Disclaimer: No, the Teen Titans are not one of my many worldly possessions. I don't own the characters but as soon as I get a real job I will own the DVD box set. Close enough.
A/N: Since you have all been so nice to me in your reviews I have decided to give you this chapter a bit early. And to address some of your reviews; no it is not BB. Other than that I thank you all for your encouraging compliments. Enjoy.
Chapter Two: Sun and Moon
Raven sat on the beach staring at the roses. It was so strange to be admired. For so long she had never known anything beyond friendship or mild attraction to anyone. She had sat back and envied Starfire's relationship with Robin. Beast Boy was getting close to his African pen pal and even Cyborg had started dating. Raven thought she would be alone forever. This secret admirer had brought her some hope. If this one man could say such nice things about her and mean it could there be a few others out there that liked her as well? If it didn't work out with this man were there others that she could potentially love?
She searched the opposite beach with her mind once again. She found the same thought patterns as before. She examined the letter and found the same thought patterns there as well. If this man loved her as much as she sensed he did maybe she could be happy and in love. She just wished that the mysterious letter writer wasn't as afraid as he said he was. She concentrated hard on the fresh thought patterns of the man. He wasn't afraid of her specifically but of all women in general.
She stood silently and carried her letter and roses back to the Tower. She emptied the mailbox and sorted the mail, as was her custom. She laid the neat stacks on the kitchen table as the others shuffled sleepily in to eat breakfast. She sat serenely and read her letter again as she ate. After the others had eaten most of their food and were far more alert, Cyborg noticed Raven's gift and letter.
"What are those?"
"Roses and a letter from my admirer," she said with a smug smile. Starfire clapped her hands once and squealed with delight.
"Wonderful," she said, "I hope you will allow me to read it as you did your last one."
"Sure thing Star," Raven replied as she passed the beautifully worded note across the table. She stood, her breakfast finished and walked to one of the cabinets. She searched through them until she found a nice vase. She filled it with water as Starfire read her letter and placed the fresh roses into it.
"Oh this is beautiful friend Raven." She was smiling as she handed Raven the letter. "I am jealous. Robin never says such nice things about me."
"What do you mean I don't say nice things about you?" Robin was mock offended.
"Did you know that Raven's admirer calls her a goddess?"
"Really?"
"Yes he does. He writes the most flattering things about her. I would like to meet this mystery man and find out where he learned to write so beautifully. But he says he is afraid to meet Raven. I think he does not think that Raven would like him."
Cyborg and Beast Boy were very interested in the topic at hand but Raven had things to do. She placed her second letter with the first and placed her roses in her room. She then left for the city.
((()))
Raven had been to several places already and she was now heading for lunch. Just because you're a Teen Titan doesn't mean everything was free. She would never admit it to the others but she had taken a side job working for a children's bookstore. She had just finished work and she was walking towards her favorite café. She was wearing a tight fitting black shirt and a pair of loose black jeans. Her cloak was neatly folded and placed in the backpack she carried.
She entered the café and sat down at one of the outside tables. As she waited for the waiter to come she admired the beautiful day. She was just taking time to marvel at the architecture of the city street when a flash of light caught her attention. She looked around and found a couple having their picture taken by a man. She looked at him and she recognized him as the man from Mr. Williams shop the other day. He was wearing the same gray sports jacket and ball cap. His shirt and jeans had changed though.
This time she got a good look at his face. His skin was pale. She assumed it was from working in a dark room. She watched his eyes sparkle as he shook the Polaroid picture to help it develop faster. He handed the picture to the couple and collected his fee. She thought back and remembered that Mr. Williams had said his last name. Syger. That was his name. She didn't know why but she felt like having her picture taken in the beautiful café. She stuck her arm up in the air and called, "photo boy!" over to her.
He was talking to the couple, wishing them good luck, and he really wasn't paying attention to who had called him. His smile was warm as he watched the happy couple leave. Raven even thought she could see a longing in his eyes. It was as if he yearned for a relationship like that the couple shared. His shoulder length hair was haphazardly combed. It was almost as though he only combed it to keep it from being messy to the point of being dirty.
He turned and looked at Raven and his eyes widened. Raven thought nothing of it. Someone was bound to recognize her as one of the Teen Titans. It happened often and many people had the same reaction. She just smiled at him and asked, "How much for a picture?"
He stammered for a while and finally mumbled out, "Two dollars." She pulled the cost from her jeans pocket and she placed it in his hand. He lifted the Polaroid camera and snapped a picture of her smiling face. He waved the picture, just like with the one he had taken of the couple. He handed it to her and hesitated for a minute. He looked as though he wanted to ask something.
After a few moments he finally did ask, "Can I take another picture of you," she looked at him with a raised eyebrow, "Just to prove I met you," he added hastily.
She smiled and nodded her permission. He pulled out a larger, older camera and stepped back a few paces. He adjusted the lens and focus and snapped a picture. He stammered his thanks and walked off around the corner. After this the waiter came and took her order.
((()))
Raven stood on the top of Titan Tower later in the evening that same day. She looked out over the waves toward the city she protected. The other Titans were occupied. Beast Boy had replied to his pen pal already and sat in the den playing some new game they had bought. It was some thief game that was based on a Japanese cartoon based on something French.
Robin was teaching Starfire some new slang words or something of that sort. Cyborg was working on some kind of new gadget. Raven wasn't really interested so she hadn't asked. Besides she didn't want to sit through a long, boring explanation. She wondered where her secret admirer was now. She stayed out on the roof for some time. Just as the sun began its descent over the horizon she heard a buzzing sound.
She looked around and saw the mechanical dragonfly fluttering toward her. It dropped another letter into her hands and flew back across the water to its master. She opened the letter and read what it said.
Raven,
I saw you in the city today. I think I even brushed your hand. Alas I could not have told you it was I for I am still too cowardly to reveal myself to you just yet. How I wish I could tell you in person how much you mean to me. I have another gift for you. But it is too valuable to send by dragonfly. Tomorrow at noon find the place where the sun shines a thousand times brighter than any other. Then go south to the place where the moon rises before sunset. There you will find an old mountain bike chained to a lamppost. In the cracked water bottle you will find your gift.
My Raven Goddess,
Secret Admirer.
((()))
It had taken her all night but she had figured it out. It was noon the day after the last note. She stood on a street between two large glass skyscrapers. The sun reflected off of the two tall buildings and made the street glow in the daylight. She followed the street south to an abandoned pharmacy called the "Lunar Pill" and looked around. Surely enough there was a rusty green mountain bike tied to a lamppost. She walked up to it and pulled the cracked plastic water bottle and shook it. Something small rattled inside. She opened the top and let the gift fall into her hand.
Her eyes went wide at what she saw. A very valuable looking amethyst stone on a silver ring fell out of the old drinking bottle. She examined it once to make sure it was real. It was. She could feel the man's thought patterns all over the place. It was as if he had just left the scene. She placed it on her finger and admired it. The stone seemed to be of the highest quality and the ring fit her finger perfectly.
Just as she was about to go home she saw something dart around a corner. Raven went to investigate but found nothing but her admirers thought patterns in the area. She then turned and went home to Titan tower.
