A/N: A lot of people have been on my case about my other stories but guys IT'S CHRISTMAS! THIS CALLS FOR A CHRISTMAS THEMED ONE-SHOT...um okay this was meant to be a one-shot, but I could't! It refused to die (erm end) as a one chapter story! Damn it all. I am planning 3 chapters in all, I swear! Gotta write a chapter tomorrow and an epilogue afterwards!
Expect fluffiness of all kinds, you'll feel like there are snow flurries in your stomach! Hopefully, you're drinking hot chocolate while reading this, because I am :D (half hoping I don't see any drastic mistakes because I really want to play Assassins Creed 2 right now) Grab a blanket ya'll (Cyborg is rubbing off of me) and get cozy cozy :)
Let's get on with it!
~Christmas Eve~
"It's Santa Claus, Starfire, not Santa Paws." Robin patted her head like a chiding parent.
"But there was a television show about-"
Raven turned the page of her book and zoned out from the conversation in front of her. Christmas was just irritating. She didn't have any qualms about being with family, she wouldn't want to be anywhere else but with her Titans, but just…the eerie, uncontrollable, incessant, cheerfulness is what made her on edge. Trying to buy presents for everyone was a pain enough as she had to edge her way around carolers, maniac mothers scrambling to use last minute coupons, and screaming children clamoring for a figment persona made up of lies to make children behave. Everyone was on what she despised as the 'Christmas High'; and every person on this planet felt that singing old age jingles in different formats and styles would work because it miraculously gives you 'the spirit of Christmas.' And the snow. Don't get her started on the snow. She hated two of the four seasons- winter and summer. Just screw them both and only have spring and fall.
"Hey Raven, you're going to love my gift!" Beast Boy shoved something unruly wrapped with green wrapping with green ribbons and unrelentingly, mysteriously smelly underneath her nose. She pushed it away and glared. "What did you get me?" he pestered as he leapt over the couch to sit beside her.
In truth, Cyborg tagged along that shopping trip to help her pick out some comic books and a video game- Monster Samurai vs. Zombie Mike. She thought it was a pointless game, but it's the pointless things Beast Boy seemed to like the most. "You need to learn patience Beast Boy." Robin cleared his throat. "But…" Raven exchanged glances with her leader. She relented. "You'll love it, I guess."
Robin grinned back at her and turned his attention back to Starfire and the Christmas tree.
Beast Boy touched her shoulder and the slightest blush ran across his smile. "Okay, I get it!"
"It is customary to put presents under the tree correct?" Starfire flew to the top of their 7-foot tree and placed the bright pink angel topping. Beast Boy slid the present along the tile floor.
"Yep! I'm so excited to eat all the food!" Beast Boy sat on his haunches. "I'll be testing my latest invention- tofu Christmas cookies!"
"You should make sausage Christmas cookies!" Cyborg came up from behind him and grasped his neck. "Sausage, bro, is where it's at!"
"Dude! Do you even know what sausage is made of?" Beast Boy blanched.
Cyborg pretty much drooled. "Awesome tastiness- that is what is up ya'll!"
Raven sighed and closed her book. "Going somewhere?" Robin finished wrapping the garland around the tree.
"Raven, you haven't put your Christmas offerings for the Christmas tree!" Starfire chirped.
"I'm going to get them." Raven confessed. "I'll be right back." She walked back to her room, confused and apprehensive. Cyborg's new tool box and waxing device (she wasn't sure what it was called), Starfire's makeup set and hair barrettes, and Beast Boy's present were in a neat line on her bed, and ordered in size no less. It was difficult to hand over random gift cards picked at the last minute to the person she liked. She sighed and laid her book aside on her bedside table. Granted, Robin didn't know any better. He couldn't possibly know about her feelings. At least he never complained about her gifts to him, always with a smile and without a hint of malice. But because of that, she swore to not buy him another gift card, and this year, she didn't.
But that was the problem.
