Published: July 1, 2020 (Happy Canada Day to all of my compatriots!)

Track 23: Compromise

Raven Roth, CEO of Nevermore Records and manager of the Titans, was an introvert. In her regular life, she had no problem with being by herself. If she did have to socialize, she preferred to do so in small doses and with as few people as possible. Now that they were on tour, Raven's introverted nature was constantly being challenged. It helped that she always had her own hotel room. Even travelling in a van with the Titans had been manageable. At present, being trapped on a tour bus with fourteen other passengers was her very own version of Hell. Although the Tower was relatively spacious, there was nowhere to hide from the others. The drive to Miami was their longest one yet, taking up a day and a half of travel. They had only left New York City a few hours ago and Raven already felt like she was losing her mind. At the beginning of the ride, she humoured the others by participating in the odd conversation or card game. Slowly but surely, the excess noise and lack of personal space became unbearable.

A rowdy video game tournament was on-going in the back of the bus. The Pérez twins duked it out, hurling insults at each other in Spanish while Garfield, Cassie, Karen and Roy heckled them. At the booths, Bart and Wally were in a heated debate over who would win in a hypothetical car race. Garth, Tim and the Graysons watched with great interest, often interrupting with questions or comments to sidetrack them. This left Conner at the driver's helm and Victor, who sat by himself on the bench at the very front. Looking at her client, friend and surrogate brother, Raven frowned. Victor hadn't been himself recently. His laughter was a little less raucous, his smiles a little more rare. While not as outgoing as Garfield or Kory, he was still a "people" person. Raven was under the impression that Victor liked being in the middle of the action, not for the attention but for the company. However, he seemed more withdrawn and melancholy over the past few days. Raven walked in his direction and pointed at the empty cushion next to him. "Is this seat taken?"

"It is now," he said with a wink. "It's getting pretty loud back there, huh? You look like you need a break."

"A pair of noise-cancelling headphones would work too," she replied with a wink of her own.

"Ain't that the truth. I like being around other people, but it can be tiring. When Gar gets too intense at home, I usually retreat to my room and tinker away on a mechanical project. It helps recharge my batteries."

Raven nodded back in understanding. It looked like Victor was more introverted than she thought. They rarely got the chance to talk by themselves, so she took the opportunity to check on his well-being. This was standard procedure for a manager, but it was also her duty as a close friend. "How have you been? Getting homesick yet?"

"A little bit. Hotel bathrooms gross me out and nothing will ever beat my own bed."

"I totally agree. I miss my shower and my reading chair. Oh, and my cat of course," added Raven. "Which reminds me, I need to get a thank you gift for Sarah. She's very kind for taking care of Earl Grey for me." At the mention of his fiancée, Victor's expression became pained. Just as Raven had suspected, there was trouble in paradise. She dropped her voice to a whisper so that they wouldn't be overheard by Conner or the others. "Is everything okay between you two?"

"Not really. It's been tough lately." Victor fell silent and Raven followed suit. Being a private person herself, she wouldn't feel offended if their conversation stopped there. The details of their relationship wasn't her business. Raven intended to move on to another topic, but Victor continued, "Sarah and I... We've never really fought before. Our relationship has been smooth sailing since day one. This is the first real 'storm' that we've weathered."

"How long have you been together for?" Raven asked.

"Officially? A little less than a year."

Raven raised her brows in mild surprise. According to her calculations, that meant they had only dated for a few months before their engagement, the same night she met the Titans. "She fits in so well with the others, I just assumed it had been longer than that," she remarked.

"A lot of people thought I was rushing things for proposing so soon, including my dad," Victor explained. "He said I jumped the gun, but that changed after I introduced them to each other."

"Well, she's a real sweetheart. Even I liked her the first time I met her, which is saying a lot," said Raven with a self-deprecating chuckle.

"Everyone loves her, mainly because she's got a heart the size of this tour bus."

"So what's been making things difficult? The distance?" asked Raven.

"That and the fact that we're never free at the same time. She works at a school for kids with special needs during the day. When she's done work, we're usually in the middle of soundcheck. And by the time we're back at the hotel after our shows, it's way past her bedtime."

