Indeed Crazy
Dick set his eyes downcast. He panted heavily after the fight.
"You did your best, Dick." Raven placed her hand on her companion's shoulder.
He looked into her amethyst orbs, "Thank you."
"For what? Almost killing me?" Raven wore her invisible mask back.
Dick Grayson, the current Batman, almost sent the current Robin to his death. It was a miscalculation, a decision made in panic. And now, the poor twelve-year-old was hooked up in machines in the hospital.
Raven, being the only person who was able to kick some sense into him, found him in his apartment and challenged him into a fight, or rather allowed herself to be his punching bag. She would rather be in the intensive care unit after that night than letting her friend kill people in his blind fury.
Dick almost strangled her to death. Almost.
"Sorry about that," Dick murmured and staggered over to the cabinets and took out some medication.
He inspected the injuries she had sustained from their supposedly friendly battle earlier. She had a broken nose which bled profusely. Dick grimaced. There were several cuts on her limbs. Dick chewed his lip. He moved her stray strands of hair to the back of her head to give him a better view of her neck. His stomach clenched. Bruises were already starting to form and the red hand print was still distinctly visible. How could he do that to a friend?
"Don't worry, the injuries will fade coming morning," Raven grunted.
"Raven, sit straight." She sat ramrod straight on the chair. "Now, tilt your head downwards a little."
"I'm gonna get an ice pack, don't move," he sighed and got up from the floor.
He sure didn't waste any time when treating a patient. He was back in six seconds. He held the bag of ice near her nose. Raven took over the ice pack while he tended to the other injuries.
"I already told you, there is absolutely no need to do this," Raven gestured to the whole patching up thing.
"I did this to you and I will be responsible for this."
"You can start being responsible by stop thinking about revenge."
Dick rolled his eyes and swapped antiseptic wipes over her open wound. "I'm sorry… I didn't know I… I didn't think I will hurt you like this," he murmured and glanced up at her.
"I can heal," she reminded.
"Thank you," he repeated as he gently held the ice bag round the front of her delicate neck. Raven shivered and goose bumps rose. Raven rolled her eyes and commented sarcastically, "Stop it. You're making me blush."
Dick watched her larynx moved as she talked. "Feeling better?" he asked apologetically. He peered at her through his long lashes. Raven smiled, "I guess my nose healed pretty fast."
Dick was now kneeling on the floor with his back straight so his eyes were almost in level with hers. He tipped her chin up with his rough fingers, "I'm so sorry I lashed out at you. I should be in control." Raven smiled genuinely, "Relax. You need to chill out some times." Dick gazed at the violet hues which stood out perfectly in his moon bathed room. He wondered why he started to fall into the unfathomable depths of the violet ocean only now.
"Thank you," he paused, "For saving me." Raven chuckled softly, "You said that for the third time! Don't mention it." Then she stared at him seriously, "That's what friends are for, right?"
"Friends," he whispered before closing in. Raven did not know what that was. The next thing she knew was that her eyes were closed. His eyelashes tickled her cheeks. Then something soft touched her lips. It was a chaste kiss. And then he started to peck at her lips again. Dick gripped at the edge of the chair and leaned in further, deepening every kiss. She must be sin itself because, dear God, she was enjoying the kiss. Dick left her lips, nipping at her skin. And then… Oh Azar, what am I doing? A lightbulb shattered.
"Dick, this is wrong."
"Sorry, that was uh… Wrong. Way out of line." He stood up abruptly and dusted his track pants. He didn't know what to feel. His mind was in a wreck now.
"This is a professional consultation," Raven stated, hoping to salvage their friendship.
Dick gritted his teeth. Yes, he wasn't in the right. But that didn't mean he was wrong. He was merely following what he wanted to do. And was following one's heart wrong? Sometimes he honestly had no idea why he cared about her so much. There was obviously something between them. But stubborn Raven just had to shake it off like that, like it was non-existence.
"Call in Babs or Kori," Dick made a sarcastic comeback.
"You don't need them," Raven sounded like a teacher patiently explaining a text to her eight-year-old student. "You just need sleep."
"Nah. You're just jealous," he teased. It was fun to tease her, Dick thought. "You just don't want other women to share my bed."
"Don't flatter yourself," Raven rolled her eyes, "Hun."
"Where are you going?" Dick asked as she exited his room.
Raven turned to face him and raised a brow, "To the kitchen? I'm thirsty." Dick was about to follow her when she interrupted, "And in the meanwhile, go get some sleep, will you?"
"You know, I'm just going to stay here and leave the next morning." Dick snorted and Raven explained, "They were worried about you sneaking out in the night to do stupid things."
That was a lie. It was an unnecessary decision and lie. She just wanted to make sure he was really fine through the night. And no, it was not because of his ridiculously charming face, she reasoned.
