Lonely

Chapter 2: house parties

Chapter 2: house parties

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The brisk September wind cut through the thin barrier of Raven's leotard sleeves as she looked out over the water and to the beginning edges of Jump City. Although the weather app on her phone stated it was 67 degrees out, the sharp wind made it seem colder and it was all she could do to wrap her arms tighter around herself and resist the urge to shiver. This was her one moment of solace, a small reprieve from the annoyances that, for reasons unknown to Raven, she calls her friends. 

This week had been unusually difficult, mostly because she couldn't stop thinking about Beast Boy's idiotic idea. One would think that after a week she could move on, but nope. Here she stood, alone, still pondering the possibility.

The idea was absurd; no one in their right mind would agree to such an arrangement. Friends with benefits? It's something that only happens in movies and TV shows, not real life. And, even in Hollywood the arrangement never works out. Someone always either gets hurt, or they end up getting married. There is simply no in between. And neither situation sounded all that appealing to Raven. This is Beast Boy. Green, obnoxious, overconfident Beast Boy.

Sexy Beast Boy. Another voice added to the list. Raven had been hearing from her a lot this past week too. Every time she thought up a hundred and one reasons against the idea, another side of her brain came up with a counter-argument for it all. And basically, it all bottled down to one thing: Beast Boy is hot. It is impossible to deny that simple fact. Speaking on a physical level, Beast Boy is what one could deem fuck-able. Raven has seen him shirtless in training. There was really only one word for it: damn.

Puberty had served him good in the last few months, filling out his frame and bumping up his height by several inches. He had also started to grow a trail of fuzz along his jawline that he would have to shave every few days. All around, he was pretty good looking for a green, pointy eared changeling. So, perhaps, being with him in that sort of context wouldn't be the worst thing ever. Maybe it would even be good, like he thinks it would be. Opposites attract, right?

No! This is Beast Boy! Raven reminded herself quickly. To imagine him as anything other than a friend is absolutely absurd, no matter how attractive he is. Besides, relationships among teammates are not exactly condoned. Robin and Starfire might be able to make things work, but who is to say that they would? Robin and Starfire don't fight--they have nothing to fight about now that their feelings are out in the open.

Beast Boy and Raven, however? Well they would be the couple that would break out into a screaming fight in the middle of a department store over the color of their toaster. She can see it now: he'll want one in a funky color, like red or green, which is stupid and weird so of course Raven will fight him for the traditional black and silver toaster. And in the end no one will really win and they will both just be really upset with each other and refuse to work together during missions until the issue is finally resolved or forgotten. It's how they work. Sticking the two into a relationship isn't going to make them fight any less.

As Raven was lost in her musings, she missed the sound of the approaching footsteps until it was too late. "Rae?" Beast Boy's husky voice asked behind her. That was another thing that had changed: his voice had finally dropped. And it was now actually tolerable, maybe even a little more than tolerable. 

"God, you must be freezing," he chastised her as he took in her attire. A long sleeved leotard wasn't exactly the warmest thing ever, and as a result her legs were shaking a bit and goosebumps covered any exposed skin. Beast Boy had noticed. 

Before she could explain that she was fine, however, the green boy came up behind her and placed a sweatshirt around her shoulders, tugging it up to ensure that it wouldn't fall. She could tell by his actions that he wasn't going to let her refuse his kind gesture. "Thanks," she mumbled, stealing a glance at his face. He was wearing street clothes: a plain gray tee and jeans. The red sweatshirt around Raven's shoulders had also been part of his outfit. She could tell from the warmth that still lingered in the woolen fibers.