Thursday, September 19
7:00PM
Logan, Dick, and Kori are in the living room watching a movie. Kori and Dick are cuddled together on one end of the couch while Logan sits on the other end. Partway through the movie, Raven walks into the room. She walks over to the couch and sits next to Logan.
"I thought you were reading," Logan says quietly, putting his arm around her shoulders.
"I read a couple chapters but then couldn't focus on it anymore," Raven replies, leaning into him. She puts her legs across his and her head on his shoulder.
"You okay?" Logan asks.
"Yeah, why?" Raven asks in response.
"You just don't normally cuddle into me this much right away and when our friends are around."
Raven shrugs. "I just want to be close to you." Logan smiles and presses a kiss to the side of her head. Once the movie ends, he and Raven go upstairs as Kori and Dick start another movie. They get ready for bed in their own rooms then Logan joins Raven in hers. They lay on the bed cuddled together with the TV on in the background.
"Is there any reason you are wanting to be close to me?" Logan asks. "Not that I'm complaining. You're just usually not as open to cuddling when our friends are around."
"No specific reason really," Raven replies. "Other than sleeping in the same bed, we haven't really been close or alone. I guess I was just missing being close to you."
"I hadn't really thought of it but you're right," Logan says. "We haven't even gone on a date lately. Why don't we do that tomorrow night?"
"I'd like that but I don't really want to go somewhere," states Raven. "Even though it's just us on the date, we'd still be somewhere with other people. I want to be just with you with no one else around."
"Do you want to go out to our spot?"
"We would be alone there but it is kind of a far drive."
"It is. I'll think of something, okay? We'll go on a date where we will be alone."
"Thank you." She nuzzles her head against his chest and sighs in contentment. Logan kisses the top of her head and they watch TV until they fall asleep.
Friday, September 20
6:30PM
Raven and Logan walk down from the Tower to the beach where Logan has set up a picnic and a bonfire. He has a blanket laid out with a picnic basket and cooler on it and two lawn chairs around the fire.
"So how is this for a private date?" Logan asks as they sit on the blanket.
"It's perfect," Raven replies. "Hopefully the others don't come down and crash."
"They won't," Logan confirms. "Vic is staying at Bee's place this weekend and Dick and Kori are out for the night too."
"Strange coincidence that they're all gone tonight when I said I wanted a date where we were completely alone," Raven says.
"Vic was already planning at staying at Bee's this weekend," Logan replies. "I may have asked Dick if he and Kori could be gone tonight."
"And he agreed to that, no questions asked?"
"There were questions asked. I ended up having to buy tickets to a baseball game tonight and paying for a hotel room for both of them to get them to stay out."
"You basically paid them to stay out tonight? Why?"
"You wanted a private date. I wanted to make sure we wouldn't be interrupted so I could give you that."
"You didn't have to spend so much money just to keep them out tonight. You could've just asked them to not come down here or something."
"You're worth it. I wanted to ensure that we would not be interrupted, whether that is out here or even after we go back inside. So buying them baseball tickets and a hotel room was worth it to me."
"Even though you probably spent more on that than our date?"
"I think the quality of the date is worth more than the quantity of money spent on it. And I'm pretty sure you agree with that."
"You would be right about that. So I hope this date is as good as you think it will be."
"It will be. Besides, you already said it's perfect."
"I said that the set up was perfect: picnic on the beach with a bonfire and no one else around. I didn't say anything about the date being perfect."
"Well when this date is over, you will say that it was perfect."
"I'm holding you to that." Logan grins at Raven then opens the picnic basket and cooler so they can eat. There is music softly playing from the Bluetooth speakers Logan has brought out. They roast marshmallows over the bonfire to make s'mores for dessert. After everything is packed back into the basket and cooler, they sit on the blanket and watch the sunset over the ocean. Raven is sitting in front of Logan, leaning back against his chest with his arms around her. He leans his head against hers as they look out across the ocean.
"You were right," Raven says.
"Right about what?" Logan asks.
"This date is perfect," Raven replies. "Thank you."
"Anything for you, Rae," Logan says, kissing the side of her head. They lapse into silence again, just enjoying being together. When the sun has almost set, Raven speaks again.
"Logan?" Raven says softly.
"Yeah?" Logan replies.
"I love you," Raven says. She feels his arms tighten around her and his lips pressing against the time of her head.
"I love you too, Rae," he replies. She turns to face him and he immediately kisses her. When they break apart, Logan has a huge smile on his face. "I've been waiting for you to say that for a long time. But I said it first."
Raven turns completely to face him and looks at him confused. "When? I definitely would've remembered that."
"It was the night we got back from Oregon. You were almost asleep and I said it to you in Croatian. So you wouldn't have known what I said if you heard it."
