Quality Time

CHAPTER 3: Wanna' Bet?

Cyborg proceeded down what seemed like an endless hallway, but it only seemed endless because he was taking his time. He walked slowly, taking only half the distance he'd normally take with each step, deep in thought. The day had barely begun, and his thoughts reassured him there was still ample time to do what needed to be done. He had pretty much worked out everything in his mind. Now, it was only a matter of putting it into action.

"Okay", he said to himself in preparation, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves. "Just be cool. Be calm," he gave himself a pep talk, "And don't do anything BeastBoy'd do."

He came to a stop, turning to face his destination. A door with Raven's name written clearly in big bold letters greeted him, though not with the most welcome of thoughts. The residence and sanctuary of Raven was a place not to be taken lightly, especially to someone who'd made the mistake of entering uninvited as he had in the past. Who knew what other sorts of mystery and mysticism awaited behind this same door.

He shakily raised his arm, gripping his hand, moving it towards the center of the door. He gently wrapped on the door with his metallic knuckles, careful so as not to annoy Raven by merely banging at her door.

"Uh, Raven? You got a sec?" he called, trying to maintain a casual tone, so as not to imply the purpose of his visit.

The bet was that purpose. Cyborg was still hung up on the suggested dare, turned wager, from the short, but still entertaining, round of Truth or Dare. A simple enough stipulation, involving the constant company of two of his fellow friends and teammates. A dare worthy of it's own sitcom in Cyborg's opinion.

The bet would require that BeastBoy and Raven remain constantly in close quarters with one another's company. Difficult? Perhaps not. But with the two intended individuals in question, it would be far from easy. Raven and BeastBoy could very well be closest to complete opposites as imaginable. BeastBoy, an energetic, over imaginative, fun loving, over the top prankster, and Raven, a quiet, passive, emotionally limited, empath. It was like comparing day to night. Getting two, so completely different from one another, to accept such a thing would be an improbable task. Improbable, but not impossible, at least not for someone like Cyborg.

Cyborg knew that they'd both be reluctant, if not completely against it, to undertake such an arrangement, especially Raven, but he figured if he could get one of them to go along with it, it'd be easier to convince the other. And seeing as how Raven would prove to be the most difficult to convince, it'd be best to start with her. If he could get Raven to accept, BeastBoy would be a breeze to persuade in comparison.

"Raven?" he called again, not getting an answer. "Raven, you in there?" he spoke a little louder, knocking once more.

Cyborg cracked open the door, just enough to peer inside. Perhaps she was deep in meditation, or fully involved in one of her books, and failed to hear him. From what little he could make out through the crack in the doorway, it appeared she wasn't inside. Going against his better judgment, he widened the opening, moving the door just enough to poke his head through, but as before, there was still no sign of Raven.

Cyborg leaned back,looking around behind him, scanning both ends of the hall. Certain that no one was around, and furthering his chances, he opened the door fully, and cautiously stepped inside. He moved quietly, or at least as quiet as possible for someone with reinforced metal feet, a few steps into Raven's room, curious as to whether or not she truly wasn't there.

"Raven? Um...Don't mean to bother you or anything...but, if you're in here, I need to talk to you." he said, just above a whisper. "Raven?"

The room was dark, and not just because of Raven's 'cheery' taste in decoration. The storm was still going on outside, giving hardly any light through the window, save for the occasional burst of lightning. The tapping of the rain and the wind blowing against the window only served to amplify the haunting atmosphere.