Hey friends! Expect updates to slow a little after this one - I'm hoping to still get them posted multiple times a week, as this is my NaNoWriMo project (I finished the first draft of my actual novel last month, so this is me filling the time with a new project.) ANYWAY! The Reviews!
, thank you for letting me know about the missing line! My brain skipped right over it. BeyondBeauty, thank you! That's a big compliment. Biyanabee, you right I ain't got nothin else to do fr. Having fun doing this for now tho, so I'll keep at it. Sorry no stalker Garfield but hopefully you like this chapter anyway. The-Fallen-Spirit, I mean yeah I bet though? That or super mario has to be the first thing he installed.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans. Or any Mayday Parade lyrics.
(Speaking of lyrics, check out the bottom of this chapter and everyone to follow for a playlist of the songs used so far.)
"The words are coming, I feel terrible
Is it typical for us to end like this
Am I just another scene
From a movie that you've seen 100 times?"
- "When I Get Home You're So Dead", Mayday Parade
Weeks began to pass without further incident. Raven continued to attend her daily practice sessions and resentfully began to notice improvement in her strength and stamina — the improvements even had an impact on her powers, allowing her to bear the strain of levitating larger objects for longer periods of time. It pained her to admit that Dick may have been right about something — not that she would ever tell him, lest he use it against her in some disagreement.
Garfield seemed to have a better grasp on his own powers as well — when Raven had returned to him after her lunch date with offers of assistance, he assured her that he and the Beast had worked out a new agreement, and all would be well from then on. She had been suspicious at first, but after this amount of time without an appearance, she was growing to accept that Garfield had been telling her the truth.
Ever a private person, she kept the ongoing details of her and Gavin to herself. The team knew that the two were still dating, but nothing more (not for lack of effort on Starfire's part). Raven grew grateful for the moments that she and Gavin could steal together when she wasn't dealing with crime, practice, or the prying of her alien teammate. He quickly became the quiet in her storm, her salvation when she desired a touch of normalcy in her superhuman life. She loved that with him, she wasn't super. Wasn't the weird one, the creepy one, or the grouchy one. He didn't treat her with kid gloves, as though he were afraid of her darker side like her teammates sometimes did. Instead, he teased her when her temper threatened to blow, encouraged her to laugh (but never with mindless pranks like Garfield or Victor) and never flinched when her powers inevitably broke something.
"So, this kid was being such a pain in the ass outside the store today. Kept badgering everyone coming into the shop, trying to get them to listen to his band or give him some money for cigs. Like I get being a starving artist but don't go harassing my clients, man." Gavin's hands moved rapidly as he told his story. The two were tucked into the corner of one of the coffee shops they frequented, one with high-backed booths so that Raven could maintain anonymity from curious fans. Raven watched him from her place across the table, lips ticking upwards into a smile as he grew more animated as his story went on.
"Anyway, I try to be cool, tell him I get what he's doing but he's hurting business — and the shit head tries to get tough with me!" Gavin snorted and rolled his eyes, "So I'm like, 'alright man' — Raven?"
Raven jerked her attention from the front door of of the shop and back to the man in front of her. She had been trying to listen to his conversation, but there was some frantic activity going on by the door that was drawing her attention. There had been a continuous flurry of movement visible through the frosted glass doors, and near constant flashes of light. She also sensed spikes of excitement coming from that general direction. What on earth is going on?
"Sorry, I thought I saw…"
"Saw…? What's up, baby?" Gavin reached across the table to grab her hand and bring her focus back to him. They had spent enough time together at this point that he could typically tell when something was overwhelming her sensitive empathic abilities. Sometimes, touch could break up the onslaught enough to allow her time to center herself.
But Raven was growing far too enraged by the commotion outside of the restaurant to notice his hand — or anything that he was saying, for that matter. She had finally figured out what was happening. In Jump City, the Titans were treated just like celebrities, with the same disregard for privacy by the media. The gossip magazines had been printing rumors of her being in a relationship for the last few weeks, but hadn't been able to discover who she was dating or where they were going on their outings. Despite their efforts, the couple was simply too sneaky to be discovered. Or, they had been. It looked like their time had finally run out.
Raven swore. "We have to leave."
"What? Yeah, alright." Gavin placed a handful of cash on the table to cover their drinks and baked goods, then pushed back from the table. He was halfway to the door before he realized she wasn't following. He turned and gave her a look of confusion.
She laughed and shook her head. "We can't go out that way — I'm sensing at least ten reporters and cameramen."