"That shouldn't be too hard to work out, should it?"

"We tried compromising during the first week. She'd stay up late one night and the next time, I'd call her early in the morning. But we keep missing each other and it's starting to get frustrating."

"Don't fret, we aren't on the road forever. We'll be home sooner than you think." Raven gave him a pat on the shoulder, but Victor only shrugged, looking unconvinced. There was something else that was bothering him. They had gotten this far, so Raven felt like it was safe to prod a little further. "Distance and timing aren't the only problems, are they?"

"I feel guilty," he mumbled.

"How come?"

"Recording the album, going on tour, meeting the fans... It's fun. Too much fun."

"How could anything possibly be too much fun?"

"I never thought the Titans would make it. When we were teens, becoming rock stars felt like a crazy dream. But now that we're here, now that it's a reality... I don't want to go back to regular life."

"That's only natural. There's nothing wrong with that," Raven reasoned quietly.

"Of course there is," Victor countered back. "Sarah is a humble, salt-of-the-earth kind of gal. It was always her goal to become a teacher. She's perfectly happy living a simple, uncomplicated life. How can I ask her to give that up for me? It's not fair. It's like saying that my dreams are more important than hers."

"That doesn't have to be true. You said that you compromised before, so why can't you compromise on this?"

He shook his head. "I don't think it's possible. It would be easier if her job was more flexible so she could travel with us. I mean, things will probably return to normal once we're back in Jump City. But what about our next tour? What if we get famous to the point where it starts infringing on her private life? I can't do that to her."

"How does Sarah feel? Have you discussed this with her?"

"Like I said, our communication has been lacking the past few days."

The pair of friends paused, both taking a moment to think. Victor had a point; not everyone is cut out for fame. It takes mental fortitude and thick skin to be in the spotlight. Celebrities tend to flock together out of a mutual understanding, something that regular people just can't comprehend. Being a public figure came with many perks, but there were drawbacks as well. Raven sighed. It was a complicated situation with no quick fix. Hunching over, Victor threaded his shaky fingers together and whispered, "I feel like my priorities are changing."

"You once asked me to not let you lose sight of who you are. Is that what's happening right now?"

"I dunno, I'm confused. I love Sarah more than anything. At least, I thought I did. I love music too and I'd be crazy to turn back on this career now that I've risked it all... I keep doubting myself. What if my feelings for her aren't real? She was the first woman to show interest in me after my accident, so what if I'm just settling out of fear of being alone?"

"It sounds like you have a lot of questions and not a lot of answers," Raven replied sympathetically. "Ultimately, you need to figure this out on your own. After all, only you know how you really feel. Don't let your doubts get the best of you, Victor. Trust yourself."

"You really are one smart woman."

"I certainly like to think so."

The two of them exchanged a smile. Victor wrapped his prosthetic arm around Raven's shoulders and drew her in for a cozy hug.

"I hope you know that I'm always here for you," she said. "If ever you need a listening ear, I'm there."

"Thank you. You're the best little sis I've ever had," declared Victor.

"Hmm, I wonder what Kory would say about that," she replied with a teasing grin.

"She doesn't count, we're almost the same age."

"So I'm the only little sister you've ever had."

"And the only one I'll ever need."

Long after the sun had set, the Tower pulled into the parking lot of a motel in Jacksonville, Florida. They would complete the last leg of the trip to Miami the following day. With a groan of exhaustion, Gar plopped onto his bed stomach-first. As much fun as he had in the tour bus, it was nice to finally spread out his lanky limbs on something soft. It was already pretty late, but he wanted to see Raven. They hadn't spent any time together all day despite being in the same vehicle for the last fifteen hours. Keeping their relationship a secret from the others was getting more and more difficult. While he knew that it was necessary, that didn't mean he had to like it. Gar stood up to brush his teeth, ensuring that his breath was minty fresh. If he was lucky, he'd get to sneak in a little make out session before bed. A sleepover would be even better, but that was probably pushing it.

Before he could slink out the door, Victor stopped him with a seemingly innocent question. "Where you off to, salad head?"

"Uh, I wanted to go for a little walk to stretch my legs," Gar replied while moving towards the exit.

"Tell Raven I say good night."

