crushing his arms and ribs, and her legs wobbled as they bent down to meet the green teen's height.

Not even caring this time for her sweat to soak his clothes, he placed a single hand on the back of her head, softly stroking up and down, letting his fingers brush through her long, flowing auburn-colored hair while the other pressed against her back. "I am being the silly, aren't I?" She managed to mutter in between her hurried breaths, her tears staining the sleeve of his shirt as she continued to cry.

Opening his mouth to make some sort of joke about her 'always being silly', Beast Boy quickly had a mind to shut his mouth back up, not wanting to hurt Kori anymore than she already was. "It's ok, Goldie. Things are... weird right now, they'll get better soon, trust me." He cooed into her ear, the smell of her sweat on her neck almost... tempting. Though maybe that was because he was comparing it to the smell of his own which smelt like wet dog.

"I just do not wish to lose you.. or anyone else."

Her next words however made Beast Boy's heart crack, and tugging Starfire from his shoulder, the changeling looked deep into the alien's eyes, his chest only straining more seeing her pupils wobble in grief and the edges of her eyes were already going bloodshot. For someone he was use to being so happy, so cheerful, with little to nothing that could bring her down, it was truly heartbreaking to see her like this now. How he wished to make her feel better, to get her back to her old self in some way...

"Oh Starfire, I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying right here and being a Titan for life, along with you, Rae, Vic, Roy, or anyone else that joins. And.. I did get a bit banged up, I'll admit, but... you aren't losing me." Gar stated firmly, using a thumb to wipe away some of the tears that were staining Kori's flushed cheeks as a small smirk pointed one half of his face upward. "Especially not to some power generator in Doctor Light!"

A bit of a giggle escaped the Tamaranean's lips at his last line, blinking a few times and lifting her hands up to wipe away what remained of her tears and to fix her hair before looking at Beast Boy with a sad smile. "Thank you, Garfield." Her voice still held sorrow, but he could recognize that cheerful gleam in her eyes beginning to return, along with something a bit more.

"... Goldie?"

That next question threw him off, and he just found himself laughing a bit. "Because of your skin... I don't know, I just thought of it." He explained, and it seemed that his positive energy was infectious, and Starfire joined him in a small burst of laughter. "Ok, Spinach-Face." She then retorted with a giggle, causing Garfield to flush and stiffen up at the half-hearted insult while he thought up a comeback.

"Spinach's not bad, Pop-Eye got his strength from it." "Pop-Eye is a cartoon, is he not?" "I've heard he's based off a true story though."

Resuming to go back-and-forth, Beast Boy found himself having the most fun ever since Robin's departure, and looking at the way Koriand'r joined him in laughs and jokes while they decided to go ahead and fix the punching bag that she broke, he hadn't seen her so happy since then either.

The glow of her eyes, the shine of her teeth with her smiles, her long orange hair, even the way her skin glistened in the light... she was absolutely gorgeous...

...and he may have just fallen in love.

A/U: There it is! Much faster than last time, huh? Thanks for reading, reviews are very appreciated, let me know what you thought and what you'd like to see next! The main villains of the story should be introduced next chapter, along with the relationships(and tension) in the Titans Tower continues to grow!