Published: May 7, 2020
Track 13: Good News of Great Joy
'Twas the morn before Christmas... and Raven was running out of time. The Titans were coming over in the next hour and she was in the midst of frantically preparing for their arrival. She had spent the entire previous day executing a deep clean of her home. The guest room was already set up for Richard and Kory, and the living room had been vacuumed and dusted. Although there was no reason for her guests to enter her bedroom, she tidied it enough to make it look presentable. Now, she disinfected the washroom and kitchen so that both spaces were perfectly pristine.
The days leading up to Christmas Eve had passed in the blink of an eye. When Kory finally rejoined her at the mall, the two women said their goodbyes to Garfield and made their way back to Raven's place. They spent the rest of the evening chatting, drinking wine, and tipsily setting up the newly bought decorations. After Richard stopped by to collect Kory, Raven sobered up so she could keep working away at e-mails.
Even though it was the week before Christmas, the Titans' manager was absolutely swamped with work. The entertainment industry waited for no man, or woman, in Raven's case. She had an exciting surprise in store for the team. In the first week of December, Raven had begun negotiations with a Fortune 500 company for an endorsement deal. In her usual modus operandi, she refrained from saying anything to the band members before the contract was set in stone. After all, it wouldn't be fair to get their hopes up prematurely. But with this deal under their belts, they would be able to take the next major step in their music career. She received confirmation from the company's marketing department the day after Kory had come over. Raven debated back and forth over the best time to tell them the news. Ultimately, she decided to announce it on Christmas morning as her own little contribution to the holiday cheer.
The frazzled hostess glanced at the clock. She had five minutes left before her friends were supposed to show up. After putting away the cleaning supplies, she did one last visual sweep of her home to ensure that everything was spic and span. The final task was to place a small, rectangular box wrapped in green gift paper underneath the fake tree that she and Kory had set up the week before. It was set up by the window where her yoga mat was usually stationed. The tree was covered in multi-coloured ornaments of various sizes and shapes. A star was fixed on top and the branches were draped with metallic garlands and silver jingle bells. Strings of fairy lights adorned her windowsills and kitchen counter.
In the last few minutes of solitude, Raven sank into her reading chair to get a moment's rest. Her elusive roommate appeared from his hiding spot and climbed into her lap, back arched towards her hand. She stroked his smoky grey fur and whispered in his ear, "Apologies in advance, little one. You can hide in my closet once everyone gets here."
The doorbell chimed, causing the cat to jump off of her lap and streak down the hallway in the direction of her room. Raven got up slowly and mentally braced herself for the chaos that waited on the other side of the door.
"Honey, I'm hoooooooome!" As soon as Garfield stepped over the threshold, he scooped up Raven with outstretched arms and lifted her off the ground in a twirl. Victor, Kory and Richard walked in behind him, their arms full with grocery totes and overnight bags.
"Where can we put these down?" Richard asked.
"Food stays in the kitchen," Raven gasped out as she caught her breath from Garfield's enthusiastic greeting, "and your stuff goes in the room down the hallway, first door on the right."
Richard handed his cargo to Garfield before stepping out again and saying, "Be right back, I'm getting the presents from the car."
"Nice digs!" Victor exclaimed as he checked out his surroundings from the doorway. He gave Raven a little squeeze on the shoulder on his way to the kitchen. Kory barreled past him in order to give her a big hug.
"I have more decorations, may I put them up?"
"S-sure, go for it."
Her friends had been over for less than a minute and Raven was already feeling overwhelmed. It was going to be a long twenty-four hours. Once the groceries were set aside in the kitchen and the presents under the tree, she gave the Titans a quick tour of the condo. "This is obviously the living room. We'll set it up for the boys' beds later. Here's the dining area and kitchen. Feel free to help yourselves to snacks and drinks. The washroom is over here. I have towels set aside for everybody on the stand next to the tub. This room is Kory and Richard's, and at the end of the hall is my room."