"Sure, will do-" Gar stopped in his tracks, then spun quickly on his heel to blurt out, "I-m-mean, uh, yeah, I thought I'd tell her good night too. To be p-polite."

"Polite, hmm? How very thoughtful of you, Garfield."

A cold sweat broke out on the guitarist's forehead. Victor never called him by his full name. The flat tone made Gar's skin crawl with unease. The larger man casually sat on his bed and crossed his beefy arms, staring Gar down with a stony expression.

"Speaking of Raven, she's the type of gal that deserves a polite kinda guy. A real gentleman. Wouldn't you agree, Garfield?"

"Y-yeah, totally."

"Personally, I would lose my shit if Raven dated a scumbag. You know, the type of degenerate who thinks that getting busy in a nasty motel is a good idea. She deserves the 5-star treatment, nothing less. I'm sure you feel the same way, right, Garfield?"

"Of c-course!"

"And if this sleazeball ever hurt her in any way, I might just have to hunt him down and cut off his balls. That seems like fitting punishment, doesn't it, Garfield?" Each time the trembling man's name was uttered, Victor flexed his muscles menacingly. Gar was paralyzed, like a fawn in the sights of a hungry grizzly bear. He didn't even notice that he was holding his breath until Victor smacked it out of him when his hand slapped Gar's back. "Like I said, tell Raven I say good night."

As Gar stalked off towards Raven's room, he panicked internally. He should have known that Victor would have picked up on things eventually. The man was a very perceptive person, even more so when it came to situations that involved his best friend. Gar could only hope that Raven wouldn't kill him for spilling the beans. And if she didn't, Victor certainly would for "besmirching her honour". He knocked quietly on her door and she opened it immediately. He whispered, "Hey, you. Long time no see."

"I saw you all day, Gar."

"Well, I'd like to see you a little more privately. Is that okay?"

"Of course, come on in."

Gar followed her into the room and gently closed the door behind him. As Raven moved to sit down on her bed, he noticed that her hair looked wet. He went to sit next to her and tugged at the hem of her pyjama sleeve. "You look comfy."

"It's been a long day," she said. "I always shower before bed, it helps me wind down."

"You plan on sleeping with your hair like that?"

"No, I usually tie it in a bun. Otherwise, I wake up with hair in my mouth."

"I could braid it for you, if you want."

"Since when did you know how to braid hair?" Raven asked with disbelief.

"Well, I'm still in training. Mind if I practice on you?"

With a smirk laced with scepticism, Raven handed him a brush and a couple of hair elastics. He wrapped them around his wrist and began to comb through her hair gently. He started at the ends to untangle the knots, eventually working his way up like Cassie had taught him. Raven breathed a soft sigh of satisfaction, which made his stomach go aflutter with butterflies. Her hair shone in the low light of her room and smelled like lavender shampoo. He parted it straight down the middle and tied off one of the sections so he could work on the other half. Even though her hair was easier to manipulate wet, his inexperienced fingers were clumsy and he had to restart a couple of times. Raven patiently sat without moving or speaking. After multiple attempts, he tied off the first side. It was a little bumpy, but at least it looked like a braid. Once he started on the next one, he brought up the dreaded but necessary topic. "Vic knows."

"Knows what?"

"About us."

"What?!" Raven lurched forward abruptly and the second, almost finished braid fell out.

"I kept my mouth shut, I swear! I think he figured it out on his own."

"How?"

"I'm not sure, he didn't say anything outright. It's just the vibe I got."

"We've been getting too comfortable," she groaned. "You should probably go back to your room before anyone else gets suspicious."

"Nobody saw me walk over. And are you really gonna go to bed with your hair half-done?"

Raven flicked the loose strands out of her face and muttered, "I suppose not. Oh, Gar... What are we going to do?"

"About us? Hopefully nothing drastic," Gar replied.

"I'm not saying we need to end things, but maybe we should put this on hold until we get back home."

"Really, Rae? You think you can resist me for two weeks?"

"I've resisted you pretty well up until recently," she grumbled back.

"Listen, Vic isn't the type to blab and I promise we'll be more careful," he answered in a soothing tone. "I don't wanna stop, not even for a day."