Her companion swore and cast a glare towards the guy behind the counter — and the only other person in the restaurant. Someone had sold the couple out, and he had little doubt as to who was responsible. The guy had the audacity to shrug, and Gavin's hands clenched in anger. He even began to take a step towards the counter when Raven grabbed his shoulder.
"It was bound to happen eventually. Let's just get out of here."
The black of her powers surrounded the both of them before teleporting them a few blocks away. It also shattered every window in the coffee shop. Nightwing would respond in a statement that the incident was an accident related to the stress of the media mob.
Raven would do her best to not smirk in the background of the interview.
The invasion into her private relationship continued to spiral out into every aspect of her life. Arrests were surrounded by a crowd of reporters begging for details about her and Gavin, rather than reporting on the crime that had occurred. She and Gavin were followed on every date that they attempted. The couple took to ordering take-out to Gavin's apartment solely to avoid going out in public. She knew he was growing frustrated with the attention — the press had even taken to hovering outside of his shop, though after the first incident they knew they were not welcome to come in. Raven assured him that eventually they would find a better story, but inside she knew the truth. Her, the team's resident creepy witch, dating anyone was major news. The outlets would do whatever they could to get their hands on more information about them.
"Raven?" She looked up from her box of lo mein, chopsticks posed in midair. She didn't like Gavin's tone of voice, but was doing what she could to squash Fear back down from her teetering breakdown. He's going to break up with us, the emotion's tiny voice wailed in her mind.
He was in the process of tying the garbage bag to take it out and not looking at her as he spoke. Raven couldn't decide if it was because he was focused on his task of just avoiding her stare. He finally brought his gaze up to hers and snorted at her expression. Dropping the bag back into the can, he came to sit beside her on the couch, gathering her into his arms. "It's not anything serious, babe."
She gave him a glare. Pulling herself from his embrace, she primly settled back into the couch's cushions; the chopsticks went back into action, delicately scooping noodles into her mouth. Tsch, you big paranoid baby, Bravery shouted, finally poking her head into the situation. Raven ignored her appearance as well. "What's up?"
"I gotta get out of this apartment for something other than work. I was thinking we could try to sneak into the movies? If we get tickets online, and then get there after it startes, we could probably avoid being seen by anyone…" Gavin's voice trailed off hopefully. She hadn't immediately cut him off with a 'no,' which was generally the first indication that Raven would consider it. If she hated an idea, she didn't dance around telling him it was terrible. Her raw honesty was one of his favorite qualities, in fact. Instead, she was steadily tapping the end of one chopstick against her pursed lips as she thought his plan through.
"Alright. Let's try it."
Raven tucked her violet hair into a beanie of Gavin's, pulling it down low enough to also hide her chakra. She also wrapped an oversized scarf about her neck. Her arms were covered with her thick jacket, and her legs were encased in dark jeans, tucked into a pair of military-esque boots. It was too dark out for a pair of sunglasses, but the empath had discovered that a regular pair of black, square-framed glasses broke up her features enough to make her nearly unrecognizable. Gavin was much easier to disguise, since merely covering the majority of his tattoos took away most of his distinguishing features. While he resented the current trend that had every guy sporting tattoos and beards, it worked out to their advantage that reporters tended to dismiss him as someone else.
The couple were able to teleport to an alley near the theater, walk in, and pass their tickets to the usher without a hitch. No one looked their way, and Raven kept her head down as the teenager at the podium tore their tickets and handed them each their halves. She didn't dare breathe a sigh of relief until they were safely in their seats, watching the opening credits.
"That went better than expected," she whispered into Gavin's ear. The flashing lights of the film illuminated his grin as he gently squeezed her hand.
They'd made the decision to see an action film, rightfully assuming that moviegoers would be too engrossed in the film to pay attention to anyone straggling in after the movie started. So when the crashing and screaming began, Raven initially attributed it to the terrified business woman trapped at the top of a burning building, screaming her lungs out as she waited for Jason Statham to save her. It was only after the film abruptly cut off and the screaming continued that the crowd inside the auditorium began to panic. She shared a brief glance with Gavin before pushing her way into the lobby, shouting into her communicator as she ran.
"Titans! There's an attack at Jump City Cineplex. Requesting back-up!"
It was utter chaos in the lobby. People were frantically pushing past one another, each more desperate than the other to get away from the hulking figure in the middle of the room. They watched in horror as it pulled the popcorn machine out of the wall and lifted it above its head. The figure through the machine towards a group of people, letting out a hacking chuckle at their wails of terror. Raven threw her hand up, catching the machine before it could land or scald anyone with the hot oil inside. The figure glanced from the tell-tale color of her magic to her disguised shape and let out another laugh.
