Pink Elephants
Good Morning

Raven picked at her food, feeling her stomach toss and turn with every bite. It really wasn't as if the food was bad. No - the exact opposite, actually. Beast Boy, as much as she hated to admit it, was actually really talented in the kitchen. He knew exactly how to cook everything perfectly - meat or not - and Raven couldn't help but be a little jealous as she remembered her one excursion into cooking an actual breakfast. Horrifically burned pancakes were not something she wanted to remember… at all.

"Better?"

Jerking out of her thoughts, she looked up into Beast Boy's green eyes and blushed, shaking her head. "Sorry, Gar… I'm just kind of…"

"A hungover mess?" He laughed and stood up, patting her on the head as if she were a child again.

Her heart fluttered against her ribs again and she fidgeted under the weight of his touch, relishing in the warmth before he pulled away, taking her plate and dropping it in the sink. Raven watched him carefully, trying to understand the emotions coursing through her body in this moment. She was practically shaking, and not all of it was from the hangover.

Raven looked down into her hands and tried to piece together her thoughts into something she understood, but nothing was making sense. What in the world was with her? He was her best friend, impossibly close, and never once had she entertained the idea that he would make her feel like this.

Except he did.

And it was happening more frequently than she ever imagined.

"You need a nap."

Raven jerked and looked up at him, eyes wide. "I just got up."

"Doesn't matter." He plopped another cup of coffee in front of her and two aspirin. "Take those and drink that, and then we'll go sit on the sofa together. Okay?"

Raven downed the aspirin and took another gulp of coffee, the caffeine starting to course through her veins like a life-saving drug. The last of the cobwebs were finally clearing from her vision, but she still felt weak and shaky, and not at all like herself. She ran her fingers through her hair and looked up at him as he cleared away the rest of the dishes. "Why wouldn't it matter?"

"I bet," he began with a smile, "that if I put on your favorite movie, dim the lights, and wrap you in a blanket, you'll pass out in fifteen minutes - twenty tops." He leaned against the counter and looked at her with a sympathetic expression. "I've been there, Raven. I know what this feels like and what your body wants to do. And even though you slept a full ten hours, you're about two seconds from passing out again. Right?"

She scowled. "I hate it when you're right."

"I'm right only because I've dealt with this crap before. It's not fun… but at least you have someone helping you. I… wasn't so lucky." He laughed and walked up next to her, offering his hand. "Except those few times you managed to not kill me. Little nurse Raven."

"Don't call me that," Raven said as she cautiously slid her fingers in between his own and let him pull her to her feet.

She teetered for a moment, but he wrapped his broad hands around her shoulders and steadied her feet. He was so close to her, close enough that she could still smell the coffee on his breath and the faint scent of his shampoo. There was something comforting about it, something that made her feel as though she were home. Her eyes flicked up to his and he just smiled, seemingly completely unaware of the proximity between them.

Raven fought against the urge to chew on her lower lip and give away her thoughts. How in the world could he be so calm about this? Didn't he at least hear her heart or see her blush? She was practically a mess in front of him, and he was so damn collected. When in the world did that happen?

"Come on, Rae. On the sofa. I'll grab you a blanket and some more water, 'Kay?" He guided her to the living room, and set her down on the cushions carefully, as if she were something breakable. With a smile and another pat to her head, he walked out of the living room to go and find a blanket to wrap her in.

Raven shivered, but she highly doubted it was from the cold. No, it was from something else entirely. Running her fingers over the rim of her glass, she stared ahead into the blank TV, trying to piece together precisely what was going on between them. It wasn't uncommon for Beast Boy to care about her, he actually cared a great deal about all the teammates, even going as far as making Starfire warm mustard soup when she was sick. But, it was unusual for him to dote on Raven for as long as he had. Not that it was unwanted. No, it was very much wanted, and equally appreciated.

"Here!" Beast Boy walked back into the room with a pillow and blanket from his bed, a grin splitting his lips from ear to ear. "This should keep you cozy for a little bit." He wrapped Raven up tightly, nearly swaddling her as if she were a small child. When he had finished creating a fluffy, gray cocoon, he tucked the pillow under her head and smiled down at his handiwork.

"Feel better?"

Actually, she did. Raven looked up at him, laughter threatening to spill from between her lips. Pressing her lips in a thin line to keep from practically giggling up at him (giggling? Her? What god had she pissed off that she now had the unwanted urge to giggle?), she poked a single arm out of the blanket and wrapped it around Beast Boy's fingers as he began walking away. "Thank you. You don't really have to do this, you know."

"I know." He shrugged and smiled down at her, brushing a few strands of hair out of her eyes. With a small chuckle, he tweaked her nose and moved toward the TV again. "And it's not a problem, Rae. You've put up with way worse from me."

That was true. But it didn't justify her actions either.

Raven stared at the back of his head as he flicked through movies, obviously looking for one in particular, and felt a sigh rise up into her chest. She really didn't deserve a friend like him, even after all the years of growing closer, they still fought occasionally, but there was always a moment where they realized they were both being ridiculous and they gave into each other. It was a relationship of push and pull, but sometimes they both realized that it was fruitless… and then there were moments like this.