Raven remained quiet as he re-did the second braid, which went much better than the first one. After tying it off, he gently turned her by the shoulders so that she faced him. He inspected his handiwork closely and saw that the two braids looked uneven from the front. "Want me to re-do the first one?"

She glanced at herself in the mirror and shrugged back, "No, it's okay. You did a much better job than I ever could."

Gar grabbed both braids and used the ends to tickle her ears. A light giggle escaped her. It was very different from her usual husky laugh and it delighted him to no end. He let go of her hair and took her cheek instead, cupping it gently with his palm. "I had a lot of fun yesterday," he said, grinning widely.

"Me too," she answered with a smile that mirrored his own.

"So much fun, that it makes me want to go out again. Whaddya say?"

"Well... We are arriving in Miami a day early. Tomorrow afternoon and evening should be free."

"So it's a date?"

"It's a date," confirmed Raven.

They sealed their plans with a kiss. Although the gesture started out chaste, it quickly devolved into a mess of wandering hands and lingering lips. Gar wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her closer. The other arm supported him on the bed, but he lost his balance when she pushed him backward. The sound of her quiet moans and the taste of her mouth stoked a fire inside of him. He felt his jeans tighten as one of her hands began to move up his thigh. Suddenly, he remembered the threat about a certain part of his male anatomy being chopped off... Before things went any further, he broke his lips away from hers with an apologetic expression. This barely deterred Raven, who simply turned her attention elsewhere. "Don't you want to pick up where we left off in the gym?" she asked between licks and nips on his neck.

"Y-yeah, but aren't the walls a little thin?"

"We can be quiet," Raven whispered seductively.

"Hopefully, not too quiet."

When her eyes glinted with fresh desire at his little remark, Gar cursed at himself internally. He meant to cool things down, not crank up the heat. He pushed himself off of the mattress and stood up abruptly. "I-uh, I should go. I'm gonna need my beauty sleep if we're going on a date tomorrow."

"With a face like yours, you'll be sleeping till next week," she said in a facetious tone that made Gar chuckle.

"Hardy, har har. Good night, Rae."

"Good night, Gar."

"Oh, and by the way," he added with a sheepish smile, "Vic says good night too."

Raven was peeved. It all began when Kory mentioned that she hoped to do something relaxing when they got to Miami. Cassie latched onto this idea and suggested that they go shopping. The final nail in the coffin was Karen's proposal that the four of them have a girls' day out. This in of itself would have been fine, if not for Wally complaining that the guys were being excluded. The compromise was that all of them would go clubbing together in the evening. Raven and Gar's original plans were officially ruined and there was nothing they could say to get out of it. The manager shot her pseudo-boyfriend a furtive glance, who returned it with a disappointed shrug. They would have to reschedule their date. She could understand Victor's plight a little bit more; timing was hard to get right. Once all of their things were safely deposited at the new hotel, the four women set off on their outing.

As the day unfolded, Raven never felt so stereotypically feminine. The Miami weather was sunny and humid, so their first stop was a coffeeshop to get iced lattés. Next, they perused an outdoor shopping centre with several high-end storefronts. An hour into their spree, Raven was the only one with empty hands. Her three friends ganged up and decided to make her into their life-sized Barbie doll. She dug in her heels the entire time, but that didn't stop them from giving her outfit after outfit to model. Raven eventually caved in and made a single purchase: a little black dress. The bodice hugged her curves and the bottom hem ended halfway up her thigh. The shoulders, neckline and skirt were covered in black feathers with a subtle iridescent sheen. It was a little too flashy for her taste, but after trying it on, her opinion changed. Her companions ranted and raved about how the fit flattered her body shape perfectly. The top clung to her like a second skin and the miniskirt made her legs look like they went on for days. Afterwards, Kory treated Raven to a matching pair of shoes.

