A/N: A bit of drabble...a bit more fun in the next chappie!

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Chapter 12

Raven sighed as Garfield and Vic argued on who was to drive the T-car to the mall; Vic, per usual, was winning. They were all supposed to leave an hour ago since it would be easier to avoid traffic that way but no, obviously something like this was bound to happen. The rest of them—Robin, Starfire and Raven—all stood helplessly watching their two team mates squabble to the death. She tugged on her grey jumper and sighed; it was bloody hot but she didn't care, she always wore a jumper when they were in disguise, always. Yet apart from the change into normal clothes, she didn't wear any disguises; the citizens of Jump City never saw her face anyway, it was always covered up by the hood she wore when they fought crime.

She shook her head, "Can you guys please shut up already? We were supposed to leave an hour ago."

They turned to look at her and she couldn't help but gasp inwardly every time she saw their faces because they both wore holographic rings designed to give out an illusion of what they would've looked like without their...abnormalities; Victor was no longer a metallic man but he had features and planes all over his face that was unfamiliar to Raven because they looked so...normal. Normal and plain. He had the darkest skin imaginable and the darkest eyes—he had two of them!—but strangely, she could still tell it was him; he had the same warm smile that made everyone feel welcome and those eyes that took one good look at you and knew if there was something wrong or not.

It was Garfield that was startlingly different, this was the first time she had seen him in his original form; his skin was peachy but with a hint of a tan and freckles scattered all over his face and arms, his hair was still in its shaggy, messed up exterior but it was blond—blond!—and it wasn't just any blonde, it was a rich sand-gold blonde that reflected the light every time the sun rays hit it and his eyes were blue, not the piercing blue that Dick had, but they were a watery, almost inky blue colour. Raven didn't know why but she couldn't help thinking that he looked better green, though she had to admit to herself that the freckles were very cute.

"But baby doll!" Garfield protested while Raven squirmed at that nickname, "I can drive now! I have a license! Why won't Vic let me drive?" He whined.

"It's coz you can't even drive your own stinkin' moped, you lil' green stain! You crashed it just last week!" Vic roared, his teeth bared and his hand over the hood of the T-car protectively, "Dick, tell him that he can't drive! I don't even let you drive, for hell's sake!"

"Friends! We must not fight! Today is the celebratory day of the healing of friend Garfield's skull." Kori grabbed at her boyfriend's arm, "Boyfriend Dick, please settle this argument between them. It is not just that our day should be ruined by a measly argument." Kori tugged at her brown wig in irritation and demonstrated the puppy dog look with her newly done hazel eyes; they weren't really her eye colour of course but Dick said that it was for safety precautions; Kori seemed oblivious to the fact that some men had posters of her in her measly uniform in their bedrooms.

"Dude!" Garfield whinged.

Dick shook his head, "You know what. Garfield do us all a favour; shut up and get in the car." He snapped, "Vic's driving."

Raven smirked as Garfield's jaw dropped at how Dick snapped at him, "Dick you are such a dick sometimes, ya know?" He grumbled and went in the car, his arms crossed like a sulking child.

Finally with all the fuss done everyone got in the car; Vic at the driver's seat, Dick next to him up front and Kori, Raven and Garfield stuff in the back. She wiggled about a bit in the middle seat and froze when she felt that Garfield's shoulders were so close to hers, they were touching, albeit lightly. Her face warmed up and she shook her head to try to avoid the inevitable flush of colour she knew was going to come up. She was too distracted to probe for how he was feeling, or to even see if he noticed that she had suddenly turned very, very still.

He did, "You OK?"

"Yea, why wouldn't I be?" She replied with false confidence.

"I dunno." He looked at her with his inky-blue eyes, his shoulders shrugging, "You smell nervous, that's all. And scared." He added as an afterthought.

She glared at him, "I don't think it's any of your business to notice how I smell, thank you very much."

He put his hands up as if backing away from her, "OK, OK. Geez...why is everyone so frickin' sensitive today?"

She didn't reply and just looked forward. She was going to ignore whatever niggling feeling was in her mind right now.

She was going to.

He couldn't be the person Affection was talking about.

He just couldn't be.

She harrumphed then went back to sitting quietly while the Vic drove their car to their destination.

"Look, friend Raven!" Kori squealed suddenly, pointing at a building, "The mall of shopping! I am ever so excited!" She giggled.

