"I insist you go and retrieve a cup of coffee," Starfire demanded.
"I really don't want to see him," Raven sighed, complaining.
"But you want coffee more. Maybe he will be good to you. Give him a chance, Raven."
"I really don't—" Before Raven could protest anymore, Starfire pushed her out the door of their apartment. Raven stumbled into the hallway, barely having any composure at all. Straightening herself out, she headed for the stairwell, seriously considering if the coffee was worth it or not. Hating the mere thought of even talking to him, she decided that one day without java, maybe wouldn't be so bad.
Exiting the apartment building, she strolled down the street, the fall weather sending a shiver down her spine. Today on her trek to work, she was more alert and aware of the busy world around her. The city was crawling with events, and had shops galore. Gliding past a store window, something, or someone, caught her attention. Despite the day's early hour, people were inside, suited in whites, fencing. The sport was considered for only the ones with a very low social class, but in years past, it was a sport for the rich. Staring at the form and gracefulness of the people stunned her. They were so strong, and elegant, the irony in the fact that they were holding weapons.
Realizing that a good five minutes have gone by, Raven started to head onward, towards work. With her eyes still glued to the fencers, she walked forward, running into a man. She felt a hot liquid run down the front of her body, and sighed with aggravation.
"Come on…could this day be any better?" Raven said sarcastically, visibly upset about the spill.
"I am sorry--I guess I wasn't paying attention," he said picking up the empty cup.
To get a glance of who he was, she looked into his eyes, and he did also.
"You!" Raven said in disgust, "are you following me or something? Why do I always see you now?"
"I'm not following you, and we do see each other a lot now. But I am sorry. My apartment is right over there if you want a dry--"
"I don't want to go into your apartment! I just want to go to work!" Raven yelled, flustered and angered.
"It's not very often I hear people say that they want to go to work. At least come and get a dry jacket. Think of it as a deep apology," he said.
"Fine…I guess. Thank you--" Raven stopped, realizing she did not know his name.
"The name is Jeff, and yours?"
"Rae."
"Well now that we finally have that established, let's go and get you into dry clothes," Jeff said, ushering her in the direction of his apartment.
-xXx
"My friend called you again?" Raven asked, thoroughly not surprised.
"We planned that you and I would meet at the park. But I guess fate decided we should meet sooner," Jeff said with a smirk.
"Right…. Thank you, for your…generosity."
"No problem. But I do find it odd how you want to go to work. I would have suspected, with your age and all, that you don't like what you do," he questioned.
"My age? What does that have to do with work? But, yes. I do like my job. In fact, I love my job. The rush of it, yah know?"
"Whoa, what kind of job do you have? I wish I could have that same passion."
"A job that only the select can have. They found me. It's an odd job, and a lonely one. Which is partially why I like it. No one to mess up my routine, no one can tell me what to do. What exactly do I do, you ask? There will always be a mysterious answer to that question, because I will never tell," Raven said, trying to keep his fingers out of her private life, even though they were only talking about her job.
"Oh, my. Well, I like a woman with a little mystery. It makes her beautifully hard to follow. One who deliberately keeps you awake at night, and gives you butterflies in your stomach because she can. I love that in a woman, that power over a man. You are striking to me. Although I may sound like a stalker--"
"You do," Raven said, moving uncomfortably in his oversized T-shirt and her dress pants, on the couch.
"Well, I am not. I am man who has fallen deeply in love with a woman," he said coming in close. Their faces were merely inches apart, and Raven froze, in the lack of experience in this unknown department to her.
"Don't be afraid," he said caressing her face. Raven turned her face away.
"I can't, Jeff. I don't…don't feel comfortable," she said standing up, with her arms folded across her chest. In the background the sound of the dryer beeped, sounding that it was done.
"I guess I'll go get that," he said, sounding broken.
"Please."
Jeff walked out of the room and Raven held a hand over her mouth. Never before has any man said anything like that. She was shocked and appeased, and was grateful to hear such praise. But her heart was not where his was. How could she be with a man that she did not love in return?
"Here you are," he said handing her the folded shirt and jacket.
"Thank you," she said in a hushed voice. She glided over to the bathroom, and changed into the warm shirt and jacket. She could smell the detergent. A smell she labeled, 'Jeff's smell'. She exited the bathroom and handed the T-shirt to him and picked up her suitcase and headed for the door.
"It was nice talking to you, Raven." She stopped at the door and turned to face him.
"Yes, it was. I'll call you soon. I'm not going to have coffee for a while."
"Ha, okay. Bye…."
"Goodbye, Jeff."
-xXx
"Oh Rae! Is that really what he said? That is so sweet! A man hasn't even said that to me! Well, maybe Robin has…. But this is exciting! You must seem him soon!" Starfire said with true excitement, and bright eyes.
"He tried to kiss me Star, kiss me. I'm not ready for a relationship, especially one with kissing."
"You are twenty-four with a high paying job and a non-existent love life. I am not afraid to say that you are ready for him," she said truthfully.
"He loves me, and doesn't know me. To me, that is not a relationship."
"You will become friends, and learn to love his faults. Maybe you two will date? Maybe no…. Or maybe never…. Oh Raven do not give me the look of death! You should embrace this. A man like this may never come around again! Rae, please call him. You need this friendship more than you think."
"Star, please don't tell me what is good for me. I know what is good for me."
"Than have a relationship, other than this friendship with me."
"Fine. I'll call him when I'm ready," Raven huffed.
"Oh how joyous!" Starfire said, embracing Raven in a bone crunching hug. Raven forced a smile on her face.
-xXx
Raven closed the door to her room, and flopped on the bed. Maybe this relationship would be best for her. Maybe the dark cloud would lift, and the chip on her shoulder would be broken. The more she thought about it, the more she liked the idea. Raven smiled, and let the butterflies fill her stomach.
Perhaps she would take up fencing too, to rid herself of her constant repressed anger.
A/N: Finally, eh? I'm sorry. With school, fencing, and my life everything is just getting…bad. Review and enjoy!