Once the haul was deemed successful, the four of them stepped into a nail salon. Kory decided on a pedicure since a hand treatment wasn't conducive to bass playing. Cassie chose to indulge herself and get all twenty of her nails done. Raven hated feet in general, so she opted for a simple manicure alongside Karen. "Honey" and the Titans' manager sat side by side while two nail technicians worked on their hands. In the short time that they had known each other, Raven had made several observations about Karen. The woman had a firm sense of independence and a sharp, assertive tongue. Although her confident demeanour sometimes came off as cocky, she also had a more caring side. She wasn't as consistent with her leadership as Richard, which was made obvious through Bees' occasional lack of direction. Raven imagined that it must be difficult wrangling all of those personalities into a united front. And as a fellow woman in a male-dominated industry, she could sympathize.

"It feels like I'm catching up on all of the girly stuff I never did as a teenager," Raven said.

"Same here," agreed Karen. "I was never one for primping and preening, but it's nice to practice self-care every once in a while."

"I suppose you don't usually do this type of thing with the rest of the Bees?"

"Ha! I can't speak for the twins, but Garth gets seaweed facials twice a month and Roy spends more money on hair products than he'd like to admit."

When the two women shook with light chuckles, they received death glares from the hard-working technicians. They stilled their bodies so as not to disturb them any further.

"I think you're a boss, by the way," Karen said off-handedly. "It may be a man's world, but you're killing the game. And from what I've observed, you have a lot of integrity too. I really respect that, Ms. Roth."

"Please, call me Raven," she answered with an embarrassed but flattered blush.

"Seriously though, there aren't enough female entrepreneurs, especially ones who are self-made like you."

"You could say the same about female-led rock bands."

"I had to fight tooth and nail for that spot. Thankfully, Wally isn't sexist, unlike some people..."

"Were you under different management before him?"

Karen grimaced as though she had eaten something bitter, then muttered, "Do you know Sebastian Blood?"

Raven raised her brows. The entertainment mogul was a legend in the industry, famous for producing talent shows and singing competitions. "Not personally, but yes, I know who he is."

"Back when I was seventeen, I auditioned for the debut season of his reality show called 'The Academy'. The idea was to enrol a bunch of wannabe singers into a music school, and only the cream of the crop would graduate."

"Let me guess, graduating meant getting a record deal?"

"Exactly," confirmed Karen, "it never went on air, but Blood still offered me a spot with his talent management subsidiary."

"So what happened?"

"He intended to put me in a girl group, but I wanted to make rock music, not pop. So I negotiated."

"I heard he's a real hard-ass. How did that go?"

"He agreed to let me have creative control as long as I paid him certain favours. Obviously, I got the hell away from that situation. I would never compromise on my morals."

Raven's stomach churned with disgust. She hated men who abused their power to fulfill their sick fantasies, especially when said men were exploiting minors. "That's awful. I'm so sorry you had to go through that."

Karen's eyes glinted with determination. "If anything, it made me tougher. Before, I saw the music industry through rose-coloured glasses. After that, I traded in my naiveté for something better: good ol' fashioned scepticism. From that point on, it became my goal to sign with an independent label. It took nearly a decade, but biding my time paid off. When I met Wally last year, he introduced me to the rest of the guys. He said that we all had individual potential, but as a team, we could be something more."

"I admire your tenacity," Raven said sincerely. "That kind of patience takes a lot of strength and self-discipline."

"Honestly, I felt like giving up so many times. The amount of double-standards in this industry is unbelievable. If I'm assertive, I get called 'bossy'. If I refuse to take shit from others, I'm a 'diva'."

"Very true. The entertainment world isn't the kindest to us women."

"That's a major understatement. Women are persecuted for things that men never would. Did you hear the story about that pop star and her leaked nudes? She was obviously the victim, but the media still labelled her as a 'slut'."

Raven cocked her head in recognition and asked, "Are you referring to Terra? I don't know for sure, but I have a hunch that it was actually her manager who orchestrated the leak..."

Karen pounded her fist on the counter, startling the technician who was still applying a top coat of polish on her other hand. "Are you shitting me?! That's so messed up! The fact that these bigwig CEOs treat their clients like disposable playthings makes me sick! If I had actually agreed to Blood's proposition, I would have been painted as desperate and fame-hungry. I bet that if a male celebrity got caught sleeping around with his boss, the media wouldn't even blink an eye."

