Grabbing her chest, Raven suddenly sat up; rigid in posture, she gasped as her lungs involuntary drank in gulps of oxygen. The rain pelted against the window as it fell into the Pacific Ocean that surrounded the island which held up Titans Tower. Shadows caused by the clouds danced around her dark abode, taunting her to join in. She willed her legs to move but the only part of her that had any kinetic energy at that moment was her racing heart.
'You're alive; you're okay; just breathe. You're alive; you're okay; just breathe'
Raven repeated the mantra in her head, waiting for panic to dismiss itself. After what felt like hours, she felt her shoulders relax– although a dull ache still remained- and her heart steady into a normal rhythmic beat. Wiping the dried beads of sweat from her grey, ethereal forehead, the half-demoness raised her lithe body from the safety of her bed, crossing the room to her en-suite where she was greeted by her reflection in the mirror: a shell of her normally composed self.
Having been trained daily until her pubescent years in dealing with controlling emotions– from overwhelming happiness to foreboding rage– Raven was used to looking nonchalant (at least in the eyes of her fellow Titans) but the quick raise of her violet eyebrows showed that even she looked uncaring. Funny, seeing as the daughter of Trigon had just woken up from a nightmare so horrific that she knew that her only friend tonight would be insomnia– a most unwelcome companion at three in the morning.
Impatiently, she turned the cold tap onto full flow before washing the remnants of the nightmare from her face. Once finished, Raven remained glued to the spot in front of the mirror.
You may have created me but you were never my father…
They are my family; this is my home, and you are not welcome here…
Flashbacks shoved her mind back into the present day, a day she never thought she'd see: her twenty-first birthday. Despite it being three years since the day she destroyed the world- the day Slade reappeared; the day Robin descended into the fiery depths of hell to find her; the day Beast Boy handed her the 'lucky penny' that became a lifeline back to reality– a part of her had been torn away and left in the past, acting as a constant reminder that no matter how much good she attempted to counterbalance the evil coursing through the arteries under her Azarathian skin, she would always be responsible for killing an entire planet of innocent civilians.
CRACK!
Startled, Raven jumped back into the shower divide as shards of reflective glass scattered around her bare feet. Luckily she could hover. With a swipe to the left, the shards were surrounded in black energy and sent flying through the air into the nearby waste-bin.
Knock knock…
"Raven? I heard a crack-"
Of course it would be him checking on her. A nocturnal bird though he was, Robin was vigilant twenty-four hours a day; three o' eleven was no exception. She used her powers to slide the door open. Robin entered the room, heading straight to her location in the bathroom. There he found her looking worse for wear with curls serenading her face and a broken mirror hanging off the wall.
"What happened?"
She explained about her nightmare. A few years ago, she would have been more secretive instead of admitting weakness to her leader but having grown up together she knew he'd have no judgement. Being an empath, Raven frequently felt when the others were terrorised by their pasts. He nodded as she explained while lightly grabbing her elbow to guide her back to her bed. Raven had learnt to accept these simple caring gestures.
"You do know he's never coming back, right?" Robin reassured her.
"I know. I guess it being the third anniversary has just brought everything back."
"Did it ever really leave?" he countered, standing up and circling the room, eyeing the mysterious artefacts and well-preserved spines of her historical book collection.
"You tell me, Robin."
"That day will always be the second worst day of my life." The day his parents died always held first place in that category. Even going to hell with his worst enemy to recover his dead friend couldn't snag that metaphorical medal.
"You should go back to bed. I'm fine, honestly. Thanks for coming to check on me."
Robin stared at her, his eyes (hidden behind the mask) not revealing the searching pupils' travelling all over her body, analysing her body language which was on full display due to her flimsy nightwear instead of being coated in her royal-blue cloak. He believed her but it didn't stop him being worried.
"Happy birthday, Raven," he whispered, turning and leaving her alone.
"Dude! Be careful! Those balloons took me ages to blow up!"
"Well, if you hadn't blown up so damn many I wouldn't' be steppin' on 'em!"
"If you weren't carrying that ginormous eight-layer cake then you could see all the balloons!"
"If you weren't a massive pain in my ass, then-"
"Shut up, both of you! She'll hear you."
