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Disclaimers apply readily.

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November Calendar Girl

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November……the time when autumn fully rears its red, yellow, and orange head into the year, making the world a rather colorful wonder. The leaves were falling slowly all around, making the word: ephemeral, very vivid in the minds of the people that were jovially playing the park. It was right to cherish the moments of the year when appropriate.

And as it were, the Titans had apparently taken to themselves to enjoy the oddly nice weather as well. There was some sun amongst the cool breezes, making it a great day for a picnic. Everyone was out in casual clothing, for once, and all of them were having some form of fun, all except Raven, of course.

As expected, she sat on the now arid, but strangely comfortable, bed of what was once rich green grass, and was reading a book, while also watching her friends play around as well as the leaves descend to the ground around her.

Ephemeral, indeed. She glanced at the tree and the leaves.

The leaves showed her that nothing lasted…that everything has a cycle, and one day, the Titans would also disband, for whatever reason possible. But it also showed her that the world had infinite possibilities after they're gone. New villains will rise, and new heroes will face the challenge.

The only person who shared concerns similar to hers was Robin, but he was too busy having fun playing tag in the massive pile of leaves with Starfire to even give a rat's ass.

The boy seemed to have become more……relaxed, dare she say? Whatever demons and nightmares still resided in him, he was doing his best to put them away, and confiding in his friends.

Namely Starfire, of course.

Starfire was as usual: perky, cheerful, full of the most positive aspects of human emotions. In the beginning, Raven would have found that annoying, naïve, and very idealistic. But……perhaps she was an idealist herself. It was the reason she sought Robin to create the Teen Titans, in the first place, after all, to combat an evil that lies dormant within her, no?

In any case, the two were wearing wool jackets and scarves, throwing leaves at each other and the likes. She envied that kind relationship, she doesn't deny that. It's something she could never truly have, perhaps.

Cyborg was making some kind of BBQ, using the leaves as a fuel source, cooking the various meats that were on his huge grill. He was also wearing a huge leather jacket and a blue scarf, though it was most likely that he doesn't need it for warmth.

Beast Boy was playing around as well, no surprise there. He was morphing into various animals, playing with the many children that had gathered in the park with their families. Like the rest of the Titans, he adored a scarf and a jacket, which disappeared and reappeared whenever he morphed.

I really don't understand that ability of his. How can he just make the clothes disappear like that?

Raven herself was actually also wearing a scarf, courtesy of Beast Boy, who swore he wouldn't stop pestering her until she wore it. He had taken up knitting lately, due to a strong influence from Starfire, who was basically the paragon of the perfect girlfriend and housewife, if Raven ever saw one.

Yep, all the scarves were made by Starfire and Beast Boy, specially arranged in colors. Robin's was red. Starfire's was pink. Cyborg's was blue. Beast Boy's was purple. And hers……was white.

She didn't really understand why hers was white, actually, and Beast Boy feigned ignorance and ran off when she asked him. It had slightly been like this ever since the encounter with the magical book in her room that contained the evil dragon and Beast Boy's beast within. They had a slight difficulty communicating with each other, for whatever reason.

Then again, not like I care that much.

Raven returned to her book, a novel titled To Kill a Mockingbird. It really was a good book, containing all the elements of great literature. The adjectives and descriptions were vivid and interesting, but for some reason, Raven just couldn't focus her attention on reading.

She glanced back into the park, where Robin just got tackled by Starfire into the leaves, and both of them were laughing. They then dumped a bunch of leaves on Cyborg, who roared and chased after them.

She held the book to her.

In all seriousness, she didn't want to play with her friends in such a manner. She had been alone for so long, that she couldn't bring herself to be childish, even in the slightest bit. But……she did want to be part of the group's fun, just………in a way more suited for her.

She was rather deep in thought, that she didn't see Beast Boy approach her.

"Hey, Raven! C'mon! Let's go make some leaf angels! It's fun, trust me!" He proposed, while flapping some leaves off his green hair.

"Sorry, but I like to stay clean. And only dogs like to rub against dirty leaves." She responded. "Now, go have your insipid fun yourself, I'm reading."

Beast Boy scoffed. "Reading? You were holding that book for over ten minutes, Rae, you were zoning out like a chipmunk on crack! C'mon, just come and play."

Raven just ignored him, pretending to read.

After a few moments, Beast Boy sighed and ran off.

Lowering her book, Raven watched the changeling leave.

"………I don't see any reason to partake in something I can never really be a part of……"

But she didn't want to read anymore, either. Sighing, she held the book to her again, and actually lied down on the arid, yellow grass. The breeze and the sun really were a nice combination. The sun made for a warm blanket in the cool air that surrounded her, and her lack of enthusiasm quickly became a drowsy feeling. No……it wasn't the sun that was warm……it was the scarf.

Slowly, her eyelids dropped, sleep overtaking her gently. Oddly enough, the falling leaves made for a rather rhythmic lullaby before the half-demon girl finally slumbered on the November world.

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"Check this out! Tackle of the Sasquatch!!!" Beast Boy cried, changing into said sasquatch and rammed straight into the Boy Wonder.