The last statement made chills run up Raven's spine. Technically, she and Garfield weren't sleeping around... At least, not yet. It was a different situation though; they were two consensual adults. It wasn't a power move on Garfield's part, or an abuse of power on hers... Was it? Doubts crept into Raven's mind. What if he wasn't actually interested in her? What if he was only using her? No, that couldn't be right, Garfield wasn't like that. Yes, he was hungry for fame and yes, he aimed for the stars. But his feelings were genuine, Raven was sure of it. That being said, she still had misgivings about her own intentions. How could she claim any moral high ground when she had compromised her own professionalism? Was she really the admirable, integrous manager people thought her to be?

"This is taking forever!" Roy whined aloud.

"Just be grateful you're getting in," said Garth. "Think about the poor twins, Tim and Bart who had to stay behind."

The group of men, minus those who were underaged, shuffled their feet impatiently. The nightclub had been open for an hour and they were still waiting in line. The queue of people extended all the way around the corner of the building and they had barely moved forward since they arrived. Raven, Kory, Cassie and Karen had yet to show up. The four women extended their girls' day out by getting ready together in Raven's hotel room. Gar was a little put out that they had spent the entire day apart, but there was nothing he could do about it. The pocket of his phone buzzed with an incoming text message:

Raven: Where are you?

Gar: still in line, you?

Raven: We're inside, we got a booth near the back.

Gar: wtf?! when did you get here?

Raven: About 10 mins ago. The bouncer let us in right away.

"Unbelievable!" Gar shouted as he showed his companions the series of texts.

"They say 'it's a man's world', but sometimes, women really have the upper hand," Garth said.

"More like women have what we don't," Wally replied, cupping his hands suggestively in front of his chest.

"I agree with Roy, this is taking way too long," grumbled Victor. "I could have called Sarah five times by now but nooo, we're standing here like a bunch of chumps."

"It's not that bad," Conner answered stoically.

"By the time we get inside, how many randos do you think will have hit on Cassie? Or Kory for that matter?" Victor said pointedly in Conner and Dick's direction.

Gar inserted himself back into the conversation and argued, "And what's the point of being famous if we can't even get in?! Screw this! I'm gonna go talk to the bouncer. Vic, Dick, you guys come with."

The three Titans walked around the corner to the front of the line. When Gar noticed how bulky the bouncer was, he lost a bit of steam. Before he could back away completely, Victor pushed him forward. "Er, uh, e-excuse me, sir!" Gar said nervously, catching the bouncer's attention right away.

"You need to wait in line just like everybody else."

"But that's just it, we're not like everybody else! We're celebrities!"

"Oh, really?" the bouncer said mockingly, looking Gar up and down with a judgemental stare. "How come I have no idea who the hell you are?"

"We're the Titans! You know, the up and coming rock band from Cali? We're famous, I swear!"

"Wait a second... Are you that kid that pitched himself offstage last week? #TitansTumble?"

Gar flushed with embarrassment while Victor answered for him, "Yeah, that's him!"

The bouncer released a large belly laugh and exclaimed, "I'd recognize that neon green hair anywhere! Okay, so you're the Titans. Why should I let you in ahead of everyone else?"

"Uhhh, 'cause we're VIPs?" Gar answered hopefully.

"You know, my nephew is a big fan of yours," the bouncer replied with a sly expression.

"We have a joint concert with Honey and the Bees tomorrow night," Dick replied. "Will he be there?"

"No, tickets sold out before he could get one."

The bouncer gave the three of them an almost imperceptible wink. Gar put two and two together, then leaned in conspiratorially. "Well, our manager is inside... I'm sure we could work something out."

"Done. I'll find you at the end of the night to make sure you uphold your part of the bargain, Mr. Stagedive."

While Gar and the bouncer shook hands, Dick went back to collect the rest of the group. Less than two minutes later, they were ushered inside. This nightclub in particular was one of the hottest spots in Miami. The place crawled with people and flowed with alcohol. At the moment, the DJ played a mix of EDM and house music. Flashing lights glittered on luxurious chandeliers that hung from the ceiling, creating a kaleidoscope of colour. They made their way to the back where the women were already waiting. Like Victor had predicted, the ladies' booth was surrounded by a smattering of guys who vied for their attention. Gar wasn't surprised at all; the four of them looked stunning in their own rights. Obviously he was biased, but to him, it was a certain dark-haired beauty who stood out the most.

