A/N: Hey guys! I'm back, but most of you are new readers... well I'm not new to the site at all. Just took a break from it, but I'm trying to get back. I haven't written in years, so I'm out of practice. Sorry, this story isn't my best- at all. Not even close. But it's a start in the right direction :) Cliche? Maybe? Romantic? I think so. Hope you like it. REVIEW! The reason I came back to fanfiction is because your reviews make my day :) Enjoy! ~ Emma
Dedicated to Dudeyourawesome8, my sister/bffl. She encouraged me to start writing again, so this one's for her.
Disclaimer: Characters belong to DC Comics.
The sky was dark, but the night surely wasn't. It was just the opposite. Lights were strung everywhere and the playful flashes of colored light bounced from the sequins on one girl's dress, to the rhinestones on another. Ah yes, it was that night. The night where everyone got together to drink, to dance, and to count down the end of yet another year. Yes, it was New Years Eve.
Raven didn't quite understand the holiday. For one, the days and months and years were all counted differently in Azerath, so she never quite developed the habit for celebration on this very day- or with the way she was raised, any day. Though she hardly understood Christmas, or Halloween, or any other holiday, this one was especially lost on her. Another year… yea, so what? Should we just celebrate everyday, over there being another day tomorrow? People made goals they'd forget about January 2nd, but would be congratulated, nonetheless, for thinking of them in the first place. She was sick of hearing it. Not to mention someone, probably Beast Boy (as he always found a new and creative way to annoy Raven), gave Starfire various noise makers, and Raven could not take it anymore. She left the ball room of Wayne Manor, the holding place for all of the Titans' New Years, held by Bruce Wayne himself, where all the heroes could unmask for a night and let loose, and walked out onto the balcony.
She sighed, taking a seat on a marble bench. She played with the sequins on her own dress. Starfire had forced her into a black gown, amazingly formfitting to Raven's petite body, and gorgeously sequined. It had a beautifully elegant lace design. The back of it had a button at the top by her shoulder blades, then opened and left the whole rest of her back bare down to where her back would end, and the dress came to an end there in a sexy V-shape. The dress was floor length and hid her heels, but Starfire insisted she wear a pair of black lace high heels anyway. She scoffed, almost laughing at herself. I can't believe I let Star talk me into this… But the truth was, last year she came in her leotard and she felt out of place… not that feeling out of place was in any way something she never felt before. Out of place was right where she belonged. She lived out of place. But for one night of the year… she just wanted to blend in.
She sighed, looking out into the night. She could see the gardens were beautifully lit. Her amethyst eyes fixed blankly on the twinkling lights. She could hear the stifled beat of the music behind the glass doors of the balcony, but the sound of a nearby fountain almost completely drowned it out. She could smell the cold winter air, and she loved the way it pierced her lungs. Her nose felt cold. Her mind completely silent for once, as she stared off at nothing.
She looked beautiful, standing there. Her nose was red, and her lips had a darling shade of rouge that almost made her seem like a porcelain doll. Her skin was just that, porcelain, beautifully clear and pale. Her cheeks even seemed a little red, probably from the cold. Her eyes were glossy, and the lights reflected in them like fireflies over a silent pond. Her purple hair was perfect and soft looking, stopping just above her shoulders. She stood like a statue, poised and motionless. He almost didn't want to interrupt whatever she must have been thinking of, but he was afraid if he didn't, the opportunity would be gone.
"You know," he began, and she jumped at his presence. She usually sensed someone sneaking up on her, but she had lost herself for a moment. She turned toward him, surprised yet still calm. The voice came from a corner of the balcony which had a shadow cast from the massive mansion. He had a relaxing and all too familiar aura to him. "You should be at the party," he said in his deep voice. "It's hard to get an invitation to the great Wayne gala."
She looked down to her feet, but could only see the end of her dress just barely brushing the floor. She didn't answer. She didn't want to go back to the party. She also didn't really want to fight with someone from the party who was trying to get her back in, and probably with a drink in her hand.
He could see she wasn't going to answer. "I'd know. I used to get invited all the time… But it seems Bruce Wayne must have lost my address, because I haven't been invited in years." The voice stepped out of the shadow.
She looked at him carefully, but couldn't put a name to the face. He was very handsome. He had a square jaw and a tan complexion. He wore a perfectly tailored black tux, a white shirt that could rival the first snowfall of the season, and a black bowtie that was slightly crooked. He had perfect black hair that would make the Boy Wonder jealous.
"So you're… party crashing?" She asked, completely emotionlessly. Her raspy voice really didn't suit her. But he loved it for some reason.
