MOMENTS

REMNANTS OF THE PAST

Beast Boy and Raven stood quietly in the dimly lit living room of Arella's house, the weight of the task at hand settling heavily on them. The house felt cold and empty now that Raven's mother had passed, and it seemed almost unreal to Raven that she was here, clearing out the remnants of her mother's life. They had spent hours going through Arella's belongings, carefully boxing up items that held sentimental value and making decisions on what to keep and what to let go.

Raven felt a mixture of sadness and detachment as she sifted through her mother's things. It was strange, feeling the loss of someone who had always been at a distance, yet now that Arella was gone, Raven couldn't help but feel a hole in her chest—a part of her past that had disappeared forever.

As Raven opened another drawer in her mother's old desk, she came across something unexpected: a large, dusty photo album. Her name was written on the cover in delicate script—"Raven"—and she paused, her heart skipping a beat.

She hadn't seen this album before.

Beast Boy, who had been sorting through some books nearby, noticed Raven's stillness and walked over. "You okay?" he asked gently, sensing her unease.

"I found something," Raven murmured, her fingers tracing the letters of her name on the cover. "It's a photo album... with my name on it."

Beast Boy raised an eyebrow. "A photo album? Of you?"

Raven nodded slowly and opened the album, unsure of what to expect. The first page revealed a picture of a newborn baby wrapped in a blanket—herself. There was a tiny note written underneath the photo in her mother's handwriting: My little Raven, born with stormy eyes.

Raven stared at the photo for a long moment, her heart tightening. She flipped the page and found more baby pictures, all of herself—small and fragile, with her distinctive dark hair and eyes.

Beast Boy leaned over her shoulder to get a better look. "Whoa," he said with a grin, "is that you as a baby?" He chuckled softly. "You were pretty cute, Rae."

Raven rolled her eyes but couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her lips. "I guess."

They continued to flip through the album together, and as they did, the pictures told the story of Raven's early years. There were photos of her at different stages—toddling around with her mother, learning to walk, a tiny hand reaching up to grasp Arella's fingers. The images were bittersweet, a glimpse into a childhood Raven barely remembered.

As they reached the pictures of her at age five or six, Beast Boy couldn't resist making a few lighthearted comments. "Look at this one!" He pointed to a photo of a young Raven with an adorably serious expression, sitting on a swing. "You were already practicing your brooding face. Like, 'I'm Raven, and I take life very seriously.'"

Raven gave him a playful glare. "I wasn't brooding."

Beast Boy smirked and tapped another picture of her with a furrowed brow. "Sure, and this one? You look like you're plotting something serious."

"Maybe I was," she replied dryly, but there was a glint of amusement in her eyes. Despite the weight of the day, Beast Boy's teasing was helping to lighten her mood.

As they continued through the album, Beast Boy kept up his playful commentary. "Aww, look at this one! Tiny Raven in a little dress!" He pointed to a picture of Raven at around age seven, dressed up for what looked like a special occasion. "You were so cute in that dress! I mean, I get it, you probably hated wearing it, but still."

Raven groaned, a blush creeping up her cheeks. "I did hate it. I remember that day. My mother insisted on taking that picture."

"Well, you rocked it," Beast Boy said with a grin, nudging her gently. "Even back then, you were too cool for dresses."

Raven rolled her eyes again but couldn't help the small smile that stayed on her face. She turned the page to reveal a picture of herself at age eight, sitting on the ground with a book in her lap, completely engrossed in reading.

"Now this feels familiar," Beast Boy said, chuckling. "Raven, always with a book in her hands."

"I suppose some things never change," Raven replied softly, her fingers brushing over the photo. She had forgotten about many of these moments, but seeing them now brought a flood of memories back. She had always felt different, even as a child, but her mother had tried to give her a normal life, as much as was possible in Azarath.

Beast Boy wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her a little closer as they looked at the photos. "You know, Rae," he said quietly, his voice softening, "I know you don't like talking about your past much, but I'm glad you're letting me be here with you. Seeing these pictures... it's like getting a glimpse of a part of you I didn't know."

Raven rested her head against his shoulder, her heart feeling a little lighter. "It's strange," she murmured. "I never really thought about my childhood like this. I guess I've always tried to forget about it. But seeing these... I don't know. It makes me realize that, despite everything, my mother did love me. She kept these photos, even though our relationship was never easy."

"She loved you a lot," Beast Boy agreed, squeezing her shoulder gently. "And she was proud of you. You can tell just by the way she wrote about you in here."

Raven nodded, flipping through the last few pages of the album in silence. She felt a mixture of emotions—grief, nostalgia, and a strange sense of peace. She had always struggled with her identity, with feeling like she didn't belong anywhere, but this album was a reminder that she had been loved. Her mother had kept these memories, even if they had been distant for most of Raven's life.

When they reached the end of the album, Raven closed it softly and set it aside, turning to face Beast Boy. Her eyes were still a little watery, but there was a small, grateful smile on her lips. "Thank you for being here with me," she whispered.

"Always," Beast Boy replied, cupping her face gently and brushing a thumb over her cheek. "You never have to go through anything alone, Rae. Not as long as I'm around."

Raven leaned in, resting her forehead against his. "I don't deserve you sometimes."

Beast Boy smiled softly and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "That's not true. We deserve each other. And I wouldn't want it any other way."

They stayed like that for a while, wrapped in each other's warmth, the weight of the day slowly fading as they found comfort in each other. Even in the midst of grief and loss, Raven knew she wasn't alone. Beast Boy was her rock, her constant, and together they could face anything—even the hardest of goodbyes.

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