#Trigon knew that Raven would probably reject him | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

titansandothersrp · 3 years

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Memories

(This is a compiled roleplay between my Beast Boy muse and the Raven muse of @azarathian . This is a very old roleplay we wrote under different usernames, but I labeled our writing with our current usernames.)

azarathian (Raven):

All around her was flame and slaughter.

The skies above bled crimson down on the city, roaring with the inferno it bore, all ablaze in suffering and screams. Raven stood amid the carnage, upon the brink of a building she once knew, ingesting the horrors of the world unfolding before her. Along her flesh, lacerations of a burning threat laced her thin arms, the porcelain of her thighs. She grimaced against the heat, but could only endure, unable to move. Unable to look away.

In the distance, a throng of screams pierced her ears. She looked down at the rubble and wreckage to see her four friends, small as ants from her stance on the tower. Above the shrieks, a sudden, foreboding laugh echoed in the walls of her mind, only to swell like a chilling crescendo. Her blood curled in her veins the instant those four bloody eyes emerged in the sky, a sick sort of pleasure deep in their stare.

This was undoubtedly hell on earth. And she’d seen it before. She knew its relentless scald like the back of her hand.

When that sinuous claw plunged from above, she could only scream out, wide-eyed as the figures below were crushed beneath its merciless force.

All at once, her eyes were flung open. She launched upright in her bed, breath heavy and quick as it fled from her lungs into the darkness around her. Her pupils were shrunken in her sockets, hands quivering upon the mattress below her as she felt the bead of sweat trickle down her temple.

A dream. It was a dream. Just a dream.

The Azarathian relayed the fact to herself over and over in her mind, determined to calm her senses and bring herself back to the world of reality. Still, she shook in place, welding her eyes shut before prying them open again to gauge the sight of her room. She was safe. She was at home, in her room, and she was safe. She wasn’t in danger. Her friends were safe. That was all that mattered.

After several minutes of sighing out the trauma, the weight still pressed down on her gut like a boulder. She had to get air. She was practically gasping for it.

Immediately, she threw her duvet from her and rushed for the door, intent on the nearest exit she could reach. The clamour she made on her way out caused some noise, but she didn’t stop to think she might wake someone. She didn’t even know what time it was; she only knew it was dark.

The magus finally reached the tower’s main exit. She leaned against the door frame as the ocean wind hit her like a bullet to her skin. It shook her from her fear. Reminded her that she was awake and alive.

Slowly, Raven ambled down the rocks till she found sanctum upon a flat boulder, overlooking the surprisingly still sea. And finally, looking out to the city she knew was unharmed, she could breathe. titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): Beast Boy lied in his bed, not yet ready to sleep, only resting. Hands behind his head, he thought of Raven for the umpteenth time that night. She was just so amazing, he thought. It felt like anything he once viewed negatively about her, he could put a positive spin on. She was dark, which made her mysterious and interesting. She kept to herself, which made it all the more enjoyable when she joined him. She rarely smiled, which made each one a victory. Then there were the facts that she’s beautiful, intelligent, caring, and strong. His ears twitched as he heard some movement from Raven’s room. Was she awake? Morphing into a cat, he leaped from his bed and placed his ear to the wall. He could hear heavy breathing. It was just a bad dream, he assumed. Hoping she would fall back asleep and forget about it in the morning, he decided to leave her alone. Though he decided on leaving her alone when she exited her room, assuming she needed the restroom or something, he changed his mind when she didn’t return after a few minutes. Having a feeling where she was, he exited his room, then the Tower, to find her outside. Not wanting to startle her, he gave her a “Hey,” before approaching her and sitting down next to her. “You alright?”

azarathian (Raven): Relax. It wasn’t real. It was all in your head. He’s gone. He can’t hurt you, or your friends. Not any more… Breathe… Despite her rational thought struggling to pull her back to the present, her anguish and fear spoke louder. It had felt so vivid. She could still feel the singe of her fate lining her arms in his fire. The night’s chill was almost lost to the memory of cinders scorching in the air. Her skull pulsed, wavering from the truth and lingering to the past. With tense shoulders, she brought her legs up on the rock, arms leaning upon her thighs and hands limp across her knees. Once again, she tried to breathe in the crisp night-tide wind, eyes cast down solemnly to the waves lapping at the island’s bank.

“Hey.”

With a start, her head rose, but she gave no other movement. She should’ve sensed his presence a mile off, but had been drowned deep in reverie.

“You alright?”

Honestly, in that moment, she couldn’t tell whether the boy’s company was a blessing or a curse. Nonetheless, she lacked the will to reject it, merely sighing out as he took a seat beside her.

“I’m fine,” she lied, almost trying to convince herself of the same thing. She’d managed to regain that recognisable tone, level and composed, though her eyes held another story. titansandothersrp (Beast Boy):

“Raven… You don’t have to lie to me.” He knew for a fact that she was lying. Her posture, her eyes, the fact she was even out here… He knew something was wrong. “If you just need some fresh air and quiet to feel better, tell me. But don’t lie and say you’re fine when you’re not.” He hoped she wouldn’t tell him to go away, but he would understand if she did. He gave her the opportunity for some company and that’s all he could really do. “I just want to help. But, if you want, I’ll leave.” azarathian (Raven): In a way, she was grateful for his prying. Now she’d learnt to read his actions in a different light, she could appreciate that he was trying his best to make her feel cared for. Even the fact he said he’d leave if she wished hadn’t gone unnoticed; they really were growing to understand and respect each other better…

“It’s nothing,” she breathed, eyes still clung to the ripples of the sea beneath her feet.

“I just had a bad dream. I needed some air, that’s all.” She hoped the confession didn’t sound too pathetic, nor divulge the essence of fear she’d experience mere minutes before. titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): Just as he suspected. He appreciated that she told him the truth. “Well, at least it was just a dream, so you shouldn’t have to worry about it. I’ve had to do that too sometimes; get out of bed to clear my head. Especially with those nightmares where you keep waking up, only to realize you’re still in the nightmare.” He didn’t think any less of her for needing to calm down from a nightmare. It meant she had emotions just like everyone else.“You want to talk or anything? It might work as a distraction.” azarathian (Raven):

She knew he was right. She didn’t have to worry about Trigon any longer. Not in the real world, at least. Still, she felt him inside her like he’d never left. A feeling she’d grown used to her whole life, and probably something she would never fully be able to relinquish.

And in honesty, she wasn’t sure how much good talking would do, as the sibyl had never allowed herself to just sit beside another and share her feelings on such a matter. It was too personal. Too deep-rooted. And yet, his inviting words played on her thoughts as they sat below the canopy of cloud. It felt as though they were the only two in the world; as though they could scream if they wished, and no one would ever hear…

Raven bit at her bottom lip in contemplation.

“… Yeah. I think I do,” came her soft and tentative voice, though she truly hadn’t a clue where to begin. titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): He was a bit surprised that she agreed. Though they had been getting along, she had always been the listener. Maybe now he could be the one to listen to her and learn more about her. “So, what happened?” azarathian (Raven): She pressed her lips together, lost for where to begin. Her brows creased a touch as she envisioned the dream again in her head; a sight she didn’t really wish to dwell on, but still helplessly felt the need to share with the other. “It was about Trigon.” She managed to force out the sentence, and that was all she needed to spur her on with what followed. “He was back on earth. Everything was destroyed, and…” Her voice trembled a little in the back of her throat as the images played before her, almost tangible. “It felt so real. Like he was really here again.” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): His eyes widened a bit at the mention of Trigon. He could see why she would be frightened by that. Seeing the planet you and all those you care about destroyed must really take a toll on the mind. He needed to make sure she felt safe. He could only do so much, but he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “But it wasn’t real. You already lived through your worst nightmare. And you won. You defeated him and he’ll never come back. And even if he did, you’d just defeat him again.”

“It’s okay to be scared, but you don’t need to be. You’re the strongest person I know. You’ll always win in the end.” azarathian (Raven): She accepted the reassuring touch to her shoulder, and her eyes flitted to his direction without actually rising to meet his own. “It’s just… hard. His presence has followed me since I was born. Sometimes… it’s hard to believe it’s over. That he’s really gone.” Despite her fears, she knew her words to be true; for it was over. He was gone. But even having defeated the merciless demon she called her father, he still managed to plague her in her thoughts. In her sleep. titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): “I guess it would be hard to let go of something that’s affected you your whole life… You were told your whole life you couldn’t defeat him, weren’t you? You were discouraged all that time. And you still did it. Imagine what you could do when encouraged!”

“You can do it, Raven! I believe in you! Beat up those doubts!” azarathian (Raven): Optimistic as ever. If anything, the lively lilt to his words served to tug her all the more back to reality and away from her nightmares. And for that, she was grateful. The events of her fate had happened over a year ago now, yet she imagined it would take a much longer time before she could find true peace with the fact it was over. As he questioned her, she nodded lightly. But when his little peppy cheer followed, she couldn’t help the giggle it drew from her once frowning lips. Finally, she looked to him. “Easier said than done, but I’ll try.” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): Yes! He got a smile and a giggle out of her! “I’ll be here to cheer you on. I’ll even get pom-poms, if you want!” He chuckled.