She did have that. Raven shook her head. No, no, she wouldn't give him that. Her eyes traveled to her closet door but she shook her head. No. And that was final. He wouldn't want it. She bundled all of her gifts in her arms and headed back into the common room. She shoved all of them in random areas underneath the tree and hoped that Robin wasn't aware of how many gifts she brought in. Her eyes traveled to the numerous gifts beneath the tree. This year they accepted fan mail and gifts from Jump after they were scanned thoroughly by Cyborg. Robin's and Starfire's were the bigger piles which was of no real surprise. Still though, Raven would be lying if she said there wasn't a slight irritation of the pink hearts and aura of love on Robin's gifts. She jumped out of her skin inwardly (calm outwardly) when Robin touched her shoulder. "You have to do something for the tree."
"Right." She let her eyes travel to the tree. Robin's red garland, Starfire's angel tree topper, Beast Boy's green ribbon, and Cyborg's mobile and rainbow colored, coma inducing Christmas strobe lights lit up the tree. "It looks… festive. Do you really want me to put something on it?"
"Of course," Robin frowned. "You are on the team like anyone else."
"Yeah well. I'll… look around a bit for something." She really wasn't going to. The tree looked fitting, she didn't want to ruin any of it.
"Ooo! Let's do this!" Starfire raised the box over her head. "Christmas wishes!"
"What's that?" Robin raised an eyebrow.
"Everyone writes 5 Christmas wishes and they'll come true on Christmas Day, if no one reads it while its on the Christmas tree! Santa Claus will make it come true!" Starfire appeared with a green and white striped elf hat complete with plastic pointy ears and when she moved, the bells on her neck rang at a very high ear splitting pitch.(at least to Raven) "But... how will he come down the chimney when we don't have one?"
Raven opened her mouth for a cynical comment for both her Christmas wishes and her bells, but Robin nudged her in the ribs. "Sounds great, Star." he said. "And i wouldn't worry about Santa, I'm sure he'll find a way." She squealed and handed each member a white card and a red envelope. Raven kept her mouth shut and looked over the simple card with 5 empty slots with little candy canes printed as the bullet points.
"You should tell her-" Raven started.
"-That it's not real?" Robin dropped his voice. "Just let her do what she wants." His boyish grin when he wanted to make bet appeared. "Unless you're scared that whatever you write down is going to come true."
Raven's amethyst eyes narrowed into slits. "It won't come true. I sense no magic involved with this." She waved the card in the air. "It is just a regular card."
His boyish grin transformed into a wolfish smirk as he picked up a pen from his utility belt. "I dare you to put the most 5 outrages things you don't think will ever come true."
Her gut was telling her not to, and for once, she was going to follow it. "No." she said bluntly. "What do you not have in that belt of yours, Boy Wonder?"
"I'm prepared for anything, but don't change the subject." He clicked the gold fountain pen. "You have nothing to lose, Rae." With his other hand he moved his fingers brushed against the small of her back making the smallest of blushes touch the top of her cheeks. Damn him and his pet name for her.
"Alright. Fine." Raven snatched the pen from his hand and furiously scribbled down on the paper and moved away to the kitchen counter to write down her wishes. She tapped the pen to her lips. What were the 5 most outrageous things that would never happen in million years? Hm. Well, she knew 3 of them for sure. But how crazy did she really want to go? Maybe crazy enough that Robin would take back his words of Christmas wishes. At least 2 had to be relevant to the now. Coming to a decision, Robin watched her put the pen to the paper. She wrote quickly and without hesitation and just as fast threw the pen back over to him across the room. He caught it in one hand and snickered at her defiant face. He knew what his Christmas wishes were.
"Oh! We have presents for Titans East!" Starfire piped up as she flitted around with another armful of presents with Beast Boy on her tail juggling another 6 presents or so in his arms. "Friend Robin, can we go and deliver them?"
"It's sort of late isn't it?" Robin glanced outside the window. "There's supposed to be a snow storm tonight too."
"Like the T-Jet can't handle some snow." Cyborg interjected and rotated his arm. "Starfire, I got you, let's give 'em their gifts for Christmas!" Starfire and Beast Boy cheered and gathered all the presents. "We could stop by North, South, and West Titans too while we're at it."
"But what about Jump-"
"Then just stay here Rob, if you're so worried about Jump." Cyborg waved a hand. "I highly doubt anyone is planning anything devious besides what to eat for dinner tomorrow."
Robin sighed, obviously defeated and succumbing to Christmas spirit just as everyone else. "Alright fine. Raven and I will stay here." Raven mouthed, 'Thanks.' form across the room. He smiled back and nodded as the rest of team flew out the door. He spoke once the door closed. "Why would I make you go when you hate the cold?"
