No More Pranks

Raven wrapped her cloak tighter around her, shivering in the bitterly cold wind. Why does that little green annoyance have to keep driving her from the tower with his insufferable pranks? She sighed and walked in the dark solitude of the beach. It was late, at least one in the morning , and she was walking slowly along the sand under the full moonlit sky. The wind ripped at her, blowing her hood back and sending her hair into a frenzy behind her head. Yet she would not return to the tower. Not until she was SURE he was asleep.

*Flashback*

"AAAAAAH!!!"

The titans flooded into the lounge to find Raven, coated in a sticky, red substance, Cyborgs toolbox lying close by.

"What happened?!?" Robin cried, rushing over to Raven. She merely sat there on the floor, the gunk dripping from her, an expression of utter hatred in her eyes.

Beast Boy entered the room last, and gasped in horror when he saw her

"Rae!! Oh man, Im so so sorry, I set that prank up for Cy!! I didn't think YOU'D go into his toolbox!!"

Robin sniffed the red goo on Raven. "......Ketchup?" He muttered, trying to hold in a snigger. Cyborg and Starfire smiled slightly, both amused and releived that Raven was ok. Beast Boy remained with the horrified look on his face. And in his eyes....were they tears?

Raven rose off the floor shrouded in dark energy. Beast Boy cowered in a corner.

"You'll live to regret this." She growled, before flying out of the window. The titans rushed to the window in time to see her dive straight into the ocean. Beast Boy dropped to the floor, his head in his hands......

Raven sat down, still wet and shivering against the wind. That idiot!! She thought. Why am I surprised? He always does this sort of thing!! And its always me caught in the crossfire!!

She bent her head and stared down at the sand. As angry as she became, she knew her rationality would win in the end. Beast Boy hadn't set that prank for her, she had merely stumbled upon in accidently. And he DID look sorry. She sighed and looked up to the stars. The shone down, bright and promising as always. She breathed deep and allowed herself to relax. He wasn't all bad. Ok, he was a little immature, but he knew when he'd overstepped the line. And when a prank went right, he got that adorable smile and look in his eyes that was just too cute....

Raven snapped her head down. What was she thinking?!? Beast Boy was the GRASS STAIN! The annoying, gaming, tofu eating prankster!!! The guy who'd sell his soul for a moped or a new video game!! How could she possibly think he was cute!?!

As she tried to think of all the things she hated about him, all the things she loved flooded her mind. His shiny green hair, his soft green skin, the deepest emerald eyes she'd ever seen, the cute little fang that poked from his mouth when he smiled, his gentle, caring voice...

"Raven?"

She turned sharply to find Beast Boy standing nervously behind her. Her heart fluttered as she looked at him, so handsome under the moonlight. Then she remembered that she was meant to be mad at him and snapped her head back up to the stars.

"What do YOU want?" She asked bitterly, hoping it would coax him into leaving.

It didn't. He sat beside her, close enough for her to feel the heat from him. She shivered, but remained staring at the twinkling stars.

"Oh man, Rae, you must be freezing! You're soaked!!" BB cried. Raven was touched to hear genuine concern in his voice, but didn't want him to know she was softening.

"Im fine! I'd be warm and dry in the tower if it weren't for YOU!" She muttered. It hurt her to talk to him like this, but she had to push him away before these weird feelings in her could develop.

Beast Boy sighed deeply and looked up. Raven risked a glance at him and saw a single tear sliding down his cheek.

"Rae, please listen. I didn't want to upset you. I had no idea you'd go through Cys toolbox. I am so sorry. I would never do a thing to upset you."

Raven sighed and decided to stop torturing him. She tentatively placed a hand on his shoulder and looked at him. He looked back and they locked their gaze.

"I know you didn't want to prank me, Beast Boy. But I still got it. It humiliated me. Why do you feel the need to do that to people?"

He sighed and looked away. "I just need a distraction. Something to keep my mind off thoughts I'd rather not have."

Raven looked at him curiously. Was this really Beast Boy? She'd never known him to be so deep.

He continued "I pull pranks and try to be funny just so I can smile. If Im not distracted by pranks and games and jokes, my mind goes back to how lonely I am, and how the one person who could possibly end my loneliness will never be mine."

Raven gasped and stared at him. He continued looking at the stars, tears falling silently down his face. She tightened her grip on his shoulder.

"Beast boy, is this about Terra? You know, if you need to talk about it, I might be able to help."

Beast Boy chuckled softly. "Terra? Man, I WISH this was about her. She was great and all, but she was just a big crush. I didn't truly love her, not like I love this girl. Shes so beautiful, so mysterious, so damn unreachable. She'll never love me the same." He looked down, the tears falling freely down his face. Raven sat silent, taking in everything she had just heard. It couldn't possibly mean........

She looked up at him, her hand never leaving his shoulder.

"Is there anything I can do?" She whispered. "I really want to help you, as you've helped me so many times."

He turned to her, wiping the tears away. "There's only one way you can help me." He muttered, smiling slightly.

She placed her hand on his other shoulder and smiled. "Anything."

He leaned in suddenly and pressed his lips against hers. Ravens eyes widened, then closed, her hands moving from his shoulders to around his back. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in, deepening the kiss. The pair of them remained there, lips locked, oblivious to the cold for what seemed like hours. Raven heard a few small pebbles exploding a little distance away, but ignored them. Finally they pulled away unwillingly for air. They kept their arms wrapped around each other and hugged each other, looking at the stars.

"I love you Rae." Beast Boy muttered, holding Raven tightly to him.

She smiled and enjoyed the warmth of his embrace. Never had she been so happy.

"I love you too, Gar" She muttered. He laughed softly and kissed the top of her head. Apparantly, he'd liked her using his real name.

They stayed together, staring at the stars until 3.30, when they decided they'd let the other titans worry enough. They flew to the roof and entered, heading towards the lounge where Robin, Cyborg and Starfire were waiting. Before entering, Beast Boy pulled Raven into a quick but passionate kiss. She gladly returned it.

When the broke apart, Raven quietly muttered " So...No more pranks?"

Beast Boy kissed her softly on the forehead and smiled.

"No more pranks."