Garfield stood on his tiptoes to peek over Raven's head through the door that was slightly ajar. She noticed this immediately and pulled the doorknob towards her before he could snoop around too much. Just before the door clicked shut, her cat slipped into the hallway to check out her guests.
"I did not know you had a bumgorf!" squealed Kory in a high pitched tone that she only used for babies and animals.
"Not too loud, Kory," Raven warned. "He gets spooked pretty easily."
The cat eyed the group suspiciously before giving Raven an annoyed expression that said, "You owe me one." Garfield crouched on his haunches and motioned towards the animal. The cat tentatively approached to sniff at his fingers. After a couple of moments, he curled around the musician's ankle and began to purr. Raven scowled at her cat to mentally declare, "Traitor". Garfield saw their little telepathic exchange and grinned up at her.
"You're just jealous because he likes me more than he likes you. Don't you, handsome boy?"
The cat purred even louder in response and nuzzled his furry head against Garfield's palm.
"What's his name?" asked Victor.
"Earl Grey," Raven answered. "He also answers to 'M'lord' if he's being particularly fussy."
"Man, you're so lucky," Garfield said with a pang of jealousy, "I'd love to have a pet, or two, or ten, but our landlord doesn't allow animals in the building."
"From what Richard and Kory tell me, I'd be surprised if any living creature could survive in the nuclear waste of your apartment," remarked Raven in a dry tone. "Now, shall we?"
The gang spent the rest of the afternoon settling in and getting their Christmas Eve feast ready. The plan was to have an early supper so they could make it to Wolfie's in time for their evening performance. There was no need to rush over for set-up because the quartet had already brought over their instruments and did a full sound check on their way to Raven's place. After the show, they would stick around to mingle with the crowd, then return home for their gift exchange. Victor was accustomed to opening presents on the 24th, staying up late, and then having a Christmas brunch the next morning. Everyone besides Dick immediately agreed to following the slightly unusual tradition, but eventually, the leader caved in to the majority vote.
At the moment, he and his partner were crouched beside Raven's fake fireplace to hang up home-made stockings. Kory used her art experience from working at the daycare to decorate the oversized socks with puffy paint, pom poms and glitter. Raven was in the kitchen with the two other men, helping them find the pots, pans and tools that were needed to prepare the meal. In their inimitable fashion, the dynamic duo wore matching aprons. Victor's was made of bright red fabric with a white hem, and the front pocket read "Chef Santa". Gar's was green with a candy cane trim. The words "Santa's Little Helper" were stitched in big, bold letters on his chest.
"I need a cutting board and a large bowl," demanded Gar as he took the ingredients for a salad out of the fridge.
"What's the magic word?" Raven replied condescendingly.
"Uhhh... Alohomora? No, Expecto Patronum? Oh, I know! Azarath metrion zinthos!"
"Go back to Hogwarts, ya nerd," Victor chuckled under his breath.
"Ac-tu-al-ly," answered Gar, emphasizing each syllable, "that last one is a level nine teleportation spell in DnD."
"I rest my case on the 'nerd' part."
Gar brushed off his best friend's quips and turned his attention back to Raven. She stared back at him with one brow raised in contempt.
"Please?"
"Was that so difficult? Here you go, Mr. Elf," she supplied in mock reverence, handing over the equipment he had requested.
"Mr. Elf?"
She gestured at the slogan on his apron and added, "If you squint a little, your ears almost look... Pointy?"
Gar's hands jumped to cover his ears, his face flushed with embarrassment at her teasing. "Are you going to help us, or what?"
The three of them eased into a comfortable groove as they worked. Even though Raven could only handle straightforward tasks like stirring pots and opening cans, the boys still appreciated her help. Two hours later, the condo was filled with wonderful aromas. The steam that came from Gar's green bean casserole and vegetarian stuffing was mouth-watering. Victor carved generous slices of his grandmother's signature Christmas ham while Kory mercilessly mashed a bowl of potatoes. As Dick uncorked a bottle of wine, Raven lit candles at the dining table. The cozy, intimate atmosphere was enhanced by jazzy holiday tunes that played in the background.
