The second she stopped talking, he pulled her back into her chest and rested his chin on top of her head. He whispered, 'I am so sorry...if I had known...he's such a bastard...that explains so much...he's gone now... you're safe. You're here in my arms. You're okay."

"So how old were you?" he mumbled into her hair.

"Twelve." Gar sighed sympathetically.

It had been a few hours since Raven and Gar's conversation. They were watching some kind of Netflix movie on Raven's TV in her room. Neither were paying attention to it; it's purpose was background noise as Gar hesitantly asked Raven a question about her experience while they cuddled. At the moment, Raven was half-sitting half-lying in Gar's lap. Gar was leaning against her headboard; his chin on her head.

Raven allowed him to ask questions and was willing to answer them, though usually only a word or two. It obviously wasn't something she was used to talking about. So far, Gar knew her father had molested her three times, it happened over a span of three months, and most recently, she was only twelve.

The credits rolled down the screen, but neither hero wanted to move. Raven turned off the television with a flick of her wrist before sighing and getting up. Surprised, Gar scooted back as far as he could with the headboard behind him to give her space. Raven turned around so that she was facing him and stared him directly in his wide eyes. "Gar."

"Yes."

"You have more questions. Ask them."

"I don't want to upset you. Any more than this situation already has."

"You won't. Ask away."

"I don't need to know anything else. I know the full story, along with details you were willing to share."

Raven scoffed. "I know you have more questions."

Gar looked at her confused. "Not really."

"Not about the story. About my sexual life regarding this."

The room fell silent for a brief second. "Oh," Gar said softly. Truth be told, that had crossed his mind once or twice during the movie, but wasn't comfortable asking them. The time didn't seem right. 'She must have read my thoughts. Damn it.' There was nothing you could hide from a girlfriend who could read your mind.

"True." Gar's head snapped up.

"What?"

"I can read your mind. Ask. Get it over with." Raven physically looked fine- a little ticked off maybe- but Gar could sense her apprehension. Being so close to another being for so long with animal-like instincts made Gar's senses hypersensitive- especially in situations where Raven was tense or angry.

"Raven." Gar reaches out and grabbed her hand. She looked down at it. "You know I'm not going to ask. I won't. Not if you threaten me. Not until you're not wound up like a rubber band."

Raven looked up at Gar. Her eyes were watery and she sniffled. "Good. Cause I really didn't want to answer." She smiled half-heartedly as a tear streamed down her face.

Gar reached out and grabbed her. He pulled her head to his chest and rubbed small circles on her back. She cried into his shirt for at least 10 minutes straight, then she calmed down enough to begin talking, though her voice was scratchy.

"I haven't had sex since," she said timidly. Gar kissed the top of her head.

"I assumed as much." Raven chuckled and raised her head from Gar's chest. Her face was red and blotchy, yet somehow she was still stunning. Gar reached out and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. Raven's eyes met Gar's and they sat there staring at each other.

"You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen," Gar said unconsciously. His face reddened as he realized what he said. Raven chuckled. She wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug. Gar wrapped his arms around her back and kissed the side of her head. Gar could feel the tension grow again. He gently pulled away, but kept his hand on her back. "Raven."

She looked up at him again. She was incredibly skittish and began fumbling with the hem of her shirt. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

Gar almost laughed aloud at the sheer shock of the statement. "What in the world do you have to be sorry for?"

Raven's eyes dropped as she mumbled her answer. "For making you go through this. A-and for-" Raven took a deep breath and her eyes locked with Gar's once more. "-for not being able to have sex with me." Her voice wavered at the end of the statement.

Gar actually did laugh aloud at this- unintentionally, of course. Raven looked taken aback. "Raven. We are superheroes. We have baggage. It was gonna come up some time or another. Besides, you helped me through the dark times in my life. It's only logical I help you through this. And- and the sex thing?" Raven blushed and looked back down at her fingers. Gar gently took his finger and lifted her chin up so her eyes met his. "We are superheroes. Crime rates are skyrocketing. When in the hell am I supposed to take a day or a night off just to have sex?" Raven snickered. Gar smirked back at her. "I haven't had sex in some three years- not since Terra- at least. I can wait a little longer if it means you feel comfortable. Really. Promise."

"You'll wait for me?" Raven said softly. Gar smiled.

"I'll wait for you." Raven let out a breathy laugh of relief.

Raven abruptly smashed her lips against Gar's. Gar let out a sound of surprise, but then wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her towards him. The kiss started out slow, intimate. Raven wrapped her arms around Gar's neck. Gar groaned, and Raven took the opportunity to stick her tongue into his mouth. Gar's grip on Raven's waist tightened as he enthusiastically began exploring her mouth. The feel of tongue against tongue had both heroes moaning into each other's mouths. Gar suddenly came to his senses and pushed Raven away gently. Raven's eyes were dialated and her lips were swollen. She looked and smelled incredible.