'Too late', Raven thought, standing on the other side of the common room door to her friends. Despite making it as clear as a crystal Kole every year on June 30th– her birthday– that she hated parties, every year they threw her a 'surprise' party and she had already guessed that his year it would be bigger than ever because now all the Titans could legally drink; she was the youngest by four months.
Not that she had a desire to lose her inhibitions to alcohol– especially after seeing the men in her life make utter fools of themselves after one-too-many shots– but she had to admit that she was intrigued about how being twenty-one would affect her. Of course, as usual, she didn't let them know it.
"Friends, please cease the fighting. I predict that Raven will be waking up any minute."
"Star, its ten in the morning; Raven should have been up hours ago! She's probably avoiding us; I bet she heard Tin-Can here shouting about balloons and is avoiding us at all costs!"
"Say what now, Grass Stain!"
"She had a nightmare this morning; I wouldn't blame her if she's still asleep. She was pretty shaken, even though she was trying not to show it."
"Typical Rae."
"Man, she deserves so much better than she has."
"I agree; Raven has done so much good since that day. It saddens me that she is still plagued by the mares of the night."
"Especially after three years."
"We all have our demons, Beast Boy. Are you telling me you don't dream of Africa?"
"I know, Dude. It just sucks. I want her to be happy, you know?"
Behind the door, Raven smiled, her hand resting on the cool metal exterior. She may not have got lucky with her biological family (or at least the paternal half) but she had hit the jackpot with her adopted family. She continued to eavesdrop…
"She is happy, BB– the girl just doesn't show it much. You know that."
"Well hopefully she'll show it more tonight when she gets drunk!"
Raven could feel a spike in negative emotion from Robin at Beast Boy's comment.
"You're not getting her drunk today, not purposefully."
"Boss, she needs to unwind!"
"No. That's an order."
Disappointment radiated from Beast Boy and Cyborg, so much so that Raven had to take a step backwards from the barrier between her and the group. The step was heard by Beast Boy (curtesy of his abnormal hearing from his mixture of animal DNA) who immediately turned to the door.
"Dudes, I think she's coming!"
Playing along, Raven stamped up and down on the spot, fooling them into thinking she was walking down the corridor; a few seconds later the barrier slid open to reveal a colourful sight: hundreds of balloons rested on the floor; a table was supporting all of her favourite (unhealthy) foods which were overshadowed by Cyborg's eight-layer red velvet cake. He'd even through the trouble of creating the five of them out of fondant with herself in the middle. She couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the effort they had gone through to make her special day as memorable as possible – and it was only half past ten! She was so taken by the display that she failed to notice her teammates standing around her with party hats and poppers at the ready.
"Happy birthday, Raven!" they sang, coming over to hug the twenty-one year old. After embracing all of them and thanking them for the surprise, they sat down at the breakfast bar. Cyborg started making her favourite breakfast– chocolate chip pancakes- while the rest of them relaxed. A Titan birthday always brought out the best in them.
"Friend Raven, I honestly thought you would recoil when seeing the party," Starfire commented, watching as Raven looked at her pile of presents with the smallest of smiles.
Raven normally would; she had in previous years but today she felt like celebrating. Perhaps it was the meditation she'd done after the nightmare earlier; perhaps it was finally turning twenty-one; perhaps it was feeling more grown up and content with the direction her life was heading or perhaps it was an amalgamation of the three.
"How could I not feel happy after seeing the effort you guys have made for me," she replied. What the others didn't notice was the control she had to have in her mind in order to show the gratitude. Luckily, the hours of meditation beforehand should allow her to show emotion more openly, at least until the end of the day.
Cyborg served up the pancakes and they all tucked in. Then Raven opened her gifts from them all: an iPad from Cyborg with all the apps he thought she'd find useful already downloaded onto it, along with a $20 gift card; an assortment of hand-made vouchers from Beast Boy, promising things like being quiet for twenty-four hours and giving dibs on the TV remote, which accompanied boxes of her favourite flavoured teas; a luxurious painting from Robin by her favourite artist (Alison Hemman) entitled, 'Time Waits For No One'; finally, a beautiful black dress with deep violet panels from Starfire.
"It's for the party tonight. I thought you'd appreciate the colours plus it matches your hair!" Starfire couldn't contain her excitement. She'd spent many hours at Jump City mall trying to find the perfect outfit for her gothic friend, who had refused to go anywhere near the consumerist building due to the raging hormones of all the teenagers who were searching for figure-hugging dresses to impress their dates and friends at the Spring Formal dances that were approaching in the local high schools.
