Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans.
Chapter 7:
Purpose
They left the park and went to the pizzeria, taking Christian with them, much to Logan's dismay. They now waited at the table for their pizza, talking and laughing. Everyone but Logan sat silence as he glared at the new couple.
Raven laughing, was something that he craved for everyday. It was something so rare that he would do just about anything for it. But he didn't want it, not when she was laughing because of him.
"You are so very humorous," Starfire laughed after she got hold of her breath.
Another thing to add on Logan's list: "The Reasons Why I Hate Christian."
He was funnier than him.
"Yeah B, maybe you should take lessons," Cyborg joked, nudging the green changeling.
He let out a bitter smile for a quick moment before it turned into a scowl. No one noticed; they were too busy laughing.
In the midst of all their laughter (minus one seething person), Christian's cell phone rang. Still laughing at his own joke, Christian pulled it out of his pocket and looked at the ID. He pressed talk and answered.
"Hey Ramon, what's up? What? What? Ah man," he said into the phone, his smile gone.
Everyone at the table quieted down, naturally curious as to what happened. Well, all but one was curious.
He put his finger up and lipped the words, "One minute," before he got up from the table and walked to a quieter area. The pizzeria was starting to get the lunch hour herd of business men and women with a few tourists.
Raven watched him until he was distanced enough from them. She turned around and look to the others.
"I know it's out of the norm to ask you guys this but what do you think?" she asked.
Starfire spoke, clapping her hands at the same time, "He is most wonderful! He is smart, sweet, charming, and funny. Not to mention he is attractive too!"
Night Wing twitched a bit at that statement quickly shook it off. Star, was his and he was hers.
"Yeah, he's cool," Cyborg said, "Good catch, Raven."
"I agree. He's seems responsible, good natured, and all around good guy," Night Wing approved.
Raven nodded and turned to Logan, "And you?"
Logan looked down at the table as he mused of his answer. But he knew that no matter what, if he told the truth it would be bad. He told a lie, it would be evident that he was lying.
Choosing his words carefully, he said, "You wouldn't like what I have to say."
Raven's eyebrows furrowed, "What?"
He sighed as he raised his head to look at her.
"You wouldn't want to hear it. So let me be polite and not force me to tell you what I think."
"I asked for your opinion. If it's bad I would like to know why," she said evenly.
He narrowed his eyes, hoping that she would falter knowing that she wouldn't. Instead she sent him at the same glare. They stared each other down, trying to get the other to cower and give in. But they were both equally stubborn.
Christian came back over, completely oblivious to the silent battle.
"Well that was my friend Ramon. It seems like he's sick and he needs me to take over his shift," he said disappointedly, "I'm so sorry but I have to go."
Raven looked away from Logan to him. She gave him a soft look.
"Okay, I'll see you later then," she said, smiling.
Logan held back a growl.
Christian leaned in close, "Like I see the man in the moon."
Raven giggled a bit while Logan fumed.
That didn't make any sense, he yelled in his mind. His thoughts halted when he saw Christian kiss her lightly on the lips. He twitched as he fought to keep himself under control, which was hard to do since his body and mind screamed for him to punch that guy in the face. And then, maybe hit his groin.
No, too cruel, he thought as he contemplated many different ways to hurt him.
Christian said goodbye to everyone else and walked off. Raven watched him dreamily until he was out of sight. She turned her head and resumed the staring contest between her and Logan.
"What do you think about him, Logan?" she said through her teeth.
"Oh friends, you mustn't fight," Starfire interjected, "Logan, please just tell Raven what you think."
"Yeah man, don't make it harder than it has to be," Cyborg added.
Logan tore his eyes off her and looked back down at the table.
Here it goes, he sighed mentally.
He lifted up his head and locked eyes with Raven once more.
"I don't like him. I think he's going to hurt you one day," he sighed.
Raven stared at him for a moment.
"So," she said, "You don't like because you think he's going to hurt me."
"Told you that you wouldn't like what I had to say. Now suffer," he said before he got up and left.
Raven stood up and went after him.
"Logan! Logan!" She called. Logan continued to walk at his pace, ignoring her calls. Raven ran up to him and grabbed his shoulder and turned him to face her.
"How dare you say that and walk out, telling me to suffer?" she said to him.
He shrugged, "You wanted to know, you suffer the consequences. You say that to me all the time, right?"
She paused with a shocked yet shocked expression on her face. He smirked and leaned down to her level.
"Never thought that would come back to bite you in the ass, did you?" he said, "Now, if you'll excuse me."
And with that he left the pizzeria, not once looking back, leaving Raven to bask in her anger.
***
The bag swung back as Logan delivered a hard punch to it. He breathed even, focusing on the sand filled thing, hitting it two times. His skin was peppered with sweat, dripping off of him with each hit. He swung around and delivered a back kick and spun back around the other way and kicked it again.
No, he wasn't focusing on Christian or his anger. He was focusing on Raven; on protecting Raven. He sighed heavily as he hit it again. Then, he smelled it. He delivered four more hard punches to the bag before he sighed and stopped.
He sighed again, "I know you're there, Raven."
He turned his head towards the hallway and saw her hiding slightly behind the wall. She completely came out from behind it and stood. They stood there for a moment, staring at each other. There was no intensity to it, no anger; nothing. Just a gaze as if they were talking to each other with their eyes.
Eventually, Logan shrugged and turned to finish the rest of his workout. He turned off the music, figuring she wanted to talk, so it would only be polite to do so. He picked up a towel and rubbed it over his face, neck, and collarbone. Then, he walked over to the bar and placed the towel down. With his back to wherever Raven was standing, he lifted his arms up to the bar and let himself hang before pulling his body up.
