Raven watched as her stepmother pulled a chair next to sister's bed. The older woman sat down on the chair and watched her daughter's sleeping form while her eldest daughter stepped towards her. She placed a hand on her stepmother's shoulder. Renseia looked up and saw her stepdaughter looking down at her. She looked away from the half demon and turned her head towards Starfire and saw her sleeping form. The red head sat on the chair, her chest heaving slowly as she slept.
"I think you should take Starfire to your room." the elder woman whispered with an amused smile plastered on her features.
"What?" she whispered with a slight shriek. She was alarmed with what her other mother was suggesting. It seemed that she had been around Hetea too much and was picking up her dirty trail of thinking.
"I did not mean it like that. I just know you two are sharing a room." Renseia whispered to calm Raven down, her smile turning into a knowing grin. The half demon sighed.
"Oh..." she answered and turned her head towards the sleeping red head then back at her mother.
"What happened between you two?" the older woman inquired.
"What do you mean?" Raven asked her step mother. She saw Renseia's silver eyes continuing to sparkle with amusement.
"Ever since the attack, I've been sensing the awkwardness between the two of you." the part sorceress replied. "The other's have sensed it too." Renseia informed Raven. The half demon turned her head and looked at Starfire again. The blushing of her cheeks were not hard to miss.
"We kissed." she whispered. "Well, more like I kissed her."
"And?" Renseia pressed her on.
"Well I kissed her and when we broke apart, the temple was being attacked. We rushed over here. We haven't really talked about what happened." Raven told her step mother who in turn nodded her head in understanding. "I'm just waiting for the perfect moment to bring it up." Renseia reached out to her stepdaughter and short time pupil. The half demon felt Renseia hold her hand. The older woman squeezed her hand.
"It'll all work out." Renseia comforted Raven. She could tell that she was nervous about the kiss and what Starfire would say to her. Not knowing what else to do, the half demon sighed and nodded her head.
"I hope so. It's just that.." said the usually stoic woman.
"Just what?" asked the older woman.
"I don't deserve her." she confided in her stepmother. "I'm tainted." Raven whispered, her voice covered with shame as she looked at her hands.
"Raven, don't say that. Everyone deserves a second chance. Besides, Starfire will understand you." she advised her pupil. They let go of each other's hands as Raven observed the red head, utterly captivated by her beauty. It was amazing how even though they had been separated for so long, the effect that the green eyed beauty had on her not decreased. If anything, it had only increased. She noted that her heart beated faster every time she saw the red head and she could feel butter flies in her stomach every time she touched her.
"Well, I better get Starfire to bed." the half demon stated. "Good night mother." Raven bid her mother good night.
"Good night." Renseia greeted as she turned away from Raven and watched her blood kin sleep.
The half demon walked carefully over to the red head, not wanting to disturb the other girl's peaceful slumber. The Tameranian looked so serene and angelic. Raven slipped her arms around Starfire and carried the girl gently. She felt the smaller woman's slender arms around her neck. She held the red head in her arms and carried her out of the room. She used her powers to gently close the door behind her. Raven proceeded to walk back to her room. She walked down the dark hall way with Starfire in her arms until they reached her room. The doors were engulfed in a black light and opened. Raven entered her room and the doors closed behind her. The half demon walked over to the bed and placed the sleeping woman on the bed. She disentangled her arms from her and felt them slip from her neck. She carefully laid down next to her beloved and placed the covers over them.
"Raven..." Starfire whispered sleepily.
"Yeah Star?" the half demon crept closer to the half asleep alien.
"Will you..." the Tameranian said as she yawned.
"Hold you?" Raven supplied.
"Hmm..." the red head answered. The half demon was more than willing to succumb to this request. She encircled her arm around the smaller woman's waist as Starfire nuzzled the crook of her neck. The taller woman had never felt so peaceful in her entire life and she was glad, knowing that it was her beloved that granted her this gift. Raven gazed at the red head and found that she was fast asleep. She listened as Starfire breathed in and out. She could feel her chest rising and falling. She placed a kiss on the alien's forehead and closed her eyes. They fell asleep in each other's arms yet again.
Raven could feel someone's hand on her stomach, the warmth of their breath on her neck. She slowly opened her eyes and saw very familiar red locks. She admired them for a bit. In all the dimensions she had traveled in, nothing had come close. The color and texture were unique, just like the owner. Raven gazed upon her bed mate and saw that she was still asleep. The half human placed her hand on the alien's back, continuing to adore her with her gaze. She felt her stir. Starfire's body moving closer towards the taller woman who could feel the red head's arm around her waist. The shorter woman brought her head down from her companion's neck to her chest. She listened for Raven's heart beat as the taller woman rubbed her back and ran her fingers through the emerald eyed woman's red locks.
