"Since when do you watch the news?"

"Hey, I like to keep up to date with stuff. Besides, Anderson Cooper is the man."

As was often the case, Raven's reading session was brought to an abrupt end by Beast Boy's desire to watch television. Strangely, however, he had opted to watch a nightly news program in favor of a mindless action movie or an eye-roll-worthy police procedural.

"The international criminal Vandal Savage was taken into federal custody last night after a confrontation in Washington D.C. with The Green Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl. Coinciding with his arrest is evidence indicating that Savage's criminal activity extends as far back as the sixth century and perhaps even further…" The screen flashed an image of the three superheroes escorting a handcuffed Savage along with a variety of police officers. Beast Boy sighed contently.

"I didn't know Vandal Savage was your type." She nonchalantly mused as she returned to her book.

Beast Boy, completely unhindered by Raven's verbal jab, rested his hand on his chin and looked out toward the horizon. "Do you think Robin would give me Supergirl's phone number?"

Using her peripheral vision, Raven looked over at her green-skinned teammate. It was difficult to place into words, but something about Beast Boy's query made her muscles tense up and her back arch independent of her own willpower. Why would she care if Beast Boy carried a flame for their comrade-in-arms? To take her mind off that, she did what she always did to deflect uncomfortable emotions about Beast Boy: insult him. "First: he would never do that. Second: you would have a better chance with the Green Arrow than with her." Satisfied, she returned to her book.

"I'm telling you, Raven, once she gets to know me, she'll be in looooove."

Raven found nothing surprising with this revelation. Millions of men and women across the planet were in love with Supergirl. (One could find a wide variety of "special Kryptonian attraction pheromones" on the internet) It was only natural given that she was a superhero who also looked like a model with a smile that radiated sunshine. She was tall, gorgeous, beloved by the public, and appeared on magazine covers, whereas Raven was a homely, demure ice queen who made children cower in fear. Besides, half of her interactions with Beast Boy involved her deriding his intelligence or lack of social skills. That was a sure fire way to get a guy to like you.

"I smell food." Beast Boy hurled himself over the end of the couch towards the communal dining area, forcing Raven out of her self-imposed gloom. Perhaps a good meal would help take her mind off things.

"So this Savage guy is over three thousand years old? How does he even move around without the world's most expensive walking cane?"

"His body was exposed to a unique type of radiation from a meteor that made him completely immune from aging."

"That's a little ridiculous."

"Any more so than humans who can run and fly faster than light?

"Point taken."

"I believe Mister Savage was rather photogenic for a man of such extensive age. I would greatly appreciate knowledge of his preferred brand of skin cream."

Robin had been explaining the origins of Vandal Savage's powers to Cyborg and Starfire. Raven thought, all things considered, that his powers weren't particularly outlandish, so she paid no great mind to the conversation.

"Rob, do you think you could give me Supergirl's digits?"

Robin arched an eyebrow at Beast Boy's query. "Excuse me?"

Beast Boy toyed around with his fork, obviously a bit nervous about discussing the object of his affection. "Well, you're best buds with the Big Guy, he's best buds with the Big Cheese, and he's best buds with Supergirl, so, by extension, that would make you best buds with Supergirl. So she would be totally cool if you, you know, greased the wheels a little bit."

"I prefer not having all my bones broken, so I'm going to say no."

Beast Boy shrugged in response, clearly undeterred. "Fine. If you want to keep true love apart, suit yours-"

Though he was often accused of being empty-headed, Beast Boy's reflexes were actually extremely adept after years of superheroics, a fact proven as he was able to dodge his plate which Raven hurled at him. "Guys! I think my plate is sentient! And it's trying to kill me!"

"Man, you are a strange child. Sentient plates? Seriously?"

"Can you come up with a better explanat-"

Raven shuffled in her chair. Though her mind had been wandering during Beast Boy's proclamation of love, something inside of her must've overpowered her manners and hurled Beast Boy's plate at him in order to shut him up. Something exploded in her stomach as he and the rest of their teammates looked over at her.

"I've deduced the culprit of this heinous assassination attempt," Beast Boy spoke in his trademark stereotypical hard-boiled police detective voice. "Why did you do it, Raven? Who hired you?"

In spite of her racing heart and the storm of emotions sweltering in her stomach, Raven was an expert actress who was prepared for just about anything. "I...must've not been paying attention, though I never miss a good opportunity to shut you up." She curtly spat back at him as she stood from her chair and made her way to the exit.

She couldn't hear Beast Boy call out to her. "But what about your food?"

Nothing good will come of this.

Raven paced back and forth on the roof of the tower, uncertain if she should follow through with her plan of action. Starfire had requested to speak with her after the incident at dinner. What exactly she wanted was a mystery, but Raven was almost certain it had something to do with Beast Boy, which filled her stomach with a gnawing, pervading dread. Girl-talk was one of Starfire's hobbies and she had an uncanny ability to get even someone as guarded as Raven to open up.

I can't right now. She knows that I-

"Raven?"

Damn.

"I desire to talk."

"I'm aware."

She sat on the edge of the roof and offered Raven a seat.

"Raven, I understand that emotions are a topic of extreme delicacy for you, however, if you comprehend everything I am about to explain to you, I believe you will like what I have to say, even if initially you do not believe so. I wish to help you with regarding your romantic feelings for our fellow teammate, Beast Boy."

"W-what?" And there it was. It made her chest tighten. Starfire was empathetic, but how exactly could she have pierced the veil of her expertly crafted facade? "What did- How did you know?"

With a reassuring smile, Starfire continued. "I only believed in its extreme probability until you confirmed my suspicion moments ago."

There was no turning back now. "What gave it away?"

Still with that reassuring smile on her face, Starfire continued, "To be in complete honesty with you, Raven, the two of you made it rather obvious. The way you two constantly seek solace and instantly forgive each other despite your intense bickering, how you both are angered by the prospect of the other forging a romantic relationship with another superhero."

Raven winced. "Oh, Azar…"

Starfire chuckled at Raven's blush. "And you both do quite a bit of that in immediate proximity to the other."

This will most likely be three or four chapters. Special thanks to Golem XIV for the encouragement.