“By the way… if you wouldn’t mind… I was wondering… What was your life like before the Titans? We’ve known each other for years and we’ve been talking more recently, but I feel like I don’t know much about you. I want to know you better… If that’s okay.” azarathian (Raven): The smile faded from her face, a look of hesitance taking its place. As a breeze passed between the two, she let a pause linger before speaking up. “What do you want to know?” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy):

He noticed her smile fade. Was he pushing it? “Well, things like where you’re from, what your childhood was like, who raised you, how you learned to control your powers. If you’re not comfortable with that, you don’t have to tell me.” azarathian (Raven): She shook her head, assuring him she didn’t mind him asking. She just wasn’t quite sure how to answer; her past wasn’t something she could exactly sum up in a sentence or two. “Well…” She swallowed, hands moving from her lap to press down on either side of her against the rock she sat on. Leaning back slightly, the wind caught the tresses of her hair as she breathed out, searching for where to begin. “I’m from a dimension called Azarath… It’s where I grew up, until I came to Earth.” The latter three questions he’d asked honestly all tied in together. “I was raised in a temple there, by Azarathian monks… they’re the ones who also trained me to control my powers.” So far it sounded like a somewhat decent childhood. Raven didn’t know quite how to explain the intricacies that proved it was anything but. titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): He nodded slightly as he listened. He could relate to being raised by those other than his birth parents and being trained to better utilize his powers, but he suspected that their experiences were quite different. “Was it nice in Azarath? Was it anything like Earth? You didn’t seem to have much trouble adapting to our culture, like Starfire did. Or did you research it ahead of time? Given your smarts, I wouldn’t doubt it.” He kept his eyes on her, hooked on every word she said. He wanted to know all he could about her.

azarathian (Raven): Truth be told, Azarath had been a place of beauty before the destruction of Trigon. Raven could see the labyrinth of buildings, the glassy spires towering tall in her mind’s eye. But though it was beautiful, that didn’t mean it was nice. For the magus, at least, her home divulged memories of isolation, rejection, and suffering from both her people and her mentors. She was the devil’s child, after all. Her home was the husk of a young girl’s lost hope. It was only upon coming to Earth did she learn what true happiness felt like.

“It was… similar, in a lot of ways,” she began. “My people are pacifists. Their culture has its differences, but it was easy to adapt here. I can’t say I had the same childhood as any other on Azarath, though. I think that makes my perspective distorted from the rest.” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): He found it strange that he could relate yet again. Even before he got his powers, he most certainly didn’t have an average childhood. “Pacifists, huh? Does that mean they were gentle with raising you?” He thought for a moment. “Or were they strict like some of the religious people here?” He hoped they were kind, but he knew in his gut that they weren’t. If they were kind and loving, why would she have been so cold when arriving to Earth? He frowned deeply at the thought of Raven being mistreated.

azarathian (Raven): She released a long, deep sigh to the wind. She should’ve guessed this question was coming, and yet it still stunted her to think back on her time under the monks’ meticulous hold. “Strict,” she confirmed, a waver in her tone. No point in sugar-coating the experience, she thought. “They trained me every day, from the break of dawn to sunset. They had to. I wasn’t allowed to feel, or I’d be scolded… It was only when I was around six years old that I began to understand why.”

A silence hung between them for a moment.

“They had their reasons. They all knew who I was – what I was. I had to be under control at all times, or else who knows what would happen. So I was kept in the temple where I grew up. I couldn’t leave or see anyone from the outside. It was… not your average childhood. Even by Azarath’s standards.” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): “And I thought Mento was strict…” He mused aloud. “Not being allowed to feel… That must have been harsh. I can’t imagine living like that… I’m sorry you didn’t get to have a real childhood… But… I suppose the past is in the past. You have your whole life ahead of you now. With us. You can feel all you want with us.” He offered a small smile. “Feel what you want, talk to who you want, do what you want… You have a new life now. Live it as you see fit.” azarathian (Raven): In reality she knew that he had no idea. The experience of her youth was not something that could be fully understood by merely reciting it; in fact, doing so was simply scratching the surface. Still, he meant well. He just wanted to know more about her, and in many ways, she wanted to tell him more about her. “Yeah.” Her heavy tone seemed to settle a touch as the prospect of the future dawned upon her. Her past was just that, after all. Past. Not present, nor future, and for now she could live her life as she wished. No longer burdened by her destiny or her father. Reflecting on this, the weight in her chest lifted and she returned Beast Boy’s smile with her own. “You’re right. And I’m thankful for it.” The girl clung her eyes to his. “What about you?” she asked. “Where were you raised?” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): She wanted to know about him? That was a good sign, right?

“Me? Well, believe it or not, I wasn’t raised in America. Not at first, anyway. My parents, my real parents, were biologists. We traveled the jungles of the world for their research. My childhood was spent in Africa, Brazil, India… lots of places, really. Since we traveled so much, I didn’t go to school. My parents taught me instead. They were hoping I’d grow up to be brilliant, like them. So much for that, huh?” He gave a slight chuckle. “That’s why my real name is what it is. They told me I was named after a famous doctor, not the comic strip cat.” azarathian (Raven):

“Really?”

She knew bits and pieces about Beast Boy’s past, but had always assumed he’d grown up in America. California was where he was when she’d met him; she thought at most he’d have lived somewhere outside the city, but not outside the country.

“Too bad you act more like the cat than the doctor, though,” she smirked at him, watching his reaction before she decided to ask more questions. titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): “Yes, really.” Deciding to have a little fun at his own expense, he pouted.

“I hate Mondays!” He gave her a playful smirk. azarathian (Raven): “The resemblance is uncanny,” she drawled. “So, what was it like travelling ‘round so much? Did you like it?” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): “I liked it. It was all I knew, at that point. I got to meet lots of people, see lots of animals, try different kinds of food… It sucked when I met someone cool and had to leave though.” azarathian (Raven): “Yeah, I can imagine.” It was actually proving very interesting to hear about Beast Boy’s past; she found it hard to imagine him as a child. To imagine him without his powers and living his life before the titans, or even the Doom Patrol. Suddenly all kinds of questions formed in her head, and she was eager to have them answered, if not for anything else then to serve as a good distraction from her own past memories. “And your parents? What were they like?” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy):

“They were great, smart, adventurous, loving… all around great people, really. From what I remember, everyone seemed to like them. They knew a lot of smart and interesting people. They used to show me off.” He chuckled. “I wasn’t very bright, but they had me recite animal facts I knew. I’d always loved animals, even before I got my powers.” azarathian (Raven): His reflective smile mirrored on her face as she watched him and listened. There must’ve been something very bittersweet about discussing his childhood, she assumed. It sounded like he had quite a nice one while his parents were still living. She gave a light chuckle. “Did they show off your ears too?” she teased. But as soon as the words left her, she instantly shunned them, for she realised a second too late that, of course, he wouldn’t have had his pointy ears at that time. Nor his green complexion, nor fangs, nor powers. It had been a stupid mistake, but she feared now she had stirred some of the not-so-happy memories. This unease made itself known in her frown and creased forehead.

“Oh, I mean-” she scoured for a save, but couldn’t find one. “… Sorry.” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): He gave a weak smile. “Heh. It’s fine. But, no, they didn’t. I only had my powers for a very short time before they… y’know…”

“They gave me my powers, you know. Back when I was around seven years old, my parents were searching for a rare green monkey. They found it… or rather… I found it. I thought it was pretty. It was little and fluffy and green, my favorite color.”

“Being a dumb little kid, I tried to pet it. But, when I got close, it bit me. Then I got sick. Really sick. The bite gave me the Sakutia virus. In order to save me, my parents made a mix of animal… antigens, I think it was? It cured me, but also gave me my green appearance and ability to transform.” azarathian (Raven): “– before they… y’know…” She felt a lump form in her throat, a pressure grow in her chest. But her eyes stayed on him. “Mm,” she nodded in understanding. “It must’ve been a big scare for you all. It’s a good thing your parents were such brilliant people, and could save you. You must be proud to be their son…” Hesitantly, her smile attempted to return, though this time around there was a certain sympathy weaved within it. A brief pause deterred her speech. “And there’s no doubt they’d be proud to be your parents.” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): “I am proud to be their son, but, do you really think they’d be proud of me? They were geniuses and I’m… not. And they were able to save me, but I couldn’t save them.” He looked a way, being overcome with a feeling of guilt. “There was a flood… about a month after I got my powers. I tried to save them, but I couldn’t turn into any animal that was strong enough. I kept trying and trying, but I couldn’t get them to safety. I watched them drown… before I flew away.”

azarathian (Raven): As she absorbed the story, a frown formed. It was a horrible thing to hear, and she could only imagine what the reality of living it had felt like, and to a child no less. Raven had always known that her teammate’s parents were no longer alive, that they’d passed when he was very young. But until now she had been unaware of the intricacies their tragedy held; that Beast Boy had been present to witness his parents’ death, that his life was almost taken along with theirs in the chaos. The guilt he harboured was evident in his pained expression, and caused Raven’s stomach to churn with empathy for the boy. “Beast Boy,” she said, a hand instantly planted to his shoulder to better keep him grounded. One of them had to be strong here, and though the changeling was incredibly strong in his own right, she undoubtedly had far more practise with controlling her emotions.

“You and I both know that their death wasn’t your fault. Don’t think it for a second.” Her tone was stern and level. It had to be, for his sake, though she could have easily succumbed to the same temptation to release tears. It was against her nature to do so, by now.

“We can’t change what happened. But know that they would be proud of you. Despite all that’s happened, look at where you are now. You should be proud of yourself, too.” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): He was trying his best to keep the tears from rolling down his cheeks. He brought his hand to the empath’s on his shoulder. Grabbing it tightly, perhaps too tightly, he tried to find the strength not to break down completely. He took sharp breaths as he choked back sobs, unsure of why he was fighting it in the first place. Raven told him it was okay to cry, but he’d spent so long trying to pretend he was happy all the time. His breathing began to calm and he loosened his grip on her hand, but still held it for support. “I guess I was responsible for taking down the Brotherhood of Evil.” He said trying to stay positive. “I never thought I’d be able to lead like that.” He offered a strained smile. azarathian (Raven): The hand upon her own didn’t go unnoticed, and though her eyes flitted to the sight for a moment, there was a more pressing matter before her. In the space of a mere few weeks, she’d never seen the teen so vulnerable and willing to open up before. And she could now say that this wasn’t the first time her friend looked upon her with teary eyes. His unfaltering facade of constant merriment and revelry was once again peeling back to expose the troubled and tortured boy beneath. She let him breathe, though his breaths came in sobs. It didn’t matter. He needed a moment to calm himself, and she knew this. Sure enough, before long, he seemed to regain himself as best he could for the moment, and it was then that Raven looked on at him with complete patience and consideration. “But you did,” she said. “And you’ve done much more.” Her hand fell from his shoulder as she leaned back and looked out to the sea. “You’re a hero, Beast Boy. I think because we do this sort of thing every day, it’s easy to forget that…” Her eyes found his again. “I’m sorry you couldn’t save them… But you’ve saved so many others since, and for that you should be proud.” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): He brought his hands to rest at his sides on the rocky shore. Taking a deep breath of the night air, he exhaled, calming down a bit further. He looked to her with a smile. “I may have not been able to save my blood relatives, but I have saved my family more than once; the Doom Patrol, you guys…” He looked to the sea and sighed.