"You've loved me for that long? Why didn't you ever say anything?"
"I didn't want to pressure you by saying it before you were ready to hear it. So I just let my actions show the love I feel for you." Raven is unsure how to respond so she leans in and kisses him. He pulls her closer so she is straddling his lap. They pull apart breathless and Raven presses her forehead against his. A cool breeze blows in from the ocean and breaks them out of their moment. Raven leans back but is still on Logan's lap.
"Want to go inside?" Logan asks. Raven nods, kisses him once more then rises off of him, standing up. Logan puts out the fire as Raven picks up the blanket and picnic basket. Logan folds up the chairs and grabs the cooler then they walk back up to the Tower. They put the lawn chairs in the garage, the blanket in the laundry, and empty the basket and cooler. Once everything is put away, they go upstairs. Logan changes from his cargo shorts into a pair of athletic shorts then goes to Raven's room. He knocks on the door then opens it when Raven tells him to enter. As he walks in, he gets a glimpse of her back as she finishes pulling on a tank top. She has also changed into a pair of sleep shorts. He walks up behind her and wraps his arms around her and kisses her cheek. Raven turns in his arms to kiss him then wraps her arms around him in a hug, leaning her head against his chest, but pulls back shortly after.
"Your shirt smells smoky from the fire," she says.
"Guess I should have changed it," Logan says. "I can go do that."
"Or you could just take it off," Raven says.
"Are you wanting me to take my shirt off Rae?" Logan asks, smirking at her.
"I believe I've told you before that I don't say things I don't mean," Raven replies, raising an eyebrow at him. Still smirking at her, Logan steps back and pulls his shirt over his head and tosses it to the floor. He steps close to Raven again.
"Is that better?" he asks. She hugs him again and puts her head against his chest.
"I can still smell smoke on you but it's not overpowering," Raven replies, not moving away from him. Logan moves his hand to her chin to tilt her head up so he can kiss her. Once they break their kiss, they move to the bed, Logan lying on his back and Raven on her side next to him with her head on his shoulder and arm across his torso. Logan has one arm around Raven, his hand resting on her waist underneath her tank top.
"Do you remember that day Jenny was here when she and Wally were fighting?" Raven asks, idly trailing her finger along his chest. "The day Wally showed up and proposed to Jenny?"
"Yeah," Logan says. "Hard to forget that scene. Why?"
"Well you know that Jenny and I were talking before that," Raven says. "You were asleep while we were talking."
"Yeah, you said you were talking about girl stuff," Logan replies.
"We were. And part of that talk was about us."
"What about us?"
"Well part of it was why we haven't had sex yet because Jenny is nosy."
"I would ask why that's any of her business, but I know the answer is it isn't but she's going to make it her business."
"True. She also asked me why I hadn't yet told you I loved you."
"And what did you tell her?"
"That I didn't know if I knew what love was and didn't know if I was in love with you. She told me that she could tell that I was in love with you and that you loved me too, even if you hadn't said it yet."
"I didn't want to pressure you."
"That's what Jenny said too. And if I had heard you tell me you loved me, and understood it, when you did, I probably would've felt pressured to say it back. But ever since Jenny and I had that conversation, I had been thinking about it and finally realized that I do love you. I understand it instead of just someone saying they could tell I was in love. I've just been trying to find the right time to tell you."
"You know you could've told me at any time. But I do think tonight was perfect for it."
"You keep telling me that you will do anything for me. And you did that again tonight: buying baseball tickets and a hotel room for Dick and Kori just to make sure our date stayed private because I didn't want anyone else around. You didn't have to do that but I'm kinda glad you did. It truly shows how much you will do for me."
"I will always do anything for you. I love you. I just want to make you happy."
"You do make me happy. Happier than anyone else ever has. It actually scared me. How happy you make me and how much I trust you. I think that was part of why I was reluctant to admit I love you. I've only experienced pain and betrayal from people I've loved and trusted before. Why would you be any different? But you are. And you keep proving it over and over. I really love you."
"I'm glad you're able to tell me that. I get it that you were scared to admit your love for me not just to me but to yourself. Because of your past, you have no reason to easily trust another person. But I am so glad that you trust me and that you love me." Raven lifts her head from his shoulder to kiss him. He returns the kiss eagerly. They continue kissing but don't let it escalate. When they finally stop, Logan turns off the bedside lamp as Raven rolls onto her other side, back to Logan. He turns to his side and slides up behind Raven, spooning her and wrapping his arm around her, hand resting on her ribs below her breasts underneath her shirt.
"Good night Rae," Logan says softly, kissing her cheek. "I love you."
"I love you too," Raven replies. They fall asleep cuddled together, smiles on both of their faces.