Starfire was right, the mall was visible now. It was huge! She had a niggling feeling that she would come to regret the day. She had a feeling that by the end of the day her feet would ache, her arms would ache; her whole body would ache just because of her choice to go shopping with Kori. She closed her eyes for a second and felt the car park smoothly in Vic's hands; she really didn't like driving and preferred to walk but the mall was on the other side of town so she either had to fly there or she had to walk quite a long way away to get there.

"So..." Dick said calmly, "Here we are."

"Booyah! Food court here I come!" Vic grinned broadly.

Raven rolled her eyes, "Great..."

They walked into the mall and a gust of air conditioning breezed through them sending each of them shivers down their spine. The mall was bustling with a lot of people, it was like a battery farm for humans, and most of them were teenagers, people around the same age as they were. Raven just hoped that no one was smart enough to put two and two together to make out that they were the famous Teen Titans.

Raven felt Kori grab at her arm, "Rachel!" She called out in the name the Titans had chosen for her, "Let us go! We have much of the shopping to do and not enough of the time." She let go of Raven's arms for a second and kissed Dick on the cheek, "Dick, we shall be going now. We will see you all at about two in the afternoon?"

"Y-y-yes." Dick reddened and rubbed his cheek; both Garfield and Vic elbowing and nudging him, "Yes, we'll see you then." He stated firmly as he regained his dignity.

"Cute." Raven rolled her eyes but then let out a giggle, "The leader blushes."

"Oh shut up, Rachel." He replied scathingly, "Don't you have some shopping to do?"

She glared at him but not before Kori took her away with her super strength. Sometimes super heroes misused their powers; Raven suspected that this was one of them.

Kori giggled, "Come on, dear friend Rachel, we must be doing the shopping. The clothes in the shops are calling us! Can you hear them? They are calling us!"

Kori closed her eyes with Raven attached to her and walked around blindly until she stopped in front of a random shop. She opened her eyes and literally pushed Raven in before rushing around and rummaging through various amounts of colourful clothing, mostly consisting with short, small things that didn't cover anything at all.

Well, it covered, but not much.

"Rachel!"

Raven turned around from the clothing rack she was mindlessly looking through, "Yes, Kor?"

Her best friend held out a hideous pink leopard print mini skirt with ragged hems and smiled giddily at the prospect of buying it. Raven shielded her eyes but forced a grin.

"What do you think, friend Rachel? It is most beautiful, is it not?"

Raven tried to prevent herself from gagging and gave her best smile, "Its...lovely."

Starfire frowned and placed a fist on her hips, "You are doing the lying. You should try to do the false smile a bit better next time we do the shopping." She giggled, "But this just means that we will be doing more of the rummaging through!"

Raven groaned and sighed heavily as she felt Kori tug at her towards another store; this time it looked slightly classier than the previous store did. It was less colourful, well no, that was a lie. It was still colourful but the colours were a bit more muted and they were used beautifully in a way that made Raven actually want to wear colours instead of the usual dull, solemn colours she never hesitated to wear. She watched as Kori danced her way through the racks; picking out random bits of clothing from each hanger and placing them in her already overflowing basket. Raven herself looked through the clothes on display aimlessly, not thinking about the clothes, really.

"Rachel!"

"Yes?"

"Pick out some clothes; we will have to try them on to see if they are suitable for purchase!"

Raven's heart melted at the sight of her friend being so ecstatic because of them hanging out together that she felt slightly guilty that she was feeling so...unexcited at all these clothes. To make up for it, she picked out the darkest and most solemn looking clothes and stuffed them in her basket before following Kori into the changing rooms and then entering the cubicle next to hers.

"Raven?"

Raven pulled her own oversized grey jumper over her head and replaced it with an intricately embroidered navy blue one before admiring herself in the mirror. It hung off her petite body unflatteringly and she looked like she had drowned in blue woollen fabric.

Sigh.

"Yes, Kor?"

"Have you done the kissing before?"

She blushed at the question and bit her lip at the sight of her reflection in the mirror; why was she best friends with the most gorgeous being on the planet?

"I..." Raven frowned and took off the blue jumper, "It was a rash decision years ago. I haven't kissed since."

"Oh?" Kori popped her head through the curtains, indifferent to the fact that Raven was only in her bra and jeans, "To whom, may I ask? You have never previously told me about this kissing act." She sounded slightly hurt.

"To...Mal-" She paused as Kori popped back into her own cubicle, "Him. You know the one."

