(This is a brief sequel to Kitten Kaboodle, taking place not long before Osmosis Woes.)
The five Titans watched with bated breath as their newest adversary took on their greatest challenge yet.
A giant mutant approached, multiple pairs of legs carrying the creature towards its target. Its antennae poked at the team’s newest member, detecting vital information about her.
She held her stance, braced for a fight. This wasn’t her first time with such a creature, so she was mostly able to keep her cool.
Still, the Titans worried for their newest friend.
The creature finished its examination and gurgled its approval.
Beast Boy let out a breath he’d been holding and managed a smile. “Haahh… Phew! Good boy, Silkie!”
Raven proceeded to toss a yarn ball between the two, watching as her kitten batted at it, Silkie following suit.
“Guess your shape shifting really did help them adjust,” Cyborg grinned, patting the changeling on his shoulder.
“Yeah, Silkie’s seen me as a cat all the time and I turned into Silkie a bunch for Cinder,” Beast Boy beamed.
“I am glad they are getting along,” Starfire announced.
“One less worry for the Tower,” Robin nodded.
“I’d still keep an eye on them when they’re together,” Beast Boy recommended. “Just until they reeeeally get used to each other. And Cinder grows some more.”
The other Titans nodded in agreement. Beast Boy really did know best with this sort of thing, after all.
“Are you guys hungry yet?” Cyborg asked for the third time that day.
Robin let out a slight chuckle. “Yeah. I can probably eat now. Let’s go see this world famous barbecue place of yours.”
“All right!” Cyborg shouted. “You sure you don’t wanna come, BB? They might have salad or somethin’.”
“Who goes to a barbecue place for the salad?” Beast Boy scoffed. “I’m hangin’ back and making my own veggie B-B-Q!”
“Raven?” Cyborg looked over.
“Maybe after the excitement surrounding the place calms down,” Raven mused. “I’ll see you guys later.”
“Suit yourself,” Cyborg shrugged. “More for us!”
With one more cheer, Cyborg had essentially dragged Robin and Starfire to the exit.
Beast Boy watched as the three left before turning his gaze back to the animals.
“I had a feeling you were gonna go with no,” the changeling began, giving Silkie a few playful pats. “So I went ahead and planned some non-tofu stuff, if you want some. I know how you feel about fake meat.”
“That sounds good, actually,” Raven replied with a slight smirk. “As long as it’s not tofu, your stuff is usually edible.”
Beast Boy stopped what he was doing to look up at Raven with wide eyes.
Did she realize what she had just said? Did she really just give him this opportunity? Whatever the case, he was taking it!
A toothy smile practically devoured his face as he replied with, “Why, thank you, Miss Pancake.”
Raven’s eyes widened, remembering too late that she couldn’t cook and her attempt at pancakes that year or so ago resulted in lumpy inedible sludge only Starfire could stomach.
Beast Boy was cackling now, rolling onto his back.
“You walked right into that so hard!” he wheezed. “That never happens! Why did the others have to leave before you gave me that opening!”
“Don’t worry about it,” Raven’s brow twitched. “It’s not that funny.”
“Aw, c’mon,” the changeling sat up. “Can’t you let me have this one? How often do I get to have a smart response?”
“You’d have more opportunities for a smart response if your brain wasn’t the consistency of my pancake batter.” Raven rolled her eyes.
“Ha! Good one,” Beast Boy grinned, despite having a sore spot hit with her response. “Alright, I’ll let it go now. Just remember that my offer for cooking lessons still stands.”
Raven opted to play with Cinder instead of replying.
“Right. You’re not a big veggie person…” Beast Boy trailed off.
“I’m not a big imitation person,” Raven corrected. “I like vegetables just fine. It used to be just about all I ate.”
Beast Boy blinked a few times, brow furrowing in confusion as he stared at her.
“...Food on Azarath was all vegetarian,” Raven clarified.
“Ooooohhh… Hey, wait! You were a vegetarian?!” the changeling squawked. “Why’d you stop?!”
The magus was quiet a moment, wondering if she should tell him the truth. Making her decision, she let out a sigh.
“Remember when we first got pizza as a team?”
“Yeah?” Beast Boy cocked his head.
“You remember how Cyborg teased you for not eating meat?”
“Oh, right. Yeah, I remember that. I still don’t get what his obsession with meat is about…”
“Well,” she averted her gaze. “I was really self conscious back then. I didn’t want to make a fuss, so I just… tried it.”
“But I could’a had a veggie buddy,” Beast Boy whined, shoulders slumping.
“You can still have one, you know. Just cut out the tofu and I’d eat a vegetarian meal no problem,” she shrugged. “I just don’t like tofu.”
“I can do that,” he smiled widely at her. “Maybe we could make something together sometime so you can make sure I don’t add anything you don’t want.”
“Maybe someday,” Raven replied simply.
“Whoa. You’re actually considering it,” Beast Boy asked in awe.
“Don’t make me reconsider.”
“Heh. Got it,” he smiled nervously and returned his attention to their pets. “Atta girl, Cinder. Big ol’ Silkie won’t scare you.”
“You sure like talking to animals…” Raven remarked. “Especially since you did it when I was sleeping.”
Beast Boy blinked. “Wait. How did you know that if you were asleep?”
“I woke up early once and tried to go back to sleep. I stayed quiet so you could leave sooner and we could go back to sleep.”
“Oh.”
A hint of a blush painted Raven’s features at the memory. This didn’t go unnoticed by Beast Boy, whose ears drooped nervously.
“...What did I say?”
Raven scoffed, trying to play it off. “You were saying you were proud of me for taking care of Cinder.”
The changeling chuckled a bit awkwardly. “Well, I am. I never thought I’d see you caring for an animal.”
A brief pause before he continued.
“Now that I think about it, I never thought I’d see you good with kids either. Melvin, Timmy, and Teether love you though!”
Love. There it was again.
“Reminds me of something else you said…” Raven trailed off.
“What else did I say?” he asked, cocking his head to the side.
Raven thought a moment, looking down at her now dozing kitten.
“I should get her to bed,” she promptly changed the subject, scooping the kitten into her arms and heading for her room.
“Wh- Hey!” Beast Boy exclaimed, following after her and stopping just outside her door. “What did I say?”
Raven looked down with a quiet sigh before meeting his gaze.
“I’ll give you a hint… I love you lots too.”
With that, her door slid closed, hiding both teens’ flushing faces from each other.
