I had an hour in the imac lab during creative writing. I'd already finished the assignment, so I wrote this on a whim. Enjoy.

Two Kinds of Love

"Please?"

"No."

Please?"

"No!"

"Please?!" Beast Boy yelped, his eyes pleading and desperate.

"NO!" Raven growled, glaring at him. Her violet eyes watched him for a moment before she turned back to her book.

"Rae, come on, how often have I ever asked you to watch a comedy movie with me?"

Raven's eyes shot to meet his. Her expression was disbelieving.

"Today, this week, this month, or ever?" she asked, frowning.

"Okay, but how often do you say yes?"

Raven sighed, slamming her book shut. Beast Boy jumped away from her, preparing for the worst possible reaction. She merely cocked her head slightly, staring at him, eyes analyzing him openly.

"If I say yes," she said slowly, "will you not ask me for another full month?"

"Is that a yes?" Beast Boy said, emerald eyes hopeful.

"It…might be. Do you promise to not ask me to watch a comedy for a month?"

"I swear," Beast Boy said, grinning toothily. His ears were perked up in his excitement. "AND it can be a double feature. Second movie's your choice."

Raven continued to stare at him unblinkingly. A lock of violet hair fell to shroud her eyes, and she pushed it away.

"Okay," she said quietly. "Just…try and make it tolerable."

"Monty Python and the Holy Grail it is!" he chirped happily.

Raven placed her book on the table in front of them, her hand shaking slightly. Beast Boy noticed this and watched her curiously as she pulled her hand back and hugged herself, an almost nervous gesture. It reminded him of how Timid had held herself in Nevermore.

"You okay?"

"Yes Beast Boy," she replied, forcing a smile. His ears tipped to the side and he arched a brow.

"Are you sure?" he muttered. He usually loved to see her smile, but this one was so forced and dishonest that he almost wished she'd frown at him again.

"Yes, I…I'm just reading a book that kind of disturbs me."

This shocked him even more.

"Horror?"

"No," she whispered, averting her gaze, her false smile fading. Beast Boy saw her hands tremble slightly, as if she'd been about to put her hood up, but then stopped herself. "Romance."

"Did a girl get raped or something?"

"No."

"Sooo…what was so disturbing? Romance is incredible stuff. It's all loving and sweet." He grinned again, his fangs gleaming. Raven smiled weakly.

"Usually."

"Have you read the book before?"

"Yeah…it hurts every time. Love is too complicated for me to understand."

Beast Boy moved a bit closer toward her to stare deeply into her eyes. His brows furrowed as he tried to read the emotions swimming through them, but, as usually, all he saw was the indifference she hid behind.

"You're the smartest person I know," he replied. "What do you mean 'too complicated'…it's easy."

"Beast Boy, I can't love. Not romantically. Seeing people in these books living happily ever after or dying…that's just…confusing. They either die happy or die alone and unloved."

This time, she really did draw her hood over her face, casting it completely into shadows so Beast Boy couldn't see her.

"You've never loved anyone before?" he asked carefully.

"I have…at least, I think I have," she said quietly. "Him."

It was the way she said the word that made Beast Boy realize she was talking about Malchior. She said it with a combination of sorrow, hatred, anger, and pain lacing the word. Beast Boy scowled.

"What about Robin?"

"I've never loved Robin," Raven said, turning to look him in the eye. "Never. Why would you think that?"

"He's always talking about this 'bond' you two share."

Beast Boy wasn't sure why his teeth were clenched, or why his hands were balled into shaking fists.

"I had to jump into his mind. We share private thoughts…against our will, but we did. There's no turning back. He's like my brother…in a different way than Cyborg, I mean."

"I thought you loved him," Beast Boy said quietly.

She gave him a bemused look that he could barely make out through the shadows of her hood.

"Did everything that happened in Tokyo slip from your mind already?" she asked.

"No…but I thought-"

"I love him. I am not in love with him."

"Oh," Beast Boy said blankly. It was clear as day to Raven that he didn't have any idea what she was talking about.

"I love Cyborg," she continued, holding out her hands with her palms up. "He's like my older brother. I love Starfire…she's like my sister."

Beast Boy felt tears well up in his eyes, and he mentally cursed himself when Raven cocked her head slightly. She took her hood down to get a better look at him, and he turned away from her.

"Garfield?" she asked. Her voice was as soft as her eyes, and she looked at him, concerned.

"Do you love me?" he murmured.

"Yes," Raven said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You're my best friend…and a lot more."

"Good. Because I love you."

She smiled at him. Beast Boy sighed. Saying it had been easy only because he knew she'd misinterpret it. When she'd said 'yes,' his heart hadn't leapt for joy. It sank, and he imagined it shriveling up and turning black. She loved him like a brother…like a best friend.

But he didn't love her like a sister or a friend. He was in love with her, and she'd never be able to love him back.

"Rae, I don't…can we watch the movie tomorrow?" he said weakly. Raven's eyes widened slightly in her concern and surprise. She nodded.

"Um, okay. Tomorrow, then," she said hesitantly. "Are you okay?"

The changeling got up, his eyes sad and his ears drooping. He trudged toward the door with his arms hanging limply by his sides.

"I'm great," he whispered.

Raven watched as he left the room, utter confusion running through her. She felt pain and sorrow radiating off of him and immediately moved into lotus position to escape it. She knew if she didn't, her powers would…

Wait…her powers?

She stared down at her hands. She didn't feel the energy pulsing through her. Not in the same way it usually did, at least. Usually, it would bubble inside of her like poison coursing through her veins. Now, it was sitting, dormant and waiting.

Raven looked across the room at a mug she'd left on the counter from her daily tea, and focused. It rose into the air, engulfed with her black energy. She felt her powers stir inside of her, but they didn't scream out and force her to concentrate on keeping them under control. She levitated the table, then the couch. Still, there was nothing but pressure afflicting her body. Her powers didn't threaten to run rampant.

"What is wrong with me?"

Ask him.

A blueish-purple flooded her vision.

"Love?"

Ask him, Love said again. He unlocked me. I'm free.

We're all free, Courage said. And so are you.

Without another thought, Raven let her soul-self burst free, her small body becoming enveloped in darkness. She teleported and flew right through the ceiling and in front of the door to Beast Boy's room. She materialized and knocked three times.

After a moment, Beast Boy opened the door. His green eyes met Raven's violet ones.

"What?" he asked dully.

She pressed her lips onto his, drawing a gasp out of him. His eyes widened, and when she pulled away, a sly smirk had spread over her pale lips. She melted through the floor, leaving Beast Boy alone. He touched his lips.

Raven's voice echoed magically through the hall;

"I'm in love with you."

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- Raye