“But that wasn’t always appreciated. Did I ever tell you how I first turned into a large animal?” That was a rhetorical question. He knew he hadn’t. “We were fighting the Brotherhood of Evil; me and the rest of the Doom Patrol. They had a black hole generator. They got caught in some sort of trap of energy that was hurting them and they couldn’t escape from. Mento told me I needed to destroy the generator. It was too big for me though. But, when I saw my team, my family, in danger like that, I was finally able to transform into something big; a T-rex!” He smiled excitedly. “I finally turned into something big! And my first priority was to set them free. I destroyed the trap with my giant tail and freed them! Negative Man took out the generator after that. I was so happy! After years of trying to transform into something big, I did it! I transformed and saved my family! I was so excited when I told Mento I finally did it, but…” He frowned as he remembered what happened next. “He just yelled at me. He yelled at me because I saved their lives instead of destroying the generator, which got destroyed anyway. He told me I would never be a part of the team if I couldn’t follow orders.” azarathian (Raven): “Did I ever tell you how I first turned into a large animal?” Though he wasn’t looking at her, she gave a small shake of her head, listening intently and absorbing the mingle of emotions in his face as he relayed the memory. “He’s a harsh leader,” she stated with assurance. She knew this already from having observed the way he treated his own team during their fight with the Brotherhood. “You have to see things through his eyes. He looks at the bigger picture, beyond his team. To him, they’re second priority to defeating the villain. That’s the most important thing. But we don’t do things his way. We look out for each other, and when that happened for you - when you transformed - that’s what you were doing. Looking out for your team. Your family. … Just because he does things differently doesn’t mean it’s right. You did the right thing, in the end.” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): “Tell me about it. I lived with him for years. I know what he’s like. He sees the bigger picture… unless you achieve the bigger picture without following his orders.”

He scowled, showing his anger at his former leader. He’d never have talked like this while he was back with the Doom Patrol. Mento would never allow it. “He only cares if you obey his orders, thinking he always knows what’s best in every situation. He acts like you can’t see the bigger picture and care about the smaller one at the same time. I know what I did was the right thing, but it burns me up to think of how he’s supposed to be a leader, but he can’t lead us to do the right thing.” He was on a rant now, one that had been building up for years. “And he cares more about being the Doom Patrol than anything else. We’re supposed to be a family too. Him and Rita? They’re my adoptive parents. Legally, I’m their son. But, did he care? No. Whenever Rita showed me too much affection, Mento would argue with her, telling her I needed more discipline. He’d even get mad when I called Rita Mom. She’s my mother now, but I can’t even call her that in front of him. Is it really that much to ask to be a team and a family?“ azarathian (Raven): Only remnants of how Beast Boy felt towards his adoptive father had shown through in the discord of their battle with the Brotherhood, but even then it had been apparent to any observant eye that he held within him certain dregs of resentment from how the man had treated him in his youth. Clearly Mento wasn’t the ideal father figure; it was somewhat a surprise Beast Boy turned out the way he did considering the strict and steely nature he’d been raised on. In her mind she credited him for not having picked up on the man’s traits, and felt almost grateful for the fact. It just didn’t suit the boy to be cold and sharp. He could’ve grown into someone she wouldn’t recognise as her teammate at all, but thank Azar, he seemed to maintain his true parents’ innate kindness and zeal. “It’s not. And that’s why you’re with us now. We are your team and family. And you don’t do things his way anymore. We have our own way, and that’s all you need to focus on now. Let him lead his team how he sees fit – you’re no longer a part of it.” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): He sighed. “You’re right. The Doom Patrol are adults. They can speak out or leave the team, if they want to. I didn’t really have that choice… I mean, I guess I did. I did leave eventually. I just didn’t leave sooner because I didn’t want to be a wandering, homeless orphan. It’s not like I would have been adopted again. Who would want a kid who’s green?” He paused. “But, that’s the past, like you said. I have a home now, with the Titans. And I can visit the Doom Patrol whenever I want. I have two homes. That’s more than most people have.” His usual grin returned. “I guess I do have it pretty sweet right now.”

azarathian (Raven): “Exactly,” she smiled, relieved to see that cheerful air return to him. “And if you find yourself hung up on the past again, just try to remember that. Things are different now, for all of us. It’s all worked out in the end. That’s what matters. ”In a strange way, she was grateful he’d shared these concerns with her not only because it disclosed his trust in her, but also because it served as a good distraction from her own burdens that had led her to reflect outside the tower in the first place. She might not have two homes like the boy beside her, but she had her friends, her home, her whole future - all things she had been completely convinced were intangible things. “I guess we all have it pretty sweet right now,” she echoed, quite unlike herself, but in the moment she didn’t care. It was true, after all. titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): He chuckled, not used to Raven using the term “sweet” in such a manner. Smiling to himself, he watched the sea with a content sigh. He was in a good mood now and she seemed to be too. Maybe now would be a good time to ask something he’d been planning to… “So…” He drummed his fingers against the rocky shore. “Do you wanna hang out tomorrow? I was thinking we could visit that one cafe and you could recommend a tea you think is good. I never really drink the stuff, but you make it look like it’s delicious.” Honestly, he wasn’t interested in tea. He just wanted to go somewhere with her he knew she would like. azarathian (Raven): The little laugh merely deepened the warmth in her smile, eyes soft as they looked to him. She hadn’t understood just how important his happiness was to her. There was something extremely wrong about seeing Beast Boy upset and distressed, and she honestly felt a certain need to amend the troubles in his mind. At his offer, she blinked a touch, a blend of surprise and an unexpected flurry of something else. Something unfamiliar… … Eagerness? For some reason, the first answer that formed in her mind was ‘Yes.’ Nothing more, nothing less. And the realisation of this instinctively shocked the girl, for such a proposal would’ve always led to a solid, sturdy ‘no’. When had that changed?… “That… sounds nice,” she admitted, tactfully revealing but a tinge of the emotional flood stirring within her chest. Behind her ribs, a faint flutter dwelled, though she ignored the sensation as best she could. titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): Yes! He was celebrating internally, trying to keep the excitement from showing. He didn’t want to put her off with his eagerness. “Alright, tea for two tomorrow it is then~” He stretched with a yawn. He hadn’t slept that night yet and he was starting to feel the effects. “Hopefully, it’s the kind that wakes you up.” He chuckled. azarathian (Raven): If she were to dwell on it, Raven would come to conclude that the arrangement seemed, in short, entirely extraordinary for the two. True, over the past month they’d spent a handful of times together without the presence of their fellow companions, and yet no such thing had ever taken place outside the tower before. Of course, this discluded matters regarding their profession; patrols and the like weren’t exactly considered leisurely. Who knew? Perhaps having grown closer to one another, spending some time just for the sake of it could be nice, after all. Ultimately, there was only one way to find out, and against her reputation, some unknown force was undoubtedly urging her to take the chance. His yawn brought her to her senses, acknowledging how late it had become during their talk. Time was something completely unknown to her in that instant; they could’ve been sat out on the harbour for a mere ten minutes or an hour. Either way, she wouldn’t know.

“Yeah,” Raven returned wearily. “Maybe we should… go back inside. It’s late.” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): He pulled his sleeve up to check his watch. “You’re right. Jeez. I didn’t realize how late it was.” He stood up and stretched. “Gotta get to bed.” He turned and headed towards the tower. azarathian (Raven): As he rose to his feet, she granted herself one last glimpse of the ebony ocean waves and city lights before following his lead and heaving herself from the rock she’d been sat upon. “Yeah,” she agreed softly, cloak catching in the breeze as she followed his path and quickly caught up to his pace. Hopefully this time she would be able to get back to sleep with ease. Her mind certainly felt more settled and calm than it had been before the other joined her. titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): Once inside, Beast Boy gave a “Goodnight.” and headed for his room. Rather than going straight to bed, however, he decided to look for something first. Finding the item, he tucked it away and headed back to Raven’s room, lightly knocking on her door. “It’s me. Mind if I show you something real quick?” azarathian (Raven): “Night,” she echoed quietly, careful not to wake any of the others now they were back in the tower’s corridor. She entered her room and let the door slide shut behind her, but as soon as she took her first few steps she was halted as she heard a light tapping again at her door. She turned and paced back to the sound, to be met with the same face she’d talked to through the night. “What is it?” she asked, curious. titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): He smiled. “Something I’ve never showed any other Titan. After the talk we just had, I think you should see it.” He pulled out a photo and handed it to her. The picture showed a man, woman, and young boy. The three were posing in front of a lion enclosure at an animal sanctuary. The boy was pretending to have claws and snarling at the camera while the other two made similar faces. azarathian (Raven): When he took out the photograph, her eyes fell instantly to it, taking in the image it displayed. The two adults looked like no one she’d seen before, but the child… He looked awfully familiar, in a vague and strange way. The boy adorned messy blonde hair, a fair complexion and bright, baby-blue irises that seemed to light up his entire face. She surveyed the picture, a twist of confusion burnished in her wandering stare. And then, like a bolt, it hit her. Her lips drew apart and brows rose in succession.

