CHAPTER SEVEN

"Shit—" Raven's head flung to the window, luckily hidden by the drapes, unluckily sporting a crack down its middle. At the same time, Beast Boy jerked out of his cosy spot in the heart of her thighs, holding himself up on one hand and two knees. His mane was tousled beyond belief, all of the green hue drained from his face.

It would be hilarious how quickly he'd snapped from sex god to frightened mouse if the situation wasn't so dire. Raven found there was nothing at all funny in someone seeing her legs fanned out and his fingers buried between them at any given second.

Had he even locked the door?

"Gar?"

Double shit. Rita.

They stared with horror into each other's eyes. Fear ignited, there was a mad scramble to become presentable, Gar leaping off the bed to snatch up his shirt and Raven struggling back into her underwear and leggings.

"You didn't hear her?" she hissed beneath her breath.

"You didn't sense her?" he threw back, tucking his boner into his boxers.

Well, maybe if she hadn't been in the throes of passion. Maybe if his blood hadn't been rushing in his ears and his nose hadn't been nestled right up against her—

"Hon, can I come in?"

Another two seconds, and Raven's bra was adjusted, her sweater tugged back down. They both ran hurried fingers through their hair, like that would be the thing to save them from suspicion.

"Y-yeah," the shifter gulped. Raven shot him a glare as if to say: What are you doing?! And he shot one back as if to say: What should I have said? 'One sec Mom, Raven hasn't come yet?!'

The door creaked open and the couple went stiff. Whilst green was creeping back into Gar's cheeks, Raven could only pray the mottled red had left hers.

Rita smiled politely as she approached them.

She doesn't know... Right?

"You'll have to forgive me," she began, hands set modestly in front of her. "I know you're probably settling in."

Heh. You could say that, Gar thought with ill-timed amusement.

"I just wanted to apologise for 'Twenty Questions' back there." Rita was pacing over, stopping at the foot of the bed. There was a humble air surrounding her, like she was ashamed on her husband's behalf. In a sense, Raven felt bad for her. "He doesn't mean it. He's just... never been good with people. Right, Gar?"

Suffice to say, his mother appeared oblivious. He could've cried with relief.

"Who, Steve?" Beast Boy said, taking her comment and running with it. "Not good with people? Psh, nooo."

Rita hummed a little dismally. Raven kept quiet.

"Well, I suppose that was made clear when you first met. I hope you weren't too uncomfortable?"

Those eyes were on the sibyl now.

"Not at all." Lie. She was rather uncomfortable at present too, though for quite different reasons. Gar had been... excelling, let's say, before this awkward hitch.

"He used to be different. In his twenties, he wasn't nearly as sour." Rita looked to the door, as though looking back at a memory, but then shook it away. "But, that's besides the point." A smile found her once more. "We're very happy to have you here, Raven."

Raven folded her legs and straightened where she sat. "Thank you. And for dinner, too." In the corner of her eye, she caught the quiet joy in Gar's face as he hung back to let his two girls talk.

"Oh." Rita blushed a little and waved her hand with a laugh. "Well, Larry's the real chef around here. He made the rest of it."

This was news to her, and she clocked that if Larry was the manor's chef, then Rita might've insisted she take part to fully commit to the 'hostess' role. Something about that was incredibly sweet...

"But Gar's a natural too. He and Lar would spend hours in the kitchen before he left for Jump."

"Yeah." Beast Boy leaned back with a smirk, brushing some invisible dust from his shoulder. "I learnt from the best."

"I always used to love those cookies you'd make," Rita went on heartily, now settling at the edge of the bed. "With the cinnamon centre, you know the ones?"

"I can make some while we're here," he nodded.

"Have you tried them, Raven?"

She glanced over to her boyfriend. "I don't think so?"

"Oh, they're to die for," Rita gushed. "I've had a go myself - can never get it right. I just barely get by in the kitchen, but I suppose it musn't be too bad."

"No," Raven affirmed. "The chilli was great. Really."

Rita's smile warmed. "Do you cook?"

Beside them, an obnoxious cackle burst out of the changeling. Raven's expression went flat.

"I... try," she offered, a twitch to her brow. His green arm slunk around her shoulders.

"She holds the spatula for me sometimes. Don'tcha, babe?"

That smirk earned him a dagger-like glare, which did not faze its recipient one bit.

"Ah, I see," Rita snickered, already beginning to gauge their dynamic. "Well, you'll be well-fed while you're here. And if you ever want anything, please just help yourself. No need to ask."

There was that same smile the two extended during dinner. It made the room seem brighter, for a time.

"We have a few things planned out for your stay, of course." She spoke with her hands, eager to embrace the managing lead. "The lake over the hill freezes this time of year, so it's the perfect spot for ice skating. And I was thinking on Tuesday we could—"

"Um, Mom?" Garfield tried to be gentle in cutting across her, still wearing a slanted, though somewhat antsy smile. "We're both feelin' pretty tired. Long day and all, heh. So..."

If it was code, it was rather basic to crack. 'You're talking too much. It's time to leave'. Rita knew she got carried away sometimes, but she was just excited. It wasn't every day your only child brought someone special to...

"Oh."

Brown eyes anchored to something, just as Raven tucked a violet tress behind her ear.

It was her first instinct to be furious. To kick up a fuss - seeing that fresh, bruising bite in the hollow of her visitor's neck. Her back strung up and teeth clamped down, then Cliff's voice was ringing in the back of her mind, and she wanted to be what Garfield needed. She wanted to be the 'Cool Mom', even knowing that she wasn't.

It's just another role to play. You're good at playing roles.

Her smile wavered before pulling itself back, though this time it did not look the same.

"Yes. Of course." The words came out stiff, so she loosened the strain on her tongue. "I'll just, ah... leave you be, then."

Raven and Beast Boy watched with caution as their host stood, then wandered to the exit, barely looking back.

"Good night!" she called before vanishing from the room with another sharp creak of the door.

They lagged in the weighty silence for a while. Raven turned to Gar, and with this new angle, he too caught sight of what his mother had observed.

Well, if Rita hadn't known her son was a deviant before, she certainly did now.

"... Did she—"

He smothered her. "Shhhhshhshshh." Do not make her panic. Raven's pupils swelled as he was suddenly on her again. "C'mere." A firm, hungry kiss, just before her legs were grabbed and she was yanked assertively to her back. "Not done with you yet."

The chime of her giggles didn't reach down the hall.

Author's Note:

toldya it'd be a quick update! dialogue-heavy ones are always easier to write.

no more smut in next chap, so don't anticipate any! we're moving along with the story. :')