Incinerate
x/
The instruments all kick in at once.
Ripped your heart out from your chest. Replaces it with a grenade blast.
Oddly enough, each curve and turn and gripping of the wheel synchronized well with the song playing. The window was down and a harsh breeze continually slapped onto your face, but this particular driver did not mind. Her mouth was set into a thin line, whether of content or disavowal- only she knew. For her face was imperturbable as always, her cheeks were the lightest shade of pink due to the weather and her pale hands twisted and turned the car's steering wheel expertly. The odd plum color of her eyes remained focused but somewhere in a small corner you could see the light sparkle in them. She occasionally tapped her hands in sync with the song and when it was done, she reached out with one hand her cell phone to check the time.
An hour and a half later, she turned on the last curve of her drive to Jump City. The broad road narrowed inch by inch as she drove straight into the toll both to the city. As she drew closer to the border and the traffic, she gradually slowed down. The air pressure was muted down into a soft whisper against her skin and most of her hair remained still. Slightly dazed and tired from her 2- day drive, the pale woman made quick of parking her car into a rather spacious garage, grabbed her bags from the back of the car and swiftly climbed up the basement stairs and straight to her room where she dropped her bags on the floor, took of her pants and dropped down the bed already fast asleep.
/
"Raven! Raaave-n. Yo Dark Girl, get up. I know you got home late last night, so I made your favorite!"
A loud male voice boomed behind her door accompanied with loud knocks. When she still did not answer, the man eventually left her alone, his loud footsteps echoing away.
Raven moaned into her pillow, wanting to sleep some more but eventually gave in to the sunlight burning her closed eyes into raisins, and the sweet smell of waffles making her stomach complain. After getting up and taking a shower, she dressed herself and combed her hair. Now, she was walking down the hall to the kitchen/ bar which was also connected to the common room. Before she could take three steps in to the area, she was drowned in a bone-crushing hug. The person eventually let go, letting Raven breathe.
"Oh, friend Raven! I am so glad you are back! I have missed your company around the tower."
"I missed you too, Kori."
Seeming pleased of the pale woman's response, Kori smiled brightly before skipping back into the kitchen area where she announced she was making celebratory smoothies for everybody. Raven could not help but smile. No matter how much Kori annoyed Raven; she was still one of her closest friends whom she considered her family.
"I see you finally got your ass up."
A tall, dark-skinned, well-built man addressed her. He dropped his spatula on the kitchen counter and went over to give her another big hug. Though his only lasted a few seconds.
"Glad to have you back, Rae. These guys are driving me crazy."
"Thanks, Cy."
Before Cyborg could utter another word, another voice interrupted their conversation.
"Hey, what's that suppose to mean? Oh. Hey, welcome back dude!"
Before the petite woman could be involved in another hug, she swiftly evaded Garfield's hug, to which he responded with an awkward laugh.
The four of them settled down into the counter top to have their breakfast. Raven finished her second waffle and got up to make another cup of tea when another person walked in.
"Hey Karen."
"Raven! Welcome back, girl."
The two women gave each other brief hugs before Karen settled down in an empty stool at the counter, joining the meal and conversation.
"So dude, how was your trip?"
Raven shrugged in a non-committed manner and poured tea into her cup. All of them turned their attention towards the plum-haired woman. She walked back to her seat, tea in her hands while another question was thrown at her.
"Yeah. How's Arella?"
"She's okay. Apparently, she's dating someone knew."
"Is this person she is apparently dating, an "okay" person?"
Kori quipped, her eyes big and curious. Raven sipped at her tea.
"He's ok, I suppose. He was kind enough, and mother seems happy. So I'm ok with it."
Kori nodded her head in understanding and went back to eating. Garfield swallowed a mouthful of his food and then pointed the fork at Raven's direction while he spoke.
"So what'd you actually do there? Meet anyone new?"
He asked, with a wiggle in his eyebrows which indicated that he was teasing. Kori giggled, while Karen and Cyborg snorted. The woman in question simply rolled her eyes at her friend's antics and set her cup down.
"Spent time with my mum, finished the book I brought with me, and I got to catch up with some old friends."
"You read on your vacation? Dude, why would you even waste your time on that when you could be having a ton of fun! I know I never wasted my time reading when I was out on summer break from high school."
