Beyond the Beast Chapter 4
The first thing Garfield heard as he awoke was the sound of the monitoring systems in the med bay; you know the ones that tell you you're still alive. He cracked his eyes open and then shut them again just as quickly from all the fluorescent lighting and lit up machines. Then the headache hit, like a blacksmith working overtime his head felt like it was going to be pulled apart. He moaned a little and raised his finger tips to his temples to try and alleviate the pain.
Then he got poked by something sharp where his finger nails should be. At first he was startled and almost opened his eyes again to inspect but thought better of it 'Why in the world would my nails be so sha-…oh yeah the changes Raven and the Hulk mentioned' he sighed mentally and let his hands fall. Across the room Raven saw him awaken and smiled lightly, she had been up about five minutes longer than he had. She had taken the time to move away from him and to take care of her own headache.
She suspected they both would have headaches from their 'physical' trauma they had suffered from their injuries sustained when they were fighting the Hulk. Although sadly she knew Garfield's was likely to be worse than hers by far since he had been 'fighting' longer. She saw him wince at the brightness of the lights, soon after she adjusted the lighting to a much dimmer setting. Then his eyes fluttered open and he sat up gingerly "So I feel like a stretch Armstrong with a hangover…gotta say that's a new level of suck" he joked laughing before pressing his palms to his temples and rubbing.
She smiled a little and walked over to take a seat next to Garfield, she thought of him this way because Beast 'Boy' really didn't fit the person she knew now mentally or physically. He sighed and dropped his hands looking at them "Well a mirror would be nice I suppose, I mean the claws are kinda cool so I can live with that" he said before swinging his legs over the side of the bed. Raven went ahead and turned off the medical equipment attached to him while calling Cyborg on the comlink so he wouldn't freak out "Cyborg Garfields up and is fine…I need some time with him though" she said snapping it shut. Beast Boy took his steps carefully as the change in height became drastically apparent as he stood up "Sweet I'm taller…but I feel like I'm going to topple over" he said making his way to the med bays full body mirror.
'Well the added height and muscle mass is nice but it makes me wonder if it's just for show or not, the claws are going to take some getting used too. My hairs longer, right at shoulder length and…I have fangs…well with the pointy ears I'm kinda like a green vampire elf…thing' he thought to himself. Garfield sighed and moved back over to sit on the med bay cot he had occupied moments before. Raven levitated over and sat gently on the bed next to him "Beast Boy are you okay" she asked looking a bit concerned, gently she slid the cowl of her cloak off to get a little more comfortable.
Beast Boy sighed before running a hand through his hair gently "Well I suppose I am…its just… it's a shock honestly like waking up in a different body. Makes me a little more sympathetic for that time you and Star got your bodies switched." Raven smiled a little and said "It is disorienting but don't worry you'll adjust and besides at least biologically your still you, adjusting too Starfire's physiology and dependency on emotions was…strenuous" she said remembering the incident. Beast Boy smiled back "Yeah with you normally having to suppress everything it must have been quite the shellshock to reverse all your natural instincts" he said while standing a bit shakily, slowly he retrieved his normal clothes Cyborg had stored under the bed for him.
'Great my Doom Patrol outfit probably won't fit anymore…wonder what I'll wear for a superhero outfit…or if my powers even still work anymore' Beast Boy wondered to himself as he went into the med bay bathroom. Once he was inside the bathroom he locked the door and shed his hospital gown then he did a quick change test. 'Ameba, mouse, monkey, falcon, cat, wolf, raptor…good all those work anything bigger would cause problems in here but all those are so genetically different I think I'll give myself the green light' he thought after morphing into each of the aforementioned creatures. He then changed into the clothes Cyborg had stored for him; they were pretty basic some socks with blue jeans and a red t-shirt with a black button up over shirt.
Stepping back out of the bathroom he stretched, then recovered his balance before throwing the disposable gown away, walking back over he flopped down next to Raven on the cot and planted his elbows on his knees while lacing his own fingers. "So…I was wondering…" Garfield began "The door is locked for a reason and the only one I can think of is that you want to discuss what happened awhile back in the living room" he said while looking at her. Raven made brief eye contact with him and then looked away "Well I suppose this would be the opportune time…before we get started though I have one question for you Garfield" she said in a very serious tone. Garfield arched an eyebrow "Ask away Raven and I'll do my best to answer honestly" he said smiling at her.
