St. Patrick's Rae

Raven felt a little lost. The world seemed to somehow be out of focus around her. She concentrated and, for a time, recollection returned to her. She had conceded to the team's revelry, celebrating St. Patrick's Day with a drink. She didn't think she had had much but, when Beast Boy and Cyborg yelled that the team should relocate to an Irish Pub in the city, she had agreed as loudly as the others. And so she sat in a booth with her friends, surrounded by citizens in various stages in intoxication, watching the world sway in front of her. Slowly, it dawned on her that someone was speaking to her - Beast Boy, who sat to her left.

"Hey, Rae! You doin' okay?" he drawled. Raven nodded unsteadily, grinning at him. His eyes became glassy as he scanned her up and down. "Hey! You're not wearing any green!" he enthused. Raven squinted at him.

"So what?" she retorted. He grinned and held up his fingers in a pincer-like motion.

"So I get to pinch you! Rules are rules, Ruleven... Raven." Raven glared at him as best she could.

"You didn't pinch anyone else," she said. He nodded sagely.

"Because they are wearing green," he said, pointing out Robin's uniform, Starfire's green boots and Cyborg's currently green lighting. Sighing, Raven held out her arm for the changeling.

"Here - let's just get it over with," she said.

"You mean you're gonna let me pitch... pinch you?" he squeaked. Raven gave him a look of wicked amusement.

"I'm making sure you get my arm, you little green perv. You probably wanted to pinch my ass!" Raven joked, laughing lightly at the shape-shifter's discomfort.

"W-WHAT? I wasn't gonna pinch your... pinch you there!" he shouted, genuinely distraught.

"Calm down, Beast Boy, I was just joking," Raven confessed. Beast Boy calmed down immediately, settling back into his merry stupor. He suddenly slapped his hands on his knees.

"Well! I'm gonna go get a drink. Anyone else?" he asked, scanning the booth. Cyborg was asleep and Robin and Starfire were busy whispering to each other in the corner. He looked at his last remaining teammate. "You want anything, Rae-Rae" he said. Raven's mouth twisted at the nickname.

"No, thank you. The world is hazy enough as it is." With that, Beast Boy stood... and yelped. Turning, he faced Raven incredulously. Her fingers were held in the same pincer shape. He rubbed his behind and babbled.

"You pinched my... what the... you... Why?!" Raven snickered.

"You aren't wearing green, either," she pointed out. He swayed as he forced his brain to work.

"But... but I am green!" he protested. Raven shook her head.

"That doesn't count, Beast Boy. I thought you were going to get a drink." Beast Boy stared at her, dumbly. Then he turned and meandered to the bar, shaking his head and rubbing his backside. He returned shortly, beer in hand.

"Hey, Rae," he said casually. Raven smirked at him.

"Forgiven me already?" she said. Beast Boy laughed.

"Yeah, not a big deal. Besides, this way I can tell people I got felt up by a hot chick!" he laughed. Raven twitched and stared at him.

"Um... 'hot chick'?" she repeated, pointing at herself, feeling a strange combination of offense and flattery.

"Yeah!" Beast Boy cried, then suddenly realised his error. "I mean... a beautiful woman!" he shouted. Raven blushed and shook her head.

"Nice save, Groaneo," she muttered, smirking. Still, it wasn't the worst thing that she had been called. Beast Boy shrugged, blushing while he stared into his drink.

"Well it's true, Rae. You are hot. And beautiful and stuff..." he said, fading out as his blush deepened. Raven didn't know what to say and so remained silent, wishing she had a drink of her own. Soon, the awkwardness was forgotten as she found herself drifting off, tipping to one side. Eventually, her control lapsed and she ended up leaning on Beast Boy's shoulder. Warily, he raised his arm and Raven half-consciously snuggled closer, humming as his hand wrapped around her shoulder.

"Mmmm... you're always so warm," she murmured. Beast Boy blushed again.

"Um... thanks? Maybe it's my metalobism... metato-...melobalislm... metobalob-"

"Not like that... when we're this close, I can feel your aura without trying. It's warm... I like it." she said, quietly, eyes sliding closed again. Beast Boy chanced a look down at the sorceress and her eyes reopened, meeting his. The background noise faded away as he stared, blinking stupidly.

"I like you, Rae," he blurted out, surprised by his words and suddenly afraid of the consequences. Raven stared back. She could feel what he felt through his aura: it was dizzying. She leaned across and pressed her lips against his. When she pulled away, he grinned and she smiled back.

"So..." he said. "You wanna, like, go out or something?" Raven smirked at his eloquence.

"I think... I would like that... or something," she whispered. Beast Boy laughed and pulled her closer. Soon, they had both fallen asleep.

Beast Boy woke in his own bed. He had blurry memories of Robin rousing them and herding everyone into a cab. Everything else was blank. Then the memory came back and he sat bolt upright. He rose and dressed, nervously heading toward the common room. Raven was there, alone.

"Uh... morning, Raven. Where is everyone?" he asked. Raven, tea in hand, responded calmly.

"Hungover. Im guessing our uniqe biology let us shake it off better than the others," she replied. Beast Boy nodded. He decided this was the best opportunity.

"You, uh... you remember much?" he asked. Raven eyed him over the rim of her cup, then made for the exit without a word. Beast Boy groaned - she remembered and was mad at him. Then he yelped, turning around to see Raven making a pincer shape with her fingers.

"Oh dear, Garfield," Raven said with a smirk. "If we're going out, you really need to be less nervous around me." With that she left the room, leaving behind an incredulous but equally overjoyed Beast Boy, who eventually came to his senses and followed her.

TA-DA!