Once all of the dishes were transferred from the kitchen to the dining room, the party of five took their seats around the table. Soon after, everyone busied themselves with piling food onto their plates. For the first few minutes, their communication was mostly limited to phrases like "More salad?" or "Pass the salt, please." The room went even quieter once they dug into the abundant meal, which Gar considered as a major compliment to himself and his co-chef. For several moments, all he could hear were the satisfied sounds of chewing and slurping.
Gar paused from eating to lean back in his chair and take a sip of water. While he drank, he surveyed the scene before him over the rim of his cup. On one side of the table, Kory playfully fed Victor a heaping spoonful of mashed potatoes. He returned the favour by tossing a piece of bread into her open mouth. Across from them, Raven and Dick swirled wine in their glasses and sniffed at the liquid, pretending as though they were expert sommeliers.
"I'm getting notes of dried robin's blood, old dirty cashews and just a hint of a robot's bathwater," Raven pronounced in a pretentious tone.
"Ah yes," Dick continued with a terrible British accent, "I detect pumpkin, medium tones of lavender... But mostly pumpkin. There's so much pumpkin it's like a Charlie Brown Halloween special."
The two of them exchanged a serious nod before bursting into a fit of laughter. Raven must have felt Gar staring at her because she flicked her gaze over to lock eyes with him. She let her smile linger before giving him a barely detectable wink. The sound of her giggles and the sight of her glee made Gar's heart soar. He had a sudden flashback to their first few encounters when her smiles were rare and her laughs even rarer. It was incredible how a closed-off stranger had become such a dear, precious friend in just six months.
"Friends," he thought. "Just friends."
In the aftermath of their steamy moment on Halloween, Gar focused all of his energy on keeping their relationship platonic. It was obvious to him that Raven was neither willing nor ready to get involved in something more. With great effort, he swallowed his romantic feelings and traded them in favour of good, old-fashioned friendship. It was a challenge at first, but over time, it became easier to keep himself in check. Every once in a while, she would do something cute or say something unexpectedly funny. Those subtle moments made his resolve waver and to combat it, he redoubled his efforts to control himself. But now, he watched her interact so naturally with his closest friend group as if she had been with them since the beginning... The sight was too much for him to bear. The dam inside his chest burst open and he felt wave upon wave of affection flow out towards her. At this realization, he muttered under his breath, "Shit."
People say that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Contrary to this, Raven believed that the opposite was true. "If anything," she pondered, "the more things stay the same, the more things change." The reversed saying echoed in her mind as she observed the Titans from her spot in the shadows. She lingered just behind the curtain on stage right to watch them perform their Christmas-themed set. Even though the band had gotten more famous, none of the establishment's staff treated them any differently. And sure, the pub was a little more packed than on a regular night, but it was only the usual crowd of Wolfie's regulars who had come to watch them play. Everything was business as usual.
Raven also felt like she had remained the same. Her hair had grown a little longer, but she still wore her uniform of boring business attire and projected the "ice queen" persona that she had developed as a teenager. Then again, so much had changed since she arrived in Jump City that summer, the biggest development being her new group of friends. What started out as a business transaction had somehow evolved into a tight-knit family. They had certainly gone through their ups and downs together, but with every obstacle their bonds became stronger. Victor had proven himself to be a steady rock that she could depend on. Although she wasn't the closest with Richard, she felt a deep sense of trust and respect for him. She had also found genuine sisterhood in Kory and took comfort in her honest loyalty. And then, there was Garfield.