“Is that you?”

Bewildered, the question left her with a heavy resonance that almost filled the hallway. titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): He chuckled. “Yeah, it’s me. Not Beast Boy, but Garfield.”

“Hard to believe it’s me, huh? And those are my parents, if you couldn’t tell. It was a long time ago, but, if I remember right, we were at an animal sanctuary in Africa. We visited a lot of those when I was a kid. Most people can’t just visit a sanctuary, so I was lucky to get to see all those animals like that.” azarathian (Raven): Raven’s fingers found one of the photograph’s edges, tracing over the border before gently taking hold of it to get a better look. When Beast Boy released his own grip on the photo she took it as a sign of permission to do so, so she brought it closer to her line of sight, absorbing every aspect of the three figures within. Her face was wistful, and her eyes once again examined the boy in the photo, only to look up and compare to the teen she saw in front of her and had come to know. “Lucky you,” she smirked, resisting the urge to tease. It was just such a rare thing to see him like this; it was almost as if she was looking at a different person, and yet certain features made it clear that they were, in fact, one in the same. She noted the playful way his parents mimicked the lion claws and snarl. “They look like they were really great people…” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): “They were. Even though they were busy people, they always made time for me. They took time from their work to have fun.” He looked at the picture in Raven’s hands with a smile. “I think that’s part of why I am the way I am. They taught me you can work and play. They also knew how to make me smile. It’s funny. Even though she was my mom, she would always tell dad jokes to cheer me up. Dad usually just made faces. They made it difficult for me to ever be mad at them. They always wound up making me laugh.” azarathian (Raven): Somehow it was all seeming to fall into place; why Beast Boy so stubbornly remained the jokester that he was. His parents clearly influenced his personality far more than the trauma he’d lived through had. Far more than Mento’s constant berating. No - the changeling stayed determined even after all these years to preserve the positivity his parents left with him. And Raven was only realising this now… It all made sense. And, honestly, she admired him greatly for it. “Safe to say you’ve inherited that side of them,” the empath smiled. “They’d be happy you have, too. Even if it tends to grate on the rest of us.” It was merely another tease, and she knew he’d recognise it as such by now. titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): He chuckled.

“I try~ I try~” He smiled. “Thanks, Raven. It means a lot. I used to worry I was just a goof, but talking about it made me realize I’m more like my parents than I thought. And since they were great, I guess that makes me great too. And hey, some people like the comic relief guy!” azarathian (Raven): “And when you find those people, I’m sure you’ll feel very fulfilled,” she smirked, handing the photo back to him with a light touch so as not to crinkle the corner. “Thanks for showing me. You didn’t have to do that, but I’m glad you did.” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): He smirked right back. “It’s a shame there aren’t any people like that staying in the room next to mine.” He chuckled, taking the picture back. “You’re welcome. Thanks for listening. I don’t get to talk about my parents much. It felt nice. Well, I’ll see ya.” azarathian (Raven): “Tragedy,” she returned with a slight glint in her eye, willingly playing along. “It’s fine. Sleep well, see you tomorrow.” With that, she turned back to her room and once more the door slid shut behind her. As she wandered over to her bed, she noticed the clock on her bedside table read 3:40am. The moment the hour dawned on her, her eyes felt suddenly very heavy. Sleep was calling for her, and this time she had faith that her return to slumber would be a more pleasant one. She hoped, at least. As the heroine slunk beneath her quilt, she allowed her thoughts to dissipate into the air. She no longer had the energy to mull over nightmares of the past; though, if Raven had possessed any energy at all, she would’ve probably found herself contemplating a different matter entirely. No longer would Trigon occupy her thoughts, but the acknowledgement that she had, in fact, agreed to an outing with her green teammate for the following day. Willingly agreed. Because she wanted to. Indeed, had she possessed the energy, this realisation would’ve almost certainly plagued her mind well into the dawn. However, as it happened, the poor sorceress was entirely drained as her cheek nuzzled into the pillow beneath her. Slender fingers curled around the bridge of her duvet, pulling it close to her chin as she lay snug in her bed, slave to the deep sleep overcoming her. [ FIN ]

#RP: Memories #roleplay #azarathian #TAOMuse: Beast Boy #compiled roleplay #completed roleplay

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squiddybeifong · 5 years

Text

A Page Turner

Fun fact: if you go to @ravensflockofrobins and search Bette’s name, there’s one (1) post at the time I’m posting this. And it’s not even a shippy thing rip this drowning paper boat

She didn’t know what compelled her to take a quick vacation, exactly.

Maybe it was the lack of crime. Maybe it was the disgustingly scorching heat that summer brought. Maybe it was that she needed a break before she accidentally zapped the TV and the horrid romance movie that Starfire was playing.

Whatever the reason, Raven made up her mind. opened her eyes and moved Silkie off her lap, teleporting to her room. She considered her options and started a particular spell, one that she’d admittedly used many times before. One of the few (very few, incredibly miniscule) perks of being Trigon’s daughter: interdimensional travel.

Sliding through the dimensions as easily as flipping pages of a book, a particular timeline called to her. It smelled of bookstores and crumpled daisies and Raven blinked as she stepped into this particular universe.

The Golden Age, she reminded herself, taking in the not-so-golden scenery around her. The world around her was the sheer definition of nostalgia: the colors muted in the most charming of ways, the whimsy of the backgrounds (she simply took the buildings fading into space at the edges as a perk), the blocked off rectangles where additions would be written.

Surely more of a comic book feel than the animated life she knew, but it felt right.

What didn’t feel right was the lack of yellow. Sure, some of the stores had signs with bold letters the color of pineapple flesh. And, yeah, the lemon paint job on some of the cars was impressive. But aside from the sprinkling of pollen from the just barely blooming flowers, Golden Age Gotham wasn’t the most golden of scenes.

Honestly, with such a heavy title this ‘golden age’ was falling flat.

Raven pulled her cloak around herself and sunk into the shadows, casually setting out to explore. She avoided the areas she already knew and delved into the thick of the city, grateful that their emotions didn’t press on her as strongly as her own dimension’s did. Food vendors, students clamoring on the sidewalks as they got the most of that wonderful time between school being let out and their parents calling them in for dinner, even some rats who scurried out from the sewers, all but sunbathing as they dragged dropped pieces of food and cigarette buds back to their hovels.

Not too different from the Gotham Raven knew, but she still stayed hidden, watching all that she could. A pout involuntarily curled her lips at the sight of her favorite pretzel food-truck, replaced with a dual newspaper and ‘shoe polishing on the go!’ stand.

There was a simultaneous groan from all the kids as a clock rang, their disappointment mingling with the adults’ sighs of relief.

Raven felt the muted mix of their emotions, her lips quirking up at how similar people were in their complaints, dimensionally different or not: “Man I can’t wait to get home,” a mustached man breathed as he observed his freshly polished loafers and tucked the afternoon paper under his arm; “What? You’re betting on the Yankees? Get outta here, ya freakin’ jag!” an incredulous teen cried at his friend, shoving his shoulder in horrified disbelief; “I swear, Debbie, all he ever says is ‘Aspic’s lookin’ good as you.’ Not tasty, or even pretty, but good! That carrot cake looks good but my aspics are gorgeous. The nerve of that man!” a big-haired woman bemoaned to her pencil skirt-clad companion.

Raven’s head tilted in confusion; what was aspic?

Before she could dwell on whatever food trends she obviously wasn’t privy to, the Bat symbol lit up the sky. At its appearance the crowd seemed to hustle home even quicker, the conversations muting to a murmur as the clouds darkened over Gotham.

The symbol was bright against the sky; one flicker, only a simple fix if this dimension was the same as her home. Raven hummed at the sight and melted even further into the inked on shadows, following the panels as she landed just beyond a bank.

An explosion sounded halfway across the city.

Half of the officers hesitated and the other half jumped into their cruisers, speeding towards the pillar of smoke. The rest glanced among themselves and followed. Raven frowned at them; it was probably a diversion.

Sure enough, she felt the giddy nerves of the bank robbers inside a few seconds later. The Titan laid her cheek in her fist and merely watched as they scrambled about, her head turning as she felt Batman’s unmistakable aura enter the page. A brow raised at the youth of his visible face, then her eyes widened to a comical size.

Oh. Oh.

The demoness froze in her spot, watching as Batman went gliding over the rooftops. But Robin wasn’t by his side. Neither was either of the Batgirls that she knew. No, this one must have been one she’d never met. Surprisingly, she didn’t display the Bat symbol on her chest at all; in fact, her crimsons and emeralds were a stark contrast to the rest of the comic, but her fit was odd.

Not quite made for being Batgirl, but inexplicably belonging in this golden age. How odd.

But her hair…

Raven swallowed the air in her throat. Well, that certainly answered why this place was the golden age.

Admonishing herself at the beginnings of a schoolyard crush that she could feel starting, Raven shifted in her spot. This wasn’t her dimension, she could potentially indulge with screwing everything up, right?

So, despite wanting to keep a low profile as she watched them fight, the empath turned into a bird and phased in just behind them, watching as this Batgirl fought. Not quite as endlessly sarcastic as Steph, not as eagerly critical as Babs, not as intense or skilled as Cass, but as excited as any Batgirl for the ability to fight alongside the Batman.

She didn’t even seemed fazed when bolded words popped up in unison with their punched and kicks. Both she and this Batman slid along the BAM!s, BIFF!s, POW!s, and WHAM!s that described their attacks without any hesitation, and within a few pages all the bank robbers were apprehended.

The blonde nodded at the police as they cuffed the men, tossing her pine cape over her shoulders. “Aw, too bad Robin missed this,” Batgirl grinned up at the cloaked vigilante, her bright smile making Raven’s heart flutter.

“We should team up more often, Batman!”