"Adonis."
"Finally. I knew following those reporters around would pay off." The villain triumphantly put his hands to his hips, striking a pose. "I've buffed my machine up. Let's do this!"
He grabbed the usher's podium and broke it over his head with a roar. One half he threw towards a mother and her children who were trapped at the doors. Raven began to chant, stretching her hands towards the obstacle in an effort to stop it in time. Her stomach was clenched and adrenaline was making her hands shake. Yes, training was helping to strengthen her powers, but she rarely did solo fights. Her powers could only hold out for so long against Adonis' brute force.
Do what you can until the other's arrive. It's only Adonis.
She held up as well as she could, grabbing projectiles and launching them back at him when she was able, using her powers to divert objects she deemed too heavy to be worth stopping. The battle was a dance, an ebb and flow as Adonis attempted to grab her several times and Raven was forced to quickly float or teleport away from his hands. The building was emptying out as the last of the civilians fled. It was a relief to know that the bystanders were safe, but she was growing weary with exhaustion. Where was everyone? Her powers were lagging.
Adonis launched a piece of the concession counter towards her. Her hand went up to divert its path towrads the wall behind her, but this time Adonis didn't roar in anger. Instead, he let out a triumphant howl. She turned her head quickly and watched in horror as it neared where Gavin was attempting to pull one of the staff out from under the rubble. He had such a bleeding heart, she should have known he wouldn't evacuate until everyone else had made it safely out.
"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" Her chant came out in a shout as her hands flew up to coat the counter in her aura. She felt the breath leave her lungs as metal arms banded around her chest. Adonis had taken advantage of her distraction, latching onto her and pressing the air from her body. She cried out and began to struggle against his tightening grip. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. The edges of her vision began to darken as she fought to use her powers.
But the fight had left her nearly drained, and with no way to center herself with her mantra, she couldn't control the dregs of power that she had left.
"Raven!" The grip around her disappeared as she heard her alien teammate shout her name. Nightwing and Cyborg started in on their opponent while Starfire flew over to check on Raven. "Are you injured?"
"Yes. Think he broke a rib—" The empath coughed and gasped, attempting to take in oxygen in spite of the blinding pain in her side. Gavin was immediately at her side, scanning her for any visible injuries.
The alien nodded. "Please get yourself and the civilian to safety. Cyborg, Nightwing, and I will handle this loser."
Raven responded with her own nod and wrapped her hand around Gavin's arm, giving him an apologetic grimace. "Hold on. This is going to be bumpy."
Her magic came to her in stutters and stops, coating them in a flickering dark light. Gavin had just enough time to say he would just carry her out of the building before the disappeared, reappearing again in the Titan common room. Gavin let out his own groan of pain. Raven's teleportation, never comfortable, had bordered on the other side of painful, squeezing him in a vice grip from point 'A' to 'B'.
He turned to tease his partner, only to catch her in his arms as her body began to slump towards the floor.
"Shit. Raven? Rae?"
The empath was out cold.
His gaze shot up as the doors leading into the room slid open with a hiss, his expression turning hopeful as his eyes landed on Changeling.
"Changeling! Hey man, help me out. It's Raven, I can't—" His words froze in his throat as a chilling growl began to emanate from the normally easy-going shifter's chest. Gavin watched in horror as the muscles in Changeling's face and arms began to writhe, stretching and thickening his body into something much larger.
"What did you do?!" His voice came out in a hiss. He'd been told to remain behind in the tower to monitor surveillance for any further threats. While he had wanted to be the one to swoop in and save Raven, he'd know that seeing her in danger would have wreaked havoc over his control on the Beast, and he had promised her that he had him in hand. But he'd never expected to encounter her passed in the arms of her smarmy Hipster Asshole boyfriend. And in his living room, no less. The Beast seized control immediately, thundering through his body, pumping him with rage and forcing his body to transform in its hulking form. It took total control of his limbs, reaching and swiftly snatching the empath from the intruder. While his guise was monstrous, he handled her form with the gentlest care. The man before him was wise not to protest as she was taken from him. "Explain. Now."
"There was an attack on the theatre we were at, The guy with the robo-suit." His mate's… distraction… was babbling, but holding his own up against the presence of the Beast. It didn't impress the primal being. Posturing would only ensure a swifter death. After he verified his mate's safety and dealt with the matter of Adonis, the puny human in front of him was next.