I'll have a blue Christmas / Without you
I'll be so blue just thinking about you
The crowd swayed their arms to the music as the Titans performed their version of the Elvis Presley classic. Richard played a simple chord progression on the keyboard and Kory kept the bassline light and airy. Victor pulled back the percussion, only using the kick drum, snare and a tambourine. Garfield plucked delicately at the strings of his acoustic guitar to create a driving melody. Both he and Richard crooned into their microphones, the latter singing the main part while the former supported with harmonizing vocals. The guitarist turned his attention from the crowd to where Raven stood and sang to her:
Decorations of red / On our green Christmas tree
Won't be the same dear / If you're not here with me
His voice enchanted her, lulling her to the point where she couldn't take her eyes off of him. Raven watched him play that very same guitar, in the very same spot as she had witnessed the first night they met. His original neon green tips had long since faded and grown out, but he re-dyed them after every haircut. He continued to wear his red and white jacket paired with his old, scuffed up pair of Converse. And as always, he drove her absolutely crazy with his dumb puns, cheeky remarks, and total lack of respect for personal space. Garfield was fundamentally the same and yet... He was different. Or maybe, it was her? Either way, something had changed.
As the song ended, the cheers of the audience ripped Raven from her internal musings. After playing an hour's worth of carols and popular holiday tunes, the Titans had finally come to the close of their set. Applause followed as the band waved their goodbyes and stepped to the side of the stage. They retreated to the back room to catch their breath, drink water, and regroup. Richard led them in a debrief, something he insisted on doing after every performance.
"Kory, you were going a bit too fast on '12 Days of Christmas', so just be careful about speeding up. Vic, you did great, but can you lay off the cymbals a bit? It was getting a little sloppy. And Gar, I think you could-"
"-Dude, can we please just go outside and get a drink?" interrupted Garfield.
"-practice your harmonies a bit more to tighten them up," Richard continued without missing a beat. "Now we can go outside and get a drink."
Although the patrons of the bar were happy to treat them to booze, the band didn't stay for long. They were tired and ready to go home for their long-awaited gift exchange. Victor had already left to get the car and the rest of the team weren't far behind. As they made their exit, Raven noticed a woman approach Garfield as he put on his jacket. The stranger flashed him a smile while she played with the ends of her long, red hair. Raven felt her blood boil when she saw the woman rest her palm on his bicep and flutter her eyelashes flirtatiously. Stepping past them to cross the doorway, Raven saw the manicured hand slip a piece of paper in the back pocket of Garfield's jeans. Her previously happy mood deteriorated and she began to recite a string of angry expletives in her mind.
"Did you see a recycling bin anywhere?"
Raven glanced over her shoulder to see Garfield hold the redhead's phone number between his index and middle fingers. When Raven didn't answer, he shrugged back and crumpled up the paper in his palms. He tossed the little ball into a nearby trash can before swinging his arm over her shoulders. She walked faster in an attempt to escape his hold, but he only clutched her tighter. She kept her head straight with her eyes turned up to look at him defiantly. He gave her a goofy grin and an extra squeeze around the shoulders. He leaned in to whisper in her ear, "You look cold, let me warm you up."
Raven begrudgingly allowed him to keep his arm around her until they reached the car. It was chilly outside and who was she to refuse the extra warmth?
Exchanging gifts was one of Gar's favourite parts about Christmas. He definitely enjoyed receiving presents of his own, but he much preferred watching other people's reactions as they unwrapped them. Dick retrieved the parcels from under the tree and handed them out to their respective recipients. The group sat in a circle on the floor of Raven's living room. She reminded them that there was plenty of cushioned seating, but Kory insisted that huddling together on the carpet was necessary for "optimal gift giving".
Victor was up first. He held a tiny, black box that looked like it could contain an engagement ring. "Looks like my Secret Santa is sweet on me." His chuckle turned into a gasp once he saw the shiny set of gold cufflinks. "Hmmm... Let's see. The only person who'd get me something as bougie as this would be... Dick." The man nodded and Victor pulled him in for a bear hug. "Thanks, buddy!"
"You're welcome, Vic. I thought they might go nicely with your wedding tux." Dick continued the chain and picked up his own present. The gift bag looked a little beat up and the tissue paper had seen better days. Dick graciously made no comment of this as he plunged his hand into the bag and drew out a rectangular leather case. He opened it to reveal a brand new pair of sunglasses. "Let me guess, Gar?"