"Arrgghh!!!" Robin shouted, and using the contact with green teen, he flipped him into the tree instead.

Beast Boy changed back and moaned. "Whoooooaaaaaa…..!! Who's got the number on that kung-fu maniac?"

Starfire and the children cheered as Robin grinned.

"Sorry, Beast Boy, but popularity makes the better man, sometimes." The Boy Wonder declared, folding his arms in triumph.

Cyborg smirked. "Hey, that's an insult to the kids. I don't think they appreciate weird little dudes who wear colorful tights." He said, as he began folding and packing the grill and various bags.

Robin growled and glared at the now mirthful android, before he was spontaneously hugged from behind.

"Ohhhhh…no worries, dear boy of wonder, I think you are absolutely adorable!!" Starfire declared, making the Boy Wonder glow red.

As soon as the Tamaranian girl did so, all the other children who were watching joined in, and created a massive group hug, well, more like prowling ceremony, crushing Robin.

"Ha! Serves ya right!" Beast Boy yelled. He looked around, suddenly felt like searching for the gothic teammate.

He was surprised when he found her asleep, peacefully on the grass, holding the book she claimed she was reading.

……………!!??

When he saw her, he was immediately reminded of his abhorred transformation incident, when Raven was almost mortally wounded because of him. That was the first time he ever saw the girl in a sleeping state.

The teen walked towards the girl, and found himself staring when he saw how relaxed and peaceful her expression was. Her violet bangs swayed from the breeze and were covering small parts of her face; her eyelashes seemed more sensual than normal; her skin was pale, like usual, but there was a small of hue of red on her cheeks, as she warmed herself against the white scarf he gave her.

……I really can't see the half-demon in her……

"Hey! Beast Boy, we gotta go!!! Huh? Is Raven sleeping?" Robin asked as he walked over.

"Shhhhhhh….!!!" The changeling hushed him.

Robin raised an eyebrow, and spoke in a low tone. "Waaaaakkeeeee heeeeerrrrr uuuuuppppp……weeeeee gottaaaaa goooooo…"

You little prick…!

Starfire showed up behind Robin. "Friend Raven is in state of slumber!? Allow me to awaken her with a traditional Tamaranian folk song!"

Robin and Beast Boy were both frantically waving their hands to stop the girl from waking the goth up and destroy the world, luckily, Cyborg clamped a hand over the girl's mouth.

"I don't' really think Rae's gonna appreciate that kind of alarm clock, Star. Just shake her-"

"No!" Beast Boy shouted, causing everyone to stare at him.

The changeling chuckled nervously. "Hehehe, I mean, c'mon, look at her. She's never been this sedated since forever, it'll be shame if we woke her. You guys can go back to the tower, and I'll watch her until she wakes up, peachy?"

Everyone gave him suspicious stares.

"……what?"

Robin frowned. "The idea is fine, since we still need to prepare the tower for Thanks Giving, but I don't know if I can trust you to watch Raven."

Beast Boy furrowed his eyebrows. "What!? Why not!?"

Starfire floated closer. "There are possibilities of your prankish nature to incite you to draw the scribbles on Raven's face."

"Or stuff leaves in her hood." Cyborg added.

"Maybe hide her book?"

"Put her on the tree and watch her fall when she wakes up."

"Tie her shoelaces together?"

"Friend Raven possesses no strings of the footwear!"

"Then he might knot her cloak or something!"

"Beast Boy, you're such a jerk."

Beast Bot fumed. "Dude!!!!!!! Just go already, I'll look after Raven, and we'll be back at the tower once she wakes up! And I won't make pranks on her!"

The other Titans all relented, and they were all soon gone, leaving the changeling alone with the sleeping half-demon.

Beast Boy sighed, and plopped on the yellow grass next to the girl.

"Hey, Raven."

Of course, there was no response.

"So……um…..so…. what's all hairy on the outside, and white and milky in the inside?"

Silence.

"A coconut!! Get it!? It almost sounded like a dirty joke, but it ain't!!" He snickered to himself. He stopped. He scratched his head.

"I'm pathetic, aren't I, Raven?" He gazed at her face, watching her breathe.

"…lately, I feel a little harder to talk to you. I mean, yeah, we have the occasional chit-chat, but it's just not……" He stared ahead of him.

He suddenly turned back to the girl. "You remember when we first met? You, Robin, and Cyborg came to help me out, then I joined the team, and then we met Star, and we got the team going and stuff?" He stared straight again.

"After that, I've been trying to make you smile and stuff, remember? Well, I still do that now, but I've always been trying, you know?" He buried his head between his knees.

"……because, even Robin cuts some time from his brooding routine. But you……you almost never smile……of course, we later found out it's because of your whacky split personality thingy and your powers."

"……I guess….I guess I just wanted to help you out, you know? Like you guys helped me. Of course, you never really smiled……You think you don't belong, but you do!! You belong with us, readily!"

He smirked and scratched his head. "Man, I am so laaaaame… talking to you when you're asleep. You can't even hear me. Then again, you might blow my head off if you were awake."