He glanced down at his sidekick for this fight, “Batwoman needs you far more than I do.”

The rejection didn’t deter her, although her grin did falter. Her hands went to her hips, “Then at least until Robin’s arm heals up. You shouldn’t have to fight alone.”

The dark knight’s head tilted in silent agreement.. “Hmmm, very well.” His masked eyes took in the groaning bodies and the sound of approaching police sirens, “Go continue patrol while I find out what these robbers know about that explosion.”

“On it!” She gave him a salute and sprinted off, a flash of blonde hair and christmas colors. She got a block away without trouble, her eyes glancing at the police as they zoomed by and her fingers curling into fists as she noted a bird following her.

Batgirl frowned. She zig-zagged through the panels but no amount of speed lines or ducking into the fading buildings stopped the little avian. So, the Gothamite dove just behind the city’s library. The secluded setting made the bird sloppy and the hero tossed two smoking batarangs, leaping and pinning the raven in place. There was a shift like one page flipping to the next and the bird’s eyes turned red. Batgirl gasped and jumped back, her fists up in a fighting stance as the bird morphed into a woman.

Blue eyes blinked, skeptical and amazed at the plum cloak and stunning lilac eyes. No, not a woman. A teenage girl, just about her own age. But Batgirl didn’t let this mystery girl’s looks perplex her for too long; she immediately sized Raven up, carefully watching how the shadows followed her every move.

This little excursion certainly wasn’t going to plan but something in the Gothamite’s face made the demoness decide to be honest, consequences be damned. A sigh escaped, then she awkwardly met the blonde’s gaze, “Uh, hello. I’m Raven.”

A stormy glare was her answer, then a terse introduction, “Bat-Girl.”

They both jumped as the Bat’s comm blared out. The empath let out a sigh, her words a bit strained, “I promise I’m not a threat.”

Bat-Girl narrowed her eyes and took out her comm. She kept the mystic out of the screen’s view as she nodded at Batman’s instructions. She noted how Raven paused as she quickly gave Batman her report, her stoic features blanching at the sound of the hero’s voice.

Raven bit back a shudder at how young the dark knight was, Certainly not quite to the point of being the gruff, sandpapery tough guy that he was in her dimension. For the first time Raven wondered if the Golden Age was on the same age basis as her reality was.

Bat-Girl signed off and tucked her comm away, muffling the one link back to the BatCave under three layers of pockets. Raven shook her head at the familiar sight, quietly musing to herself, “Figures Bruce would still be so obsessive this early on.”

She just barely dodged the kick Bat-Girl aimed her way, strands of black magic swirling around them and pinning the mortal to the bricks. Raven stayed out of arms’ reach and narrowed her eyes at the hero, trying not to spend any time taking too much stock in how defined her bare forearms were.

Refocusing, amethyst eyes searched the vigilante’s face. Raven crossed her arms over her chest, making sure that her magic didn’t squeeze the blonde to the point of discomfort. “Does Robin exist?”

A derisive snort was her answer, “You mean birds?”

“I mean Dick Grayson.”

Bat-Girl’s eyes glared behind her mask, the muscles in her arm twitching. Raven took that as an invitation to speak, “I’m a part of his team.”

“In the future?”

Raven shrugged, “Something like that.” She considered pulling back but the pulse of Bat-Girl’s emotions kept her close. The demoness raised a brow, “You don’t seem too surprised.”

“This is the golden age,” Her voice raised half a pitch as she let out an exasperated laugh, shifting under the tendril of magic pressed painfully snug to her throat. “We still get a narrator during our fights sometimes.”

She looked her animated visitor over, “Didn’t think Richie would team up with a…” She paused, taking a moment to consider just what kind of powers described Raven. “A spirit of some sort--no…” Her lips spread as she guessed, “A demon?”

“You’re perceptive.”

Blue eyes rolled but Bat-Girl didn’t stop the cocky grin from brightening her face, nonchalant to the hold she was in, “And you aren’t a threat.”

“I’m not.” The shadows that held her slunk away, “Dick and I are heroes in our dimension.”

She could feel the concern seeping out of the heroine, but still the blonde let out a sigh and rolled her fingers. If this Raven character really was a teammate of Richie’s, then perhaps she could let her guard down just a little. Although Batwoman and Batman would be disappointed in how quickly she was trusting this pretty face.

Bat-Girl rolled her jaw, “Well in this dimension I’m Bette. Bette Kane.”

Recognition lit up amethyst eyes but Raven didn’t speak and Bette didn’t question her. In fact, the not-yet retconned hero seemed to be opening up to the prospect of Raven being in her dimension, if just for a visit.

So the empath decided to test her luck. She jerked a thumb over her shoulder, “Would you mind showing me around, Bette? I’m not used to having to turn the page.”

“Pfft,” Bat-Girl snorted and Raven got the impression that she realized her words weren’t a metaphor. Instead, the teen readjusted her mask and motioned for Raven to follow, “Already got one sack of feathers to look after.”

“Well this one can take care of herself just fine.”

Her sleeved shoulders straightened at Raven’s words, affronted at the mere idea of not helping someone she could, “Doesn’t mean you should.”

“Spoken like a true bird, Miss Kane.”

Bette raised a brow, the movement moving her mask. But Raven didn’t explain and she shrugged, “Anywhere you want to see?”

“Anyplace with you there is fine with me.”

Bat-Girl ran a tongue over her teeth at the demon’s shameless attempt at flirting, trying and failing to keep a straight (hah!) face. An idea came to mind and her eyes lit up, watching as Raven’s gaze flicked to her mouth.

“You’re okay with other birds, right?”

When the superpowered teen merely shrugged she continued, “There’s a bunch of nests over on the gates around Wedgwood Museum. Gotham Academy’s music class has been holding their practices out in front.”

Raven smirked at that, “Taking advantage of tourist season?”

“Hey, tubas are expensive!” The blonde chuckled as she motioned for the Titan to follow her, the two of them easily gliding past the stiff backgrounds. Bette grinned at her flying guest as a flick of magic kept her grapple hook from falling out of a crumbling rooftop.

The sound of music got louder as they neared the gated house. Violet eyes shut as she tried to place where she’d heard that jazzy tune before, her attention on Bat-Girl as she murmured, “But they’ve really been getting better. Sometimes I like to listen in, feed some birds when crime is pretty low.”

Raven clicked her tongue at that. “Well I have some free time for a picnic, if you’d want.”

She glanced at Bette from the corner of her eye and felt that urge to be honest curl in her stomach again. A breath quickly escaped her before she was reminded of Batman’s instructions, “I read ahead. Apparently the robbers bought off the Riddler for a few of his bombs. Just a classic distraction case so they could get away clean.”

Bat-Girl tilted her head as Wedgwood came into view, lengthening her grappling hook until she skipped onto the ground. The two made their way towards the house in silence as Bette mused over her words, the mage’s shadows mingling with the tree’s shade to keep them from being spotted by any civilians.

“A picnic does sound nice,” Bette aimed a lazy smile Raven’s way, fiddling with the green triangles that adorned the ends of her sleeves. A gasp escaped as a disk of black magic appeared under her feet, lifting them up and levitating up to the large tree that hung just outside of Wedgewood’s gates.

Bat-Girl leaned against the mystic’s shoulder as they got settled just beyond the tree’s branches, hidden by the tulip tree’s waxy leaves. The tuba-heavy refrain started up again and Raven let herself get comfortable, clinging to the calming nerves that washed out of Bette. Her eyes slid open at the wave of nervousness and she turned to the Gothamite, “Is something wrong?”

She started to pull away, horrified that she might have made Bette uncomfortable. Bat-Girl’s hand wrapped around her wrist, preventing her from going too far. The blonde licked her lips, her words coming out faster than normal, “No, this is okay. But do you have to go after this?”

“Yeah, it’s probably getting late back at the Tower.” The cloaked teen sighed, sliding her hand down until her palm pressed against Bette’s. She weakly smiled, a lilt in her voice, “But I can always come back.”

Bette squeezed their hands, “Just to see me?”

“Just to see you.”

“Hmm,” Bat-Girl felt her smile widen as she guessed, “Perks of being a demon?”

She felt a heat curl up her face as Raven’s eyes flicked from her eyes to her lips and back again, “Something like that.”

#betterae #bette kane #raven #all the robraes #<-- means ALL of them #my writing #at first i was like.. fluff!!! then i was like no.. it’s e x p o s i t i o n time #i just?? i dont even know anymore. i’ll admit i have never read the golden age comics and i don’t know bette’s personality that well so im #wingin it. i feel like it came out pretty good tho #despite the fact that bette is bat-girl with a hypen. like none of the others separate it but she does so /shrug/#i assume the golden age was a few decades ago?? like big hair and yankees obv exist and hopefully aspics were still in season then #anyway PSA bc that sole pic of the batgirls really shows off bette’s arms. Like WOW dc we are sapphic af u can’t expect us not to notice #they went out of their way to put some definition in so appreciate it dammit. Actually you know what?#can i assign fanfic homework? go to randys robrae blog and search bette. go to the only post that pops up and look at those forearms #like holy sappho batman!!#visible arm strength AND a v neck?? sign rae tf up for krampus’ workshop bc there’s a goth elf that she’s got her eye on

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punsandtofu · 6 years

Text

Memories (Compiled RP)

azarathian:

All around her was flame and slaughter.

This was undoubtedly hell on earth. And she’d seen it before. She knew its relentless scald like the back of her hand.

When that sinuous claw plunged from above, she could only scream out, wide-eyed as the figures below were crushed beneath its merciless force.

A dream. It was a dream. Just a dream.

After several minutes of sighing out the trauma, the weight still pressed down on her gut like a boulder. She had to get air. She was practically gasping for it.

