Terra wandered alone in the city. It was dark and deserted. Virtually no one was around except for the occasional homeless person. She strode purposefully around, glancing around with a grim expression on her face.
"How hard can it be to find a super villain?" she wondered aloud. She heard movement behind her, and turned around slowly. A figure stood in a darkened alley in front of her.
"Well now my dear, you really shouldn't be out this late on your own," the voice was dangerously soft. "You could get hurt."
"Shut up Slade," Terra clenched her fists. The figure stepped out of the alley. He towered over the blonde by several feet. His costume was almost entirely black with metallic shin, thigh, and arm guards. A mask that was half black, and half orange covered his face. On the orange side of his mask was a single eye.
"Well now if it isn't my old apprentice," Slade's one eye narrowed. "Come to finish what you started?"
"Actually no," Terra crossed her arms. "I want to make a deal with you."
"I'm listening," Slade advanced towards the Titan.
"I want you to help me get rid of Raven," Terra informed him.
"Why am I not surprised?" Slade chuckled. "You see her as competition for Beast Boy's affection."
Terra's eyes widened, "How did you...?"
"Dear child I make it my job to know as much about my arch nemeses' as possible," Slade replied. Terra blinked a few times. "So what did you have in mind?"
"Well," Terra cleared her throat. "Beast Boy and I are going on a date tomorrow. Raven will follow us because she doesn't trust me."
"And I wonder why that is?" Slade's malicious voice was sarcastic. Terra glared at him.
"We'll go to the park," she continued. "Once we get to the spot next to the plateau, you will come out and try to strike us. Raven, being the loyal Titan that she is, will push us out of the way, and get the full blow.
This will send her into the plateau and knock her unconscious. I will use my powers to loosen the rocks on the plateau so that they fall down and crush her. You will punch the ground, and I will make a fault line appear and travel towards her. She will fall in, and be crushed."
Slade pondered for a few moments before speaking, "There are a few flaws with your plan dear girl." Terra scowled. "First of all, how do you even know Raven will follow you to the park?"
"Oh she will," Terra replied. "But make sure you see her before attacking us."
"You also did not consider the possibility that Beast Boy will choose to help Raven," Slade's eye narrowed again as he said this.
"I'll just tell Beast Boy to stay with me," Terra shrugged.
"He may still choose Raven," Slade replied.
"No he won't," Terra yelled.
"If you say so," Slade held up his hands in mock defeat. "However if he does choose Raven, you will have to accept the consequences of his choice." Terra nodded.
"He won't choose her," she replied. Slade shrugged, and backed into the shadows. Terra turned and headed back towards Titan Tower.
- Scene Break -
Raven sat in the Titan's living room trying to read. Her hands were shaking slightly, and her heart was pounding in her chest. She hadn't seen Beast Boy yet, and was anticipating his reaction. She hoped he wouldn't laugh at her, or avoid her
She gulped, and tried to focus on the paragraph that she was reading, only to realize that she was holding the book upside-down.
"Morning Raven," she glanced over her book at her green team-mate.
"Morning," she replied, trying to keep her voice steady and emotionless.
"Can I get you some tea?" he asked.
"Please," she consented. He grinned toothily at her and began to prepare the tea as he had done the day before. This time however, he put in a bag of Earl Grey instead of the usual herbal tea. He pulled down a blue mug for Raven.
"Mind if I join you?" he asked, gesturing to the tea-pot. Raven shook her head, and watched as he pulled down a dark magenta mug. He hummed Thoughtless as he waited for the tea to boil. Raven raised one of her slender black eyebrows. She wouldn't have thought that Beast Boy would be the type to listen to Korn.
The water boiled, and Beast Boy poured the steaming liquid into the pot, and covered it with the tea cozy. He rooted around above the stove until he found the sugar, and then took out a carton of milk for Raven, and a carton of soy-milk for himself. He pulled himself back up onto the counter and swung his legs back and forth, humming again.
Raven hoped that he wouldn't notice that she was staring at him. She was pleasantly surprised by his humming. She had always assumed that he would be tone-deaf. She watched him as he morphed into an octopus
He poured the tea into their mugs, stirred in milk and sugar, opened the fridge and put away the two cartons of milk before morphing back into himself. He turned and grinned at her. Raven felt her heart skip a beat, she wondered why he had put milk and sugar into herbal tea, but the thought was there.