Beast Boy moved back toward the sofa, remote in hand.

"Can I lay on you?"

Beast Boy paled.

Raven bit back a surprised gasp, trying not to let the humiliation show on her face. Had she really just asked him that? Closing her eyes, she turned away and fidgeted underneath the warmth of his blanket. "I mean… you're warm and… well… you make the headache not so bad." Her stare flicked back to his own before she pulled the blanket up to her nose. "But I understand if you don't want to. I mean-"

"Sure," he cut her rambling off and picked up her head and shoulders gently, pushing her into a sitting position for a moment as he plopped down on the sofa. Raven watched him for a long moment as he adjusted the pillow over his left side and lap, and then patted the softness in invitation. "Here. I mean… if I help the headache, I don't mind so much…" Pause. "As long as it won't make you uncomfortable for anything," he added as an afterthought. "I don't want you to feel awkward."

"N-no. I…" Raven desperately searched for words, but didn't find any words and she just buried herself into the pillow, closing her eyes and pulling the blanket up over her shoulders. Closing her eyes, she breathed deep, smelling his scent mingling with the breakfast he had cooked, and something inside her relaxed. It was like she was drowning in him, wrapped up in his honest care and concern, and she didn't mind not having air. No, she didn't mind it one bit.

His fingertips trailed over the side of her face, brushing a few strands of hair back from her eyes, and Raven looked up to find him smiling down at her.

"You have a headache right… here." With that he pressed against her temple and began rubbing slow circles against her. Raven practically moaned at the relief he offered her, and her eyes fluttered closed again as she pressed her shoulder up against his thigh, unconsciously trying to get closer to him.

"That… feels wonderful."

He chuckled. "I could literally see the vein throbbing through your skin, Raven."

"I'm sure." She groaned as he pressed a little harder and brought his other hand to the back of her neck, rubbing a kink out near her shoulder. It was heaven, and she was happy to lay here forever, his warmth surrounding her and his hands offering relief she never thought possible. "I never realized that a headache could hurt this bad."

"Well, now you know what it felt like all those times you took care of me."

"Remind me to be nicer next time you have a hangover." She brought one hand up and patted his knee, offering some kind of solidarity in her pain. "I now know exactly what kind of pain you're going through. It's like there's a bunch of dwarves mining inside my head and behind my eyes."

Beast Boy laughed and she felt him lean over her, looking into her closed eyes. "I'll hold you to that, you know."

"It's worth it to have you keep touching me. Uugh… right there." Raven's voice dropped an octave and she pushed harder against the pillow propped up against him. His fingers faltered for a moment, and Raven suddenly realized both what and how she said it. Blushing, she slowly opened her eyes and stole a peek at his darkened face. How in the world had she… Azar, she could be so stupid sometimes.

"I… that's fine, Gar. I'm sorry…"

His fingers stopped and the pain began to return, but she didn't mind it so much anymore.

Smiling through his embarrassment, Beast Boy rested his arm down the length of her body, rubbing her side with slow, careful circles. He patted her hip and pulled the hair off her neck. "Enough talking, Rae. Just close your eyes and rest, okay?" He pointed to the TV. "I even put in your favorite movie for you to fall asleep to."

Raven looked up at him and shifted. "Why are you so good to me?"

He smiled a genuine smile and leaned back into the sofa cushions. "Because, inspite of your extra-hard exterior, you're actually pretty good to me, Rae. And besides… you deserve to be taken care of after all the times you dealt with me, so…" he trailed off and pressed play on the remote. "So, just rest for now," he finished with a chuckle.

"Thanks, Gar."

"Of course." With that he leaned over and pressed a kiss to her throbbing temple. "Now rest."

Raven could hear her heart pounding in her ears, and she turned to look up at him, expecting to see him apologizing for kissing her. He was blushing, but there was nothing that indicated that his actions were accidental. A minute of shocked silence passed, and Raven felt as if the world was halting below her. Gathering what courage she could, she reached out and wrapped her hands around his arm on her side and pulled his hand to her lips.

And then she kissed his palm.

He looked down at her, but Raven couldn't meet his eyes, and she just pulled the covers over her shoulder, staring at the television screen with intent.

"Thank you."

"A- anytime, Rae."

Raven began to relax as her body finally succumbed to the shaking and warmth, exhausted from fighting the poison in her system. The hand on Beast Boy's knee eased up his thigh and rested under the pillow. Long, quiet minutes passed as the movie played on in the background, and then she heard Beast Boy start to talk again, his voice just a little soft and shaky. "Let's do this again sometime."

Raven's eyes were starting to feel heavy and she nodded, a small smile playing against her lips at the suggestion. "Except without the hangover."

"Yeah…" He laughed and rubbed her side again, his touch warm and comforting. "Yeah, without that."

"Agreed…" Raven sighed, the sleep finally taking over the last bits of her consciousness. "And maybe more kissing."

)O(

Sorry this took so long to complete. I was easily distracted. I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for being AWESOME, friends.