"Guilty as charged! It's to replace the pair I broke that one time."
Sure enough, the sunglasses were an exact replica of the ones Gar had accidentally sat on during a house party earlier that year. The two men embraced before moving on to Gar's turn. His gift was a massive parcel that stretched 4 feet long. He hadn't seen it in Victor's car, meaning that his suspicions were confirmed. "Raven! I knew it was you!" he exclaimed triumphantly.
She crossed her arms and replied, "Nope. I was telling you the truth. It's not me."
Gar gaped at her in disbelief, unable to accept that his gut had let him down. To make up for the dissatisfaction of being wrong, he decided to take his sweet time unwrapping the gift. Instead of doing it quickly as he normally would, he slowly tore off the metallic paper one tiny bit at a time, flicking the pieces at Raven and Victor who sat next to him. After two excruciating minutes of watching Gar methodically open the present, Victor growled, "Will you just finish already?!"
"That's what she said!" Gar joked back, giving his best friend a pair of finger guns. His fun was interrupted by a loud rip. He whipped his gaze back to his present, which was now missing a large section of wrapping paper. Raven crumpled up the torn piece and flicked it at his forehead. The group laughed at Gar's momentarily stunned expression and when he regained his focus, he laughed along with them. He put everyone out of their misery and finished what Raven had started. "Oh my god... Is this...?"
"A custom travel case," Kory answered sweetly, "to replace the soft one for your acoustic guitar."
Gar lifted the hard-shell case from the ground and placed it on his lap. On the front side, Kory had painted a collage of endangered animals to signify his support of the World Wide Fund for Nature. She used different shades of green, ranging from a pale mint to a dark clover. He could spot mammals like tigers and pandas, as well as birds like the macaw and the bald eagle. Each creature was rendered in painstaking detail. Gar figured it must have taken her countless hours, if not days, to have finished the project. He placed it gently on the ground before pouncing on her in an enthusiastic embrace. "It's perfect. A real work of art. Thank you so much, Kory!"
All eyes turned to Kory as she gingerly picked up a small, rectangular box wrapped in green gift paper. As she brought it closer, the soft sound of jingle bells filled the air. She looked up to make eye contact with Raven. "You are my Secret Santa, yes?"
Raven nodded back shyly. The girls' exchange intrigued Gar. He predicted that this was going to be a really good unboxing. Kory lifted the cover off the box, revealing a silver necklace. When she picked it up to put it on, it began to jingle as though the chain links were hollow with bells inside.
"I did my best to find something authentically Tamaranean, but I didn't have a lot of ti-" Raven's explanation was cut off when Kory launched herself at the smaller woman, bursting into tears. The scene was almost comical, with Kory's dramatic crying contrasted against Raven's expression of bewilderment. Gar would have laughed out loud, but instead, the touching moment filled him with warmth and all he could do was smile quietly. Richard and Victor felt the same and the three men watched them hug it out for several moments. After a while, Raven sputtered, "K-Kory, I ca-can't breathe!" When she regained her composure, she turned to Victor and said, "I guess that makes you my Secret Santa, hmm?"
"No use hiding it now," he replied with a smile. As Raven took her presents out of the gift bag one by one, Victor gave a detailed commentary. "So this is the holiday collection from Teavana. I don't know what you like best, so I got you a little bit of everything. And this is a super fancy electric kettle. I figured you already have one, but on this baby, you can set the temperature of the water or even program it to boil at a certain time. Oh, and the New York Times says that's the Bible for tea-lovers."
Raven turned the book over in her hands to read the description on the back. The front read, "The Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide".
"I, uh, I hope you like it all," Victor finished quietly, losing steam after his long-winded rambling.
"Thank you, Victor. Everything is lovely." Raven put her hand on his shoulder and leaned forward to give him a peck on the cheek. Victor responded back ruffling her hair.