Beast Boy made his way over to her and handed her the blue mug. Raven accepted it gratefully, and scooted over on the couch. Beast Boy plopped down beside her. Raven's heart pounded even harder, she hoped he couldn't hear it.
"Cheers," he clinked his mug against her and took a sip. He grimaced, and turned to her. "Be careful, it's really hot. I just burnt my tongue." Raven blew on her tea and took a sip. It was unlike anything she had ever tasted.
"This is wonderful!" she smiled at him.
"Glad you like it," he grinned. "I noticed that you were running out yesterday so I picked up some more for you. I got you your usual herbal stuff, and this."
"What is this?" she asked.
"It's called Earl Grey," Beast Boy replied after taking another sip. "The dude at the store recommended it."
"It's really good," Raven's smile was really beautiful. Beast Boy couldn't help but smile back.
"It is," he agreed, and took another sip. They continued to sit in silence, drinking their tea. Beast Boy cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "Oh, uh, thanks for the rose."
"You're welcome," Raven fought to keep control of herself.
"It's nice to know that you don't think I'm a total moron," he grinned toothily at her.
"I wouldn't go that far," Raven grinned somewhat evilly at him. Beast Boy laughed, his dark green eyes sparkling.
"There you are!" the idyllic moment was broken at Terra's exclamation. "I've been looking for you all afternoon!"
Beast Boy grinned sheepishly at the blonde, "Sorry." He finished his tea, and turned to Raven. "I'd better go." Raven nodded and watched him follow the blonde out of the room. She sat quietly, drinking her tea.
Once finished, she put her mug in the sink. She reasoned that a safe amount of time had elapsed and that she could follow the couple. Seeing Terra's fists clench had made her uneasy. Raven pulled up her blue hood and disappeared through the floor.
Raven materialized outside the city. She looked around, trying to spot the couple. Fearfully, she considered that she had let too much time pass, and that she would never find them. However, she caught sight of Beast Boy and Terra walking down the sidewalk.
Stealthily she landed on the ground a safe distance away from them, and began to follow. Terra was laughing at something Beast Boy had said. Raven reflected bitterly that that was the reason he liked the blonde.
She thought he was funny. Raven could feel her heart hammering in her chest. Beast Boy stopped walking, and Raven quickly ducked into the nearest alley.
"What's wrong Beast Boy?" she heard Terra ask.
"I thought I heard something," was his reply. Raven peaked out from her hiding place and was relieved to see them on the move again. Silently she cursed Beast Boy for his good hearing. No normal person could have heard her.
The couple walked into the park, and made their way along the dirt path. Raven stayed close to the surrounding trees so that she could hide behind them if needed. Beast Boy had his arm around Terra's waist, and Raven's heart twisted.
She swallowed hard, and blinked away tears. Again, he stopped, and Raven ducked behind the nearest tree.
"What now?" Terra asked.
"I could've sworn I heard something," he replied, his voice puzzled. Slowly Raven peered around the trunk of the tree, but the two Titans were on the move again. She breathed a sigh of relief, and continued to follow. She had no choice but to duck behind some bushes as Beast Boy stopped again.
"What?" Terra asked, aggravated. Raven could see them through the bush. The blonde had her hands on her hips, and was scowling at Beast Boy.
"I know I heard something," he replied. Raven realized that she was holding her breath. Beast Boy, she realized, was not looking at her hiding spot, but in the opposite direction. Raven followed his gaze, but saw nothing.
She saw Beast Boy shrug, and put his arm back around Terra's waist. As they set off, Raven caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Someone was hiding in the bushes that Beast Boy had been staring at.
Raven frowned, and waited. The figure stealthily rose, and Raven's breath caught in her throat. The half black, half orange mask turned in her direction, and Slade's single eye narrowed as he saw her. Raven turned in horror to where Terra and Beast Boy were standing.
The couple had stopped, and was standing beside a plateau, looking out at the now setting sun. Slade moved silently towards the two oblivious Titans, raising his fist to deliver a powerful blow.
For a terrible moment, Raven remained frozen in place, but finally she regained control of herself and flew out from behind her hiding place. She just hoped that she could get there in time.