"What party? I thought this was it?"
A shiver went down her spine as Cyborg evilly laughed.
"Rae, you're twenty-one now Girl! We're celebrating in style tonight! We've got all the Titans coming here tonight for the most happenin' house party that Jump City has ever seen!" Cyborg quickly got off his stool and began to dance around her. "All you have to do is stay smilin' and look bangin' in that pretty little number Star bought for you."
Upon hearing her name, Starfire began to fly around the room. "We have prepared all of the decorations and music for such a marvellous occasion and I have booked us the appointments at the salon of hair follicles and nail cuticles for this afternoon!"
Raven didn't share her female friend's enthusiasm, which didn't escape Robin's notice.
"It's going to be very classy Raven and its only one night. You'll enjoy it– I promise."
"If by classy you mean drunken!" Beast Boy hollered, swinging from the ceiling in the form of a Capuchin monkey holding two bottles of champagne.
"Yes, Raven; you can finally enjoy the intoxicating nectar of grapes and barleys!"
"Getting drunk is overrated Starfire. It turns the most composed people into blithering idiots who do stupid things. Cyborg and Beast Boy are prime examples of that," Raven commented, causing the two aforementioned men to argue back. Admittedly, the time when they came back from a nightclub and vomited everywhere, waking up the other three, was irresponsible, not helped by the fact they had crank-called Batman himself at four in the morning.
"Chillax, Mama! Take that stick outta your-"
"That's enough! Its Raven's birthday and she can do whatever she likes: If she wants to drink then fine; if she wants to stay sober then fine. Either way, you guys deal with it. I won't have you spoiling today with your antics. We have a reputation to maintain as the most awesome party planners in the USA."
Beast Boy trudged past Robin, abandoning the champagne bottles. "Raven's not the only one who could do with removing the stick from her ass…"
Pink. So much pink. Raven inwardly sighed as she and Starfire approached the salon, already feeling uneasy. Her empathic senses were already on alert to the excitement of the young women who occupied the leather seats as they enjoyed their various beauty treatments. But she couldn't let Starfire down; she'd put so much effort into buying her a dress she'd actually like, it was only fair that she help complete her final look for the party tonight. Starfire was oblivious to her ill feelings, already floating towards the front door of the girly establishment.
Delighted, Starfire opened the door, releasing a fragrant smell into the street. Inside, she greeted the receptionist while Raven glanced around the large room, trying to be polite and keep the inner grimace from showing on her grey face.
"How long is this going to take?" she asked the receptionist.
"About ninety minutes, Honey," the young woman replied enthusiastically. "While you wait for Tanya and Laura to finish up, why don't you check out our nail wall and choose a design. I recommend 'Funky Fuchsia Orchid'."
The blonde clearly didn't know Raven at all if that was her recommendation. Ignoring her, she headed towards the darker end of the nail spectrum, admiring the shades of black and blue that greeted her. By the time that Laura was ready to style her hair, Raven had already chosen a glittery navy blue for her nails. Starfire, opposing, chose the brightest yellow shade she'd ever seen. 'Azar knows who would let that colour be put into production!'
She and Starfire relaxed into their chairs and chatted about a number of topics: Silkie; being an adult; the boys to name a few while the hairdressers worked wonders on their coloured locks.
"So, Raven. I hear that Aqualad is coming tonight to celebrate you turning the twenty-one Earth years…" It didn't take an empath to realise where Starfire was taking this conversation.
"Well Cyborg said that all the Titans were coming so I suppose he'll be there." She couldn't' hide the slight blush adorning her cheeks.
"You like him, yes?"
"I like all the Titans, Starfire."
"But you like like him, do you not?"
"I don't know where you got that idea."
"Your cheeks are telling me what your mouth is not, friend Raven. Aqualad is very handsome. You two would make, as 'E!' would say, 'a couple hotter than Brangelina!'" Starfire couldn't supress the giggle that loudly left her lips. She and Raven had grown a lot closer since the incident this time three years prior and while she now accepted that they had polar opposite interests, they could still gossip about many things. She was pleased to see Raven become less introverted over the years and felt it was time for her best friend to find someone who could make her happy in ways that she and the boys in team could not.
