A Harmless Question

Disclaimer: I don't own the Titans in any way, shape or form.

This story is unrelated to my others so read with no regrets. In this story, the Titans are still Teen Titans. Might as well set it after Tokyo as well, meaning Robin and Starfire will be together. Okay? Let's go!

Beast Boy was bored. He and the other Teen Titans sat on their oversized couch, watching their oversized television. He had no idea what the movie was. Starfire had wanted to watch it and Robin, predictably, had made it happen. It turned out to be some cliché romance movie, so cheesy it smelled. The green teen quickly lost interest. He glanced to his left at Cyborg... judging by his glazed eyes, he was similarly uninterested. He glanced past his friend at the couple... they weren't even watching the damn thing! They were just 'snuggling' and whispering in each other's ears. Even so, Beast Boy kept quiet. He had already attempted to escape and felt Robin's patented leader-glare-of-death. He turned his head to the right to face the empathic sorceress, Raven. She was paying even less attention than the others, staring out the window. As he focused, he saw her mouth moving slightly. She was repeating something... it was her mantra. Somehow, she was meditating with her eyes open. That seemed like cheating to Beast Boy, who had to endure the full agony of the movie. His attention didn't go completely unnoticed, however. Raven ceased her chanting and turned her gaze to the green boy to her left, raising her eyebrow in silent question. Realising he was caught, Beast Boy immediately began to think of an excuse before realising there was a ready-made one behind him. He jerked his head, indicating the oblivious couple, making it seem he was sharing a private joke with the grey girl.

"They're not even..." he heard her whisper as she frowned. She returned her attention to the television and, with a thought, began to fast-forward the movie. Beast Boy was overjoyed until Robin picked up the remote, spared a leader-glare-of-death for Raven and rewound the movie back again. Cyborg hadn't even noticed but the pair to his right snorted grumpily, folding their arms. Beast Boy turned back to watch Starfire and Robin... the way they looked at each other, held each other, whispered to each other... he was so envious. Not that he was interested in either of them for himself, he was just jealous of their relationship. Every time he saw them hug or kiss or sneak away in an incredibly obvious manner, he felt a burst of happiness for his friends... followed by a hollow sensation as he wondered why he couldn't have the same. His own, disastrous attempt at romance with Terra still stung a little, and the few dates he had been on with civilians had ranged from inconsequential to downright insulting (one girl had happily held on to him at a public appearance but pushed him away whenever the cameras had pointed away. She got what she wanted: her picture in the paper. Beast Boy got a text message the next day explaining that 'things weren't working out'). As he stared, unseeing at he movie, his mind wandered over the potential non-civilian girls he knew. There was Raven of course, but he disregarded that immediately with a chuckle. She was certainly attractive but very stern. Not to mention she had sworn off men after the Malchior incident. He wasn't sure he had a type but he knew he wanted someone cute and Raven was not that she was... she was...

"Beautiful..." he whispered to himself, eyes widening momentarily at his own choice of words. Still, the word seemed to fit but, in his mind, she was beautiful like a statue. Everyone can see the beauty but no-one could get past the hard and cold surface. Anyway, moving on... he thought of Argent next: she was kinda goth-y, like Raven, but more punky and... well, cool. And she was definitely cute. That skirt and those boots? That tattoo?! Wow. The kiwi accent was kinda hot too. Kole popped into his head next. She was certainly cute but Beast Boy honestly wasn't sure how old she was... and in no mood to cross Gnark. Speaking of pink hair, Jinx was next to show up. She was certainly cute, the same way a big cat was cute. Weirdly, the ex-villain thing and the danger were rather tempting, like a taboo. Still, she was dating Kid Flash now and her history with Cyborg could make things weird. Bumblebee was next... confident and sexy, she was definitely interesting. Until, that is, he remembered the rumour floating around about her and Herald. He seemed to have left himself with Argent as his only choice... before disregarding her as well. She was on a team of her own now, so even if they somehow ended up together, they couldn't be together. Sighing in mild exasperation, Beast Boy finally realised the movie had ended. Cyborg was yawning and heading to bed, Robin and Starfire rising to leave as well.

"Beast Boy," Robin said. "Wake Raven up before you leave, okay?" With that, the masked boy left, Starfire floating behind him. Beast Boy turned to the sorceress, only a little nervous about waking a sleeping half-demon who often showed little tolerance for a certain shape-shifter. However, those thoughts quickly vanished. Raven had turned to face him and pulled her knees to her chest, curling up on the couch. With her head lying on the back of the couch and her mouth slightly open, Beast Boy had only one thought, which worked its way to his mouth.

"Wow..." he muttered before slapping his hand to his mouth. She stirred at the noise but remained asleep. He shook his head incredulously at this own behaviour but continued to stare. Raven was rarely so... unguarded. Finally breaking his silence, Beast Boy tried to wake her: "Raven? Raaavennnn? You gotta wake up, Rae." Her breathing hitched and her right hand moved up to slap away at whatever was waking her up. Beast Boy giggled as she clumsily pawed at thin air.

"Uhhhhh... five more minutes," Raven muttered, eyes still closed. Reluctantly, Beast Boy reached out and gently shook her right shoulder.

"Rae? C'mon, Rae, time to wake up." This time the girl's head rose from the couch - she was waking up. Her hand moved and rubbed at her eye as she yawned lightly, an action Beast Boy found so adorable he almost 'awww'ed right then and there. After yawning, she mumbled...

"Bst Boy?...Uh...rlve..oo..nnn..." Beast Boy's heart shot into his throat. Had she just confessed? Had she just said what he thought she might have maybe possibly just said?!

"Uh... what was that, Rae?" At that, one violet eye cracked open and didn't seem to be filled with adoration. Raven cleared her throat.

"*ahem*... I said 'it's Ra-ven'." Ah. So not a confession, then. Beast Boy giggled at his own mistake and Raven's sleepy scolding. She bid him a reserved but friendly goodnight and exited the room. He privately mused for a few minutes: Raven had once argued that she could outwit Beast Boy in her sleep. While that hadn't exactly happened, she had just disproved his unspoken belief that she wasn't cute, in her sleep. Literally. He shook his head and smiled, like he couldn't believe his own thoughts.

"Raven, huh?" he spoke into the darkness. "Okay, then... okay." Apparently having made some decision, the green boy doused the lights and retired to his bedroom, his thoughts rather more... purple than usual.

There we are. A slow start to this one, it seems. I've got an idea where it's going but it will be expanded upon as I write. This will definitely remain a T-rated story, I've had my turn at citrus and will leave it alone from now on, I think. Enjoy!