Raven could literally see Kori's eyes pop out in her mind's eye, "Truly? Was it not vile?"

"We kissed...once only. It wasn't very nice, to put it politely."

"Oh." Raven heard her draw breath before she heard soft fabric touch her skin, "It is just that Dick can be so...oh...I do not know...tedious when it comes to the act." She sighed, "Even when we are now doing the Earth mating ritual I find it sometimes to be ever so dull. Rachel I do not know what to do."

Raven blushed fiercely as she unwillingly imagined her two best friends having sex, it wasn't hard to imagine it since she had seen them but it wasn't easy to forget. Something like that was never easy to forget.

"Well...why are you asking me, Kor? I don't..." she tried to find a word for it, "understand these things. I'm me; sarcastic, introverted and alone."

"You are not alone, friend. I am here with you. We are all here with you. You are the complete juxtaposition to being alone. I would think that you are not alone at all."

"Thanks...I guess." She heaved a sigh and tried on another jumper, this time it was mustard yellow with green trimmings at the hem, "Well, you could tell Dick that he's getting...boring. Or you could teach him a few new things. Like I don't know...what are you bored of, exactly?"

Raven twirled once and looked at the reflection in the mirror, it wasn't too bad, but it still made her look like a boy in an over sized blanket; she had curves, she did! Suddenly she paused to think about her thoughts and shook her head; since when did she care about how she looked? If she looked like a boy or if she had curves at all? It wasn't because of...right? She shuddered subconsciously and shook her head. No, it wasn't because of that.

Hopefully.

No...Not hopefully...definitely.

"Truly, Rachel, I do not know." The voice was close, closer than it was, "I just have a feeling that we are doing the same thing over and over again."

She turned around and almost swore as she saw Kori half naked in her cubicle holding up a red dress.

What the fucking Azar!?

"Kor...What the Azar? Why the hell are you in my cubicle...and only in your underwear?"

Kori cocked her head, "What? Is there something wrong? Is it inappropriate on Earth for fellow females to see others in states of undress? I do believe we have the same anatomy, so there is not much to be shamed over."

Raven shook her head and slapped it, "Kor...It's just a bit...weird...you know?" She sighed at the naive expression portrayed on her friend's face, "Never mind. So, why are you here anyway?"

"This." She shoved the red dress she was holding towards Raven, "You must try it on, it is just not my colour and I did not pick out the right size for my body. It is far too small."

Raven took it in her hands, "No...Kor...I don't wear...dresses. Especially not red dresses." She held it out and saw that it was a cocktail dress that was an almost replica of the famed Marilyn Monroe dress; it was complete with the halter neck and the fifties skirt but it was a gorgeous shade of scarlet. Gorgeous on someone else, of course, not on her. "Plus it is too showy. Look at the neckline, do you really think I have the boobs to fit into this? And when would I ever wear this? Kori, I can't try this on." She gave it back to Starfire.

"Friend Rachel, have faith. This dress is beautiful and so are you. Naturally if two beautiful things come together they create something even more beautiful. In addition to that I think that the red will do something for your particularly pale pallor." Starfire handed it back stubbornly, "Plus, how are you to fall in love if you cannot love yourself? I believe that this dress will teach you just that."

"Fine," She grumbled in reply and unzipped it, "So what were you saying?"

"He kisses like a gecko sometimes...he sucks and sucks and he does not let me breathe. Sometimes he sucks on my skin and it leaves horrible bruise like marks. I do not know of your earthly traditions but I believe that Dick may be marking me as his property, yes?"

"Er..." She clawed for words but could not really find any, "No, I don't think so." She sighed and slipped neckline over her head, "Sometimes…I have read…boys get too carried away and they forget that girls have feelings too. It's not that they don't care, it's just that when you guys are making out, Dick might be feeling something completely different too you…or the same…but at a different level." Her hand slipped backwards before Kori understood and zipped the zip close for her, "I don't even know why I'm giving you advice. I mean you have guys practically crawling all over you and I've never even had a boyfriend." She then went on, "Malchior doesn't count. He flattered me but did nothing else. We kissed but that was all; just one kiss. OK…maybe two." Raven added as an afterthought.

Kori looked at her thoughtfully and patted her on shoulder before pointing at the mirror.

"But that's not the point. All I'm saying is that you and Dick should talk about it, there's no point talking to me about it…I'm not the one kissing you. He loves you, Kori, I know it…I can feel it. It's wonderful to feel, even if it's not for me. Now…" Kori continued to poke her on the shoulder and point at the mirror, "What is it?"