Raven took a deep breath and prepared herself, she had thought about it quite a bit while he was incapacitated…actually it was almost all she had thought about even when it wasn't her turn to watch him in the med bay. Those were the hardest nights, when she literally couldn't stop thinking about him because she had to make sure he was taken care of through the night. She steadied herself and then asked "Do you mean it…Garfield…do you really…l-love me" she was never one to skirt an issue especially one as important as this. Garfield slid off the bed gently and sat on his knees before her "Raven…Rachel…I love you with all my heart. 'Doubt that the stars are fire, doubt that the sun doth move, doubt truth to be a liar but never doubt my love for thee' dearest Raven" he quoted with a wide grin.
Raven smiled and blushed looking away "Shakespeare…Garfield I'm impressed and thank you it means a lot too me…to know your sincerity in your feelings for me" she said while looking back at him. Beast Boy smiled and reached up gently with one of his hands and laced his fingers with one of hers "So does that mean…well…" he brought her hand gently to his lips as he kissed it "Rachel…will you go out with me" he asked with a slight blush. Raven returned his blush and thought for a moment "Yes Garfield…yes I will go out with you" she smiled a little. Garfield smiled and then stood before sweeping her off the cot and holding her bridal style, he was smiling from ear to ear and he spun a little and lowered his head to nuzzle her gently.
Raven was surprised…but in a pleasant way "Garfield calm down, I know you're excited but please put me down and try to refrain from doing such extreme displays of affection in public…dear" she said trying to make it sound a little less threatening. Beast Boy gently stopped and laid her down on the cot before sitting next to her Indian style and smiled "Sorry I've just well…I've been waiting for you to accept me for the longest time" he said leaning forward and resting his head on the crook of her neck gently. Raven was again a little surprised 'He's so…affectionate…it feels good it's reassuring and comforting' she thought as one arm came up and she placed her hand on his head gently. After a few minutes of this Beast Boy sat up and pulled her up gently as well "So…" he began "Do we tell the others or do we let them figure it out on their own" he asked while reaching out to trace one of her hands with the pad of his index finger gently.
Raven blushed and moved her hand further under his tentatively before speaking "Well I think it would be best if we didn't blurt it…we'll just let them figure it out on their own but it shouldn't be to difficult with you holding my hand all the time" she stated. Beast Boy looked a little alarmed "Do you not like me holding your hand Raven because I'll stop if you want me too" he asked sounding concerned. "No, no of course not Beast Boy its fine just…unless were somewhere private I would prefer to keep the PDA to a minimum…at least until I'm more comfortable with…this…us" she said blushing deeply. "Okay sure that sounds fine…and Raven I want you to know you're completely in control of this relationship. You control what we do and how far we go and how long this lasts. I love you and more than anything I want you too be happy whether it means being with me as your boyfriend…or just a friend…your happiness is more important than the relationship" he said smiling warmly at her.
Raven was a bit surprised at his sincerity and the amount of love she felt coming from him, impulsively she shot forward and wrapped her arms around him in a flash. Beast Boy was shocked but quickly returned the hug and enjoyed the warmth she had chosen to show him. Raven broke the hug gently after a few minutes, as she drew away she let her hands slide down his arms softly and smiled a little before pulling one of them away and letting the other hand come to rest atop his. Beast Boy smiled "Your smile makes me smile its contagious…in a good way" said Garfield bringing his free hand up to cup her face softly.
Raven leaned into his hand and sighed relaxing…until a tray of instruments were shrouded in a black aura and tipped over spilling them across the floor in a horrible clatter. The sudden sound caused them both to jump away; Raven looking embarrassed whipped her emotions into check. Beast Boy smiled before giving her hand a reassuring squeeze "It's okay dear I'll get it…besides I love you just the way you are and wouldn't change you for the world" he said kindly. He knelt and began picking up the various instruments until he felt something like a pencil poking him in the hand, investigating he was surprised to find a surgical scalpel where he thought something else entirely should be.