Raven glared at him and was about to deliver a sarcastic remark when Cyborg cleared his throat to stop an oncoming argument. It was much too early to be bickering, especially since Raven had just returned.
"Alright guys, since our little Rae-Rae just got back in the city, Karen and I decided to close the shop early today and check out that new rooftop night lounge that opened downtown for a little get together. What do you guys think?"
"Hell yes!"
"Oh, that sounds glorious!"
Karen and Cyborg looked at each other with smiles on their faces at the expected reaction from the two, and then turned to face Raven.
"You up for it, Rae?"
"Sure."
/
Raven grunted, oil stains on her cheek and some on her forehead. She had been in the garage all day since they had breakfast. She knew she had some tweaking to do on her cars before she took one out later on that night. Thankfully, years of spending her days and nights with Cyborg and the rest of the crew made her an expert in cleaning, and fixing cars and motorcycles. Her favorite car so far in her personal collection was her Corvette Stingray. Painted matte black, slick and classic; it suited her perfectly. She had won the car from an impromptu drag race with a neighboring crew's racer named Speedy. Raven snickered at the irony of his name. No matter how much she found the guy irritating, she had to admit- he had exquisite taste in cars. Although a fool nonetheless, for betting such a beautiful car.
After tightening a loose screw, she rolled out from under one of her cars using one of Garfield's old skateboards. She wiped at her face using a towel and got up.
"Hands up, girl."
Raven caught the soda Karen threw and opened the can.
"You almost done? We're closing the shop in a few minutes so we can leave early. You… need any help?"
"No, that's ok. I just finished the last car and I was actually about to head upstairs and shower."
"Alright then."
Raven nodded her head but Karen failed to notice since she had already begun to walk back to the front where their shop was located. The pale woman headed to her room and showered. Then deciding to dress casually in a plain mid-length black dress with her favorite leather jacket and platform boots and walked into the common room where the rest were.
"So dude, who's driving who?"
"Not yet, Gar. Kori isn't here yet."
"I'll go get her."
Garfield began to jog towards the hallways when the door swished open and Kori walked in.
"There will be no need of the getting, I am ready friends! Also… I wish to ride with friend Raven for tonight. I wish to be in her company, if it is ok, Raven?"
"I don't mind, Kori."
"Alright, Karen and I are driving together in my Jag, Raven and Kori are driving in whichever car Raven decides on using, and-"
"I'll go by myself on my moped, dude."
/
Raven sipped at her second cocktail that night. They had arrived two hours ago and they had been eating and chatting until, a live band arrived, and everyone decided to dance.
The petite woman remained seated at their secluded booth, observing the people in the area. A few people were obviously buzzed and Raven could see some people taking advantage of that vulnerability. The place in itself was not that bad, she mused. It would seem like her surrogate older brother had researched on the place to make sure she would feel comfortable and actually like it. Well, his scheming paid off. The walls were painted beautiful light to dark gradients with modern wall lamps attached. The bar was illuminated with a cool shade of blue to give it a glow and the floor was tiled with dark marble to keep the place cool. Their booth was shielded with heavy drapes and curtains making it semi-private, and the chairs and table were made from oak which were decorated with intricate Asian influenced designs. Behind her on the wall, a large painting from the Surrealist movement was mounted. Raven assumed that all the booths had similar paintings on their walls. Not bad, Cyborg. The menu did say they serve tea…
Picking on a topping on her pizza slice, she failed to notice a man approach her. The man sneakily glided into the chair in front of her, but failed to catch her in surprise when she turned to look at him with her eyebrow raised as he was sitting down.
/x
A/N: Thanks for reading! As you can already tell, this is an AU fic. I got the idea from the old show wherein Raven helps Cyborg out in the garage.
Btw, I don't know if any of you guys heard but I read in an article on how they're planning on creating a Titans live-action show. The confirmed characters were Nightwing, Raven and Starfire. It's still all in wraps though and focuses on the team in their early adult years (hence the dropping of the word teen in the title). I do hope they go through with it though, they did state there could be crossovers with already existing shows such as Arrow, Constantine, and etc.
Anyway, reviews are appreciated.
/