"Look!"

"What?" She looked back at Kori.

"Look…Oh…Raven…look!"

Raven grumbled in annoyance then looked at the mirror at her reflection and it was…wow. Wow isn't a word that Raven used a lot and for once she knew that whenever she looked in the mirror she would say it over and over again. It wasn't that she was beautiful, no, far from it. She looked at herself closely and traced her fingers on the detailed neckline; the dress fit her perfectly, as if it was made for her. It wasn't overtly sexual as she thought it was going to be but it was chic; the neckline that seemed to demand breasts just enhanced what little cleavage she had, the band at the waist emphasised and created even more curves, the 50's skirt somehow made her look taller and the colour, the colour that seemed to be so brass before now seemed to accentuate what colour she had. The colour seemed to offset her violet eyes and her hair seemed a lot darker than it was before and she felt a little—dare she say it?—va-va-voom with the dress on. On impulse she gave a flirtatious twirl.

"Oh, dear friend, you are beautiful." Kori cooed at her and clasped her hands on Raven's shoulders, "It is perfect."

"Yes…it is…" She whispered, half to herself, half to Kori.

"I command you to purchase it. It is just too wonderful to leave in the store when it looks so flawless on you."

Raven took one regretful look in the mirror before groaning, "I can't…what would I use it for? Where would I wear it? Why would I wear it? It is not something that Raven would wear."

"You must buy it! I insist that you, dear friend, should buy it." She ruffled Raven's growing hair; it was just a bit beyond shoulder length now, "Do you know where and when I think you should wear it, friend? I think you should wear it on date with the person you are truly in love with."

Raven turned to look at her friend and cocked a brow, "But—"

Her friend shrugged and giggled, "And do you know what I truly think, dear friend? Do you know why I truly think that you will wear it when you get this dress?"

Raven shook her head in reply and stayed quiet.

"Well, friend," Kori paused as a playful smile splashed itself on her lips, "I think that you should wear it when you fall in love."

"Why?" She cocked her head in confusion, "Why should I wear it when I fall in love? If I ever fall in love."

"You will, I have trust in the fates that you will fall in love, and soon, I daresay." Kori giggled and once again reminded Raven that she was the prettier between the two by far, "It is not just if you do not fall in love and I am in a state of constant euphoria whenever I am near boyfriend Dick. I believe that when you fall in love and the boy you fall in love with is unintelligent to realise that he has feelings for you too, you shall wear this dress and he will realise like that." She snapped her fingers, "It is a bit like the princess Ella of the Cinders."

"Kori." Raven said seriously, "That only happens in stories."

She smiled at Raven as if she was naïve and didn't know any better, but her eyes spoke so much that Raven didn't get mad that Kori was looking at her like that, "But, dear friend, what is life but one gigantic tale? The only difference is that we are the ones who write the stories, not a story-teller. We are who we want to be, and if we want to be in love then we will. Even if we do not want to be in love, we might already be in it…deeply in it…but we will only realise it when we accept the fact. Remember that, dear friend, and remember," She smiled, "the dress does not make you beautiful. You do. And I do hope that whoever you fall in love with realises this same fact."

Raven smiled and admired herself once more in the mirror. She did want this dress, quite badly in fact and Kori's monologue just made her want it even more. It was beautiful and even if she never wore it she would always be able to admire it at the back of her wardrobe. She took the hem of the dress to grab at the price tag and she almost hissed at the sight of the numbers.

"Wow. That is one hefty price tag." Raven finally said after a lot of inhaling and exhaling.

Kori giggled, "But that is why I took Dick's credit card when he wasn't looking."

"You know Kori," Raven giggled in unison with Starfire, "people don't give you enough credit. You are one smart cookie."

Kori gasped a pretty little gasp, "You describe me as a sweet confection usually eaten with the drink of tea and the milk of the cow?"

"Yes." Raven laughed even harder, she could feel tears prick at the corner of her eyes, "Yes, I guess I just did. And a smart one too."

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A/N: Yes I stole a tid bit from Sisterhood of Travelling Pants...can't be too bad, right? Anyway...hope you liked it and I know it was a bit of a pointless chappie but I needed a filler since I haven't updated in a long time...which BTW I'm really sorry about...loadsa art hw...sucks! Anyways comment, yes? CIAOOO!