'Whoa, razor sharp surgical steel feels like a pencil prick now…that's cool…definitely opens up new options for fighting villains…gonna have to hit the training room and put this new body through its paces' Beast Boy thought too himself. Raven watched him work but didn't see the scalpel incident 'He's so sweet…I suppose I only wish I had noticed earlier, and that he had been himself more…I'll have to ask him what that whole mask persona is about as well…but for another time' she contemplated while he finished cleaning up. Once he was done he stood and dusted his hands off but quickly lost his balance he grabbed the steel guard rail of the bed for support, this was followed by a terrible straining sound emanating from the metal. Garfield recovered and removed his hand to find that he had not only bent the railing but left inch deep imprint grooves where his fingers had been!
He looked at the rail and then at his hand, then back at the rail "Well uh…that's new" he said chuckling half heartedly and looking a bit freaked out 'Holy crap that guard rail felt like it was made out of Styrofoam…definitely going to have to watch how much force I put behind things from now on' he thought to himself. Raven was a bit shocked as well "Garfield I know how this is going to sound and I'm sorry, but lets be careful about holding hands until you get control of your new powers" she said getting off the bed and floating over to stand next too him. Beast Boy chuckled "Nah its okay Raven I totally agree" he was about to scratch his head nervously but thought better of it at the last second and sighed in a relieved way. He was easily taller than her now by a few inches but she still stood at about throat height next to him.
Beast Boy made his way across the room and unlocked the door before standing aside to let her through first after he had opened it. Raven smiled lightly and levitated past him with a quiet "Thank you", he quickly closed the Med bay door and fell in next to her as they walked. They made their way swiftly through Titans tower hallways, Beast Boy having to steady himself rarely as his bodies equilibrium was used to rapidly changing sizes. Once outside the main living room area they stopped and turned to each other.
"Are you ready for this Garfield I'm sure Robin wouldn't mind giving you a few days to recover if you asked" she said to him softly. Garfield smiled in a goofy way and traced the back of one of her hands with the pads of his fingers again "Thanks Raven your concern means a lot too me but if I did that they would think something is wrong and that would worry them even more…I'll adjust on my own time, not theirs" he said smiling at her before opening the door to the common room with his free hand. Ravens hood had recaptured its former territory so no one saw the slight smile on her face as they both entered the living room. "Hey guys guess whose back and ready for action" he said smiling in his normal triumphant and goofy way.
The first person to herald his return was Starfire as she flew across the room and hugged him with all her might "Oh friend Beast Boy it is so good too see you again I have missed you these many days you have been sleeping" she said happily. Garfield thought he was about to be hospitalized but was surprised to find that instead of feeling like his ribs were touching each other, it felt like a normal tight hug "Good to see you too Star but your smothering me" he said while chuckling. 'Okay this body is definitely not the one I went to sleep with normally that feels like Adonis is hugging me…definitely a step up or two' he thought to himself. She let him go and smiled while floating there with her hands behind her back "Oh my apologies friend Beast Boy but it is so pleasing to see you out of the cot of the Medical bay" she giggled after stating her joy.
Raven surprisingly felt jealous of Starfire…for about two seconds 'It's Starfire that's how she greets everyone no reason to get upset at her for putting her hands all over my man…I did not just think that' Raven sighed and floated over to the window to meditate. Cyborg yelled from the kitchen "Good to see you up and about BB you hungry" he asked while flipping some eggs in a pan. "Yeah sure Cyborg an omelet with some bacon and sausage would go over great" he said nonchalantly. Cyborg froze "Who are you and what have you done with the real BB" he asked in a shocked tone, Garfield snickered "Shut up and fix the food tin man I just feel like I've been living my life in the same way for too long…time to branch out" he said while stretching.