He laughed, looking down at the ground, his hands in his pockets, and taking a few more steps toward her. He looked up at her with icy blue-grey eyes. He had a handsomely, cleanly kempt stubble on his chin and jaw. "Yea… you could say that. I mean, I just came for the refreshments."
Her face didn't change. "There are no refreshments out here. You can direct yourself inside."
He chuckled, "I get the hint. You're feisty… I like that."
"If you got the hint, you wouldn't still be standing here." She countered, turning from him and leaning on the balcony rail, looking back to the garden.
"Ouch. Such harsh words from such a gorgeous girl." He gave a cheeky smile and leaned next to her on the railing. She blushed and he noticed it immediately. He turned to face her, his left elbow resting on the railing and his hand on the side of his head propping him up. "You really don't recognize me, do you?"
She glanced at him, but her cheeks got hotter so she turned away again. "Hmm… well you were not invited… but you used to be. You don't know me-"
"But I do." He interrupted. "Raven, I know you quite well."
Her heart sank. Something was far too familiar, and it was starting to give her a bad feeling. She stiffened, and stepped back, her hands glowing with aura. She didn't say anything. She felt like she was in danger for some reason.
"Woah," he put his hands up innocently, "take it easy. We're just talking." She seemed to relax a bit. He reached out, but she retracted back again. He held his hand out with his palm upturned. "We've never really talked, Raven. Trust me when I tell you, that's all I want to do." But then his eyes roamed her body, "Well… not all I want to do."
Her eyes began to glow this time and he laughed again. "Haven't you ever been hit on? For God's sake! It's a compliment!" He laughed a little more, stepping closer to her.
She frowned, averting her eyes back to the ground. No, she hadn't been hit on before, surprisingly enough. "Of course I've been hit on before." She looked at him indignantly. "Just not by a chauvinistic pig."
"Baby, who said I was chauvinistic?" He moved closer to her, "I believe that men and women are equal," he held a straight face for a second, then burst out laughing. "Ahaha, oh, I'm too good, fetch me a beer, I'm parched from laughing so hard."
She rolled her eyes, and crossed her arms, the glow of her aura gone. "Yea, you're a fricken stand-up comedian."
"Someone's testy," he tsked, "Now about that beer…"
"Get it yourself," she replied, turning and rushing down the stairs from the balcony to the garden.
He sighed, his face kind of falling. He wasn't getting anywhere with her. He ran after her, "Raven! Come on! Don't pretend you weren't enjoying our conversation!" She didn't slow down as she entered the maze of roses. He blindly followed, having lost sight of her, he wandered aimlessly through the maze. "Raven!" He called, but the night was eerily silent and lonely. He got to the middle of the maze, where a lovely gazebo stood. He slowly entered the gazebo. "Come on, Princess! Where's my little bird?" He called.
Big Mistake.
"X," An angry, seething voice came from behind him. He turned, only seeing her glowing eyes and hands for just a moment before she had him against a pillar of the gazebo by his neck. "I would know those stupid nicknames anywhere."
He was nervous, there was nothing stopping her from killing him in this moment, and he had seen what she did to that Dr. Light fellow. Red-X smirked against his own fear, putting on an almost playful atmosphere. "Of course Little Bird, I've trained you well."
"Shut up," Her tone was caustic, he must have pressed some button within her. "Aren't you aware you've walked right into a party of a ton of people who could kick your ass?"
He shrugged, "Aren't you aware that none of them are out here? You're alone."
She held him tighter. "I'm one of the people that could kick your ass."
The talking and distraction gave him enough leeway to reach slowly into his pocket and get a gadget of his. He pressed a button and her hand was plastered to the pillar with a sticky red x.
He easily grabbed her other hand and pressed that to the wall, switching their positions so that her back was against the pillar and they were chest to chest.
"Oh, Little Bird… tsk tsk tsk. You shouldn't wander out here alone…" He tilted his head, calculatingly. He lustily looked her up and down. "You could get… taken advantage of…"
She was shaking. Her powers shut off on her, she was too scared. She knew this man. He was a thief. The kind of guy who takes what he wants.
"X, I-"She started, but he pressed a finger to her lips.
"Shh. It's Jason. Call me Jason."
She gave him a look of disgust. "Why should I?"
He was smug and arrogant. "You have to get used to it, Little Bird…" He leaned in and whispered breathily in her ear, "You'll be screaming it later." With that statement, he kissed then lightly bit her neck. She instinctively moved her head to the side to give him more room, but then regained her posture and swung her knee up, but he jumped back so she couldn't connect with anything. He pulled out another x and restrained her legs to the pillar.
"X, what are you doing…" Her voice had a little more emotion in it than before. He loved it. He loved to hear her vulnerable for once. "Someone will be out here any second." She meant to sound threatening, but she almost sounded pleading.