"Please don't make a big deal out of nothing. Yes, he's very handsome and intelligent but that doesn't mean I 'like like' him."
"Well, I think tonight he will definitely like like you in the dress I chose. All the single Titans will!"
Raven looked in the mirror ahead of her, contemplating how the black and violet dress would hug her curves beautifully while still leaving some mystery about what lay underneath. Not one to normally worry too much about aesthetics, she wanted to show tonight how much she had grown. She had to admit, with the right shoes and her new hairstyle, she would be the metaphorical belle of the ball.
The girls left the salon an hour later with freshly painted nails and curled hair which looked effortlessly styled (despite taking a long time). Vainly, Raven curiously glanced at her transparent reflection in the shop windows, trying her best to be coy about it, as she and Starfire walked towards an alleyway where she would teleport them back to the tower, saving their hair unnecessary distress from the elements.
"Thank you for this, Starfire. I actually had fun."
"You are most welcome! I'm going to have the fun later watching the boys' jaws drop to the floor!"
Both smiling, they stepped through the magical portal, leaving the civilian world behind.
"Raven, can I come in?"
The sudden voice made her pause in her task of doing up her silver necklace, which complemented her party dress exquisitely. She said yes, inviting her leader into her bedroom for the second time in the last twenty-four hours. Robin couldn't help but eye the younger woman up and down.
"You look beautiful, Rae," he smiled, walking over to her and giving her a brotherly kiss on the cheek before taking the delicate silver chain from her fingers and fumbling with the clasp himself. The silver arrow sat neatly against her collarbone.
"You scrub up well yourself, Boy Wonder," she smiled, taking in the expensive suit he'd presented himself in. However, he kept it casual by abandoning the tie, the crisp white collar hanging open from his neck. "What do you need?"
"I just came to check on you. I know parties aren't your favourite thing and you were very quiet when you came back from the salon. Nice nails by the way."
"Thank you, and I'm always quiet."
"Quieter than normal, then."
"I'm fine. Strangely enough, I'm actually looking forward to tonight."
"Who are you and what have you done with Raven?" Robin joked.
"Robin, just because I'm more introverted than the rest of you and like my independence doesn't mean I don't enjoy relaxing and being sociable," Raven admitted, turning towards her full-length mirror and admiring herself once more. Starfire had made a good choice, the dress making Raven look like a young woman.
"I know, I just don't want you to feel overwhelmed."
"I'm a big girl, Robin. I can look after myself."
"I never suggested that you can't. Just remember that everyone is here to celebrate with you."
"How about an early celebration?" Raven's hand was surrounded by her black magic. A moment later, two champagne flutes disappeared from the table upstairs (where the rest of the team were making final preparations before their guests arrived) and reappeared hovering in front of them. Handing one to Robin, she toasted.
"To good health and many years of happiness."
"To a good friend finally turning twenty-one!"
The two clinked their glasses and sipped the expensive liquid.
It was far from the classy affair Robin had promised: music blaring from the surround sound speakers, the Titans were dancing away, having the most fun they'd had for ages. The party was two hours in. Robin was greeting the never-ending hoard of guests, Titans from all over the globe who had flown in for the special occasion, while Cyborg and Beast Boy kept the food and shots flowing respectively. The atmosphere was electric; the majority of the metahumans were already tipsy. Luckily, the Titans had enough rooms for everyone to stay in that night.
Raven was surrounded by the lads from Titans East and didn't miss the way Aqualad was eyeing her up and down. On any other day she would have sent him to another dimension but in her hazy state– thanks to the cocktails Starfire and Jinx kept handing her– she found herself flattered, edging closer to the handsome oceanic telepath.
"Raven, you're looking hot!" Speedy wolf-whistled. "Happy birthday," he smiled, leaning over and kissing her cheek. "You owe me a dance later!"
"Get me a shot and I'll think about it!" she replied, winking. Alcohol was definitely having its desired effect on the part-demon. At her command, Speedy went off to get a tray of vodka shots.
"Are you sure that's wise?" Aqualad enquired. "You're looking very flushed."
"I'm flushed because it's hot in here, Aqualad. I'm perfectly fine!"
Concerned, Aqualad watched her dance off towards Speedy, who was talking to Beast Boy.
"No shots, no dance!" she shouted, leaning against Speedy. Beast Boy, unusually, looked anxious.