Slowly, Raven ambled down the rocks till she found sanctum upon a flat boulder, overlooking the surprisingly still sea. And finally, looking out to the city she knew was unharmed, she could breathe. punsandtofu: Beast Boy lied in his bed, not yet ready to sleep, only resting. Hands behind his head, he thought of Raven for the umpteenth time that night. She was just so amazing, he thought. It felt like anything he once viewed negatively about her, he could put a positive spin on. She was dark, which made her mysterious and interesting. She kept to herself, which made it all the more enjoyable when she joined him. She rarely smiled, which made each one a victory. Then there were the facts that she’s beautiful, intelligent, caring, and strong. His ears twitched as he heard some movement from Raven’s room. Was she awake? Morphing into a cat, he leaped from his bed and placed his ear to the wall. He could hear heavy breathing. It was just a bad dream, he assumed. Hoping she would fall back asleep and forget about it in the morning, he decided to leave her alone. Though he decided on leaving her alone when she exited her room, assuming she needed the restroom or something, he changed his mind when she didn’t return after a few minutes. Having a feeling where she was, he exited his room, then the Tower, to find her outside. Not wanting to startle her, he gave her a “Hey,” before approaching her and sitting down next to her. “You alright?”

azarathian: Relax. It wasn’t real. It was all in your head. He’s gone. He can’t hurt you, or your friends. Not any more… Breathe… Despite her rational thought struggling to pull her back to the present, her anguish and fear spoke louder. It had felt so vivid. She could still feel the singe of her fate lining her arms in his fire. The night’s chill was almost lost to the memory of cinders scorching in the air. Her skull pulsed, wavering from the truth and lingering to the past. With tense shoulders, she brought her legs up on the rock, arms leaning upon her thighs and hands limp across her knees. Once again, she tried to breathe in the crisp night-tide wind, eyes cast down solemnly to the waves lapping at the island’s bank.

“Hey.”

With a start, her head rose, but she gave no other movement. She should’ve sensed his presence a mile off, but had been drowned deep in reverie.

“You alright?”

Honestly, in that moment, she couldn’t tell whether the boy’s company was a blessing or a curse. Nonetheless, she lacked the will to reject it, merely sighing out as he took a seat beside her.

“I’m fine,” she lied, almost trying to convince herself of the same thing. She’d managed to regain that recognisable tone, level and composed, though her eyes held another story. punsandtofu:

“Raven… You don’t have to lie to me.” He knew for a fact that she was lying. Her posture, her eyes, the fact she was even out here… He knew something was wrong. “If you just need some fresh air and quiet to feel better, tell me. But don’t lie and say you’re fine when you’re not.” He hoped she wouldn’t tell him to go away, but he would understand if she did. He gave her the opportunity for some company and that’s all he could really do. “I just want to help. But, if you want, I’ll leave.” azarathian: In a way, she was grateful for his prying. Now she’d learnt to read his actions in a different light, she could appreciate that he was trying his best to make her feel cared for. Even the fact he said he’d leave if she wished hadn’t gone unnoticed; they really were growing to understand and respect each other better…

“It’s nothing,” she breathed, eyes still clung to the ripples of the sea beneath her feet.

“I just had a bad dream. I needed some air, that’s all.” She hoped the confession didn’t sound too pathetic, nor divulge the essence of fear she’d experience mere minutes before. punsandtofu: Just as he suspected. He appreciated that she told him the truth. “Well, at least it was just a dream, so you shouldn’t have to worry about it. I’ve had to do that too sometimes; get out of bed to clear my head. Especially with those nightmares where you keep waking up, only to realize you’re still in the nightmare.” He didn’t think any less of her for needing to calm down from a nightmare. It meant she had emotions just like everyone else.“You want to talk or anything? It might work as a distraction.” azarathian:

Raven bit at her bottom lip in contemplation.

“… Yeah. I think I do,” came her soft and tentative voice, though she truly hadn’t a clue where to begin. punsandtofu: He was a bit surprised that she agreed. Though they had been getting along, she had always been the listener. Maybe now he could be the one to listen to her and learn more about her. “So, what happened?” azarathian: She pressed her lips together, lost for where to begin. Her brows creased a touch as she envisioned the dream again in her head; a sight she didn’t really wish to dwell on, but still helplessly felt the need to share with the other. “It was about Trigon.” She managed to force out the sentence, and that was all she needed to spur her on with what followed. “He was back on earth. Everything was destroyed, and…” Her voice trembled a little in the back of her throat as the images played before her, almost tangible. “It felt so real. Like he was really here again.” punsandtofu: His eyes widened a bit at the mention of Trigon. He could see why she would be frightened by that. Seeing the planet you and all those you care about destroyed must really take a toll on the mind. He needed to make sure she felt safe. He could only do so much, but he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “But it wasn’t real. You already lived through your worst nightmare. And you won. You defeated him and he’ll never come back. And even if he did, you’d just defeat him again.”

“It’s okay to be scared, but you don’t need to be. You’re the strongest person I know. You’ll always win in the end.” azarathian: She accepted the reassuring touch to her shoulder, and her eyes flitted to his direction without actually rising to meet his own. “It’s just… hard. His presence has followed me since I was born. Sometimes… it’s hard to believe it’s over. That he’s really gone.” Despite her fears, she knew her words to be true; for it was over. He was gone. But even having defeated the merciless demon she called her father, he still managed to plague her in her thoughts. In her sleep. punsandtofu: “I guess it would be hard to let go of something that’s affected you your whole life… You were told your whole life you couldn’t defeat him, weren’t you? You were discouraged all that time. And you still did it. Imagine what you could do when encouraged!”

“You can do it, Raven! I believe in you! Beat up those doubts!” azarathian: Optimistic as ever. If anything, the lively lilt to his words served to tug her all the more back to reality and away from her nightmares. And for that, she was grateful. The events of her fate had happened over a year ago now, yet she imagined it would take a much longer time before she could find true peace with the fact it was over. As he questioned her, she nodded lightly. But when his little peppy cheer followed, she couldn’t help the giggle it drew from her once frowning lips. Finally, she looked to him. “Easier said than done, but I’ll try.” punsandtofu: Yes! He got a smile and a giggle out of her! “I’ll be here to cheer you on. I’ll even get pom-poms, if you want!” He chuckled.

“By the way… if you wouldn’t mind… I was wondering… What was your life like before the Titans? We’ve known each other for years and we’ve been talking more recently, but I feel like I don’t know much about you. I want to know you better… If that’s okay.” azarathian: The smile faded from her face, a look of hesitance taking its place. As a breeze passed between the two, she let a pause linger before speaking up. “What do you want to know?” punsandtofu:

He noticed her smile fade. Was he pushing it? “Well, things like where you’re from, what your childhood was like, who raised you, how you learned to control your powers. If you’re not comfortable with that, you don’t have to tell me.” azarathian: She shook her head, assuring him she didn’t mind him asking. She just wasn’t quite sure how to answer; her past wasn’t something she could exactly sum up in a sentence or two. “Well…” She swallowed, hands moving from her lap to press down on either side of her against the rock she sat on. Leaning back slightly, the wind caught the tresses of her hair as she breathed out, searching for where to begin. “I’m from a dimension called Azarath… It’s where I grew up, until I came to Earth.” The latter three questions he’d asked honestly all tied in together. “I was raised in a temple there, by Azarathian monks… they’re the ones who also trained me to control my powers.” So far it sounded like a somewhat decent childhood. Raven didn’t know quite how to explain the intricacies that proved it was anything but. punsandtofu: He nodded slightly as he listened. He could relate to being raised by those other than his birth parents and being trained to better utilize his powers, but he suspected that their experiences were quite different. “Was it nice in Azarath? Was it anything like Earth? You didn’t seem to have much trouble adapting to our culture, like Starfire did. Or did you research it ahead of time? Given your smarts, I wouldn’t doubt it.” He kept his eyes on her, hooked on every word she said. He wanted to know all he could about her.

azarathian: Truth be told, Azarath had been a place of beauty before the destruction of Trigon. Raven could see the labyrinth of buildings, the glassy spires towering tall in her mind’s eye. But though it was beautiful, that didn’t mean it was nice. For the magus, at least, her home divulged memories of isolation, rejection, and suffering from both her people and her mentors. She was the devil’s child, after all. Her home was the husk of a young girl’s lost hope. It was only upon coming to Earth did she learn what true happiness felt like.

“It was… similar, in a lot of ways,” she began. “My people are pacifists. Their culture has its differences, but it was easy to adapt here. I can’t say I had the same childhood as any other on Azarath, though. I think that makes my perspective distorted from the rest.” punsandtofu: He found it strange that he could relate yet again. Even before he got his powers, he most certainly didn’t have an average childhood. “Pacifists, huh? Does that mean they were gentle with raising you?” He thought for a moment. “Or were they strict like some of the religious people here?” He hoped they were kind, but he knew in his gut that they weren’t. If they were kind and loving, why would she have been so cold when arriving to Earth? He frowned deeply at the thought of Raven being mistreated.

azarathian: She released a long, deep sigh to the wind. She should’ve guessed this question was coming, and yet it still stunted her to think back on her time under the monks’ meticulous hold. “Strict,” she confirmed, a waver in her tone. No point in sugar-coating the experience, she thought. “They trained me every day, from the break of dawn to sunset. They had to. I wasn’t allowed to feel, or I’d be scolded… It was only when I was around six years old that I began to understand why.”

A silence hung between them for a moment.

