CHAPTER 10 JUST CALL ME RAVEN

Hiei stepped out of Titans Tower and stood on the bare rocky ground surrounding the building. He faced the sun and took a deep breath of fresh air to clear his head.

It didn't help.

Raven was still there. The words she'd spoken still echoed in his mind. One of her many questions. "Do you miss the Makia?"

Of course he did. His sister was there and he'd told her about it. He'd told her everything. Without thinking! He'd just opened up and told her his entire life story! But why was he regretting it now?

What was it about her?

Whatever it was it messed with his emotions in a way he didn't like or understand.

I need to get my mind off her, he thought walking down the property. But there's nothing here to do. Maybe I should explore the city... Then again maybe not. I'll probably get lost...

That's when he stumbled upon the Titan's obstical course. It looked very inviting. He gave it a few seconds of thought then pulled out his sword.

"So where is he now?" Starfire demanded as she came back into the livingroom.

"I don't know," Robin replied from over by the stereo. "He's not in Raven's room anymore. I was just there and asked her. She said he left her room abrumptly without any explaination. He might be out exploring the city."

"Well go out there and bring him back!" she ordered. "Our friend should not be alowed to have any of the fun of the city until he says he's sorry."

"I can't ground him you know," Robin informed her.

"Well at least look for him," she saind in a much calmer voice.

"Okay." Robin edged out pf the room. "I'll see what I can do."

The Titan's leader went back into the hall and headed toward the elevator. He didn't have to go much further. Just then the doors opened and Hiei stepped out, looking sweaty and a little out of breath.

I wonder where he was? Robin thought.

Hiei headed down the hall toward him. The two met about halfway and stopped. Both eyed each other.

"What?" the demon demanded.

"Where were you?" Robin wanted to know.

"Outside. Why?"

"You need to apoligize to Starfire."

"For what?"

"For being rude to her."

"I wasn't rude to her!" Hiei protested.

"Yes, you were." the Titan insisted.

Hiei gave the human a defiant look and crossed his arms. "Fine then, I'm sorry," he said insincerily.

"Don't tell me tell her!"

Hiei pushed past him. "Tell her yourself," he said. "Either way she's being told."

Robin started to say something but Hiei had already disappeared into Terra's room. He shook his head and headed back to the livingroom to give Starfire the demon's sarcastic apoligy.

Raven wanted to check on Hiei's eye again. Yesterday it hadn't looked that much better when he'd exposed it but maybe today it had inproved some. There was only one way to find out. Leaving her room, the pale girl walked over to Terra's and kncoked on the door.

"Go away!" the voice inside ordered.

"Hiei, it's me Raven," she said. "Can I come in?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I said so."

"Please I need to check on your eye."

"Why?"

"I want to see if it's any better."

"I can do it myself."

"Do you even know what to look for?"

A long silence followed as Hiei seemed to think it over. Finally the door opened and he stood in the doorway. "Fine," he said.

"Thank you," she said stepping inside.

Once she was inside Hiei closed and locked the door (No he isn't thinking naughty thoughts, he's just locking it so the others won't barge in on him. He likes his privacy you know) then headed to the sofa where she'd also headed to. They both sat down.

"Now let's take a look at it," she said, raising her hands and gently unwrapping the bandage.

When she was finished she stared at the eye a moment, making sure it was healing. It seemed to be. It was more purple than green now and didn't seem to be causing Hiei any problems. "Does it hurt?" she asked just to be sure.

"A little," he replied.

"All right," she started to rebandage it. "Good. I'll just leave these on a little longer just to be sure, okay?"

Hn," he said not meeting her eyes.

Silence stretched between them as she rewrapped the eye. Her face was so close to his while she was doing this. He couldn't help but stare at it and wonder what she was thinking.

If she is able to get into my mind can I also get into hers? he wondered as he stared at her bluish eues.

Raven started feeling nervous. "Could you please stop staring at me like that?" she asked.

Oops. He hadn't realized he'd been staring enough to notice. "Sorry," he said, taking his eyes off her. "I was just wondering about something."

"Yes?" she asked.

He didn't answer.

She hadn't expected him to. By then she was getting used to the way he acted, but she felt as if he really wanted to ask her something important but was too shy. That's weird, she thought. He doesn't seem to be the shy type. I wonder if he has something important on his mind but is afraid of talking about it. But why should he be afraid to talk about it? He told me his whole story earlier. Maybe it has nothing to do with that. Maybe it's something totally different.

By then she was finished rebandaging his eye. As she took her hands away Hiei asked. "How come you didn't tell the others about my eye as soon as you found out about it?"

She hadn't expected that question. "I don't know," was the only answer she could give. "Maybe I figured if I told them they wouldn't know what to think of you."

He nodded. He'd thought about that too. If those Titans knew about his third eye they might not look at him the same way. Beastboy already seemed to have it out for him. Not that he cared about Beastboy or what he thought. That green idiot could die in a ditch for all he cared."You're more thoughtful than I thought, wench," he said plainly.

"Could you stop calling me that!" she demanded, giving him that look that forced him to look away from her. "I don't like it. It's rude."

"Sorry..." he muttered.

"Just call me Raven."

"Why?"

"Because that's what friends do."

"When did I say you were my friend?"

"Well aren't you?"

He said nothing. He still wouldn't look at her.

"If you aren't my friend why did you tell me your life story?" she wanted to know.

He didn't know why. Probably because he felt he could trust her. "I guess we're friends," he said looking back at her. "Fine. I'll call you by your name. Raven."

The pale girl smiled slightly and seemed very pleased that he'd called her by name. He had to admit, it did feel nice to call her by name. They seemed closer now but it still made him feel confused.

He realized something was happening to him and it seemed to get stronger the longer he was around or talked to Raven. What was it about her that made him feel this way and why was he feeling so... calm.. so unlike himself?

Am I falling in love?

A/N

ARGH! I so had to rewrite this chapter. Our stupid computer got all messed up and the file got deleted. Sorry about that. I could have put this up yesterday.