"You take the bed, I'll take the couch," Dick kindly offered.
"No," she held up her hand. "I'll just sit here and meditate."
"So you're gonna meditate for the whole night?" Dick retorted, crossing his arms as he plopped into his bed.
Raven just sat down on the floor and started to meditate.
"Stop thinking about it, Dick," Raven frowned.
Dick opened his eyes. His back was facing her so she would not know what he was doing. He snored.
"I know you are awake," Raven opened her eyes. "Your thoughts are so loud in the silence."
Dick was silent, still putting up a futile act. "Look, if it will make you feel better, I'll heal him personally, okay?"
Dick was still quiet and still. Raven rolled her eyes and continued meditating, this time isolating herself from the thoughts and emotions projected by her friend.
Raven stirred from her trance. She gazed at Dick and smiled. He was finally sleeping. Raven walked over to his side and sighed as she saw cuts and bruises all over his exposed arm. He probably had a broken rib or two; she remembered that she had kicked him hard in the chest earlier. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos," she chanted and a light blue glow surrounded her right hand. She swiped her hand over his body, effectively healing him. The swells on his knuckles vanished, the blue-black of the bruises faded.
Raven staggered back to the other side of the bed and collapsed onto the carpeted floor. She leaned against the wall and sucked in a deep breath. Now that Dick was fully healed, she had all the cuts and swells bore by him. Her back was so sore and her head throbbed with pain.
In the end, she slouched against the wall and rest.
Dick woke up in the middle of the night. His felt a tad bit better. Sleep had certainly done its job. He fell refreshed. He spied the sorceress leaning against the wall. She was not meditating, so she should be asleep, Dick concluded. He felt a little guilty for leaving her like that, without something soft to sleep on. He went over and was about to pick up her when Raven mumbled, "Don't even think."
Dick flustered. He was never caught in an act. Ever. "Whatever," he huffed.
Dick sighed in defeat and strolled to the cabinets and retrieved a beige blanket. He dumped it beside her floating form and entered the bathroom.
He had to say it again. Honestly, he had no idea why he cared about her. It was like he was possessed or something. He just felt the need to protect her. But then, stubborn Raven―he chuckled, they rhymed―would not allow any kind gestures to be carried out on her. And that made him feel so frustrating. God, it takes forever to get through that thick skull of hers that I―that he what? He stared at his own reflection in the mirror.
Raven was exhausted. Healing required a large amount of energy. She had to heal herself― there was no choice, actually. Her body healed herself and she could not stop it. And then she went on to heal her former leader. And now she was healing herself again.
She gladly accepted the blanket and drifted off to sleep.
Dick emerged from the bathroom. He saw her cocooned in the white blanket. His lips curved upwards.
"She is definitely asleep," he thought.
He looked at the blaring digital clock on the nightstand and realized it was only three in the morning. He bent over and tucked one hand under her knee and another supported her back. Gently, he carried her over to his king-size bed.
Raven would chide him for doing that when she woke, but he couldn't care any less. This was his house, his bed and his property. He had the authority over her anyway.
He watched Raven as she slept soundly. Her stoic mask was replaced by the innocence of a child when she sleeps. She looked so soft, as if a gentle hug could crush her. He wondered if that was the reason Raven refused to sleep in the infirmary when she was injured back when they were Teen Titans. In fact, Raven didn't allow anyone to see her sleep. She must have been really exhausted for her to fall asleep even though she knew she was not alone. He brushed a tray strand of hair from her face and realized that the cuts and swells on his hand were gone.
"Raven," he whispered.
She should not have done that. He knew that her healing powers did not work as easily as the rest of her powers. She should not have wasted her last ounce of energy on him. He would scold her for healing him later.
For now, he would let her enjoy her dreams. He lowered his head and brushed his lips against hers.
Raven burrowed close to something warm under her. She unconsciously rubbed her cheeks against the heat source. The heat source was not only warm, it was soft too. She sighed, contented. The bed moved slightly, rocking her from side to side. And that made her uncomfortable. Raven tried to roll over, changing her sleeping position. However, she was caught, she can't move. She was pinned against the bed. Raven started to stir as she attempted to wriggle out of her position. Whatever she got pinned under refused to budge.
Her skin was cold, and she was pressed to something warm and soft. She did not want to wake up, but she was annoyed that she could not move. She opened her eyes grudgingly and saw the nightstand fading into her sight. She moaned as the bed moved.
Stop.
"Why am I on a bed?" Raven pondered. "And since when do beds move?"
She became aware of something poking her bare stomach. She tried to look down, but she came face to face with a mesh of hair.
Okay, I'm definitely awake now, Raven stilled.
She almost jumped when she realized the bed wasn't a bed, but a body instead. She tensed up immediately. She pulled herself up and realization hit her like tons of bricks. She had been sprawling across Dick's body for the entire night!