“They had their reasons. They all knew who I was - what I was. I had to be under control at all times, or else who knows what would happen. So I was kept in the temple where I grew up. I couldn’t leave or see anyone from the outside. It was… not your average childhood. Even by Azarath’s standards.” punsandtofu: “And I thought Mento was strict…” He mused aloud. “Not being allowed to feel… That must have been harsh. I can’t imagine living like that… I’m sorry you didn’t get to have a real childhood… But… I suppose the past is in the past. You have your whole life ahead of you now. With us. You can feel all you want with us.” He offered a small smile. “Feel what you want, talk to who you want, do what you want… You have a new life now. Live it as you see fit.” azarathian: In reality she knew that he had no idea. The experience of her youth was not something that could be fully understood by merely reciting it; in fact, doing so was simply scratching the surface. Still, he meant well. He just wanted to know more about her, and in many ways, she wanted to tell him more about her. “Yeah.” Her heavy tone seemed to settle a touch as the prospect of the future dawned upon her. Her past was just that, after all. Past. Not present, nor future, and for now she could live her life as she wished. No longer burdened by her destiny or her father. Reflecting on this, the weight in her chest lifted and she returned Beast Boy’s smile with her own. “You’re right. And I’m thankful for it.” The girl clung her eyes to his. “What about you?” she asked. “Where were you raised?” punsandtofu: She wanted to know about him? That was a good sign, right?

“Really?”

“Too bad you act more like the cat than the doctor, though,” she smirked at him, watching his reaction before she decided to ask more questions. punsandtofu: “Yes, really.” Deciding to have a little fun at his own expense, he pouted.

“I hate Mondays!” He gave her a playful smirk. azarathian: “The resemblance is uncanny,” she drawled. “So, what was it like travelling ‘round so much? Did you like it?” punsandtofu: “I liked it. It was all I knew, at that point. I got to meet lots of people, see lots of animals, try different kinds of food… It sucked when I met someone cool and had to leave though.” azarathian: “Yeah, I can imagine.” It was actually proving very interesting to hear about Beast Boy’s past; she found it hard to imagine him as a child. To imagine him without his powers and living his life before the titans, or even the Doom Patrol. Suddenly all kinds of questions formed in her head, and she was eager to have them answered, if not for anything else then to serve as a good distraction from her own past memories. “And your parents? What were they like?” punsandtofu:

“They were great, smart, adventurous, loving… all around great people, really. From what I remember, everyone seemed to like them. They knew a lot of smart and interesting people. They used to show me off.” He chuckled. “I wasn’t very bright, but they had me recite animal facts I knew. I’d always loved animals, even before I got my powers.” azarathian: His reflective smile mirrored on her face as she watched him and listened. There must’ve been something very bittersweet about discussing his childhood, she assumed. It sounded like he had quite a nice one while his parents were still living. She gave a light chuckle. “Did they show off your ears too?” she teased. But as soon as the words left her, she instantly shunned them, for she realised a second too late that, of course, he wouldn’t have had his pointy ears at that time. Nor his green complexion, nor fangs, nor powers. It had been a stupid mistake, but she feared now she had stirred some of the not-so-happy memories. This unease made itself known in her frown and creased forehead.

“Oh, I mean-” she scoured for a save, but couldn’t find one. “… Sorry.” punsandtofu: He gave a weak smile. “Heh. It’s fine. But, no, they didn’t. I only had my powers for a very short time before they… y’know…”

“Being a dumb little kid, I tried to pet it. But, when I got close, it bit me. Then I got sick. Really sick. The bite gave me the Sakutia virus. In order to save me, my parents made a mix of animal… antigens, I think it was? It cured me, but also gave me my green appearance and ability to transform.” azarathian: “– before they… y’know…” She felt a lump form in her throat, a pressure grow in her chest. But her eyes stayed on him. “Mm,” she nodded in understanding. “It must’ve been a big scare for you all. It’s a good thing your parents were such brilliant people, and could save you. You must be proud to be their son…” Hesitantly, her smile attempted to return, though this time around there was a certain sympathy weaved within it. A brief pause deterred her speech. “And there’s no doubt they’d be proud to be your parents.” punsandtofu: “I am proud to be their son, but, do you really think they’d be proud of me? They were geniuses and I’m… not. And they were able to save me, but I couldn’t save them.” He looked a way, being overcome with a feeling of guilt.“There was a flood… about a month after I got my powers. I tried to save them, but I couldn’t turn into any animal that was strong enough. I kept trying and trying, but I couldn’t get them to safety. I watched them drown… before I flew away.”

azarathian: As she absorbed the story, a frown formed. It was a horrible thing to hear, and she could only imagine what the reality of living it had felt like, and to a child no less. Raven had always known that her teammate’s parents were no longer alive, that they’d passed when he was very young. But until now she had been unaware of the intricacies their tragedy held; that Beast Boy had been present to witness his parents’ death, that his life was almost taken along with theirs in the chaos. The guilt he harboured was evident in his pained expression, and caused Raven’s stomach to churn with empathy for the boy. “Beast Boy,” she said, a hand instantly planted to his shoulder to better keep him grounded. One of them had to be strong here, and though the changeling was incredibly strong in his own right, she undoubtedly had far more practise with controlling her emotions.

“We can’t change what happened. But know that they would be proud of you. Despite all that’s happened, look at where you are now. You should be proud of yourself, too.” punsandtofu: He was trying his best to keep the tears from rolling down his cheeks. He brought his hand to the empath’s on his shoulder. Grabbing it tightly, perhaps too tightly, he tried to find the strength not to break down completely. He took sharp breaths as he choked back sobs, unsure of why he was fighting it in the first place. Raven told him it was okay to cry, but he’d spent so long trying to pretend he was happy all the time.His breathing began to calm and he loosened his grip on her hand, but still held it for support. “I guess I was responsible for taking down the Brotherhood of Evil.” He said trying to stay positive. “I never thought I’d be able to lead like that.” He offered a strained smile. azarathian: The hand upon her own didn’t go unnoticed, and though her eyes flitted to the sight for a moment, there was a more pressing matter before her. In the space of a mere few weeks, she’d never seen the teen so vulnerable and willing to open up before. And she could now say that this wasn’t the first time her friend looked upon her with teary eyes. His unfaltering facade of constant merriment and revelry was once again peeling back to expose the troubled and tortured boy beneath. She let him breathe, though his breaths came in sobs. It didn’t matter. He needed a moment to calm himself, and she knew this. Sure enough, before long, he seemed to regain himself as best he could for the moment, and it was then that Raven looked on at him with complete patience and consideration. “But you did,” she said. “And you’ve done much more.” Her hand fell from his shoulder as she leaned back and looked out to the sea. “You’re a hero, Beast Boy. I think because we do this sort of thing every day, it’s easy to forget that…” Her eyes found his again. “I’m sorry you couldn’t save them… But you’ve saved so many others since, and for that you should be proud.” punsandtofu: He brought his hands to rest at his sides on the rocky shore. Taking a deep breath of the night air, he exhaled, calming down a bit further. He looked to her with a smile. “I may have not been able to save my blood relatives, but I have saved my family more than once; the Doom Patrol, you guys…” He looked to the sea and sighed.

“But that wasn’t always appreciated. Did I ever tell you how I first turned into a large animal?” That was a rhetorical question. He knew he hadn’t. “We were fighting the Brotherhood of Evil; me and the rest of the Doom Patrol. They had a black hole generator. They got caught in some sort of trap of energy that was hurting them and they couldn’t escape from. Mento told me I needed to destroy the generator. It was too big for me though. But, when I saw my team, my family, in danger like that, I was finally able to transform into something big; a T-rex!” He smiled excitedly. “I finally turned into something big! And my first priority was to set them free. I destroyed the trap with my giant tail and freed them! Negative Man took out the generator after that. I was so happy! After years of trying to transform into something big, I did it! I transformed and saved my family! I was so excited when I told Mento I finally did it, but…” He frowned as he remembered what happened next. “He just yelled at me. He yelled at me because I saved their lives instead of destroying the generator, which got destroyed anyway. He told me I would never be a part of the team if I couldn’t follow orders.” azarathian: “Did I ever tell you how I first turned into a large animal?” Though he wasn’t looking at her, she gave a small shake of her head, listening intently and absorbing the mingle of emotions in his face as he relayed the memory. “He’s a harsh leader,” she stated with assurance. She knew this already from having observed the way he treated his own team during their fight with the Brotherhood. “You have to see things through his eyes. He looks at the bigger picture, beyond his team. To him, they’re second priority to defeating the villain. That’s the most important thing. But we don’t do things his way. We look out for each other, and when that happened for you - when you transformed - that’s what you were doing. Looking out for your team. Your family. … Just because he does things differently doesn’t mean it’s right. You did the right thing, in the end.” punsandtofu: “Tell me about it. I lived with him for years. I know what he’s like. He sees the bigger picture… unless you achieve the bigger picture without following his orders.”

He scowled, showing his anger at his former leader. He’d never have talked like this while he was back with the Doom Patrol. Mento would never allow it. “He only cares if you obey his orders, thinking he always knows what’s best in every situation. He acts like you can’t see the bigger picture and care about the smaller one at the same time. I know what I did was the right thing, but it burns me up to think of how he’s supposed to be a leader, but he can’t lead us to do the right thing.” He was on a rant now, one that had been building up for years. “And he cares more about being the Doom Patrol than anything else. We’re supposed to be a family too. Him and Rita? They’re my adoptive parents. Legally, I’m their son. But, did he care? No. Whenever Rita showed me too much affection, Mento would argue with her, telling her I needed more discipline. He’d even get mad when I called Rita Mom. She’s my mother now, but I can’t even call her that in front of him. Is it really that much to ask to be a team and a family?“ azarathian: Only remnants of how Beast Boy felt towards his adoptive father had shown through in the discord of their battle with the Brotherhood, but even then it had been apparent to any observant eye that he held within him certain dregs of resentment from how the man had treated him in his youth. Clearly Mento wasn’t the ideal father figure; it was somewhat a surprise Beast Boy turned out the way he did considering the strict and steely nature he’d been raised on. In her mind she credited him for not having picked up on the man’s traits, and felt almost grateful for the fact. It just didn’t suit the boy to be cold and sharp. He could’ve grown into someone she wouldn’t recognise as her teammate at all, but thank Azar, he seemed to maintain his true parents’ innate kindness and zeal. “It’s not. And that’s why you’re with us now. We are your team and family. And you don’t do things his way anymore. We have our own way, and that’s all you need to focus on now. Let him lead his team how he sees fit – you’re no longer a part of it.” punsandtofu: He sighed. “You’re right. The Doom Patrol are adults. They can speak out or leave the team, if they want to. I didn’t really have that choice… I mean, I guess I did. I did leave eventually. I just didn’t leave sooner because I didn’t want to be a wandering, homeless orphan. It’s not like I would have been adopted again. Who would want a kid who’s green?” He paused. “But, that’s the past, like you said. I have a home now, with the Titans. And I can visit the Doom Patrol whenever I want. I have two homes. That’s more than most people have.” His usual grin returned. “I guess I do have it pretty sweet right now.”