"Raven, you're wasted! How many have you had?"
"Dude, she's fine. Let the birthday girl party!" Speedy addressed the green Titan, doing little to ease his concerns. While he knew Raven was more than capable of looking after herself, this was her first time heavily drinking and he had no clue how much of an intoxicating effect it would have on her demon side. He watched Speedy and Raven clink their shot glasses together and quickly gulp down the liquid.
"Come on Beast Boy, I heard you this morning saying you want to get me drunk. Have a shot!" she slurred, shoving a vodka-filled shot glass into his face. Unfortunately, the double vision she began experiencing caused her to spill it all down his suit.
"Rae!"
Raven gasped, rushing to get some napkins from the nearby table and dabbing at Beast Boy's muscular chest. When he grabbed the paper from her hands and started to sort it out himself, tears began to show in her purple eyes.
"I'm sorry, BB. Please don't hate me!" She threw herself at her teammate, making him imbalanced. He sighed, running his hand through her hair as her chin dug into his shoulder.
"I could never hate you. I think you should have some water though."
Cyborg came towards them holding a glass of water, having witnessed the mess that Raven had accidentally created.
"Here you go, Dark Girl, drink up!" he smiled, handing her the glass. The boys watched as she swallowed the contents of the glass. Knowing the water wouldn't take effect straight away, the half-robot suggested that she go and spend some time with the girls from Titans North. Pushing her in the right direction, Speedy, Beast Boy and Cyborg watched her slowly saunter towards Argent and Kole.
"You shouldn't be encouraging her, man," Cyborg reprimanded Speedy, whose mouth opened in disbelief.
"Cy, she asked for it!"
"Let's just all keep an eye on her. It is her birthday and she's safe here in a room full of friends." Although he couldn't help but imagine her asking for trouble if they had gone to a nightclub instead...
The other two gawked at Beast Boy, the last person in the room they'd expect to be so sensible when a party was happening. It just showed how much the changeling had matured in recent years as well as how protective he was over Raven. Years ago, he'd fancied her but the feelings were never reciprocated and they realised they were just very good friends.
"I guess you're right, B."
"We saw you talkin' to Aqualad, Rae. You can't deny you like him!"
"Bumblebee, I'm talking to you now so does that mean I'm suddenly bisexual and fancy you?"
The tanned Titan blushed at Raven's remark as a black and white striped arm relaxed around her shoulder.
"Join the club, you'll love it!" Argent joked, sticking out her tongue at the Titans East leader.
"I'm sure Cyborg would love that!" Bumblebee smirked, causing Raven and Starfire to cover their ears and crease up their make-up covered faces in disgust.
"We don't need to hear about your sex life!" Raven laughed.
The others burst out laughing, shaking their hips as one of the latest hip-hop tracks blasted around the crowded room. All the girls were having a great time; it was rare that the Titans could relax as crime rates were sky high in their particular territories.
"I think we need more drinks."
The other girls agreed with Argent and immediately followed her to the makeshift bar area. Raven, forgetting– and not caring– about what the protective boys had suggested, followed and shot three different spirits. While they all laughed, Raven began to feel increasingly dizzy. Assuming she'd come down from the high shortly, she stumbled back onto the dance floor and began dancing more provocatively than before. Drunk, she looked around the room at all of her friends and acquaintances, feeling very blessed (ironically). Suddenly, she felt herself being pushed towards a certain handsome Titan…
"I've never seen this side of you," Aqualad commented as Raven drunkenly grinded against him. Knowing that this was inappropriate, he tried to create some space between him and the dark bird but she was very insistent.
"Is that a good or bad thing?" she whispered in his ear. The warmth of her breath made him hot under the collar.
Clearing his throat, he replied, "I'm not quite sure."
"Why? You know I find you incredibly attractive," she said, slurring the longer words, further confirming in Aqualad's mind– being the gentleman he is– that this was a bad idea, even if he did want to kiss her.
"Thank you, Raven, but you're really drunk right now so I don't think it's a good idea."
"I'm not that bad!"
"You're grinding."
"So? Am I not allowed to enjoy myself? I'm twenty-fucking-one!"
Her sudden use of expletives caused him further alarm. "You are, but I don't want you to do or say something you'll regret, especially in front of all your friends." His speech did little to persuade Raven, whose focus was interrupted by Herald walking past with two flutes, one of which she rudely grabbed and greedily gulped.
