Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, though if I did, I would totally market plush Silkies. Are they doing this already?

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Confessions to a Larva

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The door to Starfire's room swished open, allowing a bundle of wriggling enthusiasm to make its way down the hall. Silkie paused at Raven's room, seemingly pondering some wormish dilemma, before he began scratching at the door and emitting a warbling sound.

With a hiss, the metal panel slid aside, and a purple-haired head scanned the hall for observers. Finding it empty, the girl scooped the larva into her arms and retreated back inside.

Depositing Silkie by her side on the bed, Raven took up a cross-legged position, one hand retrieving a book and laying it open on her legs. The other stroked across the worm's back in a lazy rhythm, much to his rather vocal satisfaction.

The companionable silence stretched for pages, Silkie occasionally adjusting his position to direct the empath's attentions to a particular spot. In time, though, her motions became more unsteady, and her eyes wandered around the room. Her hand came to a rest on his stomach, tension coursing from her body into her fingertips. The larva fixed her with a quizzical look.

"Sometimes, in an odd way, I miss Malchior," Raven said. The worm stiffened, apparently sensing the tone of her words. Still, she set her book aside and continued. "I shouldn't, but... he was the only person who ever told me I was beautiful... and even though I know now he was lying, it still felt so good to hear that. Even plain-looking, boring, creepy girls need to believe someone can think they're beautiful."

Silkie gave an encouraging trill and nuzzled her leg, but it little to brighten her mood.

"I miss Terra sometimes too," she continued.

Starfire's little bumgorf stopped dead for a moment, staring at her with uncomprehending eyes, before returning to its previous actions.

Raven sighed. "It's only natural, I suppose. For all their faults, they were both capable of kindness... and even though it's simpler to forget about that and write them off as evil, I can't bring myself to do that. And so I find myself thinking fondly of Malchior and Terra, even though I know if they were here, I would be seeing them in a much less charitable light."

With a commiserating warble, the larva began gnawing gently on the sorceress's knee. She, in turn, picked him up and cradled him in one arm, using the other to stroke his belly. "I guess partly, I know that there's less separating me from those two than I might like to admit..." Her hand stilled, eyes vacant. "And if I went down that path, I'd want to know that there was someone who still believed I had some good in me." Raven set the worm back on the ground. "Thanks for listening," she said, giving him a gentle nudge toward the door.

Silkie crawled away, ever obedient.

Behind him, her voice took a slightly amused tone. "By the way, Garfield, you don't have to turn into Silkie and cover yourself in paint to get attention from me, although I do appreciate the effort."

Halfway to the door, the larva froze. Busted.

Reverting to his normal form, the changeling turned. "How long have you..." he mumbled, unable to even complete his sentence as shock and embarrassment warred on his face.

A purple eyebrow rose. "You do understand your feelings differ somewhat from those of a gigantic moth larva, yes?"

Garfield blanched and gave an apologetic shrug. "Sorry, Rae... I just... I wanted to spend time with you, but I didn't know how to ask, and I noticed you'd pick up Silkie sometimes, and it just... I couldn't resist. I'm sorry."

The girl nodded. "I won't pretend it was ethical, but there's a reason I didn't put a stop to it. The first few times, that reason was curiosity, but now..." She gave him a tiny, hesitant smile. "I know I can trust you to listen and not judge me, and that feels good."

A warm, giddy feeling flooded through Beast Boy's body. "I'm glad," he murmured. "And about what you said..." Summoning his courage, the changeling pushed onward. "I still believe Terra was good deep down... and no matter what happens, I'll never give up on you."

Another nod. "Thank you," she whispered.

"No problem. And just so you know..." The boy gulped. "Malchior wasn't lying. Not about that. You are beautiful, Raven. I'm not saying that cause you mentioned you like to hear it; I've thought that ever since I first met you. I just thought you might kinda get mad at me for saying it."

A book flew off of Raven's shelf, landing with a resounding bang on the floor. Garfield let out a little squeak and jumped. "Well then," he said in a hurry, reaching into the air as he tried to disguise his nervous reaction as a stretch, "I'll, uh, let you get back to reading."

"Thank you," she murmured, though he couldn't tell if the response was for his offer of solitude or his earlier remark. "One more thing," the empath said as he had barely begun to retreat. "Where's Silkie now?"

Turning his head, he replied, "Starfire's room. Gave him a can to play with, so he'll be distracted for a little while."

Raven crinkled her eyebrows. "Does Starfire know he's in there?"

Garfield grinned. "Who do you think's been painting me this whole time?"

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AN: This story brought to you in part by Tumblr's Teen Titans Headcanons, #1225: "Sometimes, Beast Boy transforms into a Silkie and paints himself so they look exactly the same. Then he crawls into Raven's room, where she picks him up and sets him on her lap as she reads. He just wants to cuddle with her."