At the sight of their display of affection, Gar went green with envy. He knew it was only platonic, he knew that Victor saw her like a little sister. The ugly feeling continued to eat at Gar when the group transitioned into setting up for a movie night. It bothered him when Richard relieved her of the heavy tray of snacks that she brought from the kitchen, and when Kory braided her hair into two little plaits while the movie played. It took the entirety of It's A Wonderful Life to realize what bothered him so much. He wanted her all to himself. As Raven handed him a pile of blankets and bid him goodnight, Gar decided right then and there: it was time to make a move.
On Christmas morning, everything was still. Even though Raven had crawled into bed long after midnight, her body automatically woke up at the usual time of 6 am. Looking at herself in the mirror, she saw that her hair was askew from Kory's salon treatment of the night before. She untangled the ties from the ends of her braids, letting the wavy locks fall around her face. Still clad in her pyjamas, she stepped into the hallway as quietly as she could. As she approached the kitchen, she pondered upon what kind of tea to make herself that morning. Victor had very insistently demonstrated how to use her brand new toy soon after she had opened it. Now, the hi-tech kettle sat beneath her tea shelf next to the stove. She had put her old one in a cupboard, figuring that she could always use a back-up
Raven liked to drink a different kind of tea every day, depending on her mood. She would go for a highly caffeinated green tea if she was tired, or a lemon ginger blend if she felt under the weather. Chamomile was great before bedtime and peppermint was helpful for settling an upset stomach. Before making up her mind, she remembered the book that Victor had gifted her. Maybe she could find some inspiration there. She flipped it open and went through the table of contents. As much as she enjoyed her friends' company, the introverted side of her couldn't wait for them to leave so that she could immerse herself in the text. Already, she was so absorbed in her reading that she barely noticed the person standing behind her.
"Morning, beautiful."
Raven's face flushed immediately at the unexpected compliment coming from her favourite voice. She could feel his body heat as he approached and settled his hands against the counter, trapping her with his arms. His breath was tinged with spearmint toothpaste, but the rest of him smelled like he usually did; pine and sandalwood, mixed with a unique, masculine scent. Raven knew that if she turned towards him, she would reveal how flustered she was, so she stayed in place and set the book aside with a trembling hand. His husky voice sent shivers down her spine. "I'm thirsty."
Raven blushed even harder. "Good thing I'm making tea. Want some?"
"What do you have?"
"Let's see..." Her voice trailed off as she studied at the assortment of Mason jars, boxes and tins on the shelf. She basically had the collection memorized, but there was something about his presence that made her head go fuzzy. "There's rooïbos, chaï, sencha, English Breakfast, jasmine..."
"What about that?" He pointed at a clear jar directly above her head. There were pops of a pinkish-red colour within the dark green of the dried tea leaves.
"That's darjeeling with Himalayan rose petals. It's full of antioxidants and it's good for digestion."
"You know, it almost looks like mistletoe."
Raven turned instinctively to roll her eyes at the man for his ridiculous comment. Their faces were mere inches apart and their bodies almost touched. He looked down at her from where he stood, arms still fixed on either side of her body. They said nothing, the only sound in the kitchen being their soft breathing and the bubbling of the kettle. She stared into his ocean blue eyes, focusing on the tiny flecks of green. He raised his right hand from the counter to grab a lock of her hair.
"I've never seen it this wavy. It's usually pin straight."
"That's what happens when you fall asleep with braids in, I guess. It's getting too long, I should probably cut it soon."
"It's pretty, short or long. But I think you should keep it however you like it best."
His gaze became even more intense as he continued to play with her hair. Raven felt heat rush to her cheeks once more, so she deflected and let her distinctive sarcasm creep into her voice, "Remind me to consult you for my next makeover."
A deep chuckle rose from his chest. "As if you would need a makeover," he whispered with a smile. "Now if that's mistletoe, you know what that means..." He leaned in ever closer, loosening his fingers from her hair to gently cup her face. She should have pushed him away, she should have said no. But Raven discovered that she didn't want to. Her eyes fluttered shut and she unconsciously licked her lips in anticipation. She felt him plant a feather-light kiss on the center of her forehead. Even though the touch was chaste and innocent, Raven felt a heat ignite within her.
