Hello Reader,
How are ya'll?
I was supposed to post this up during the New year, but guess what? I caught a really bad cold, got sick, and had this pinching nerve at my side for almost a month because my "lungs were tired" after so much coughing. How's that for New Year?
I hope you guys had a better New Year's than me. here' to more updates, eh?
Note: This was inspired by listening to Capsize by FRENSHIP & Emily Warren
Raven raised her hands to the sky, fingers stretching as far as they could as if to touch the stars. Her eyes were closed, and a rare, carefree smile was plastered on her face. It would have been a whole lot confusing if Robin did not detect the tinge of red on her cheeks, the only indication that Raven was well and truly drunk. That, and the fact that she was dancing with Starfire, Karen and Jinx without a care in the world. They'd been to bars and clubs before, and Raven had never danced the way she was dancing now. She was completely, incandescently happy, and it showed in the way she moved her arms and swayed her hips.
The rooftop was filled with people, friends of the Titans that cleared their schedules for the New Year's party that Cyborg hosted. Everyone was in good spirits, inhibitions thrown out the door as they all jumped and danced in time to the strobelights and the music. Robin checked his watch – a minute to New Year. On cue, Beastboy's voice rang out above the music, and everyone turned to look at him, standing on top of a table just beside Cyborg and his mixing equipment. "It's a minute to midnight, folks, so get your asses ready cuz we're doing a countdown!"
Everyone cheered, raising their hands and beer cups in the air. Robin raised his own, and his knuckles brushed against a pale hand. He turned to see Raven beside him, smiling as she joined in the chorus of voices counting down the seconds to usher in the new year. She felt his gaze and turned, and Robin laughed at how ecstatic she looked.
"What are you laughing at, boy blunder?" Raven cried out, but her voice was filled with mirth.
"Can't a guy laugh?"
"Not if it's at my expense," she drawled, her voice huskier with alcohol. Her eyes travelled from his face down to his body, glinting with concentration despite her inebriated state. Robin felt a flush creeping up his neck at the thought that she was checking him out. "I'm glad."
"Glad for what?" Behind him, he could hear Starfire and Karen laughing as they counted down 28…27…26…
"For the change of clothes, you walking traffic cone," Raven laughed, resting her elbow on his shoulder and leaning in closer. "You look good in black. You should ask Batman for a costume variation."
Robin scoffed. "No thank you. And it's not a costume, it's battle gear."
"Battle gear, right." Raven nodded, but her smile was mischievous. She looked right at him, as if she could see past his mask and straight into his blue eyes. A part of him was unnerved at the scrutiny, but another felt elated, almost willing the mask away just so she could look at him without boundaries. Around them, their friends' voices grew louder as they counted down to 10…9…8…
Raven joined in the countdown, but she kept her eyes on him. Without a word, she took his hand and raised it up high above them, just in time for everyone to shout out "one" in unison.
The sky burst in a shower of colors as fireworks flew, one after another. Everyone joined in the chorus of "a happy new year", all eyes to the multicolored sky, oblivious to Robin leaning down to touch his forehead against Raven's in a manner that was too intimate to just be friendly.