"Raven. We can't." Her eyes darted to the door and back to Gar.

"I was about to stop when you pushed me away," Raven admitted. "Farther than we normally go."

Gar ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah." All of a sudden, the temperature seemed to raise to a hundred degrees. Raven wiped sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand.

"Damn heating," she mumbled, fanning her face.

"Cyborg's on it. He just texted me." Gar put down his communicator and looked back at Raven. Her hair was sticking to her face. Gar took a deep breath before asking his question. "Can I take my shirt off?"

"Yeah. I'm dying. I think I'm going to too." Raven began pulling her shirt over her head. Gar stopped her.

"You-you don't have to, you know. I really don't care." Raven looked up at him.

"I know. But it's like hell on earth in here and I might die of heat stroke." With that, she pulled her shirt over her head, revealing her sports bra. Gar stares at his girlfriend. Her swollen lips, agressive kissing and undressing- not to mention the sweat- made his body react in a way he did not want it to. He distracted himself by pulling his sticky shirt off as well, providing some relief from the heat- though not much. He glanced at the alarm clock. "It's 10:17. Wanna head to bed?"

Raven nodded. "I'm exhausted from crying. And kissing. And emotional conversations." Gar chuckled and laid down, where Raven followed. They looked at each other for a while. Raven's arousal, though rare, was still heavy in the room. Her eyes were glazed over as she looked at his bare torso up and down.

"You have an erection," Raven said abruptly, though extremely calm for an odd statement. Gar looked at her, then said, "You're aroused as well."

Raven blushed slightly and then turned off the lights with the flick of her wrist. "We really shouldn't."

"We're not going to."

Silence emerged between them, growing more awkward at each passing second.

Raven broke the silence by saying, "I've never felt this way before."

Gar looked at her in the darkness. "What- aroused?"

Raven scoffed. "I'm a teenager. I meant the longing. For someone else. The comfort and the safety..." she trailed off. "And yes. Aroused. At least to this degree." She looked at Gar. "You're really fucking hot when you're protective of me."

Gar chuckled. "You're really fucking hot when you kiss-attack me and spill and your secrets."

Silence emerged again. Gar broke the silence this time.

"It's gone down. Wanna cuddle?"

"Wait, your erection or my arousal?" Raven said, obviously uncomfortable with the words in her mouth.

"Both."

"Oh. Ok then." Raven shuffled closer to Gar, still not touching him. "I-"

The tension was back. "You can touch me. It's ok. Really." Raven's hand was inches away from his skin. His words did nothing to calm her down. He took her outstretched hand and gently guided it toward his chest. He heard her breath hitch. "You're ok," he whispered. "Just breathe."

Her hand touched his chest, and the feeling sent shivers down Gar's spine. Raven made a squeak of embarrassment that could rival a mouse. "Sorry-"

Gar shushed her. He gently began moving her hand across his chest so that her arm was lying against his skin. Her body was pulled against his, and she squeaked again at the skin-to-skin contact.

"Too much?" Gar asked.

"No-no, no, no, it's just- wow." Raven buried her face into his neck to hide her blush.

"May I touch you?" Gar asked softly. Raven was hesitant, but nodded into the crook of his neck. His hand reached over and ran its fingers through her hair. Raven sighed in contempt. His fingers traced lower and lower until they were at the top of the bra. Raven's breath hitched again, but made no effort to stop him.

"May I continue?"

"Please." Her voice was breathy and aroused, and by the smell in the air, she was very much aroused.

His fingers traced along her spine, the gentle touches causing Raven to arch her back into Gar, to which Raven groaned. His hand was splayed across the small of her back and stayed there. He listened to Raven's unsteady breathing for a few moments and then asked again.

"Can I put my hand underneath the back of your bra?" There was no hesitation this time. Raven froze and shook her head, whimpering. Gar quickly set to comforting her. His fingers ran through her sweaty hair again, and his other hand pulled her closer to him. He gently began kissing the top of her head. The whimpering gradually stopped over the course of a few minutes, but the arousal was completely gone.

"I'm so sorry Raven... I shouldn't have pushed you..."

"You didn't. I pushed myself. You were perfect. Thank you." Raven looked up and gave him a chaste kiss.

"But you were unsettled and I knew I should stop but I didn't-"

"Don't blame yourself," Raven yawned, placing her head on his bare shoulder. "We went past our limits. And it felt good. Honestly. I just-"

"Couldn't. I get it." Gar resumed his hair-playing. "It's ok. Let's just try and get some sleep. Ok?" Raven nodded, and within a few minutes, her breathing evened out and she was asleep.

Sup gamers! Guess who didn't (completely) abandon this story! My friends dared me to look at old fanfiction and I got inspired to finish this one. For the time being. Sorry for the stupidly long break. The chapter probably wasn't worth it, but there you go! Happy birthday! A crappy chapter, provided to you by me! Ok I'm done