He leaned back, lifted his feet in the air, and grabbed them. He then began rocking back and forth, like a bored child, though he wasn't.

"…..I've been thinking lately, yeah, I know, I'm thinking, the world's coming to an end. Anyways, I've been thinking……what's going to happen to us in the future. I mean, I think everything's going to be fine, but there's always a chance something might happen, right? Or…we'll just grow up, and that's the end of the team!"

He rocked roughly forwards, and held still. Watching the leaves fall around him and Raven.

"……but that's still far off in the future, right? We……don't have to worry right now…" He looked at the girl again, and saw the white scarf he made for her.

"Hey, I think you should appreciate that thing. The guys' been making gabs at my masculinity for the knitting……yeah, I know, it's girlish. But I'm good at it, strangely enough…….oof." He landed on his back, still gazing the girl.

Beast Boy smirked a little. "Oh, yeah. You asked me why your scarf was white, since it's not like your favorite color and stuff…….but I think it is. Remember? When you were all happy because that fake wizard…… you were wearing white, and you were smiling. I was a little pissed 'cause someone beat me to it…and, I'm sorry he broke your heart."

The changeling sprawled on the ground. "I….I guess I made that thing to be white…'cause I wanted you to be happy, you know. Yeah, it's a stupid idea, you'll tell me once you wake up. But…"

He sat up again. "Can't you be…..that white girl, just once in awhile? A-and, maybe because of me?" He pointed. Raven mumbled something in her sleep, her eyes moved slightly, and she turned more towards the boy.

Silence.

More silence.

Just silence, as Beast Boy gazed at the serene expression of the girl he came to understand, and yet, at the same time, he didn't understand at all.

Suddenly, rays of the sunlight pierced through the holes of the foliages of the tree, and created an illumination of the leaves, grass, and the girl's features.

……more like half-angel……

"I'm gonna say this 'cause I know I won't be able to say it to your face: You're really picture-rific, you know? E-even if you deny it."

He crawled slightly closer, but not much, and grinned.

"You know, I really should take this picture, and make a calendar out of it. You'll probably beat the living kazoo out of me if I do, though, but I think it might be worth it……you almost never let your guard down……but when you do……I feel closer to you."

Raven's lips pursed as she breathed, making Beast Boy blush slightly.

"Heh…….calendar girl……I'll call you that later, of course, you won't know what it means…"

Feeling his spirits somehow lifted, Beast Boy relaxed immensely, and lied on the same arid grass ground, next to the girl wearing the white scarf, and admired the blue sky, where red, yellow, and orange leaves danced.

Soon, he fell under the same rhythm and spell Raven did.

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Beast Boy blinked. He blinked again. He bolted straight up.

"Ah, crap! I fell asleep! Raven!? Where am I!?" He looked around, and found himself back at the tower, lying on the sofa.

"You're awake." Someone stated.

Turning around, Beast Boy saw Raven, sipping a cup of herbal tea calmly in the corner of the kitchen.

"H-hey! Raven! How-"

"Don't ask." She stated firmly.

The changeling stopped immediately. A few moments passed. He chuckled sheepishly.

"Hehehe. Sorry, I was supposed to keep an eye on you, but I guess I feel asleep, huh? I'm so lame." He looked at the girl. She didn't respond.

He sighed, got off the couch, and began walking back to his room.

"Beast Boy."

He stopped again, and looked at the female Titan.

Placing the tea down, the girl walked over to the edge of the counter. "I know you just woke up……but, do you want to go on a walk with me?"

Pause.

Silence.

"……huh?"

Raven's expression remained the same. "You heard me."

"….yeah, okay. Sure! Um….I mean, where's Robin and-"

"They went to get the turkey for the dinner next week." She stated simply, her expression never changing.

Those murderers!!!

"Oh, all right. We can go take a walk……cool."

He watched as Raven began walking towards him, but she suddenly stopped. It looked like she was pondering.

Turning her heels, she walked back to the counter, and grabbed a purple scarf, and a white scarf. Beast Boy watched in surprise as she wrapped the white scarf around her neck, and tossed his scarf into his hands.

He was still in slight shock as she walked past him, with her eyes focused on him. He just continued to be bewildered.

"Snap out of it……… calendar boy." Raven pulled her scarf down slightly.

……was……was that a smile…?

The smile didn't last long, but it was there. Even after it was gone, the ghost of that smile was still there. It was ephemeral, like the autumn leaves…..and that meant he could see it again.

Raven began walking off, though slowly, waiting for the shocked Beast Boy to catch up.

The changeling shook his head. "I'm soooooo gonna mark this on my calendar."

He ran silently next to the girl, and they both walked outside, where the leaves were falling still, where the world was entering another ephemeral stage. But it was all right. Nothing really lasts, unless it matters to you, and right now, it definitely mattered to the both of them.

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--Fin--

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Closing Notes: A one-shot inspired by a fanart, a wallpaper design, to be exact. This might be a little late in terms of the time, but inspiration comes, and when it comes, you just go with it. May you all have a white Christmas.