He looked her in the eyes, taking in this bit of emotion she showed him. He was feeling warm in his chest. There was something about her he loved. He loved to see this side of her. He needed more of it. He placed a hand on her breast and kissed her neck again. "X, please…", her pleas kept him going. He licked up her neck to her ear, lightly licking up it then gently nibbling. "X..." He kissed past her cheek and to her lips, silencing her by taking her lips in his and kissing her passionately. She didn't really reciprocate, even tried to bite his tongue, but didn't succeed. He left her mouth and began to kiss down her neck again, squeezing her breast. "X, you really don't want to…" she trailed off. He kept going. The look in her eyes, the emotion in her voice… it was like a drug to him. He reached into his pocket and took out a small pocketknife, cutting a sleeve from the dress and pulling the dress down to reveal her black bra. He looked into her eyes, they were glossy as though she may cry. But he knew she wouldn't. He began to tug at the bra, maybe pull it down- "JASON!" she cried out, her eyes begging him. Jackpot. He stopped and looked at her. Her eyes were deep. Not their usual cloudy and distant. His eyes bore into them. He almost seemed to have no emotion, but he could see every emotion flash across her eyes. He watched her intently. Here she was. Unguarded. Emotional. Pleading with him. And he could see it all in her eyes. The fear. The embarrassment. The vulnerability. And in that moment, he fell completely in love.
He stayed quiet for a few minutes, just staring at her face.
"Jason…" she said quieter this time, a little calmer. He stepped back from her. He didn't say anything. Neither did she. A tear escaped one of her eyes. He wanted to cry a bit himself. He made her cry. He hugged her. Just hugged her. And patted her hair and calmed her down.
Then he stepped back, and he could see the confusion in her eyes, and on the pout on her lips. He smiled. She was wonderful.
"I'm sorry, Raven. I'm sorry for scaring you." He grabbed a special knife from his pocket, made especially for cutting through his red x's. "I wouldn't hurt you."
Without thinking, she casually answered, "I know." At this point, she was calm enough to use her abilities to kill him in less than two moves, but she didn't for some reason. She felt kind of safe. He crouched down and cut the x on her feet, then he cut the one on her hand. She just stood there, not sure where to go.
"You can go back… enjoy the party." He offered, a small, feigned smile on his face.
"Well…" She played with the torn flap of a sleeve on her dress. "My dress is kind of ruined, and people will ask questions."
"I feel like a monster…" He admitted, and it shocked her. Before today, she may have called him a monster. But there was something genuine about his aura. "I'm sorry I scared you. I'm sorry I touched you. I'm sorry-"
"Jason…" She looked around, not sure what to say. It wasn't ok what he did, and she wouldn't lie to him about it. "I've never been hit on." She blurted out, not sure what else to say.
He raised an eyebrow. "Surprising. You're the only girl worth hitting on."
She could feel her cheeks getting hot again. He smiled and reached for her hand and she flinched, pulling away from him. It made him feel bad.
"Raven, I think I'm…" He began, really confused at how this could happen to his so fast. But it wasn't that fast. Years of fighting with her. Years of teasing her. Years of playing games with her. He knew her, how she worked, how she thought. He knew her well. "I know it's stupid, but I'm in-"
TEN. NINE. EIGHT.- they could hear the guests at the party counting down the end of the year. Raven turned and began to make her way back to the party.
SEVEN.
Jason grabbed her arm, her eyes immediately lit up. She wouldn't let him fool her again. He's a criminal. She's known him for years. Years of fighting with him. Years of him teasing her. Years of him playing games with her. Years of her trying to arrest him for his crimes. She know him, how he worked, how he thought. She know him well.
SIX.
He took a step forward, not afraid of what she'd do to him. This was his only chance.
FIVE.
He placed his other hand on the small of her back. He could feel her bare back in his palm.
FOUR.
She tried to pull away but he grasped her tight. She seemed scared, untrusting.
THREE.
He looked her deeply in the eyes. She could see him this time through his eyes. His fear of losing her. His embarrassment from having been so brash earlier. His vulnerability. Everything was silent for her now. All she could see was him.
TWO.
He dipped her.
ONE.
He kissed her intensely. She placed her hands on his cheeks and kissed him back with just as much passion. They stayed like that for a moment, kissing in their own, romantic universe.
He pulled her back up and she took a moment to regain her balance. He tried to hold back his cocky grin, but that kiss left him feeling confident as ever. She tried to hold back her smile, but it twitched at her lips and he noticed it immediately.
"Awww look at that smile," he teased, just causing her to get more embarrassed and smile a little more. His smile grew too. "Happy New Year, Rae." He said, wrapping his arms around her, waiting to lean down for another sweet kiss.
"Happy New Year, X," She said, kissing him.