Squee! Chapter 13 is here my dears! I hope you like it.
Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans or Kelly Clarkson's "You Found Me".
Oh and just to reiterate from before
"This is singing"
This is flashback
Stage Presence
Chp. 13
"Now I know you must be kidding," Raven deadpanned as she stepped into the dimly lit bar at the heels of Richard and Victor. Doing her best to ignore the smoke hazed fog, she followed the boys to a table, slightly shocked when Vic pulled her chair out for her. Smiling gratefully, but still doing her best to keep her trademark scowl, she took her seat.
After coaxing her into the car and out of the snow, Dick had somehow convinced Raven to go out for a couple of beers. But as they reached their destination she was positive that this had been a bad decision.
New year's resolution: Make new friends.
"It's not so bad here," the black man admitted, signaling for a waitress.
"It's a karaoke bar," Raven spoke as if neither of them had noticed their surroundings before hand.
"Actually," came a sweet voice from behind her, "It's just karaoke night. The owner's brilliant plan to get the younger crowd in here."
She swiveled around in her seat to face the tall red-head, rolling her eyes at the look on her friend's face. Victor must have been thinking the same thing, voicing his own thoughts on the arrogant sap sitting between them.
"Man, wipe that smug look off your face and quit drooling on the table! It's embarrassing!"
Raven giggled along with the other woman as Richard physically deflated in front of them. Vic grinned, obviously enjoying the attention from the women.
Feigning impertinence, the blue-eyed straightened up attempting to recover from their insults, silent and spoken.
"Well, I have to say," spoke up the younger girl, "we don't get many celebrities in here, Mr. Grayson. To what do we owe this honor?"
"We just wanted to get out for the night," he threw out lamely, leaning casually back in his chair. Raven had to hide a snicker behind her hand, a sentiment she shared with the taller man beside her.
Kori winced visibly as the girl on stage hit a sour note, much like she had been doing for the entirety of the song.
"I hate to tell you this, sir," she spoke delicately, her tray pressed to cover her front, "but I think you chose the wrong place to 'get out'."
Victor let out a whoop of laughter, slamming his massive hand onto the table.
"You do have a point, little lady," he teased with a good natured wink. "But we're here, so why don't you bring us a round of beers, eh?"
The girl reddened quickly, laughing nervously as her grip on the tray tightened.
"Oh, please do forgive me, I was somewhat distracted." Her gaze landed on Dick. "I'll have your drinks out to you shortly."
"Wait," Raven stopped her, "could you make mine a coke?"
"Of course," Kori chirped politely, before navigating gracefully through the crowded bar.
When she was gone, Vic let out a long, low whistle, crossing his arms over his chest, fixing his eyes on the smaller man. "You've got it bad."
"Got what?"
"Oh don't play stupid, Grayson. You know exactly 'what'. Your little friend is a lot better at playing hard to get then you are."
Dick eyebrows arched skeptically at the accusation, though Raven had to agree that Vic was right on the money.
"I wasn't playing hard to get. I don't need any tricks to get what I want from a girl."
"Oooh, spoken like a true romantic."
She watched the exchange with mild amusement, pleased that at least Richard was getting his just-desserts for tricking her into coming along this little field trip. The two men had fallen into a psuedo starring contest which was only broken by the clearing of Kori's throat.
She wasn't sure how long the waitress had been standing there, and from the look on his face, neither did Richard.
"Your beers gentlemen," she spoke lightly, placing the two bottles on the table. "And your coke."
"Thanks doll," Victor replied good naturedly, causing Kori to blush yet again. Raven frowned at the exchange, pinching at the straw sticking from her glass.
"My name's Victor Stone, by the way," he introduced himself, offering his hand over the table. The red-head took his hand, smiling in return.
"Kori Andrews. It's a pleasure, Mr. Stone."
"Don't be so formal! Call me Victor." He leaned back, popping the top off his beer. "Word on the street is that you've quite the voice. What's it gonna take to get you on that stage tonight?"
She stepped back, shaking her head dejectedly.
"I wish I could," she explained, "but I must be getting back to work."
She turned to leave, sparing Richard a knowing smile as she returned to wherever she came. He watched her departing back, his eyes half-lidded in the hazy room. Suddenly, he pushed back from the table, standing to leave.
"I'll be right back," he threw over his shoulder, following the path Kori had taken, leaving his beer untouched.
Shaking her head, Raven turned back to the dark man beside her, taking in the knowing smirk pulling at his lips. "You like to be right, don't you?"
"How could you tell?" He asked, still sporting his foolish grin.
Chuckling faintly, she turned her gaze downward. She could feel his eyes on her, and though she found it unnerving she also found it somewhat …flattering.
"Not much of a drinker?" He gestured to the soda seated in front of her, taking a sip from his own bottle.
She shrugged, fingering the glass.
"I've never been that big of a fan of beer. Besides, someone needs to play designated driver for you two." Though she had spoken the words in her normal monotone she still received a laugh for her dry humor.
"You speaking from experience?"
It was her turn to laugh.
"No, no, no. I never really go out to drink with Richard. That's your job."