Raven had done something different with her hair. It was arranged in a messy updo that showed off her neck. Her indigo irises were offset by smokey eye makeup and her lips were painted a sultry shade of red that matched her fingernails. But that dress... And those shoes! While her outfit was fairly modest up top, the skirt was sinfully short. Her shapely legs were crossed in a haughty position and at the ends of her feet, she wore sky-high stilettos. The entire combination was too much for Gar to handle. He tried to compliment her, but all that came out of his mouth were unintelligible grunts. While the noise was lost underneath the pounding music, his gaping expression said it all.

Now that the group had reunited, everyone felt comfortable with spreading out and doing their own thing. They agreed to regroup at the entrance in three hours. The Graysons, Cassie, Connor and Roy went straight to the dance floor. Wally and Garth made their way to the bar, which left Karen, Victor, Raven and Gar seated in the booth. The four of them chatted, although it was difficult to hear each other over all of the background noise. Raven leaned closer into Gar so that she could talk to Karen, who was seated on his other side. Gar almost wrapped his arm around her out of instinct, but Victor's hard stare discouraged him from any extra physical contact.

As the night went on, everyone's drunk personas emerged. It reminded Gar of their launch party so many months ago on Halloween night. The group rearranged themselves several times between the dance floor, bar and private booth. Gar downed his third drink and stood up abruptly for a refill. Cutting through the crowd, he tipsily walked towards the bar. On the way, he saw Wally and Roy dance together in a drunken salsa. The music had changed to Latin fusion, which seemed to be very popular with the Miami locale. While he tried to get the bartender's attention, Gar noticed Raven sitting at the bar with a drink in hand. Some random guy hovered behind her and it looked like he was trying to engage her in conversation. Gar tensed at the sight, but he didn't move. The other man didn't look like much of a threat and Raven seemed unbothered. Really, her face was a mixture of boredom and irritation. The two of them made eye contact and to his surprise, Raven beckoned Gar over with a subtle nod of her head. As he got closer, she mouthed, "Get this guy away from me".

"Excuse me, sir," he said politely while tapping the man on the shoulder. "I'd like to pass through."

When the stranger moved away, Gar planted himself between Raven and the rest of the crowd. She swivelled on her seat to face him and leaned in to speak directly in his ear, "Thank you. He wouldn't get off my back, no matter how much I ignored him. I would have moved away eventually, but I didn't want to lose my seat. These shoes are killing me."

"They don't call them 'killer heels' for nothing," Gar responded jovially. "Have I told you how amazing you look tonight?"

"No, you haven't."

"Well you do. Although I hope those feathers are fake."

"I assure you, this dress is cruelty-free," she said drily.

"It definitely isn't cruel on the eyes."

Raven answered his exaggerated wink with a roll of her eyes and a raspy chuckle.

"Any chance I can convince you to dance with me?" he asked hopefully.

"I don't dance, Gar."

"If my memory serves me correctly, that's not true," he countered back. "What you're really trying to say is that you're not drunk enough yet."

"My feet are dying."

"I'll support you. Here, take 'em off."

With great apprehension, Raven followed his request, her brows furrowing together in confusion when Gar unbuckled his belt. He picked up her heels from the floor and looped the end of his belt through the ankle straps. After rebuckling his belt, Raven's shoes were effectively secured to his person. Then, he instructed her to step onto the tops of his shoes. While Raven clutched onto him by the shoulders, Gar awkwardly shuffled them to the dance floor. They "danced" slowly, if one could call their limping and stumbling a form of dancing. Raven's bare heels began to pinch at his toes, but Gar didn't care. All he could focus on was how perfectly she fit in his arms. A few feet away, Wally and Roy were still dancing together, although their salsa had turned into a haphazard merengue. Predictably, the Graysons were paired up, as well as Cassie and Conner. The less likely duo were Victor and Karen, who spun and swayed in time with the music.

Like all good things, their night on the town eventually came to an end. Gar reluctantly extracted himself from Raven's embrace and helped her put her shoes back on. As the group exited the building, they were stopped by the same bouncer who let the men cut in line. Gar pulled Raven to the side and whispered loudly, "Oh, did I forget to mention that I promised the bouncer tickets for tomorrow?"