In truth he and the Beast had come to an agreement while fighting the Hulk. If Beast Boy would take to eating meat like a normal person the Beast wouldn't give him horrible nightmares about eating gazelles and such anymore, life threatening circumstances have a way of bringing people together. "Welcome back to the team…any idea what caused the physical changes Beast Boy" asked Robin, who was always one to cut to the chase. "Well you see…" Beast Boy began "Were not entirely sure yet…it will require further research from a mystical perspective, I'll notify you as soon as I've found something" Raven cut him off from the corner of the room.
Robin nodded and went back to monitoring the city while Garfield went to sit next to Raven over by the window. He whispered to her "So what was all that about, care to clue me in" he asked her "Until we know definitively what the Hulk is and how it got here I think it best not to alarm Robin…I would hate to have another Beast incident…and my boyfriend locked up" she said blushing. Beast Boy smiled and blushed back, leaning over while no one was looking he kissed her on the cheek and whispered "Thanks, I appreciate it dear" before he got up and walked to the breakfast table. Raven did her best to control her emotions and powers so they wouldn't flare up, she was smiling lightly and blushing though from the kiss.
After breakfast, actually it was dinner time but since BB was having breakfast they all decided too, Robin announced that Titans East would be helping the team with Jump City to fill in for Raven and Beast Boy. Both of them had made arguments that they were fine and capable of doing their duty but Robin made a few very good counterpoints. 1- The full extent of Beast Boys changes needed to be explored before Robin would let him out in the field again, 2- Raven was the only one apparently that could explore this problem, so she needed to relax and concentrate on it to get the team back up into working order and 3- Xenodan was still out there looking for Raven and until they knew more about him and how to fight him, they needed to keep Raven safe here in the tower. Both of them finally conceded and agreed to taking, what Robin was spinning to the press as 'a much needed vacation to explore certain professional anomalies that had arisen' of course the press made all sorts of wild accusations with a statement like that but they were the press and it was to be expected.
And so it was the next morning that we join our hero and heroine of this tale, they awoke to find that the rest of their team will most likely be gone for the day, Robin asking his mystical contacts about Xenodan and Starfire and Cyborg backing up Mas and Menos from Titans East to patrol Jump City. Beast Boy woke and slipped on some civilian clothes a white t-shirt with a green stripe across it with some grey jogging pants before heading to Ravens room. They had agreed yesterday to meet in her room and get to work on this little 'problem' so that things could get back to normal on the team. He arrived at the door to her room and knocked politely, after remembering the incident with the Meditation Mirror, he was greeted with a muffled "Enter" and so he proceeded.
He opened her door and entered before closing and locking the door behind him just in case the others got back early, Raven had made it very clear to all of them that they were NOT to be disturbed. She was sitting on her bed pouring over some ancient tome, candles and incense were lit in each of the corners of her room and papers, books, parchments and scrolls were scattered on nearly everything in her room. Of course not much of this meant anything to Beast Boy as he was far too slack jawed at what Raven was wearing. She had on a black spaghetti strap tank top, with one strap sliding down her shoulder, and if he had to guess no bra, she was also wearing some black women's basketball shorts with purple lining.
Raven looked up and saw him staring, before she looked at her own attire, she hadn't thought to change out of her sleep clothes and she blushed when she realized he was staring. She had a devious thought though and smiled saying quiet loudly "See something you like Garfield" before going back to her research. Beast Boy snapped out of it and blushed looking away "Well yeah uh…um…your really pretty…and well you've never worn anything but your uniform that I know of and…seeing you in something besides that is…really…well…um…stunning" he stammered out while looking at the floor. Now its was Ravens turn to blush as she looked up and fixed her strap "Thank you Garfield that's very…sweet" she said before scooting over and patting the bed next to her.
He made his way delicately across the room and finally sat down on the bed next to her, sitting Indian style he gently leaned his head over on her shoulder and nuzzled it softly "What'cha working on" he asked cutely. She smiled lightly and said "It's what are you working on Garfield not…what'cha…and I'm working on a way to figure out what the Hulk is…and I think I might have an idea" she said informatively. He perked up and sat up with a quizzical look "Okay what's the game plan dearest" he said looking very curious. Raven reached under her bed and grabbed something, pulling out her Meditation Mirror and holding it before him she said "Were going back to your mindscape and asking the Hulk for clues" she said seriously.