It's Dark Inside (BbRae)

34

Now in the living room, Titans East and Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven were all spread out across the room.

Aqua Lad and Beast Boy were catching up at the counter. While Speedy, Mas, and Menos were all on the couch playing mariokart  competitively.

Raven had a drink in her hand and was kind of wandering by herself while Cyborg was leaning against a wall talking to Bumble Bee.

"--How about we find out?" Aqua Lad finishes. Beast Boy was thrilled to see Aqua Lad at first, he may have been jealous of him at first, but they both were competitive and racing or testing their abilities against each other was too much fun to pass up.

"You're on! But maybe a little later, I want to see who's winning the race." Beast Boy answers and points to the TV.

Raven had been observing everyone. She was the odd one out and wasn't quite sure what to say to anyone. Then she notices Aqua Lad and Beast Boy begin to approach her.

"Hey Beast Boy!" Cyborg calls and Bumble Bee smiles, relaxed with a hand on her hip, leaning against the wall. Cyborg asks Beast Boy to come over for a bit and he begins to explain to Bumble Bee his side of the story as he had remembered. Bumble Bee was impressed.

"Oh that's nothing, I've been through worse!"

"Pfft, yeah right!" Beast Boy teases. and Raven notices. The three of them continue their conversation as Bumble Bee begins the 'my horse is bigger than your horse'.

Aqua Lad casually slides up next to Raven, he leans over to see her face. Her attention was on Beast Boy, he seemed to be having so much fun over there. Raven felt like roadkill.

"Hey, Raven. What's splashing?" Aqua Lad smiles, flirtatiously. He had remembered Raven and Star swooning over him when he first met the Titans and he found Raven mysterious and attractive.

"A tsunami." Raven croaked, not even looking at him. She had started to watch the game again and Aqua Lad felt a little stunned by her disinterest in him. 

Aqua Lad continues to talk with Raven and she finally makes eye contact with him.

Across the room, Beast Boy had stopped smiling, his heart dropped when he saw Raven talking with Aqua Lad. She was the reason he had felt threatened by Aqua Lad in the first place. Well, that and the fact that he felt he was being replaced or that Aqua Lad could do a better job than him.

Did Raven like Aqua Lad? When they first met Aqua Lad, he had captured her full attention and it was obvious to Beast Boy that she was interested in him. Beast Boy's heart began to throb at the thought.

Back in town, Robin and Star had finally made it to a fancy restaurant called Brio's. Robin had opened the door for Star. "Hello! And welcome to Brio's." A worker says as they enter.

"A table for two, please." Robin says to the attendant at the front. The waiter gestures them to follow him. "Right this way."

Star Fire felt so nervous, so out of place. She felt she looked ridiculous now. She had felt so beautiful earlier, especially when Robin had first seen her, but now, she felt out of place.

Once they are seated, Robin notices Star's uneasiness. He wanted her to always feel safe and comfortable with him; that when he saw her like this, he felt as though someone had punched him in the stomach.

Star was glancing around the room at other tables, other couples. She did not want to make a fool out of herself.

Unsure of what to do, Robin gently places his hand on hers. The warmth of his touch immediately grabs Star's attention, and Star's anxiety instantly washes away.