A/N: Yeah, it's another chapter… aren't you all happy…? I am happy… really happy…
Thanks and kudos to my awesome beta and friend Cherry Jade…
Ok, before you can read the next chapter, I just wanted to apologize for the delays between the chapters of my stories. It's just that I'm not really feeling well. I had the flu and I'm still a bit ill… I can't get rid of the fever and I haven't really slept for days and everything is soooo chaotic and hectic right now… ok, basically I'm just not feeling very well and I hope you will forgive if I don't update as fast as you're used from me. I'll try my best and try to write as much as possible…
Dedicated to everyone who had reviewed, but especially to Cherry Jade, Tecna, Raven of the Night676 and Mol
No, enjoy the chapter…
Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans
Chapter Five:
Can't Help Falling In Love
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It was 13:30 o'clock as Raven awoke from a deep slumber. She couldn't believe that she actually had slept that long. Usually, she was the first one to wake up Sundays mornings.
The first thought she had was to quickly sallow as much pills she could get to stop her headache.
Raven groggily got out of her bed and walked straight the bathroom. Maybe a cold shower would help.
15 minutes later she realized that probably nothing could help to get rid of her aching head.
Raven walked down to the kitchen where her mother stood in front of the stove humming happily.
"Good morning, darling," she greeted her daughter without turning around from the stove.
Raven mumbled something like "Morning" before plumbing into a chair.
"So, was it nice yesterday?" Raven only grunted.
"My head is killing me. I think I'll go back to my room." Raven said.
"Oh darling," Arella said sympathetically and put her hand on Raven's forehead. "But before you go back to your room, could you please bring this cake," she gestured at a cheesecake on the counter, "to Richard?"
With mentioning of their neighbor's name Raven was suddenly fully awake. "Richard." she repeated, mindlessly.
"Yes, since he was so kind to offer to train Josh, it would be appreciated to give him a thank you." Arella told her.
"Why doesn't Josh bring the cake to him?" Raven asked. She didn't want to see Richard. She was just so unsure how she should behave towards him. He had seen a side of her nobody was allowed to see for a long time. He had seen without her security mask.
"Josh isn't here at the moment." Her mother said.
"How about you or Mi-" she dropped the sentence as she saw the dangerous glare her mother shot at her.
Raven sighed defeated. "Ok, I'll go," Raven reluctantly gave in and took a long sip from her tea.
Her mother still stared at her.
"What?" Raven asked and sighed lonely. "Ok, I will go now." With that she stood up.
"Sweetheart, that's so nice of you!" Arella smiled brightly and handed her daughter the cake and shoved her out of the kitchen. "Oh, and please try to be nice. I don't want him to think we're impolite," she called after her daughter as Raven walked to Richard's house.
With a cheesecake in her hand she stood several minutes in front of the door.
She would quickly give him the cake and then go back to her house. Nothing to be worried about or? Slowly her right hand reached for the bell.
Ding Dong
She waited and prayed that maybe he wasn't there and then she hoped that he was there.
Just as she wanted to turn around to go, the door was opened and a tall, muscular Afro-American man was greeting her. Raven realized that it was the same man she had met the day she had come to know Richard.
The man looked at her with warm, brown eyes and somehow she immediately liked him.
"Uh..." She began to speak but the man had already dragged her inside. "You are probably here for Richard, aren't you?" he asked.
"Yes, I just-"
"He's in his training room." He told her and mentioned her to follow him upstairs.
Ok, that that was it. She couldn't get rid of the cake as fast as she wanted. Raven reluctantly followed him.
"By the way, I think we didn't really get introduced," he said while walking up the stairs. "I'm Victor Stone, but Vic is perfectly fine." He smiled warmly at her.
"Raven. Raven Roth and I hate any short form of my name. So, no Rae or Ravy or Rave. Just Raven." She told him.
Victor chuckled. "I'll remember that."
He abruptly stopped in front of a dark-green door and opened it only to reveal a large, wide room. In the middle of the room was Richard in grey sweatpants and bare chest punching and kicking at a punching bag furiously. Several drops of sweat were glistering on his chiseled and tanned chest.
"Hey Dick," Victor called out and Richard stopped his kicking. "You've got a visitor."
Richard looked at the door and smiled as soon as he saw Raven.
He bended down to pick up the towel which was lying on the floor, and then slowly moved towards Victor and Raven.
"Hey," he greeted her.
"H-Hello," she stammered and cringed mentally for her lack of control. Why was acting so … so … girly?
"You made this for me?" Richard asked teasingly and gestured with his chin at Raven's hands.
Raven looked at Richard him not really understanding what he meant before remembering why she was here. "Oh, yeah … I mean, my mother baked this sent it to you as a thank you for training with Josh," Raven explained. "Your mother?" he asked grinning. "And you are sure, you didn't bake it?" Raven frowned and shot him a glare everybody would run away screaming their lungs out.
But Richard was not everybody.
Victor, who had watched both of them, chuckled a bit. "I think, I should bring the cake downstairs before one of you decide to use it as a weapon. "That's not a bad idea," Raven mumbled as she handed the cake to Victor, who smiled at her words and then left the room to go to the kitchen.
Once she was alone with Richard, Raven once again felt really uncomfortable. It was ironic that this man could make her feel so many emotions. No matter what he did, he was always able to stir up her feelings.