"That's bribery!" she exclaimed while smacking him on the arm.

"Come on, it can't be that big of a deal!"

"It is a big deal!" she cried. "Tomorrow is sold out, there are no more tickets left to give!"

Before Gar could make any more excuses, Raven stomped over to the bouncer. They looked like they were deep in negotiations. Gar felt guilty about his thoughtless offer; he had been too fed up with waiting in line to think that far ahead. Eventually, Raven typed something into the bouncer's phone and they shook hands. When she returned to the group, she refused to acknowledge Gar. It was hurtful, but understandable. The taxi ride to the hotel was filled with awkward silence. Back in their room, Victor passed out on his bed immediately. He had the intention of phoning Sarah, but he had fallen asleep before he could press the "call" button. In the meantime, Gar began to compose yet another apology to Raven in his head. His thoughts were interrupted when someone knocked at the door.

"Hi."

"Hi."

"You really shouldn't have done that, Gar."

"I know, Rave. I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking."

Raven ran a hand through her now loose hair and released a tired sigh. She had changed out of her club outfit and her face was smudged with half-removed makeup. Gar could tell that she was still annoyed and braced himself for a scolding. There was a pregnant pause and the tension finally broke when she muttered, "It's fine. I was able to work something out."

"You're not mad?"

"I'm livid. Well, I was livid. But the situation turned out okay, so there's no reason to stay mad at you. You asked me to be more merciful and less angry, so that's what I'm trying to do now. Just don't do it again, okay?"

"Yes 'mam," he replied with a salute.

She rolled her eyes but then said with a small smile, "And don't think your restraint went unnoticed tonight. You dealt with that man at the bar really calmly. I'm proud of you."

"I'm trying too. I guess that's what compromise is, huh?"

"I suppose so. And thanks for lending me your feet."

Gar moved forward to hold her hand. He squeezed it tightly and said, "Anything for you."

Raven Roth, CEO of Nevermore Records and manager of the Titans, was an introvert. Though she took pleasure in the companionship of her friends, she also thrived in solitude. There was a human need to be with others, but there was also a time to be by herself. The early morning was one of those times, when the world was quiet and the rising sun peeked out from the horizon. Raven decided to have breakfast in the comfort of her bed rather than join the others in the dining room. When room service arrived, she poured herself a fresh mug of tea from the portable kettle. Taking the vessel in one hand, she held her phone in the other. It had become a part of her morning ritual to monitor the Titans' Internet presence. In reviewing their Google alert, Raven dropped her teacup out of shock, barely registering the hot liquid seep into her bedsheets. All she could see was the headline on her screen and the dimly lit photograph below it.

Miami Heat: Inter-Band Romance?
Honey and the Bees front woman and Titans' drummer spark dating rumours.

Karen Beecher and Victor Stone (pictured above) were seen dancing together last night. The alleged couple was photographed at an exclusive nightclub in South Beach, Miami. According to eyewitnesses, the pair even left in the same taxi. The two bands have been touring together since their first joint performance in Toronto last week. If you want to catch these lovebirds live, you better act quickly. Tickets for the rest of the tour are selling like hotcakes, so get them while you can!

Raven gasped. "Shit. We've been compromised."

A/N: Welp, a scandal was bound to happen eventually. Next chapter will deal with the aftermath... If you didn't catch it, Brother Blood is supposed to parallel Simon Cowell of "American Idol"/"X Factor" fame. Karen's comments about double-standards are inspired from an old Nicki Minaj interview.

Last thing: The original idea for Raven's club outfit is credited to AlexSpence. They suggested that I incorporate a "raven-like" dress at some point, so there you go!

Till next time, Lily Timbers

Replies to Guest Reviews

Guest: Thank you for pointing that out. In Wicked (both the book and the musical), Glinda is the Witch of the North. But in the original books by L. Frank Baum, she's the Witch of the South. So confusing! I ended up just changing it to "Glinda the Good" to make it simpler. I'm a real stickler for the details, so I really appreciate your sharp eye :)