azarathian: “Exactly,” she smiled, relieved to see that cheerful air return to him. “And if you find yourself hung up on the past again, just try to remember that. Things are different now, for all of us. It’s all worked out in the end. That’s what matters. ”In a strange way, she was grateful he’d shared these concerns with her not only because it disclosed his trust in her, but also because it served as a good distraction from her own burdens that had led her to reflect outside the tower in the first place. She might not have two homes like the boy beside her, but she had her friends, her home, her whole future - all things she had been completely convinced were intangible things. “I guess we all have it pretty sweet right now,” she echoed, quite unlike herself, but in the moment she didn’t care. It was true, after all. punsandtofu: He chuckled, not used to Raven using the term “sweet” in such a manner. Smiling to himself, he watched the sea with a content sigh. He was in a good mood now and she seemed to be too. Maybe now would be a good time to ask something he’d been planning to… “So…” He drummed his fingers against the rocky shore. “Do you wanna hang out tomorrow? I was thinking we could visit that one cafe and you could recommend a tea you think is good. I never really drink the stuff, but you make it look like it’s delicious.” Honestly, he wasn’t interested in tea. He just wanted to go somewhere with her he knew she would like. azarathian: The little laugh merely deepened the warmth in her smile, eyes soft as they looked to him. She hadn’t understood just how important his happiness was to her. There was something extremely wrong about seeing Beast Boy upset and distressed, and she honestly felt a certain need to amend the troubles in his mind. At his offer, she blinked a touch, a blend of surprise and an unexpected flurry of something else. Something unfamiliar… … Eagerness? For some reason, the first answer that formed in her mind was ‘Yes.’ Nothing more, nothing less. And the realisation of this instinctively shocked the girl, for such a proposal would’ve always led to a solid, sturdy ‘no’. When had that changed?… “That… sounds nice,” she admitted, tactfully revealing but a tinge of the emotional flood stirring within her chest. Behind her ribs, a faint flutter dwelled, though she ignored the sensation as best she could. punsandtofu: Yes! He was celebrating internally, trying to keep the excitement from showing. He didn’t want to put her off with his eagerness. “Alright, tea for two tomorrow it is then~” He stretched with a yawn. He hadn’t slept that night yet and he was starting to feel the effects. “Hopefully, it’s the kind that wakes you up.” He chuckled. azarathian: If she were to dwell on it, Raven would come to conclude that the arrangement seemed, in short, entirely extraordinary for the two. True, over the past month they’d spent a handful of times together without the presence of their fellow companions, and yet no such thing had ever taken place outside the tower before. Of course, this discluded matters regarding their profession; patrols and the like weren’t exactly considered leisurely. Who knew? Perhaps having grown closer to one another, spending some time just for the sake of it could be nice, after all. Ultimately, there was only one way to find out, and against her reputation, some unknown force was undoubtedly urging her to take the chance. His yawn brought her to her senses, acknowledging how late it had become during their talk. Time was something completely unknown to her in that instant; they could’ve been sat out on the harbour for a mere ten minutes or an hour. Either way, she wouldn’t know.

“Yeah,” Raven returned wearily. “Maybe we should… go back inside. It’s late.” punsandtofu: He pulled his sleeve up to check his watch. “You’re right. Jeez. I didn’t realize how late it was.” He stood up and stretched. “Gotta get to bed.” He turned and headed towards the tower. azarathian: As he rose to his feet, she granted herself one last glimpse of the ebony ocean waves and city lights before following his lead and heaving herself from the rock she’d been sat upon. “Yeah,” she agreed softly, cloak catching in the breeze as she followed his path and quickly caught up to his pace. Hopefully this time she would be able to get back to sleep with ease. Her mind certainly felt more settled and calm than it had been before the other joined her. punsandtofu: Once inside, Beast Boy gave a “Goodnight.” and headed for his room. Rather than going straight to bed, however, he decided to look for something first. Finding the item, he tucked it away and headed back to Raven’s room, lightly knocking on her door. “It’s me. Mind if I show you something real quick?” azarathian: “Night,” she echoed quietly, careful not to wake any of the others now they were back in the tower’s corridor. She entered her room and let the door slide shut behind her, but as soon as she took her first few steps she was halted as she heard a light tapping again at her door. She turned and paced back to the sound, to be met with the same face she’d talked to through the night. “What is it?” she asked, curious. punsandtofu: He smiled. “Something I’ve never showed any other Titan. After the talk we just had, I think you should see it.” He pulled out a photo and handed it to her. The picture showed a man, woman, and young boy. The three were posing in front of a lion enclosure at an animal sanctuary. The boy was pretending to have claws and snarling at the camera while the other two made similar faces. azarathian: When he took out the photograph, her eyes fell instantly to it, taking in the image it displayed. The two adults looked like no one she’d seen before, but the child… He looked awfully familiar, in a vague and strange way. The boy adorned messy blonde hair, a fair complexion and bright, baby-blue irises that seemed to light up his entire face. She surveyed the picture, a twist of confusion burnished in her wandering stare. And then, like a bolt, it hit her. Her lips drew apart and brows rose in succession.

“Is that you?”

Bewildered, the question left her with a heavy resonance that almost filled the hallway. punsandtofu: He chuckled. “Yeah, it’s me. Not Beast Boy, but Garfield.”

“Hard to believe it’s me, huh? And those are my parents, if you couldn’t tell. It was a long time ago, but, if I remember right, we were at an animal sanctuary in Africa. We visited a lot of those when I was a kid. Most people can’t just visit a sanctuary, so I was lucky to get to see all those animals like that.” azarathian: Raven’s fingers found one of the photograph’s edges, tracing over the border before gently taking hold of it to get a better look. When Beast Boy released his own grip on the photo she took it as a sign of permission to do so, so she brought it closer to her line of sight, absorbing every aspect of the three figures within. Her face was wistful, and her eyes once again examined the boy in the photo, only to look up and compare to the teen she saw in front of her and had come to know. “Lucky you,” she smirked, resisting the urge to tease. It was just such a rare thing to see him like this; it was almost as if she was looking at a different person, and yet certain features made it clear that they were, in fact, one in the same. She noted the playful way his parents mimicked the lion claws and snarl. “They look like they were really great people…” punsandtofu: “They were. Even though they were busy people, they always made time for me. They took time from their work to have fun.” He looked at the picture in Raven’s hands with a smile. “I think that’s part of why I am the way I am. They taught me you can work and play. They also knew how to make me smile. It’s funny. Even though she was my mom, she would always tell dad jokes to cheer me up. Dad usually just made faces. They made it difficult for me to ever be mad at them. They always wound up making me laugh.” azarathian: Somehow it was all seeming to fall into place; why Beast Boy so stubbornly remained the jokester that he was. His parents clearly influenced his personality far more than the trauma he’d lived through had. Far more than Mento’s constant berating. No - the changeling stayed determined even after all these years to preserve the positivity his parents left with him. And Raven was only realising this now… It all made sense. And, honestly, she admired him greatly for it. “Safe to say you’ve inherited that side of them,” the empath smiled. “They’d be happy you have, too. Even if it tends to grate on the rest of us.” It was merely another tease, and she knew he’d recognise it as such by now. punsandtofu: He chuckled.

“I try~ I try~” He smiled. “Thanks, Raven. It means a lot. I used to worry I was just a goof, but talking about it made me realize I’m more like my parents than I thought. And since they were great, I guess that makes me great too. And hey, some people like the comic relief guy!” azarathian: “And when you find those people, I’m sure you’ll feel very fulfilled,” she smirked, handing the photo back to him with a light touch so as not to crinkle the corner. “Thanks for showing me. You didn’t have to do that, but I’m glad you did.” punsandtofu: He smirked right back. “It’s a shame there aren’t any people like that staying in the room next to mine.” He chuckled, taking the picture back. “You’re welcome. Thanks for listening. I don’t get to talk about my parents much. It felt nice. Well, I’ll see ya.” azarathian: “Tragedy,” she returned with a slight glint in her eye, willingly playing along. “It’s fine. Sleep well, see you tomorrow.” With that, she turned back to her room and once more the door slid shut behind her. As she wandered over to her bed, she noticed the clock on her bedside table read 3:40am. The moment the hour dawned on her, her eyes felt suddenly very heavy. Sleep was calling for her, and this time she had faith that her return to slumber would be a more pleasant one. She hoped, at least. As the heroine slunk beneath her quilt, she allowed her thoughts to dissipate into the air. She no longer had the energy to mull over nightmares of the past; though, if Raven had possessed any energy at all, she would’ve probably found herself contemplating a different matter entirely. No longer would Trigon occupy her thoughts, but the acknowledgement that she had, in fact, agreed to an outing with her green teammate for the following day. Willingly agreed. Because she wanted to. Indeed, had she possessed the energy, this realisation would’ve almost certainly plagued her mind well into the dawn. However, as it happened, the poor sorceress was entirely drained as her cheek nuzzled into the pillow beneath her. Slender fingers curled around the bridge of her duvet, pulling it close to her chin as she lay snug in her bed, slave to the deep sleep overcoming her. [ FIN ]

#Memories #azarathian #roleplay #completed roleplay #compiled roleplay

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