"A penny for your thoughts," Richard interrupted her musing. She slightly flinched but covered that up quickly. "My thoughts aren't that cheap," she retorted and saw the smirk on his face. "Raven, if you wanted to see me, you just had to come. You don't need any excuses - like a cake." "For the last time: My mother sent the cake and I didn't want to see you! You are so … so … so … impossible." Raven growled and turned to storm out of the room.
But before she could leave she heard him saying. "It wasn't that bad was it?" his voice was soft and gentle. She turned her face to his. "What?" she asked questioning. "Yesterday, it wasn't that bad?" he cleared and his eyes were locked with hers. But without waiting for an answer from him he continued. "I know, you don't want to admit it but I know that you had fun."
"I didn't-"
Richard shook his head. "But then again you hide yourself behind your mask."
"I-"
"I mean, I saw you smile. You can smile but you hide your pretty smile behind your emotionless mask. Why?"
"I don't smile for nothing. I need a good reason to smile." Raven said clearly surprised by the change of their conversation.
"So, that means, I am a good reason for you to smile?" he asked and the mischievous glint was back in his azure orbs.
Raven rolled her eyes and let out a "pff".
"You are so full of yourself. Do you know that?"
"Actually, no. So, I am impossible and full of myself. What else?"
"A jerk!"
"Yes?"
"You are an impossible, arrogant, annoying jerk!"
"It's good to know that there is someone who actually doesn't like me. After awhile it's getting really boring if everybody loves you." He slyly grinned and walked closer to her. They were now just inches away from each other.
Raven was seething. "Who do you think you are-" she began but was silenced by Richard placing his finger on her lips. "Ssshhh!" he said and the mischievous glint had disappeared from his eyes only to be replaced by a dark shadow.
"Just one thing: No matter where your father is, he is probably watching over you."
Raven's eyes winded in surprise. He couldn't know this. She hadn't told him. "Where … I mean, how-"
Richard smiled sadly. "It doesn't matter how I know. The only thing that matters is, that you father can see all of your emotions. He can see your anger, your sadness - your everything. And believe every time you cry he is crying with you. And although you can't brush away his tears you can at least stop his tears." His fingers softly wandered from her lips to her soft, red tinted cheeks. "If not for yourself then you should at least try to smile for him."
For the hundredth time, Richard had rendered her speechless. His words once again managed to break through her wall she had built around her. But not only his words but also his actions surprised her. She could still feel his hand on her cheek softly creasing her flushed cheek. Normally she would kill anybody who dared to touch her. But somehow she couldn't bring herself to withdraw from his touch. It was strangely soothing and calming – just like his hands would belong there.
Later, she would say that what had happened next was – probably – the biggest mistake in her life. Richard's head began to move closer to hers, closing the distance between them. Raven watched in horror as Richard's lips moved closer and closer to hers. 'Run! Don't let this happen. It's wrong.' However, it didn't feel like it was wrong. In fact, it felt ... right and perfect.
To let him kiss her? In this atmosphere? It felt almost too surreal ... Not wanting to think of the consequences of what was about to happen, Raven closed her eyes and lifted her head up slightly, waiting for what would change both of their lives forever.
But just as she felt his lips millimeters away from hers, the door of the training sprung open.
"Hey," the deep, baritone voice of Victor could be heard through the room. Raven quickly jerked away from Richard and took some steps away from him towards the door.
Victor looked from Richard to Raven and then back to Richard. "I just wanted to see what you were doing. Did I disturb anything?"
"No!" Raven answered hastily – too hastily. "I think I should go now. Don't worry I'll let myself out." With that said Raven turned her back to Richard walking through the door.
"Bye, Raven. I'll see tomorrow!"
"Bye!" she said to both men without turning around.
Richard and Victor kept silent until they heard the front door shut.
Victor looked at his friend worriedly. "Dick, you-"
"Don't say it." Richard shook his head and tried to leave the room.
"Robin!"
With the mentioning of the name "Robin", he turned again to his friend a furious glint in his eyes. Fist clenched tightly, he spat angrily. "Don't you ever call me that again! I am not Robin. Robin is dead. Do you understand?"
Victor just looked at his seething friend without really caring about his wrath.
"Robin, Richard, Dick … it doesn't matter how I call you. You're the same person. No matter how hard you try: You can't run away." Victor sighed as he saw the expression of his friend harden. "But that's not the point. The point is: You'll hurt her if you don't stop."
"I-" Richard tried to ague but was silenced by Victor.
"No, Richard. I can see it. You're falling for her and although I know that you just want to help her, you'll hurt her more if you continue this. Just for once listen to me. And leave her alone. She's a nice girl. Just don't do this to her. And to yourself." Victor glanced one last time at his friend and then left the room leaving behind a confused Richard.
Richard watched his friend leave. He once again sadly shook his head.
"I am not falling for her." He whispered into the silent room.
"I've already fallen for her."
A/N: That was it… the chapter… tell me, how you liked it… that means, that you have to review… but only if you want to…
I wanted to thank everyone who had reviewed for the last chapter… and wanted to say how sorry I am that I haven't answered your reviews, but I will answer them this time… so, I'm just so sorry…
Ok…
Until next time…
Alena