"Its my birthday! I never get to be the centre of attention! I never get to truly show my emotions! So please excuse me if for one fucking night I want to be normal, to be like every other girl my age who goes out and gets wasted and makes good memories! You are an asshole!"
By now, tears were trickling down her cheeks and he couldn't help but feel sorry for the powerful mage. Black energy was sizzling from her petite hands but as quickly as it came, it disapated. Fortunately, the music was so loud that no one had noticed her outburst. "I'm just trying to protect you, Raven. Why don't we go and sit down, you don't look so good." He wasn't kidding; tears were flowing like a river and she was even more unsteady on her feet. Aqualad carefully put a hand around her waist and guided her towards the tower's bedrooms. Luckily, the majority of guests were so busy dancing and chatting that their attention wasn't on the guest of honour. However, he caught Beast Boy's eye on his way out, silently asking him to follow. The green Titan complied, nonchalantly slipping away from the group he was with and leaving the party.
"What happened?" he asked upon seeing his friend crying.
"She's just had too many and got a bit upset. I need your help to get her to her room."
But before the two heroes could try, Raven swore and ran around the corner. Before they could get to her, they heard the sickening sound of retching and vomit splashing on the floor. When they reached her, she was leaning against the wall.
"I'm a mess!"
"You're drunk, it's happened to all of us," Beast Boy reassured her, helping her up and supporting her weight when she started to fall to the ground. "Easy Rae, I've got you." Aqualad came to her other side and together they got her to her bedroom although it took longer than normal: she kept typing her bedroom code incorrectly, so much so that Beast Boy eventually overrode it. They guided her to her bed. The covers enveloped her as she relaxed into them. Aqualad grabbed the bin from her bathroom and placed it next to her bedside table in case she felt nauseous again while Beast Boy removed her black heeled shoes.
"I must admit Rae, I never thought I'd ever see you like that!" Beast Boy laughed, trying to make her feel better.
"Not you too," she moaned, "I'm allowed to let go every now and again!"
Beast Boy frowned. "Stop being so damn defensive. I meant that you're normally so composed and sure of yourself. Now you're more like Bambi."
"Call me Bambi again and I'll kill you!"
"I bet you won't even remember this conversation in the morning. I wonder how being part-demon will affect your hangover. Do demons even get hangovers?"
"Guess we'll find out in a few hours," Aqualad winked. He leaned over to Raven and whispered in her ear, "What you admitted stays between us. Get some rest." Beast Boy was desperate to know what he said but gave them their privacy. He went to leave the room but was stopped in the doorway by Robin, who was gazing over his shoulder at Raven and Aqualad.
"Is she alright? I passed the vomit in the hallway…"
"She's fine, just lightheaded. No more drinks for her."
"And this morning you were desperate to get her drunk," his leader smirked. "I hope now you see why that was a bad idea."
"It wasn't me, Dude; she needed no help!" he said, defending himself. "We can all handle our drink. I thought she'd be a Starfire drunk: happy and energetic. I didn't think she'd cry, vomit and lose control of herself. It's like the vodka trifecta!"
Aqualad joined them in the doorway. "She's passed out now, she just needs to sleep it off."
"Thanks for helping her," Robin praised, shaking his colleagues hand.
"She is certainly full of surprises," he smiled.
Limp balloons covered the carpet, sleeping next to the alcohol stains; the stereo snored, tired from screaming out music all night (and early morning); empty bottles lay precariously on every possible surface, dripping left over liquid; it was a mess: the sign of a perfect house party.
The Titans were a mess too; most of them had found their way to a sleeping area but a few were scattered around the Tower in random places, simply sleeping wherever they passed out. God forbid a Titan alert sounded within the next few hours!
The morning got off to a slow start with the guests stirring at various times and cleaning themselves up. Cyborg was up early cooking bacon sandwiches for the crowd. Thankfully (depending on the opinion) alcohol had little effect on him due to his half robot body. Robin was up next and he made himself useful by clearing up the mess with the help of a few others as a thank you for his hospitality. They all asked about Raven and he simply replied that she was still sleeping it off but he'd pass on their thanks and birthday wishes; he knew the last thing she'd desire is everyone entering her private quarters and repeatedly saying the same few words and probing her with the same questions.