Raven quietly groaned. "It's not just that. Speedy-"
"-Is an ass wipe." Robin finished her sentence again, but this time his jaw clenched and his brows furrowed- the Christmas spirit of happiness evaporated into smoke. He was showing his rare, crass side of himself. "I wouldn't want you near him with a ten foot pole."
"I was going to say a flirt…" Raven gave him one of her rare smiles. "But I'll accept ass wipe as well."
"Oh. Well, it's not like I hate the guy. I just-" Robin rubbed the back of his neck.
"Don't worry I know." Raven let the smile linger. "I think I'll be going to my room, now."
"Something wrong?" Robin studied her face.
"Ah. Erm no." Raven looked away. She still didn't know what she wanted to give Robin. Perhaps meditating would help? She doubted that, but she had to try. She could not have Robin to be without a present from her on Christmas. There had to be something he wanted. She had known him for years, this shouldn't be difficult.
"I'm sorry, Rae." Robin frowned bringing Raven back to the situation at hand. "Are my emotions bothering you? Do you want me to leave? Because I can-"
"Not you." Raven sighed. "I know your mind, Robin. You're okay." Relief touched his features and the smile he gave made her heart skip a beat. He opened his mouth. She offered his next sentence. "You'll be in here if I need you right?"
Robin came toward her and grasped her hand. "Always." The heaviness of the word hung in the air. Robin didn't let it stay for long as he let go, and cleared his throat for a lighter tone of voice. "You also need to put your Christmas wish up on the tree."
Raven blinked. "That's right." She shoved all emotions down the drain. "It's not going to come true." She stared at Robin with a deadpanned look of sarcasm. "Nothing will come out this."
"But like I said there will be no loss. Take a chance." He prodded.
"Chance of what?" Raven raised her red envelope to eye level and approached the tree.
"A Christmas wish can come true you know. You of all people know that magic exists."
"I know nothing but Black magic." Raven turned her back to him. "Curses, jinxes, and incantations – that's all I know."
"That's not true, and I know it." Robin brushed up against her back and placed his hand over hers. His fingers slipped through the red ribbon that was threaded though the hole punch in the card and lifted it to a nearby branch. "You have your own white magic. You just have to find the right time to use it." He lifted his hands to her shoulders and slowly turned her around to face him. "Christmas is the best time of year to use it, don't you think?"
She titled her head, trying to ignore her heart hammering to her chest. "I suppose if you believe it."
He nodded and brushed his knuckle underneath her chin. "I always believe in you Raven. I've never stopped."
She slipped her arms around his neck and gave him her even rarer hugs. She hadn't hugged him since Trigon's defeat and for good reason. It took some time to wonder why she wanted to hug after that. But it was a stunning revelation that it was just Robin she wanted to hug. She was no cuddle buddy though, so unless there was a good reason too, she wasn't going to embrace anyone. This time though, she could tell it was different. Instead of Robin just standing there, when she tried to pull away she felt one arm come around her small waist and the other touched her hair. She fit against his body like a missing piece of the puzzle and he seemed to tuck her right in his arms with his head on top of hers. He sighed and his muscular chest rose against her soft skin.
She hadn't really said this to anyone yet, but Robin should be the first. "Merry Christmas, Robin."
His arms tightened around her and he spoke into her hair. "Merry Christmas to you too, Rae."
"Um." Raven squirmed. It's not that she was uncomfortable, but this wasn't a normal hug… right? She didn't really know all that much about hugs, but maybe she was just wasn't good with these type of things.
"Ah!" Robin's arms flew out and away from her body. His face was red- all coolness and levelheaded thinking threw out the window. "Sorry."
Raven managed to smile again without effort- always with Robin. "Good night Robin."
Robin sported a sheepish look. " Night, Rae. Remember, let the Christmas magic work."
Raven headed to the door and nodded over her shoulder. "I'll remember."
A/N: Gosh, I still had to add 500 words or so to this thing ;-; and I had to change crap. THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A RANDOM RAMBLE. Darn me and my OCD to read over my chapters 4-6 times before submission!
Was this stupid? Was it cute? TELL ME(or just say hi!) :D