The woman in his arms stirred, the tension radiating through his arms, chest, and emotions provoking her empathic senses. She cracked a single violet eye open, bearing no reaction to his terrifying visage. Instead, one tiny hand stretched up towards his face, grazing his cheek before fluttering back to her side. "Beast? I need Gar back. Think a ribs broken. I need x-rays."
The Beast fixed his eyes on her face, examining her closely before giving a solemn nod. The change from the Beast back into Garfield was nearly immediate, and seamless when compared to the agony of his initial transformation into the Beast. For all the conflicts he and his alter-ego had, the two halves were in agreement when it came to the subject of protecting the one that they deemed as mate.
Her body still clutched in his hands, he turned his back on Gavin and began heading towards the infirmary, moving quickly. He heard the sound of the man's steps behind him but ignored his presence, focusing on getting Raven examined and bandaged up enough to get her through the next few days until her powers could kick in and finish the process of healing.
"Will she be okay?" Gavin asked as Garfield gently laid her down on the x-ray table.
"I don't know yet." Garfield snarled out, keeping his words terse. What a fucking dipshit — did Garfield look like Superman, because no, he did not have x-ray vision. Fucking idiot.
"What can I do?"
"Go away."
Gavin jerked his head up and stared at Garfield, his eyes narrowing into a glare. "Excuse me?"
"I don't have time to worry about her and you. If you want to be useful, go sit down somewhere so that I can focus on her." Gar paused a moment, and realized Raven would murder him for being rude to him, even if he did hate the man. "Please."
Her Stupid Hipster Asshole scowled, but did as he was told, marching off to sit in the small waiting area at the front of the infirmary. It was only a single metal chair, but at least it got him the hell away from Gar while he worked.
The x-ray showed that several of Raven's ribs on her left side were cracked. None of her organs were punctured in the process based on the x-ray, but Gar drew blood to check her levels and be sure, murmuring soft words to her as he slid the needle into her flesh. She didn't budge as it pricked her, and Garfield was grateful that she was still passed out.
He moved her to a medical bed as the machines whirred to life to process her vitals. Everything returned normal levels for the demon hybrid, and Garfield said a small thanks to whatever god was listening that she had come out of her battle with Adonis relatively safely.
Finally turning his attention to Gavin, he realized that the man was slumped back in his seat, eyes closed.
Garfield sneered.
"Gavin." He said the man's name sharply, relishing the feeling as he watched him jerk into an alert state.
"How is she?" Gavin asked, quickly coming to.
"She's going to be fine. I've got an IV in to keep her pain levels low while her body works to regain her powers and begin to heal. She should be back to normal within a few days."
Her boyfriend released an exhale of relief and put his hand over Raven's, clutching it tightly. After an awkward moment where Garfield didn't leave, Gavin pulled his attention back to the shifter.
"Since she's going to be okay, can we talk about how you lost your shit back there?"
Garfield's eyebrows popped up of their own volition as the Beast began to scream a challenge in his mind. He hadn't expected Gavin to have the balls to confront him over anything, much less something as frightening as the appearance of the Beast.
"No, stranger who is currently in my home, we cannot talk about that." Like Garfield was going to tell this asshole anything at all, much less information about his greatest secret. "Just forget you saw any of that and we'll go back to being civil, capisce?"
"No, not capisce, since you're clearly a little aggressively protective of my girlfriend." Gavin's voice was doing its best impersonation of a growl, and it took everything in Garfield not to laugh.
In fact, he was so focused on not snickering that the Beast was able to slip in a response before Gar could stop him.
"Your girlfriend now, my mate soon."
GOD DAMMIT BRO! THE CAVEMAN SPEAK IS NOT INTIMIDATING! The Beast huffed at him in response, not caring about Garfield's judgment over his grasp of the English language.
"Your what?" Gavin stared at him, dumbfounded.
Well, it's not like Raven was going to believe a jealous boyfriend over one of her closest friends of the last decade. No harm in coming clean.
"I have feelings for Raven. I shift into a bunch of animals, and some of them are a little possessive." Garfield shrugged. "It's just nature."
"It's just bullshit."
The sound of the other Titans arriving interrupted Garfield before he could respond. Probably for the best, since he was nearly sure his response was going to be punching this cocky asshole right in his stupid asshole face.
Chapter Titles Playlist
1. Feel it Still - Portugal the Man
2. Oh, to Be an Animal - Murder by Death
3. Kill Everybody - Skrillex
4. If You Want Love - NF
5. Red River - SALEM
6. Side Effects - Carlie Hanson
7. When I Get Home You're So Dead - Mayday Parade
That's it so far! More to come as the story progresses!