Raven walked over as she watched Logan go over to the bars and begin his pull ups. She watched how the muscles in his shoulders rippled, flexed, and moved. Over and over again, she watched them and became entranced. She imagined those strong arms around her, holding her gently but protectively. Easing away her sorrows and her woos but fighting anyone who dare even thinks of harming her.
She imagined those arms holding her lovingly; caressing her ever so gently. Those strong hands of his sliding, touching, and squeezing her body. His arms holding her body close to his as if she was his life line. His bare chest pressed up against hers as his lips…
No! Stop it, Raven! This is Logan we're thinking about here, she scolded herself. She pushed the emotions aside and walking over to him.
Logan had an amused smile on his face as he heard Raven breath hitch and her scent change. She was being aroused by him. He heard her walk over to him and saw her out of the corner of his eye.
"May I help you?" he asked.
"Yes, you may. May you please tell me what that was back at the pizza place?" she said angrily.
She fighting it; figures, as much, he frowned mentally.
"That was me… voicing my opinion. Apparently… you don't… care much for it," he said in between his pull ups, "Could you… hold on for… a moment?... Let me… finish this?"
She muttered a "Yeah sure," and looked away. She didn't want to start imagining again.
He finished his pull ups and got down, grabbing his towel again. He wiped his face and patted his neck as he turned to face her.
"Now where were we?" he asked in an amused fashion.
"Tell me the real reason why you don't like Christian," she demanded.
He sighed with a smile as he slung the towel over his neck.
"How did I know you going to say that?" he said, "Look, I already gave you a reason. You don't like it. Leave it at that because you're only going to get more pissed off at me."
"Tell me the reason why," she said threateningly.
Logan sighed, exasperatedly, as he looked at the ceiling above him.
"Fine," he said taking the towel off from around his neck, "You wanna know, fine. But don't get angry at me for giving you what you want. I'm jealous of him, okay?"
"You're jealous?" Raven repeated.
"Yes, I am. And I'll tell you why as soon as you let me know what you see in him," he replied.
"What does that have to do with anything?" Raven yelled.
"Just please, answer me," he said, gently.
Raven stared into his eyes before she opened her mouth.
"He's kind, sweet, and considerate. He makes me laugh, he's goofy, and not a total and complete perverted womanizer."
Logan's tongue curled in his mouth as he nodded his head. He turned away from her and walked a few feet away.
"Okay, I told you. What about you?" she asked, frustrated that he didn't automatically answer her like he said he would.
"That's what you see? That's what you like?" he said.
"Yes," Raven said annoyingly.
"I was the same way and you wouldn't look twice at me," he said, turning back to face her.
"What?"
"Think about it, Raven. Before I went to Japan, I tried to make you laugh every day. I tried to make you smile and you slammed me into walls. I was kind. I was sweet. I was…most of the time, considerate. And I was definitely goofy and not a womanizer back then."
Raven eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "What are you getting at, Logan?"
He groaned and walked up to her. He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her closer to him.
"I was the same way and you treated me like a pebble in your shoe! I liked you, Raven! I still like you now! And you didn't bat an eye at me back then or now. I changed because of you. I thought you wanted someone mature, not some goofy little jokester. And if you remember, I wasn't a womanizer for quite some time when I came back. Sure, I had sex with a few girls here and there but it wasn't like how it is now. And now you're a little closer to me than before but then again, you treat me like a fucking thorn in your side!"
He stared into the pools of her eyes and she did his.
"You like someone who was exactly like me some time ago, when you wouldn't think twice about me," he whispered coming dangerously close to her.
They stared for a little longer, unmoving. Raven was frozen still, her breath hitched, and her heart pounding. Her head was in the clouds, swimming in a sea of nowhere, so high that she had lost the ability to move.
Logan's eyes moved from hers to her lips and as did hers to his.
Leaning closer to her and loosening his grip on her shoulders, Logan whispered, "So what do you want; a pebble in your shoe or a thorn in your side?"
Raven didn't answer; her mind completely focused on his lips.
Her lips parted and Logan seized her lips. Raven automatically responded by kissing him back, her arms finding their way around his neck. His hands slid down from her arms to her back bringing her closer to his body.
He opened his mouth and moved his tongue across her lips. She sighed, opening her mouth to him. He dashed in, wanting- needing- more of her. She moaned into his mouth, the vibration intensifying the kiss. Logan moved forward until her back hit the wall. He allowed his hands to roam her body, touching and squeezing everything he could reach.
Raven raised her leg to rest on his hip, curling it around him. Logan's hand found her raised leg and caressed it before he hooked underneath her knee. Raven's hands moved from around his neck to his hair, running through it and gripping it.
He moved his lips from hers to her neck as the passion between the two increased. Raven crooned to the heat of his kisses, tilting her head so that he could get more access.
His kisses were soft but intense. It satisfied her but yet she wanted more. She had never felt anything like this before; this raw, body trembling, intense passion. She panted and moaned as he kissed, licked, and nibbled at her skin. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and her lips twitched into a pleasant smile.
Being a bit more daring, he let his hands travel up to underneath her shirt. He raised it a bit, his bare hand touching her back.
As if someone had placed cold ice down her shirt, Raven snapped out of her dream like state. She realized everything that they were doing and blasted Logan with her powers, sending him back a few feet.
He landed on his back with a thud, just two feet away from the weights. He quickly sat up and looked around for Raven; she was nowhere in sight. He groaned in aggravation and disgust with himself, lying back down on the ground.
He needed help. He needed it bad if he ever wanted to change his ways. He had made out with the one woman he loved who didn't (supposedly) want him. And if it had continued, he would've had sex with her too.
Yes, he needed help. And he needed it bad.
