If I leave…
Oh Gosh, I do not own the Teen Titans in any way. I just own this story, though.
…
The tower had been quiet for most of the day. Nightwing could be working in his own stuff, the other titans that had joined through the year were quiet enough, but Starfire and Beast Boy… Raven could only guess that they were out. Or perhaps maturity had finally struck them. It had been almost 8 years since they first united after all.
The teens were far gone and now they were all young adults. Some other titans had come and gone, but the team remained. There were some dark times were they would split a little, this time it had been Cyborg who was already a member of the Justice League but the closeness they had was irrefutable, the five original titans were a real family, living under the same roof or not. A family she had come to love.
Aware of all this, she suddenly couldn't keep her concentration in her book anymore. She left to her room deciding it was too lonely being in such a big room as the headquarters was.
The woman in the blue cloak opened her door where she found something out of place. A note. She picked it up and read:
'Please, meet me in the rooftop.'
Green ink.
'Gar.' She concluded.
…
Up in the roof, the wind was soothing and calming. The changeling stood there embracing it all, his sight set on the horizon. The sea was warmly illuminated by a pinkish sky which was slowly turning into night.
How he loved this kind of views. Not many could have the chance to see such a beautiful sight in their busy and troubled lives. He'd always be thankful he did. Even in his own busy and troubled life. But there was always something special that cheered him up.
And by the scent he perceived right then, he knew one of those special things was approaching.
"Hey, Gar. You ok?"
He smiled at her voice. Low, raspy, dull voice that he so much loved.
He turned to face her and smiled even wider. "I think I am." He sighed and asked her to sit next to him in the edge of the tower where both continued enjoying of the view.
Raven didn't utter a word and patiently waited for him to say whatever he had to say. Then his words came, surprising her.
"I'll miss this."
She widened her eyes. Why would he miss this?
"Garfield, what-?"
"I'm leaving, Rae. For good."
"…"
"I- I thought this through. It's not random."
The woman next to him had to look down. As if she were searching for the right words. What did he expect from her?
"We- we always say that but we eventually come back." Raven started.
"Not this time, Raven. I've done my time."
"I know it's harder since Cy left but-"
The green man chuckled. "it sure is, but… that's not what made me change my mind. I just don't see a future here. I've grown all I could grow in this team." Then he fully laughed. "And before you say anything… yeah I have lots of maturity to do but… not here, not as a super hero, that is. I don't want this lifestyle anymore." He turned to finally look at her only to find disappointment in her eyes.
"And what will you do?"
"I already bought an apartment, not too far from Jump City…" Raven hold her breath at the thought of him being that far. He didn't notice and continued. "It's so close to my next job."
"A job?"
He smiled excitedly. "Yeah. I'll be working in a governmental field in charge of preserving the wild life. Finally something I'm good at."
"You're a wonderful hero, too. Don't think of yourself as anything less."
He smiled at the compliment. "Those days are gone for me, Rae."
"Are you planning on just leave and have a normal life?"
"As normal as someone who's green can. Yeah." He chuckled.
"I guess there's no point trying to stop you." She said trying to keep her breaking voice steady.
"I'm sorry Raven. I do need this. Everything comes to an end. My cycle here is over, but the team isn't, Rae. You'll always have your family here."
'Not without you.' She thought not daring to voice those thoughts.
"I'm sure this is what I want." He said and rested a hand upon hers. "I've been packing all day. It's settled."
She nodded in understanding. "As I was packing, all these flowing memories came to me and I gotta be honest, that almost got me." It took him a while before he gathered the courage to say his following words. "But you know? There was only one thing that made my deciding so hard." He said and gulped nervously. "And I think you know what it was."
Raven remained silent. Her eyes dancing in wistfulness. Did she really know? She had always felt something strong and special coming from him, but she always mixed it up with her own growing feelings for her teammate that she couldn't tell how strong they were or who had stronger feelings for whom.
"Then stay." She finally pleaded looking down in a cute shy way.
Garfield smiled and tightened the grip he had on her hand. "I am most sorry I have to put this weight on you, but you don't have to do anything, please don't feel any responsibility. I'm leaving, and there's nothing to do about it."
She jerked her hand away and stood up. She eyed him, surprised, annoyed, disappointed. "Nothing to do?" She asked on the verge of tears.
He stood up as well.
"So I just have to stay here, arms crossed, as you just leave me behind?!"
"Raven…"
"No! Then why did you selfishly threw this bomb on me? You- you have feelings for me! And you're still leaving? Just how did you expect me to react?"
He looked down. "I just had to tell you before I left." He glanced back at her getting slightly closer. "I've loved you for the longest time, Raven. My beautifulRaven." He added sweetly. "But telling you this won't change the way you feel about me, so…"
"And how is it that you know how I feel?"
He was dumbfounded. To her eyes, he had always been a burden, the annoying immature member of the team. That much he knew.
"You- huh?"
It was outrageous. How lame was she at expressing her feelings that the only man she had ever loved couldn't figure that out.
"Did you truly think all this time I hadn't come to accept you? More than that, Garfield, I care about you so much that it hurts. Can't you tell that I love you too?!" She said firmly finally letting some tears flow.
"…" Now he was the one left speechless.
"This. Is. For. Real?"
"This won't be real if you leave. If you leave me." More tears.
The green skinned man couldn't hold it anymore. He went to her side and took her in an embrace.
"God, I love you. I love you so much."
"Then stay." She repeated softly to his ear hugging him back.
Staying? He was beyond that. Instead he suggested. "Come with me."
They let go of the embrace and Raven asked. "What?"
He wiped some of the tears upon her cheek away and smiled fondly. "I mean it. My life would be empty without you. You could stay with me, in my apartment."
"M- Move in with you?"
"I know it's forward but… Rae, we've known each other for too long. There are too few thing about one another that we don't already know. And whatever it is that I still don't know about you, I'd love discovering it. I just know it!"
"Garfield…"
"All I said about having a life figured out… that was… that was just a way of keeping my mind off you. To- to finally let go of you. But now that I know how you feel… there's no point being away from each other."
Raven looked at the moon that now glowed over the city and thought about the two of them. She was barely a moon that needed his light to shine. She was nothing without him. That different they were, and yet they completed each other perfectly. She knew she would lose too much if she let this man go.
She loved him. Deeply. And he loved her, probably even more deeply than did she. And that thought sent a warm feeling through her body.
She turned to look at his glimmering eyes and suddenly knew she would be happy by his side.
She was about to reply when he interjected.
"Can I just say one more thing to convince you?"
She raised an eyebrow. She doubted there was anything else to add. She had barely nodded when she felt a pair of lips landing upon hers, sweetly caressing her as his hands went to cup her face to deepen the kiss. She returned the kiss with the same love and passion. It was Garfield Mark Logan kissing her, the man she knew she would love for ever. The man who had saved her from loneliness and grief too many times. The love of her life. She cried a few more happy tears and he let go in fear as he noticed. She kept her eyes closed for a few seconds.
"I'm sorry, Raven." Had he been too bold?
She shook her head. "Don't be. That's one hell of a way to convince anyone." He chuckled.
"I love you!"
"I love you!"
They both said again at the same time and laughed. Raven dried her tears and cupped his face with one hand. "I'd love to live with you."
He was too ecstatic to utter a word but smiled and nodded.
They leaned in for another kiss that went deeper than the last one. The moon being the only witness.
As they pulled apart she said worriedly, "Now, how are we going to face Nightwing?"
…
Well, he would have to deal with it because there was no one that would stop these two.
How was it, guys? Did you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it?
Bye Bye!