"Merry Christmas, Raven."
"Merry Christmas, Gar."
It only occurred to Raven much later, once all of the Titans were seated at the dining table for brunch, that she had never finished making her tea. Victor woke up shortly after their little encounter, giving her the perfect escape route. She scurried off to the washroom, leaving Garfield behind without a word. She stepped into the shower, letting the cold water jolt her from the fuzzy feeling that still lingered in her brain. As she replayed the scene over and over in her mind, she couldn't shake the way her body had responded to his touch. And it wasn't just the way he felt; it was his enticing scent and the look of longing in his eyes. She let her mind wander and wondered how he would taste. At that last thought, Raven adjusted the shower tap to its coldest setting and muttered, "Shit."
Now, it was late morning. Santa and his little helper were back on cooking duty for the most important meal of the day: brunch. Victor had supplied several pounds of bacon to accompany a steaming platter of waffles. Garfield prepared a fruit salad along with a pan of homestyle potatoes. The group ate heartily, cracking jokes and telling stories of Christmases gone by. Once everyone was finished, Kory got up to clear the table. Before she could fully stand, Raven stopped her and asked her to sit back down. It was time to tell them the good news. "I have a present for everyone. Two, actually," the manager announced. "One is good news and the other is a small gift. Which would you like to receive first?"
"Good news," Richard said. The rest of the team deferred to him and nodded their heads in agreement.
"You know the tech company, Apple?"
"Um, duh!" answered Garfield.
"They want to use 'Aftershock' as the background music for their next product campaign. In addition to a hefty bonus, your royalty cheques are going to get significantly bigger."
"What good news of great joy!" cried Kory. "I almost wish you had done the gift giving first!"
"I have a feeling you might like my gifts even more. Go check out your stockings."
The four band members raced towards the fake fireplace while their manager simply walked behind them at a leisurely pace. Garfield was the first to open his package. Unlike the night before, he practically clawed off the paper in a single motion. What he found underneath the wrapping was a rectangle of brown, treated leather. It was almost as large as his hand and there was a loop on one end that held a small, stainless steel boat clip. One side had the Titans' logo embossed in gold foil. The other side was a thin pocket covered by a clear, plastic flap with a rectangle of cardstock inside. It looked like a blank form on which to fill in contact information. "What is this?" Garfield wondered out loud.
"They're luggage tags," Raven replied, letting a tiny smile form on her face. "We're going on tour."
A/N: Buckle up, people! The tour is going to be a wild ride, both figuratively and literally. There will be drama, romance, cameos and musical shenanigans aplenty.
Upon re-reading one of my favourite BBRae fics of all time, "The Librarian's Children" by crosseyedbutterfly, I realized how similar my mistletoe scene is to theirs. It was totally unintentional, but I'm sure that my subconscious was inspired by it. Credit where credit is due!
Finally, Raven and Dick's wine comments are direct quotes from Parks and Recreation. It's one of my favourite shows and the lines were too good not to use.
Till next time, Lily Timbers
Replies to Guest Reviews
Guest #1: You're a real sweetie! As you can see, I had plans for the silver bells ;-) Kory is lovely, and should be treated like the princess she is. Merci infiniment pour tes mots gentils. (Google Translate will let you know what I mean.)
Walker: I needed the fluff too. Technically, I'm writing this story for the BBRae community, but it's mostly for myself, haha. I hope that this chapter gave you the fluff you were craving.
GURA: I'm tired of "brainless" Starfire too! Good vibes back to you xoxo
Guest #2: Hello there, welcome to the party! From one fanfic junkie to another, thank you so much for your kind words. I put tons of effort into making the plot and characters realistic, so your feedback means a lot. I took "music appreciation" classes in college for jazz, classical and pop music, and I play the guitar as a hobby, but other than that I've been getting my music business education from Google University. If anything seems out of place in that area, I'll be trusting you to fact-check me!