"Yeah, I guess so," he stated with a false bitterness. His smile immediately reappeared. "But I gotta say, if he keeps bringing you along Dick might be driving himself along."
And for the first time Raven allowed the blush to rise to the surface.
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
"Excuse me, miss? Can I get some help?" Richard grinned as Kori turned to face him, but it quickly faded as she leaned over the bar, her eyebrow raised elegantly.
"Are you here to get what you want from me, Mr. Grayson?"
"Would you please stop calling me that," he hissed, gripping the edge of the countertop.
Regarding him for a moment, she tapped her chin innocently as if considering her options.
"Kori…"
"Ok, ok," she surrendered with a giggle, "I'll ease up. But first you have to tell me what you're doing here."
He ran a hand through his hair, wondering silently which was the safest way to answer that question. As he watched her move gracefully behind the bar, her lace skirt giving him an ample amount of leg to admire, more lewd requests than he had anticipated danced at the edge of his mind.
He'd be slapped to and from the gutter.
"I already told you before…I wanted to see you."
She smiled, obviously accepting that as an adequate answer.
"And I think," he began with a grin, "that since I came all this way, you should grant me with a show."
She frowned, following his gaze to the stage where a young man had just butchered 'Breakfast at Tiffany's.'
"I remember you asking for a concert after I became famous."
He chuckled, already prepared with a comeback.
"You need to refresh your memory, Miss Andrews. I said a private concert. This isn't very private," he observed his eyes scanning the crowded bar.
"Alright Mr. Producer man…" she stopped again to consider her choices. "If I sing," she finally agreed, "you have to do something in return, okay?"
She offered her hand over the bar expectantly. He took it without hesitation.
"You got yourself a deal."
She smiled, turning to the other waitress behind the bar.
"Missy, I'm gonna take my break now, k?"
"Sure thing, Kor. But make it quick. We're swamped tonight," the brunette pleaded as she popped the top off four beers in a row.
"Just remember," she cooed with a wink, "we shook on it."
Richard watched, fascinated, as she swayed up to the stage, taking the mike into her hand with practiced grace. Her emerald eyes never leaving his own she began to sing, her voice dipping low to match the almost lusty mist of the room.
"Is this a dream?
If it is
Please don't wake me from this high
I've become comfortably numb
Until you opened up my eyes
To what it's like
When everything's right
I can't believe"
She did not move as she sang, her hand instead gripping the microphone stand, her other hand tracing at the corners of her mouth. As the beat of the song picked up, a flirtatious smile dipped into her features.
"You found me
When no one else was lookin'
How did you know just where I would be?
Yeah, you broke through
All of my confusion
The ups and the downs
And you still didn't leave
I guess that you saw what nobody could see
You found me
You found me"
His mouth grew dry, and he found himself wishing he had grabbed his beer before leaving the table. Was she even aware of what she was doing to him right now?
" So, here we are
That's pretty far
When you think of where we've been
No going back
I'm fading out
All that has faded me within
You're by my side
Now everything's fine
I can't believe."
He continued to watch her with unblinking eyes, afraid to miss even a second of her performance. The content of her song, for the greater part, was innocent. But with a sway of her hips, and her hand burying itself into the thick of her auburn locks was enough to send him over the edge.
"And I was hiding
'Til you came along
And showed me where I belong
You found me
You found me
When no one else was lookin'
How did you know?
How did you know?
You found me
When no one else was lookin'
You found me
How did you know just where I would be?
You broke through
All of my confusion
The ups and the downs
And you still didn't leave
I guess that you saw what nobody could see
The good and the bad
And the things in between
You found me
You found me."
She ended the song with a quick curtsy, a reception of applause following her song, (which had probably been the best of the whole night.) With a light skip in her step, she came to stand beside Dick, pleased with the reaction her song had gotten from him.
"Mr. Grayson, you appear to be drooling yet again."
Finding it hard to give a reply, he grinned at her. "You're so evil."
"Yes, I am," she agreed matter-of-factly. "And now it's your turn."
"What?"
She smiled, nudging him towards the stage.
"Sing for me."
Sing for me, my little Robin.
He shook his head, driving the memory away, focusing on the red-head standing before him.
"No," he was quick to answer.
She jutted out her lower lip, attempting to play the victim.
"Please, Richard, sing."
Sing for me.
"I said no!" He hadn't realized he had shouted, but look of shock on Kori's face was enough evidence. Shaking with anger he headed back to the table, slammed a twenty down, then all but sprinted through the door.
Once outside, he sank to his knees, the snow immediately taking its effect. He wasn't surprised when his jacket fell onto his shoulders, expecting that Kori had followed him outside in search of an explanation. But when he turned he was met with a much different sight.
"What the fuck was that about?" Raven's words cut through the winter night with deadly poise.
"Stay outta this, Rae."
She scoffed, kicking a pile of snow as she did.
"Is that what you want, Richard? For me to 'stay outta this'? In case you haven't noticed, that's all I've done!"
He choked out a laugh, turning his eyes back to the snowy street under him.
"Dick-"
"I'll be waiting in the car."
Tbc
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