19. "Can I hold your hand?"

Pairing: Raven and Tim (Red Robin)

Setting: Comics

Timeline: Teen Titans Vol. 5 (2014-2016)

Age: 16-18

"I understand that you wanted to do some social activities, but why didn't you just take someone like Cassie or Tanya with you?" Tim asked as the two of them were walking down the street, with a couple of shopping bags in his hand.

"I don't feel as comfortable around them as I do with you." She shrugged the question off nonchalantly, her eyes turned towards the window of a store they were passing by. Well, to be fair, she didn't feel all that comfortable around anyone. But it was easier with Tim, always had been.

"Figured." He couldn't help but grin at that before he glanced down at the shopping bags and then followed her gaze to the window. "Well, I didn't think you were all that into shopping."

"I'm not. In fact, I find it quite exhausting." Again, brushed off as soon as the last word left his mouth. "But there are some basic things that even I need, Timothy."

He couldn't help but wrinkle his nose at the use of that name. It wasn't that he didn't like his own name, he was just so used to being called Tim by mostly everyone that being called Timothy just made him feel… weird. And Raven always was all about calling everyone by their full name and he wasn't an exception, even after all this time.

But… At the same time, as weird as it felt, it was also quite charming when she did that. It was something different than what all the other people in his life called him on a daily basis. Not like Raven wasn't different on its own already. She was so different. Unique. And it just gave him something unique to share with her as well and it was… nice. And before he even realized it, his lips had curved into a smile.

His mind started wandering. Wondering. Dreaming. Which was something he didn't do very often. Or, more like, ever. But it was always like this whenever they got to spend time together. Just the two of them. Even if it was something so trivial and tedious like shopping, which, frankly, both of them hated. She made it worthwhile.

"Raven?"

"Yes?"

"Can I hold your hand?"

"I'm sorry?" Finally her blue eyes turned towards the male and her feet glued themselves to the ground, mostly because of her being caught off-guard. A rare instance.

"Can I hold your hand?" Tim repeated, a bit more slowly and with more confidence. But what followed was a dreading silence and it almost made him anxious.

"This isn't a date, Timothy, I told you that." Her cold answer sent a chill down his spine.

"I know it isn't." While not completely surprising, her reaction wasn't like he had expected. Which just proved that he had still so much to learn about her. It didn't change the fact that he was slightly disappointed in her reaction.

"So then why?" The empath raised an eyebrow at him, trying to really figure him out, which, more often than not, proved to be quite challenging. And his smile only puzzled the girl even more.

"Well," he shrugged. "I mean, why couldn't it be? What do you say?" His hand slowly extended towards her and her naturally pale face turned bright red. Usually quick with responses, Raven was left speechless for quite a few moments.

And because of this, Tim's nervousness started to show, more and more with each passing second. Man, going into a villain's lair full of deadly traps was so much easier and less nerve-wrecking than standing here with his hand reached towards a girl. And not just any girl. It was Raven. Although he had to admit, this hadn't been one of his smoothest moves, it was too late to go back now. His mouth had blurted it out and now he had to face it, no matter the consequences.

"I'd say you must've hit your head a bit too hard during our last mission." Suddenly, her surprised visage had changed into the neutral look she always wore, her eyes shifting from his hand up to his own blue orbs.

"What-?" Surprisingly, he was absolutely dumbfounded. And Raven used this chance to start walking again. This girl! She was unbelievable! Her behavior simply never made sense to him.

"Wh- Raven! Wait up!" The boy skipped forwards to catch up to her, once he had regained control over his own body. Wanting to ask further, he glanced over at her and was surprised to see her smiling. Confused, he raised an eyebrow, but then noticed with the corner of his eye that she had opened the palm of her hand to him so that he could take her hand into his. He chuckled to himself.

This girl indeed. Forever a mystery.