"Morning..." the half demon was the first to speak out.
"Hey... morning." Starfire greeted her back.
"Thank you..." whispered the half demon in Starfire's ear.
"For what?" the red head asked as she looked up at Raven with curiosity in her eyes.
"For every thing that you did yesterday. For being with me through out all this." replied the usually stoic woman as she continued to run her fingers through her beloved's silky red locks.
"Don't mention it. It was nothing." the Tameranian stated.
"You're wrong. Having you here beside me means so much to me... more than you could ever possibly imagine." the taller woman confessed as Raven she stared into the emerald green orbs that haunted her mind for more than three thousand years. The red head gazed into Raven's red and black eyes with the same intensity. The half demon could see the faint blush on the smaller woman's cheeks. "You look so beautiful..." she whispered adoringly.
"You're not so bad your self." the red head stated in return.
"Starfire... about the kiss." Raven started and saw the panicked look in Starfire's eyes. "I don't know if you wanted it to happen or not but..."
"I did." the pair confessed at the same time. Both had a shocked look on their faces when they heard each other. "You did?" the two asked each other. The pair laughed. After the laughter subsided Raven spoke out once again.
"I've always felt some thing for you Star." she had finally admitted to her long time love. "I just never knew how to tell you. With all that's happening now, I never found a good time to tell you how I feel about you."
"Raven you don't have to explain anything to me. I understand you." she placed her hand on her no longer secret love. The half demon welcomed her touch. "So many things have happened to you Raven." the red head whispered.
"Yes... I think we need some time before we take our replationship to the next level. With eveything that's going on..." reasoned the half human.
"I agree with you." Starfire interrupted. "Whenever you feel like you're ready... that we're ready for it. I'll be waiting for you."
"Are you sure about this?" she inquired, feeling that it was unfair of her to make Starfire wait.
"I'm sure." she stated with confidence.
"What about you?" Raven asked.
"I waited for you for more than 3,500 years. I can stand to wait a little longer." the red head beamed and her beloved smiled. The taller woman placed a tender kiss on her forehead.
"That's not what I meant." the half demon stated.
"Then what did you mean?" inquired the princess of Tameran.
"Don't you need to sort out your thoughts and feelings?"
"I already have."
"And?"
"I'm going to be by your side no matter what." Starfire stated with devotion.
"Thank you Star." she whispered, hoping intensely that the red head would keep her word.
"I've never seen this side of you before Raven." Starfire stated as she observed her future girlfriend.
"What?" Raven asked. She cocked her head to the side in curiosity.
"You're so... sweet." the red head said with a smile on her face.
"Sweet?" repeated the half demon.
"Yes sweet."
"I'm not sweet." she put on her stoic mask but failed. The red head smiled when she saw the small pout that was placed upon Raven's lips.
"Yes you are. Utterly adorable too." Starfire replied. Raven's hands traveled down to her waist. She felt talented fingers touching her sides. "No Raven!" the red head screamed out as the taller woman began to tickle her mercilessly. She tried to push those hands away from her sides but couldn't and the half demon kept on tickling her. "Stop! Raven!" the red head said through her giggles. The Tameranian turned her back towards her love.
"Take it back." Raven demanded as she continued to attack the ticklish woman.
"I... take.. hahaha.. it back!" Starfire yelled out and the tickling ceased. The half demon slid her arms around the red head's waist and held her securely. The Tameranian princess placed her arms on top of her captor and they stayed in bedm, holding each other. Starfire's back was facing Raven. She placed her head on the crook of the smaller woman's neck and pressed her lips on the nape of the her neck. She buried her head in Starfire's soft silky red hair, inhaling her scent.
"Do we really have to wait?" Raven asked. Her voice sounded a little childish, causing the red head to laugh out loud.
"It was your idea. I don't want you to feel like we jumped into anything. I want you to settle things in your head." she advised her future girlfriend.
"You're so considerate." the half demon complimented her beloved and placed another kiss on her neck.
"You would do the same for me."
"I would." Raven confirmed. "How do you feel about everything that's going on?" she inquired.
"Right now, everything feels right." Starfire grinned. "What about you?"
"I can't believe this is happening." she confessed her shock to the red head. "I never thought you would ever feel the same for me."
"I know what you mean." the princess of Tameran turned and faced the object of her affections. She leaned in and placed a small kiss on Raven's cheek. "We should head over to your sisters room." she suggested and recieved a nod in agreement. The two got up off the bed and headed out of the room, looking forward to the future they would build together.