The next important question crashed in like waves: Why was he naked?
Porcelain shattered in the kitchen. Dick woke up in a daze.
"Why are you naked?" both of them screamed at each other.
"What―" both of them stopped glaring at each other and stared down at their bodies. Memories of last night flooded in.
Dick remembered that he carried her to the other side of his bed. Then he stripped himself down to nothing before returning to sleep. It was totally innocent. He could not remember anything after that.
Raven remembered that she had taken off her uniform because the sores she had inflicted were pushing against the metal pieces of the uniform and it was painful. She wrapped her body in a blanket and that was the last she could remember.
Both of them simultaneously grabbed the only blanket on the bed to cover themselves modestly.
"That is mine!" Dick blushed.
"I'm a lady!" Raven snatched the blanket from his hands and covered herself.
"I support gender equality," Dick muttered and covered his nether region with his hands. Then he spotted a pillow and used it instead.
"Explain yourself," Raven tried to calm the turmoil beneath her skin.
"What?" Dick was flabbergasted. "You explain yourself!"
"I was sleeping over there!" Raven pointed at the spot where she meditated.
"And I carried you to that side of the bed so you could have a nice sleep!" Dick pointed at the other side of the bed.
"Then why are you naked?" Raven blushed furiously at the mention of the last word.
"Who the hell sleep fully clothed?" Dick gulped.
"Did we…?"
"No!" Dick's face was as red as a tomato. "I swear!"
"You swore that Slade was dead," Raven narrowed her eyes.
"That was an honest mistake!" Dick went on the defensive, "Hey! I should be the one to ask you the question!"
"What!" Raven gaped. She could not believe that she was held responsible for this.
"Did you try to rape me?" Dick thought out loud.
"For Azar's sake, why would I even do that!" Raven hugged the blanket closer to her chest.
"Because I have the body of a God," Dick quoted from a magazine he chanced upon. "I'm in the top three bachelor list in the America!"
"Excuse me," Raven pointed at him. "You tried to kiss me yesterday!"
"I―" He could not argue with that. He shifted the topic, "Why are you even naked?"
"Thanks to the sores on your back!" Raven screamed. "I tried to heal you and that is what I get in return?"
Raven's face turned a thousand shades deeper when she saw the thing―she could not even bear to think of the word―poking out of the pillow that Dick was holding. "For Azar's sake, you're showing everything."
"I―You―" Dick found a blanket strewn on the floor and wrapped it around his waist. He stormed off into the bathroom.
Seeing that the coast is clear, she scurried to her clothes and put them on.
"Nothing ever happened," Raven spoke without turning to look at the charming man who just entered the common room.
"What happened?" Dick pretended to forget the whole embarrassing episode that greeted them when they woke up.
"Good."
After a minute of silence, Raven said quietly, "I'm sorry I broke all your plates."
"I'm sorry for yelling at you."
"I'm sorry for that too."
"That was very stupid of me," Dick strode beside her.
"I'll pay for whatever I destroyed."
"No, it's okay. I'm responsible for them too."
Raven stood up from the chair abruptly, "I should be going."
He followed her to the door. "Dick, I―"
"Yes?" He looked at her hopefully.
"I… I just want to apologize. I'm really sorry." Dick sighed.
He looked at her earnestly. "Raven?"
She arched a brow.
"Thank you for staying by my side last night."
Raven smiled and turned around. Dick grabbed her wrist, "And Raven?"
"Yes?"
"I…" He turned her around so she was facing him. "Do you mind staying longer?"
He intertwined her fingers with his and raised another hand so that he was cupping her cheek.
"I think I love you," he whispered, his eyes locked on hers. He bent his head and touched his lips to hers, a soft kiss that lingered but didn't press for more. Raven's heart seemed to press up against the base of her throat.
Raven was scared. "I… I think you should call for Babs or Kori." She was scared of admitting. She was scared of getting hurt.
"Raven…" Dick rested his forehead on hers. "I want you."
She met his gaze. Her lower lip was quivering ever so slightly. "I'm not good at this."
"Please stay?" he kissed her again.
She looked at him sadly, "I don't what we can have. I don't know what I can give you."
"It doesn't matter," he cupped her hands in his. "I love you, and I know you love me too."
Raven was surprised. His eye bore through hers. She could hear his steady heartbeat.
"I care about you, Raven. I'm not afraid to say it even if you are."
Raven gazed at him, deeply moved by his confession. She must be out of her mind because she brushed her fingers across his lips. She must be really insane because she pulled his face close to her. She had concluded that she was indeed crazy because she leaned in and captured his lips with hers.
A/N: Because Hercules and Megara concluded that people always do crazy things when they are in love.
Inspired by Superman by Val-Creative.
This is not the usual kind of one-shot I always do. This one is like a sea shell, pretty on the outside and hollow on the inside.