Aqualad, who had woken up feeling a bit rough, walked towards Raven's room. He wanted to see what she remembered from the night before or if she was even awake. He got the answer to that as her door came into view. He heard her vomiting. Wincing, he typed in the same override code he'd memorised from watching Beast Boy and let himself in. He found her in the place he'd left her except this time she was clutching the bin for dear life. Ignoring the unladylike sounds emitting from her frail body, he sat on the bed beside her and held her violet hair away from her face, saving it from being covered in vomit.
When she was done, Raven looked up, embarrassed, into the blackest eyes. She put the bin down and apologised to which he told her to stop being silly.
"So, do demons get hangovers?"
To be honest, she didn't feel too bad, but then she didn't know what a regular hangover felt like. She was tired and felt like she needed a good shower but other than that, ok. She relayed her thoughts to Aqualad, who was glad. He didn't let her know it but he was worried about her before. Not because of the amount she had drunk, after all, he'd seen his East team in a much worse state on previous occasions as well as the West team, and he knew she could handle herself. What worried him was her sense of pride being broken - her trust in herself and others she chose to call family when she had no one else.
"I definitely look worse than I feel," she murmured, looking down at her curvaceous figure.
"I'll say!" he joked, staring at the now wrinkled dress that adorned her body and the rubbed off makeup that stained her face. She lightly pushed him.
"Did I embarrass myself?" She suddenly felt like a small child about to be punished.
"A little but luckily only in front of me and Beast Boy. Do you remember anything?"
She paused, her eyes searching the ceiling as her mind tried to recall details from her party. Her emotions were no use; the micro Ravens were all trying to shout at once that it was beginning to give her a headache…
"You danced dirty with him! It was humiliating!"
"You were carefree and having fun! We had a wonderful time!"
"You lost control of your inhibitions, Raven. Very disappointing."
"Everyone knows you have a crush on Aqualad."
"You were wasted, Sister! You puked up shitloads of stomach contents. It was awesome!"
"Aqualad was a knight in shining armour, a true gentleman."
She was aroused from her thoughts by the sound of running water. Aqualad returned to her side with a cold glass and encouraged her to drink it. She was so engrossed in what her emotions had to say that she never noticed she had crumpled over and clutched her head.
"I don't know how you handle having all those emotions in your head."
"You get used to it after twenty-one years."
"Well, if it helps, it was great getting to spend more time with you– even if you were vodka-happy for most of it. I'm glad you had fun."
She smiled, trying to hide the blush forming on her cheeks. A moment later, her eyes widened. "Did I grind on you?" she asked, horrified.
"What do you want the answer to be?" he asked, edging slightly closer to her.
Hesitantly, she answered: "I'm not sure."
They kissed.
Everyone had left by the time Raven came downstairs. She was astonished to see that the tower looked as if there had been no party at all; it was immaculate. The only sign that it had been her birthday was a new pile of presents that she neglected to open the night before. The rest of her team were sitting on the sofa looking a little worse for wear. They too had indulged in alcohol, but unlike her, had stopped before they could embarrass themselves– probably because they were the hosts.
"Friend Raven, you are awake!" Starfire greeted her, flying towards her. "Did you enjoy the party?" Raven nodded in reply and sat down next to Cyborg, who had a bacon sandwich ready for her. She thanked him and took a bite, feeling her stomach protest. He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her towards his metal torso.
"Man, Dark Girl, you certainly enjoyed yourself from where I was standin'!"
"Try standing next to her when she's throwin' up," Beast Boy smirked. "I won't get rid of that scent for a week!" The others laughed, seeing her grimace uncomfortably.
Robin shrugged, "Well at least now you know you limits."
"Yeah, three champagne flutes!" Cyborg continued. "How does it feel to be one of the blitherin' idiots?" referring to her reference the day before. She apparently was a light-weight if her behaviour was anything to go by.
"It feels great," she muttered sarcastically, taking another bite of her sandwich.
Starfire chimed in that she thought Raven was very well behaved and she was 'the great dancer'. Raven blushed, flashing back to a hazy memory of her getting way too close to Aqualad... and the more vivid image of their first kiss.
"Why the blush, Bambi? Somethin' we don't know…"
The last thing the Titans saw was a lightning flash of black and green, shortly followed by a loud splash from the ocean below.